29 Amendments of Andris AMERIKS related to 2023/2059(INI)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
– having regard to the Commission Regulation (EC) No 906/2009 of 28 September 2009 on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements, decisions and concerted practices between liner shipping companies (consortia),
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas our ports are the European Union’s gateways to the world and as such play a crucialn increasingly important role in our economy, wealth and jobs, both by facilitating trade and in the energy transitioy facilitating trade, being nodes of energy, clusters of industry and blue economy, and as facilitators of military mobility; on top of their logistical role at the crossroads of supply chains, ports are crucial partners in getting Europe’s economy and society through the energy transition by enabling the production, supply and import of clean energies and technologies, including for hydrogen, as well as by facilitating the supply chain for realising the Net-Zero Industry Plan;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas ports carry out a vital public service and should be valued as suchrecognised and valued as such; whereas ports have demonstrated again this vital and resilient role during recent and ongoing European and international crises, including the COVID pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine by ensuring the continuance of supply chains and setting up alternative routes, as well as in the energy crisis by safeguarding Europe’s energy security, including through establishing at short term alternative routes for the provision of LNG and increasing Europe’s gas storage;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas non-EU entities have strategically increased their stakes in European port operations, companies, terminals and port infrastructure;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights repeated warnings by intelligence agencies against the risks of economic dependence, espionage and sabotage caused by the economic presence of entities, including vessels, from non-EU countries in our critical infrastructure and strategic sectors, such as ports9 ; _________________ 9 Dreigingsbeeld Statelijke Actoren 2 (in Dutch): https://open.overheid.nl/documenten/ronl- f76b037c88b27bbede038d38647642b4082 45240/pdf.
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Considers that port concessions and/or lease contracts, whereby the port managing body is setting the multiple conditions (operational, social, environmental, etc.) under which a terminal should be operated, are an essential and important tool for the port managing bodies to safeguard the control of the port managing body and intervene in cases of breaches of contracts;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to present an EU strategic policy framework to reduce and limitkeep the influence and operational control by non-EU countries in the EU’s ports and in their processes and hinterland operations limited to a strict level avoiding effective participation or control (direct or indirect) in the management of a port authority;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to continuously monitor and report to the relevant authorities in the Member States on the influence of non-EU countries in EU portscritical EU ports infrastructure, EU terminal management and global container shipping and assess the potential links between the actions of a given non- EU country in these sectors;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that limiting foreign investments in an individual port in one Member State can negatively affect the competitive position of that port compared to neighbouring ports that do not have these limitations, which underlines the need for a joint European strategyapproach covering foreign investments in all EU critical infrastructures, including critical port infrastructure;;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Welcomes the forthcoming review of the Foreign Direct Investment Regulation and calls for making a foreign direct investment screening system mandatory in all Member States, in order to ensure a level playing field across Europe; considers that assessments on the basis of this Regulation should take place within a reasonable timeframe and respect confidentiality during the screening process, in view of ensuring legal certainty for potential investors;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Recognises that the Distortive Foreign Subsidies Regulation is only applicable as of July 2023; considers it therefore too early to assess its functioning; stresses, however, the importance of monitoring its implementation in due time as to assess its full impact;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to research and assess the impact of vertical integration in maritime logistics, the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation and, the formation of container alliances and the advantageous fiscal climate on the competitiveness of Europe’s ports; calls on the Commission to look particularly at the impact of these developments on non- EU country influence in EU ports; calls on the Commission to intervene when necessary, in order to ensure a fair power balance and level playing field between all actors in the port ecosystem and to safeguard a healthy, competitive and diversified maritime and logistics environment for Europe’s ports;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that, in particular, aggregated Chinese presence of non-EU state- owned companies in the core network ports and nodes of the Trans- European Transport Network (TEN-T) carries important implications for the resilience of individual nodes and the network as a whole;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Encourages the Commission and the Member States to carry out a risk assessment of China’sthe involvement of non-EU state-owned companies in maritime infrastructures that includes its impact on labour and the environment, dependencies, an assessment of bottlenecks in the shipping of goods from Chinasuch non-EU states to the EU and transhipment;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Suggests that all Member States introducthat do not yet have laws to retake control of portscritical ports infrastructure, terminals and other maritime infrastructure to introduce such laws and develop contingency plans for a major conflict scenario; highlights repeated warnings by intelligence agencies against the risks of economic dependence, espionage and sabotage caused by the economic presence of entities from non-EU countries in our critical infrastructure and strategic sectors, such as ports;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to specifically address the need to reduce the risks of espionage and sabotage by foreign vessels and in ports with a military function, such as ports that are used by NATO;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to addresspay particular attention to the use of trusted technology in maritime logistics and in the functioning of container terminals; expresses its concern about the increasing dependence on non-EU producers for (border) security equipment in ports, as well as ship-to-shore cranes which are able to collect data on the origin and destination of containers;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Underlines that while data-sharing in logistics contributes to the efficiency, agility and resilience of supply chains, the use of non-EU state-controlled platforms in ports may poses economic and strategic risks for the EU and, which should be prevented;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines that EU ports are key entry points for illicit drugs andillicit drugs are increasingly infiltrating Europe’s society; recognises that ports as gateways to trade are sometimes being misused by criminal organisations for the trafficking of illicit products, in particular drugs, which can undermine the security of the port, supply chains and the people working there; calls on the Commission to present measures for effective European cooperation between all relevant authorities and players to combat drug trafficking, extraction and criminal subversion;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the vital role ports play in the energy transition as energy hubs for the conversion, conditioning and storing of energy carriers, for the import of critical raw materialhydrogen and other crucial energy sources as well as of critical raw materials, as essential hubs in the development of EU Net-Zero industry ecosystems, as servicing stations for offshore energy facilities and as nodes in transport systems supporting the energy transition;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Underlines that European ports are pivotal in safeguarding Europe’s energy security and in reducing its external energy dependency; stresses that Europe’s ports have been and will be instrumental in repowering Europe in the short term as well as in reinforcing the efforts to prepare for a fossil-free energy landscape in Europe;
Amendment 200 #
17. Calls on the Commission to address the increasing need for investments in ports and their infrastructure, which are of high societal value but often lack the required return on investment for the investing port, so that they can continue to assume their role in the energy transition;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines that an energy transition in ports will not be possible without a skilled workforce, easy and swift permitting procedures, adequate public and private funding, as well as EU legislation adequately recognising and facilitating the energy role of ports, including in the TEN-T Regulation;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that strengthening the economic position of EU ports and improving their competitiveness in a global economy is crucial for limiting foreign influence and security risks as well as for Europe’s supply chain sovereignty; considers that European legislation that risks to undermine the competitiveness of EU ports and creates carbon and business leakage to ports outside the EU should therefore be avoided;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Commission to analyse and address the investment needs of Europe’s ports in order for them to be competitive in the future and to work towards a more stable investment climate including transparencythat is attractive to foreign investors and ensures legal certainty for potential investors and that includes transparency on outcomes of and predictability in investment assessments;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls that in the last 20 years Europe has seen an increase of trade flows from non-European countries; and that ports are not stand- alone assets as they have their place in a vast system of maritime logistics and supply chains driven by demand from European importers and exporters;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Underlines the importance of thea solid and well-thought-out EU Global Gateway initiative as a tool to build strategic, sustainable and secure transport corridors and support global value chains; considers that the initiative may therefore enhance the connectivities and competitiveness of Europe’s ports when investments are chosen strategically and safeguard the level playing, and can be a strategic global alternative to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the urgent need for improving the strength and capacity of hinterland connections of Europe’s ports, particularly those that are part of TEN-T, including to reach the goals set in the Net-Zero Industry Act;