Activities of Heidi HAUTALA related to 2014/2075(DEC)
Legal basis opinions (0)
Amendments (3)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Notes with concern that the use of blending in energy sector primarily focuses on large projects with less emphasis on local energy solutions; urges the EU to refrain from developing a top- down approach on developing energy infrastructure to ensure universal access to energy for all by 2030, bearing in mind that large scale infrastructures may not suit the economic and social structure of the country and fail to provide energy access to the poor, for whom smaller, decentralised and off-grid energy sources are usually more appropriate and effective;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Points out that the European Court of Auditors Special Report 16 (2014) on the use of blending concludes that for nearly half of the projects examined, there was insufficient evidence to conclude that the grants were justified, while for a number of these cases, there were indications that the investments would have been made without the EU contribution; in addition, points out that blending risks leading to a debt bubble in some third world countries with limited revenues to service their debt, notably in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean; accordingly, urges the European Commission, in a context where it has indicated its wishes to extend considerably the use of blending in future years, to implement the recommendations made by the European Court of Auditors Special Report on the use of blending and to evaluate the mechanism of blending loans and grants, particularly in terms of development and financial additionality, transparency and accountability;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. WRecalls that EU blending should in no circumstances constitute an excuse for diminishing ODA; welcomes the participation of the Parliament in the EU Platform for Blending in External Cooperation (EUBEC) to provide recommendations and guidance with a view to further increase the effectiveness of aid delivered by the EU through blending operations; recommends in line with the internationally agreed objectives of the aid effectiveness agenda, particularly the key principles of ownership, alignment, harmonisation and mutual accountability; in particular, recommends, in a context where blending provides an opportunity to support the activities of big EU corporations operating abroad (thereby departing from development objectives), that the Parliament should be duly informed on the project proposals financed by the blending facilities before decisions are taken by the operational boards; recalls that projects financed through blending should truly contribute to poverty reduction and respect development effectiveness principles; calls on the Commission to use blending only where its added value is demonstrated as highlighted by the Court2; __________________ 2 European Court of Auditors, The effectiveness of blending regional investment facility grants with financial institution loans to support EU external policies, Special Report 16, 2014.