European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 December 2016 on the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision 2008/376/EC on the adoption of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel and on the multiannual technical guidelines for this programme (COM(2016)0075 — C8-0099/2016 — 2016/0047(NLE))
Date: 2016-12-14
Institutions: Committee on Budgets, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Committee on Legal Affairs, European Parliament
Subjects: EU programme, EU research policy, coal, fund (EU), research and development, research programme, steel




C_2018238EN.01041001.xml










6.7.2018   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 238/410





P8_TA(2016)0501
Research programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel *
European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 December 2016 on the proposal for a Council decision amending Decision 2008/376/EC on the adoption of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel and on the multiannual technical guidelines for this programme (COM(2016)0075 — C8-0099/2016 — 2016/0047(NLE))
(Consultation)
(2018/C 238/31)

The European Parliament,






—


having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2016)0075),










—


having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,










—


having regard to the second paragraph of Article 2 of Protocol No 37 on the financial consequences of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty and on the Research Fund for Coal and Steel, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C8-0099/2016),










—


having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,










—


having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A8-0358/2016),












1.


Approves the Commission proposal as amended;












2.


Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, in accordance with Article 293(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 106a of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community;












3.


Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;












4.


Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to substantially amend the Commission proposal;












5.


Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.





Amendment 1


Proposal for a decision


Recital 3








Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment











(3)


It is necessary to revise the rules on the competencies and on the composition of the Advisory Groups and of the Technical Groups, notably as regards the nature of the experts appointed by the Commission to ensure increased transparency as well as compliance and coherence with the framework for Commission expert groups, and contribute, as far as possible, to a balanced representation of relevant areas of expertise and areas of interest as well as to an optimal gender balance.












(3)


It is necessary to revise the rules on the competencies and on the composition of the Advisory Groups and of the Technical Groups 
to make the relevant stakeholders aware of the deliberations in these groups
, notably as regards the nature of 
and influence exerted by
 the experts appointed by the Commission, to ensure increased transparency as well as compliance and coherence with the framework for 
the
 Commission expert groups, and 
to
 contribute, as far as possible, to a balanced representation of relevant areas of expertise and areas of interest as well as to an optimal gender balance. 
It is, however, necessary to respect the Commission’s decision of 30 May 2016 on establishing horizontal rules on the creation and operation of Commission expert groups and a European Parliament resolution on the control of the register and composition of the Commission’s expert groups.











Amendment 2


Proposal for a decision


Recital 4








Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment











(4)


It is appropriate to 
consider simpler funding rules to ease the
 participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the RFCS Programme and to permit the use of ‘unit costs’ to calculate eligible staff costs for SME owners and other natural persons not receiving a salary.












(4)


It is appropriate to 
support the overall
 participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the RFCS Programme 
by, inter alia, simplifying the rules
 and to permit the use of ‘unit costs’ to calculate eligible staff costs for SME owners and other natural persons not receiving a salary.









Amendment 3


Proposal for a decision


Recital 5 a new








Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





 










(5a)






The coal and steel sectors are important in the process of European integration and have a key role in the Union's overall industrial landscape. At the same time, the working conditions in those sectors are demanding and have often resulted in damage to the health of workers and citizens. Installations and companies should therefore respect all legal requirements on social responsibility, bring definitive solutions, and minimise the social implications of transition or closure of installations. The social partners need to be consulted to the extent possible on issues relating to social responsibility.











Amendment 16


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point - 1 (new)

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 3 — point 1 — point g







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





 










(-1)





Point (g) of point 1 of Article 3 is deleted;










Amendment 4


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point - 1 a (new)

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 6 — paragraph 2 — point g a (new)







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





 










(-1a)





In Article 6(2), the following point is added:









‘(ga)






the impact on the employment of workers and on the local community of mining operations;’















Amendment 5


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point - 1 b (new)

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 6 — paragraph 2 — point g b (new)







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





 










(-1b)





In Article 6(2), the following point is added:









‘(gb)






the impact on the health and safety of workers and of the local community of mining operations.’















Amendment 20


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point - 1 c (new)

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 8 — introductory part







Present text




Amendment





 










(-1c)





In Article 8, the introductory part is replaced by the following:










‘Research and technological development (RTD) shall aim toimprove steel production processes with a view to enhancing product quality and increasing productivity. Reducing emissions, energy consumption and the environmental impact as well as enhancing the use of raw materials and the conservation of resources shall form an integral part of the improvements sought. Research projects shall address one or more of the following areas:’




‘Research and technological development (RTD) shall aim to improve steel production processes with a view to enhancing product quality and increasing productivity. Reducing emissions, energy consumption and the environmental impact as well as enhancing the use of raw materials and the conservation of resources shall form an integral part of the improvements sought. Research projects shall address 
ground-breaking technologies in
 one or more of the following areas:’






Amendment 6


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point 1

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 21 — point i a (new)







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





 










(ia)






assessment of finalised projects of coal and steel production in the areas concerned;











Amendment 7


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point 2

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 22 — paragraph 1 — subparagraph 1







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





Each Advisory Group shall be composed in accordance with the tables set out in the Annex. Members of the Advisory Groups shall be individuals appointed by the Director General of Directorate General for Research and Innovation to represent a common interest shared by stakeholders. They shall not represent an individual stakeholder, but shall express an opinion common to the different stakeholder organisations.


Each Advisory Group shall be composed in accordance with the tables set out in the Annex. Members of the Advisory Groups shall be individuals appointed by the Director General of 
the Commission’s
 Directorate General for Research and Innovation to represent a common interest shared by stakeholders. They shall 
act individually and shall
 not represent an individual stakeholder, but shall express an opinion common to the different stakeholder organisations.





Amendment 8


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point 2

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 22 — paragraph 2 — subparagraph 2







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





They shall be active in the field concerned and be aware of the industrial priorities.


They shall be active in the field concerned and be aware of the industrial 
and sectoral
 priorities.





Amendment 9


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point 3

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 24 — paragraph 1 — subparagraph 2







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





Members of the Technical Groups shall be appointed in their personal capacity by the Director General of Directorate General for Research and Innovation.


Members of the Technical Groups shall be appointed in their personal capacity by the Director General of 
the Commission’s
 Directorate General for Research and Innovation.





Amendment 15


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point 3

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 24 — paragraph 3 a (new)







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





 




3a.
   
The Commission is urged to provide the maximum transparency possible, including publication of the agenda, background documents, voting records and detailed minutes, including dissenting opinions in line with the recommendation of the European Ombudsman;







Amendment 10


Proposal for a decision


Article 1 — point 9

Decision 2008/376/EC
Article 39







Text proposed by the Commission




Amendment





For the appointment of independent and highly qualified experts referred to in Article 18, Article 28(2) and Article 38, the provisions set out in Article 40 of Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 (*1) shall apply by analogy.


For the appointment of independent and highly qualified experts referred to in Article 18, Article 28(2) and Article 38, the provisions set out in Article 40 of Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 
of the European Parliament and of the Council

 (*2) shall apply by analogy 
together with, for expert groups as a whole, the Commission Decision of 30 May 2016 on establishing horizontal rules on the creation and operation of Commission expert groups and a European Parliament resolution on control of the register and composition of the Commission’s expert groups
.






(*1)  Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in ‘Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)’ and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1906/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 81).";

(*2)  Regulation (EU) No 1290/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in ‘Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)’ and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1906/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 81).";