Motion for a resolution - B8-0243/2018Motion for a resolution
B8-0243/2018

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Connecting Europe Facility after 2020

28.5.2018 - (2018/2718(RSP))

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Michael Cramer, Reinhard Bütikofer on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Procedure : 2018/2718(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B8-0243/2018
Texts tabled :
B8-0243/2018
Debates :
Texts adopted :

B8‑0243/2018

European Parliament resolution on the Connecting Europe Facility after 2020

(2018/2718(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to Articles 311, 312 and 323 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

–  having regard to the ratification of the Paris Agreement by the European Parliament on 4 October 2016 and by the Council on 5 October 2016,

–  having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1315/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on Union guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network and repealing Decision No 661/2010/EU[1] and Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility, amending Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 680/2007 and (EC) No 67/2010[2],

–  having regard to its resolution of 26 October 2016 on the mid-term revision of the MFF 2014-2020[3],

–  having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 15 June 2016 entitled ‘Mid-term revision of the multiannual financial framework (MFF)’[4],

–  having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management[5],

–  having regard to its resolution of 6 July 2016 on the preparation of the post-electoral revision of the MFF 2014-2020: Parliament’s input ahead of the Commission’s proposal[6],

–  having regard to the Commission’s Reflection Paper of 28 June 2017 on the Future of EU Finances (COM(2017)0358),

–  having regard to its resolution of 24 October 2017 on the Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances[7],

–  having regard to the Commission proposal of 14 September 2016 for an amendment of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (COM(2016)0606),

–  having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) was conceived as a joint, centrally managed funding programme for transport, energy and telecommunications infrastructure, as part of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and the EU’s 20-20-20 objectives in the area of energy and climate policy;

B.  whereas the CEF provides a substantial share of EU funding for transport and energy projects and makes a major contribution to the decarbonisation of the European economy, thereby contributing to meeting the EU’s emissions reduction targets under the Paris Climate Agreement;

C.  whereas, on the basis of the respective sectoral guidelines, the CEF should support the development of trans-European networks (TENs), with the objective of improving cohesion in the internal market and the EU’s competitiveness in the global market at the same time as addressing market failures, focusing on projects of high European added value;

D.  whereas the kinds of projects co-financed by the CEF match the EU’s ambition to improve the networking integration of its transport infrastructure, an ambition that can be realised by improving interconnectivity, boosting interoperability and supporting intermodality, thereby bringing about a shift towards more sustainable modes, such as rail and cleaner waterborne transport, within the context of the digital single market, and strengthening the global competitiveness of the EU;

E.  whereas the Commission is expected to publish its legislative proposals on European strategic investment, including on an updated CEF, in May and June 2018;

1.  Stresses that the onus on investment in EU transport infrastructure should be first and foremost project quality, based on sustainability for the climate, environment, safety and the inclusion of local interests, where the EU delivers tangible added value for citizens; emphasises that the focus must be placed on infrastructure projects that contribute to minimising external costs in the fields of safety, the environment and climate;

2.  Welcomes the introduction of cross-sectoral synergies in the CEF; expects the future sectoral policy guidelines and the CEF instrument to be made more flexible in order to facilitate synergies and be more responsive to new technological developments and priorities such as digitalisation, while addressing common societal challenges such as cybersecurity, accelerating decarbonisation, promoting the use of renewable energy for sustainable electric mobility modes and intensifying the further electrification of rail infrastructure;

3.  Believes that, in the transport sector, priority should be given to projects which create or improve cross-border connections and re-establish and complete missing regional rail links that were previously dismantled or abandoned, so that the CEF can make a concrete and more efficient contribution in the shorter term to the ambition of achieving a single European rail transport area;

4.  Underlines the need for a stronger focus on smart horizontal projects, such as Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), River Information Services (RIS), European Rail Traffic Management Systems (ERTMS), short sea shipping (SSS) within the Motorways of the Sea (MoS) concept, and noise reduction at source for rail freight; emphasises the urgent need to invest more heavily in the maintenance of existing infrastructure;

5.  Emphasises the win-win potential for the tourism and transport sectors of integrating the EuroVelo network into the Trans-European Rail Network through the co-financing of infrastructure and signposting and promotion measures;

6.  Calls on the Commission to bear in mind that the completion of the TENs, as defined in the EU’s policy priorities, will require better citizens’ participation, more transparency, and a continuous survey of the timing and financing of transport projects, particularly big projects with an investment volume of more than EUR 1 billion, part of which will depend on the continued support of EU citizens in order for projects to be realised successfully; encourages the Commission to pay greater heed to possible cases of corruption where large amounts of money are directed towards big projects;

7.  Stresses the need for adequate support for the deployment of high-speed broadband networks, with a view to achieving 100 % connectivity and eliminating digital divides; recalls that a lack of connectivity and substantial differences between the connection speeds offered are important factors in the knowledge and participation divide, which harm the internal market and create more fragmentation;

8.  Urges the Member States and the Commission to ensure that CEF finances for the electricity infrastructure that is needed for the energy transition are aligned with the ‘Clean Energy for all Europeans’ package, the commitments under the Paris Agreement and long-term decarbonisation objectives, namely to smarten and digitalise grids, to achieve the 2030 interconnection targets (including for peripheral Member States), to develop meshed offshore grids, and to ensure security of supply, through energy efficiency, demand response, renewable energy, and grid synchronisation among all Member States; underlines the significant yet untapped potential of the CEF to catalyse the transition networks towards a net-zero-carbon European economy;

9.  Notes the Commission’s proposals on military mobility; recalls the military tasks of the Union as enshrined in Article 43(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and stresses that the organisation of collective territorial defence, which would require the movement of military equipment and personnel without barriers between states, is a task for NATO, but not for the EU; believes that there is no reason to invest up to EUR 6.5 billion of post-2010 CEF resources from the EU budget in military mobility; believes that the already scarce EU budget resources should be spent on civilian EU tasks and objectives; calls on the Member States and NATO to develop plans on how to address the issue of military mobility between states; recalls that the Union’s common security and defence policy (CSDP) still lacks the appropriate means for air and sea lift operations, as envisaged by the TEU; urges the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the Member States to significantly increase the mobility and interoperability of European armed forces tasked with conducting EU military operations such as peace-keeping and stabilisation;

10.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Member States.

 

Last updated: 18 September 2018
Legal notice - Privacy policy