24 Amendments of Ioannis A. TSOUKALAS related to 2011/0302(COD)
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The creation of the Connecting Europe Facility should maximise the potential for growth and jobs through the realisation of synergies between transport, energy and telecommunications policies and their implementation, thus enhancing the efficiency of the Union's intervention.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) A fully functioning single market depends on modern, highly performing infrastructure connecting Europe particularly in the areas of transport, energy and telecommunications. These growth enhancing connections would provide better access to the internal market, facilitate cross-border interactions and consequently contribute to a more competitive market economy in line with Europe 2020 Strategy's objectives and targets.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The creation of a Connecting Europe Facility aims at accelerating the investments in the field of trans-European networks, to multiply their synergies and leverage funding from both the public and private sectors.
Amendment 139 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Based on an analysis of the transport infrastructure plans of Member States, the Commission estimates that investment needs in transport amount to EUR 500 billion in the entirety of the TEN-T network for the period 2014-2020, of which an estimated EUR 250 billion will need to be invested in the core network of the TEN-T. Given the resources available at Union level, concentration on the projects with the highest European added value is necessary to achieve the desired impact. Support should therefore be focussed on the core network (in particular, the core network corridors) and on the projects of common interest such as multimodal transport hubs and in the field of and traffic management systems (notably the air traffic management systems resulting from SESAR which require Union budgetary resources of about EUR 3 billion).
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Experience with the current financial framework shows that many Member States, which are eligible to the Cohesion Fund, are facing significant obstacles in delivering on time complex cross-border transport and energy infrastructure projects with a high Union added value. Therefore, in order to improve the delivery of transporthese projects, in particular cross-border ones, with a high Union added value, part of the Cohesion Fund allocation (EUR 10 billion) should be transferred to finance transport projects on the transport core networkdistributed to both transport and energy projects in the Member States eligible to the Cohesion Fund under the Connecting Europe Facility. The Commission should support Member States eligible to the Cohesion Fund to develop an adequate pipeline of projects in order to give greatest possible priority to the national allocations under the Cohesion Fund.
Amendment 158 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The 4 February 2011 European Council called upon the Commission to streamline, simplify, speed up and improve authorisation procedures and to promote a regulatory framework attractive to investment. The European Council underlined that the bulk of the investment would have to be delivered by the market with costs recovered through tariffs. The European Council recognised that public finance was needed for projects requirjustified from a security of supply or, solidarity and sustainability perspective, which were unable to attract enough market based financing.
Amendment 163 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) Telecommunications are increasingly becoming internet-based infrastructures, with broadband networks and digital services closely interrelated. Furthermore, cloud computing and software-as-a- service emerge as the new paradigms of computing. The internet is becoming the dominant platform for communication, offering private and public services, and doing businesscross-border business and commerce. Therefore the trans- European availability of ubiquitous, fast Internet access and innovative digital services is essential for economic growth and the Single Market.
Amendment 171 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) The Europe 2020 Strategy calls for the implementation of the Digital Agenda for Europe that establishes a stable legal framework to stimulate investments in an open and competitive high speed internet infrastructure and in related services that will form the basis of the Digital Single Market. The June 2010 European Council endorsed the Digital Agenda for Europe and called upon all institutions to engage in its full implementation.
Amendment 173 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) On 31 May 2010, the Council concluded that Europe should put the necessary resources into the development of a digital single market based on fast and ultra fast internet and interoperable applications and acknowledged that efficient and competitive investment in next generation broadband networks would be importantnecessary for innovation, consumer choice and for the competitiveness of the Union and could provide better quality of life through better health care, safer transport, new media opportunities and easier access to goods and, services and knowledge in particular across borders.
Amendment 179 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) It is necessary to develop strong and coherent EU-wide networks for the digital delivery of public-good actions, involving both public and civil society actors at national and regional level, and to this end it is essential to ensure the structured EU financing of the costs of the system and software design, as well as the cybersecurity and maintenance of a resilient hub for such networks, leaving only in-country costs for national operator budgets.
Amendment 187 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Generic services in areas of public interest (as core services) are often affected by a strong degree of market failures. Indeed, the areas to be funded relate to public service delivery (eHealth, eIdentity, eGovernment, eLearning, eProcurement large scale deployment and interoperability) hence not commercial by definition at a starting level. In addition, if only core services are funded, the challenge would be to create the right incentives at Member State and regional level to actually deploy services of public interest: this is due particularly to lack of incentive at national level to link national systems to the core systems (hence develop conditions for interoperability and cross- border services) as well as to the fact that private investors would not alone ensure service deployment within interoperable frameworks.
Amendment 190 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) Horizon 2020 – the future Framework Programme for Research and Innovation will focus among others on tackling societal challenges (e.g. smart, green and integrated transport, and secure, clean and efficient energy, and information and communication technology-enabled health, government and sustainable development) in order to respond directly to the challenges identified in the Europe 2020 Strategy by supporting activities covering the entire spectrum from research to market. Horizon 2020 will support all stages in the innovation chain, especially activities closer to the market including innovative financial instruments. Furthermore, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) pursues the same objectives in tackling those societal challenges, focusing on the exploitation of research results and the development innovative products and services. With the aim to achieve a greater impact of the Union funding and in order to ensure coherence, the Connecting Europe Facility will develop close synergies with Horizon 2020 and the EIT.
Amendment 216 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 43
Recital 43
(43) Mid-term and ex-post evaluations should be carried out by the Commission in order to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the funding and its impact on the overall goals of the Facility and the Europe 2020 Strategy's priorities. The Commission shall publish annually a scoreboard depicting the progress of all projects selected under the CEF.
Amendment 267 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) contribute to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth by developing modern and high performing trans-European networks, thus bringing forward benefits for the entire European Union in terms of competitiveness and economic, social and territorial cohesion within the Single Market and creating an environment more conducive to private and public investment through a combination of financial instruments and Union direct support and by exploiting synergies across the sectors. The achievement of this objective will be measured by the volume of public and private investment in projects of common interest, and in particular the volume of public and private investments in projects of common interest realised through the financial instruments under this Regulation. The achievement of this objective will also be measured by the cumulative effect of these projects of common interest to the overall targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy.
Amendment 303 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
(iii) optimise the integration and interconnection of transport modes and enhancing multimodality and interoperability of transport services. The achievement of this objective will be measured by the number of ports and airport, airports and transport hubs connected to the railway network.
Amendment 317 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
(ii) enhancing Union security of supply, to be measured by the evolution of system resilience and security of system operations as well as number of projects allowing diversification of supply sources, supplying two-way connections, counterparts and routes;
Amendment 336 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) transport: EUR 31 694 000 000, out of which EUR 10 000 000 000 shall be transferred from the Cohesion Fund to be spent in line with this Regulation in Member States eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund50% of the total amount;
Amendment 340 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) energy: EUR 9 121 000 00025% of the total amount;
Amendment 341 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) telecommunications: EUR 9 185 000 00025% of the total amount.
Amendment 348 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Following the mid-term evaluation according to Article 26(1), the Commission may transfer appropriations between the sectors of the allocation set out in paragraph 1, with the exception of the [EUR 10 000 000 000] transferred from the Cohesion Fund to finance transport sector projects in the Cohesion Fund eligible Member States, respecting national allocations under Cohesion Fund and in accordance with relevant provisions of the sectoral legislation.
Amendment 434 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b – point ii
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b – point ii
(ii) inland transport connections to ports and airports, actions to reduce rail freight noise by retrofitting of existing rolling stock, as well as development of ports and multi-modal platforms: the amount of Union financial aid shall not exceed 230% of the eligible cost.
Amendment 465 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point c – point ii
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point c – point ii
(ii) traffic and logistics management systems, multimodal transport platforms, freight transport services, secure parkings on the road core network, as well as actions to support the development of Motorways of the Seas: the amount of Union financial aid shall not exceed 20% of the eligible cost.
Amendment 556 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. The Commission shall publish annually a scoreboard depicting the progress of all projects of common interest included in the CEF.
Amendment 586 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 1
Article 27 – paragraph 1
1. Beneficiaries and, where appropriate, Member States concerned shall ensure that suitable publicity and transparency is given to aid granted under this Regulation in order to inform the public of the role of the Union in the implementation of the projects.