European Parliament decision of 6 May 2010 on the European Council's proposal not to convene a Convention for the revision of the Treaties with regard to transitional measures concerning the composition of the European Parliament (17196/2009 – C7-0002/2010 – 2009/0814(NLE))

P7_TA(2010)0147 A7-0116/2010

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the letter from the President of the European Council to the President of the European Parliament of 18 December 2009 concerning the amendment of Protocol No 36 on transitional measures (17196/2009),

–   having regard to the request for consent submitted by the European Council in accordance with Article 48(3), second subparagraph, of the Treaty on European Union (C7-0002/2010),

–   having regard to Protocol No 36 on transitional provisions, annexed to the Lisbon Treaty,

–   having regard to Article 14(3) of the Treaty on European Union,

–   having regard to the Act of 20 September 1976 concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage,

–   having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meetings of 11 and 12 December 2008, 18 and 19 June 2009 and 10 and 11 December 2009,

–   having regard to Rules 74a and 81(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A7-0116/2010),

A.   having regard to the Convention held from 22 February 2002 to 18 July 2003, which prepared the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, most of the substance of which was incorporated into the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009,

B.   having regard to the Convention held from 17 December 1999 to 2 October 2000, which drafted the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

C.   whereas these two Conventions, which brought together representatives of the national parliaments, the European Parliament, the national governments and the Commission for the first time to work on the development of a common project for the European Union, constituted a significant step towards the introduction of more democratic, more effective decision-making processes at European level,

D.   whereas, however, both Conventions were convened to address major issues relating to the future of the European Union, namely reform of its institutional structure and the drafting of a text setting out the fundamental principles and rights common to Europeans,

E.   whereas, under Article 48(3), first subparagraph, of the EU Treaty, the European Council is required to consult Parliament about any revision of the section of Protocol No 36 (annexed to the Lisbon Treaty) dealing with transitional provisions concerning the composition of Parliament,

F.   having regard to the European Council's proposal not to convene a Convention and to adopt the amendment to the protocol by means of an intergovernmental conference,

G.   whereas, in the light of precedent, it is unnecessary to convene a Convention to approve a transitional amendment, with limited scope, of the provisions set out in the EU Treaty relating to the composition of Parliament,

1.  Approves the European Council's proposal to amend Protocol No 36 by means of an intergovernmental conference, without convening a Convention;

2.  Instructs its President to forward this decision to the European Council, the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the draft protocol amending Protocol No 36 on transitional provisions concerning the composition of the European Parliament for the rest of the 2009-2014 parliamentary term: the European Parliament's opinion (Article 48(3) of the EU Treaty) (17196/2009 – C7-0001/2010 – 2009/0813(NLE))

P7_TA(2010)0148 A7-0115/2010

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the letter from the President of the European Council to the President of the European Parliament of 18 December 2009, concerning the amendment of Protocol No 36 on transitional measures (17196/2009),

–   having regard to Article 48(3), first subparagraph, of the Treaty on European Union, pursuant to which the European Council consulted Parliament (C7-0001/2010),

–   having regard to Protocol No 36 on transitional provisions, annexed to the Lisbon Treaty,

–   having regard to Article 14(2) and (3) of the Treaty on European Union,

–   having regard to the Act of 20 September 1976 concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (hereinafter ‘the 1976 Act’),

–   having regard to its resolution of 11 October 2007 on the composition of the European Parliament(1),

–   having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meetings of 11 and 12 December 2008, 18 and 19 June 2009 and 10 and 11 December 2009,

–   having regard to Rules 11(4) and 74a of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A7-0115/2010),

A.   whereas Article 14(2) of the EU Treaty, as amended by the Lisbon Treaty, provides that the European Council shall adopt by unanimity, on the initiative of the European Parliament and with its consent, a decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament,

B.   whereas, with a view to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and on the basis of Protocol No 36 thereto, on 11 October 2007 the European Parliament submitted, by its aforementioned resolution set out in the Lamassoure-Severin report, a draft European Council decision establishing the distribution of seats within Parliament,

C.   whereas, at the time the Lisbon Treaty was signed, the European Council had not taken a formal decision on the composition of the European Parliament but had agreed to the proposal set out in the aforementioned resolution, after raising the total number of MEPs to 751 instead of the 750 initially envisaged,

D.   whereas the agreement reached in the European Council increased the total number of MEPs by 15 (from the 736 stipulated in the Nice Treaty to 751), with 18 additional seats to be distributed among 12 Member States, while Germany was allocated three fewer seats in view of the maximum number laid down in the EU Treaty,

E.   whereas, since the Lisbon Treaty had not entered into force before the 2009 European elections, the latter were held in accordance with the provisions of the Nice Treaty, and whereas the European Parliament currently has 736 Members,

F.   whereas, given that the Lisbon Treaty finally entered into force on 1 December 2009, the 18 additional MEPs from the 12 Member States concerned should legitimately be able to take up their seats at the earliest opportunity and their home Member States should thus be able to enjoy the representation to which they are entitled,

G.   whereas, under Article 5 of the 1976 Act, it is not possible to curtail an MEP's mandate during a parliamentary term or, therefore, to reduce the current number of MEPs in the German delegation within the European Parliament by three,

H.   whereas nearly all of the Member States have designated their additional MEPs in accordance with their respective electoral systems and with the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 18 and 19 June 2009,

I.   whereas the arrival of 18 additional Members during the 2009-2014 parliamentary term will consequently bring the total number of MEPs to 754, and whereas the fact that this exceeds the figure of 751 stipulated in the Lisbon Treaty necessitates an amendment of primary law,

J.   whereas the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 11 and 12 December 2008 already provided for the adoption of transitional measures permitting the arrival of the additional MEPs during the current parliamentary term, and whereas the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 18 and 19 June 2009 laid down rules governing a temporary increase in the number of MEPs,

K.   whereas the European Parliament, for its part, amended its Rules of Procedure on 25 November 2009 in order to permit the arrival of the additional MEPs as observers pending the entry into force of measures enabling them to take up their seats,

L.   whereas one of the most important constitutional innovations made by the Lisbon Treaty is to install the Convention as a key part of the ordinary procedure for the revision of the Treaties,

1.  Takes the view that the proposed amendment of Protocol No 36 requested by the European Council stems directly from the new provisions of the Lisbon Treaty, and is therefore a transitional solution that will enable all those Member States entitled to additional seats to designate the MEPs concerned; agrees that an additional 18 MEPs should be elected to Parliament for the remainder of the 2009-2014 term; insists, however, that all 18 should take up their seats in Parliament at the same time in order not to upset the balance of nationalities in the House; urges Member States to complete their election procedures in a pragmatic way as soon as possible;

2.  Regrets that the Council did not adopt the necessary measures in time to enable the additional MEPs to take up their seats as soon as the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, and that one of the solutions envisaged in the context of the amendment sought is not in keeping with the spirit of the 1976 act, which was designed to ensure that MEPs are elected directly, rather than indirectly through an election within a national parliament;

3.  Agrees, however, to the convening of an intergovernmental conference, provided that it is confined to the specific issue of the adoption of measures concerning the composition of the European Parliament for the rest of the 2009-2014 parliamentary term, and on the understanding that these transitional measures are exceptional ones connected with the specific circumstances of the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and can in no way set a precedent for the future;

4.  Recalls that, in the interval between the approval of the amendment of Protocol No 36 and its entry into force, the additional MEPs will be able to sit in the European Parliament as observers under Rule 11(4) of Parliament's Rules of Procedure;

5.  Recalls also that the European Council will have to take a decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament by the end of the current parliamentary term in any case, and that Parliament will initiate such a decision under Article 14(2) of the EU Treaty;

6.  Notifies the European Council that it intends shortly to draw up proposals to lay down the provisions necessary for the election of its Members by direct universal suffrage in accordance with a uniform procedure in all Member States and in accordance with principles common to all Member States, and that Parliament will initiate such electoral reform under Article 48(2) of the Treaty on European Union and Article 223 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; insists, further, that a Convention devoted to the reform of the European Parliament will be called to prepare the revision of the Treaties;

7.  Calls on national parliaments to act to uphold the long-standing primary law of the European Union whereby Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by universal suffrage in a free and secret ballot;

8.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

(1) OJ C 227 E, 4.9.2008, p. 132.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the situation in Kyrgyzstan

P7_TA(2010)0149 RC-B7-0246/2010

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to its previous resolutions on Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia with regard, in particular, to the one of 12 May 2005,

–   having regard to its resolution of 20 February 2008 on an EU Strategy for Central Asia,

–   having regard to the statement of the VP/HR Catherine Ashton on the situation in Kyrgyzstan of 7 and 8 April 2010,

–   having regard to the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council of 26 April 2010,

–   having regard at the EU statement at the OSCE Permanent Council on the situation in Kyrgyzstan of 22 April 2010,

–   having regard to the EU Strategy for a New Partnership with Central Asia adopted by the European Council of 21/22 June 2007,

–   having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the EU and Kyrgyzstan that entered into force in 1999,

–   having regard to the European Community Regional Strategy Paper for Assistance to Central Central Asia for the period 2007-2013,

–   having regard to Rule 110(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   whereas it is in the interests of both the peoples of Central Asia and of the European Union to see progress towards stability and rising levels of democratic and human development, human security and sustainable growth throughout the region,

B.   whereas Kyrgyzstan is a OSCE member and within this framework is committed to respect for fundamental freedoms, human rights and the rule of law and to the implementation of OSCE democratic standards,

C.   whereas Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who first took office in July 2005 after the so-called Tulip Revolution, was re-elected last year for another term as president in an election that independent monitors said were tainted by massive fraud; whereas after his initial democratic undertakings Bakiyev's rule turned authoritarian,

D.   whereas on 7 April 2010 Kyrgyz troops intervened using bullets, tear gas and stun grenades against a crowd of protesters who gathered in front of the presidential office in Bishkek and then stormed government buildings to demonstrate over a sharp increase in prices for electricity and heating, leaving more than 80 dead and more than 500 injured,

E.   whereas President Bakiyev was forced to flee the capital and his place was taken by a provisional government led by the opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva who issued a decree on power succession and an order of compliance with the Kyrgyz constitution and dissolved parliament; whereas, after trying to set the conditions for his resignation a week after the uprising, Bakiyev left the country for Kazakhstan under an agreement brokered by Russia, the US and Kazakhstan,

F.   whereas Kyrgyzstan attracts special interest from the US and Russia because of its strategic location near Afghanistan and adjacent to the Ferghana Valley, which geographically, politically and economically is in the middle of Central Asia; whereas the Manas Transit Centre operated by the US military plays a key role in the Northern Distribution Network for supplies to the NATO troops in Afghanistan and Russia also has an important military base in Kyrgyzstan,

G.   whereas the relationship between the EU and Central Asia is crucial, given the common challenges in terms of energy, the fight against climate change, drug trafficking control and the fight against terrorism,

H.   whereas geopolitical competition in the region has considerable destructive potential, but also greatly overlaps in interests in relation to Afghanistan and the spread of radical Islamism which creates a potential to reduce this competition and achieve agreement that improved governance is necessary,

I.   whereas the EU must always uphold its commitment to mainstream human rights, democracy and the rule of law in all agreements with third states and to promote democratic reforms through coherent policies enhancing its credibility as a regional player,

J.   whereas the EU's presence in Kyrgyzstan, essentially as an aid donor, is significant and puts the EU in a good position to assume a more important role in supporting the country,

K.   whereas the Commission and the Council are in the process of reviewing the Central Asia Strategy, preparing a report which will be submitted to the June meeting of the European Council,

1.  Expresses its deepest concern at the situation in Kyrgyzstan and offers its condolences to the families of all the victims of the tragic events;

2.  Calls on all parties to stop violence, show restraint and make every effort so as to start a genuine dialogue aimed at bringing stability and provide the conditions for a peaceful return to a democratic constitutional order;

3.  Stresses that, from an institutional perspective, a coherent and stable constitutional framework is essential for preventing future social unrest and ensuring a peaceful future for the Kyrgyz people, welcomes, from this perspective, the cooperation of the provisional government with the Venice Commission;

4.  Takes note of the first steps taken by the provisional government to restore democracy with regard, in particular, to the plans to draft a new constitution overhauling Bakiyev's revision that concentrated excessive power in the hands of the presidency;

5.  Welcomes, in this regard, the announcement of the provisional government that it will hold the referendum on the new constitution on 27 June 2010 and new general elections on 10 October 2010 to strengthen democracy and political accountability; calls on the provisional government to abide by Kyrgyzstan's international obligations and to ensure that elections will be free and fair;

6.  Stresses the importance of active engagement with the provisional government, with a view to exploring and exploiting possibilities to promote good governance, the independence of the judiciary and other EU policy objectives laid down in the Central Asia Strategy and also in order to facilitate the engagement and activities by international financial institutions;

7.  Calls for a UN-led international investigation into the events in order to identify responsibilities and shortfalls and provide the the Kyrgyz judicial authorities with assistance and urges, in this regard, the provisional government to request the assistance of the OHCHR so as to ensure that investigations into the events of 6-7 April 2010 are thorough, impartial and credible;

8.  Points out that the Tulip Revolution of 2005 had created strong expectations of democratic reforms in Kyrgyz society that did not materialise; calls on the Council and the Commission to show coherence and assertiveness and to use this opportunity to find ways to assist the provisional government of Kyrgyzstan and help the authorities to pursue democratic reforms and improve peoples' lives through national development and the empowerment of citizens in cooperation with all the stakeholders and Kyrgyz civil society;

9.  Notes that Kyrgyzstan's severe lack of resources and vulnerability makes it highly dependent on outside support; notes also that there is a severe shortage in its neighbourhood of models of democratic, well-functioning governance and of positive social development; stresses, in this regard, that international assistance will be crucially important;

10.  Draws attention to the fact that developments in Kyrgyzstan both influence and are influenced by regional and international developments; is convinced that there are big overlaps between Russian, US and other interests, in particular in relation to Afghanistan and the growth of Islamic radicalism in the region, including in Kyrgyzstan; considers that this should make it possible to limit geopolitical competition and look for synergies; believes that success in this would have wider positive effects on international relations and international security;

11.  Calls on the VP/HR's Special Representative for Central Asia to follow the situation closely, provide assistance and facilitate the resumption of dialogue between all the components of Kyrgyz society;

12.  Calls on the Commission and the Council to examine urgently whether conditions for the launch of an internationally coordinated major new aid programme for Kyrgyzstan exist or can be created, taking into account not least how strong the Kyrgyz provisional government's actual commitment to democratisation and clean government appears to be; considers that if it is deemed that sufficiently favourable conditions exist, the EU should take the lead in arranging an international donors' conference for Kyrgyzstan;

13.  Calls for extensive use of the Instrument for Stability; underlines the need to assist Kyrgyzstan to overcome its social and economic problems; asks the Commission to prepare proposals on the re-allocation of funds under the Development and Cooperation Instrument to help make sure that the short, as well as the medium-term, EU response to the new situation in Kyrgyzstan can be of an adequate size; underlines that special priority should be given to the solution of problems in the fields of education, health and water supply;

14.  Stresses that aid from the European Union must accord with the efforts being made to fight corruption and expand education opportunities and with the better living conditions policy, thereby creating favourable conditions that act as a bastion against the development of extremist views;

15.  Calls on the Commission, taking into account the current situation, to check if it is necessary to send urgent humanitarian aid;

16.  Looks forward to the review of the progress made in implementing the EU strategy for the region and calls for efforts in order to make it more credible, concrete and coherent;

17.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the parliaments and governments of the Member States, the provisional government of Kyrgyzstan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary General OSCE and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on electric cars

P7_TA(2010)0150 B7-0261/2010

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the EU Recovery Plan, particularly the ‘Green car initiative’ of November 2008,

–   having regard to Directive 2009/28/EC of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, which sets a minimum threshold of 10% for energy from renewable sources in transport,

–   having regard to Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars,

–   having regard to the Action Plan on Urban Mobility of 30 September 2009,

–   having regard to the informal Council meeting held in San Sebastian on 9 February 2010,

–   having regard to the Commission Communication ‘Europe 2020 – A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ of 3 March 2010,

–   having regard to the Commission Communication on a European strategy on clean and energy-efficient vehicles of 27 April 2010,

–   having regard to the questions of 16 February 2010 to the Council and to the Commission on electric vehicles (O-0019/2010 – B7-0016/2010, O-0020/2010 – B7-0015/2010),

–   having regard to Rules 115(5) and 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.   whereas the challenges posed by climate change, CO2 emissions and other pollutants, and volatility of fuel prices have led to the technological development of batteries and energy storage systems, and to a greater market awareness of these matters, all of which have created a positive climate for the world-wide development of electric vehicles,

B.   whereas the electric vehicle is a significant innovation with high market potential, particularly in the long term, and whereas the capacity to enter quickly into this market, with high-quality products and a generalised degree of standardisation, will determine its future leaders,

C.   whereas electric vehicles are contributing to the Europe 2020 priorities of developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation and promoting a more resource-efficient, greener and more competitive economy,

D.   whereas at the informal Council meeting held in San Sebastian on 9 February 2010, EU competitiveness ministers agreed with the Commission on the need for the EU to pursue a common strategy on electric cars,

E.   whereas there are several political reasons to innovate in propulsion systems (electric or hybrids), namely:

F.   whereas the EU average energy-mix for the generation of existing electric energy in Europe makes electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids one major option in the broader strategy to curb CO2 emissions, and whereas the shift towards an efficient energy and sustainable transport system must be a priority of the EU if we want to reach the goal of a largely decarbonised transportation system by 2050,

G.   whereas there are a number of challenges that need to be addressed in order to support successful market introduction of electric vehicles, in particular:

H.   whereas there is a confirmed potential offered by electric cars in terms of storage capacity, allowing improvements in the use of renewable energy sources in the light of benefits offered by the smart grids,

I.   whereas the Clean Cars Communication briefly mentions the industry's needs for emerging skills when shifting from conventional to electric vehicles, whereas it does not address the effects on employment caused by that shift, and whereas a coordinated approach will be necessary to meet the challenges faced by the automotive sector's workforce,

J.   whereas there are already several countries and regions which have begun to introduce charging infrastructures for electric vehicles,

K.   whereas the EU Member States have begun to introduce national support programmes for electric vehicles with a view to their entry onto the Community market,

L.   whereas the industry and research in competing countries have received considerable support, and whereas in the EU this example should be followed,

M.   whereas the review of EU infrastructure investment policy in 2010 provides an excellent opportunity to move towards infrastructure investment in cleaner, advanced technologies, notably smart grids,

N.   whereas in Europe the high number of cities and urban areas with high population density offers suitable conditions for a rapid launching of the electric car, offering European manufacturers the possibility of becoming early market leaders,

O.   whereas the production of electric vehicles could contribute to economic recovery and ensure long-term viability for the European automotive industry, based on low-emission vehicles,

1.  Notes the priority given to the development of electric vehicles by the Spanish Presidency in the context of the fight against climate change, supports the decision of the Competitiveness Council to invite the Commission to set up an action plan for clean and energy-efficient vehicles, including the improvement of smart grids, and welcomes the Commission's Communication on a European strategy on clean and energy-efficient vehicles of 27 April 2010;

2.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to establish the necessary conditions for the existence of a single electric vehicle market, while guaranteeing efficient coordination of policies at EU level, in order to avoid the negative social and employment impacts of the shift to a decarbonised system of transport and in order also to avoid the existence of incompatible schemes and standards that are not interoperable;

3.  Underlines that the development of electric vehicles should be well balanced and conceived within the frame of a future sustainable mobility policy, where inter alia reduction of accidents, space use, reduced congestion, total energy consumption, CO2 emissions, noise and gaseous emissions are crucial, while emphasising that the development of electric mobility should include e-cars, e-bikes, trams, trains etc.;

4.  Calls on the Commission and the Council to take joint action on:

5.  Calls on the Commission to provide a comprehensive calculation of overall CO2 emissions of electric vehicles, taking into account the predicted changes in the production of electricity and storage capacities up to 2050;

6.  Stresses that electric vehicles represent a technology break-through requiring integrated innovation and technology development strategies via adequate funding and promotion of R&D and innovation in an ever increasing range of key areas, such as batteries, infrastructure (including integration with power grids); welcomes in this context the eco-innovation measures available to manufacturers, but is concerned by the difficulties experienced in their implementation;

7.  Recalls the Council of Competitiveness conclusion of 1 March 2010 referring to the upcoming Commission proposal for a business-oriented European Research and Innovation Plan that would complement national innovation strategies, including the promotion of tools and initiatives with strong potential, such as lead markets and pre-commercial public procurement, and better access to finance, particularly for SMEs, by better mobilisation of venture capital instruments;

8.  Asks the EU institutions and the Member States gradually to replace their public services fleet of combustion vehicles with electric vehicles, thus stimulating demand through public procurement; calls on the EU institutions to roll out the infrastructure as soon as standards are in place;

9.  Recalls that under the Recovery Plan, the Green Car Initiative is supporting the development of new and sustainable forms of road transport, where electric cars have been identified as a priority;

10.  Supports the Commission's intention of setting a European standard by 2011 for recharging electric vehicles, which will guarantee interoperability and the safety of infrastructures, and defends the setting of technical standards for charging systems, including different vehicle categories; calls on the Commission to strive for global standards wherever possible and to ensure that the charging standard encourages modern technologies, such as smart charging and opened communication standards, and is consistent with mandates on smart metering architectures;

11.  Is convinced that standardisation will enable a simple and straightforward approval process and contribute to accelerating the market introduction and dissemination of low-carbon vehicles in the EU, enhancing the competitiveness of the EU mobility industry through the reduction of development costs for manufacturers and the decarbonisation of road transport;

12.  Emphasises that standardisation of electric vehicles, infrastructures and charge methods should not hinder further innovation, particularly in the fields of electric mobility or conventional vehicle engines;

13.  Calls for harmonised requirements for the approval of electric vehicles, with specific requirements with regard to health and safety, for both workers and end-users, and for those requirements to be included in the EU vehicle type-approval framework by mandating UNECE Regulation 100; strongly supports the Commission's proposal for a review of the crash safety requirements for electric cars and the attention it is giving to the question of the safety of electric cars for vulnerable road users;

14.  Welcomes the Commission's proposal to present by 2010 coordinated guidelines on purchasing incentives for electric vehicles; calls on the Commission and the Council, furthermore, to provide for an adequate incentive package for the implementation of an extensive charging network, with harmonised electric mobility models;

15.  Stresses that public aid packages provided for companies must be linked to a clear set of social, technological, economic and environmental efficiency criteria, and calls on the Commission to carry out effective ex-post evaluations of such financial support;

16.  Calls on the Commission to enable a European sectoral structure to manage the social transition involved in a low-carbon mobility policy and to coordinate anticipation measures to ensure sustainable recovery in the car industry and reduce any social impact; demands that effective steps be taken to anticipate change in the automotive sector and supply chain, in coordination with all stakeholders, notably through the re-launching of the CARS 21 platform with a specific social issues working group;

17.  Calls on the Members States to ensure full use of the globalisation fund and other structural funds such as the European Social Fund, to provide incentives for re-skilling and well-targeted training efforts, and the further reorientation of sectoral training and education structures to meet the emerging skills needs resulting from this technology;

18.  Welcomes the Commission's intention to establish a European Sectoral Skills Council, aiming at creating a network of Member State national observatories;

19.  Defends the setting up of a shared information platform and coordinating effort among European players, projects and initiatives and the setting up of an international (global-level) observatory on electric mobility, focusing on business models, vehicle and charging technologies and integration with smart electric networks and bringing together the most relevant stakeholders, industry- and/or policy-led initiatives;

20.  Calls on the Member States to develop the necessary long-term fiscal policy for the promotion of energy-efficient clean vehicles, and asks the Commission to set a long-term common vision on issues such CO2-related policies, anticipating structural changes that result from the shift from conventional fuels to electricity and the promotion of the use of renewable energy;

21.  Calls on the Commission, the Member States and the electric mobility industry to consider the resources, energy and environmental balance of electric vehicles throughout their life cycle, from production to disposal, including recycling and reusing of batteries;

22.  Draws attention to the availability of raw materials needed for battery and component production, which raises the questions of increased production costs and EU dependency; calls on the industry to endeavour to make better use of the available resources, and calls on the Commission to finance applied research under the current and future Framework Programmes on the raw materials used for electric batteries, to encourage better networking among EU geological surveys and to promote skills and technologies in this sector which will boost exploration for new raw material deposits;

23.  Supports the Commission's proposal to set up information campaigns for consumers on the advantages, possibilities and practical aspects of electric vehicles;

24.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the social partners and the industry.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation

P7_TA(2010)0151 B7-0245/2010

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to having regard to Article 3(3) of the Treaty on the European Union, Article 101(1) and (3), Article 103(1) and Article 105(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (hereinafter the ‘TFUE’),

–  having regard to Regulation No 19/65/EEC of 2 March 1965 of the Council on application of Article 85(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements and concerted practices(1),

–  having regard to Council Directive 86/653/EEC of 18 December 1986 on the coordination of the laws of the Member States relating to self-employed commercial agents(2),

–  having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2790/1999 of 22 December 1999 on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices(3) (the general vertical agreements block exemption regulation, hereinafter the ‘current GBER’),

–  having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 1400/2002 of 31 July 2002 on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector(4) (the motor vehicles block exemption regulation, hereinafter the ‘current MVBER’),

–  having regard to Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2007 on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information(5); and to Regulation (EC) No 595/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 on type-approval of motor vehicles and engines with respect to emissions from heavy duty vehicles (Euro VI) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information(6),

–  having regard to Draft Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices (the new general vertical agreements block exemption regulation, hereinafter the ‘new GBER’), published on 28 July 2009 for consultation on the Commission's website,

–  having regard to Draft Commission Regulation on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector (the new motor vehicles block exemption regulation, hereinafter the ‘new MVBER’), published on 21 December 2009 for consultation on the Commission's website,

–  having regard to the Commission notice – Guidelines on Vertical Restraints(7),

–  having regard to the Commission explanatory brochure on distribution and servicing of motor vehicles in the European Union,

–  having regard to the Commission notice – Guidelines on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty(8),

–  having regard to Draft Commission Notice – Guidelines on Vertical Restraints, published on 28 July 2009 for consultation on the Commission's website,

–  having regard to Draft Commission Notice – Supplementary guidelines on vertical restraints in agreements for the sale and repair of motor vehicles and for the distribution of spare parts for motor vehicles, published on 21 December 2009 for consultation on the Commission's website,

–  having regard to Commission Communication of 25 June 2008 on ‘Think small first – a Small Business Act for Europe’ (COM(2008)0394),

–  having regard to the ‘Commission evaluation report on the operation of Regulation (EC) No 1400/2002 concerning motor vehicle distribution and servicing’ and its accompanying Staff Working Documents, published in May 2009 on the Commission's website (hereinafter the ‘evaluation report’),

–  having regard to Commission Communication of 22 July 2009 on ‘The Future Competition Law Framework applicable to the motor vehicle sector’ (COM(2009)0388) and its accompanying Staff Working Documents,

–  having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 18 March 2010 on Commission Communication: The Future Competition Law Framework applicable to the motor vehicle sector (INT/507 – CESE 444/2010),

–  having regard to the contributions from the different stakeholders sent to the Commission during the periods of public consultations and published on the Commission's website, as well as the positions expressed by the stakeholders during the joint meeting of the ECON and IMCO Committees on 19 October 2009 and the ECON Committee workshop of 12 April 2010, both on the MVBER,

–  having regard to its Resolution of 30 May 2002 on the draft Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle industry (2002/2046(INI))(9),

–  having regard to its Resolution of 15 January 2008 on CARS 21: A Competitive Automotive Regulatory Framework (2007/2120(INI))(10),

–  having regard to its Resolution of 25 March 2009 on the future of the automotive industry(11),

–  having regard to its Resolution of 9 March 2010 on the Report on Competition Policy 2008 (2009/2173(INI))(12),

–  having regard to Rules 115(5) and 110(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas distribution agreements are regulated at EU level through two separate legal frameworks, namely, on the one hand, a Directive providing for the coordination of national laws regarding commercial representation agreements (Directive 86/653/EEC, the so-called Commercial Agency Directive), and, on the other hand, two block exemption regulations in the context of competition law as far as vertical distribution agreements are concerned (the current GBER and the current MVBER),

B.  whereas in 1999 the Commission defined in the current GBER a category of vertical agreements which it regards as normally satisfying the conditions for exemption laid down in Article 101(3) TFEU from the prohibition of anticompetitive clauses and practices,

C.  whereas the motor vehicle sector has been subject to a specific competition regulatory framework since the mid-eighties,

D.  whereas in 2002 the Commission considered that the motor vehicle sector should not be brought within the current GBER regime, because specific provisions were still needed to address the particular competition problems it had identified in this sector, namely an oligopolistic situation in the European car market; whereas the Commission was by then concerned that competition between car manufacturers was low,

E.  whereas the Commission decided therefore to adopt in the current MVBER stricter rules for this sector, in particular specific market share thresholds and additional hardcore restrictions and conditions,

F.  whereas the scope of the current MVBER encompasses three different product markets: (a) new motor vehicles (primary market); (b) spare parts for motor vehicles (aftermarket); and (c) repair and maintenance services (aftermarket); whereas motor vehicles include both passenger cars and commercial vehicles,

G.  whereas both the current GBER and the MVBER will expire on 31 May 2010; whereas the Commission has launched the process of reviewing both regulations and their accompanying guidelines,

H.  whereas the Commission now considers that the markets for new motor vehicles sales are highly competitive and that concentration levels have been declining; whereas the Commission considers also that entry barriers are low in this market and that there has been a rapid growth of Eastern Asian entrants generated by aggressive pricing,

I.  whereas the Commission notes that, as a result, retail prices for passenger cars have been decreasing; whereas, on the contrary, the Commission notes that competition on the repair and maintenance markets is still very limited and that prices are very high for certain types of spare parts,

J.  whereas the Commission proposes that a specific block exemption for the purchase and sale of new motor vehicles (primary market) is no longer needed and that the new GBER will apply to the primary market after a prolongation period of 3 years; whereas until 31 May 2013, the current MVBER will continue to apply to the primary market,

K.  whereas the Commission also proposes to adopt specific guidelines of interpretation and application applicable to the motor vehicle sector, both for the primary market and the aftermarket,

L.  whereas, for the aftermarket (spare parts for motor vehicles, repair and maintenance services), the Commission proposes to adopt a special block exemption regulation, the new MVBER,

M.  whereas it is undeniable that the vast majority of the motor trade and repair businesses have expressed their serious concerns about a risk of temporary suspension or short-term prolongation of the current MVBER, as it will lead to a further deterioration of the power balance between manufacturers and the rest of the automotive value chain and will benefit only the handful of major vehicle manufacturers,

N.  whereas several representatives of the vehicle spare parts market, servicing and repair sector have expressed their support for a new set of aftermarket rules as a major step forward compared to the current MVBER,

O.  whereas the primary market and after-sales market are not mutually exclusive and the commercial viability of many independent dealers depends on both their flexibility to sell and repair vehicles,

P.  whereas the EU is currently facing an exceptional financial and economic crisis and high rates of unemployment; whereas the EU should promote a competitive social market economy and aim at reducing poverty; whereas the European automotive industry is a key sector of the European economy, contributing to employment, innovation and the competitiveness of the whole economy; whereas this industry has been particularly hit by the current crisis and supported by State interventions in several Member States,

Q.  whereas multi-branding provisions apply to sales distribution under the same roof, in separate showrooms in the same area or in separate premises,

1.  Welcomes the fact that the Commission has opened several public consultations as regards the review of both the MVBER and the GBER; appreciates that the Commission has submitted to Parliament the evaluation report on the application of the current MVBER;

2.  Encourages the Commission to proactively work in a spirit of openness and transparency with the Parliament and to inform and send legislative, pre-legislative and non-legislative documents to Parliament at an early stage, as assured by Commissioner Almunia during his hearing as Commissioner-designate;

3.  Highlights that such approach would allow for a thorough debate among Members of Parliament and would enhance the democratic legitimacy of the Commission decision;

4.  Calls on the Commission to clearly specify which contributions from the stakeholders, if any, it intends to incorporate in the final regulation so as to ensure a transparent drafting of the final MVBER and GBER;

5.  Stresses that it is necessary to establish general conditions to make the motor vehicle industry in the EU, including both vehicle manufacturers and vehicle parts producers, sustainable and enable it to remain economically efficient and in the forefront of technological, ecological and social innovation; underlines the importance to strike a balance between competition requirements and intellectual property, both in the internal market and with third countries;

6.  Believes that the new MVBER should be regarded as a piece of an integrated approach to legislation in the motor vehicle sector;

7.  Recalls the importance of legal certainty; therefore calls on the Commission to draft Frequently Asked Questions or an Explanatory Brochure to explain in more detail the new legislative framework to market players;

8.  Points out that the relationship between manufacturers, on the one hand, and dealers, service providers and other relevant economic actors in the automotive supply chain, on the other hand, has to be carefully analysed, taking into consideration their unequal economic power as trading partners;

9.  Stresses that there is a need to ensure that small and medium-sized players in the automotive supply chain enjoy favourable conditions; emphasises the importance of adopting a solid regulatory framework able to effectively prevent any abuse of any dominant position and ensure that there is no increase of dependence of SMEs vis-à-vis large manufacturers; recalls the importance of SMEs as job-providers, in particular in a time of economic crisis, and as suppliers of proximity, responding to the demand of the population, even in less populated areas;

10.  Is not in favour of the removal of certain conditions imposed by the current MVBER for an agreement to be exempted, namely the contractual clauses on multi-branding, notice of termination, duration, arbitration of disputes, litigation and business transfers within the network; recalls, in particular, that the need to simplify the conditions for business transfers is part of the first principle of the Small Business Act; draws attention to the risk represented by a single branding obligation for consumer choice and dealers' independence vis-à-vis manufacturers; fears that these clauses might become subject to the different national contract laws;

11.  Calls on the Commission to ensure that distributors, including from the motor vehicle sector, benefit from the same level of contractual protection throughout the EU as commercial agents currently do; believes that such an alignment could be achieved by amending Directive 86/653/EEC and partially extending its scope of application to include all distribution agreements;

12.  Emphasises that it is important particularly in times of economic distress to allow concrete commercial alternatives to ownership, such as leasing, to satisfy the mobility needs of individuals; therefore, urges the Commission to ensure that the new MVBER and GBER stipulate the required conditions, such as the end user definition, to allow such commercial alternatives to develop and contribute to healthy competition in the automotive market;

13.  Is not in favour of a non-binding Code of Conduct setting out mutual obligations between franchised dealers and their suppliers which will be ineffective in protecting dealers' interests vis-à-vis manufacturers; any Code of Conduct should be accompanied by a proper enforcement mechanism, namely access to an appropriate arbitration procedure;

14.  Fears that the objective of the Commission to continue promoting effective competition in the motor vehicles aftermarket by addressing consumer choice and effective access for independent market operators could not be reached through this reform; agrees with the Commission that competitive conditions in the motor vehicle aftermarket have also a direct consequence on public safety;

15.  Calls on the Commission to maintain the threshold of 30% for the obligation to purchase spare parts, in order to keep authorised repairers' freedom to purchase spare parts from other sources than the vehicle manufacturer and therefore avoid coming back to a quasi-captive supplying, which would increase spare parts' prices and cut other spare parts suppliers' activity;

16.  Stresses that European consumers and other end users should not face any barriers to purchase a car at competitive prices, even in large quantities and regardless of the distribution system chosen by the supplier, and be able to choose where and how they have repair and maintenance carried out;

17.  Reminds in this context the repeated calls from Parliament for greener vehicles and the statements by the President of the Commission on greening the economy; believes that multi-branding as well as easy access to repair and maintenance services help to reach the objective of lower emission vehicles through easy comparison of vehicles when buying a car and adequately functioning vehicles; reiterates its request to investigate the effectiveness of State aid granted to the motor vehicle sector for ‘green recovery’;

18.  Is concerned that the Commission's proposed guidelines for the motor vehicle sector are insufficiently precise to ensure technical information is made available to independent dealers in the same comprehensive format as provided for in Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 and Regulation (EC) No 595/2009; furthermore, calls on the Commission to update the definition of technical information on the basis of technological progress and to ensure continued access to updated services and parts data in readily accessible electronic formats;

19.  Calls on the Commission to apply the new aftermarket rules as of the 1st June 2010 irrespective of solutions to be adopted regarding the sales of new vehicles;

20.  Calls on the Commission to address new forms of anticompetitive customer tying measures such as any type of after-sales service contingent upon the exclusive repair or maintenance of a vehicle within the brand-specific network;

21.  Calls on the Commission to monitor the operation of the new legal framework for the automotive sector on a regular basis; in particular, urges the Commission to carry out a thorough reassessment of the competition conditions in the motor vehicle primary market before the end of the prolongation period, focusing on the impact of certain contractual clauses such as multi-branding, business transfer and the threshold for spare parts, as well as on the provisions of the proposed Code of Conduct; in this respect, urges the Commission to leave all regulatory options open and to take appropriate measures, including a new prolongation of part of the MVBER or revisions to be made to the GBER, should it appear that the competitive conditions in particular in the primary market have significantly worsened;

22.  Stresses that Parliament should be informed by the Commission of any adaptation of the new legal framework that it might envisage to adopt as a result of its market monitoring and that Parliament should be consulted in good time before such a decision is taken;

23.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ 36, 6.3.1965, p. 533. (2) OJ L 382, 31.12.1986, p. 17. (3) OJ L 336, 29.12.1999, p. 21. (4) OJ L 203, 1.8.2002, p. 30. (5) OJ L 171, 29.6.2007, p. 1. (6) OJ L 188, 18.7.2009, p. 1. (7) OJ C 291, 13.10.2000, p. 1. (8) OJ C 101, 27.4.2004, p. 97. (9) OJ C 187 E, 7.8.2003, p. 149. (10) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0007. (11) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2009)0186. (12) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0050.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the Commission communication on Action Against Cancer: European Partnership (2009/2103(INI))

P7_TA(2010)0152 A7-0121/2010

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission communication on Action Against Cancer: European Partnership (COM(2009)0291),

–   having regard to Decision No 1350/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2007 establishing a second programme of Community action in the field of health (2008-13)(1),

–   having regard to its resolution of 9 October 2008 on ‘Together for health: a strategic approach for the EU 2008-2013’(2),

–   having regard to Decision No 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013)(3),

–   having regard to the Council conclusions on reducing the European burden of cancer adopted on 10 June 2008(4),

–   having regard to Council Recommendation 2003/878/EC of 2 December 2003 on cancer screening(5),

–   having regard to its declaration of 11 October 2007 on the need for a comprehensive strategy to control cancer(6),

–   having regard to its resolution of 10 April 2008 on combating cancer in the enlarged European Union(7),

–   having regard to its resolution of 25 October 2006 on breast cancer in the enlarged European Union(8),

–   having regard to its resolution of 5 June 2003 on breast cancer in the European Union(9),

–   having regard to Decision No 646/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 March 1996 adopting an action plan to combat cancer within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996 to 2000)(10),

–   having regard to Council Decision 2004/513/EC of 2 June 2004 concerning the conclusion of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control(11),

–   having regard to the European Code Against Cancer: third version,

–   having regard to the World Cancer Report 2008 of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC),

–   having regard to the declaration of the European Parliament on hepatitis C(12),

–   having regard to the activity and the conclusions of the all-party interest group MEPs Against Cancer (MAC),

–   having regard to Article 184 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–   having regard to Article 35 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union(13),

–   having regard to Rule 48 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the opinions of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A7-0121/2010),

A.   whereas cancer is growing epidemically worldwide in spite of medical progress,

B.   whereas certain countries have made progress in reducing cancer rates thanks to anti-smoking policies, improved secondary prevention and treatment of certain forms of cancer(14),

C.   whereas, according to the World Health Organisation, cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and accounted for around 13% of all deaths in 2004,

D.   whereas cancer was the second most common cause of death in 2006, accounting for two out of ten deaths in women and three out of ten deaths in men, equating to approximately 3.2 million EU citizens diagnosed with cancer each year; whereas the deaths are due for the most part to lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer,

E.   whereas, according to estimates by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), one in three Europeans is diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime and one in four Europeans dies from the disease,

F.   whereas projections suggest that, in 2010, 3 million Europeans will develop cancer and nearly 2 million are expected to die of cancer, and projections for 2020 suggest that 3.4 million Europeans will develop cancer and over 2.1 million will die as a result of the disease,

G.   whereas the most frequent types of cancer differ between women and men, and women are mostly affected by breast, cervical, endometrial, fallopian tube, ovarian and vaginal cancer but also often by stomach and colorectal cancers; whereas the incidence of breast cancer is rising among women in many European countries, also affecting younger women, and 275 000 women in the EU contract breast cancer each year,

H.   whereas the fight against cancer should be considered to be an essential part of the Health Strategy,

I.   whereas about 30% of cancers may be prevented and the consequences reduced by early detection and treatment, while the effectiveness of national screening programmes for women varies and depends on the coverage of the female population, accessibility to and the quality of mammography, treatment and other factors,

J.   whereas childhood cancer, the leading cause of death from disease in the young, can be successfully treated to achieve an 80% survival rate,

K.   whereas prevention involves both primary prevention of incidence and secondary prevention via screening and early detection,

L.   whereas effective primary prevention can greatly contribute to improving health through population-based interventions and measures to encourage healthy lifestyles,

M.   whereas prevention involves both primary prevention of incidence, which can be accomplished by reducing population exposure to cancer-related contaminants in the environment, in addition to secondary prevention via screening and early detection,

N.   whereas the incidence of cervical cancer (the second most common type of cancer in women after breast cancer) may be prevented by an appropriate treatment such as prophylactic vaccines against carcinogenic viruses,

O.   whereas cancer is caused by many factors in multiple stages and therefore requires a new cancer prevention paradigm that addresses genetic, lifestyle, occupational and environmental factors on an equal footing in a manner that reflects the actual combination effects of different factors, rather than focusing on isolated causes,

P.   whereas environmental factors include not only environmental tobacco smoke, radiation and excessive UV exposure but also exposure to chemical contaminants in food, air, soil and water due to inter alia industrial processes, agricultural practices or the content of such substances in e.g. construction and consumer products,

Q.   whereas the disease arises principally as a consequence of individual exposure to carcinogenic agents in what individuals inhale, eat and drink, or are exposed to in their personal or work environment. Habits, such as tobacco use, dietary and physical activity patterns - as well as occupational and environmental conditions – play major roles in the development of cancer,

R.   whereas, according to the World Health Organisation, at least 10% of annual cancer-related deaths are caused directly by exposure to carcinogens at the workplace; whereas such exposure could be averted if the carcinogens were replaced by less harmful substances,

S.   whereas the rapid rate of increase of some cancers such as e.g. testicular and non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and the increase in childhood cancers of 1% per year in Europe in the last 20 years according to the WHO, show that environmental factors must be involved,

T.   whereas effective secondary prevention aimed at early disease detection can also significantly contribute to improving health prevention and can greatly contribute to improving health; whereas it has been predicted that, by implementing 100% population coverage of cervical cancer screening, an estimated reduction of over 94% of life years lost could be attained and, for every 152 pap smear tests performed, one life year could be gained,

U.   whereas endocrine disrupting chemicals can play an important role in cancer formation, for example in the case of breast cancer or testicular cancer, and therefore require specific action,

V.   whereas Europe's health systems face major challenges to their long term sustainability and first among these is the impact the ageing population will have on workforce requirements and overall healthcare expenditure; in addition, new technologies, though they bring substantial benefits, require adequately trained staff and possibly increased spending,

W.   whereas the incidence of certain cancers such as cervical cancer is significantly higher in certain female migrant populations, and therefore it is necessary to guarantee that prevention and early detection programmes are focused on and available for these high risk groups,

X.   whereas the Union's ageing population is one of the reasons for the increase in the cancer burden across the Union and whereas the increase in the incidence of cancer will impose additional pressures on public finances and the productivity of the private sector economy and therefore an improvement in the health indicators relating to cancer will also contribute to improving the long-term economic indicators,

Y.   whereas the prevalence of cancer correlates with increasing age and is closely linked with old age, it is also the case that with the ageing of the population the overall incidence of cancer will increase as well; this trend will manifest itself mainly amongst older women, since women still have a higher life expectancy than men, and therefore it is necessary to guarantee that prevention and early detection programmes are not only made available for middle-aged women but also for older women as well as for the oldest old;

Z.   whereas in the Lisbon Treaty shared competence between the European Union and the Member States applies in common safety concerns in public health matters, such as the protection of physical and mental health,

AA.   whereas death rates from cancer in the new Member States are higher than in the EU-15,

AB.   whereas the WHO estimates that at least one third of all cancer cases are preventable and that prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for the control of cancer and it has been estimated that cancer could be prevented by modifying or avoiding key risk factors such as smoking, being overweight, low fruit and vegetable intake, physical inactivity and alcohol consumption, infectious agents and exposure to certain chemical substances and ionising radiation,

AC.   whereas poor nutrition, physical inactivity, obesity, tobacco and alcohol, are risk factors common to other chronic diseases, such as CVD, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory diseases, and therefore cancer prevention programmes should be conducted within the context of an integrated chronic disease prevention programme,

AD.   whereas, as early as 1987, experts developed the European Code Against Cancer as an evidence-based instrument for tackling prevention,

AE.   whereas the startling and unacceptable differences in the quality of cancer treatment facilities, screening programmes, evidence-based best-practice guidelines, facilities for radiotherapy, and access to anti-cancer drugs are among the reasons for the big differences in achieving the five-year survival rate for most cancers across Europe,

AF.   whereas health inequality is still widespread in the European Union, and whereas disadvantaged communities – as a result of limited access to resources, information and services – face higher risks of adverse health outcomes than those who are in a higher socio-economic position,

AG.   whereas cancer can be reduced and controlled by implementing evidence-based strategies for early detection and management of patients with cancer,

AH.   whereas it is estimated that 25% of all cancer deaths in the Union can be attributed to smoking; whereas smoking causes between 80% and 90% of lung cancer deaths worldwide, whereas the uptake of smoking by young girls is increasing, with a resultant risk of a future rise in lung cancer in women,

AI.   whereas in the past 20 years the incidence of liver cancer has more than doubled and in 2006 there were 50 300 new cancer cases in the EU-27 and 45 771 died of the disease, and whereas, in addition to excessive weight and alcohol consumption, 75% to 85% of cases of primary liver cancer are attributable to persistent infections with viral hepatitis (B or C),

AJ.   whereas it is well established that lifestyle, particularly nutritional habits, influences tumour development and therefore preservation of a good nutritional status contributes to survival (at least for certain types of tumours) and the quality of life of cancer patients,

AK.   whereas certain cancers may be avoided and health in general can be improved by adopting healthier lifestyles and whereas cancers may be cured or the prospects of a cure greatly increased if they are detected at an early stage,

AL.   whereas cancer is also strongly associated with social and economic status and cancer risk factors are highest in groups with the least education. In addition, patients in the lower socioeconomic classes have consistently poorer survival rates than those in higher strata,

AM.   whereas a well-designed, well-managed national cancer control programme lowers cancer incidence and mortality, in some cases by more than 70%, and improves the life of cancer patients, no matter what resource constraints a country faces,

AN.   whereas broad disparities exist among Member States concerning the development, implementation and quality of cancer control plans,

AO.   whereas nationwide implementation of effective, population-based screening programmes – run in accordance with European guidelines if they already exist – significantly improves the quality and accessibility of cancer screening, diagnosis and therapeutic services to the population and thereby also improves cancer control,

AP.   whereas there are at present considerable qualitative differences within the EU as regards cancer screening, early detection, and follow-up; whereas the differences relate in particular to the application of procedures for the purposes of early detection, a method making for a cost-measurable, cost-effective reduction in the impact of the disease,

AQ.   whereas national cancer registries in all Member States are essential with a view to providing comparable data on cancer,

AR.   whereas interinstitutional cooperation can enhance the effectiveness of our joint efforts,

AS.   whereas oncology is not recognised as a medical speciality in all Member States, and whereas continuing medical education needs to be provided,

AT.   whereas the free movement of persons and free movement of workers are guaranteed in Community law and, as a principle, freedom of establishment helps to ensure that health professionals go where they are most needed, benefiting patients directly and avoiding the many difficulties inherent in the movement of patients across borders,

AU.   whereas physical health and mental health are closely linked and interconnected, and this two-way connection is too often neglected in the care of cancer sufferers and other service users,

AV.   whereas the complexity of cancer requires improved communication between the many and varied healthcare professionals involved in cancer patient treatment and whereas psychosocial and mental health care of cancer patients can improve their life expectancy and quality of life,

AW.   whereas cancer patients currently have unequal access to medical information and are in urgent need of more information at every stage of their disease,

1.  Welcomes the Commission proposal to set up a European Partnership for Action Against Cancer for the period 2009-2013 to support the Member States in their efforts to tackle cancer by providing a framework for identifying and sharing information, capacity and expertise in cancer prevention and control and by engaging relevant stakeholders across the European Union in a collective effort;

2.  Argues that strong action on cancer at a European level has the potential to set in place a framework for coordinated action at Member State, regional and local level. The European Partnership for Action Against Cancer should complement and build on work currently undertaken by the European Institutions in the field of health, and should seek to form partnerships with other services and sectors to ensure a comprehensive approach to the prevention and treatment of cancer;

3.  Recognises that, under Article 168 TFEU, actions relating to health matters are primarily the responsibility of the Member States, but stresses the importance of establishing a Community roadmap and encourages the Commission and the Member States to take joint action and a comprehensive approach by incorporating the medical field into policy areas such as education, environment, research and social issues;

4.  Stresses that closer cooperation with stakeholders, with the participation of civil society and employers' and employees' organisations at international, European, national, regional and local level, should be established for a representative and effective partnership. The European Partnership for Action Against Cancer should gather those stakeholders with a genuine interest in improving health outcomes. The potential of this forum to contribute to the development and dissemination of best practice guidelines should not be underestimated. The Partnership should also establish channels of communication with other fora, such as the EU Health Policy Forum, to ensure the work against cancer is giving due consideration to other concerns such as health inequities, the determinants of health and the role of health professionals, all of which have a clear impact on the prevalence and treatment of cancer;

5.  Calls on the European Commission and the European Council to cooperate with the European Parliament in a well-coordinated inter-institutional partnership in order to reduce the burden of cancer, using the legal basis established in the Treaty of Lisbon to protect public health and prevent diseases. The European Commission and the European Council should consider the various formal and informal structures that exist to consult with the Members of the European Parliament;

6.  Calls on the Commission to specify the nature of, and the sources of funding for, the European Partnership for Action Against Cancer;

7.  Stresses that a comprehensive cancer approach and multidisciplinary teams can ensure more effective care for patients with cancer and that integrated cancer care, giving due consideration to psychosocial and mental wellbeing and support, is a vital part of care that should also be encouraged;

8.  Stresses that special action is to be taken for rare and less common cancers, with the aim of accelerating diagnosis and making expertise more widely available in centres of excellence;

9.  Points out that according to the Lisbon Treaty the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and after consulting the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, may also adopt incentive measures designed to protect and improve human health;

10.  Considers that the success of the partnership, given the absence of additional funding before the end of the current financial framework (2013), depends on making optimum use of the available resources;

11.  Calls on Member States to set up integrated cancer plans as soon as possible as these are key to achieving the Partnership's ambitious long-term aim of reducing the burden of cancer by 15% by 2020;

12.  Calls on the Commission to build on findings of the Cancer Partnership with regard to cancer control plans and to present a proposal for a Council Recommendation on Cancer Control Plans; calls on the Commission to monitor independently on a yearly basis the implementation and progress of the recommendation adopted;

13.  Underlines that prevention is the most cost-effective response, as one third of cancers are preventable, and urges that more resources are systematically and strategically invested in both primary and secondary prevention; underlines the importance of maintaining investments in health, in particular through preventive actions. In this regard, the European Commission and the European Council should consider further action to ensure a health-improving environment, including work on tobacco, nutrition and alcohol and provisions to improve opportunities for physical activity;

14.  Calls upon the Partnership to ensure that all ‘Health Promotion and Prevention’ and ‘Research’ group actions include a component on environmental factors, these being defined as not only environmental tobacco smoke, radiation, and excessive UV exposure, but also hazardous chemicals in the indoor and outdoor environment to which people are exposed, including endocrine disruptors;

15.  Considers that tackling ‘risk factors’ for cancer is key to prevention and urges Member States to treat this as a priority;

16.  Highlights that there is an increasing need to focus on the quality of life for a rising number of chronic cancer patients whose illness cannot be cured but which may be stabilised for a number of years;

17.  Stresses that actions aimed at reducing inequities in the cancer burden should include targeted promotion of health, public education and prevention programmes as well as the collection of data from population-based national cancer registries and comparable, complete and accurate registry data on cancer;

18.  Urges the Commission to encourage those Member States with high cancer mortality to reform their national cancer registries in order to provide the data necessary for better informed and more focused policies;

19.  Urges that, apart from health promotion and the fight against excessive weight and alcohol consumption, the prevention and control of diseases which can develop into cancer, for instance primary and secondary prevention of viral hepatitis and treatment where appropriate, should be addressed by the Cancer Partnership and in future EU initiatives, such as a revised Council recommendation on cancer screening;

20.  Stresses the role of screening as one of the most important instruments in the fight against cancer; urges Member States to invest in cancer screening programmes and considers that these initiatives are most efficient when they are available to the widest possible range of people and on a regular basis;

21.  Stresses that integrated research (basic and clinical) on the use of nutrition in preventing cancer and treating malnutrition associated with cancer, as well as validated and widely accepted guidelines on nutritional support for cancer patients, should be developed; urges therefore the Commission to provide funding to develop and validate integrated research (basic and clinical) on the use of nutrition in preventing cancer and treating malnutrition associated with cancer, as well as for the development of widely accepted guidelines on nutritional support for cancer patients for social and health care professionals across Europe, and calls on the Member States to promote the implementation of such guidelines;

22.  Stresses that the European Code Against Cancer needs to be revised and promoted more widely and forcefully across the EU-27 and that particular efforts should be directed towards new Member States under the European Cancer Partnership;

23.  Urges the Member States to establish a legal obligation to declare cancer cases, using standardised European terminology, the object being to provide means of evaluating prevention, screening, and treatment programmes, survival rates, and the comparability of data from one Member State to another and, on the basis of the findings, to produce information aimed at the general public;

24.  Stresses that cancer can be reduced and controlled by implementing evidence-based strategies for early detection and management of patients with cancer, including appropriate information to ensure awareness of the benefits of screening for those who should benefit from it; urges the Member States in this connection to examine whether breast cancer screening for women under 50 and over 69 years of age serves a useful purpose and asks the Commission to collect and analyse this information;

25.  Stresses the urgent need for agreed quality treatment standards for childhood cancers to be shared and applied across the EU-27;

26.  Calls on Member States to do more to raise awareness of gender specific cancer, in order to increase levels of prevention and encourage screening for these diseases;

27.  Calls on the Commission to provide funding for the further development of blood- and urine-based tests (biomarker tests) within the seventh Research Framework Programme, bearing in mind that these early diagnosis procedures are promising tools for detecting different types of cancer (prostate, colon, ovarian, kidney, and bladder cancer);

28.  Considers that existing FP7 funding allocated to the fight against cancer should be used more efficiently through, for example, better coordination between the different cancer research centres in the EU;

29.  Calls on the Commission to make full use of its supporting role by setting up joint actions on research;

30.  Calls for support to be stepped up for research into cancer prevention, including research into the effects of harmful chemicals and environmental pollutants, nutrition, lifestyle, genetic factors, and the interaction of all these, and calls for the links between cancer and potential risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical and synthetic hormones present in the environment to be investigated;

31.  Notes that the Czech Government has not yet ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which entered into force in February 2005, and therefore urges it to do so;

32.  Calls for bio-monitoring research to pay particular attention to the most important sources of exposure to carcinogenic substances, in particular traffic, emissions from industry, air quality in large cities, and emanations and surface waters in the vicinity of waste disposal;

33.  Calls upon the Commission to ensure that swifter action is taken under the Community Strategy on Endocrine Disruptors;

34.  Stresses that research findings should be translated into concrete action as soon as possible, and that ongoing research should not be used to delay action against known or suspected factors that cause or promote cancer incidence;

35.  Calls on the Commission to encourage the Member States to adopt policies to support the principles embodied in the World Health Organization's Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health launched in 2004;

36.  Considers that more research on the connection between cancer and gender is needed as well as specific, but not fragmented, research on the impact of the working environment on cancers;

37.  Calls on the Commission to promote by every possible means the principle of prevention both in medical practices and in more healthy lifestyles and to encourage Member States to invest more of their resources in prevention, both primary (i.e. preventing or reducing factors that cause or promote cancer incidence such as exposure to environmental pollutants) and secondary via screening and early detection;

38.  Points out the need for large-scale research programmes to develop alternatives for harmful substances that are not carcinogens. Innovation should be encouraged and should lead to a phasing-out of all the harmful substances that accumulate in the human body or in the environment, which cause cancer or mutagenic effects. In the long term, those substances should be replaced on the market;

39.  Considers that early detection procedures and techniques should be researched more thoroughly before being widely applied in order to guarantee that their use and application is safe and evidence-based; therefore, it is necessary that this research leads to unambiguous and evidence-based recommendations and guidelines;

40.  Considers that the current funding available to fight cancer in the EU is inadequate to produce the necessary research and coordination as well as to provide decent preventive information for EU citizens;

41.  Encourages the Commission to include funding to promote cancer prevention in the financial perspective;

42.  Calls on the Commission and Member States to set up a European Network for Prevention under the European Cancer Partnership that addresses all health determinants relevant for cancer, including environmental ones;

43.  Calls on the Commission to encourage and support initiatives bringing together a wide range of stakeholders with the aim of preventing cancer by reducing occupational and environmental exposure to carcinogens and other cancer-producing substances and by promoting healthy lifestyles, not least by highlighting the main risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise, and exposure to the sun, placing the emphasis first and foremost on children and teenagers;

44.  Calls for the need to tackle environmental-health related problems which have impacts on the development of specific types of cancer in accordance with what has been defined under the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010, namely through the assessment of the subsequent national Environmental and Health Action Plans and through cooperation between Member States on the results achieved throughout the process, in order to guarantee that the results obtained in each country may help promote European intervention in this domain;

45.  Underlines that optimal patient care requires a multidisciplinary approach, that the role of medical oncologist as a patient interface is central and that education, clear criteria and guidelines are needed to ensure the optimal qualification of physicians using drugs for cancer treatment;

46.  Calls on the Commission and the Partnership to review the Council recommendation on cancer screening in the light of the latest scientific developments in order to provide encouragement for future European accreditation/certification programmes in the area of cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment to be drawn up on the basis of the European quality assurance guidelines, bearing in mind that such programmes could also serve as an example for other healthcare fields;

47.  Urges the Commission and the Member States to promote information campaigns on cancer screening directed at the general public and all healthcare providers, as well as the exchange of best practice on the use of preventive or early-detection measures, such as cost-effective integration of appropriate human papilloma virus (HPV) testing for cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination to protect young women from cervical cancer, and asks the European Cancer Partnership to examine the need to update the Council recommendation on cancer screening to take account of evidence for effective prostate cancer screening in men;

48.  Calls on the Commission to use the existing European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) by adding non-communicable diseases to its mandate and by using it as the headquarters for EU cancer research where all the data already collected in each Member State could be harnessed and analysed in order to provide scientists and doctors with best practices and greater knowledge of the disease;

49.  Welcomes the Commission proposal on a European Partnership for Action against Cancer for the period 2009-2013 and the proposal to reduce the cancer burden by introducing 100% population screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers by 2013, and urges Member States to fully implement the guidelines;

50.  Calls on the Commission to draw up a charter for the protection of the rights of cancer patients and chronically sick people in the workplace, with a view to requiring firms to make it possible for patients to continue in employment during their treatment and to return to the employment market after it has finished;

51.  Calls on the Commission, the Member States, and the European Chemicals Agency to implement Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), and update the list of substances of very high concern, which covers carcinogens;

52.  Calls on the Commission, working within the Partnership, to encourage and support initiatives seeking to prevent imports of goods containing cancer-producing chemicals, and to take Europe-wide measures with a view to intensifying checks to detect such chemicals, pesticides included, as might be present in foodstuffs;

53.  Notes that palliative care for terminally ill cancer patients varies in quality between Member States and can benefit from exchange of good practices and therefore calls on the Commission and Member States to encourage and promote palliative care and to establish guidelines for its use;

54.  Stresses that more efforts should be made in psychosocial and occupational rehabilitation programmes for cancer patients which include a broad range of activities aimed at information, counselling, advice on possible changes in lifestyle and behaviour, psychological support and social welfare questions; underlines the importance of monitoring and assessing the mental health status of people with cancer;

55.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that EU-wide human bio-monitoring surveys receive the funding required to enable carcinogens and other cancer-producing substances to be monitored for the purpose of gauging policy effectiveness;

56.  Considers that the partnership should seek to incorporate effectively existing initiatives for the coordination of cancer research and give greater encouragement to public-private partnerships to stimulate research and screening, particularly in the field of medical imaging;

57.  Finds the proposed structure lacking since there is no clear definition of specific action objectives, such as how to achieve the integration of all Member States' plans in the fight against cancer by 2013, and calls on the Commission to rectify this lack of focus;

58.  Calls for more funding to be allocated to regional policy programmes and European Social Fund programmes to educate and inform citizens about cancer protection and prevention;

59.  Calls on the Commission to ensure that Community legislation contains incentives for industry and researchers to engage in ongoing research with a view to developing new evidence-based medicines and treatments to combat and control cancer;

60.  Stresses the importance of the revision of Directive 2001/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 April 2001 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the implementation of good clinical practice in the conduct of clinical trials on medicinal products for human use(15) (the Clinical Trials Directive) with a view to encouraging a greater cancer research effort, focusing in particular on screening, including early detection, without, however, disregarding the impact of the expenditure involved for the non-commercial research sector, and to improve the information available to patients and the public at large about clinical trials in progress or which have been successfully completed;

61.  Calls on the Commission to ensure that EU legislation contains incentives for researchers and industry to develop nutritional and other natural product-based approaches to cancer prevention, validated through nutrigenomic and epigenetic research;

62.  Stresses likewise the urgency of introducing a Community patent, as well as an international patent;

63.  Calls on the Commission to provide for the dissemination, through networks of health professionals, of best practice in treatment and care, with a view to ensuring that citizens have access to the best available treatment;

64.  Calls on the Member States and the Commission to develop and strengthen initiatives that provide support for people directly or indirectly affected by cancer, in particular through the initiation and development of psychological care and support throughout the EU for cancer survivors;

65.  Calls on the Member States and the Commission to employ every means required to produce guidelines for a common definition of disability covering persons suffering from chronic diseases or from cancer and, in the meantime, ensure that those Member States which have not yet done so take the necessary steps without delay to include persons in the above categories in their national definitions of disability;

66.  Urges the Commission and Member States to ensure that cancer medicines, including treatments for rare and less common cancers, are uniformly available to all patients who need them in all Member States; calls on the Commission and Member States to take specific and coordinated actions in order to reduce inequalities in terms of access to cancer treatment and care including the new ‘targeted’ cancer drugs recently put on the market;

67.  Expects the Member States to adopt better information policies on the importance of breast, cervical and colon cancer screening, with a view to raising acceptance and participation rates among all targeted population groups, with particular attention to the inclusion of minority and socio-economically disadvantaged groups;

68.  Points out that the objectives set by the Cancer Partnership are long-term, and therefore urges the European institutions to support the 10-year sustainability and viability of the Cancer Partnership in a future Community health budget; calls on the Commission to assess, monitor and report on a yearly basis on progress and effectiveness in implementing the recommendations from the European Partnership;

69.  Considers that proper implementation of existing legislation with regard to substances that cause or promote cancer is of paramount importance in action against cancer; therefore calls on the Commission to ensure full implementation of relevant worker health legislation and to contribute swiftly and in a determined manner to the establishment of a comprehensive candidate list of substances of very high concern as a stepping stone for rapid decisions on CMR substances in the context of authorisations under REACH;

70.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ L 301, 20.11.2007, p. 3. (2) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0477. (3) OJ L 412, 30.12.2006, p. 1. (4) Council of the European Union, Council Conclusions on Reducing the Burden of Cancer, 2876th Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumers Affairs Council Meeting, Luxembourg, 10 June 2008. (5) OJ L 327, 16.12.2003, p. 34. (6) OJ C 227 E, 4.9.2008, p. 160. (7) OJ C 247 E, 15.10.2009, p. 11. (8) OJ C 313 E, 20.12.2006, p. 273. (9) OJ C 68 E, 18.3.2004, p. 611. (10) OJ L 95, 16.4.1996, p. 9. (11) OJ L 213, 15.6.2004, p. 8. (12) OJ C 27 E, 31.1.2008, p. 247. (13) OJ C 364, 18.12.2000, p. 1. (14) Jemal A, Ward E, Thun M (2010) Declining Death Rates Reflect Progress against Cancer. PLoS ONE 5(3): e9584. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009584. (15) OJ L 121, 1.5.2001, p. 34.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on mobilising Information and Communication Technologies to facilitate the transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy (2009/2228(INI))

P7_TA(2010)0153 A7-0120/2010

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission communication of 12 March 2009 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on mobilising Information and Communication Technologies to facilitate the transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy (COM(2009)0111), and to the subsequent recommendation of 9 October 2009 (C(2009)7604),

–  having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘Investing today for tomorrow's Europe’ (COM(2009)0036),

–  having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 11 and 12 December 2008, in particular the climate and energy targets laid down therein,

–  having regard to the Commission communication on a European economic recovery plan (COM(2008)0800),

–  having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘Addressing the challenge of energy efficiency through information and communication technologies’ (COM(2008)0241),

–  having regard to the political agreement between Parliament and the Council on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the energy performance of buildings (recast) (COM(2008)0780),

–  having regard to the Commission communication of 16 December 2008 entitled ‘Action plan for the deployment of intelligent transport systems in Europe’ (COM(2008)0886),

–  having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘Action plan for energy efficiency: Realising the potential’ (COM(2006)0545),

–  having regard to Rule 48 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A7-0120/2010),

A.  whereas action to reduce the impact of climate change requires the adoption of specific measures to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, in particular through efforts to promote energy efficiency and renewable energies,

B.  whereas the ambitious climate and energy targets the Union has set for 2020 can be met only by a mix of energy-saving and energy-efficiency measures and other relevant measures, notably within research and innovation, and by continuously setting ambitious goals for non-ETS regulated sectors and products energy-performance,

C.  whereas energy savings are not being realised fast enough in order to achieve the 2020 target and the existing measures related to the ICT exploitation do not match with the scale of challenges for moving towards a sustainable low carbon energy system,

D.  whereas the information and communication technology (ICT) sector accounts for some 8% of electricity consumption and 2% of carbon emissions in Europe (1.75% resulting from the use of ICT products and services and 0.25% from their production) and has a rapidly growing carbon footprint,

E.  whereas ICT represents nearly 7% of the work force and over 6% of GDP, and whereas there is a serious risk the EU is losing its lead in digital technology, there is an immediate need to step up the innovation in this sector both for the benefit of our climate and for future green jobs creation,

F.  whereas ICTs have an enormous untapped potential for saving energy and can help to improve energy efficiency by means of a wide range of applications; whereas, furthermore, insufficient use has been made of such applications to date,

G.  whereas information and communication technologies (ICTs) can make a significant contribution to the EU economy's energy efficiency, notably in the buildings and transport sector but also in society at large through improved energy production and distribution towards the objective of 20% energy savings by 2020,

H.  whereas renewable energy sources can be used to good effect in satisfying the electricity needs of ICTs; whereas ICT-based systems can reduce the energy consumption of buildings by up to 17% and carbon emissions from transport by up to 27%,

I.  whereas trade and business organisations, in particular in the transport, manufacturing and building sectors, have a key role to play in reducing energy consumption and in this regard should also promote the use of ICTs,

J.  whereas ICT is an enabling technology for the reduction of GHG emissions through electricity distribution grids (smart grids), smart buildings, smart homes and smart metering, eco-efficient transport and dematerialisation, eco-efficient industrial processes and organisational sustainability,

K.  whereas motorised industrial systems account for 65% of the total electric power used for industrial activities, and whereas the widespread use of smart engines would lead to a 0.97 Gt reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020,

L.  whereas compatible methodologies and tools are required in order to measure and monitor the efficiency of energy consumption; whereas the roll-out of smart meters can cut energy consumption by up to 10%, promote the wider use of distributed generation (microgeneration) and reduce losses in low-capacity networks, thereby promoting the spread of renewable energies,

M.  whereas use of these technologies is directly linked to the roll-out and development of broadband in Europe,

N.  whereas the measures taken to date under the European research and innovation policy and exchanges of information and good practice need to be incorporated to best effect, and whereas EU R&D and structural funds as well as Member State actions and EIB finance mechanisms need to be coordinated in a better manner so as to create synergies,

O.  whereas some spatial planning, energy supply, public building and traffic management responsibilities and powers lie with national, regional and local authorities,

P.  whereas it is important to raise consumer awareness of new technologies and their potential economic and energy-saving benefits, and to give consumers improved capabilities to manage their energy consumption,

Q.  whereas currently 15-20% of the money spent to operate data centres is lost for powering and cooling,

R.  having regard to the environmental benefits brought by ICTs in giving the services of various sectors an online availability,

S.  having regard to the role in which energy efficiency can help address growing concerns for energy security across the European Union,

1.  Welcomes the Commission's communication and subsequent recommendation and endorses their broad lines;

2.  Calls for the introduction of measures to guarantee the privacy of personal information in relation to smart metering;

3.  Asks the Commission, therefore, to submit by the end of 2010 a set of recommendations to ensure that smart metering is implemented in accordance with the timetable set out in the third energy market package and that a set of minimum functionalities for smart meters is defined in order to give consumers improved capabilities to manage their energy consumption and to even out the demand curve, as well as to facilitate the introduction of new energy services and an innovative, harmonised and interoperable European smart grid, taking into account all proven best practices employed in some Member States, particularly as regards the management of real-time, two-directional power and information flows; the definition of minimum functionalities should have due regard to the work being done by the European Standardization Organizations, CEN, CENELEC and ETSI in defining ‘additional functionalities’ under Mandate 441 on the standardization of smart meters;

4.  Stresses that significant technological progress and organisational innovations with strong relation to ICT are expected in order to obtain energy saving potentials in the next decades;

5.  Considers that ICT is indispensable for decoupling economic growth from GHG emissions using three basic strategies for mitigation of climate change: a reduction of energy consumption, an increase of energy efficiency ,an integration of renewable energies;

6.  Notes that the only means of ensuring the comparability of the data produced in the various Member States and improving energy efficiency is to adopt a common methodology for measuring energy consumption and carbon emissions and a comparative methodology framework for calculating cost-optimal levels of minimum energy performance requirements in the building sector; points, furthermore, to the need for rapid standardisation of ICTs as a minimum requirement for interoperability; takes the view that standardisation should cover, in addition to measurement functions, access to contractual information and consumption data, communication with the operators' central systems over the electricity grid and remote connection and disconnection of supply;

7.  Underlines that ICT standardisation is part of the general standardisations activities, and contributes to policy objectives to improve the competitiveness of European industry, as specified in the Lisbon strategy; support the implementation of the 2009 ICT Standardisation Work Programme in the priority domains identified: eHealth, e-Inclusion, Intelligent Transport, ICT for the Environment, E-Business, e-Skills, e-Learning, Protection of Personal Data, Privacy, Network and Information Security;

8.  Considers that, if ICTs can help to save energy by enabling data to be continuously monitored in order to optimise public and private energy consumption and improve energy efficiency in many sectors, the ICT sector – bearing in mind the exponential growth of its own energy consumption – should set an example by undertaking to cut its consumption by a very significant margin; invites the Commission to give consideration, from now on, to how ICTs can contribute to an efficient economy in terms of resource use;

9.  Stresses that Europe should be at the cutting edge in the development of ICT low-carbon applications; considers that it is essential to promote ICT research excellence and foster public and private investment in high-risk collaborative ICT research and innovation;

10.  Considers that ICTs can play an important role in measuring and quantifying the global effects of climate change and evaluating climate protection measures, thereby contributing to the fine-tuning of climate policy;

11.  Emphasises that the ITC sector's undertaking to cut its own energy consumption should apply first and foremost to data centres;

12.  Stresses the importance of the ICT sector's own energy consumption and urges the sector to implement the Commission's Recommendation (C(2009)7604) as soon as possible and as a minimum within the Recommendation's deadlines;

13.  Considers that in order to obtain energy saving potentials in the next decades , Electricity Grids could become intelligent systems with flexible, controlled power flows supported by advanced information technology;

14.  Notes that in households and in the building, transport, logistics and industrial sectors ICTs may be used in a variety of ways to improve energy efficiency and energy management; notes that these applications have an impact on, inter alia, electricity distribution, lighting, heating, refrigeration, ventilation and air conditioning and the opportunities ICTs offer in terms of measurement, monitoring and automation; maintains that smart meters, efficient lighting, cloud computing and distributed software can transform usage patterns of energy sources;

15.  Notes that ICTs can provide urban planning and city infrastructure governance with innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions;

16.  Takes the view that the use of ICTs can play a key role in improving energy efficiency, particularly in the management and operation of urban agglomerations; is of the opinion that the Smart Cities project is an example of ICTs' potential to reduce energy consumption, and encourages other cities to improve their scores and take good practices on board;

17.  Stresses that closer cooperation between public authorities and public service providers in introducing smart metering could reduce costs and provide better services for consumers;

18.  Emphasises the importance of involving public utilities, city councils and municipal authorities in the decision-making process with a view to introducing practical measures designed to reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency; emphasises the importance of ICTs in this respect;

19.  Stresses that all energy-using sectors must make the greatest possible contribution to improving energy efficiency; notes that meeting the overall energy saving target at European level will depend on the aggregate savings made at all lower levels;

20.  Stresses that the ICT sector must also endeavour to improve energy effectiveness and the wider use of carbon-neutral energy supply by developing equipment, communication networks and transmission systems. At the same time the Commission must be flexible in adjusting the regulations to the technical development of the sector;

21.  Underlines that in the industrial sector, measuring and control technologies together with the corresponding software are crucial for realising potentials for saving resources;

22.  Regrets the slow rate of progress in harnessing the potential of energy efficiency and energy savings in reducing greenhouse gas emissions; calls on the Commission to take full account of ICT saving potential in the implementation of Directive 2009/125/EC of 21 October 2009 of the European Parliament and Council establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products(1);

23.  Stresses the importance of the influence of ICT on energy efficiency, something which was also highlighted through the designation of this question in 2007 as a particular priority for ICT under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development(2);

24.  Considers that priority should be given to boosting the European economy by investing in new technologies and in particular developing broadband in the various Member States as a means of securing economic growth, providing access to new systems and applications for an ever larger number of EU citizens and businesses, and meeting the energy efficiency targets the EU has set for 2020; furthermore, ICT development accounting for the shifting to a low carbon economy, will contribute to reducing dependence on energy supply as well as to coping with the high costs of raw materials;

25.  Calls on the Member States to facilitate, through the development of the appropriate infrastructure, the availability of broadband internet to all EU citizens in order to ensure equal access to online services which can reduce the need to travel;

26.  Calls for online services (eBanking, eCommerce, eGovernment, eLearning, eHealth) and teleworking to be developed and rolled out with a view to improving the quality of service provided to the public and, at the same time, reducing carbon emissions; calls on the Member States to develop such services, which, in addition to saving people time, lead to a reduction in travel;

27.  Stresses the importance of logistics in the rationalisation of transport and the carbon emissions reduction; recognises the need to increase public and private investment in ICT tools in order to develop smart energy infrastructures for transport and, in particular, to achieve the e-Freight and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS);

28.  Believes that the use of intelligent transport systems (ITS) applied to road transport and interfaced with other transport modes can help reduce congestion and its harmful effects on the environment; believes that the application of ICTs to passenger transport and the availability of new technologies and minimum information on roads and their interaction with tyres and weather conditions, with on-board vehicle display, will make it possible to travel and transport goods more efficiently, more quickly and more safely;

29.  Stresses the importance of ICT in the planning of a new European transport policy; calls for any such plans from the Commission to include ICT solutions, amongst others, in the regulation of traffic flows and to increase intermodality in the transport sector and optimise the balance between different modes of transport;

30.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to use the necessary applications to develop a technological infrastructure making it possible to reduce road transport and promote intermodality;

31.  Stresses that in order to obtain energy saving in transport sector, trips could be avoided by virtual meetings and intelligent transport systems will enable a highly efficient transport system;

32.  Urges the Commission to increase its efforts in the use of ICTs in the area of transport, in particular the use of monitoring and measuring instruments; considers it essential that the results of measurements be taken into consideration in real-time traffic control and the development and fine-tuning of the urban and regional transport network;

33.  Calls on the Commission to promote the roll-out of smart engines to support the main sectors and joint technology platforms concerned;

34.  Stresses the need for a common strategy on the development and production of electric cars; furthermore, urges the Commission to prioritise smart cars and smart roads projects, as well as R&D pilot projects for V2V and V2R devices, which can open up new business opportunities for European ICT companies;

35.  Recommends that, in the context of the work of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, priority be given to initiatives to develop ICTs for sustainable intelligent cities, since more than 80% of EU citizens live in cities, which are facing the greatest challenges now confronting European societies in the areas of sustainable development, mobility, communications, health, security, welfare and so on;

36.  Stresses that the Commission's future proposal on defining a New Digital Agenda for Europe should aim at mainstreaming ICT for a low-carbon economy; calls for exploitation of ICT technologies to enable targeted reductions in CO² emissions to be achieved in key sectors by 2020 and calls for promotion of responsible energy consumption, notably through the installation of smart meters; points out also that specific targets for the reduction of the ICT sector footprint for 2015 should be established;

37.  Notes that an important obstacle to the widespread usage of ICTs in industry and public services is due to the insufficient level of necessary training in this field;

38.  Recommends that the review clause of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive be respected and the scope extended to include smaller buildings in the next review; urges the Member States to implement this directive; also recommends that ICTs be incorporated into the energy efficiency implementing measures; encourages Member States to make energy performance certificates for public buildings publicly available and easy to compare;

39.  Maintains that no time must be lost in rolling out smart appliances through commercial utilisation of the ARTEMIS Joint Technology Initiative;

40.  Maintains that more widespread use of ICTs will stimulate European economic growth, create new skilled jobs and boost the market in new energy efficiency technologies and green jobs creation; believes that significant investments are needed both for R&D and the utilisation of existing technologies; calls on the Member States to provide the incentives for both public and private energy efficiency investments; in this respect reiterates the Member States' and the Commission's responsibility as public procurers;

41.  Stresses the significant role of private investments in reaching the funding levels needed and therefore believes the EU should ensure a favourable market and regulatory framework incentivising business to pursue an ambitious energy efficiency strategy; believes with these conditions that the markets will reach the goals set out for them; therefore calls on the Commission to bring forward concrete, ambitious goals as according to the potential of the different ICTs as outlined in its communication (COM(2009)0111);

42.  Calls upon the Member States to invest in energy efficiency education which should start from the schools and encourages the development of innovative ICT-enabled energy efficiency educational courses in a wide network of primary and secondary schools;

43.  Believes that smart metering and ICT projects in general require broad information campaigns to explain their benefits to citizens; stresses that informing society about the need for, and benefits of, smart metering is crucial to avoiding misinterpretation and lack of public support; maintains, therefore, that no time should be lost in promoting smart metering, enabling consumers to manage their consumption as efficiently as possible, with a view to optimising energy production, delivery and electricity grids; emphasises, in this connection, that the measurement, monitoring and automation of consumption will be part and parcel of optimised electrical network architecture, the purpose of which must be to ensure energy efficiency, on the one hand, and to incorporate renewable energy sources, energy storage management and the recharging of future electric vehicles, on the other; emphasises, however, that while smart metering systems are a crucial stage in the process, they are only the first step towards the development of smart networks;

44.  Stresses that, in connection with the important influence of ICTs on the economic development of EU cities and regions, it is vital to consult official representatives of local and regional communities, where EU programmes provide support for the drawing up of priority action areas important for these communities;

45.  Stresses that smart grids on the Member State and European level are necessary in order to fully exploit the benefits of smart metering; therefore calls on the Commission to consider European scale investment programs; Calls on the Member States to promote and facilitate the use of smart metering for users in commercial and residential properties; Stresses that the introduction of smart metering is only one necessary element in the construction of a European integrated smart grid; Encourages the Member States and the Commission to push forward with the application of ICT solutions to this end;

46.  Stresses the need to monitor the influence of the development of ICT on aspects of sustainable development, with particular reference to environmental and social questions, including the threat to the environment and health connected with the use of old equipment and the social inequalities deriving from digital exclusion;

47.  Commends those Member States that have already introduced smart metering, and urges the other Member States to make progress in this area as swiftly as possible; calls on the Commission to cofinance the greatest possible number of large-scale projects, drawing on existing financial and research instruments for this purpose;

48.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote ICT solutions that are efficient, upgradeable and expandable through public procurement contracts;

49.  Calls on the Commission to establish a European web portal containing the best practices on usage of ICTs to improve energy efficiency, which could provide useful information to consumers and public authorities; Calls for the establishment of a European wide media campaign aiming at educating the public on energy saving practices concerning the use of electronic devices;

50.  Calls on the Commission to take into account the less developed regions of the Union in ICT planning and to secure assets for the purpose of cofinancing the implementation of smart meters and other ICT projects in these regions to assure their participation and to prevent their exclusion from common European ventures;

51.  Welcomes the establishment of a smart grids task force within the Commission and recommends that it take due account of the opinions of all stakeholders; asks the Commission to provide Parliament with regular progress reports on its work;

52.  Calls on the Commission to consider drafting, on the basis of the work carried out by the task force, a communication on smart metering which

53.  Considers it essential for the Member States to agree, by the end of 2010, on a common minimum functional specification for smart metering systems, which encourage decentralised production and energy efficiency, with a view to providing consumers with comprehensive and relevant information enabling them to monitor their energy consumption at all times and to adapt it to their needs, thereby helping them to manage it more effectively;

54.  Calls on the Commission to lay down a concise action plan for the reduction of energy consumption through the use of ICT in the buildings of EU institutions, in order to set the example for Member States and European citizens;

55.  Calls on the Commission to propose, by the end of 2010, a timetable with ambitious and binding ICT-driven energy-saving goals for all ICT sectors and the Member States, with a view to meeting the carbon emissions reduction targets;

56.  Believes that, when deciding on legal instruments and joint measures at European level, special attention should be paid to the additional costs to European citizens these measures might entail, as well as the burdens on European industry with regard to production and administration costs;

57.  Calls on the Commission to come forward with a financial instrument, as part of the EU funding, in order to encourage SMEs to develop their sustainable low carbon energy technologies;

58.  Calls on the Commission to adjust the EU budget in order to accelerate the development and deployment of cost-effective low carbon technologies, in particular aiming at meeting the financial needs for the implementation of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan);

59.  Welcomes the establishment of the Covenant of Mayors as a forum for the exchange of good practices and a trailblazer for cities that are setting themselves ambitious goals with a view to improving their energy efficiency; congratulates, in this connection, those cities and associations that are developing good practices in terms of using ICTs to make cities more energy-efficient, and encourages the dissemination of such practices;

60.  Calls on the Member States and the Commission to support education and awareness-raising for users to enable the full energy saving potential of ICT to be realised;

61.  Calls on the Commission to promote in collaboration with appropriate international partners the development of common international standards for carbon emission reporting of companies in order to enable them to measure their own emissions in a comparable and efficient way;

62.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the development of off-site processing, given the vast potential of this technology to contribute to energy efficiency and to reduce the waste normally associated with regular upgrading of ICTs;

63.  Hopes that steps will be taken to utilise ICTs' potential to reduce wastage within the logistics chain in the area of food production, in particular through coordinated action under the common agricultural policy and FP7;

64.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 285, 31.10.2009, p. 10. (2) OJ L 412, 30.12.2006, p. 1.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the Commission White Paper: ‘Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action’ (2009/2152(INI))

P7_TA(2010)0154 A7-0057/2010

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission White Paper entitled ‘Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action’ (COM(2009)0147),

–  having regard to its resolution of 10 April 2008 on ‘Adapting to climate change in Europe – options for EU action’(1),

–  having regard to its resolution of 4 February 2009 on ‘2050: The future begins today – Recommendations for the EU's future integrated policy on climate change’(2),

–  having regard to its resolution of 16 September 2009 on forest fires in the summer of 2009(3),

–  having regard to its resolution of 25 November 2009 on the EU strategy for the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change (COP 15)(4),

–  having regard to its resolution of 10 February 2010 on the outcome of the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change (COP15)(5),

–  having regard to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC and the outcome of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in Copenhagen(6),

–  having regard to Directive 2009/29/EC of 23 April 2009 amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme of the Community(7),

–  having regard to Rule 48 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the opinions of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the Committee on Transport and Tourism, the Committee on Regional Development and the Committee on Fisheries (A7-0057/2010),

A.  whereas global warming and climate change are recognised as extremely serious threats,

B.  whereas the effects of climate change will lead to significant environmental, economic and social impacts,

C.  whereas, even if the world succeeds in limiting and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it would still require significant adaptation efforts to deal with the unavoidable impacts,

D.  whereas the target of halting global warming at +2°C would still mean a warming scenario for Europe, marked by extreme regional climate changes, and whereas the current pledges notified to the UNFCCC would add up to warming of +3.5-4°C if implemented,

E.  whereas the impacts of climate change will affect European regions in different ways, with different degrees of severity and in different timeframes,

F.  whereas, as pointed out in the Commission's White Paper, adaptation will require solidarity among EU Member States towards disadvantaged regions and regions most affected by climate change,

G.  whereas southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin are two particularly vulnerable areas of Europe which are already coping with water scarcity, droughts and forest fires, and whereas recent research indicates that a decrease of up to 25% in crop yield production by 2080 is to be expected in southern Europe(8),

H.  whereas, according to the European Respiratory Society, for every Celsius degree increase in temperature over a given city-specific threshold, mortality amongst those with respiratory problems increases by 6%,

I.  whereas the section headed ‘External dimension and ongoing work under the UNFCCC’ in the White Paper is an important one and the EU needs to speak with one voice in order to resume the leading role in the fight against climate change, helping to create a new ‘climate diplomacy’, as called for in the European Parliament resolution of 10 February 2010 on the outcome of the Copenhagen Conference,

J.  whereas the impacts of climate change on the economy, society and the wider environment will be most severely felt in an indirect manner, through the degradation of the ecosystem services fundamental to human well-being, and whereas this requires the protection of ecosystems to be the foundation of an EU adaptation strategy,

K.  whereas rising average temperatures reduce demand for oil and gas for heating purposes, but whereas at the same time the number of days on which cooling is needed increases, which can increase demand for electricity,

L.  whereas the existing European legislation directly addressing environmental issues should provide coherent foundations for enhancing the EU's ability to cope with the impact of climate change,

M.  whereas action taken at European level should set and meet the highest standards in terms of respect for the environment, in both the short and long term (including adaptation to climate change),

1.  Welcomes the above-mentioned White Paper;

2.  Agrees with the objective of the proposed EU Adaptation Framework, i.e. to improve the EU's resilience in dealing with the impact of climate change;

3.  Especially welcomes the White Paper's emphasis on increasing the resilience of all ecosystems as an essential defence against the impacts of climate change; further stresses that natural ecosystems are the Earth's most important carbon sinks, sequestering 50% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to both mitigation and adaptation;

4.  Highlights the importance of establishing national adaptation plans based on a common European framework enabling the Member States to plan and communicate their adaptation efforts; considers that such plans need to include risk and hazard maps showing infrastructure and installations that could pose a risk to the environment or to public health should adverse weather events occur; calls for such information to be made available to the public and the other Member States;

5.  Highlights the importance of mainstreaming adaptation into all EU policies, particularly the common agricultural and fisheries policies, forestry policy and cohesion policy, and into legislation on environmental impact assessment, planning permission and building standards, (and of ensuring the coherence of such measures by means of a horizontal, cross-sectoral approach based on ecosystem resilience;

6.  Emphasises that the main areas of action identified in the White Paper should be further prioritised according to the timeframe in which different consequences are expected to occur in Europe, in order to channel the available resources more effectively;

Developing the knowledge base

7.  Shares the Commission's view that more knowledge on climate change impacts is needed, so that the information resulting from research can be disseminated in the widest possible scope and, consequently, appropriate adaptation measures can be developed;

8.  Calls on the Commission not only to develop a knowledge base about the impact of climate change with specific reference to the European Union, but also to pass on that knowledge to developing and industrialising countries so that they can use it in order to devise their own responses to the problem of climate change and make effective use of funding for climate protection measures;

9.  Emphasises that research efforts should be strengthened, within the framework of the current Seventh Framework Programme and future research framework programmes, in order to address existing knowledge gaps in relation to hazards (past and likely future weather-related disasters) and other relevant factors such as socio-economic developments (current and future geographical distribution of assets at risk) in specific places and at specific times, and to develop modalities and techniques for assessing the costs and benefits of measures for adaptation to the impacts of climate change and their respective contribution to reducing exposure or vulnerability to climatic risks, and that priority should be given to conducting research and financing technological development in states incurring high adaptation costs;

10.  Takes the view that vulnerability indicators should be drawn up as a matter of urgency, given the diverse range of climate scenarios within the Community, and underlines the need for further research into appropriate modelling at national, regional and local levels, as well as the need to define adaptive capacity across the territory of the EU; urges the EEA, therefore, to produce reports analysing the risks that climate change presents to Europe's most vulnerable regions, identifying needs, constraints, timeframes, opportunities, policy levels and options for adaptation, in order to extract policy guidance on adaptation practice and to assist regional and local stakeholders in developing robust adaptation strategies;

11.  Recalls, however, that uncertainty about the impact of climate change is part and parcel of the problem, and that decisions in this area will sometimes have to be taken without waiting for scientific certainty, in accordance with a precautionary approach;

12.  Is of the opinion that it is necessary to earmark funding for climate research, which can be done more effectively at European level and will provide a sound basis for developing climate change adaptation policies;

13.  Encourages the Commission to ensure easy access to detailed data (including metadata describing the dataset methodologies) for all public and private stakeholders; takes the view that climate change data should be considered to be a public good and thus, in line with Article 14 of the INSPIRE Directive, be made available to the public free of charge or at a charge that covers the cost of maintaining datasets and the corresponding data services;

14.  Emphasises the need to develop a network of local and regional climate change adaptation initiatives and to exchange experience on a Europe-wide basis; points out that identifying best practice solutions can generate added value for the EU strategy;

15.  Emphasises the relevance of participatory research methods such as those encouraged within the ‘Science in Society’ programme under the EU's 7th research framework programme, which facilitate joint knowledge-building in conjunction with communities and local authorities with a view to determining the best adaptation strategies at regional and local levels and ensuring better dissemination of knowledge;

16.  Welcomes the White Paper's suggestion that a mechanism be established for sharing information; hopes that this will be operational by 2011, and that models and prediction tools will also have been developed by then;

17.  Takes the view that the Commission should ensure that the Clearing House Mechanism is developed as a portal, which will integrate other existing systems such as the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) and Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and should add value in terms of preparing the EU, the Member States and private stakeholders to plan, fund and implement proper adaptation plans;

18.  Emphasises the importance of satellite-based services, notably for rescue activities in the event of natural disasters; calls on all those involved to make GMES fully operational as soon as possible;

Integrating adaptation into EU policies
General principle

19.  Emphasises the need to adopt a cross-sectoral approach based on ecosystem resilience, habitat and biodiversity protection and the services provided by ecosystems, and to ensure synergy and coherence among the measures to be taken as part of all relevant sector-specific policies;

Water

20.  Is particularly concerned about water, one of the primary resources on our planet, as climate change will have a significant impact on the quantity and the quality of water, especially drinking water;

21.  Stresses that the EU must manage its water resources more effectively through a sustainable twin-track approach – enhancing the resource's potential and actively reducing demand and wastage on the part of the population – and socio-economic activities;

22.  Emphasises the importance of fully integrating adaptation into the River Basin Management Plans in line with the guidelines issued on 30 November 2009;

23.  Emphasises the importance of ensuring active implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)(9) and the effectiveness of River Basin Management Plans, especially in the case of cross-border basins and in regions where water stress will reach a critical level and/or where the frequency of floods is increasing;

24.  Stresses the importance of the implementation of the Floods Directive which provides a comprehensive mechanism for assessing and monitoring increased risks of flooding due to climate change and for developing adaptation approaches, along with the benefits of a resilient environment and resilient ecosystems when it comes to monitoring and minimising the impact of floods;

Agriculture and forestry

25.  Emphasises the need to enhance resilience of the agricultural ecosystems by more sustainable use of natural resources, in particular of water and soil, by actively discouraging unsustainable practices and the planting of crop types that are not suitable because of their water consumption and by making greater use of intra- and inter-species biodiversity when it comes to seeds and animal breeds;

26.  Considers that the common agricultural policy has a central role to play in contributing to adaptation, and that it needs to develop a more ecosystem-based approach to agriculture, protecting and enhancing the delivery of biodiversity conservation and other ecosystem services, including soil conservation, floodwater quality and ecological connectivity across landscapes, and that the introduction of sustainable farming practices will have major benefits for soil conservation, water management, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience;

27.  Emphasises that EU measures to protect forests will have to incorporate adaptation, since forest ecosystems will be deeply affected by climate change and there will be a greater risk of fires;

28.  Welcomes the Commission's proposals to update the EU's forestry strategy; urges the Commission to launch a debate on forest protection as soon as possible;

29.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to introduce agroforestry measures for the afforestation of Mediterranean countries as a cost-effective way to provide basic ecosystem services;

30.  Expresses its concern that in recent years Europe has suffered from fires destroying more than 400 000 hectares of forest per year, caused by the progressive abandonment of the countryside and its traditional activities, inadequate forest maintenance, the existence of large expanses of forest consisting of a single tree species, the planting of unsuitable tree varieties, the absence of a proper prevention policy and insufficiently severe penalties where fires are started deliberately, together with the inadequate implementation of laws prohibiting illegal building and ensuring reafforestation; notes that with fires occurring on this scale, especially in southern Europe, forests are unable to regenerate, and that this has serious ecological consequences and economic and social effects; also notes that the unusual weather conditions experienced in 2007 exacerbated the phenomenon of mega-fires, something which is likely to recur more often in years to come; further notes that global warming will increase over the next 30 years at least, and that this could primarily affect specific regions particularly vulnerable to climate change;

31.  Urges the Commission, in its proposal for an EU action plan for adapting to climate change, to prioritise the prevention and combating of droughts and forest fires, with an emphasis on southern Europe, as suggested by Parliament in its resolution on forest fires in the summer of 2009;

32.  Calls on the Commission to put forward recommendations on ways of adapting national civil protection systems to cope with the impact of climate change; particularly urges the Commission to take action to expand the European Forest Fire Tactical Reserve in terms of resources and capacity;

33.  Recommends that the Commission draw up research programmes to investigate the reaction of forests to higher levels of CO2, higher temperatures and drought;

34.  Recommends that the Commission draw up research programmes to develop new techniques for the forest management of affected ecosystems in view of the new circumstances being created by climate change;

Fisheries

35.  Calls for consideration to be given to alternative fisheries management systems and to reducing the capacity of some segments of the European fleet, with the aim of establishing sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices;

36.  Calls on the Commission to carry out studies designed to assess the phenomenon of green algae and their impact on the fishing industry; calls, further, for a study to be carried out on how changes in currents as a result of climate warming influence the movements of certain marine species;

37.  Strongly urges the Commission to ensure that the Integrated Coastal Zone Management recommendations are reinforced and implemented in the wider context of the Integrated Maritime Policy, bringing together all the sectoral policies relating to the sea and the oceans;

38.  Urges the Commission to ensure that adaptation through ecosystem resilience is mainstreamed when it comes to the Community's position in the context of international negotiations on fishing and the marine environment, and most notably in the context of Fisheries Partnership Agreements and RFOs;

39.  Calls on the Commission to participate actively in the establishment of a ‘blue carbon fund’ in the context of the UNFCC; stresses that such a fund should explore financial and coordination mechanisms for the protection and management of coastal and marine ecosystems and ocean carbon, as part of a global strategy for marine planning;

Soil

40.  Takes the view that not only does soil have a strong impact on climate change, but that climate change itself can result in severe soil degradation or erosion;

41.  Recognises that soil degradation has primarily local and regional causes and impacts, and that the principle of subsidiarity should consequently be respected; urges those Member States without soil protection legislation to shoulder their responsibilities;

Coastal and island areas

42.  Takes the view that coastal and island areas should be eligible for priority adaptation measures, given that they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and are densely populated, and that the economic stakes are very high;

Health and social policies

43.  Stresses that climate change adaptation policies should have the ambition of becoming the driver of sustainable growth; stresses, moreover, that these policies can and must also have the ability to create jobs and protect social justice, thereby contributing to higher employment levels and helping to fight poverty and social inequalities;

44.  Underlines that the social and employment dimension of adaptation policies needs to be taken into account within the EU's recovery strategy;

45.  Observes that ambitious adjustment plans will contribute to the development of green jobs in Europe, which will help us towards a carbon-free economy, and calls on the Commission and Member States therefore to make greater efforts to achieve more sustainable economic growth everywhere in Europe;

46.  Stresses the need to provide poorer communities and social groups with adequate protection in connection with the high cost of adaptation efforts;

47.  Welcomes the proposals of the Commission to develop guidelines and surveillance mechanisms on the health impact of climate change by 2011; underlines the increasing risk of propagation of vector-borne diseases, the serious impacts on respiratory health and the need to educate European citizens about effective preventive measures recommended by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control;

48.  Notes that the health impacts of climate change are likely to impact the hardest on the most deprived communities, the poorest populations and the most vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly and those who are already ill; regards it as essential for adaptation measures to be considered in the context of health inequalities, and for such measures to encourage action that promotes health co-benefits;

49.  Stresses the need to step up existing animal disease surveillance and control systems;

50.  Recognises the role the health sector plays in adaptation; calls on the EU to support action to reduce the sector's carbon footprint, and to ensure adequate financing for adaptation measures in the health sector;

Infrastructure

51.  Underlines the need to ensure that existing legislation on industrial permitting and environmental impact assessment requires any planned infrastructure or authorised industrial activity to take full account of the predicted future climatic conditions and resulting risks, while maintaining a certain adaptive capacity; points out that in many cases it would be more appropriate not to develop vulnerable areas rather than to construct defences in preparation for adverse climate effects;

52.  Stresses the need to ensure that environmental impact assessments, where relevant, take in general into account probable different adaptation scenarios to the extent that these scenarios are scientifically substantiated;

53.  Calls on the Commission to develop as soon as possible methodologies for ‘climate-proofing’ infrastructure projects, including a cost-benefit analysis and possible alternatives;

54.  Suggests that the Commission should consider ways of encouraging appropriate land-use planning (including risk and hazard mapping) among the possibilities that it intends to explore in connection with the climate impact assessment of public and private investment;

55.  Encourages the Commission to go ahead with its plan to incorporate climate impacts into construction standards (such as Eurocodes) in order to improve the resilience of buildings located in risk-prone areas;

56.  Takes the view that, from the micro-climatic point of view, construction that prevents water from running off land in densely populated areas and towns should be avoided;

Transport

57.  Regrets the lack of attention paid to the transport sector in the White Paper, even though it accounts for 27% of EU greenhouse gas emissions and effective adaptation measures are needed;

58.  Stresses the need for the transport sector to form an integral part of the European strategy on climate change, and calls on the Commission to put forward a proposal for a European climate and transport package as soon as possible;

59.  Considers it essential to support a modal shift as one means of moving towards the decarbonisation of transport;

60.  Stresses that all modes of transport must gradually internalise their external adaptation costs;

61.  Takes the view that the economic, social and financial implications of the necessary adaptation measures in the transport sector, such as the effect of reorganising the sector (notably owing to a modal shift) are still not adequately known or anticipated; calls on the Commission to define vulnerability indicators and methods for exchanging best practice for the sector's different components (rail, road, air and maritime transport);

62.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to draw up an effective urban mobility policy which will reduce traffic congestion and pollution in large urban areas through the development of public transport and co-modality and the use of intelligent transport systems;

63.  Stresses also that in order to promote a modern and sustainable transport policy, the appropriate financial support needs to be provided to priority TEN railway, maritime and waterways projects during the next EU financial programming period (2014-2020);

64.  Stresses the need to proceed with the ‘Eurovignette’ Directive legislative process in order to facilitate the internalisation of external costs on the basis of the ‘polluter pays’ principle, establishing a level playing-field for competition between modes of transport;

Energy

65.  Emphasises that climate change has a major impact on energy supply and demand in the EU Member States;

66.  Calls on the Commission to conduct an in-depth analysis of future energy scenarios, taking into account the impact of climate change on infrastructures and energy demand;

67.  Calls on the Commission to investigate whether electricity production potential from renewable and fossil fuel energy sources will change as a result of climate change, and draws particular attention to the constraints on the cooling of thermal power stations and the consequences thereof;

68.  Notes, in relation to the cooling of reactors, the particular risks posed to the safety of nuclear installations during heat waves, a problem which can have potentially significant negative environmental impacts on surrounding waters and security of supply implications;

69.  Notes that extreme weather conditions such as floods and storms can damage power stations, electricity pylons, substations and electricity cabinets, or shut them down temporarily; takes the view that diverse and robust electricity networks are therefore required to cope with the greater need for network flexibility, and that both local networks and international high-tension grids thus need to be strengthened;

70.  Emphasises that energy use in buildings will change as a result of climate change, and that the greatest challenge here lies in tackling the overheating of buildings; takes the view that natural cooling, mechanical cooling, energy performance and well thought-out spatial planning should play an important role in this respect;

71.  Takes the view that, by means of intelligent energy policies that actively promote renewable energy sources, decentralised energy supply and energy efficiency in their territories, the regions can not only contribute to fighting the effects of climate change, but also open up new economic opportunities and prospects for their citizens;

72.  Stresses that measures concerning energy supply and access to energy have to be defined in a context of solidarity among Member States and that the EU should contribute to a global policy shift towards greater energy efficiency and the promotion of low-carbon energy sources, e.g. renewable energy sources (RES);

73.  Calls on the Member States to provide, by 30 June 2010, ambitious, comprehensive and realistic national action plans in accordance with the models and parameters laid down by the EU, observing that the needs of each Member State for energy from renewable sources must be met principally by domestic production, while the mechanism for the statistical transfer of energy from renewable sources between Member States must be used only where this is considered to be fully justified;

74.  Stresses that immediate priority must be given to additional measures to promote the Community strategy aimed at achieving a 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020; also considers it appropriate, in the context of assessing current energy efficiency action plans, to consider the possibility of making this objective legally binding at Community level;

Biodiversity

75.  Given that NATURA 2000 forms the central pillar of EU policy efforts to maintain ecosystems in changing climate conditions, calls for active management of NATURA 2000 sites and of other relevant landscapes, with proper financing from the EU and Member States and based on close cooperation with and consultation of local communities, and stresses, further, the need for guidelines to ensure connectivity between natural areas; stresses that, as stated in the Commission Impact Assessment (SEC(2008)2887) annexed to the Commission Communication ‘Towards an EU strategy on invasive species’, there is still a lot to learn about the magnitude and pathways of invasive species, how they impact on ecosystems, and how climate change will affect biological invasions;

76.  Emphasises that the resilience of terrestrial as well as marine ecosystems ultimately depends on the preservation of biological diversity;

77.  Highlights the fact that existing EU legislation, such as the Water Framework Directive(10) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive(11), can help to address ecosystem resilience in Europe as long as management plans incorporate an ecosystems-based approach; calls on the Commission and Member States to attach the highest priority to implementing these policies;

78.  Stresses the importance of studying the phenomenon of the invasion of European ecosystems by alien species (e.g. tropical marine species in the Mediterranean) and of developing suitable policies to counter it;

Urban environments

79.  Stresses the fact that urban areas in Europe accommodate nearly 75% of the population and that climate change is one additional factor impacting on quality of life in towns and cities; urges the EEA to study the expected impact of climate change on micro-climates in urban areas (taking into account, for example, the urban heat-island effect);

Migration

80.  Emphasises that climate change is likely to induce large-scale environmental migration from regions which are already at the origin of migration flows to Europe (Africa, the Middle East, south and south-east Asia);

81.  Stresses that environmental migration should be taken into account in the long-term planning of development assistance policy, so that timely prevention and prompt humanitarian response measures can be taken in the countries of origin;

Cultural heritage

82.  Stresses the importance of developing adaptation measures which take into account all aspects of European cultural heritage;

Structure and governance

83.  Stresses the need for local and regional authorities to be recognised as pivotal actors in the struggle against the harmful effects of climate change;

84.  Emphasises the importance of having the appropriate level of intervention, cross-sectoral integration and resilient environmental underpinning in order to maximise the effectiveness of the measures implemented;

85.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage a coordinated approach when dealing with adaptation to guarantee territorial cohesion across the EU;

86.  Is of the view that measures should be taken that reconcile economically innovative and sustainable action with protection of the natural environment and thus minimise conflicts of use between ecological and economic interests;

87.  Urges the Commission to act on the proposals to introduce mandatory National and Regional Adaptation Strategies;

88.  Invites the Commission to develop a comprehensive approach regarding the involvement of the insurance industry towards risk awareness and risk sharing;

89.  Calls on the Commission and Member States to develop the public-private partnerships needed to create a long-term, strong and effective climate risk management framework (covering all aspects from risk awareness to risk sharing and recovery), with strong leadership by and the involvement of the public authorities;

90.  Considers that the outermost regions, owing to their special circumstances – as set out in Article 349 of the Treaty of Lisbon – and their geographical location in the tropics, are susceptible to the consequences of climate change and should consequently receive special attention from the Commission; calls on the Commission, therefore, to develop an impact assessment and specific action plan for the outermost regions and to support information exchanges and exchanges of good practices between local authorities in those regions and regional authorities in third countries in their surrounding geographical areas;

91.  Asks the Commission to exercise fully the new rights the Lisbon Treaty gives it under Article 260 in order to fulfil its role as guardian of the Treaties;

Financing

92.  Emphasises that the EU budget does not currently reflect EU policy priorities in the field of adaptation to climate change;

93.  Urges the Commission, in the framework of the review of the current multiannual financial framework, to focus on the capacity of the EU budget to cope with climate change; stresses that the next multiannual financial framework should accord a high ranking to climate change, and in particular to adaptation measures, ensuring that the necessary funds are available;

94.  Urges the Commission, in the framework of the EU budget review, and in order to ensure that it addresses climate change impacts, to propose a climate-proofing procedure;

95.  Calls, in the future, for the prioritisation of climate change, in particular by integrating the adaptation strategy into European Union policies;

96.  Calls for strict care to be taken to ensure that an evaluation of climate change effects forms part of the process of approving proposals for EU-funded projects connected with energy efficiency, waste management and infrastructure development;

97.  Stresses that the objectives of climate change and environmental protection should be integrated into the EU cohesion policy's convergence and growth objectives, without replacing the traditional tasks of structural policy;

98.  Urges the Commission to put forward, in keeping with the EU Sustainable Development Strategy(12), and as a matter of urgency, a Road Map for the sector-by-sector reform of subsidies that have a considerable negative impact on the environment, with a view gradually to eliminating them; stresses, further, that financial resources made available through this reform should be directed towards adaptation efforts and green jobs;

99.  Emphasises that the funds made available under the various economic recovery plans should also be directed to adaptation investments, and in any case need to be climate-proofed;

100.  Emphasises the principle of prevention in adapting to climate change; calls on the Commission to develop approaches to ensure that costs arising from a failure to take adaptation measures are not passed on to the general public;

101.  Supports the Commission in urging the Council to reactivate the process of the revision of the Solidarity Fund Regulation (EUSF), which will make it possible to address damage caused by natural or man-made disasters in a more effective, flexible and timely manner;

102.  Underlines that a substantial part of the revenues generated by the auctioning of allowances in the Community greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system (EU ETS), including auctioning for aviation and maritime transport, should be earmarked for enabling Member States and developing countries to adapt to climate change; takes the view that such provisions should also support sustainable modes of transport in Europe, such as rail transport; calls for the funding already earmarked from the EU ETS for the purpose of solidarity and growth in the Community (revenues deriving from 10% of the total quantity of allowances to be auctioned) to be distributed among lower income-level Member States, equally between adaptation and mitigation measures;

103.  Calls for the allocation of funds derived from the ETS and other Community sources to help Member States adapt to climate change to take into account the vulnerability to climate change of each Member State or region;

104.  Recognises the historical responsibility borne by the industrialised countries for the current increase in global temperatures; reiterates the statements it made in its resolution of 10 February 2010, including that EU commitments to finance climate efforts in developing countries should be new and additional to existing ODA commitments and independent of annual budgetary procedures in the Member States;

External dimension

105.  Reiterates the need to include adaptation measures in all EU external policies, in accordance with point 8 of the Copenhagen Accord;

106.  Emphasises that the value of ecosystem services and resilience is even more significant in the least developed countries(13); stresses that climate adaptation policies, and especially ecosystem resilience policies, should be duly taken into account in all international negotiations, including trade negotiations;

107.  Is firmly convinced of the need for the European Union to retain and reinforce its leadership role in the international fight against global warming, and believes that any delay in taking such action will heighten the risk of adverse environmental, economic and social effects and be likely to generate higher costs;

108.  Stresses that, when it comes to ensuring the successful implementation of the European Framework for Action on Adaptation, a decisive factor will be its inclusion as part of a cohesive and ambitious worldwide agreement (with legally binding objectives) on measures to combat climate change, and that the EU must take the lead in this direction;

109.  Calls on the Commission to consider increasing the public funds devoted to international cooperation in the forthcoming 8th Framework Programme (FP8), in:

Impact and adaptation Steering Group

110.  Supports the proposal of the Commission to set up an impact and adaptation steering group; stresses that it is important for this group to involve regional and local actors in addition to state representatives; asks the Commission to ensure that this group includes representatives of Parliament as observers , as well as private stakeholders in an expert capacity; calls on the Commission to ensure that the steering group pays particular attention to the most severe health impacts of climate change, such as increases in weather-related deaths and vector-borne disease;

Commission progress report

111.  Calls on the Commission to report to the European Parliament by 2012 on progress made to implement the above-mentioned White Paper;

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112.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission and to the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ C 247 E, 15.10.2009, p. 41. (2) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2009)0042. (3) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2009)0013. (4) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2009)0089. (5) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0019. (6) UNFCCC Draft decision -/CP.15, Copenhagen Accord, FCCC/CP/2009/L.7. (7) OJ L 140, 5.6.2009, p. 63. (8) Joint Research Centre – Institute for Prospective Technological Studies: ‘Impacts of climate change in agriculture in Europe. PESETA-Agriculture study’, EUR 24107 EN, 2009. (9) OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1. (10) Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1), as last amended by Directive 2008/32/EC (OJ L 81, 20.3.2008, p. 60). (11) Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive), OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19. (12) Review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS), Council document 10917/06. (13) Convenient Solutions to an Inconvenient Truth: Ecosystem based Approaches to Climate Change, World Bank, Environment Department, 2009, and The Natural Fix? The Role of Ecosystems in Climate Mitigation, UNEP, 2009.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the protection of the Communities' financial interests and the fight against fraud – Annual Report 2008 (2009/2167(INI))

P7_TA(2010)0155 A7-0100/2010

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its resolutions on previous annual reports of the Commission and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF),

–  having regard to the report of 15 July 2009 from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council entitled ‘Protection of the Communities’ financial interests – Fight against fraud – Annual report 2008' (COM(2009)0372), including annexes (SEC(2009)1002 and SEC(2009)1003) thereto,

–  having regard to the OLAF Activity Report for 2008(1), and to OLAF's second report of 19 June 2008 on the application of Council Regulation (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996 concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect the European Communities' financial interests against fraud and other irregularities, as well as to the guidelines replacing the OLAF Vademecum,

–  having regard to the Activity Report of the OLAF Supervisory Committee for the period June 2008 to May 2009(2),

–  having regard to the Activity Report of the OLAF Supervisory Committee for the period June 2007 to May 2008(3),

–  having regard to the Annual Report of the Court of Auditors on the implementation of the budget concerning the financial year 2008, together with the institutions' replies(4),

–  having regard to its resolution of 25 November 2009 on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council – An area of freedom, security and justice serving the citizen – Stockholm Programme(5), particularly the chapter on economic crime and corruption,

–  having regard to Articles 319(3) and 325(5) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1995/2006 of 13 December 2006 amending Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(6),

–  having regard to Rules 48 and 119(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinion of the Committee on Regional Development (A7-0100/2010),

General considerations: amount of irregularities notified

1.  Notes that the financial impact of irregularities, as far as they have been identified, fell from EUR 1 024 million in 2007 to EUR 783.2 million in 2008, with reductions being recorded in all spending areas except direct expenditure and pre-accession funds and the overall amount breaking down as follows:

2.  Stresses the need to include information on irregularities that will clarify the proportion of the total resources brought to bear in the various spending areas and in the various Member States that are affected by errors and suspected cases of fraud;

3.  Stresses that combating fraud and corruption is an important duty of the European institutions and all Member States, which must provide all necessary resources to combat these scourges effectively so as to protect the financial interests of the Union and its taxpayers and to fight organised crime, which, according to national indicators, is increasing its capacity for collusion within institutions, particularly by means of fraud against the Community budget;

4.  Regrets the fact that a large amount of EU funds is still wrongly paid, and calls on the Commission to take appropriate action with a view to recovering those funds;

Own resources

5.  Welcomes the fact that the estimated amount affected by irregularities was 12.5% lower than in 2007; notes, nonetheless, that as in previous years the highest number of irregularities was recorded for television sets and monitors and accordingly calls on the Commission to keep a particularly close eye on those products and take the necessary steps to recover any own resources or interest due; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to foster an appropriate balance between physical checks at import and post-clearance audits of operators; calls on the Member States to supply better statistics in this area;

6.  Considers it essential to enact effective legislation to improve administrative cooperation in tackling harmful tax practices and ensure the smooth functioning of the internal market; welcomes, in this connection, the proposal for a Council directive on administrative cooperation in the field of taxation (COM(2009)0029) submitted by the Commission; stresses the need for cases in which Member States refuse to forward specific information or to conduct an administrative enquiry to be closely monitored and for Parliament to be provided with clear and comprehensive information on all such cases;

7.  Welcomes the Commission proposal recasting the Council regulation on administrative cooperation and combating fraud in the field of value added tax (COM(2009)0427); stresses the importance of making Member States more accountable in this connection, starting with the quality of the information entered into the databases; calls on the Commission to verify the accuracy of that information and to ensure that all VAT amounts payable are collected;

8.  Calls furthermore on the Commission to provide comprehensive information enabling a comparison to be made between the costs incurred by Member States in collecting traditional own resources and the amount withheld to cover those collection costs;

Agricultural expenditure

9.  Welcomes the fact that the estimated amount affected by irregularities was 34% lower than in 2007; stresses that the relatively small number of irregularities would appear to stem mainly from the higher threshold for compulsory notification (EUR 10 000) introduced under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1848/2006 of 14 December 2006 concerning irregularities and the recovery of sums wrongly paid in connection with the financing of the common agricultural policy and the organisation of an information system in this field(7);

10.  Emphasises the importance of fulfilling irregularity reporting requirements and deplores the failings recorded in respect of Austria, Sweden, Slovakia and Hungary;

11.  Calls on the Commission to take further steps to ensure effective and efficient implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1975/2006(8) which lays down new control rules for rural development support measures with a view to ensuring that beneficiaries meet their obligations;

12.  Endorses the Court of Auditors' view (point 5.20 of its above-mentioned annual report) that the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) is effective in limiting the risk of error or irregular expenditure only if it is properly used and accurate and reliable data are entered into it; deplores the major failings identified in the systems used by the United Kingdom (Scotland), Bulgaria and Romania; urges the Commission to take firm action should such problems persist;

Structural actions

13.  Welcomes the fact that the financial impact of irregularities, as estimated by the Commission, was 27% lower than in 2007; notes, with regard to the legality and regularity of underlying transactions, that the error rate quoted for the cohesion policy area in the Court of Auditors' 2008 Statement of Assurance (DAS) remains above 5%; is concerned that Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom and Spain reported the largest amount of irregularities; welcomes, at the same time, the good collaboration initiated by some of these Member States with the Commission to resolve these problems and trusts that the other Member States will do likewise; points out that, as highlighted by the Court of Auditors, structural actions are the spending area with the most stringent rules and most complex management procedures in the EU budget and that, as noted by the Commission, finding a high number of financial irregularities in one Member State does not necessarily imply a higher number of errors and instances of fraud than in other Member States but may be the result of more thorough and stringent controls; points out, also, that the Court of Auditors' report on implementation of the 2008 Budget does not take into account the 2007-2013 programming period, for which new administration and control systems for spending have been introduced; notes the high incidence of errors linked to ineligible spending and breaches of the rules on public procurement and considers it advisable, therefore, for the Commission to introduce precautionary guidelines for the Member States and local authorities to clarify how these rules are to be applied and to avoid the managing authority replacing expenditure refused by the Commission as ineligible with new expenditure that is also ineligible;

14.  Stresses that delays in the approval of management and control systems for the 2007-2013 programmes may have made it more difficult to detect errors and possible fraud in expenditure on advances; considers furthermore that the resulting delays in spending on interim payments could give rise to a rush to spend just before the decommitment deadline is reached; urges the Commission to consider revising the decommitment rules with a view to improving the quality of spending and ensuring that quantitative targets are met;

15.  Welcomes the improvements made by some Member States in harmonising their systems for reporting irregularities by making wider use of the AFIS; urges those Member States that have yet to introduce electronic reporting systems to do so at the earliest opportunity, given the positive impact such systems have had so far on data quality and compliance with reporting deadlines;

16.  Calls on the Member States to supply the Commission with fuller and more reliable information on financial corrections for the period 2000-2006; calls in turn on the Commission to be firm in requiring Member States to provide comprehensive information and meticulously to apply the financial correction rules in connection with operational programmes;

17.  Welcomes the Commission's introduction of a joint fraud prevention strategy for structural measures, which was drafted in cooperation with OLAF, and stresses the importance of more effective cooperation with the regional authorities and the competent national judicial authorities;

Pre-accession funds

18.  Deplores the fact that the estimated amount affected by irregularities reported by the EU-10 grew by 8%, while that for the EU-2 increased by 152%, and the amounts recovered were 15.6% down on 2007; calls in particular on Bulgaria and Romania to build up their administrative capacity to manage EU funding, remove existing or potential conflicts of interest in fund management, improve the supervision and transparency of public procurement procedures at central, regional and local levels and swiftly introduce and notify to the Commission the necessary precautionary, corrective and/or disciplinary measures; acknowledges and supports the steps taken by Bulgaria and Romania to improve shared management and financial control standards in response to the Commission's recommendations;

19.  Calls on the Commission to take appropriate steps to lessen the risks generated by the highly changeable environment in which DG ELARG operates, with a view to ensuring effective multiannual planning of internal audit operations; calls furthermore on the Commission swiftly to adopt a specific policy for ex-post controls under the centralised management arrangements, drawing on the experience gained in 2008 and taking due account of the need to ensure value for money;

20.  Emphasises that the strategic objectives for pre-accession funds must be defined further as referred in the ECA special report on pre-accession funds for Turkey, to facilitate easier evaluation of conducted projects in relation to the overall goals; considers that the objectives and results must be communicated in a transparent manner;

21.  Emphasises that the Commission should continue with initiatives to improve project design and implementation; emphasises that it is necessary to improve the mechanism for reporting on the implementation of projects and the delivery of their activities and outputs; considers that it should be ensured that project outcomes (results and impacts) are reported at the end of each project and at appropriate intervals thereafter in order to provide performance information to help shape future planning;

Direct expenditure

22.  Points out that external aid is a sector which is increasingly affected by irregularities and fraud;

23.  Requests the Commission to pay attention to the problem of double financing of projects;

24.  Underlines the fact that the EU has been contributing more than EUR 1 billion annually to the United Nations during the last five years; reiterates therefore the necessity of reinforcing OLAF's mandate in an international context and the need to provide OLAF with all the necessary legal means to carry out its duties of controlling these increasing direct expenditures; calls on the Commission to provide the European Parliament with an update on this issue;

An integrated internal control framework

25.  Welcomes the fact that the Commission's communication on tolerable risk (COM(2008)0866) provided a basis for a debate on this issue, and calls on the Commission to keep it abreast of developments in this area; shares the view that different tolerable error thresholds may be set for each sector, taking their respective characteristics and rules into account; urges the Commission to take due account of the other steps that need to be taken to improve the management of EU funds (e.g. by making control systems more effective and gearing them to spending quality, or by simplifying the relevant legislation);

26.  Takes the view that the annual summaries submitted to the Commission by the Member States should have a firmer legal basis than that currently in place (Article 53b(3) of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (Financial Regulation)); calls, accordingly, in connection with the review of the Financial Regulation, for those summaries to provide an exhaustive qualitative analysis of the findings of the audits carried out by each Member State; considers, furthermore, that it is essential for the Commission to continue to promote Structural Funds' ‘contracts of confidence’ with Member States and, at the same time, secure additional guarantees in connection with national control systems by forging closer links with the independent Supreme Audit Institutions;

Increased transparency and the fight against fraud, corruption and financial crime

27.  Notes that the public procurement sector is the one most open to risks of mismanagement, fraud and corruption and that such unlawful activities distort the market, increase the prices and fees paid by consumers for goods and services and spread mistrust toward the European Union; calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member States to consider the current rules on public procurement carefully and make proposals for their improvement; acknowledges too that progress has been made towards greater transparency concerning the beneficiaries of EU funds and calls on the Commission to develop a system whereby lists of beneficiaries are published on the same website, irrespective of the managing authority concerned, giving clear, comparable information from all the Member States in at least one of the EU's working languages; asks the Commission moreover to intervene to ensure that all Member States furnish reliable, uniform information on beneficiaries of EU funds which must be included in the Early Warning System and the Central Exclusion Database;

28.  Calls on the Commission to begin early discussions and consultations with interested stakeholders, including civil society, on all aspects related to the creation of the European Prosecutor's Office for combating crimes affecting the financial interests of the Union, as provided for in Article 86 of the TFEU, and to step up the adoption of all necessary measures for establishing this office;

29.  Urges the Council Presidency to give the Commission a mandate to negotiate and complete in the shortest possible time anti-fraud agreements with Andorra, Monaco and San Marino and to negotiate a new, further-going agreement with Switzerland;

30.  Emphasises that the active protection of the EU's financial interests requires a reinforced fight against financial and economic crime; calls on the Member States to fully implement the relevant Union instruments, including the 2000 Mutual Legal Assistance Convention and its Protocol on banking transactions, the Framework Decision on confiscation orders (2006/783/JHA)(9) and the Framework Decision on Financial Penalties (2005/214/JHA)(10);

31.  Calls on the Commission to develop a proposal on the mutual recognition of disqualifications, in particular for professions in the financial area, such as the exclusion of fraudulent offenders from acting as chief executives;

32.  Calls on the Commission to develop an impact assessment and a proposal to extend the EU acquis on common definitions of offences in the area of financial and economic crime;

33.  Considers that stopping tax evasion and illicit activities that go through offshore havens is necessary in order to protect the financial interests of the Union; calls on the Commission to consider banning companies which operate through offshore havens from making business agreements with companies residing in the European Union if their offshore location will unilaterally delay the adoption of cooperation agreements with the Union;

34.  Notes that according to the 2009 Eurobarometer 78% of EU citizens agree that corruption is a major concern in their country; calls on the Commission and the Member States to commit themselves to guaranteeing the resources necessary to prevent spending from EU funds being corrupt, to speed up the confiscation of criminal assets implicated in the perpetration of fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and related crimes, and to apply clear and transparent rules in respect of politically exposed persons, in accordance with the Third Money Laundering Directive (Directive 2005/60/EC)(11); calls on the Commission to produce indicators as swiftly as possible that quantify efforts to fight corruption, paying particular attention to public procurement, in accordance with the provisions of the Stockholm Programme; calls for greater cooperation between the Asset Recovery Offices so that the confiscation of assets becomes efficient; calls on the Commission to take steps immediately to promote good governance in tax matters, in accordance with Parliament's resolution of 10 February 2010(12) on the subject, and particularly as regards the problem of tax havens;

OLAF's work

35.  Acknowledges and voices its support for OLAF's work and the need to guarantee its full operational independence in the performance of its tasks, which it sees as playing an essential role in protecting the financial interests of the European Union and, thereby, EU citizens, as well as a major role in upholding the reputation of the European institutions; considers, therefore, that a human resources strategy which ensures that the current high staff quality standards are maintained should be drawn up;

36.  Takes the view that OLAF should draw more extensively on the work carried out by the Commission's internal audit services when initiating investigations, rather than relying mainly on information provided by officials or Member States; considers it equally important to monitor whether and how the Commission's internal audit service takes account of OLAF's recommendations; calls, accordingly, on OLAF to provide relevant statistics in its future annual reports;

37.  Considers that OLAF's work can be made still more effective by ensuring careful and detailed planning of investigations, through the adoption of an ad hoc procedural regulation as a binding guide, promoting the use of SMART objectives and RACER indicators for the investigations themselves, improving cooperation and data exchange between OLAF and national judicial authorities from the start of the investigative process and rapidly applying a ‘core tasks’ policy, as well as follow-up procedures during the initial stage of investigations by OLAF, under which small-scale fraud would be handled by other bodies while recurring small-scale fraud which results in large sums from irregularities due to structural problems may be of interest for OLAF investigations; calls on OLAF therefore to outline in its next report the progress that has been made in this respect and to say to what extent account has been taken thereof in the OLAF operational manual that is to be published in the near future;

38.  Calls on the Commission to actively include OLAF in the negotiation of all cooperation agreements that deal with the combating of fraud and with the exchange of information on tax matters;

OLAF's relationship with Europol and Eurojust

39.  Welcomes the practical arrangements for still closer coordination and cooperation in the fight against financial fraud that have been agreed between OLAF and Eurojust;

40.  Welcomes the cooperation between OLAF and Europol; notes that, by combining Europol's analytical resources and OLAF's operational experience, an efficient service can be provided to Member States and duplication can be avoided; calls on OLAF to outline, in its next annual report, the practical implications of Europol's change of status on 1 January 2010;

OLAF's cooperation with Member States

41.  Deplores the shortcomings apparent in Annex I to the 2008 annual report (Implementation of Article 280 of the Treaty by the Member States in 2008 – SEC(2009)1002) as regards both the way in which the Member States reply to the Commission's questionnaire and the types of question asked by the Commission, which fail to elicit quantifiable answers or which Member States easily avoid; calls accordingly on the Commission to consider the changes that might be made to the questionnaire in cooperation with the Member State authorities in order to make this exercise both efficient and effective;

42.  Calls on OLAF to present in its next report a detailed analysis of the strategies and measures put in place by each Member State to fight fraud and to prevent and identify irregularities in the spending of EU funds, including irregularities caused by corruption; considers that specific attention should be paid to the implementation of agricultural and structural funds; considers that the report, complete with 27 country profiles, should analyse the approach followed by national judicial and investigating authorities and the quality and number of controls performed, as well as statistics and reasons in cases where the national authorities have not followed up on OLAF's reports; considers, furthermore, that the report should furnish a knowledge base to be used in better defining OLAF's strategy and the priorities to be followed in special investigations, launching bespoke initiatives, and improving cooperation with Member States and the efficiency of both OLAF and the local supervisory authorities;

43.  Stresses the fact that under EU legislation Member States are required to report all irregularities no later than two months after the end of the quarter in which the irregularity was the subject of an administrative or judicial preliminary investigation and/or in which new information on a previously reported irregularity was made known; calls, therefore, on the Member States to make every effort to reduce the time gap between the detection and reporting of an irregularity, including streamlining national administrative procedures;

44.  Calls on the Commission to restart the procedure for the adoption of the Directive on criminal-law protection of the Communities' financial interests (2001/0115(COD)), blocked by the Council since 2002, and of the Regulation on mutual administrative assistance for the protection of the Communities' financial interests (2004/0172 (COD)), blocked by the Council since 2005;

o
o   o

45.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors, the OLAF Supervisory Committee and OLAF.

(1) http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud/reports/olaf/2008/EN.pdf. (2) http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud/reports/sup_comm/2008-2009/Activity-report_en.pdf. (3) OJ C 295, 18.11.2008, p. 1. (4) OJ C 269, 10.11.2009, p. 1. (5) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2009)0090. (6) OJ L 390, 30.12.2006, p. 1. (7) OJ L 355, 15.12.2006, p. 56. (8) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1975/2006 of 7 December 2006 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005, as regards the implementation of control procedures as well as cross-compliance in respect of rural development support measures (OJ L 368, 23.12.2006, p. 74). (9) OJ L 328, 24.11.2006, p. 59. (10) OJ L 76, 22.3.2005, p. 16. (11) OJ L 309, 25.11.2005, p. 15. (12) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0020.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the European Investment Bank's annual report for 2008 (2009/2166(INI))

P7_TA(2010)0156 A7-0062/2010

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the 2008 Annual Report of the European Investment Bank (EIB),

–  having regard to Articles 15, 126, 175, 208-209, 271, 308-309 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Protocol No 5 on the Statute of the EIB,

–  having regard to Article 287 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union on the role of the Court of Auditors,

–  having regard to its resolution of 23 April 2009 with observations forming an integral part of the Decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth European Development Funds for the financial year 2007(1),

–  having regard to the exchange of letters between Mr Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, and Mr Maystadt following Parliament's resolution of 23 April 2009,

–  having regard to its resolution of 25 March 2009 on the 2007 Annual Reports of the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development(2),

–  having regard to its resolution of 22 April 2008 on the European Investment Bank's annual report for 2006(3),

–  having regard to Council Decision 2006/1016/EC of 19 December 2006 granting a Community guarantee to the European Investment Bank against losses under loans and loan guarantees for projects outside the Community(4),

–  having regard to the Court of Justice's judgment of 6 November 2008 on the legal basis of Decision 2006/1016/EC(5),

–  having regard to the EIB's Public Disclosure Policy(6) of 28 March 2006,

–  having regard to the Corporate Operational Plan 2009-2011 of the EIB, as approved by its Board of Directors on 16 December 2008,

–  having regard to the Court of Justice's judgment of 10 July 2003 regarding the power of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to investigate the EIB(7),

–  having regard to the Tripartite Agreement concluded between the Court of Auditors, the EIB and the Commission with respect to the modes for controls exercised by the Court of Auditors, provided for in Article 248(3) of the EC Treaty(8) and renewed in July 2007,

–  having regard to the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 27 May 2008 between the European Commission and the European Investment Bank aimed at furthering coordination of the European Union external lending policies,

–  having regard to the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 9 July 2008 between the European Ombudsman and the European Investment Bank concerning information on the bank's policies, standards and procedures and the handling of complaints, including complaints from non-citizens and non-residents of the European Union,

–  having regard to the EIB Interim revised policy towards Offshore Financial Centres,

–  having regard to the 2008 Annual Activity Report of the EIB Complaints Office,

–  having regard to the last EIB report to Parliament on implementation of Parliament's recommendations,

–  having regard to the 2008 Annual Report of the EIB's Audit Committee to the Board of Governors,

–  having regard to the Commission communication of 29 October 2008 entitled ‘From financial crisis to recovery: A European framework for action’ (COM(2008)0706),

–  having regard to the Commission communication of 26 November 2008 entitled ‘A European Economic Recovery Plan’ (COM(2008)0800),

–  having regard to its resolution of 10 March 2010 on EU 2020(9),

–  having regard to Rules 48 and 119(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the opinions of the Committee on Regional Development and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A7-0062/2010),

A.  whereas the EIB was set up by the Treaty of Rome and its main goal is to contribute to the development of the common market and to the reduction of the differences in the various regions' development, using the capital markets and its own resources,

B.  whereas the EIB's financing operations inside the European Union focus on six policy priorities: ensuring economic and social cohesion; preparing for the knowledge economy; developing trans-European transport and access networks; supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); protecting and improving the environment; and ensuring sustainable, competitive and secure energy,

C.  whereas the EIB's operations outside the European Union are primarily undertaken to support the European Union's external action policies,

D.  whereas in line with the Lisbon Strategy the EIB decided to increase its subscribed capital by EUR 67 billion from EUR 165 billion to EUR 232 billion, of which the Member States have paid up EUR 8.2 billion,

E.  whereas according to its Statute, after the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty the EIB is authorised to have maximum loans and guarantees equivalent to 250% not only of its subscribed capital but also of reserves, non-allocated provisions and profit and loss account surplus,

F.  whereas the financing needs have increased because of the credit crunch caused by the economic and financial crisis,

G.  whereas the EIB put particular emphasis on SMEs, sustainable, competitive and secure energy and the mitigation of climate change, and on the investments in the convergence regions of the EU particularly hard hit by the recent economic slowdown,

H.  whereas the goals of the EU 2020 strategy cannot be achieved without proper funding and in paragraph 35 of its resolution on EU 2020, the European Parliament takes the view that ‘the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development should play a greater role in supporting infrastructure investment, green technologies, innovation and SMEs’,

I.  whereas the volume of the EIB's lending has significantly increased in 2008, the amount of loans signed in the contracts came to EUR 57,6 billion, and the amount disbursed was EUR 48,6 billion, 10 billion more than expected,

J.  whereas the value of the signed projects increased by 20.5 % compared with 2007, and by 25.9 % compared with 2006. The 89.34 % of the EIB's operations are concentrated on projects in the EU Member States in 2008, which shows a 2.7 % point expansion compared with 2007, and 2.25 % point compared with 2006,

K.  whereas in comparison with 2007 the value of the signed contracts, focused on projects in Central and Eastern Europe, grew by 17 % to EUR 6905 million in 2008, which means nearly twice of the value in 2004,

L.  whereas the EIB's lending activity in 2008 outside the EU per geographical region was as follows: Asia and Latin America EUR 469 million, Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Russia EUR 170 million, Mediterranean countries EUR 1 290 million, pre-accession countries EUR 3 453 million; ACP countries EUR 561 million; and South Africa EUR 203 million,

Comments on the EIB Annual Report 2008

1.  Welcomes the 2008 Annual Report of the EIB and encourages it to continue its activities to promote the development of the European economy and foster growth, stimulate employment, and promote interregional and social cohesion;

2.  Notes with satisfaction the EIB's quick response to the global economic crisis by self-financing an increase of its capital and hence raising its volume of lending in support of the European Economic Recovery Plan; and calls on the Bank to continue its financial crisis management programmes in particular for those Member States, which have been severely hit by the crisis and to further increase its lending activity in those countries; expects that EIB funding in 2009 amounting to EUR 75 000 million will leverage real economy investments for a total amount of around EUR 225 000 million;

3.  Notes that new credit lines with financial intermediaries for SMEs increased by 42.4 % to EUR 8.1 billion in 2008, of which EUR 4.7 billion in the last quarter were realised; EUR 30 billion has been earmarked for Loans for SMEs in Europe during the period 2008-2011;

Consequences of the Lisbon Treaty

4.  Welcomes the strengthening of the Audit Committee by increasing the number of its members from three to six and by giving it the mission to verify that the Bank's activities conform to best banking practice and to audit the accounts; stresses the necessity to make sure that the members of the Audit Committee have a strong banking supervisory experience; stresses, however, that, in addition to the strengthening of the Audit Committee, concrete steps must be taken to ensure that the EIB is soon brought under proper banking supervision;

5.  Asks the EIB and the Member States to consider the possibility (as the EU has legal personality in accordance with the Lisbon Treaty) of the European Union becoming a shareholder in the Bank in addition to the Member States, which would, in its view, result in reinforced cooperation between the EIB and the Commission;

Banking supervision

6.  Notes that in July 2009 the EIB became a participant in the Eurosystem's monetary policy operations with the European Central Bank (ECB) and this status entails certain requirements to report to the ECB, through the Banque Centrale du Luxembourg (BCL), in particular on the EIB's framework for liquidity risk management;

7.  Is nevertheless convinced of the necessity of a European prudential supervisory system under which the EIB is subjected to the same prudential rules as credit establishments and to real prudential control, which oversees the quality of the EIB's financial situation and ensures that its results are accurately measured and the profession's rules of good conduct are observed;

8.  For this reason supports the idea that the Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS) should be turned into a more competent European Banking Authority (EBA) within the framework of the European Financial Supervisory Authority; recommends that all financial institutions and groups who show activity in more than one EU Member State, including the EIB, fall within the competence of the EBA; asks the Commission and Member States to make every effort in order to enable this new System of Financial Supervisors to begin its operation as soon as possible;

Budgetary control and management

9.  Welcomes the fact that the Bank has been able to retain its top quality credit standing, in spite of the market volatility and uncertainty; also welcomes the fact that the Bank increased its funding ceiling from EUR 55 billion to EUR 60 billion and could raise an amount of EUR 59.5 billion, which is a significant (8.8 %) increase compared with 2007 (EUR 54.7 billion);

10.  Invites the EIB to make every effort to retain the AAA rating, which is crucial in order to guarantee the best conditions for its loans;

External mandate and investment facility

11.  Awaits the mid-term review of EIB external financing by 30 April 2010 and the Commission proposal for a new decision replacing Decision No 633/2009/EC; takes the view that both the mid-term review and the new Commission proposal should take into account not only the recommendations of the steering committee chaired by Michel Camdessus, but also the previous recommendations of Parliament; calls in particular for greater consistency in the EIB's external mandate, as regards both the sufficiency of funds for the whole period of the new mandate and their distribution by geographical areas;

12.  Highlights the fact that the external action of the EIB should be in line with EU policy objectives as stipulated in the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; takes the view that the EIB, as an EU-policy-driven bank, should keep a balance in terms of lending between the different regions in the EU neighbourhood; considers that, as regards regions where EIB activity may overlap with other regional or international publicly funded financial institutions, a clear division of labour may be necessary; welcomes the Western Balkan Investment Framework in this respect; reiterates, however, that the current cooperation agreement between the Commission, the EIB and the EBRD as regards financing operations in the Eastern Neighbourhood, Russia and Central Asia needs to be revised; welcomes, therefore, the fact that the Steering Committee of ‘wise persons’ agrees with the recommendations adopted in March 2009 by the European Parliament on a better mutual understanding between the EIB and the EBRD;

13.  Recalls that in paragraph 24 of its resolution of 22 April 2008(10) on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth European Development Funds (EDF) for the financial year 2006 it suggests that, during the discharge procedure, the EIB present its annual report and explain the implementation of the investment facility directly to the Committee on Budgetary Control; further recalls that EDF resources are public money contributed by European taxpayers and not by the financial markets;

14.  Reiterates its regrets that the EIB's annual report on the investment facility contains mainly financial information and very little – if any – information on the results of the various programmes financed;

15.  Observes that the forthcoming review of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(11) is an opportunity to include the projects and the results of the investment facility in the discharge procedure; calls on the Commission to propose a possible solution for achieving this objective when making its proposal;

Transparency and the fight against fraud

16.  Notes with satisfaction the systematic follow-up of Parliament's recommendations undertaken by the EIB in recent years;

17.  Recalls that the EIB has committed itself to formal reviews of the Public Disclosure Policy (PDP) every three years, welcomes the fact that in May 2009, the EIB launched a public consultation on its Complaints Mechanism Policy, PDP and Transparency Policy; regrets that the PDP was not reviewed in 2009 as foreseen and expects the EIB to review these three policies as soon as possible;

18.  Requests that the EIB clearly specify the conditions for non-disclosure of information in its forthcoming new PDP in order to set up high transparency standards;

19.  Notes with satisfaction that the public consultations have become an integral part of the EIB's transparency policy in recent years; calls however on the EIB to pay more attention to the stakeholders' engagement, by providing them with clear guidance documents concerning their possible involvement in consultations or evaluations;

20.  Welcomes the fact that the EIB, especially the Chief Compliance Officer, gave more attention to developing a new set of rules on protection of whistleblowers, published in April 2009, providing all EIB staff and any other person providing service to the Bank with full protection; draws however the Bank's attention to the fact that the EIB provides no protection against retaliation for external complainants and requests the EIB to examine possibilities for filling this gap;

21.  Supports the EIB's ‘zero-tolerance’ policy towards fraud and corruption, and asks the Bank to speed up, in cooperation with the Commission, the establishment of a blacklist of fraudsters, and the development and implementation of a debarment system for companies found guilty of corruption by the EIB and other multilateral development banks;

22.  Welcomes the fact that the PDP is translated into all EU languages, and calls on the EIB also to make available ‘Access to Environmental Information’, ‘The EIB Complaints Mechanism’ and ‘The EIB Transparency Policy’ in all EU languages;

Policy towards Offshore Financial Centres (OFCs)

23.  Welcomes the fact that the EIB has taken a further step by revising its policy towards OFCs in a way that goes beyond maintaining the existing ban on financing promoters who are based in a tax haven;

24.  Notes with satisfaction the Bank's renewed policy towards OFCs, going beyond simply maintaining the existing ban on financing promoters who are based in a blacklisted OFC, especially the new obligation imposed by the EIB on all counterparts located in non-blacklisted yet weakly regulated OFCs to relocate to a country that is not an OFC prior to the signing of relevant contracts, thus ensuring for the Bank's future lending after 31 March 2010 that none of the EIB's borrowers will be located in a weakly regulated OFC;

25.  Requests the EIB to inspect whether this renewed policy with regard to the OFCs covers the funds that are used by the EIB to provide loans for projects; takes the view moreover that the EIB should ensure that the income produced from these funds cannot be moved to tax havens after the projects are finished;

26.  Expresses its concern about the lack of transparency regarding the way ‘global loans’ are allocated and monitored in terms of tax governance; recalls that the EIB should ensure that recipients of its loans do not avail themselves of tax havens or use other practices such as abusive transfer pricing, which may lead to tax evasion or avoidance; in this context, calls on the EIB to request that financial intermediaries make public any use of the global and framework loans they receive, including a report of their activities in any individual country in which they operate;

27.  Welcomes the Activity and Corporate Responsibility Report of the EIB Group which reports on the actions undertaken in order to achieve the Bank's strategic objectives which complement and reinforce the EU's policy objectives;

Strategy and objectives

28.  Welcomes the EIB's Corporate Operational Plan (COP) for 2009-2011, in which the Bank has significantly revised upwards its operational activity targets compared to the orientations given in the COP 2008-2010;

29.  Stresses that the EIB is called to play an important role in achieving the EU 2020 goals; therefore ask the Bank to make sure that its loans will contribute to the effort in achieving the strategy objectives;

30.  Notes that economic and social cohesion and convergence, and the convergence pillar of the EU's Cohesion Policy in particular, are a core target for the EIB;

31.  Appreciates the contribution which the EIB made to the convergence objective by lending EUR 21 billion, 41 % of total EIB lending in the EU, for convergence projects;

32.  Stresses the added value of undertaking actions in cooperation with the Commission, and of the Bank's approach of providing additional support and leverage to Structural Fund interventions;

33.  Calls for enhancing the combined use of EU grants with the EIB financial instruments, in particular in cohesion regions where the raising of own funds encounters particular difficulties, in order to support cohesion and to hinder further decline in the countries hardest hit by the crisis;

34.  Requests that in future the EIB report detail major loans supplementing ERDF grants to regions implementing technologically advanced programmes or programmes related to renewable or clean energy supplies;

35.  Highlights the EIB's significant role in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises during the financial crisis, considering that the SMEs make up 99 % of businesses in the EU and employ over 100 million people and are therefore the engine of Europe's economy;

36.  Admits the effect of built-in leverage meaning that financial intermediaries must on-lend to SMEs at least the double of the amount of the EIB loan and that the new Loans for SMEs initiative improves the financial conditions for SMEs; requests further the EIB to add details regarding the efficient use of these loans in the forthcoming activity report in order to ensure that a part of the benefits they derive from EIB funding are passed on to SMEs in an appropriate manner, and to provide information about the origin of the funds;

37.  Notes in this context that at the request of the EIB's shareholders EUR 30 billion have been earmarked for loans to SMEs for the period 2008-2011 and that half of that amount has been made available between 2008 and 2009; stresses the importance of high levels of oversight to ensure that financial partners do not hoard EIB credit to stabilise their own balance sheets;

38.  Taking into account that the economic crisis is not yet over, with unemployment rates still rising, calls on the EIB to apply bolder risk-taking in its lending policy towards SMEs without jeopardising its triple A status; suggests that the EIB adapt the 2006 Risk Capital Mandate for the European Investment Fund in order better to take into account the current economic turmoil and the need to improve SMEs' access to capital for risk-taking projects; demands that the EIB's participation in the JASMINE programme, currently EUR 20 million, be at least doubled;

39.  Recalls the recommendations made in its resolution of 25 March 2009 on the 2007 Annual Reports of the EIB and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development(12), in paragraph 8 of which it urged the EIB ‘better to monitor and to make transparent the nature and final destination of its global loans in support of SMEs’; calls on the EIB to further enhance transparency in its lending through financial intermediaries and to establish clear financing conditions for financial intermediaries and lending effectiveness criteria;

40.  Calls on the EIB to harmonise its lending to SMEs with Structural Fund allocations in convergence regions and to ensure balanced support between different types of SME;

41.  Urges the EIB better to monitor and to make more transparent the nature and final destination of its global loans in support of SMEs; suggests setting up a scoreboard on the multiplication effects of EIB lending operations;

42.  Calls on the EIB to develop a more detailed and methodologically harmonised analysis in its annual reports of the implementation of the financial instruments complementing Structural Fund operations; in this context the Bank could explain to Parliament the functioning of the Risk-Sharing Financing Facility which it has established with the Commission; takes the view that of particular relevance is the interplay between this facility, financing under the seventh Framework Programme for Research and the Structural Funds;

43.  Notes that according to the EIB's Annual Report the evaluation phase of the JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises) initiative was completed in 2008; regrets that the report does not include this evaluation;

44.  Requests the EIB to add details in its next annual report about the first achievements of two policies from 2009: the JASMINE (Joint Action to Support Microfinance Institutions in Europe) initiative and the implementation of the Mezzanine Facility for Growth;

45.  Asks the EIB to make every effort to simplify the complicated and bureaucratic regulations found in certain projects, wherever they occur, in order to make the financing on projects more rapid and efficient, with special regard to the global crisis;

46.  Emphasises that the success of the new programmes for European macro-regions depends on coordinating the activities pursued under all policies having a territorial impact and on finding a long-term solution to the funding of macro-regions; calls, therefore, on the Bank to consider the possibility of EIB and EIF funding, in addition to EU funding, for this purpose in the next financial programming period starting in 2014;

47.  Invites the EIB to make every effort to avoid duplication of work with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) outside the EU; reiterates its recommendations in paragraph 28 of its above-mentioned resolution of 25 March 2009 in order to achieve better structured cooperation between the EIB and the EBRD in countries of common operation;

o
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48.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the European Investment Bank and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 255, 26.9.2009, p. 98. (2) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2009)0185. (3) OJ C 259 E, 29.10.2009, p. 14. (4) OJ L 414, 30.12.2006, p. 95. (5) Case C-155/07, European Parliament v Council of the European Union, not yet published in the European Court Reports. (6) OJ C 332, 30.12.2006, p. 45. (7) Case C-15/00, Commission of the European Communities v European Investment Bank [2003] ECR I-7281. (8) Article 287(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. (9) Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0053. (10) OJ L 88, 31.3.2009, p. 253. (11) JO L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1. (12) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2009)0185.

European Parliament resolution of 6 May 2010 on the mass atrocities in Jos, Nigeria

P7_TA(2010)0157 RC-B7-0247/2010

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on human rights violations in Nigeria,

–  having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966, ratified by Nigeria on 29 October 1993,

–  having regard to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights of 1981, ratified by Nigeria on 22 June 1983,

–  having regard to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and in particular the provisions on the protection of freedom of religion set out in its Chapter IV - Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion,

–  having regard to Rule 110(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  shocked by the outbreaks of violence in January and March of this year in and around Jos, which lies at the crossroads between Nigeria's Muslim north and Christian south, during which many hundreds of people were killed in religious and ethnic clashes,

B.  whereas the military played a key role in stepping in to bring the situation under control, but whereas, at the same time, there have been reports of extrajudicial killings by the military and also by the police,

C.  whereas intercommunal conflict has been a regular occurrence in Jos, with major clashes taking place in 2001, 2004 and 2008,

D.  whereas, according to human rights reports, more than 14 000 people have been killed in religious or ethnic clashes since the end of military rule in 1999,

E.  whereas a Red Cross official has been quoted as saying that at least two other nearby communities were also targeted, in an area close to where sectarian clashes left hundreds of people dead in January,

F.  whereas the Red Cross is reporting that as a consequence of this violence at least 5600 people are fleeing the area in fear of their lives,

G.  whereas the problems in the area of Jos stem from a lack of economic development, from the adverse effects of climate change, and from the tension rooted in decades of resentment between indigenous groups, mostly Christian or animist, vying for control of fertile farmland with migrants and settlers from the Hausa-speaking Muslim north,

H.  whereas it is not possible systematically to place Muslims or Christians in the role of either aggressors or victims, since historically they have been both,

I.  whereas the current instability underscores the fragility of Africa's most populous nation as it approaches the campaign period for the 2011 elections facing uncertainty over political leadership resulting from President Yar'Adua's illness,

J.  whereas Nigeria's stability and democracy carry great significance beyond its immediate borders, owing to the country's leading role in the region and in sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria is a member of the UN Security Council, a global oil producer, a leader in ECOWAS, a major contributor to peacekeeping operations, and a stabilising force in West Africa),

K.  whereas the EU is a major financial donor to Nigeria, and whereas on 12 November 2009 the Commission and the Nigerian Federal Government signed the Nigeria-EC Country Strategy Paper and National Indicative Programme for the period 2008-2013, under which the EU will fund projects aimed, inter alia, at securing peace and security and human rights,

L.  whereas the peaceful resolution of conflicts also implies fair access to resources and the redistribution of revenues in an oil-rich country such as Nigeria,

M.  whereas although Nigeria is the world's eighth-largest oil producer the majority of its 148 million inhabitants live below the poverty line,

N.  whereas, under Article 8 of the revised Cotonou Agreement, the EU engages in regular political dialogue with Nigeria on human rights and democratic principles, including ethnic, religious and racial discrimination,

1.  Strongly condemns the recent violence and the tragic loss of lives in and around Jos and extends its sympathies to the bereaved and injured;

2.  Urges all parties to exercise restraint and seek peaceful means to resolve differences between religious and ethnic groups in Nigeria;

3.  Calls on the Nigerian Federal Government to carry out an investigation into the causes of the most recent violence and ensure that the perpetrators of acts of violence are brought to justice in a fair and transparent manner;

4.  Calls on the Nigerian Federal Government to take concrete and urgent measures to support inter-ethnic and inter-faith dialogue, and welcomes the initiative by acting President Goodluck Jonathan to bring religious and community leaders together;

5.  Calls for a wider examination of the root causes of the conflict, including social, economic and ethnic tensions, and for care to be taken to avoid broad and simplistic explanations based only on religion that will not provide the basis for a long-term and lasting solution to the problems of this region;

6.  Calls on the Nigerian authorities to reverse the recent move by some Nigerian state governors to execute death-row inmates to ease overcrowding in prisons, which would constitute a gross violation of human rights; calls on the state governors to exercise restraint and continue the de facto moratorium; recalls that the use of the death penalty is contrary to Nigeria's commitments at international level;

7.  Calls on the Nigerian Federal Government to protect its people by conducting regular patrols throughout the region and to address the root causes of the violence by guaranteeing equal rights for all citizens and by tackling problems relating to control of fertile farmland, access to resources, unemployment, poverty and climate change mitigation; calls for those forced to flee as a result of the massacre be allowed to return safely to their homes;

8.  Urges the EU to continue its political dialogue with Nigeria under Article 8 of the revised Cotonou Agreement and in that context to address issues relating to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, as enshrined in universal, regional and national human rights instruments;

9.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President/High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Federal Government of Nigeria, the institutions of the African Union, the United Nations Secretary-General, the United Nations General Assembly, the Co-Presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).