Activities of Petar VITANOV related to 2020/0006(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Just Transition Fund
Amendments (32)
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy constitutes one of the most important policy objectives for the Union. On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will benefit all in the long term and provides opportunities and challenges for all in the medium term, not all regions and Member States start their transition from the same point or have the same capacity to respond. Some are more advanced than others, whereas the transition entails a wider social and economic impact for those regions that rely heavily on fossil fuels - especially coal, lignite, peat and oil shale - or greenhouse gas intensive industries. Such a situation not only creates the risk of a variable speed transition in the Union as regards climate action, but also of growing disparities between regions, detrimental to the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion. In this context, special attention should be paid to the particular challenges that the impact of transitioning to climate neutrality will present for remote, island and geographically disadvantaged areas, and for areas with depopulation problems.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fair and socially acceptable for all. A just climate and energy transition must not leave anyone behind and should create conditions to eradicate energy poverty. Therefore, both the Union and the Member States must take into account its economic and social implications from the outset, and deploy all possible instruments to mitigate adverse consequences. The Union budget has an important role in that regard.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy. Тhe transfer mechanism shall be flexible, in order to allow Member States to assess the best way to allocate resources.
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. In this context, special attention should be paid to the particular challenges that the transition to climate neutrality will present for remote, island and geographically disadvantaged areas, and for areas with depopulation problems. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards climate neutrality.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)
Recital 9 a (new)
(9 a) In order to set out an appropriate financial framework for the JTF and to ensure a level playing field, reducing the off-shoring of production and additional funds to deploy policies restricting the emissions the Commission shall introduce a carbon border tax mechanism as an EU own resources.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) This Regulation identifies types of investments for which expenditure may be supported by the JTF. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect of the climate and environmental priorities of the Union. The list of investments should include those that support local economies and are sustainable in the long- term, taking into account all the objectives of the Green Deal. The projects financed should contribute to a transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy. For declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, peat and oil shale or extraction activities for these solid fossil fuels, support should be linked to the phasing out of the activity and the corresponding reduction in the employment level. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levels, support should promote new activities through the deployment of new technologies, new processes or products, leading to significant emission reduction, in line with the EU 2030 climate objectives and EU climate neutrality by 205013 while maintaining and enhancing employment and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and, connectivity and sustainable mobility, provided that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and circular economy. _________________ 13 As set out in “A Clean Planet for all European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy”, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - COM(2018) 773 final.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) The Just Transition Fund should take account of the demographic challenges facing territories affected by the climate transition, particularly those with depopulation problems. These depopulated or scarcely populated areas are facing major challenges with regard to basic services, connectivity and infrastructure. The socio-economic fabric of these depopulated or scarcely populated areas that depend heavily on fossil fuels is, therefore, particularly vulnerable to the climate transition. In this context, the Just Transition Fund should support job creation in these areas, thus preventing relocation and population loss that would result in the emptying of those territories.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizens who are most vulnerable to the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers, with the aim of helping them to adapt to new employment opportunities, as well as providing job-search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market. Similarly, special attention should be paid to unemployment rates, particularly for young people, in territories affected by the transition.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizens who are most vulnerable to the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers and self- employed persons whose activity has affected as a result of significant structural changes, with the aim of helping them to adapt to new employment opportunities, as well as providing job- search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market.
Amendment 70 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fair and socially acceptable for all. A just climate and energy transition must not leave anyone behind and should create conditions to eradicate energy poverty. Therefore, both the Union and the Member States must take into account its economic and social implications from the outset, and deploy all possible instruments to mitigate adverse consequences. The Union budget has an important role in that regard.
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) Joint distribution of funds should be carried out following the principle of "priority regions with high carbon intensity", which includes cumulative those that rely heavily on coal (and coal plants) and GDP per capita below the EU average.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The territorial just transition plans should identify the territories most negatively affected, where JTF support should be concentrated and describe specific actions to be undertaken to reach a climate-neutral economy, notably as regards the conversion or closure of facilities involving fossil fuel production or other greenhouse gas intensive activities. Those territories should be precisely defined and correspond to NUTS level 3 regions or should be parts thereof. The plans should detail the challenges and needs of those territories, such as unemployment rates and any job losses, and identify the type of operations needed in a manner that ensures the coherent development of climate-resilient economic activities that are also consistent with the transition to climate-neutrality and the objectives of the Green Deal, such as the design of sustainable mobility plans and accessible and affordable green energy plans for the inhabitants of affected territories. Similarly, territorial plans should reflect the particular challenges that the transition to climate neutrality will present for remote, island and geographically disadvantaged areas, and for areas with depopulation problems. Only investments in accordance with the transition plans should receive financial support from the JTF. The territorial just transition plans should be part of the programmes (supported by the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund or the JTF, as the case may be) which are approved by the Commission.
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) The territorial just transition plans are to be submitted as soon as possible but not later than one year after the entry into force of this Regulation. That poses an implementation challenge for managing authorities and for the Member States, as the adoption of these plans is necessary to release the funding. Conditional pre- financing for technical assistance should, therefore, be made available before the adoption of the plans in order to alleviate this challenge.
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructures for affordable clean energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, including the development of sustainable mobility services, energy efficiency and renewable energy;
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy. Тhe transfer mechanism shall be flexible, in order to allow Member States to assess the best way to allocate resources.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
(h) upskilling and reskilling of workers and self-employed persons;
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
(j) active inclusion of jobseekers;, including income support for transitioning workers and mobility grants for workers who need to move for a new job
Amendment 150 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)
Recital 9 a (new)
(9a) In order to set out an appropriate financial framework for the JTF and to ensure a level playing field, reducing the off-shoring of production and additional funds to deploy policies restricting the emissions the Commission shall introduce a carbon border tax mechanism as an EU own resources.
Amendment 154 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Supported activities must meet the following criteria: - Contribution of job creation activities; - Contribution to reducing CO2 emissions; - Contributing to security of supply (eg if it is necessary to replace the phased interrupted power for electricity); -Contribution to the circular economy, air quality, rehabilitation of sites, upgrading and retraining of workers and/or self- employed persons.
Amendment 174 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
By way of derogation from Article 5 (d) and following the approval by the commission, the investments related to production, processing, distribution, storage or combustion of natural gas shall be supported by JTF under the following cumulative conditions: - The investments are retrofitting and/or replacing existing more carbon-intensive infrastructure; - The supported infrastructure is synergistic with renewable and other carbon-neutral energy production capacity. The derogation shall only be used and granted for the purposes of the transition period until 2050.
Amendment 176 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizens who are most vulnerable to the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers and self- employed persons whose activity has affected as a result of significant structural changes, with the aim of helping them to adapt to new employment opportunities, as well as providing job- search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market.
Amendment 181 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare, together with the relevant regional, local or other authorities of the territories concerned, one or more territorial just transition plans covering one or more affected territories corresponding to level 3 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics (‘NUTS level 3 regions’) as established by Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 868/201417 or parts thereof, in accordance with the template set out in Annex II. Those territories shall be those most negatively affected based on the economic and social and territorial cohesion impacts resulting from the transition, in particular with regard to expected job losses in fossil fuel production and use and the transformation needs of the production processes of industrial facilities with the highest greenhouse gas intensity. Similarly, territorial plans should take account of the unemployment rate, particularly for young people, in the affected territories, along with other demographic challenges, such as depopulation. _________________ 17 Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) (OJ L 154, 21.6.2003, p. 1).
Amendment 194 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) Joint distribution of funds should be carried out following the principle of “priority regions with high carbon intensity”, which includes cumulative those that rely heavily on coal (and coal plants) and GDP per capita below the EU average.
Amendment 196 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) an assessment of the transition challenges faced by the most negatively affected territories, including the social, economic, and environmental impact of the transition to a climate-neutral economy, taking unemployment rates into account and identifying the potential number of affected jobs and job losses, the developmentpopulation density, the development and territorial cohesion needs and objectives, to be reached by 2030 linked to the transformation or closure of greenhouse gas-intensive activities in those territories;
Amendment 199 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) a description of the expected contribution of the JTF support to addressing the social, economic and environmental impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy, along with the design of sustainable mobility and green energy plans that are accessible and affordable in the territories most affected by the transition;
Amendment 224 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii a (new)
(iiia) The unemployment rate, particularly for young people.
Amendment 224 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) The territorial just transition plans are to be submitted as soon as possible but not later than one year after the entry into force of this Regulation. That poses an implementation challenge for managing authorities and for the Member States, as the adoption of these plans is necessary to release the funding. Conditional pre- financing for technical assistance should, therefore, be made available before the adoption of the plans in order to alleviate this challenge.
Amendment 225 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point v a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a – point v a (new)
(va) The demographic challenges facing affected territories, for example, depopulation.
Amendment 425 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
(h) upskilling and reskilling of workers and self-employed persons;
Amendment 427 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point i
(i) active inclusion of job- search assistance to jobseekersekers, including income support for transitioning workers and mobility grants for workers who need to move for a new job;
Amendment 457 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Supported activities must meet the following criteria: - Contribution of job creation activities; - Contribution to reducing CO2 emissions; - Contributing to security of supply (eg if it is necessary to replace the phased interrupted power for electricity); -Contribution to the circular economy, air quality, rehabilitation of sites, upgrading and retraining of workers and/or self- employed persons.
Amendment 510 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a By way of derogation from Article 5 (d) and following the approval by the commission, the investments related to production, processing, distribution, storage or combustion of natural gas shall be supported by JTF under the following cumulative conditions: - The investments are retrofitting and/or replacing existing more carbon-intensive infrastructure; - The supported infrastructure is synergistic with renewable and other carbon-neutral energy production capacity. The derogation shall only be used and granted for the purposes of the transition period until 2050.