Posėdžio stenograma

Trečiadienis, 2011 m. spalio 12 d. - Briuselis

19. Europos Sąjungos papildomų Europos rekonstrukcijos ir plėtros banko (ERPB) kapitalo akcijų pasirašymas (diskusijos)

  La Présidente. - L'ordre du jour appelle le rapport de Sharon Bowles, au nom de la commission des affaires économiques et monétaires, sur la proposition de décision du Parlement européen et du Conseil relative à la souscription, par l'Union européenne, de parts supplémentaires dans le capital de la Banque européenne pour la reconstruction et le développement (BERD) à la suite de la décision d'augmenter ce capital (COM(2011)0034 - C7-0038/2011 - 2011/0014(COD) (A7-0227/2011).

  Olle Schmidt, deputising for the rapporteur. − Madam President, I will try to stand in for Sharon Bowles, although it will not be an easy task. She regrets that she cannot be here because she is currently in a meeting of the Conference of Committee Chairs with the College of Commissioners – at least one of whom is here – and, of course, the issues covered by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs weigh heavily at this time.

This proposal, to increase the callable capital of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), is another example of the ECON Committee working efficiently while still subjecting the matter to proper parliamentary scrutiny. The result is a far stronger text, which recognises the responsibility of the representatives of the EU shareholding in the EBRD and reinforces the reasons for, and the direction of, our involvement in this institution.

By way of background, the EBRD is the first international financial institution of the post-Cold-War period and was created to support the development of market economies in eastern Europe following the widespread collapse of communist regimes. Following the Arab Spring, the international shareholders of the EBRD decided to increase the callable capital so that the bank could extend its operations into countries such as Egypt.

Initially, the matter was considered non-controversial and the European Council did not amend the proposal. However, the committee decided that it wished to highlight and address in the text a number of issues, which have been successfully negotiated with the Council and Commission. These included emphasis on the fact that the Union’s representation in the EBRD governing bodies should encourage it to demonstrate consistency with the Europe 2020 objectives – in order to enhance the overall coherence of the Union’s external action policy – and on the importance of the EBRD publicly providing transparent information about beneficiaries and the impact of its financial intermediary operations.

Furthermore, as a result of the committee’s amendments, the Governor of the ERBD for the Union should now report annually to Parliament on the promotion of the Union’s objectives with regard to the EU’s external action policy, the Europe 2020 strategy and the significant increase in transfer to renewable, energy-efficient technologies. The Governor of the EBRD for the Union will also be required to report annually on the effectiveness of the existing system and on measures to ensure the transparency of EBRD operations through financial intermediaries.

A further aspect which required considerable negotiation in the trialogue was finding wording to best describe the characteristics and activities of tax havens. The ECON Committee was keen to request not only that the text should recognise the OECD definition but also that some more specific characteristics of tax havens were recognised.

I hope that the EBRD will be able to use this additional callable capital to support its activities as it starts its work in Egypt and other countries following the Arab Spring.

  Olli Rehn, Member of the Commission. − Madam President, honourable Members, I want to thank the rapporteur Ms Bowles and her replacement, Mr Schmidt, and the other Members of Parliament for their very constructive approach to the proposal which highlights the significant interest the European Parliament has shown on the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The EBRD Board of Governors decided on a capital increase in May 2010. The authorised capital stock of the bank will increase by 50% from EUR 20 billion to EUR 30 billion. The purpose of the proposed legislation is to allow the EU to subscribe to additional callable shares in the EBRD, in proportion with the Union’s current share in the capital, which is around 3%.

The text examined today is the result of interinstitutional negotiations and the Commission fully supports it. We have now reached, I would say, a very balanced decision which will allow the EU to subscribe to the capital increase in line with the decisions taken by all our Member States. As such this would be a very strong message about EU consistency and EU commitment both to the pre-accession countries and to the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood which, as Mr Schmidt well described, is a key strategic priority for the European Union.

The EBRD activities are widely appreciated to help countries to implement economic transition. The additional capital will provide the EBRD with the necessary operational and risk-bearing capacity to sustain a high level of activity over the coming years. This is essential to continue to promote local private sector development and accompany the transition and economic recovery of the EBRD countries of operation.

The EBRD is not only playing a key role in supporting the financial sector and SMEs, but it also plays a role in energy efficiency and security, nuclear safety and environmental and municipal infrastructure. In the current post-crisis environment the Bank will also better integrate into its priorities important qualitative dimensions of the transition and reform agenda, such as trade integration and regional cooperation, job creation and social sustainability, resource efficiency as well as innovation and greener projects.

Certainly, the EBRD will face a new and very important challenge with the expansion of its geographical scope to the southern and eastern Mediterranean. The Commission has supported this and we see this as a very clear political priority where the EBRD can play an important role. The Commission will thus put forward a formal proposal for a decision of the Parliament and of the Council to approve an amendment to the Agreement Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development which would allow for such an expansion to the southern and eastern Mediterranean.

  Burkhard Balz, im Namen der PPE-Fraktion. – Frau Präsidentin, Herr Kommissar, verehrte Kollegen! Da unser Koordinator Jean-Paul Gauzès kurzfristig seine Redezeit nicht wahrnehmen kann, hat er mich gebeten, an seiner Stelle zu sprechen. Es spricht also ein weiterer Vertreter hier zu Ihnen.

Es geht in dem Bericht um die Aufstockung des Stammkapitals der Europäischen Bank für Wiederaufbau und Entwicklung von 20 Milliarden auf 30 Milliarden Euro, um das AAA-Rating der EBRD zu wahren und den derzeitigen Stimmrechtsanteil innerhalb der EBRD aufrecht zu erhalten. Die EVP-Fraktion unterstützt die Forderung nach einer Bewertung des europäischen öffentlichen Investmentbanking-Systems, die dem Europäischen Parlament von Kommission und den Mitgliedstaaten vorzulegen ist.

Ebenfalls wichtig für uns ist die Forderung an den Gouverneur der EBRD, dem zuständigen Ausschuss im Europäischen Parlament jährlich einen Bericht über die Förderung der Ziele der Union vorzulegen, insbesondere im Hinblick auf die Millenniumsziele der EU und die Strategie Europa2020, was Kollege Schmidt auch schon erwähnt hat.

Es ist außerdem zu begrüßen, dass nach dem Ausschussbericht nun die Bewertung von Projekten und Begünstigten der EBRD grundsätzlich öffentlich bekanntgegeben werden müssen und in Zukunft strengere Kontrollen durchgeführt werden sollen. Damit werden in Zukunft eine Geheimhaltung durch Begünstigte und der Rückgriff auf Steueroasen bei Projekten, an denen die Bank beteiligt ist, verhindert. Das ist sehr zu begrüßen.

Unser Koordinator sagte mir, dass im Sommer zwei Triloge stattgefunden haben. Das Ergebnis findet die volle Unterstützung unserer Fraktion. Deswegen wird die EVP-Fraktion hier auch zustimmen.

  George Sabin Cutaş, în numele grupului S&D. – Doresc şi eu să mulţumesc, în numele grupului meu politic, tuturor pentru foarte buna cooperare asupra acestui dosar.

Decizia privind subscrierea de noi acţiuni de către Uniunea Europeană în capitalul Băncii Europene pentru Reconstrucţie şi Dezvoltare trebuie însoţită de semnale clare din partea Parlamentului European către celelalte instituţii europene şi către statele membre privind activitatea acestei bănci. De aceea, în primul rând, consider că este necesară o eficientizare a sistemului bancar european de investiţii publice. Trebuie evitate duplicarea şi suprapunerea activităţilor BERD şi BEI şi doresc să amintesc, în acest sens, Rezoluţia Parlamentului European din 25 martie 2009, care solicită o restructurare a sistemului bancar european de investiţii publice, inclusiv evaluarea opţiunii de dizolvare a BERD şi de integrare a părţilor sale relevante în cadrul Băncii Europene de Investiţii. Aşteptăm, de asemenea, prezentarea unei evaluări în acest sens până la sfârşitul celei de-a patra analize a resurselor de capital al băncii în 2015.

De asemenea, cred că este nevoie de controale mai stricte privind posibila tranzitare a finanţărilor BERD prin paradisuri fiscale şi privind folosirea principiului secretului bancar în folosul evaziunii fiscale. Distorsiunile şi deficienţele în taxare sunt mecanisme care permit anumitor entităţi să nu îşi îndeplinească responsabilităţile faţă de societate. Practic, ele alimentează starea de instabilitate financiară prin subminarea reglementărilor în vigoare, promovează inegalitatea şi sărăcia şi limitează creşterea economică. O bancă finanţată de către Uniunea Europeană nu îşi permite să lucreze cu astfel de instituţii, iar Parlamentul European se pronunţă clar în favoarea transparenţei şi cere dezvăluirea beneficiarilor şi a evaluărilor proiectelor finanţate de Banca Europeană de Reconstrucţie şi Dezvoltare.

  Ivo Strejček, za skupinu ECR. – Paní předsedající, dovolte mi nejprve, abych se obrátil na pana kolegu Olleho Schmidta a požádal jej, aby vyřídil paní Bowlesové poděkování za spolupráci nad tímto materiálem. To není, řekl bych, politicky korektní poděkování, to je lidské poděkování za to, že paní Bowlesová opravdu udělala vše pro to, aby vzala v úvahu všechny názory jednotlivých stínových zpravodajů, a já si toho velmi vážím.

Souhlasím jménem skupiny Evropských konzervativců s navýšením dodatečných akcií a jsem rád, že naše připomínky, které vyzývaly k větší kontrole banky ze strany Evropského parlamentu, se staly součástí finálního kompromisu i po vyjednávání v trialogu.

Jsem také spokojený s tím, že závěrečný kompromis týkající se definice tzv. daňových rájů byl odvozen od definice používané OECD. Věříme, že dodatečný kapitál bude použit rozumně a podpoří strukturální rozvoj v zemích, které to potřebují.

  Elena Băsescu (PPE). - Subscrierea de noi acţiuni la capitalul BERD este necesară pentru ca UE să continue promovarea obiectivelor europene în domeniul relaţiilor economice externe. Totodată, este esenţial ca BERD să nu aibă pierderi neprevăzute, pentru că ar necesita efectuarea de plăţi din bugetul UE.

Programele de finanţare ale acestei instituţii ar trebui să acorde prioritate şi în continuare sectorului privat. Anul trecut, 90% din investiţiile BERD din România au fost îndreptate către sectorul privat. În acest context, salut finanţarea proiectelor pentru îmbunătăţirea eficienţei energetice. Consider că facilitatea de finanţare a energiei durabile va ajuta IMM-urile româneşti să îşi îmbunătăţească competitivitatea. În acelaşi timp, sprijinirea strategiei româneşti pentru creşterea ponderii energiei regenerabile va apropia România de standardele europene în domeniu.

  Monika Flašíková Beňová (S&D) - Samotné zvýšenie kapitálu Európskej banky pre obnovu a rozvoj, a teda aj zvýšenie objemu akcií Európskej únie na udržanie konštantného podielu asi 3 %, je akceptovateľné. Chcela by som však využiť túto príležitosť, aby som upozornila na niektoré problémy v súvislosti s projektmi, ktoré EBRD financuje.

Hoci počas krízy sa navýšil objem úverov poskytnutých bankou a tiež sa rozšírilo jej pôsobisko, otázky ohľadom udržateľnosti jej projektového financovania pretrvávajú. Často sú totiž financované projekty s negatívnymi sociálnymi a environmentálnymi dopadmi. A hoci EBRD v priebehu posledných rokov zvýšila financovanie projektov energetickej efektívnosti, stále pokračuje aj v investíciách do úplne odlišného spektra projektov.

Okrem neustáleho zvyšovania objemu financií, ktoré dáme EBRD k dispozícii, by sme sa mali preto ako akcionári zamýšľať aj nad tým, ako sa tieto prostriedky využívajú. Viem, že v rámci dnešnej diskusie toho veľa nezmeníme, ale chcela by som vyzvať kompetentných, aby sa zaoberali najmä kvalitou investičnej stratégie EBRD.

  Jaroslav Paška (EFD) - V súvislosti s politickými vyhlásenia na úrovni Európskej únie a skupiny G20 týkajúcich sa kapitálového posilnenia multilaterálnych rozvojových bánk rozhodla Rada guvernérov Európskej banky pre obnovu a rozvoj v máji minulého roku o zvýšení kapitálu banky o 10 miliárd EUR s cieľom rozšíriť činnosti banky určené na podporu krajiny jej pôsobenia.

Zvýšenie kapitálu je tiež súčasťou strednodobej stratégie banky. Akcionármi Európskej banky pre obnovu a rozvoj je 61 krajín vrátane 29 prijímateľských krajín. Samostatný vklad má aj Európska komisia a Európska investičná banka. Na navýšení kapitálu sa bude podieľať aj moja krajina. Keď vláda vo februári tohto roku rozhodla o upísaní ďalších 3842 akcií splatných na požiadanie a 431 splatených akcií v hodnote 10 000 EUR. V praxi to znamená zachovanie percentuálneho podielu mojej krajiny na hlasovacích právach Európskej banky pre obnovu a rozvoj. Rovnaký postup volia aj ďalší akcionári banky a je dobré, že sa k tejto politike hlási svojim rozhodnutím aj Európsky parlament a Rada. Európska banka pre obnovu a rozvoj tým získava nové možnosti pre rozšírenie svojej činnosti na podporu investícií.

  Olli Rehn, Member of the Commission. − Madam President, I would like to thank the Members for their support and interest in this decision. I would also like to thank the rapporteur, Ms Bowles and her super-sub Mr Schmidt, for the very constructive work on this important issue.

The points mentioned today are in line with those which emerged from the discussions we had in the context of the interinstitutional negotiations. I believe the amendments introduced by Parliament already factor in most of these ideas in a balanced way. It is now essential for the Union to subscribe to these additional shares in proportion to its current share in the capital in order to preserve its influence in the bank. The deadline for subscription is the end of this year.

I would like to thank you once again for your support for our proposal and for the rapid and effective legislative work. We see this as clear support for the activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in helping countries to implement economic transition.

  Olle Schmidt, deputising for the rapporteur. − Madam President, I have nothing more to add, but I do think that it is important that in our committee we can now look forward to receiving annual reports from the Governor of the EBRD. It is very good that, for once in this House, we can salute a bank.

  La Présidente. - Le débat est clos.

Le vote aura lieu demain 13 octobre, à 11 h 30.