Rapporteurs: ITRE: Adina-Ioana VĂLEAN (ALDE, RO); TRAN: Dominique RIQUET (EPP, FR), Inés AYALA SENDER (S&D, ES)

TRAN: Philippe DE BACKER (ALDE, BE), Michael CRAMER (Verts/ALE, DE), Roberts ZĪLE (ECR, LV), Sabine WILS (GUE/NGL, DE)

 

On 27 October 2011 the Commission presented a proposal for a Regulation on safety of offshore oil and gas prospection, exploration and production activities. It followed its communication published in October 2010 in the aftermath of the "Deepwater Horizon" oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Currently, offshore oil and gas activities are not covered by a specific European regulatory framework, but a broader EU acquis applies to the offshore sector.
The proposal aims at closing the identified regulatory gaps with the objective to (1) reduce the risks of a major accident in Union waters (2) limit the consequences of such an accident should it nonetheless occur.
It intends to provide a comprehensive EU-wide regulatory framework, notably by (a) setting risk management requirements for operators (b) ensuring independent and rigorous authorisation procedure for offshore oil and gas activities (c) ensuring public participation in licensing procedures (d) defining more precisely liability requirements (e) setting requirements for operators to deliver Major Hazard Report and internal emergency response plans to the competent authorities (f) setting notification requirements for well and combined operations (g) ensuring independent third party verification of these requirements (h) strengthening powers of competent authorities (i) encouraging sharing of best practises in accident prevention (j) introducing procedures for anonymous "whistle-blowers" (k) enhancing transparency and sharing of information (l) fostering coordination and cooperation between Member States and (m) setting requirements for emergency response plans.

Rapporteur: Ivo BELET (EPP, BE)

 

Shadows Rapporteurs: Peter SKINNER (S&D, GB), Fiona HALL (ALDE, GB), Michèle RIVASI (Verts/ALE, FR), Vicky FORD (ECR, GB)

On 30 November the Commission adopted the "Horizon 2020" package (research framework programme, worth EUR 80 billion for the period 2014-2020). The package consists of the following 6 legislative proposals:
• Horizon 2020 Regulation, laying down the general objectives, rationale and Union added value, the financial envelope and provisions on control, monitoring and evaluation (codecision);
• Rules for Participation, laying down the modes of funding and reimbursement of costs, conditions for participation, selection and award criteria and the rules on ownership, exploitation and dissemination of results  (codecision);
• Specific Programme H2020, laying down the implementation modalities and the content in terms of the broad lines of activities (consultation);
• a separate proposal for the part of Horizon 2020 corresponding to the Euratom Treaty (consultation);
• EIT Regulation (codecision);
• EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda (codecision);

 

The last 2 files are part of the Horizon 2020 package, but fall politically under the responsibility of Commissioner Vassiliou (Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth).

 

The programme has three key pillars: 1) supporting the EU’s position as a world leader in science with a dedicated budget of €24.6 billion, 2) help securing industrial leadership in innovation, key technologies and access to capital and support for SMEs a budget of €17.9 billion, and 3) addressing with a budget of €31.7 billion major concerns shared by all Europeans, across six key themes: Health, demographic change and well-being; Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime research and the bio-economy; Secure, clean and efficient energy; Smart, green and integrated transport; Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials; and Inclusive, innovative and secure societies.

 

Most important novelties of the proposed programme:
• Stronger focus on ‘societal challenges’ and competitiveness;
• Better integration of research and innovation (seamless and coherent funding from idea to market, including the EIT and the former CIP programme) and more support for innovation and activities close to the market;
• Simplification (simpler programme architecture, single set of rules, less red tape through an easy to use cost reimbursement model, less paperwork, fewer controls and audits, etc);
• More possibilities for new entrants and young, promising scientists.

 

 

Rapporteur: Claude TURMES (Verts/ALE, LU)

 

Shadow Rapporteurs: Markus PIEPER (EPP, DE), Britta THOMSEN (S&D, DK), Fiona HALL (ALDE, GB), Vicky FORD (ECR, GB), Miloslav RANSDORF (GUE/NGL, CZ), Fiorello PROVERA (EFD, IT)