21 Amendments of Maurice PONGA related to 2018/0228(COD)
Amendment 212 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) In its Communication "A stronger and renewed strategic partnership with the EU's outermost regions"26 , the Commission highlighted the outermost regions' specific transport, energy and digital needs and the necessity to provide Union funding to match these needs, including through the Programme. by applying co-financing rates to a maximum of 85% for financial assistance and open specific calls for outermost regions; __________________ 26 COM (2017)623
Amendment 252 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) The Communication on "Connectivity for a Competitive Digital Single Market - Towards a European Gigabit Society"30 (the Gigabit Society Strategy) sets out strategic objectives for 2025, in view of optimising investment in digital connectivity infrastructure. Directive (EU) 2018/XXX [European Electronic Communications Code] aims inter alia at creating a regulatory environment which incentivises private investments in digital connectivity networks. It is nevertheless clear that network deployments will remain commercially non-viable in many areas throughout the Union, due to various factors such as remoteness and territorial or geographical specificities, low population density, various socio-economic factors, particularly in outermost regions as stated in article 349.º of the TFEU. The Programme should therefore be adjusted to contribute to the achievement of these strategic objectives set out in the Gigabit Society Strategy, complementing the support provided for the deployment of very high capacity networks by other programmes, in particular the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund and the InvestEU fund. __________________ 30 COM(2016) 587 COM(2016) 587
Amendment 268 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) Unconnected territories in all areas of the Union, including in central ones, represent bottlenecks and unexploited potential to the digital single market. In most rural and remote areas, particularly in outermost regions as stated in article 349.º of the TFEU, high quality Internet connectivity can play an essential role in preventing digital divide, isolation and depopulation by reducing the costs of delivery of both goods and services and partially compensating for remoteness. High quality Internet connectivity is necessary for new economic opportunities such as precision farming or the development of a bio-economy in rural areas. The Programme should contribute to providing all European households, rural or urban, with very high capacity fixed or wireless connectivity, focusing on those deployments for which a degree of market failure is observed and which can be addressed using low intensity grants. In doing so, the Programme should aim at achieving a comprehensive coverage of households and territories, as gaps in an already covered area are uneconomic to address at a later stage.
Amendment 271 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) The deployment of backbone electronic communications networks, including with submarine cables connecting European territories, including outermost regions, to third countries on other continents or connecting outermost regions, European islands or overseas territories to the mainland, is needed in order to provide necessary redundancy for such vital infrastructure, and to increase the capacity and resilience of the Union's digital networks. However, such projects are often commercially non-viable without public support.
Amendment 371 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) “cross-border project in the field of renewable energy” means a project selected or eligible to be selected under a cooperation agreement or any other kind of arrangements between Member States or arrangements between Member States, OCTs and third countries as defined in Articles 6, 7, 9 or 11 of Directive 2009/82/EC in the planning or deployment of renewable energy, in accordance with the criteria set out in Part IV of the Annex to this Regulation;
Amendment 398 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point p a (new)
(pa) “overseas countries and territories” means overseas countries and territories linked to a European Union Member State to which the provisions of Part Four of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union apply and which are listed in Annex II to that Treaty.
Amendment 465 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii a (new)
(iia) strength social, economic and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 617 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Cross-border projects in the field of renewable energy shall involve at least two Member States and shall be included in a cooperation agreement or any other kind of arrangement between Member States or arrangements between Member States, OCTs and third countries as set out in Articles 6, 7, 9 or 11 of Directive 2009/28/EC. These projects shall be identified in accordance with the criteria and procedure laid down in Part IV of the Annex to this Regulation.
Amendment 645 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point d
(d) projects aiming at the deployment of cross-border backbone networks linking the Union to third countries and reinforcing links within the Union territory, particularly projects in outermost regions, including with submarine cables, shall be prioritised according to the extent to which they significantly contribute to increasing the resilience and capacity of electronic communications networks in Union territory;
Amendment 647 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point e
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point e
(e) with regard to coverage with very high capacity networks, priority shall be given to actions contributing to coverage of territories and population, particularly in outermost regions, in inverse proportion to the intensity of the grant support that would be required to allow the project to be implemented, relative to the applicable maximum co-financing rates laid down in Article 14. The extent to which the action contributes to ensuring comprehensive coverage of the territory and population within a certain project deployment area, while maximising potential positive spill- overs for territories and population in the vicinity of the project deployment area shall also be taken into account.
Amendment 793 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 9 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) actions supporting cross-border projects and projects in outermost regions in the field of renewable energy, including their conception, as defined in Part IV of the Annex to this Regulation, subject to the fulfilment of the conditions laid down in Article 7 of this Regulation.
Amendment 802 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 9 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) actions supporting deployment of backbone networks including with submarine cables, across Member States and between the Union and OCTs or third countries;
Amendment 827 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) legal entities established in a Member State or in an overseas country or territory attached to it;
Amendment 888 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
(ia) social, economic and territorial cohesion impact;
Amendment 890 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)
(ia) the special situation of the outermost regions and OCTs, in particular their geostrategic locations;
Amendment 913 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. For studies, the amount of Union financial assistance shall not exceed 50 % of the total eligible cost. For studies financed with the amounts transferred from the Cohesion Fund, the maximum co- financing rates shall be those applicable to the Cohesion Fund as specified in paragraph 2 (b). For studies in outermost regions the co-financing rates shall be to a maximum of 85%.
Amendment 920 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) for works relating to the specific objectives referred to in Article 3 (2) (a), the amount of Union financial assistance shall not exceed 30 % of the total eligible cost. The co-financing rates may be increased to a maximum of 50 % for actions relating to cross-border links under the conditions specified in point (c) of this paragraph, for actions supporting the motorways of the sea and maritime links, including actions supporting ports of the comprehensive network, for actions supporting telematic applications systems, for actions supporting new technologies and innovation, for actions supporting improvements of infrastructure safety in line with relevant Union legislation and for actions located in outermost regions;
Amendment 959 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(ca) As regards actions implementing sections of the comprehensive network located in outermost regions as provided in article 9 (2)(a) (iii), the co-financing rates shall be to a maximum of 85%.
Amendment 964 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
(ba) For works in outermost regions the co-financing rates shall be to a maximum of 85%.
Amendment 965 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4
Article 14 – paragraph 4
4. For works in the digital sector, the following maximum co-financing rates shall apply: for works relating to the specific objectives referred to in Article 3 (2) (c), the amount of Union financial assistance shall not exceed 30% of the total eligible cost. For works in outermost regions the co-financing rates shall be to a maximum of 85%. The co-financing rates may be increased up to 50% for actions with a strong cross-border dimension, such as uninterrupted coverage with 5G systems along major transport paths or deployment of backbone networks between Member States and between the Union and third countries, and up to 75% for actions implementing the Gigabit connectivity of socio-economic drivers. Actions in the field of providing local wireless connectivity in local communities shall be funded by Union financial assistance covering up to 100 % of the eligible costs, without prejudice to the principle of co- financing.
Amendment 970 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Opening specific calls for projects in outermost regions, covering the three thematics of the programme to the specific objectives referred to in Article 3 (2) (a) (iii).