Activities of Eva-Maria Alexandrova POPTCHEVA related to 2022/0164(COD)
Plenary speeches (2)
REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans (debate)
REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2021/241 as regards REPowerEU chapters in recovery and resilience plans and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, Directive 2003/87/EC and Decision (EU) 2015/1814
Amendments (36)
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Due to the direct links between a sustainable recovery, building the Union’s resilience and the Union’s energy security, and its role for a just and inclusive transition, the Recovery and Resilience Facility is a well-suited instrument to contribute to the Union’s response to these newly emerging challenges. , while ensuring compliance with Union´s legislation1a and with existing international commitments, including those stemming from the Aarhus and Bern conventions. __________________ 1a Council Directive 92/43/EEC, Directive 2009/147/EC, Directive 2000/60/EC, Regulation (EC) No 1367/2006, Regulation (EU) 2021/1767 and Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on nature restoration
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The Versailles Declaration of 10-11 March 2022 of the Heads of States and Governments invited the Commission to propose by the end of May a REPowerEU plan to phase out the dependency on Russian fossil fuel imports, which was subsequently reiterated in the European Council Conclusions of 24-25 March 2022. This should be done well before 2030 in a way that is consistent with the EU’s Green Deal and the climate objectives for 2030 and 2050 enshrined in the European Climate Law. Regulation (EU) 2021/241 should therefore be amended to enhance its ability to support reforms and investments dedicated to diversifying energy supplies, in particular fossil fuels, nuclear and LNG, thereby strengthening the strategic autonomy of the Union alongside an open economy. Support should also be given to reforms and investments increasing the energy efficiency of the Member States’ economies and increasing the use of renewable energy, including hydrogen. Furthermore, in its Versailles Declaration of 10-11 March 2022, the European Council called for reducing EU strategic dependencies and invited, inter alia, the Commission to present options to address rising food prices and the issue of global food security as soon as possible.
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The REPowerEU chapter should include new reforms and investments contributing to the REPowerEU aims and tackle, in a comprehensive manner, the crisis effects determined by the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. Furthermore, that chapter should contain an outline of other measures, financed from sources other than the Recovery and Resilience Facility, contributing to the energy-related objectives outlined in recital (3). The outline should cover measures whose implementation should take place between 1 February 2022 to 31 December 2026, the period during which the objectives set by this Regulation are to be achieved. As regards natural gas infrastructure, the investments and reforms of the REPowerEU chapters to diversify supply away from Russia should build on the needs currently identified through the assessment conducted and agreed by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG), established in the spirit of solidarity as regards security of supply and take into account the reinforced preparedness measures taken to adapt to new geopolitical threats. Finally, the REPowerEU chapters should provide an explanation and a quantification of the effects of the combination of the reforms and investments financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the other measures financed by other sources than the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6 a) In order to provide adequate and rapid response, Member States are encouraged to use all available funds to provide immediate and temporary support to SMEs and households for micro investments in energy efficiency improvements and in renewable energy self-generation, via vouchers or tax credits.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 b (new)
Recital 6 b (new)
(6 b) The REPowerEU chapter should equally represent an opportunity for the Member States to develop cross-border projects that accelerate the shift to renewables and that accelerate intra-EU pipeline expansions to fully utilise existing and future LNG regasification capacities to diversify natural gas supplies.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8 a) In light of the current energy crisis, where high energy prices are aggravating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, by further increasing the financial burden of consumers, in particular for households with low income or vulnerable companies, the REPowerEU chapters should include measures to help structurally address situations of energy poverty, through long-lasting investments and reforms. Such reforms and investments should provide a higher level of financial support in energy efficiency schemes, clean energy policies and schemes to reduce energy demand for those households and companies facing severe difficulties due to high energy bills. Energy demand-reduction measures taken by Member States should take into account the principles set by the Council Regulations on energy demand-reduction measures.
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12 a) Member States are encouraged to complement and accompany the measures in the REPowerEU chapter with additional measures in line with the objectives of the chapter; in order to achieve them, Member States are encouraged to use additional Union funding, in particular the Innovation Fund, the Modernisation Fund, InvestEU and all remaining funds under the 2014- 2020 programming period; information on existing or planned Union financing should be included in the chapter.
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13 a) At least 60% of the funds included under the REPowerEU chapter should be used for cross-border or multi-country projects. The Commission should conduct a supra-national assessment of the needs to secure energy supply in the Union as a whole, prior to the approval of the amended recovery and resilience plans that now include the REPowerEU chapters. On the basis of this supra- national energy security needs assessment, certain Member States may be granted an exception to this minimum requirement, taking also into account that the allocated amount should be commensurate with the specific challenges of the Member State and its geographical position. Close cooperation between the Commission and the Member States should be sought and achieved throughout the process. Moreover, Member States are encouraged to co- operate among themselves as early as possible with a view to developing cross- border or multi-country projects to be included in the REPowerEU chapters.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17 a (new)
Recital 17 a (new)
(17 a) The EU Emission Trading System (ETS) was established to create an efficient, predictable and market driven system for reducing emissions and tackling the climate crises. While the amendment to Directive 2003/87/EC is justified by an exceptional situation, it remains important not to undermine trust in the ETS market through short-term interventions, and this amendment should therefore be seen as a one-off measure, which will not be repeated.
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council7 should also be amended to allow for a possibility to deliver up to 12.5% of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development through the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Such method of delivery is justified by complementarity and synergies between these instruments with regard to the objectives of reducing the use of synthetic fertilisers, synthetic plant protection products, or increasing production of sustainable biomethane or renewable energy, in accordance with the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy set out in Article 39 of TFEU and the cascading use principle which maximizes resource effectiveness. The delivery via the Recovery and Resilience Facility should accelerate the disbursement of funds to beneficiaries from the agricultural sector which is vital considering the urgency of the energy- related objectives. __________________ 7 Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP Strategic Plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013 (OJ L 435, 6.12.2021, p. 1).
Amendment 128 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. In line with the six pillars referred in Article 3 of this Regulation, the coherence and synergies they generate, and in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the general objective of the Facility shall be to promote the Union’s economic, social and territorial cohesion by improving the resilience, crisis preparedness, adjustment capacity and growth potential of the Member States, by mitigating the social and economic impact of that crisis, in particular on women, by contributing to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, by supporting the green transition, by contributing to the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate targets set out in point (11) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999,and by complying with the objective of EU climate neutrality by 2050 and of the digital transition, by increasing the resilience of the Union energy system through a decrease of dependence on fossil fuels and an increase of the use of renewable energy, an increase of energy efficiency and diversification of energy supplies at Union level (‘REPowerEU objectives’) thereby contributing to the upward economic and social convergence, restoring and promoting sustainable growth and the integration of the economies of the Union, fostering high quality employment creation, and contributing to the strategic autonomy of the Union alongside an open economy and generating European added value.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 18 – paragraph 4 – point h
Article 18 – paragraph 4 – point h
(2 a) In Article 18 (4), paragraph 4 point(h) is replaced by the following: (h) an indication of whether the measures included in the recovery and resilience plan comprise cross-border or multi-country projects; with respect to the REPowerEU chapter, a confirmation that 60% of the total funds to be used have cross-border or multi-country dimension or effects, with an explanation of how the cross- border and/or multi-country projects included in the chapter contribute to the objectives outlined in Article 21c(1); the Commission may grant an exception from complying with this requirement on the basis of the supra-national energy security needs assessment referred to in Article 21ca;
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) In Article 19(3), the following point iss are inserted:
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 19 – paragraph 3 – point da
Article 19 – paragraph 3 – point da
(da) whether the reforms and investments referred to in Article 21c(1) effectively contribute towards the diversification of the Union’s energy supply or reduction of dependence on fossil fuels before 2030. or an increase of the use of renewable energy or an increase of energy efficiency;
Amendment 157 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 19 – paragraph 3 – point da a (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 3 – point da a (new)
(da a) whether 60% of the total funds to be used under the chapter have cross- border or multi-country dimension or effects contributing to the objectives of Article 21c(1), taking into account the supra-national energy security needs assessment referred to in Article 21ca;
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 a (new)
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d
(4 a) In Article 22, paragraph 2, point (d), is amended as follows: (d) for the purpose of audit and control and to provide for comparable information on the use of funds in relation to measures for the implementation of reforms and investment projects under the recovery and resilience plan, to collect, in and ensure access tolectronic format into a single database, the following standardised categories of data:
Amendment 169 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 b (new)
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 22 – paragraph 4
Article 22 – paragraph 4
(4 b) In Article 22, paragraph 4 is replaced by: 4. The Commission shall make available to the Member States an integrated and interoperable information and monitoring system including a single data-mining and risk-scoring tool to access and analyse the relevant data, with a view to a generalised application by Member States of that system including with support of the Technical Support Instrumentas referred to in paragraph 3 (d).
Amendment 171 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 31 – point 4 a (new)
Article 31 – point 4 a (new)
(5 a) In Article 31, the following paragraph is inserted: 4 a. The Commission shall also provide in the annual report a set of recommendations for each Member State to accelerate the investments included in the respective recovery and resilience plans, after assessing the data available on final beneficiaries, and referring to best practices from other Member States.
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21b – paragraph 1
Article 21b – paragraph 1
(1) Resources allocated to Member States under shared management may, at their request, be transferred or allocated to the Facility, including from the Innovation Fund, Modernisation Fund, Just Transition Fund, as well as all remaining resources under the 2014-2020 MFF programming period, subject to the conditions set out in Article 26a of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 and Article 81a of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115. Those resources shall be used exclusively for the benefit of the Member State concerned.
Amendment 207 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21b – paragraph 1– point b
Article 21b – paragraph 1– point b
(b) Resources allocated under Article 81a of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 shall support measures in Article 21c(1)(b) of this Regulation for farm investments for the benefit of farmers or groups of farmers, in particular to contribute reducing the use of synthetic fertilisers, synthetic plant protection products, increasing production of renewable energy and sustainable biomethane, and boosting energy efficiency.
Amendment 210 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21b – paragraph 2
Article 21b – paragraph 2
(2) Payments shall be made in accordance with Article 24 of this Regulation and subject to available funding. Payments of financial contributions stemming from the resources allocated according to Article 21a shall be made by 21 December 2027.
Amendment 212 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21ba (new)
Article 21ba (new)
Article 21 ba Calculation of maximum financial contribution The methodology for the calculation of the maximum financial contribution per Member State for the REPowerEU chapter under the Facility shall be described in Annex I and further explained in Annex II. The method takes into account, with regard to each Member State: — the population; — the inverse of the GDP per capita; — share of fossil fuels or the share of gas out of the gross available energy — the fall in real GDP in 2020 and the fall in real GDP in 2020 and 2021 combined.
Amendment 227 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) boosting energy efficiency in buildings, decarbonising industry, increasing production and uptake of LNG, nuclear, sustainable biomethane and renewable or fossil-free hydrogen and increasing the share of renewable energy,
Amendment 230 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) providing immediate and temporary support to households and SMEs for micro investments in energy efficiency improvements and in renewable energy self-generation, via vouchers or tax credits.
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) accelerating intra-EU pipeline expansions to fully utilise existing and future LNG regasification capacities to diversify natural gas supplies;
Amendment 232 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
(b b) further development of cross- border projects that accelerate the shift to renewables, including through solar energy projects;
Amendment 239 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) supporting the objectives in points (a), (b) and (c) through an accelerated requalification of the workforce towards green skills, and increasing the capacity of authorities to evaluate applications for permits, as well as support of the value chains in key materials and technologies linked to the green transition.
Amendment 240 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point da (new)
Article 21c – paragraph 1 – point da (new)
(d a) addressing energy poverty and incentivising reduction of energy demand.
Amendment 253 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 21c – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(c a) information on existing or planned Union financing on complementary or accompanying measures in line with the objectives of this chapter;
Amendment 258 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21c – paragraph 3
Article 21c – paragraph 3
(3) The estimated costs of the reforms and investments of the REPowerEU chapter under paragraph 1 shall not be taken into account for the calculation of the plan’s total allocation under Article 18(4), point (f) and Article 19(3), point (f). A 60% of the funds to be used under the REPowerEU chapter shall have a cross- border or multi-country dimension or effect and shall contribute to the objectives outlined in Article 21c(1), except when the Member State concerned is granted an exception from this minimum requirement in the supra- national energy security needs assessment referred to in Article 21ca.
Amendment 271 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21ca (new)
Article 21ca (new)
Amendment 275 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21d – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 21d – paragraph 2 a (new)
(2 a) The Commission shall also provide in the REPowerEU chapter of the annual report mentioned in paragraph (2) a set of recommendations for each Member State to accelerate the investments committed in their national recovery and resilience plans, after assessing the data available on final beneficiaries, and referring to best practices from other Member States.
Amendment 279 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Article 21d – paragraph 2b (new)
Article 21d – paragraph 2b (new)
(2 b) The Commission shall make use of the data collected in accordance with Article 22 paragraph 2, in particular in order to provide comparable information on the use of funds in relation to measures for the implementation of reforms and investment projects under the REPowerEU chapter.
Amendment 285 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 10e – paragraph 1
Article 10e – paragraph 1
(1) For the period until 31 December 2026, the allowances released pursuant to Article 1(6) of Decision (EU) 2015/1814an amount of allowances from the total quantity of allowances shall be auctioned until the amount of revenue obtained from such auctioning has reached EUR 20 billion. This revenue shall be made available to the Recovery and Resilience Facility established by Regulation (EU) 2021/241 and shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of that Regulation. These allowances shall be taken in equal shares from the quantity to be auctioned in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 10 and the quantity that would otherwise be allocated free of charge.
Amendment 290 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Decision (EU) 2015/1814
Article 1
Article 1
Amendment 303 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a
Regulation (EU) 2021/241
Annex V – section 2 – point 2.12 – indent 4
Annex V – section 2 – point 2.12 – indent 4
— the implementation of the envisaged measures is expected to significantly contribute to supporting a requalification of the workforce towards green skills, as well as supporting value chains in key materials and technologies linked to the green transition, and to increase the capacity of authorities to evaluate applications for permits,