26 Amendments of Vera TAX related to 2020/0036(COD)
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) A fixed long-term objective is crucial to contribute to economic and societal transformation, jobs, growth, and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to movereach in a fair and cost-effective manner towards the temperature goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre- industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1, 5°C above pre-industrial levels, as set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change following the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the ‘Paris Agreement’).
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) AIn achieving climate neutrality should require a contribution from all economic sectors. In light of the importance of energy production and consumption on greenhouse gas emissions, the transition to a sustainable, affordable and secure energy system relying on a well-functioning internal energy market is essential.it is crucial to achieve a comprehensive transition of the whole transport sector, including aviation and maritime transport, towards sustainable zero- emissions mobility while protecting the rights of workers and their social conditions and ensuring affordable mobility for all. The ‘polluter pays’ principle should be a key factor in this regard. In light of the importance of energy production and consumption on greenhouse gas emissions, the transition to a sustainable, affordable and secure energy system relying on a well-functioning internal energy market is essential. Whereas emissions have substantially decreased in the energy sector since 1990, greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector have increased. The challenges in the transport sector are not limited to road or rail, but include the inland water transport, maritime and aviation sectors as well The digital transformation, technological innovation, and research and development are also important drivers for achieving the climate- neutrality objective.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The European Parliament called forhas declared a climate and environment emergencyand repeatedly called on the Commission and Member States to increase climate action to facilitate the necessary transition to a climate-neutral society by 2050 at the latest and for this to be made into a European success story33 and has declared a climate and environment emergency34 . The European Council, in its Conclusions of 12 December 201935 , has agreed on the objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, while also recognising that it is necessary to put in place an enabling framework and that the transition will require significant public and private investment. The European Council also invited the Commission to prepare a proposal for the Union’s long- term strategy as early as possible in 2020 with a view to its adoption by the Council and its submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. _________________ 33European Parliament resolution of 15 January 2020 on the European Green Deal (2019/2956(RSP)). 34European Parliament resolution of 28 November 2019 on the climate and environment emergency (2019/2930(RSP)). 35 Conclusions adopted by the European Council at its meeting on 12 December 2019, EUCO 29/19, CO EUR 31, CONCL 9.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The Union should aim to achieve a balance between anthropogenic economy- wide emissions and removals, through natural and technological solutions, of greenhouse gases domestically within the Union and at Member State level by 2050. The Union-wide 2050 climate-neutrality objective should be pursued by all Member States collectively, and the Member States,and they should, together with the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission should take the necessary measures to enable its achievement. Measures at Union level will constitute an important part of the measures needed to achieve the objective. also at Member State level. After 2050, the Union and all Member States should continue to reduce emissions so as to ensure that removals of greenhouse gases exceed emissions
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) In taking the relevant measures at Union and national level to achieve the climate-neutrality objective, Member States and the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission should take into account the contribution of the transition to climate neutrality to the well- being of citizens, the prosperity of society and the competitiveness of the economy; energy and food security and affordabilithe social, economic and environmental costs of inaction or insufficient action; energy and food security and affordability whilst particularly taking into account the need to combat energy poverty; fairness and solidarity across and within Member States considering their economic capability, national circumstances and the need for convergence over time; the need to make the transition just and socially fair so nobody is left behind in accordance with the 2015 International Labour Organization's guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all; best available scientific evidence, in particular the findings reported by the IPCC; the need to integrate climate change related risks into investment and planning decisions; cost-effectiveness and technological neutrality in achieving greenhouse gas emissions reductions and removals and increasing resilience; progression over time in environmental integrity and level of ambition.
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The Commission, in its Communication ‘The European Green Deal’, announced its intention to assess and make proposals for increasing the Union’s greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2030 to ensure its consistency with the climate-neutrality objective for 2050. In that Communication, the Commission underlined that all Union policies should contribute to the climate-neutrality objective and that all sectors should play their part. By September 2020, the Commission should, based on a comprehensive impact assessment and taking into account its analysis of the integrated national energy and climate plans submitted to the Commission in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council36 , review the Union’saise the 2030 target for climate and explore options for a new 2030 target of 50 to 55 % emission reductions compared with 1990 levels. Where it considers necessary to amend the Union’sto 65% emission reductions compared with 1990 and determine an appropriate 20340 target, it should make proposals to the European Parliament and to the Council to amend this Regulation as appropriate according to what is necessary to reach the climate neutrality target. In addition, the Commission should, by 30 June 2021, assess how the Union legislation implementing that target would need to be amended in order to achieve emission reductions of 650 to 55 % compared to 1990. _________________ 36Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, amending Regulations (EC) No 663/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives 94/22/EC, 98/70/EC, 2009/31/EC, 2009/73/EC, 2010/31/EU, 2012/27/EU and 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 2009/119/EC and (EU) 2015/652 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 1).
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17 a (new)
Recital 17 a (new)
(17 a) To ensure that the Union and all Member States remain on track to reach the climate-neutrality objective, and to ensure predictability and confidence for all economic actors, including businesses, workers and trade unions, investors and consumers, the Commission should explore options for setting a Union 2040 climate target and make legislative proposals to the European Parliament and to the Council as appropriate.
Amendment 159 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) To ensure the Union and theall Member States remain on track to achieve the climate-neutrality objective and progress on adaptation, the Commission should regularly assess progress. Should the collective progress made by Member States towards the achievement of the climate-neutrality objective or on adaptation be insufficient or Union measures inconsistent with the climate- neutrality objective or inadequate to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience or reduce vulnerability, the Commission should take the necessary measures in accordance with the Treaties. The Commission should also regularly assess relevant national measures, and issue recommendations where it finds that a Member State’s measures are inconsistent with the climate-neutrality objective or inadequate to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change. Where a Member State fails to implement the measures in response to the Commission’s recommendations, the Commission should take the necessary measures in accordance with the Treaties and should make these measures publicly available
Amendment 191 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 a (new)
Recital 23 a (new)
(23 a) To ensure a clear pathway towards zero-emission mobility as set out in the European Green Deal, the Commission should significantly reduce free allowances allocated to the aviation sector in the EU ETS and consider that any action, or lack of action, taken at global level should not hinder the EU’s ability to take more ambitious actions of its own;
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 b (new)
Recital 23 b (new)
(23 b) Internationally, CO2 emissions from maritime transport are projected to increase by 50% to 250% in the period to 2050. CO2 emissions from maritime transport are also growing rapidly in the Union, increasing by 48% between 1990 and 2008. Without action to tackle emissions from maritime transport, such emissions are expected, by 2050, to increase by 86% above 1990 levels, which would undermine the climate efforts undertaken by other sectors, the Union's objective of becoming an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest, and the goal of the Paris Agreement. Currently, the maritime transport is the only sector not expressly addressed by a Union emission reduction objective or specific mitigation measures.
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 c (new)
Recital 23 c (new)
(23 c) There is an urgent need for enhanced action to tackle maritime emissions and to include the maritime transport sector in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), in addition to the adoption of other measures, like the greening of ports, ensuring that the maritime transport sector contributes to the efforts of reaching the Union's 2050 economy-wide climate neutrality target as well as the 2030 and 2040 targets.
Amendment 201 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 d (new)
Recital 23 d (new)
(23 d) The Union should continue its efforts to strengthen the circular economy and further support renewable alternatives that can substitute fossil-fuel based products and materials. In this regard, the Union should encourage the use of sustainable alternative fuels especially in those sectors where the potential of cutting emissions is higher, such as the aviation and maritime ones. Fuel standards should add to a transition that cannot be driven exclusively by a market-based system.
Amendment 203 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 e (new)
Recital 23 e (new)
(23 e) In order to the achieve the objective of climate neutrality by 2050 as set out in the European Green Deal, the Commission should also strengthen the specific legislation on CO2 emissions performance standards for cars, vans and trucks, come up with specific measures to pave the way for the electrification of road transport, and take initiatives to ramp up the production and deployment of sustainable alternative fuels.
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 f (new)
Recital 23 f (new)
(23 f) Ensure sufficient investments in developing appropriate infrastructure for zero-emission mobility, including intermodal platforms and reinforcing the role of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in supporting the transition towards smart, sustainable and safe mobility in the EU, should also be considered;
Amendment 205 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 g (new)
Recital 23 g (new)
(23 g) The connectivity of the European railway network, in particular international connections, to make passenger transport by rail more attractive for medium and long distance travels and improvements to the capacity of railways and inland waterways for freight, should be at the core of the EU legislative action.
Amendment 206 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 h (new)
Recital 23 h (new)
(23 h) The TEN-T infrastructures have a strategic role in order to contribute to the achievements of the climate neutrality targets. It is of key importance to have such corridors finalised as soon as possible, also with the view of pushing for a further switch from road to railway transport particularly for commercial transportation of goods and for commercial purposes
Amendment 222 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
1. Union-wide emissions and removals of greenhouse gases regulated in Union law shall be balanced in the Union at the latest by 2050, thus reducing emissions to net zero by that date. Each Member State shall reach net zero emissions within its territory by 2050 at the latest.
Amendment 227 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. As from 1 January 2051, removals of greenhouse gases shall exceed emissions in the Union and all Member States.
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. The relevant Union institutions and the Member States shall take the necessary measures at Union and national level respectively, to enable the collective achievement of the climate-neutrality objective set out in paragraph 1, taking into account the importance of promoting fairness and solidarity among Member States, economic actors and citizens, ensuring a just transition leaving no one behind.
Amendment 250 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3
Article 2 – paragraph 3
3. By September 2020, the Commission shall review the Union’s 2030 target for climate referred to in Article 2(11) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in light ofto achieve the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1), and explore options for a new 2030 target of 50 to 565% emission reductions compared to 1990. Where tThe Commission considers that it is necessary to amend that target, it shall make proposals to the European Parliament and to the Council as appropriateccordingly.
Amendment 258 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 4
Article 2 – paragraph 4
4. By 30 June 2021, the Commission shall assess how all of the Union legislation implerelevant for the fulfilmenting of the Union’s 2030 climate target would need to be amended in order to enable the achievement of 650 to 55 % emission reductions compared to 1990 and to achieve the climate-neutrality-objective set out in Article 2(1), and consider takingtake the necessary measures, including the adoption of legislative proposals, in accordance with the Treaties. The Commission shall in particular evaluate the options for aligning emissions from aviation and maritime transport with the 2030 target and the 2050 climate-neutrality objective in order to reduce these emissions to net zero by2050 at the latest and shall present legislative proposals as appropriate.
Amendment 272 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. By 30 September 2025, the Commission shall, in light of the climate- neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) and following a detailed impact assessment, explore options for setting a Union 2040 target for climate and shall make proposals to the European Parliament and to the Council as appropriate.
Amendment 274 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 4 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. No later than 18 months after the adoption of the 2040 climate target, the Commission shall assess how all of the Union legislation relevant for the fulfilment of that target would need to be amended and shall consider taking the necessary measures, including the adoption of legislative proposals, in accordance with the Treaties.
Amendment 336 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
(j a) An encompassing cross-sectoral approach with adequate consideration of the indicators concerned with the climate performance of specific sectors, notably transport and mobility;
Amendment 345 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 a (new)
Article 3 a (new)
Article 3 a Union carbon budget By 30 June 2021, the Commission shall establish a Union carbon budget and make legislative proposals to the European Parliament and the Council as appropriate.
Amendment 395 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Where a Member State fails to comply with the obligations under paragraph 3, or fails to implement the measures in response to the Commission's recommendation, the Commission shall take the necessary measures in accordance with the Treaties.