Text · Opinion parliamentary committee

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities

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Document ENVI-AD-784252 · COM(2025)0555 – C100165/2025 – 2025/0555(COD)

Kind: Opinion parliamentary committee ENVI-AD-784252
Date: 5 May 2026
Committee: Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety
Rapporteur: Stine Bosse
Dossier: 2025-0555

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Formats: Official page PDF Word
Subject matter: RDT, INDU
Reference: COM(2025)0555 – C100165/2025 – 2025/0555(COD)

Formats: Official page PDF Word
Subject matter: RDT, INDU
Reference: COM(2025)0555 – C100165/2025 – 2025/0555(COD)

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The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety proposes amendments to the proposed regulation establishing the European Competitiveness Fund, including the specific programme for defence research and innovation. It adds environmental, climate and circularity conditions throughout the text. The amendments require ECF funding to align with the European Green Deal, climate neutrality by 2050, the do no significant harm principle and the phase-out of fossil fuels, and to support clean technologies, resource efficiency and biodiversity. They raise the Fund's financial envelope to EUR 261 434 260 000 and set minimum amounts for its windows, including at least 25% of the clean transition window for specified activities and EUR 3 390 000 000 for LIFE actions. The amendments keep LIFE as a separate programme for 2028 to 2034, continue its actions under the ECF, and add support for SMEs, skills, advisory services and the EU for Business Network. They also add environmental and resilience conditions to the defence, space, digital and raw materials parts of the Fund, including energy efficiency, circularity and reduced emissions.

Position. The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety proposes amendments to the lead committee to align the European Competitiveness Fund with the European Green Deal, climate neutrality, the do no significant harm principle and the phase-out of fossil fuels, and to increase the Fund's budget and environmental safeguards.

Key points

The title is amended to repeal Regulations (EU) 2021/522, (EU) 2021/694, (EU) 2021/697 and (EU) 2021/783, and to amend Regulations (EU) 2021/783, (EU) 2021/696, (EU) 2023/588 and (EU) [EDIP].
New and amended recitals state that the European Green Deal remains the Union's overarching sustainable growth strategy and that the ECF should support, not hinder, the green transition.
Recitals add that ECF funding should follow the do no significant harm principle, use science-based indicators, and support the phase-out of fossil fuel energy production and consumption.
The ECF should protect and restore the environment, halt biodiversity loss, enhance climate and water resilience, and finance LIFE actions under its Clean Transition and Decarbonisation window.
The general objective is amended to include strengthening and safeguarding Union competitiveness, productivity, resilience and security while ensuring alignment with climate neutrality, environmental standards and social fairness.
New specific objectives cover the shift to a circular, resource-efficient and climate-neutral economy, environmental protection and restoration, and resource efficiency through remanufacturing and recycling.
The minimum financial envelope for 2028 to 2034 is set at EUR 261 434 260 000, with EUR 16 000 000 000 for general objectives, EUR 38 658 700 000 for clean transition and EUR 30 078 560 000 for health, biotechnology, bioeconomy and agriculture.
At least 25% of the clean transition allocation must go to specified activities, and EUR 3 390 000 000 of that is dedicated to LIFE actions.
The maximum budgetary guarantee under the ECF InvestEU Instrument is EUR 70 000 000 000, expected to mobilise around EUR 1 000 000 000 000, with a minimum Union support of EUR 27 000 000 000.
A new Article 9a sets award criteria that assess proposals on decarbonisation, resource efficiency and environmental and biodiversity protection, balancing them with technical excellence and feasibility.
Article 10 conditions for support must be risk-based and proportionate, and supply and content restrictions must be temporary, gradual and selective in strategic value chains.
The LIFE programme is kept as a separate programme for 2028 to 2034, and its actions continue under the ECF, including demonstration, testing and market uptake of innovative solutions.

Who is affected

Businesses and projects in the Union, including SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, which must meet environmental, climate and circularity conditions to receive ECF support.
The clean technology, energy-intensive, bioeconomy, agri-food, digital, space and defence sectors, which receive targeted support with environmental and resilience conditions.
Member States and regional and local authorities, which may make additional contributions and must coordinate with the ECF on competitiveness priorities.
The Commission, which must adopt work programmes by delegated acts, ensure coherence with other Union funds and report on environmental and climate performance.

Figures and deadlines

EUR 261 434 260 000: minimum financial envelope for the ECF for 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2034.
EUR 16 000 000 000: allocation for activities contributing to the general objectives.
EUR 38 658 700 000: allocation for the clean transition and industrial decarbonisation objectives.
At least 25% [9.66 bn] of the clean transition allocation for specified activities, and EUR 3 390 000 000 for LIFE actions.
EUR 30 078 560 000: allocation for health, biotechnology, bioeconomy and agriculture and food security objectives.
EUR 70 000 000 000: maximum budgetary guarantee under the EU Compartment of the ECF InvestEU Instrument, provisioned at 50%.
EUR 1 000 000 000 000: additional investments expected to be mobilised by the budgetary guarantee.
EUR 27 000 000 000: minimum Union support delivered through the ECF InvestEU Instrument.

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AMENDMENT

The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety submits the following to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Proposal for a regulation

Title 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the CommissionProposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities, repealing Regulations (EU) 2021/522, (EU) 2021/694, (EU) 2021/697, (EU) 2021/783, and amending Regulations (EU) 2021/696, (EU) 2023/588, (EU) [EDIP] (Text with EEA relevance)	AmendmentProposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities, repealing Regulations (EU) 2021/522, (EU) 2021/694, (EU) 2021/697, and amending Regulations (EU) 2021/783, (EU) 2021/696, (EU) 2023/588, (EU) [EDIP] (Text with EEA relevance)

Amendment 2

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(2) The Union is facing a defining period for its future, from a political, economic, social, environmental, climate and security perspective, including increased risks of conventional military threats. The Draghi report on the future of European Competitiveness3 presented a new vision to reignite sustainable growth in Europe. The Letta report4 outlined that Europe must leverage its Single Market to achieve a leadership position in the global competition. The Commission communication on the Competitiveness Compass5 provided a roadmap for boosting competitiveness, building on the recommendations of these reports. The Commission communication on the Clean Industrial Deal6 outlined the need to accelerate decarbonisation, reindustrialisation and innovation, bringing together climate action and competitiveness under one overarching growth. Sectorial Industrial Action Plans, such as Automotive, Steel and Metals and Chemicals aim to ensure the long-term competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the European industry. The State of the Digital decade 20257 highlights the urgent need to foster cooperation and increase public and private investments for strengthening Union’s digital leadership, sovereignty and inclusiveness. The Joint White Paper on European Defence Readiness8 underlines the need to massively and rapidly reinvest in defence in support of Europe’s freedom of action. Moreover, the priorities of the Economic Security Strategy further underline the crucial need to secure the Union’s technological edge and de-risk economic relations including by enhancing the resilience of supply chains and thereby reducing dependencies on others. The European Ocean Pact outlines the need to enhance competitiveness and accelerate the strategic transition across the blue economy sectors, focussing especially on decarbonisation and scaling up innovation. As outlined in the Commission Communication on the Road to the next MFF,9 the next Union long-term budget needs to be more focused, simpler, more flexible, and predictable and better deliver on the Union priorities, including bolstering the Union competitiveness.	Amendment(2) The Union is facing a defining period for its future, from a political, economic, social, environmental, climate and security perspective, including increased risks of conventional military threats. The European Green Deal remains the Union’s overarching sustainable growth strategy, anchoring our commitment to climate neutrality, biodiversity protection, and a just transition that leaves no one behind. The Draghi report on the future of European Competitiveness3 presented a new vision to reignite sustainable growth in Europe. The Letta report4 outlined that Europe must leverage its Single Market to achieve a leadership position in the global competition. The Commission communication on the Competitiveness Compass5 provided a roadmap for boosting competitiveness, and decarbonisation building on the recommendations of these reports. The Commission communication on the Clean Industrial Deal6 outlined the need to accelerate decarbonisation towards reindustrialisation and innovation, bringing together climate and decarbonisation action and competitiveness under one overarching growth. Sectorial Industrial Action Plans, such as Automotive, Steel and Metals and Chemicals aim to ensure the long-term competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the European industry. The State of the Digital decade 20257 highlights the urgent need to foster cooperation and increase public and private investments for strengthening Union’s digital leadership, sovereignty and inclusiveness. The Joint White Paper on European Defence Readiness8 underlines the cross-border cooperation and the need to massively and rapidly reinvest in defence in support of Europe’s freedom of action, resilience and autonomy. Moreover, the priorities of the Economic Security Strategy further underline the crucial need to secure the Union’s technological edge and de-risk economic relations including by enhancing the resilience of supply chains and thereby reducing dependencies on others. The Grids Package stresses the importance of strengthening the Union’s energy infrastructure, promoting and accelerating electrification as a driver of competitiveness. The European Ocean Pact outlines the need to enhance competitiveness and accelerate the strategic transition across the blue economy sectors, focussing especially on decarbonisation and scaling up innovation. As outlined in the Commission Communication on the Road to the next MFF,9 the next Union long-term budget needs to be more focused, simpler, more flexible, and predictable and better deliver on the Union priorities, including bolstering the Union competitiveness.
Text proposed by the Commission3 The future of European competitiveness: Report by Mario Draghi, September 2024, https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/draghi-report_en	Amendment3 The future of European competitiveness: Report by Mario Draghi, September 2024, https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/draghi-report_en
Text proposed by the Commission4 Enrico Letta's Report on the Future of the Single Market, April 2024, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/ny3j24sm/much-more-than-a-market-report-by-enrico-letta.pdf.	Amendment4 Enrico Letta's Report on the Future of the Single Market, April 2024, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/ny3j24sm/much-more-than-a-market-report-by-enrico-letta.pdf.
Text proposed by the Commission5 Competitiveness compass - European Commission	Amendment5 Competitiveness compass - European Commission
Text proposed by the Commission6 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation, COM(2025) 85 final, 26.2.2025.	Amendment6 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation, COM(2025) 85 final, 26.2.2025.
Text proposed by the Commission7 COM(2025) 290 final State of the Digital Decade 2025: Keep building the EU's sovereignty and digital future.	Amendment7 COM(2025) 290 final State of the Digital Decade 2025: Keep building the EU's sovereignty and digital future.
Text proposed by the Commission8 Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council on ‘European Economic Security Strategy’, JOIN(2023) 20 final, 20.6.2023.	Amendment8 Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the European Council and the Council on ‘European Economic Security Strategy’, JOIN(2023) 20 final, 20.6.2023.
Text proposed by the Commission9 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, The road to the next multiannual financial framework, COM(2025) 46 final, 11.2.2025.	Amendment9 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, The road to the next multiannual financial framework, COM(2025) 46 final, 11.2.2025.

Amendment 3

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 2 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(2a) The European Union has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, reflecting the quality and resilience of its society, economy, social welfare system, environmental standards and public health systems. A comprehensive assessment of Union competitiveness, including for the purposes of the European Competitiveness Fund, should integrate these qualitative dimensions and the ECF should support, and not hinder, the green transition to an environmentally sustainable economic system.

Amendment 4

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(3) To regain and reinforce its competitive edge, it is essential that the Union revives the innovation cycle by developing its disruptive innovation capacity and investing in emerging, cutting-edge and strategic technologies with significant economic potential. To ensure its autonomy in the global economy, the Union should guarantee its technological and industrial leadership in strategic sectors, starting with critical raw materials supply chains, to develop and manufacture strategic technologies in Europe, as well as mitigate risks affecting its security and resilience emanating from critical external dependencies. This can be done by addressing market failures and suboptimal investment situations, in a proportionate manner and without crowding out private funding, considering the high investment needs for delivering on Union priorities, including for decarbonisation and the digital transition. Greater emphasis should be put on leveraging private sector participation by improving the use of risk-sharing mechanisms between Union funds and private investors, to ensure an efficient use of public funding. This will build upon and further amplify the impact of the progress achieved on the Savings and Investment Union, which will provide the necessary regulatory landscape for private investments to thrive. The use of any additional national resources is without prejudice to the application of Articles 107 and 108 TFEU.	Amendment(3) To regain and reinforce its competitive edge, it is essential that the Union revives the innovation cycle by increasing productivity, efficiency, developing its disruptive innovation capacity and investing in emerging, cutting-edge and strategic technologies with significant economic potential and added value. To ensure its autonomy in the global economy, the Union should guarantee its technological and industrial leadership and self-sufficiency in strategic sectors, starting with sustainable critical raw materials supply chains and a strong and resource-efficient circular economy, to develop, manufacture, remanufacture, and recycle strategic technologies in Europe, including clean technologies that can provide sustainable, decarbonised, home-grown and affordable energy, as well as mitigate risks affecting its security and resilience emanating from critical external dependencies, in particular through a time-bound phasing out of fossil fuels. This can be done by addressing policy and market failures and suboptimal investment situations, in a proportionate manner and without crowding out private funding, considering the high investment needs for delivering on Union priorities, including for decarbonisation and the digital transition. Greater emphasis should be put on leveraging private sector participation by improving the use of risk-sharing mechanisms between Union funds and private investors, to ensure an efficient use of public funding. This will build upon and further amplify the impact of the progress achieved on the Savings and Investment Union, which will provide the necessary regulatory landscape for private investments to thrive. The use of any additional national resources is without prejudice to the application of Articles 107 and 108 TFEU.

Amendment 5

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 4

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(4) This requires that Union funding offers support to businesses and projects along the entire investment journey. This journey encompasses all stages of developing and manufacturing strategic technologies, products and services in Europe, from applied research, through all forms of innovation, scale-up, industrial deployment, to manufacturing and market deployment, including the necessary investment and operational costs support, infrastructure and skills. The investment journey is not linear as all stages feed each other, and ideas for new products or services might arise at any stage. European funding needs to cater for this non-linear reality with increased flexibility of providing support preserving predictability for funding.	Amendment(4) This requires that Union funding offers support to businesses and projects along the entire investment journey. This journey encompasses all stages of researching, planning, developing and manufacturing of net-zero strategic technologies as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 ( (Net-Zero Industry Act), products and services in Europe, from applied research, through all forms of innovation, scale-up, first industrial manufacturing and market deployment, including the necessary investment and operational costs support, infrastructure and skills. The investment journey is not linear as all stages feed each other, and ideas for new products or services might arise at any stage. European funding needs to cater for this non-linear reality with increased flexibility of providing support preserving predictability and transparency for funding.

Amendment 6

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 5

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(5) This also requires that Union funding facilitates the creation and expansion of innovative and industrial ecosystems, where different actors interact in a synergetic way. Successful ecosystems feature intensive and agile interactions and collaboration between small and large companies, universities research institutions, infrastructure providers, investors as well as public authorities. Without such collaborations within and between individual innovation and industrial ecosystems, innovation potential stays unexploited.	Amendment(5) This also requires that Union transparent funding facilitates the creation and expansion of innovative and industrial ecosystems, where different actors interact in a synergetic way. Successful ecosystems feature intensive and agile interactions and collaboration between small and large companies, universities research institutions, infrastructure providers, investors as well as national, regional and local authorities. Without such collaborations within and between individual innovation and industrial ecosystems, innovation potential stays unexploited.

Amendment 7

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 8 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(8a) The Union’s commitment to fostering excellence in research, innovation, and competitiveness is essential for accelerating the green and digital transitions and achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal; It is equally important to ensure that all Member States and regions are able to contribute to these transitions; In this context, while using the on principle of excellence as a basis, conditions should be created that allow all regions, including those with lower participation rates or less developed capacities in sustainable technologies and climate innovation, to fully engage in the Union’s environmental and climate objectives.

Amendment 8

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 9

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(9) The EU outermost regions and overseas countries and territories represent unique and strategic assets that benefit the Union as a whole – including proximity to third countries, exceptional conditions for space and astrophysics research, abundant renewable energy potential, rich biodiversity, and extensive maritime zones. The ECF should leverage their potential as geostrategic outposts, particularly in support of the Union’s objectives on security, preparedness, regional value chains, and competitiveness.	Amendment(9) The EU outermost regions and overseas countries, islands, and territories represent unique and strategic assets that benefit the Union as a whole – including proximity to third countries, exceptional conditions for space and astrophysics research, abundant renewable energy potential, rich biodiversity, and extensive maritime zones. The ECF should leverage their potential as geostrategic outposts, particularly in support of the Union’s objectives on security, the environment, clean energy, preparedness including civil, military, climate and health and the just transition preparedness, regional value chains, and competitiveness.

Amendment 9

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 10

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(10) The Commission should ensure tight coordination and synergies between all Union founding sources in the MFF. For this purpose, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation will be tightly linked to the ECF: to ensure that the European industry leverages research results funded by the Union to further innovate and produce in Europe. In order to foster synergies, the work programmes adopted under this Regulation should integrate in a specific and dedicated part and ensure coherence with the ‘Competitiveness’ component, Part II ‘Competitiveness and Society’ of the Regulation (EU) [XXX]10 of the European Parliament and of the Council [Horizon Europe Framework programme for Research and Innovation]11 in accordance with the committee procedure set out in this Regulation. Besides, the ECF shall ensure coherence with the types of actions planned to be implemented under the Innovation Fund, notably when developing work programmes.	Amendment(10) The Commission should ensure tight coordination and synergies between all Union founding sources in the MFF. For this purpose, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation will be tightly linked to the ECF: to ensure that the European industry leverages research results funded by the Union to further innovate and produce in Europe, and to strengthen resilience. In order to foster synergies, the work programmes adopted under this Regulation should integrate in a specific and dedicated part and ensure coherence with the ‘Competitiveness’ component, Part II ‘Competitiveness and Society’ of the Regulation (EU) [XXX]10 the European Parliament and of the Council [Horizon Europe Framework programme for Research and Innovation]11, in accordance with the committee procedure set out in this Regulation. Besides, the ECF should ensure coherence with the types of actions planned to be implemented under the Innovation Fund, notably when developing work programmes. Work programmes could also include operational mechanisms for the pipeline from research results to scaling and production, including specific calls that leverage the results of Horizon Europe-funded projects, where this is pertinent to the objectives of the ECF components.
Text proposed by the Commission10 OJ L.., p	Amendment10 OJ L.., p
Text proposed by the Commission11 COM(2025) 543	Amendment11 COM(2025) 543

Amendment 10

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 12

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(12) Moreover, to foresee a strong connection with the Competitiveness Coordination Tool, the work programme of the ECF should ensure coherence with the selected projects and competitiveness priorities identified under the Tool.	Amendment(12) Moreover, to foresee a strong connection with the Competitiveness Coordination Tool, the work programmes of the ECF should ensure coherence with the selected projects and competitiveness priorities identified under the Tool, following a transparent, evidence-based approach grounded in science-based and structured assessments of competitiveness and strategic importance in particular assessments of investment gaps across the value chain from innovation, to production, and deployment, to identify and prioritise actions and budgetary needs. The Tool should be informed by evidence and data from the Observatory on Emerging Technologies, and the Clean Energy Technology Observatory. The Tool should ensure synergies with nationally and regionally pre-allocated envelopes under the National and Regional Partnership Plans, National Energy and Climate Plans, CAP national recommendations and other relevant documents and strategies.

Amendment 11

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 14

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(14) The ECF should use the whole toolbox of Union budget to unlock additional public and private investments, in particular from institutional investors throughout the whole investment journey. It should contribute to creating an “investment culture” by better leveraging public funds and the de-risking potential of the Union budget. It will maximise the added value of Union action and crowd-in private capital to secure a competitive innovation and industrial base, also by using innovative funding instruments including public-private co-investment with asymmetric risk returns. In this regard, the use of financial instruments that crowd in private investors should be the privileged option wherever possible.	Amendment(14) The ECF should use the whole toolbox of Union budget to unlock additional public and private investments, in particular from institutional investors throughout the whole investment journey, in line with the principles of sound financial management, and with the Commission guidance for implementing the do no significant harm principle, as laid down in the Union's expenditure tracking and performance framework established by Regulation (EU) [XXXX] of the European Parliament and of the Council [Budget expenditure tracking and performance framework]. It should contribute to creating an “investment culture” by better leveraging public funds and the de-risking potential of the Union budget. It will maximise the added value of Union action and crowd-in private capital to secure a competitive innovation and industrial base, also by using innovative funding instruments including public-private co-investment with asymmetric risk returns. In this regard, the use of financial instruments that crowd in private investors should be the privileged option wherever possible. In particular, grants should be reserved only where this is strictly necessary and should be used to finance primarily actions that lack viable revenue. This concerns for example the provision of essential public services, protection of Union values, non-commercial research, social investments, environmental protection, health protection or other public interest objectives for which a commercial return is not envisaged. Furthermore, de-risking and crowding in private investment are not enough to secure a just transition. Sufficient space should be left for public investment and public control to ensure an inclusive and democratic transition of the European economy in line with the EU’s environment and climate objectives. Where relevant, ECF support should enable projects that allow for industrial transformation plans, and the scale-up of clean technology from supply chains.

Amendment 12

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 16

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(16) In a fast-changing economic, social, security and geopolitical environment, recent experience has shown the need for a more flexible multiannual financial framework and its programmes. To that effect, and in line with the objectives of the ECF, the funding should take due account, in the budgetary procedure, of the evolving policy needs and Union’s priorities as identified in relevant documents published by the Commission while ensuring the necessary predictability for the implementation of investments.	Amendment(16) In a fast-changing economic, social, security and geopolitical environment, recent experience has shown the need for a more flexible multiannual financial framework and its programmes. To that effect, and in line with the objectives of the ECF, the funding should take due account, in the budgetary procedure, of the evolving policy needs and Union’s priorities as identified in relevant documents published by the Commission while ensuring the necessary transparency predictability for the implementation of investments and long-term sustainability and return on investments. Clear, reliable and timely information on the use of the ECF and the results it delivers is essential for transparency and accountability. A robust performance framework is needed to maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of every euro invested. The ECF's budgetary resources should be aligned with its strategic priorities and to apply such resources where they deliver the greatest results.

Amendment 13

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 17

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(17) The ECF should facilitate access to funding from Union programmes through user-centric, fast, simpler and harmonised procedures and improve coherence among Union instruments and with Member States investments. The ECF should put beneficiaries of Union funding, and notably industry, SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, including those established under the upcoming 28th regime, at the centre of the design of Union funding instruments.	Amendment(17) The ECF should facilitate access to funding from Union programmes through user-centric, fast, excellence-based, simpler, harmonised transparent and standardized procedures and improve coherence among Union instruments and with Member States investments. The ECF should put beneficiaries of Union funding, and notably industry, SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, including those established under the upcoming 28th regime, at the centre of the design of Union funding instruments.

Amendment 14

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 19

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(19) Infrastructure is an essential enabler for European competitiveness. Investments in infrastructure are a necessary condition for the proper functioning of the EU's single market, the green and digital transition and for increasing the Union’s resilience and security. For example, the trans-European transport network fosters sustainable forms of transport, promotes improved multimodal and interoperable digital and transport solutions, thereby contributing to a smooth functioning of the internal market. The trans-European networks for energy are key for a genuine Energy Union to enable the Union’s energy and climate objectives by connecting Union countries’ electricity and clean energy networks to ensure our energy independence and competitiveness. For this, the development of cross-border interconnectors, domestic transmission and distribution grids is essential. The ECF support will work in coherence and complementarity with the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). It is essential for Europe’s competitiveness to provide for synergies between the development of trans-European networks in energy and transport with strong cross-border impact supported by CEF, and investment support for the decarbonisation, modernisation and expansion of transport, energy and digital infrastructure under ECF.	Amendment(19) Infrastructure, in particular energy infrastructure, is an essential enabler for European competitiveness. Investments in infrastructure are a necessary condition for the proper functioning of the EU's single market, the clean and digital transition and for increasing the Union’s resilience and security while supporting the EU’s industries. For example, the trans-European transport network fosters sustainable forms of transport, promotes improved multimodal and interoperable, secure digital and transport solutions, thereby contributing to a smooth functioning of the internal market. The trans-European networks for energy are key for a genuine Energy Union to enable the achievement of Union’s energy and climate objectives through a pragmatic approach by connecting Member states’ electricity and energy networks to ensure the EU’s energy independence and competitiveness. For this, the development of cross-border interconnectors, domestic transmission and distribution grids and the reinforcement of existing grids remain crucial. In this regard, cost-efficient alternatives to grid expansion, including modernisation of existing grids infrastructure, including through non-wire, non-fossil flexibility and digital solutions, is essential. The ECF support will work in coherence and complementarity with the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). It is essential for Europe’s competitiveness to provide for synergies between the development of trans-European networks in energy and transport with strong cross-border impact supported by CEF, and investment support for the decarbonisation, modernisation and expansion of transport, energy and digital infrastructure under ECF.

Amendment 15

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 21

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(21) The competitive strength of the Union lies in its people. The Competitiveness Compass identifies promoting skills and quality jobs as a horizontal enabler. The European Council Conclusions highlight that “following the Commission communication of 5 March 2025 on a Union of Skills, further efforts should be made to enhance the acquisition, recognition and retention of skills across the EU, from the building of basic skills to engaging in life-long learning, reskilling and upskilling, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights and its Action Plan”. A strong dialogue is part of this. Human capital is key to the prosperity of the Union, its economic resilience and unique social market economy. It is essential to foster prosperity, including high quality jobs, by boosting productivity growth, making Union industries more competitive and innovative, attracting additional investments, and supporting a dynamic single market and enhanced economic security. The ECF should contribute to the Union of Skills12 by supporting the development of a skilled workforce equipped with the specific skills needed in the strategic investment areas of the Fund, through life-long learning, education, training projects and apprenticeships, and the creation of attractive quality jobs accessible to all and by accompanying ECF investments with skills investment to alleviate skills shortages in the given strategic sector of the ECF and indicate when it is included. This includes a Skills Guarantee that should enable workers in sectors undergoing restructuring to upskill and reskill, in line with relevant national, regional and/or sectoral transition strategies. The ECF should support skills intelligence, upskilling and reskilling, and foster public-private partnerships between universities, VET providers, businesses, in particular SMEs, social partners and applied research institutes. The ECF could also support activities of University Alliances, also in cooperation with employers, to improve their delivery on innovation and the development of skills and talent.	Amendment(21) The competitive strength of the Union lies in its people. The Competitiveness Compass identifies promoting skills and quality jobs as a horizontal enabler. The European Council Conclusions highlight that “following the Commission communication of 5 March 2025 on a Union of Skills, further efforts should be made to enhance the acquisition, recognition and retention of skills across the EU, from the building of basic skills to engaging in life-long learning, reskilling and upskilling, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights and its Action Plan”. A strong social dialogue is part of this. Human capital is key to the prosperity of the Union, its economic resilience and unique social market economy. It is essential to foster productivity prosperity, including high quality jobs, by boosting productivity growth, making Union industries more competitive and innovative, attracting additional investments, and supporting a dynamic single market and enhanced economic security. The ECF should contribute to the Union of Skills12 by supporting the development of a skilled workforce equipped with the specific skills needed in the strategic investment areas of the Fund, through life-long learning, education, training projects and apprenticeships, and the creation of attractive quality jobs accessible to all and by accompanying ECF investments with skills investment to alleviate skills shortages in the given strategic sector of the ECF and indicate when it is included. This includes a Skills Guarantee that should enable workers in sectors undergoing restructuring to upskill and reskill, in line with relevant national, regional and/or sectoral transition strategies. The ECF should support skills intelligence, upskilling and reskilling, and foster public-private partnerships between universities, VET providers, businesses, in particular SMEs, social partners and applied research institutes. The ECF could also support activities of University Alliances, also in cooperation with employers, to improve their delivery on innovation and the development of skills and talent. Skills development, re-skilling and education should take into consideration the current climate and environment realities, in order to strengthen in particular those competencies necessary for addressing the challenges related thereto, and to find sustainable solutions.
Text proposed by the Commission12 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, The Union of Skills, COM(2025) 90 final, 5.3.2025.	Amendment12 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, The Union of Skills, COM(2025) 90 final, 5.3.2025.

Amendment 16

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 22

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(22) The ECF should contribute to the objectives of decarbonising the European industry by promoting the development and deployment of clean technologies. The ECF will support the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal, turning the clean transition and decarbonisation into a driver of growth and competitiveness for European industries. To this end, the ECF will support decarbonisation with a technology neutral approach, while recognising a contribution of different technologies to grid balancing and sector coupling, to align in particular with the investment needs of energy intensive sectors. Furthermore, it should advance the implementation of the Affordable Energy Action plan, ensuring secure, affordable, efficient and clean energy for all Europeans. The ECF will contribute to the shift towards a decarbonised, circular, resource-efficient, climate-neutral, water resilient and bio-based economy. It will also support sustainable, nature-positive and resilient industrial production in energy-intensive industries in the Union, in line with the objectives of the forthcoming proposal for the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act. It should also support the objectives of the Regulation (EU) 2024/172413 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Net-Zero Industry Act), boosting the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies and the ramp up of production capacities and investing in related infrastructure. To decarbonise the transport sector, amongst others the ECF will also invest in sustainable fuels, the related infrastructure and mobile assets as well as in the modernisation and digitisation of transport.	Amendment(22) Competitiveness and decarbonization are linked and achieving the clean transition has the potential to lead to new economic opportunities and independence of the EU’s energy supply and raw materials. The ECF should contribute to the objectives of decarbonising the European industry by promoting development and deployment of clean technologies and in resource efficiency, essential to achieving the Union’s climate, environmental and energy targets and objectives, including by support packages to decarbonise industrial installations. The ECF will support the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal, anchoring the clean transition, in particular energy transition, and decarbonisation as key drivers of sustainable growth, modernisation and competitiveness for European industries and their supply chains. To this end, the ECF will support decarbonisation with a technology neutral approach, while recognising a contribution of different technologies to grid balancing and sector coupling, to align in particular with the significant investment needs of energy intensive sectors. Furthermore, it should advance the implementation of the Affordable Energy Action plan, ensuring secure, affordable efficient and clean energy for all Europeans and industry. The ECF will contribute, among others to the shift towards a decarbonised, sustainable, circular, energy, resource-efficient, water-efficient, toxic free climate-neutral, water resilient and bio-based economy, including the clean transition of SMEs. It will also support sustainable, nature positive and resilient industrial production in energy-intensive industries in the Union as a key enabler of economic resilience and competitiveness, in line with the objectives of the forthcoming proposal for the Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act. It should also support the objectives of the Regulation (EU) 2024/172413 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Net-Zero Industry Act), boosting the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies and the ramp up of production capacities and investing in related infrastructure. The ECF will also invest in sustainable fuels, including renewable fuels of non-biological origin, within a competitiveness framework, the related infrastructure and mobile assets as well as in the modernisation, electrification and digitisation of transport. Funding should therefore enable significant investments to maintain Europe’s industrial base while meeting climate targets and by reducing environmental impacts, restore nature and biodiversity, industrial and transport electrification and the resilience of our water and energy infrastructure, mobility and industry, including by lowering systemic risks, and reinforcing the resilience and sustainability of European value chains, including with support for decarbonisation and the clean transition within the agriculture and agri-food systems;
Text proposed by the Commission13 Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (OJ L, 2024/1735, 28.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1735/oj).	Amendment13 Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (OJ L, 2024/1735, 28.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1735/oj).

Amendment 17

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 22 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(22a) It is necessary that the allocation of resources from the ECF and other relevant Union funds is guided by clear, transparent and science-based indicators. aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal, respecting the ‘do no significant harm’ principle in Regulation (EU) XXX (Performance Regulation), and with effective support for the transition towards climate neutrality and sustainable competitiveness. The ECF should enhance the EU’s energy security and strategic autonomy by supporting technologies and solutions that advance the phase-out of fossil fuel energy production and consumption.

Amendment 18

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 23

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(23) The ECF will also contribute to protect, restore and improve the quality of the environment, including water, coast, sea and soil, to reduce pollution, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and tackle the degradation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while enhancing climate and water resilience. The ECF Clean Transition and Decarbonisation window should finance projects that contribute to these objectives.	Amendment(23) The ECF should contribute and guarantee that its investments and initiatives will protect, restore and improve the quality of the environment, including water, coast, sea and soil, to reduce pollution, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and tackle the degradation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while enhancing climate, water resilience, related water-smart solutions and resource resilience. The ECF Clean Transition and Decarbonisation window should finance projects, including LIFE actions, that contribute to these objectives.

Amendment 19

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 24

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(24) Projects and activities under the Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation window shall promote energy efficiency, integrated renewable energy, new energies, energy renovations, and innovative heating and cooling solutions.	Amendment(24) Projects and activities under the Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation window should promote energy efficiency, promote renewable energy and clean technologies, including in an integrated manner, low-carbon and other clean energy solutions, including when deployed with energy-intensive industrial activities, new energies, energy renovations, and innovative heating including clean heating and cooling solutions, in line with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 (Net-Zero Industry Act).

Amendment 20

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 24 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(24a) The LIFE programme plays a central role in mainstreaming the EU’s environmental objectives and commitments. Therefore, actions currently supported under the LIFE programme, such as targeted, long term and high-quality support for nature conservation, biodiversity restoration, climate adaptation, pollution prevention and environmental governance should continue in a clear manner.

Amendment 21

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 25

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(25) Union manufacturing productivity also depends on resource efficiency, with materials input representing a signification portion of production costs. Circular approaches to products and manufacturing boost resource productivity, whilst value retention activities such as remanufacturing, refurbishment and repair provide significant job opportunities. The ECF should contribute to the bioeconomy, circular economy and access to materials including biomaterials.	Amendment(25) Union manufacturing productivity also depends on resource availability and efficiency, with materials input representing a significant portion of production costs. Circular approaches to products and their design) and manufacturing boost resource productivity, whilst value retention activities such as remanufacturing, refurbishment and repair provide significant job opportunities, including by leveraging the potential of waste, secondary and reusable materials for increasing resource efficiency and resilience. The ECF should contribute to the sustainable bioeconomy, circular economy and access to materials including biomaterials including, where possible, sustainable technologies with environmental, resource, water or energy efficiency benefits without undermining the EU’s global competitiveness, strengthening the Union’s long-term competitiveness, strategic autonomy and resilience. In this context, the ECF should support competitiveness with true circularity and resource independence.

Amendment 22

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 26

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(26) The Union can become a global leader in digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, digital identity, semiconductors, robotics, quantum technologies, space technologies and others by harnessing the untapped potential of our researchers and industries. The ECF should promote the development and deployment of digital solutions and infrastructures and capacities across the Union for the benefit of the European society and economy.	Amendment(26) The Union can become a global leader in digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, digital identity, semiconductors, robotics, quantum technologies, space technologies and others by harnessing the untapped potential of our researchers and industries. The ECF should promote the development and deployment of digital solutions and state-of-art infrastructures, capacities and skills across the Union for the benefit of the European society and economy, while significantly enhancing energy and resource efficiency, so that they do not slow or undermine the decarbonisation progress and by including, where possible, sustainable technologies with environmental, resource- or energy-efficiency benefits, which hold significant potential for strengthening the Union’s long-term competitiveness, autonomy and resilience.

Amendment 23

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 26 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(26a) Achieving sustainable and long-term technological resilience and leadership requires that the future digital and AI sector is developed and deployed in a sustainable and resource, water and energy efficient manner without undermining the Union’s global competitiveness.

Amendment 24

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 28

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(28) While Europe’s digital transformation is accelerating, the many critical dependencies on non-Union suppliers (from raw materials, advanced semiconductors, and AI chips to systems, infrastructures and services) require European alternatives that anchor the digital transformation in Europe’s economy, with our shared values as the essential differentiator, including by leveraging the power of open-source technologies. Support for digital leadership is driven by regulatory and non-regulatory Union policy initiatives in the digital area such as the AI Act, AI Continent and AI Action Plan, the Apply AI Strategy, the Cloud and AI Development Act, the Data Union Strategy, the Digital Networks Act, the EU Quantum Strategy and the Quantum Act, the Cyber-Solidarity Act, the Cyber-Resilience Act and the Cybersecurity Act, the White Paper for European Defence-Readiness 2030, and the revision of the EU Chips Act, and by future policy initiatives. The digital areas to invest in include a number of critical frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-powered digital twins, robotics, semiconductors, autonomous or quantum technologies. They also include key infrastructures such as digital identity, cloud, high performance and quantum computing, communication, advanced underwater observation infrastructure, and sensing infrastructures, digital connectivity networks, including submarine cables, as well as cybersecurity, defence or space capacities. Fostering their uptake across private and public sectors makes our entire economy more competitive, secure, sovereign, and sustainable, fortifying societal resilience and preparedness. Moreover, interoperable digital technologies are driving the modernisation of the public sector, serving for the integration of the single market, which is our most valuable stepping stone for European digital start-ups to become globally competitive. Technological progress and innovation in every economic sector, and thus their productivity and competitiveness, are essentially driven by the integration of sector-specific digital developments and use of digital solutions that should be supported across the ECF.	Amendment(28) While Europe’s digital transformation is accelerating, the many critical dependencies on non-Union suppliers (from raw materials, advanced semiconductors, and AI chips to systems, infrastructures and services) require European alternatives that anchor the digital transformation in Europe’s economy, with our shared values as the essential differentiator, including by leveraging the power of open-source technologies. Support for digital leadership is driven by regulatory and non-regulatory Union policy initiatives in the digital area such as the AI Act, AI Continent and AI Action Plan, the Apply AI Strategy, the Cloud and AI Development Act, the Data Union Strategy, the Digital Networks Act, the EU Quantum Strategy and the Quantum Act, the Cyber-Solidarity Act, the Cyber-Resilience Act and the Cybersecurity Act, the White Paper for European Defence-Readiness 2030, and the revision of the EU Chips Act, and by future policy initiatives. The digital areas to invest in include a number of critical frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-powered digital twins, robotics, semiconductors, autonomous or quantum technologies. They also include key infrastructures such as digital identity, cloud, high performance and quantum computing, communication, advanced underwater observation infrastructure, and sensing infrastructures, digital connectivity networks, including submarine cables, critical energy infrastructures, as well as cybersecurity, defence or space capacities. Fostering their uptake across private and public sectors makes our entire economy more competitive, secure, sovereign, and sustainable, fortifying societal resilience and preparedness. Moreover, interoperable digital technologies are driving the modernisation of the public sector, serving for the integration of the single market, which is our most valuable stepping stone for European digital start-ups to become globally competitive. Technological progress and innovation in every economic sector, and thus their productivity and competitiveness, are essentially driven by the integration of sector-specific digital developments and use of digital solutions that should be supported across the ECF.

Amendment 25

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 30

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(30) Europe must protect its security interest against suppliers which could represent a persistent security risk due to the potential interference from third countries as well as their security, notably cybersecurity. It is therefore necessary to reduce the risk of persisting dependency on high-risk suppliers in the internal market, including in the ICT supply chain, as they could have potentially serious negative impacts on security for users and companies across the Union and the Union’s critical infrastructure in terms of the integrity of data and services as well as the availability of service. This restriction should be based on a proportionate risk assessment and associated mitigation measures as defined in the Union policies and laws.	Amendment(30) Europe must protect its security interest against suppliers which could represent a persistent security risk due to the potential interference from third countries as well as their security, notably cybersecurity. It is therefore necessary to reduce the risk of persisting dependency on high-risk suppliers in the internal market, including in the ICT supply chain, as they could have potentially serious negative impacts on security for users and companies across the Union and the Union’s critical infrastructure in terms of the confidentiality, the integrity of data and services as well as the availability of service. This restriction should be based on a proportionate risk assessment and associated mitigation measures as defined in the Union policies and laws.

Amendment 26

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 30 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(30a) In light of the volatile geostrategic environment, where state-sponsored and other malicious actors increasingly target and probe Europe’s energy assets, ensuring EU infrastructure maintains a high level of security and preparedness is crucial. The ECF should contribute to further improving cyber security and digital resilience of critical energy infrastructure, which is essential to safeguarding the Unions autonomy, competitiveness and climate ambition.

Amendment 27

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 33

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(33) The bioeconomy is a growth engine that allows Europe to make a success of the green transition, strengthen its competitiveness and strategic autonomy. Although Europe’s bioeconomy is already reshaping industrial ecosystems, reinforcing strategic autonomy, and unlocking value across strategic sectors, it is crucial to strengthen investments, initiatives and strategies at Union and Member State level to bring it from niche to norm across Union sectors and regions to realise its potential, and in particular for key industries. There is a need to foster the competitiveness, sustainability, resilience and fairness of the agricultural, fisheries, aquaculture and forestry sectors, of rural and coastal areas and to contribute to long-term food security in the Union.	Amendment(33) The bioeconomy is a promising sector and a growth engine that could allow the Union to make a success of the green transition and to the resilience, competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the Union. Although Europe’s bioeconomy is already reshaping industrial ecosystems, reinforcing strategic autonomy, and unlocking value across strategic sectors, it is crucial to strengthen investments, initiatives and strategies at Union and Member State level to bring bio-based solutions from niche to norm across Union sectors and regions thereby unlocking their full growth potential and in particular for key industries with bio-based solutions that enhance resource efficiency, including sustainable water use, the protection and restoration of biodiversity, and the preservation of ecosystem services. There is a need to provide access to finance and support for SMEs, startups, scaleup and innovations to ensure that biotechnology fosters the competitiveness, sustainability, clean transition and decarbonisation, resilience and fairness of the agri-food, fisheries, aquaculture and forestry sectors, including in rural and coastal areas in order to contribute to long-term food security and resilience in the Union and to generate new income streams and improving the economic perspective of rural areas.

Amendment 28

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 33 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(33a) Biotechnology is among the most promising technologies of this century with the potential to revolutionise several areas of the economy, notably by enabling resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable solutions across health, agri-food, industrial, environmental and marine biotechnology. Strengthening emerging value chains and providing access to finance and tailored support for SMEs, startups, scaleups and innovators is essential to empower biotechnology to deliver solutions that contribute to the Unions resilience, sustainability and competitiveness.

Amendment 29

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 34

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(34) Investments, initiatives and strategies are needed to close the innovation gap and accelerate the discovery, development, derisking, demonstration, scale-up of bioeconomy innovations, to support their market uptake, to provide finance along the innovation journey for start-ups and for scaling up high growth companies, to maximise resource efficiency and to secure sustainably sourced biomass supply. The bioeconomy contributes to decarbonisation, by providing sustainable alternatives to fossil-based products and processes, but also to circularity, the clean transition, carbon farming, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and nature restoration.	Amendment(34) Investments, initiatives and strategies are needed to close the innovation gap and accelerate the discovery, development, derisking, demonstration, scale-up of biotech and bioeconomy innovations including biomanufacturing processes, to support their first-of-kind market uptake, to provide finance along the innovation journey for start-ups and for scaling up high growth companies, to maximise resource efficiency and to secure sustainably sourced biomass supply in accordance with existing national forest management frameworks. The bioeconomy contributes to decarbonisation, by providing sustainable alternatives to fossil-based products and processes, but also to circularity, security of supply, the clean transition, carbon farming, biodiversity, ecosystem services, food production and nature restoration.

Amendment 30

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 35

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(35) Fostering the resilience of the European industry is essential for the Union to remain competitive even in times of crisis and is essential for Union’s security. To ensure its resilience, the ECF should support actions aimed to reduce dependencies and diversify supply in strategic sectors such as the raw materials sector, thus reinforcing the Union capacities for a secure supply of sustainable critical raw materials along the whole value chain in line with the objectives of the Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Critical Raw Materials Act)15 and the chemicals industry, underpinning almost all industry sectors. Pursuing an ambitious and mutually beneficial trade agenda is essential for the Union’s ability to diversify its supply chains and effectively reduce dependencies.	Amendment(35) Fostering the resilience of the European industry is essential for maintaining Union’s competitiveness even in times of crisis and safeguarding overall security. To ensure its resilience, the ECF should support actions aimed at promoting climate, energy and environmental resilience across sectors, improving critical infrastructure with resilience by design including by considering nature-based solutions, that can contribute, inter alia, to security and defence purposes. The ECF should also aim to reduce dependencies and diversify supply in strategic sectors such as the raw materials sector, thus reinforcing the Union capacities for a secure supply, financing and predictability of sustainable critical raw materials, including by fostering efficiency and circularity along the whole value chain in line with the objectives of the Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Critical Raw Materials Act)15, the Resource EU Action Plan and the chemicals industry, underpinning almost all industry sectors, including innovation, scaling and deployment of advanced waste-processing, recycling and recovery techniques. Pursuing an ambitious and mutually beneficial trade agenda is essential for the Union’s ability to diversify its supply chains and effectively reduce dependencies. Ensuring the availability of critical minerals, such as by support actions aimed at re-using, recovering and recycling critical raw materials within the Union, is essential for the green transition and the long-term competitiveness and autonomy of the European Union.
Text proposed by the Commission15 Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 (Text with EEA relevance), OJ L, 2024/1252, 3.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1252/oj	Amendment15 Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 (Text with EEA relevance), OJ L, 2024/1252, 3.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1252/oj

Amendment 31

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 36 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(36a) The strategic autonomy and resilience of the Union’s security and defence depend on a strong and future-proofed sector capable of reducing its exposure to external energy, material and supply-chain dependencies. Support to the defence industry should therefore, where appropriate, promote the gradual reduction of emissions and resource intensity across defence value chains without weakening operational capability, affordability and delivery speed.

Amendment 32

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 37

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(37) Union Space technology, data and services have become indispensable in the daily lives of Europeans and play an essential role in preserving strategic interests. Space contributes to all sectors of the economy from agriculture to banking. It is a critical enabler for security and defence, and for the well-functioning and competitiveness of the economy for example by providing accurate position-services for a broad spectrum of sectors and users, ranging from aviation to maritime, and thereby playing a key role for Europe and European citizens’ independence and sovereignty. Space is crucial for the achievement of EU's priorities and its strategic goals, including for economic prosperity and economic security, decarbonisation, green and digital transition. Space contributes to the economic security of the Union and its Member States. It also drives scientific research and technological innovation, with spill-over effects in a wide range of sectors. Finally, space offers a platform for international cooperation and space diplomacy to underpin the Union’s position as a reliable partner on the global scene.	Amendment(37) Union Space technology, data and services have become indispensable in the daily lives of Europeans and play an essential role in preserving strategic interests. Space contributes to all sectors of the economy from agriculture to banking. It is a critical enabler for security and defence, and for the well-functioning and competitiveness of the economy for example by providing accurate position-services for a broad spectrum of sectors and users and thereby playing a key role for Europe and European citizens’ independence and sovereignty. Space is crucial for the achievement of EU's priorities and its strategic goals, including for economic prosperity and economic security, decarbonisation, green and digital transition. Space contributes to the economic security of the Union and its Member States. It also drives scientific research and technological innovation, with spill-over effects in a wide range of sectors. Finally, space offers a platform for international cooperation and space diplomacy to underpin the Union’s position as a reliable partner on the global scene.

Amendment 33

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 37 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(37a) The Union’s space sector is at the pinnacle of innovation in the EU, and support to space-related activities is needed, that can promote responsible development, innovation, deployment and end-of-life practices of space operations, that reduce environmental and climate impacts where technically feasible and limit the creation of long-term risks such as space debris. Such an approach is essential to provide investment certainty for large operators, start-ups and SMEs alike, to strengthen European industrial leadership and goes hand in hand with the environmental and climate standards of the Union.

Amendment 34

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 39

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(39) The ECF should also support the policy goals of a safer, more secure Europe that is better prepared against security threats, in particular by enhancing European industry competitiveness and strategic autonomy, including maritime and customs security, critical energy and transport infrastructure and civil preparedness. To address increasing security and hybrid threats like terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, climate disasters and attacks on critical infrastructure, the ECF should support Europe’s efforts to increase its threat awareness, build resilience and boost security investments, and promote preparedness by design across relevant sectors.	Amendment(39) The ECF should also support the policy goals of a safer, more secure Europe that is better prepared against security threats, in particular by enhancing European industry competitiveness and strategic autonomy, including maritime and customs security, critical energy and transport infrastructure and civil preparedness. In a context marked by the increasing frequency and intensity of natural and climate-related disasters, in particular forest fires, floods, droughts and extreme weather events, these threats now constitute a major and structural risk to the safety, resilience and territorial cohesion of the Union, while also undermining supply chains, disrupting economic activity and posing a serious threat to the sustainability and global competitiveness of European companies. To address increasing security and hybrid threats like terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, biological warfare, resource and biodiversity depletion, environmental and climate change related disasters and attacks on critical infrastructure, the ECF should support Europe’s efforts to increase its threat awareness, build resilience and boost security investments, including through the development, strengthening and deployment of European capacities for prevention and rapid response to natural and climate-related disasters, and promote preparedness, mitigation and adaptation by design across relevant sectors.

Amendment 35

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 40

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(40) Increasingly, we see the same technologies used for market and defence applications, often driven by startups innovators. It is therefore imperative to seek measures to better exploit the potential civil-defence synergies and of dual-use technologies. Dual-use technologies, materials, knowledge, or products that can be used for both civilian and military purposes may be supported across the ECF, to ensure a better connection of the Union’s technological industry to its defence industrial base as well as to the technological innovation capital of Europe.	Amendment(40) Increasingly, we see the same technologies used for market and defence applications, often driven by startups innovators. It is therefore imperative to seek measures to better exploit the potential civil-defence synergies and of dual-use technologies. These synergies increasingly extend to civil protection applications, in particular in the areas of prevention, preparedness and response to natural and climate-related disasters. Dual-use technologies, materials, knowledge, or products that can be used for both civilian and military purposes may be supported across the ECF, to ensure a better connection of the Union’s technological industry to its defence industrial base as well as to the technological innovation capital of Europe, including research and development actions for biotechnology with defence applications in line with the current provisions under the European Defence Fund (EDF).

Amendment 36

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 41

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(41) To ensure predictability for stakeholders and provide a sufficient level of certainty for investment planning, the ECF should set out an indicative budget distribution across the policy windows for the period 2028 to 2034 while maintaining flexibility to reallocate parts of the budget in accordance with new challenges and emerging priorities throughout the duration of the Multiannual Financial Framework. To this extent, it should be ensured that a certain minimum budget envelope is available for long-term planning and commitments broken down over several years into annual instalments in each policy window, allowing the Union to consolidate its demand and enter into strategic long-term relations with recipients give long-term predictability to industry and financial ecosystem, and enable the setup of important Union infrastructures, such as for hydrogen and industrial carbon management, world-class satellite systems, underwater observation infrastructures, cybersecurity, semiconductors quantum, AI and high-performance computing or critical infrastructure, and defence or space projects of common interest.	Amendment(41) To ensure predictability for stakeholders and provide a sufficient level of certainty for investment planning, the ECF should set out an indicative budget distribution across the policy windows for the period 2028 to 2034 while increasing transparency and maintaining flexibility to reallocate parts of the budget in accordance with new challenges and emerging priorities throughout the duration of the Multiannual Financial Framework. To this extent, it should be ensured that a certain minimum budget envelope is available for long-term planning and commitments broken down over several years into annual instalments in each policy window, allowing the Union to consolidate its demand and enter into strategic long-term relations with recipients give long-term predictability to industry and financial ecosystem, and enable the setup of important Union infrastructures, such as for hydrogen and industrial carbon management, world-class satellite systems, underwater observation infrastructures, cybersecurity, semiconductors quantum, AI and high-performance computing or critical infrastructure, including strategic health infrastructures, and defence or space projects of common interest.

Amendment 37

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 44

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(44) To promote the Union’s competitiveness, in addition to its budget, wherever possible the ECF should attract and generate additional assigned external revenues. In this respect, the ECF should be open and facilitate synergies and cooperation for any financial or non-financial contributions that can support the competitiveness objectives, including from Member States, third countries and international organisations.	Amendment(44) To promote the Union’s competitiveness, in addition to its budget, wherever possible the ECF should attract and generate additional assigned external revenues. In this respect, the ECF should be open and facilitate synergies and cooperation for any financial or non-financial contributions that can support the competitiveness objectives and just transition, including from Member States, third countries and international organisations, while maintaining monetary and fiscal stability.

Amendment 38

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 45

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(45) To promote the resilience of the Union economy, notably by reducing strategic dependencies, the ECF should enable Union preference for support to manufacturing and developing strategic technologies and sectors located in the Union, notably for actions related to Union strategic assets, interests, autonomy or security, in line with Union law and its international commitments. It is essential that European funding contributes to the uptake of strategic technologies developed in the Union and funded through European funding. To support the development and manufacturing in the Union of strategic technologies funded by the Union, the ECF should allow to condition its support through control restrictions, asset transfers restrictions and supply restrictions to the use of specific products and technologies.	Amendment(45) To promote the resilience of the Union economy, notably by reducing strategic dependencies, the ECF should enable Union preference for support to manufacturing, remanufacturing, scaling up and recycling and developing strategic first industrial deployment technologies and sectors located in the Union, notably for actions related to Union strategic assets, interests, autonomy or security, in line with Union law and its international commitments. In this context, renewable raw materials sustainably sourced within the Union, contribute to reducing dependency on fossil-based and third-country raw materials and strengthen the Union’s material self-sufficiency. It is essential that European funding contributes to the uptake and accelerating the roll out of strategic technologies developed in the Union and funded through European funding. To support the development and first industrial deployment manufacturing in the Union of strategic technologies funded by the Union, the ECF should allow to condition its support through control restrictions, asset transfers restrictions and supply restrictions to the use of specific products and technologies.

Amendment 39

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 45 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(45a) To boost the Union's strategic autonomy and competitiveness, it is crucial to support innovation and investments for a sustainable and resilient agri-food sector. To strengthen the competitiveness of the agri-food sector, investments should be made across the value chain, covering research and innovation, production and consumption, and should aim to keep the Union as a strategic player in Biotech developments. The agri-food system is a crucial decarbonisation lever, making the adoption and sustaining of sustainable production practices as part of diversified production systems a strategic priority to meet the Union's sustainability objectives including by supporting the cultivation of protein crops and diversified cropping systems, recognising the role of diets in combating health risks and diseases.

Amendment 40

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 46

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(46) ECF activities should be open for cooperation with third countries where this is in the interest of the Union. To that extent, the Union may associate, fully or partially, third countries to the activities under the ECF. Association should be subject to a fair balance as regards contributions and benefits of the third countries and ensure the protection of the financial and, where relevant, security interest of the Union.	Amendment(46) ECF activities should be open for cooperation with third countries where this is in the interest of the Union. Green transition and sustainable development are examples of areas where international cooperation is particularly beneficial. To that extent, the Union may associate, fully or partially, third countries to the activities under the ECF. Association should be subject to a fair balance as regards contributions and benefits of the third countries and ensure the protection of the financial and, where relevant, security interest of the Union.

Amendment 41

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 47

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(47) The ECF should be open and facilitate synergies with other Union activities that support policy areas closely linked with competitiveness, the including the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, external policies and programmes in shared management with Member States. This should allow for the combination and cumulation of funding for actions supporting the objectives of more than one Union policy area. Cooperation between the Commission and Member States should be established to ensure consistency and complementarities between the ECF and the Regulation (EU) [XXX] [National and Regional partnership plans] Moreover, support from the Regulation (EU) [XXX] [National and Regional Partnership Plans ] and from the ECF to projects that have been awarded the Competitiveness Seal should be facilitated, taking advantage of the assessment conducted prior to the attribution of the Seal and without prejudice to the State aid rules. The criteria for awarding the Competitiveness Seal should be designed in a manner that can enable to seal to also act as a quality guarantee providing assurances to institutional investors that the project has been appropriately vetted. The Competitiveness Seal should be awarded to high quality projects contributing to the objectives of the ECF. The ECF may be implemented jointly with other Union programmes or other co-donors or co-investors, and those partners should be able to participate in evaluation committees for jointly funded award procedures. The implementation of all those synergy activities should be simple. Reporting and record-keeping requirements for recipients should be reduced, where possible to a single contractual reporting and payment stream with a single set of rules for all support provided.	Amendment(47) The ECF should be open and facilitate synergies with other Union activities that support policy areas closely linked with competitiveness, the including the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, external policies and programmes in shared management with Member States. This should allow for the combination and cumulation of funding for actions supporting the objectives of more than one Union policy area. Cooperation between the Commission and Member States should be established to ensure consistency and complementarities between the ECF and the Regulation (EU) [XXX] [National and Regional partnership plans] Moreover, support from the Regulation (EU) [XXX] [National and Regional Partnership Plans ] and from the ECF to projects that have been awarded the Competitiveness Seal should be facilitated, taking advantage of the assessment conducted prior to the attribution of the Seal and without prejudice to the State aid rules. The criteria for awarding the Competitiveness Seal should be designed in a manner that can enable to seal to also act as a quality guarantee providing assurances to institutional investors that the project has been appropriately vetted. The Competitiveness Seal should be awarded to high quality projects contributing to the objectives of the ECF or projects with high RDI added value and first-of-kind. The ECF may be implemented jointly with other Union programmes or other co-donors or co-investors, and those partners should be able to participate in evaluation committees for jointly funded award procedures. The implementation of all those synergy activities should be simple. Reporting and record-keeping requirements for recipients should be reduced, where possible to a single contractual reporting and payment stream with a single set of rules for all support provided. Projects that have gained access to funding under one window of the ECF and that have been awarded the Competitiveness Seal should benefit from streamlined access and, where appropriate, priority consideration under the relevant window, in order to maximise synergies and avoid duplication of assessment.

Amendment 42

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 48

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(48) Union support should focus on the achievement of policy objectives. In all cases, ECF funding should be provided in the form best able to achieve its objectives, while limiting administrative burden for recipients to the absolute minimum. When implementing the budget, the ECF should provide the full toolbox of Union support and ensure synergies between its supported policies, in particular by allowing for simplified common award procedures to pursue objectives of more than one policy. As such, the elimination of burdensome financial reporting through the widest possible use of financing not linked to cost should be pursued as a major simplification measure.	Amendment(48) Union support should focus on the achievement of policy objectives. In all cases, ECF funding should be provided in the form best able to achieve its objectives, while limiting administrative and financial burden for recipients to the absolute minimum. When implementing the budget, the ECF should provide the full toolbox of Union support and ensure synergies between its supported policies, in particular by allowing for simplified common award procedures to pursue objectives of more than one policy. As such, the elimination of burdensome financial reporting through the widest possible use of financing not linked to cost should be pursued as a major simplification measure.

Amendment 43

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 49

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(49) The ECF should support a diverse set of policies contributing to competitiveness, while providing a harmonised baseline set of eligibility criteria to provide policy steer and ensuring a sufficient level of protection of economic and security interests by focusing Union support on recipients in the Member States, including Overseas Countries and Territories. Where necessary, the ECF should establish specific eligibility conditions for strategic sectors and technologies, including underlying value chains, critical Union infrastructures and specific capabilities.	Amendment(49) The ECF should support a diverse set of policies contributing to competitiveness, objectives while respecting the principle of proportionality and subsidiarity and providing a harmonised baseline set of excellence-based eligibility criteria, and award criteria to provide policy steer and ensuring a sufficient level of protection of social, environmental, economic and security interests by focusing Union support on recipients in the Member States, including Overseas Countries and Territories. Where necessary, the ECF should establish specific eligibility conditions for strategic sectors and technologies, including underlying value chains, critical Union infrastructures and specific capabilities.

Amendment 44

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 50 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(50a) SMEs are an integral part of the European economy and an important source of employment and growth potential, but they are also faced with challenges and barriers that can warrant specific attention. To make sure that the needs of SMEs are properly taken into account, work programmes under the ECF should, where relevant, describe how they could support SMEs.

Amendment 45

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 56 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(56a) To maximise Union added value, protect the Union budget and crowd in private investment, support under the ECF should follow a performance-based approach to selecting the form of Union support. In line with Regulation (EU) [XXXX] of the European Parliament and of the Council [Budget expenditure tracking and performance framework] and the principles of sound financial management, the chosen support (including grants, procurement, guarantees, loans, equity or quasi-equity, blending, and performance-based contracts) should be based on a regular ex-ante assessment.

Amendment 46

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 57

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(57) Multistakeholder consultations, including those of researchers and industry, the social partners, as well as investors, end-users and civil society, from SME, small to large organisations, should contribute to the priorities of the ECF. Those consultations should be structured via advisory boards including the ECF Stakeholder Board whose task should be to provide insights and advise the Commission on policy trends, on investment needs, and on the implementation of the ECF from the perspective of project promoters, with the aim to ensure that feedback from stakeholder communities is reflected in the design of work programmes.	Amendment(57) Multistakeholder consultations, including those of researchers and industry, local and regional authorities, the social partners, as well as investors, end-users and civil society, from SME, small to large organisations, should contribute to the priorities of the ECF. Those consultations should be structured via advisory boards including the ECF Stakeholder Board whose task should be to provide insights and advise the Commission on policy trends, on investment needs, and on the implementation of the ECF from the perspective of project promoters, with the aim to ensure that feedback from stakeholder communities is reflected in the design of work programmes.

Amendment 47

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 59

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(59) The ever-evolving geopolitical situation underlines the need for Europe to ensure its own strategic autonomy and avoid strategic dependencies. The ECF will include the possibility to support production ramp up and undertake accelerated competitiveness actions for projects that offer specific support to European strategic autonomy. This is for example the case for projects that have been selected as strategic under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 (Critical Raw Materials Act), Regulation (EU) 2024/1724 (Net Zero Industry Act) and the Regulation (EU) 2025/102 (Critical Medicines Act).	Amendment(59) The ever-evolving geopolitical situation underlines the need for Europe to ensure its own strategic autonomy and avoid strategic dependencies. The ECF will include the possibility to support production ramp up and first industrial deployment and undertake accelerated competitiveness actions for projects that offer specific support to European strategic autonomy. This is for example the case for projects that have been selected as strategic under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 (Critical Raw Materials Act), Regulation (EU) 2024/1724 (Net Zero Industry Act) and the Regulation (EU) 2025/102 (Critical Medicines Act).

Amendment 48

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 59 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(59a) The Union is committed to enhancing its industrial competitiveness and technological sovereignty while ensuring the highest level of environmental protection in line with the environmental acquis and the objectives of the European Green Deal. The ECF should support technologies, industries and projects through funding that is guided by objective, transparent, and non-discriminatory criteria that assess each proposal’s potential to advance the Union’s competitiveness and economic resilience and that ensures the consideration of all technologies that can contribute to these objectives, and approaches, so long as they meet the established environmental, performance, and competitiveness requirements. The funding, projects and considerations should be fully aligned with the precautionary principle, the polluter pays principle, and the principle of sustainable development as set out in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and relevant secondary legislation.

Amendment 49

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 62

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(62) Where necessary and duly justified, the ECF should provide a targeted intervention mechanism to deliberately provide Union support to certain actions of strategic and economic importance. Where certain important projects could not be successfully implemented within the timeline for completion of regular competitive award procedures, the ECF should also provide for the possibility of directly taking-up excellent projects that remained unfunded under any Union programme or continue to financially support well-working projects seamlessly in their next steps along the investment journey, without imposing additional administrative burden for the recipients. In addition, in line with the approach taken by the relevant sectoral legislation, such as the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) or Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) and referenced in the Clean Industrial Deal (CID) communication and the Single Market Strategy, cases in which specific projects are considered to be of public interest or presumed to be of overriding public interest may be identified in separate existing or future legislation.	Amendment(62) Where necessary and duly justified, the ECF should provide a targeted intervention mechanism to deliberately provide Union support to certain actions of strategic, economic and environmental importance. Where certain important projects could not be successfully implemented within the timeline for completion of regular competitive award procedures, the ECF should also provide for the possibility of directly taking-up excellent projects that remained unfunded under any Union programme or continue to financially support well-working projects seamlessly in their next steps along the investment journey, without imposing additional administrative and financial burden for the recipients. In addition, in line with the approach taken by the relevant sectoral legislation, such as the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) or Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) and referenced in the Clean Industrial Deal (CID) communication and the Single Market Strategy, cases in which specific projects are considered to be of public interest or presumed to be of overriding public interest may be identified in separate existing or future legislation.

Amendment 50

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 65

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(65) Where necessary and duly justified, the ECF should allow for a more flexible and accessible way of identifying, selecting and supporting innovative projects and ideas, including by providing for instrument-neutral award procedures that will allow researchers, entrepreneurs, companies and other citizens to propose their innovation solution without the initial artificial narrowing or limitation of Union support to a grant, procurement or other form of Union support. Ideas should be assessed and selected based on their merit in addressing the respective challenge or Union policy priority, and the most appropriate and effective instrument of budget implementation to support these ideas, whether grant, procurement or others, should be selected only afterwards based on the requirements and merits of the individual project.	Amendment(65) Where necessary and duly justified, the ECF should allow for a more flexible and accessible way of identifying, selecting and supporting innovative projects and ideas, including by providing for instrument-neutral award procedures that will allow researchers, entrepreneurs, companies, trade unions and other citizens to propose their innovation solution without the initial artificial narrowing or limitation of Union support to a grant, procurement or other form of Union support. Ideas should be assessed and selected based on their merit in addressing the respective challenge or Union policy priority, and the most appropriate and effective instrument of budget implementation to support these ideas, whether grant, procurement or others, should be selected only afterwards based on the requirements and merits of the individual project.

Amendment 51

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 67

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(67) The ECF InvestEU Instrument should provide the budgetary guarantee and financial instruments to mobilise additional investment across the Union to support European competitiveness in strategic technologies, services and sectors.	Amendment(67) The ECF InvestEU Instrument should provide the budgetary guarantee and financial instruments to mobilise additional investment across the Union to support European competitiveness also in the deployment of strategic technologies, in line with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 (Net-Zero Industry Act), strategic services and sectors.

Amendment 52

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 76

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(76) Whereas European innovative start-ups and scale-ups are essential engines of growth and competitiveness, and acknowledging that they face persistent barriers to access necessary financing in the Union, the ECF InvestEU Instrument should provide targeted financial support to growing and scaling up companies in the Union at all stages — from inception and start-up to scale-up and industrial manufacturing. The ECF InvestEU Instrument should provide direct and indirect funding for European companies with a view to attract private investors — thereby unlocking the full potential of European entrepreneurship and investment. This will empower start-ups and scale-ups and reinforce the Union’s global leadership in technology and industry, while bridging Europe’s innovation and investment gaps and delivering on the ambition of the Savings and Investment Union. The ECF InvestEU Instrument would include a facility aiming to ensure that high-growth enterprises developing or deploying innovative technologies, including in areas important for the Union’s strategic interests and economic security, can access adequate capital to scale up their businesses. It will mobilise investments from Europe’s capital markets, in line with Union’s policy priorities.	Amendment(76) Whereas European innovative start-ups and scale-ups are essential engines of growth and competitiveness, and acknowledging that they face persistent barriers to access necessary financing in the Union, the ECF InvestEU Instrument should provide targeted financial support to growing and scaling up companies in the Union at all stages — from inception and start-up to scale-up and industrial manufacturing and first-deployment — with continued weight on sustainable infrastructure, research and innovation and SMEs. The ECF InvestEU Instrument should provide direct and indirect funding for European companies with a view to attract private investors — thereby unlocking the full potential of European entrepreneurship and investment. This will empower start-ups and scale-ups and reinforce the Union’s global leadership in technology and industry, while bridging Europe’s innovation and investment gaps and delivering on the ambition of the Savings and Investment Union. The ECF InvestEU Instrument would include a facility aiming to ensure that high-growth enterprises developing or deploying innovative technologies, in line with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 (Net-Zero Industry Act), including in areas important for the Union’s strategic interests and economic security, can access adequate capital to scale up their businesses. It will mobilise investments from Europe’s capital markets, in line with Union’s policy priorities.

Amendment 53

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 76 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(76a) Investment in renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, building renovation, storage, smart grids, charging infrastructure and heat pumps by households, SMEs, municipalities and energy communities is essential for achieving the Union’s climate, energy, competitiveness and resilience objectives. However, such investments often face barriers to adequate and affordable financing and need additional Union-level action to mobilise private capital and facilitate access to finance for energy communities, SMEs and other local actors. The ECF InvestEU Instrument should therefore provide targeted support to de-risk and crowd in private investment in decentralised renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions, including dedicated support to energy communities, leveraging Union financial instruments to strengthen citizen participation, enhance affordability and competitiveness, and accelerate the clean energy transition.

Amendment 54

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 77 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(77a) In order to increase SME participation and reduce barriers to access, ECF procedures should make as much use as possible of simplified cost options, reporting requirements proportionate to the scale of the beneficiary, and in line with the Union’s environmental and climate objectives, including through the digital tools envisaged for access to finance.

Amendment 55

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 78

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(78) SMEs make up more than 99 % of all businesses in the Union, provide two thirds of jobs, and contribute substantially to the creation of new quality jobs in all sectors. Scaling firms exist across all sectors and levels of innovative prowess. Stimulating the Union’s growth and innovation can only happen by boosting the many scalers that exist across the Union SME population. SMEs are essential to achieve the green and digital transformations of the economy, including the achievement of climate neutrality.	Amendment(78) SMEs make up more than 99 % of all businesses in the Union, provide two thirds of jobs, and contribute substantially to the creation of new quality jobs in all sectors. Scaling firms exist across all sectors and levels of innovative prowess. Stimulating the Union’s growth and innovation can only happen by boosting the many scalers that exist across the Union SME population. SMEs are essential to boost the economy, productivity of the Union and to achieve the green and digital transformation and the achievement of climate neutrality as well as societal acceptance of clean transition.

Amendment 56

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 80

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(80) Evidence shows that direct financial support to SMEs is not enough on its own to support their scaling-up and that they need and benefit from dedicated advice at Union level. Providing advice on Single Market rules, innovation and access to finance contributes to Union competitiveness. Moreover, business support at local, regional and national level is diverse and should also connect less developed and outermost regions. Existing Union initiatives such as the Enterprise Europe Network, European Cluster Collaboration Platform and European Digital Innovation Hubs have helped bridge this gap. Accordingly, an ‘EU for Business Network’ shall be established, building on the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) and other networks, to simplify and streamline advisory and partnership services.	Amendment(80) Evidence shows that direct financial support to SMEs and social economy entities is not enough on its own to support their scaling-up and that they need and benefit from dedicated advice at Union level. Providing advice on Single Market rules, innovation and access to finance contributes to Union competitiveness. Moreover, business support at local, regional and national level is diverse and should also connect less developed and outermost regions. Existing Union initiatives such as the Enterprise Europe Network, European Cluster Collaboration Platform and European Digital Innovation Hubs have helped bridge this gap. Accordingly, an ‘EU for Business Network’ should be established, building on the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) and other networks, to simplify and streamline advisory and partnership services.

Amendment 57

Proposal for a regulation

Recital 89

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(89) The ECF replaces the programmes established by Regulations (EU) 2021/522,26 (EU) 2021/694,27 (EU) 2021/696,28 (EU) 2021/697,29 (EU) 2021/783,30 (EU) 2023/588,31 , repeals provisions of Regulations (EU) 2021/696, (EU) 2023/588 and (EU) [EDIP].	Amendment(89) The ECF replaces the programmes established by Regulations (EU) 2021/522,26 (EU) 2021/694,27 (EU) 2021/696,28 (EU) 2021/697,29 (EU) 2023/588,30 amends Regulation (EU) 2021/78331, and repeals provisions of Regulations (EU) 2021/696, (EU) 2023/588 and (EU) [EDIP].
Text proposed by the Commission26 Regulation (EU) 2021/522 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 March 2021 establishing a Programme for the Union’s action in the field of health (‘EU4Health Programme’) for the period 2021-2027, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 282/2014 (OJ L 107, 26.3.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/522/oj).	Amendment26 Regulation (EU) 2021/522 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 March 2021 establishing a Programme for the Union’s action in the field of health (‘EU4Health Programme’) for the period 2021-2027, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 282/2014 (OJ L 107, 26.3.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/522/oj).
Text proposed by the Commission27 Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the Digital Europe Programme and repealing Decision (EU) 2015/2240 (OJ L 166, 11.5.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/694/oj).	Amendment27 Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the Digital Europe Programme and repealing Decision (EU) 2015/2240 (OJ L 166, 11.5.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/694/oj).
Text proposed by the Commission28 Regulation (EU) 2021/696 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing the Union Space Programme and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013 and (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision No 541/2014/EU (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 69, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/696/oj).	Amendment28 Regulation (EU) 2021/696 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing the Union Space Programme and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and repealing Regulations (EU) No 912/2010, (EU) No 1285/2013 and (EU) No 377/2014 and Decision No 541/2014/EU (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 69, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/696/oj).
Text proposed by the Commission29 Regulation (EU) 2021/697 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the European Defence Fund and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1092 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 149, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/697/oj) .	Amendment29 Regulation (EU) 2021/697 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the European Defence Fund and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1092 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 149, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/697/oj) .
Text proposed by the Commission30 Regulation (EU) 2021/783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE), and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 (OJ L 172, 17.5.2021, p. 53, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/783/oj).	Amendment30 Regulation (EU) 2021/783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE), and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 (OJ L 172, 17.5.2021, p. 53, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/783/oj).
Text proposed by the Commission31 Regulation (EU) 2023/588 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 (OJ L 79, 17.3.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/588/oj).	Amendment31 Regulation (EU) 2023/588 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 (OJ L 79, 17.3.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/588/oj).

Amendment 58

Proposal for a regulation

Article 1 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. The Regulation also sets up a legal framework aiming at ensuring security of supply, removing investment obstacles and production bottlenecks and supporting the competitiveness of the Union’s industrial base.	Amendment3. The Regulation also sets up a legal framework aiming at ensuring innovation, security of supply, removing investment obstacles, production bottlenecks and skill gaps, and supporting the competitiveness of the Union’s industrial base, while ensuring full alignment with the Union’s climate objectives, in particular its 2030 targets and climate-neutrality by 2050, and the Union’s commitment to a clean and just transition as well as the financial stability of the Union and its Member States.

Amendment 59

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(3a) ‘Competitiveness’ means the Union’s capacity to raise its productivity, to foster innovation, to compete successfully on global markets, to bolster its strategic autonomy and independence and to ensure the resilience of its economy against security, geopolitical, climate and environmental risks or any other systemic shocks, while ensuring a level playing field and alignment with the clean transition and the Union’s climate objectives;

Amendment 60

Proposal for a regulation

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(20) ‘Stakeholders' means individuals, groups, or organizations that are affected by and can be involved in the programme implementation;	Amendment(20) ‘Stakeholders' means individuals, groups, or organizations, including civil society organizations, that are affected by and can be involved in the programme implementation;

Amendment 61

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The general objective of the ECF is to increase European competitiveness, notably in strategic sectors and technologies along the investment journey by:	Amendment1. The general objective of the ECF is to strengthen, increase and safeguard the Union's competitiveness, productivity, resilience and security, while ensuring full alignment with the Union’s climate neutrality objective, delivering high environmental standards and protection and social fairness, notably in strategic sectors and technologies along the investment journey by:

Amendment 62

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) delivering technological, economic and environmental impact from the Union's investments, including by developing disruptive and incremental innovation, and emerging, cutting-edge, dual-use, and strategic technologies with significant economic potential, including by developing and accelerating their manufacturing and industrial deployment;	Amendment(a) delivering technological, economic, sustainable, and positive environmental impact from the Union's investments, including by developing disruptive and incremental innovation, and emerging, cutting-edge, dual-use, and strategic sustainable technologies with significant economic potential or opportunities for decarbonisation, including through nature-based solutions, and, inter alia , by developing and accelerating the manufacturing of these technologies and their industrial take-up and deployment;

Amendment 63

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) reducing or preventing the Union’s strategic dependencies, and reinforcing the Union’s resilience, and economic security, including through diversifying sources and markets, support to ramp up of European production of strategic technologies and creating, strengthening and protecting critical Union value chains and infrastructure;	Amendment(b) reducing or preventing the Union’s strategic dependencies, most notably those of high-risk, contributing to the time-bound phase out of fossil fuel imports and subsidies and reinforcing the Union’s resilience, and economic security, including through diversifying sources and markets, improving and facilitating circularity and resource efficiency, support to ramping up the Union's production of strategic and clean technologies and creating, strengthening and protecting critical Union value chains and infrastructure;

Amendment 64

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ba) contributing to the shift towards a competitive, sustainable, circular, energy-, water- and resource-efficient, renewable-based, climate-neutral and resilient economy;

Amendment 65

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(c) addressing market failures and suboptimal investment situations, including by crowding in private capital and institutional investors as well as public funding in a proportionate manner, while avoiding duplication and without crowding out private investors; serving as an integrated platform for delivering targeted financial support to companies across all development phases start-ups, scale-ups, and strategic companies, including those actively pursuing manufacturing, industrial and market deployment;	Amendment(c) addressing market failures, including negative externalities, and suboptimal investment situations, including by crowding in private capital and institutional investors as well as public funding in a proportionate and responsible manner, while avoiding duplication and without crowding out private investors and to ensure the financial and fiscal stability of the EU; serving as an integrated platform for delivering targeted financial support to companies across all development phases, including start-ups, scale-ups, and strategic companies, including those actively pursuing manufacturing, industrial and market deployment, by increasing Union-based demand and market uptake for sustainable clean technologies and solutions;

Amendment 66

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point e

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(e) aligning research, innovation and industrial policy support to translate Union’s research excellence into Union industrial strength on global markets and securing the future of manufacturing in Europe;	Amendment(e) aligning research, innovation and industrial policy support to translate the Union’s research excellence into Union industrial competitiveness and strength on global markets and securing the future of manufacturing in Europe, while fostering sustainability and innovation;

Amendment 67

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point f

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(f) developing Union cross-border and critical infrastructure key to the Union’s competitiveness, and strategic independence in particular energy and transport, digital and security, defence and space infrastructure as well as social infrastructure and related data and services;	Amendment(f) developing and significantly strengthening Union cross-border and critical infrastructure, key to growing and bolstering the Union’s competitiveness, resilience and strategic independence in particular interconnections and infrastructures for clean energy and transport, digital and security, defence and space infrastructure as well as water- and social infrastructures and related accessibility, data and services, supporting and accelerating electrification and grid investments;

Amendment 68

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point g

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(g) strengthening the competitiveness of SMEs and small mid-cap companies established in the Union and their ability to grow and scale up, in particular by improving their access to finance, including private investment, micro-finance and support to social enterprises as facilitating access to Union funding, through faster, simplified and harmonised procedures; reducing and ensuring a proportionate reporting burden;	Amendment(g) strengthening the competitiveness of SMEs and small mid-cap companies established in the Union and their capacity to ensure long-term viability and continuity of operations within the Union, their ability to grow and scale up, in particular by improving their access to finance, including private investment, micro-finance and support to social enterprises as facilitating access to Union funding, through transparent, faster, simplified and harmonised procedures; reducing and ensuring a proportionate reporting burden, while at the same time incentivising sustainable practices and resource efficiency as key enablers of economic resilience and competitiveness of SMEs;

Amendment 69

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point h

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(h) addressing shortages of skills critical to all kinds of quality jobs in strategic sectors for EU competitiveness, through both horizontal and specific skills investment, contributing to the availability of skills in future emerging technologies, and by pursuing to accompany investments with skills investment and indicate when it is included;	Amendment(h) addressing shortages of skills critical to all kinds of quality jobs in strategic sectors for EU competitiveness, through both horizontal and specific skills investment, contributing to the availability of skills in future emerging and sustainable technologies, and by pursuing to accompany investments with skills investment and indicate when it is included;

Amendment 70

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ia) Contributing to the development of technology and measures that protect and restore the environment, including water sources and infrastructures, coastal regions, sea and soil, to reduce pollution, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to tackle the degradation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while enhancing climate and water resilience; thereby ensuring competitiveness in the long term;

Amendment 71

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point i b (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ib) supporting resource efficiency by the scaling up of remanufacturing and recycling technologies to increase material reuse, recovery and recycling within the Union;

Amendment 72

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point j

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(j) supporting actions for the development, implementation, and monitoring of relevant Union legislation and policy;	Amendment(j) supporting actions for the development, implementation, and monitoring of relevant Union legislation and policy, including the Union’s environmental and climate laws and objectives and relevant energy legislation and policies, in view of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, in a way that fosters innovation, ensures energy security, and maintains the global competitiveness of European industry;

Amendment 73

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point k

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(k) ensuring a just transition to a sustainable, decarbonised and digital economy that is fair and supporting workers and communities.	Amendment(k) ensuring a just transition to a sustainable, resource-efficient, resilient, decarbonised and digital economy that is fair and supporting workers, citizens, social actors, vulnerable households, and communities and industries, in particular in the energy intensive industries.

Amendment 74

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) For support to Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation, the specific objectives of support to decarbonisation of European industry, including SMEs and energy intensive industries, clean tech manufacturing and its supply chains, and contributing to the shift towards a sustainable, circular, energy-, water- and resource-efficient, climate-neutral and resilient economy. This includes the uptake by industries of decarbonisation technologies and other solutions for their industrial processes and activities, as well as the decarbonisation of energy supply, promotion of energy efficiency, the uptake of renewable and clean energy solutions, the development of energy system flexibility, the uptake of lead markets for clean products , the development, resilience, integration and digitalisation of the energy and transport infrastructures and systems, boosting smart mobility and sustainable alternative fuels, as well as boosting the sustainable blue economy, the development of innovative nature-based business models and demand side solutions for clean and decarbonised buildings, transport and industry, and production ramp up contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy.	Amendment(a) For support to Clean Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation:
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(1) the specific objectives of support to the transition and decarbonisation of European industry, including SMEs and energy intensive industries and hard to abate sectors, and to scale up clean-tech manufacturing and its supply chains, including in and by cross-sector deployment;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(2) the uptake of decarbonisation technologies, nature-based solutions and other cost-effective solutions for industrial processes and activities, while contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(3) accelerating the decarbonisation and resilience of energy and transport systems and decarbonisation of energy supply, the time-bound phase out of fossil fuels, the promotion of energy efficiency and the energy efficiency first principle, the uptake and integration of renewable and clean energy solutions, contributing to the stability and security of energy supply, , the development of energy system flexibility while avoiding carbon lock-in and stranded assets, and the development, integration, resilience and digitalisation of energy and transport infrastructures and systems, including smart and clean mobility and sustainable alternative fuels;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(4) the creation and uptake of lead markets for renewable and clean products and stimulating demand for clean solutions, technologies and energy communities, supporting sustainable and decarbonised buildings, transport and industry, including through production ramp-up, the development of innovative nature-based business models, a sustainable blue economy, and demand-side solutions;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(5) contributing to the shift towards a sustainable, circular, energy-, water-, and resource, climate-neutral and resilient economy, and to the protection and restoration of the environment, including air, water, coast and soil, to reduce pollution, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and tackle the degradation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including as a way to reduce environment, climate and nature related risks to the Union's economy.

Amendment 75

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b – point 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(1) For support to health, the specific objectives of fostering innovation and competitiveness of the health sector while ensuring supply security and the industrial capacity and capability to manage future serious cross-border threats to health; improving and protecting public and population health, by prioritising health promotion and disease prevention across the life span through a health-in-all and One Health policies approach, and by strengthening innovation and resilience of health systems.	Amendment(1) For support to health, the specific objectives of fostering innovation and competitiveness of the health sector while ensuring supply security and the industrial capacity and capability, and to manage future serious cross-border threats to health; improving and protecting public and population health, by prioritising health promotion and disease prevention across the life span, including by tackling environment-related health risks, through a health-in-all and One Health policies approach, and by strengthening innovation and resilience of health systems.

Amendment 76

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b – point 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(2) For support to biotechnology, the specific objectives of contributing to the development and scalable production and uptake, availability and accessibility of medicinal products, medical devices, diagnostics and other medical countermeasures.	Amendment(2) For support to biotechnology, the specific objectives of contributing to the development and scalable production and uptake, availability and accessibility of medicinal products, medical devices, diagnostics and other medical countermeasures and biobased materials and products, biomanufacturing, innovative food products and biochemicals supporting the Union’s environmental and climate objectives and the transition to a sustainable, resource-efficient, highly innovative, resilient and competitive economy with reduced dependence on environmentally harmful production processes.

Amendment 77

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b – point 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(3) For support to bioeconomy policy, the specific objectives of fostering an innovative and competitive bioeconomy in the Union, including in the areas of biobased materials and products, biomanufacturing, innovative food products and biochemicals; including support to SMEs, start ups and scaleups, contribute to the development and scalable production and uptake, availability and accessibility of bioeconomy innovations, including those based on cross-sectoral cutting-edge biotechnology; strengthen supply chains and increase their resilience.	Amendment(3) For support to bioeconomy policy, the specific objectives of fostering an innovative, more sustainable and competitive bioeconomy in the Union, including in the areas of biobased materials and products, biomanufacturing, innovative food products and biochemicals; including support to SMEs, start-ups and scaleups, contribute to the development and scalable production and uptake, availability and accessibility of sustainable bioeconomy innovations, including those based on cross-sectoral cutting-edge biotechnology and nature- and bio-based solutions strengthen supply chains and increase their resilience and circularity including through resource efficiency and waste reduction.

Amendment 78

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b – point 4

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(4) For support to the agriculture and food security, the specific objective of fostering the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry and rural and coastal areas and their role in the transition to a climate-neutral climate-resilient, water-smart, nature-positive economy and the protection of natural resources biodiversity while contributing to long term food security in the Union.	Amendment(4) For support to agriculture and food security, the specific objective of fostering the competitiveness, sustainability, resilience and clean transition of agriculture, the agri-food sector and food systems, fisheries and aquaculture, forestry and rural and coastal areas, and enhancing their role in the transition to a climate-neutral climate-resilient, water-smart, nature-positive economy and in the protection of nature, natural resources, ecosystems and biodiversity, most notably soils and water in order to contribute to long term food security in the Union.

Amendment 79

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point c

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(c) For support to Digital Leadership policy, the specific objectives of fostering innovation and competitiveness of digital sector for a competitive and secure Union and bringing its benefits to citizens and society, public administrations and businesses across the Union. This shall include, but not be limited to, supporting the entire digital value- and supply-chains and activities including support to start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs, in particular along the following dimensions: Achieving leadership in digital and AI technologies, including through technology transfer and innovation, and through cutting-edge infrastructures such as AI-powered digital twins; Achieving technological sovereignty by building resilient digital ecosystems and ensuring a high-level of cybersecurity in the Union; Enabling the power of digital for businesses and citizens by deploying advanced digital applications and services, infrastructures, capacities and capabilities and by reinforcing interoperability across the Union, Including support to digitalisation of companies, including SMEs, small mid-cap companies, start-ups and scale-ups; Supporting the digital transformation and interoperability of public and private sectors through the rapid uptake of AI, the wallet technologies, such as EU Digital Identity Wallets and trust services established pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 and the forthcoming European Business Wallets and other digital innovative solutions. Support to cultural and creative industries, complementing the AgoraEU programme.	Amendment(c) For support to Digital Leadership policy, the specific objectives of fostering innovation and competitiveness of digital sector for a competitive and secure Union and bringing its benefits to citizens and society, public administrations and businesses across the Union, while contributing to the twin transition and without undermining environmental standards. This shall include, but not be limited to, supporting the entire digital value- and supply-chains and activities including support to start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs, in particular along the following dimensions: Achieving leadership in digital and AI technologies, including through the development and deployment of resource- energy- and water-efficient digital and AI infrastructures, where feasible, powered by renewables or low-carbon energy sources, designed to minimise lifecycle emissions and to avoid disproportionate impacts on water resources and the environment, through technology transfer, innovation and uptake and through cutting-edge infrastructures such as AI-powered digital twins; Achieving technological sovereignty by building resilient, sustainable and energy-efficient digital ecosystems and ensuring a high-level of cybersecurity in the Union, including by further improving the cyber security and digital resilience of critical energy- and water infrastructure; Enabling the power of digital for businesses and citizens by deploying advanced digital applications and services, infrastructures, capacities and capabilities and by reinforcing interoperability across the Union, Including support to digitalisation of companies, including SMEs, small mid-cap companies, start-ups and scale-ups; Supporting the digital transformation and interoperability of public and private sectors through the rapid uptake of AI, the wallet technologies, such as EU Digital Identity Wallets and trust services established pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 and the forthcoming European Business Wallets and other digital innovative solutions. Support to cultural and creative industries, complementing the AgoraEU programme.

Amendment 80

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(1) For support to resilience of supply chains, the specific objectives of reinforcing Europe’s resilience by strengthening the Union capacity in exploration, extraction, processing and recycling of raw materials and diversifying supply sources and markets, and improving the timely availability of such products, including through the reduction of their delivery lead time, reservation of manufacturing slots or stockpiling of products, intermediate products or raw materials.	Amendment(1) For support to resilience and sustainability of supply chains, the specific objectives of reinforcing the Union’s resilience by strengthening the Union capacity in exploration, extraction, processing, remanufacturing and recycling of raw materials and diversifying supply sources and markets, including through innovation, scale-up and deployment of advanced waste-processing, recycling and recovery techniques, and improving the timely availability of such products, including through the reduction of their delivery lead time, reservation of manufacturing slots or stockpiling of products, intermediate products or raw materials.

Amendment 81

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(2) For support to EU defence industry. the specific objectives of promoting defence industrial readiness of the Union and its Member States through the strengthening of the competitiveness, responsiveness and ability of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), including support to start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs, fostering an innovative EU defence ecosystem; Collaborative research and development of defence products and technologies, including disruptive technologies for defence; Cooperation throughout the life-cycle of defence equipment, in particular in defence procurement and for the development of European defence projects of common interest; Adjustment of industry to structural changes.	Amendment(2) For support to EU defence industry. the specific objectives of promoting defence industrial readiness of the Union and its Member States through the strengthening of the competitiveness, resilience, responsiveness and ability of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB), including support to start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs, fostering an innovative and water-, resource- and energy-efficient EU defence ecosystem, including through initiatives such as the use of low-emitting materials and production processes; Collaborative research and development of defence products and technologies, including disruptive technologies for defence; Cooperation throughout the life-cycle of defence equipment, in particular in defence procurement and for the development of European defence projects of common interest; Adjustment of industry to structural changes and towards the adoption and scaling-up of circular and low carbon technologies.

Amendment 82

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(3) For the implementation of EU space systems and space policy, the specific objectives of developing, maintaining and operating space systems, providing cutting-edge space-based information, data and services supporting Union policies, notably in the area of security, defence, sustainable growth, environment protection and climate resilience, global engagement and strategic independence; Maximising the socio-economic benefits of space-based activities, in particular by fostering the development of an innovative and competitive Union space economy and supporting the development of a genuine Single Market for space activities, including collaborative research and innovation for space products and technologies and support to SMEs; Enhancing the safety, security and sustainability of all outer space activities; Promoting the role of the Union as a global actor in the space sector.	Amendment(3) For the implementation of EU space systems and space policy, the specific objectives of developing, maintaining and operating space systems, providing cutting-edge space-based information, data and services supporting Union policies, notably in the area of security, defence, sustainable growth, global engagement and strategic independence environment protection, environmental impact mitigation and climate resilience, including through the Union’s monitoring, prevention and response capacities; Maximising the socio-economic benefits of space-based activities, in particular by fostering the development of an innovative and competitive Union space economy and supporting the development of a genuine Single Market for space activities, including collaborative research and innovation for space products and technologies and support to SMEs; Enhancing the safety, security and sustainability of all outer space activities; Promoting the role of the Union as a global actor in the space sector.

Amendment 83

Proposal for a regulation

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point 4

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(4) For support to civil industrial security, the specific objectives of strengthening the competitiveness and responsiveness of the European civil security industry, in the application areas of security, resilience of critical and dual-use infrastructures, technologies including critical energy infrastructure, and solutions for the control of goods and persons at borders, the protection of borders, maritime security, customs security and civil preparedness against security threats, as well as reinforcing the capabilities of the relevant end-users in the civil security sector.	Amendment(4) For support to civil industrial security, the specific objectives of strengthening the competitiveness and responsiveness of the European civil security industry, in the application areas of security, and civil protection resilience of critical and dual-use infrastructures, technologies including critical energy infrastructure and solutions for the control of goods and persons at borders, the protection of borders, maritime security, customs security and civil preparedness, adaptation and mitigation against security threats, including in relation to climate change as well as chemical, biological and environmental risks and disasters and reinforcing the capabilities of the relevant end-users in the civil security sector.

Amendment 84

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The indicative financial envelope for the implementation of the ECF for the period from 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2034 shall be EUR 234 300 000 000 in current prices.	Amendment1. The minimum financial envelope for the implementation of the ECF for the period from 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2034 shall be EUR 261 434 260 000 in current prices.

Amendment 85

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) EUR 11 000 000 000 for activities contributing to the general objectives referred to Article 3, as implemented in particular through cross-cutting activities such as non-thematic support of the ECF InvestEU Instrument, referred to in Chapter II, Section 2; Project Advisory, SME Collaboration, skills development and Access to Funding, referred to in Chapter III;	Amendment(a) EUR 16 000 000 000 for activities contributing to the general objectives referred to Article 3, as implemented in particular through cross-cutting activities such as non-thematic support of the ECF InvestEU Instrument, referred to in Chapter II, Section 2; Project Advisory, SME Collaboration, skills development and Access to Funding, referred to in Chapter III;

Amendment 86

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) EUR 26 210 000 000 for the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(2), point (a);	Amendment(b) EUR 38 658 700 000 for the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(2), point (a), out of which at least 25% [9.66 bn] shall be dedicated to the activities set out in Article 3 (2) (a) (5), and within that, EUR 3 390 000 000 shall be dedicated to LIFE actions referred to in Article 33(1)(a);

Amendment 87

Proposal for a regulation

Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point c

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(c) EUR 20 393 000 000 for the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(2), point (b);	Amendment(c) EUR 30 078 560 000 for the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(2), point (b);

Amendment 88

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. Member States, Union institutions, bodies and agencies, third countries, international organisations, international financial institutions, or other third parties, may make additional financial or non-financial contributions available to the ECF, or any of its specific activities or objectives referred to in Article 3(2), including specific contributions to the ECF InvestEU Instrument budgetary guarantee and financial instruments as referred to in Article 21. Additional financial contributions shall constitute external assigned revenue within the meaning of Article 21(2), points (a), (d), or (e) or Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509.	Amendment1. Member States, regional and local authorities, Union institutions, bodies and agencies, third countries, international organisations, international financial institutions, or other third parties, may make additional financial or non-financial contributions available to the ECF, or any of its specific activities or objectives referred to in Article 3(2), including specific contributions to the ECF InvestEU Instrument budgetary guarantee and financial instruments as referred to in Article 21. Additional financial contributions shall constitute external assigned revenue within the meaning of Article 21(2), points (a), (d), or (e) or Article 21(5) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509.

Amendment 89

Proposal for a regulation

Article 5 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment2a. The Commission shall adopt, by means of implementing acts, guidance to facilitate the contribution of resources referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 to the Member State Compartment under the ECF InvestEU Instrument. The guidance shall in particular clarify the rules applicable under state aid and the Stability Growth Pact, as well as facilitate and simplify the process for contributions from regional and local authorities, while identifying best practices and advantages from the use of the Member State Compartment.

Amendment 90

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The Commission shall ensure the consistent implementation of the European Competitiveness Fund, the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the Innovation Fund.	Amendment1. The Commission shall in close cooperation with the Member States and the Council ensure the consistent implementation of the European Competitiveness Fund, the Framework Programme for Research, the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action - LIFE and Innovation and the Innovation Fund.

Amendment 91

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. The Commission and Member States shall, in a manner commensurate to their respective responsibilities, facilitate coordination and coherence between European Competitiveness Fund and national and regional partnership plans on common competitiveness priorities in selected key areas and projects deemed of strategic importance and of common European interest.	Amendment2. The Commission and Member States shall, in a manner commensurate to their respective responsibilities, facilitate coordination and coherence between European Competitiveness Fund and national and regional partnership plans on common competitiveness priorities in selected key areas and projects deemed of strategic importance and of common European interest. Coordination with the national and regional partnership plans may also be ensured via contributions to the ECF InvestEU Member State compartment in order to utilize Union financial instruments that bridge the financing gaps in the investment journey of strategic technologies and projects.

Amendment 92

Proposal for a regulation

Article 7 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. The ECF will be implemented in synergy with other Union funds, including the Global Europe Fund, in particular to support global competitiveness, ensure diversified supply sources, and strengthen export potential and opportunities of European companies.	Amendment3. The ECF shall be implemented in synergy with other Union funds, including the Global Europe Fund and the Connecting Europe-Facility, in particular to support the global clean transition and the Union's competitiveness, sustainable value chains, ensure diversified supply sources, electrification and the development of cross-border transmission and distribution grids as a key enabler of the roll-out of renewable energy, the reduction of fossil fuel dependency and subsidies, and strengthening the Union's export potential and opportunities of European companies in particular with regard to sustainable innovation, while promoting circularity.

Amendment 93

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ba) they comply with the “do no significant harm” principle, and ensure, where relevant, that climate and environmental risks and impacts are identified, and prevented to the extent possible, on the basis of proportionate evidence and verifiable criteria;

Amendment 94

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may set out additional conditions.	Amendment2. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may set out additional conditions, including minimum requirements on resource efficiency and circularity where relevant.

Amendment 95

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. Member States may support projects which have been awarded a seal, or may provide support through the ECF by making additional resources available to the ECF in accordance with Article 5(1) or (2).	Amendment3. Without prejudice to state aid rules, Member States may support projects which have been awarded a seal, or may provide support through the ECF by making additional resources available to the ECF in accordance with Article 5(1) or (2).

Amendment 96

Proposal for a regulation

Article 8 – paragraph 4 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment4a. Where applicable, Competitiveness Seals shall include information highlighting relevant environmental or climate-related benefits, inter alia sustainability, circularity or resource efficiency of high-quality actions, in order to support their visibility and uptake by public and private actors.

Amendment 97

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 – paragraph 4 – point b a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ba) activities in violation of the ‘do no significant harm’ principle, and the conditions laid out in Article 20(2), point (c), as laid out in Regulation (EU) [XXX] (Performance Regulation) including where allocations of support are provided in multiple steps, and compliance has been violated. This shall be without prejudice to sector-specific exemptions or adaptations, in particular for defence-related activities, where such exemptions are explicitly provided for in the guidance of the Performance Regulation.

Amendment 98

Proposal for a regulation

Article 9 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentArticle 9a
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentAward Criteria
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment1. Where relevant and appropriate depending on the nature of the award procedure, award criteria set out in the work programmes referred to in Article 15 shall take into account the following elements:
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(a) an assessment of the quality of the proposals submitted in the light of the objectives set out in Article 3, in particular with regards to decarbonization, resource-efficiency and environmental and biodiversity protection, balancing environmental contributions with technical excellence and feasibility;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(b) an assessment of the expected results of the proposals and their impact on achieving the objectives set out in Article 3;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(c) the ability of the proposals to support specific activities in Chapters III, IV, V, VI and VII, Sections 1, 3 and 4, considering the nature of the activities, in particular with regards to decarbonization, resource-efficiency and environmental and biodiversity protection;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment2. Representatives of third countries or international organisations shall not be present in deliberations on award criteria;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment3. This article shall not apply to work programmes adopted to implement the activities under Chapter VII, Section 2.

Amendment 99

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – title

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the CommissionEU Preference	AmendmentEU Preference and conditions for support

Amendment 100

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The ECF support shall target development manufacturing and exploitation in the Union of strategic technologies and sectors, in line with Union law and international commitments. The award procedures may apply any of the conditions set out in paragraph 2 to protect Union’s strategic and economic security interests, as well as security and critical assets and the services they provide.	Amendment1. The ECF support shall target development manufacturing and exploitation in the Union of strategic technologies and sectors, in line with Union law and international commitments. The award procedures may apply any of the conditions set out in paragraph 2 and shall be in line with strategic assessments from the Competitiveness Coordination Tool to protect Union’s strategic and economic security interests, as well as security and critical assets and the services they provide. They shall be in line with the Union’s climate and environmental objectives.

Amendment 101

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. The work programme, the investment guidelines or the documents related to the award procedure may set out eligibility conditions to ensure the competitiveness of the Union, including protection of economic interests and autonomy of the Union where necessary and appropriate, including through preferential conditions such as restrictions or incentives for Union entities, while limiting distortion of the single market. Those eligibility conditions may take the form of:	Amendment2. The work programme, the investment guidelines or the documents related to the award procedure shall set out eligibility conditions to ensure the competitiveness of the Union, including protection of economic interests, the resilience of Europe’s economy, supporting a just and clean transition and autonomy of the Union where necessary and appropriate, including through preferential conditions such as restrictions or incentives for Union entities, while limiting distortion of the single market. Additional eligibility conditions emanating from this Article shall be risk-based, proportionate to the nature of the activity and complementary to the existing conditions set out in this regulation; Those eligibility conditions may take the form of:

Amendment 102

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) participation and performance restrictions requiring participating entities to be established, use facilities, or perform activities in the Member States, and where appropriate other eligible countries. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may set out further details on the application of these participation and performance restrictions;	Amendment(a) participation and performance restrictions requiring participating entities to be established, use facilities, or perform activities in the Member States, and where appropriate other eligible countries. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may set out further details on the application of these participation and performance restrictions; where feasible, this application shall build on existing provisions in Union legislation;

Amendment 103

Proposal for a regulation

Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point c

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(c) supply and content restrictions requiring recipients of ECF funding to ensure a certain minimum use or sourcing of equipment, supplies and materials, or their components, used for the action from eligible entities referred to in paragraph 2, points (a) and (b), unless those supplies and materials cannot be reasonably sourced from those eligible entities. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may set out further details on the application of these supply and content restrictions;	Amendment(c) supply and content restrictions requiring recipients of ECF funding to ensure a certain minimum use or sourcing of equipment, supplies and materials, or their components, used for the action from eligible entities referred to in paragraph 2, points (a) and (b), unless those supplies and materials cannot be reasonably sourced from those eligible entities. Restrictions shall be temporary and be set gradually and selectively in strategic value chains after granular assessments of resilience and competitiveness in line with the Industrial Accelerator Act. Restrictions shall ensure added value in the Union and sustainability performance in line with the EU targets and policies. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure may set out further details on the application of these supply and content restrictions;

Amendment 104

Proposal for a regulation

Article 11 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ea) ensure sufficient monitoring and compliance with relevant Union and environmental and climate objectives.

Amendment 105

Proposal for a regulation

Article 12 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment2a. The ECF InvestEU Instrument shall be the privileged option for implementation to unlock additional public and private investments.

Amendment 106

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. The members of the ECF Strategic Stakeholders Board shall be appointed by the Commission, following an open call for nominations or for expressions of interest, or both, whichever the Commission finds more appropriate, and taking into account the need for balance in sector, organisation type, including private investors, and size, expertise, gender, age and geographical distribution. The term of members the Board shall be limited to four years, renewable once. Members of the Board should act with integrity and probity.	Amendment2. The members of the ECF Strategic Stakeholders Board shall be appointed by the Commission, following an open and transparent call for nominations or for expressions of interest, or both, whichever the Commission finds more appropriate. Members of the Board shall be appointed primarily based on their scientific, technical or practical expertise of the sectors and investment environment. Overall, the Commission shall take into account the need for balance in sector, organisation and investor type and size, including private investors, industrial and scientific expertise, civil society participation, gender, age and geographical distribution. The term of members the Board shall be limited to four years, renewable once. Members of the Board should act with integrity and probity.

Amendment 107

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. The Commission shall establish the detailed rules on selection and composition, remuneration, rules of procedure, conflicts of interest and confidentiality for the ECF Stakeholder Board. Members of the Board shall be bound by these terms.	Amendment3. The Commission shall establish the detailed rules on selection and composition based on excellence, on the remuneration, rules of procedure, conflicts of interest and confidentiality for the ECF Stakeholder Board. Members of the Board shall be bound by these terms. Those rules shall include robust provisions on transparency, including the publication of Members’ declarations of interests.

Amendment 108

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 4

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission4. The ECF Strategic Stakeholder Board, informed by an observatory on emerging technologies, shall advise on the overall direction for the ECF, advise on long-term competitiveness trends, advise on areas of market failures and suboptimal investment situations that could be addressed in the implementation of the ECF, and advise on the identification of strategic portfolios of projects within and across activities of the ECF, for which it may be composed in different policy-oriented configurations.	Amendment4. The ECF Strategic Stakeholder Board, informed by an observatory on emerging technologies and the European Innovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE), shall advise on the overall direction for the ECF, advise on long-term competitiveness, circularity and sustainability trends, advise on areas of market failures, environmental risks and suboptimal investment situations that could be addressed in the implementation of the ECF, and advise on the identification of strategic portfolios of projects within and across activities of the ECF, for which it may be composed in different policy-oriented configurations. That advice shall include, where relevant, the assessment of consistency with the Union’s environmental and climate objectives.

Amendment 109

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 6

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission6. The composition of the Investment Committee shall ensure that it has a wide knowledge of the sectors covered by the ECF and a wide knowledge of the geographic markets in the Union, and shall ensure that the Investment Committee as a whole is gender-balanced.	Amendment6. The composition of the Investment Committee shall ensure that it has a wide knowledge of the sectors covered by the ECF InvestEU Instrument and a wide knowledge of the geographic markets in the Union, and shall ensure that the Investment Committee as a whole is gender-balanced.

Amendment 110

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 8

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission8. The Advisory Board on ECF InvestEU Instrument shall be composed of one representative of each implementing partner and one representative of each Member State. the Advisory Board on ECF InvestEU Instrument shall, provide advice on the design of financial products and on the strategic and operational direction in its area of competence. It shall also provide advice on the coordination with the EIC to ensure complementarity with other Union funding or private investments. The Advisory Board shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.	Amendment8. The Advisory Board on ECF InvestEU Instrument shall be composed of one representative of each implementing partner and one representative of each Member State. The Advisory Board on ECF InvestEU Instrument shall provide advice on the design of financial products and on the strategic and operational direction in its area of competence, including, where relevant, taking into account existing Union climate, environment, sustainability and circularity objectives as reflected in applicable Union frameworks. It shall also provide advice on the coordination with the EIC to ensure complementarity with other Union funding or private investments. The Advisory Board shall be chaired by a representative of the Commission.

Amendment 111

Proposal for a regulation

Article 14 – paragraph 10

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission10. The Commission and Implementing partners shall establish regular Policy Review Dialogues to discuss progress with the implementation of the financial products and engage on relevant policy developments.	Amendment10. The Commission and Implementing partners shall establish regular Policy Review Dialogues to discuss progress with the implementation of the financial products and engage on relevant policy developments. Those dialogues shall include the monitoring of environmental and climate performance.

Amendment 112

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) actions and associated budget from ECF as well as actions set out in the specific dedicated part of the work programmes indicated in paragraph 2;	Amendment(a) actions and associated budget from ECF as well as actions set out in the specific dedicated part of the work programmes indicated in paragraph 2; following a transparent, evidence-based, and clearly defined methodology grounded in assessments of competitiveness and strategic importance, investment needs across the value chain of strategic technologies, from innovation, to production, and deployment, to identify and prioritise actions and budget needs;

Amendment 113

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ba) provisions enabling joint or coordinated ‘clean technology and energy-intensive industry packages’, implemented through single or coordinated awards combining complementary components to modernise and decarbonise existing energy-intensive industrial installations through the deployment of proven clean-technology solutions, and enable the scaling of the clean-technology provider and related supply chains necessary for that deployment, using the most appropriate form(s) of support and linking disbursement to verified milestones and outputs;

Amendment 114

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ha) where applicable, the possibility to award a Competitiveness Seal as referred to in Article 8, and additional conditions, if any;

Amendment 115

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 1 – point h b (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(hb) actions that support the implementation of Union legislation and the achievement of Union targets, including those related to climate, environment, biodiversity and public health and their consistency with decarbonization pathways.

Amendment 116

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, adopt the work programmes implementing the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(2), points (a), (b), (c) and (d) and for the horizontal activities in Chapter III. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 83(2).	Amendment3. The Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 84 in order to adopt the work programmes fulfilling the specific objectives referred to in Article 3(2), points (a), (b), (c) and (d) and for the horizontal activities in Chapter III. Those delegated acts shall, where appropriate, ensure a harmonisation of award criteria across the ECF.

Amendment 117

Proposal for a regulation

Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment3a. Work programmes providing for the actions referred to in Article 33(1), point (a) shall be multiannual and shall contain calls for proposals dedicated to those activities. The Commission shall ensure that stakeholders are consulted in the development of the multiannual work programmes.

Amendment 118

Proposal for a regulation

Article 16 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. In order to foster resilient Union value chains, the work programmes may include dedicated value-chains scale up calls which shall support both project preparation and crowding in of additional public and private capital to integrate suppliers, manufacturers, and innovators from different Member States and diversify sources of supply.	Amendment1. In order to foster resilient Union value chains for strategic sectors, the work programmes may include dedicated value-chains scale up calls which shall support both project preparation and crowding in of additional public and private capital to integrate suppliers, manufacturers, and innovators from different Member States and diversify sources of supply.

Amendment 119

Proposal for a regulation

Article 17 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The work programmes may include dedicated two-stage bottom-up award procedures to identify and support EU Tech frontrunners through industry-driven consortia leveraging on their role as innovation and export drivers to strengthen their global competitive position along with their European SME suppliers through investments in new solutions and identification of relevant partners. Project preparation as well as crowding in of additional public and private capital may be supported.	Amendment1. The work programmes may include dedicated two-stage bottom-up award procedures to identify and support EU Tech frontrunners through industry-driven consortia leveraging on their role as innovation and export drivers to strengthen their global competitive position along with their European SME suppliers through investments in new solutions and identification of relevant partners, including research organisations and academia. Project preparation as well as crowding in of additional public and private capital may be supported.

Amendment 120

Proposal for a regulation

Article 17 – paragraph 4

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission4. Proposals and offers shall be evaluated and ranked based on common award criteria such as their comparative contribution to Union competitiveness.	Amendment4. Proposals and offers shall be evaluated and ranked based on common award criteria such as their comparative contribution to Union competitiveness including, where relevant, environmental, biodiversity and climate objectives, such as resource-, energy-, and water- efficiency.

Amendment 121

Proposal for a regulation

Article 18 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. By way of derogation from Article 196(2) of the Financial Regulation, financial contributions may, where necessary for the implementation of manufacturing projects essential to support the general resilience objective as indicated on Article 3(1), or activities required to ensure the security, resilience or service continuity to support the objective referred to in Article 3(2), point (d), cover actions that started prior to the date of the submission of the proposal for those actions .	Amendment1. By way of derogation from Article 196(2) of the Financial Regulation, financial contributions may, in duly justified cases, where necessary for the implementation of manufacturing projects essential to support the general resilience or strategic security objective as indicated on Article 3(1), or activities required to ensure the security, resilience or service continuity to support the objective referred to in Article 3(2), point (d), cover actions that started prior to the date of the submission of the proposal for those actions.

Amendment 122

Proposal for a regulation

Article 18 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure shall set out additional conditions to ensure that the support is necessary and proportionate, excluding overcompensation and double funding, is temporary and decreases over time.	Amendment2. The work programme or the documents related to the award procedure shall set out additional conditions to ensure that the support is necessary and proportionate, excluding overcompensation and double funding, is temporary and decreases over time and shall, where relevant, provide incentives encouraging resource-efficient, circular and clean production approaches in the ramp-up of manufacturing capacity.

Amendment 123

Proposal for a regulation

Article 18 – paragraph 2 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment2a. Without prejudice to paragraph 2, the work programme and award criteria may provide for a joint and coordinated award covering complementary components of one investment package, including:
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(a) the deployment, retrofit or upgrade at an industrial installation with a view to decarbonise existing energy-intensive installations;
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(b) support to the clean-technology provider enabling that deployment, including manufacturing scale-up, standard compliance, delivery capacity or critical supply-chain investments.

Amendment 124

Proposal for a regulation

Article 20 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. In order to create or facilitate the possibility of Union support to actions of imperative public interest or critical time-sensitivity, which could otherwise not be effectively implemented under the normal rules applicable to the Union budget or sectoral policies, the work programmes may identify certain award procedures, under direct or indirect management, that may benefit from certain additions, exceptions, and derogations from applicable law, during the award procedure or implementation of the supported activities, under all of the following the conditions:	Amendment1. In order to create or facilitate the possibility of Union support to actions of imperative public interest or critical time-sensitivity, which could otherwise not be effectively implemented under the normal rules applicable to the Union budget or sectoral policies, the work programmes may identify certain award procedures under direct or indirect management, that may benefit from certain additions, exceptions, and derogations from applicable law, during the award procedure or implementation of the supported activities, in exceptional cases, in a transparent manner under all of the following the conditions:

Amendment 125

Proposal for a regulation

Article 20 – paragraph 2 – point d – point 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(2) proposals and offers shall be evaluated and ranked based on common award criteria such as their comparative contribution to Union competitiveness. The evaluation committee shall determine the most appropriate instrument of budget implementation under direct or indirect management, in particular grant, procurement, non-financial donations, contribution agreements or other support, as well as propose the maximum amount and form of the Union contribution.	Amendment(2) proposals and offers shall be evaluated and ranked based on common award criteria such as their comparative contribution to Union competitiveness, and their consistency with the Union’s climate-neutrality and biodiversity objectives. The evaluation committee shall determine the most appropriate instrument of budget implementation under direct or indirect management, in particular grant, procurement, non-financial donations, contribution agreements or other support, as well as propose the maximum amount and form of the Union contribution.

Amendment 126

Proposal for a regulation

Article 20 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. In accordance with paragraph 1, for actions which require the planning, construction and operation of facilities funded under award procedures the work programme may determine that, depending on the nature of the action, it is of public interest and may be of imperative reason of overriding public interest within the meaning of Article 6(4) and Article 16(1), point (c), of Council Directive 92/43/EEC and Article 4(7) of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council , in the interest of defence within the meaning of Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council , and in the interests of public health and safety within the meaning of Article 9(1), point (a) of Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, in accordance with and under the conditions set out in applicable legislation such as the Net Zero Industry Act Regulation 2024/1735, RED III (Directive 2023/2413), or the Defence Readiness Omnibus (COM(2022)349) provided that the remaining other conditions set out in these provisions are fulfilled.	Amendment3. In accordance with paragraph 1, for actions which require the planning, construction and operation of facilities funded under award procedures the work programme may determine that, depending on the nature of the action, it is of public interest and may be of imperative reason of overriding public interest within the meaning of Article 6(4) and Article 16(1), point (c), of Council Directive 92/43/EEC and Article 4(7) of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council , in the interest of defence within the meaning of Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council , and in the interests of public health and safety within the meaning of Article 9(1), point (a) of Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, in accordance with and under the conditions set out in applicable legislation such as the Net Zero Industry Act Regulation 2024/1735, RED III (Directive 2023/2413), or the Defence Readiness Omnibus (COM(2022)349) provided that the remaining other conditions set out in these provisions are fulfilled and that all procedural safeguards, including public participation, access to information and access to justice, are fully respected.

Amendment 127

Proposal for a regulation

Article 20 – paragraph 3 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment3a. The accelerated and targeted actions for competitiveness shall respect the ‘do no significant harm’ principle.

Amendment 128

Proposal for a regulation

Article 21 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. The maximum amount of the budgetary guarantee under the EU Compartment of the ECF InvestEU Instrument shall be EUR 70 000 000 000 in current prices. It shall be provisioned at the rate of 50 %.	Amendment3. The maximum amount of the budgetary guarantee under the EU Compartment of the ECF InvestEU Instrument shall be EUR 70 000 000 000 in current prices, expected to mobilise additional investments of around EUR 1 000 000 000 000. It shall be provisioned at the rate of 50 %.

Amendment 129

Proposal for a regulation

Article 21 – paragraph 4

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission4. The minimum amount of the Union support from ECF delivered through ECF InvestEU Instrument shall be EUR 17 000 000 000, to be used in support of the general and specific objectives set out in Article 3. This minimum amount shall be increased by the contributions from the work programmes set out in Article 15. The contributions shall be a favoured means of implementation under the ECF and used for provisioning of the budgetary guarantee or financing of the financial instruments.	Amendment4. The minimum amount of the Union support from ECF delivered through ECF InvestEU Instrument shall be EUR 27 000 000 000, to be used in support of the general and specific objectives set out in Article 3. This minimum amount shall be increased by the contributions from the work programmes set out in Article 15. The contributions shall be a favoured means of implementation under the ECF and used for provisioning of the budgetary guarantee or financing of the financial instruments.

Amendment 130

Proposal for a regulation

Article 22 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The ECF InvestEU Instrument shall serve as the Union’s integrated platform for delivering targeted financial support to companies across all development phases start-ups, scale-ups, including those actively pursuing manufacturing, industrial and market deployment. It shall ensure that high-potential European companies developing or deploying innovative solutions can access the capital and resources to grow in the Union, thus strengthening the integration of the Single market and the Savings and Investment Union.	Amendment1. The ECF InvestEU Instrument shall serve as the Union’s integrated platform for delivering targeted financial support to companies across all development phases start-ups, scale-ups, including those actively pursuing manufacturing, industrial and market deployment. It shall ensure that high-potential European companies developing or deploying innovative and sustainable solutions, can access the capital and resources to grow in the Union, as well as, where relevant, access to guidance, recommendations or frameworks supporting the progressive achievement and take up of sustainability and circularity, thus strengthening the integration of the Single market and the Savings and Investment Union.

Amendment 131

Proposal for a regulation

Article 22 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. The facility shall intervene where market investors cannot provide sufficient financing for European high-growth, innovative and strategic companies, including if needed to protect the Union's strategic assets, interests, autonomy or economic security.	Amendment3. The facility shall intervene where market investors cannot provide sufficient financing for European high-growth, innovative, sustainable and strategic companies, including if needed to protect the Union's strategic assets, interests, autonomy, energy independence, or economic security.

Amendment 132

Proposal for a regulation

Article 26 – paragraph 2 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) business coaching and acceleration services targeting potential ECF beneficiaries and other project promoters, including SMEs and mid-cap companies, start-ups and scale-ups, supporting and facilitating their access to ECF funding and financing, and facilitating matchmaking with private investors and promoting financial literacy of entrepreneurs, including understanding of the opportunities offered by capital market based financing;	Amendment(b) business coaching and acceleration services targeting potential ECF beneficiaries and other project promoters, including SMEs and mid-cap companies, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as local and regional authorities, and social economy entities with the aim of supporting and facilitating their access to ECF funding and financing, and facilitating matchmaking with private investors and promoting financial literacy of entrepreneurs, including understanding of the opportunities offered by capital market based financing;

Amendment 133

Proposal for a regulation

Article 26 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ba) green transition advisory services that may support activities related to innovative, new technologies, supporting decarbonisation, industrial restructuring and sustainable use of resources for relevant stakeholders in the identification, preparation and implementation of projects contributing to just transition and the development of alternative sustainable business models. Just transition advisory services may facilitate access to ECF funding and complementary Union instruments, enhance administrative and technical capacity at regional and local level, and promote stakeholder engagement to ensure fair and economically viable transition pathways.

Amendment 134

Proposal for a regulation

Article 27 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. “EU for Business” Network shall be established to help Union businesses become more competitive and innovate, grow and scale in the Single Market and beyond, with a particular emphasis on SMEs, startups, scaleups and small mid-cap companies. The network shall have a Union-wide and geographically balanced coverage, taking into account the specificities of all types of regions in the Union, including the less developed regions and the Union outermost regions.	Amendment1. “EU for Business” Network shall be established to help Union businesses become more competitive and sustainable, innovate, grow and scale in the Single Market and beyond, with a particular emphasis on SMEs, startups, scaleups and small mid-cap companies. The network shall have a Union-wide and geographically balanced coverage, taking into account the specificities of all types of regions in the Union, including the less developed regions and the Union outermost regions.

Amendment 135

Proposal for a regulation

Article 28 – paragraph 1 – point c

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(c) support and assistance for access to technologies, technology infrastructure and facilities, support market uptake of innovation and support business organisations, SMEs and small mid-cap companies, including startups and scaleups, to participate in collaborative platforms and sectors;	Amendment(c) support and assistance for access to technologies, technology infrastructure and facilities, support market uptake of innovation and support business organisations, SMEs and small mid-cap companies, including startups and scaleups, to participate in collaborative platforms and sectors, with a particular focus on clean technologies, resource-efficient digitalisation where possible and nature-based solutions essential for the Union’s competitiveness, decarbonisation and strategic autonomy;

Amendment 136

Proposal for a regulation

Article 28 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ha) support in driving the clean transition and in scaling up sustainable technologies, including through access to targeted financial instruments that facilitate the development, demonstration and market uptake of environmentally friendly and innovative products and processes.

Amendment 137

Proposal for a regulation

Article 29 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. Each window shall support dedicated, sector-specific actions targeting start-ups, SMEs and small mid-cap companies or calls for SMEs in strategic sectors with a view to fostering innovation, business acceleration, commercialisation and scaling-up.	Amendment1. Each window shall support dedicated, sector-specific actions targeting start-ups, SMEs and small mid-cap companies or calls for SMEs in strategic sectors with a view to fostering innovation, sustainability, business acceleration, commercialisation and scaling-up.

Amendment 138

Proposal for a regulation

Article 30 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The ECF shall finance activities in support of skills development, in particular in the strategic sectors, building strong links between higher education, vocational education and training providers, applied research and businesses for an agile, innovative and competitive economy. This shall include support for a European Skills Guarantee to support value chain transitions in favour of strategic growth sectors or occupations across the labour market through upskilling and reskilling of the workforce and Vocational Education and Training (VET) partnerships to strengthen cooperation between VET providers and businesses, especially SMEs and connecting them with regional industrial ecosystems.	Amendment1. The ECF shall finance activities in support of skills development, in particular in the strategic sectors building strong links between higher education, vocational education and training providers, applied research and businesses for an agile, resilient, innovative, clean and competitive economy. This shall include support for a European Skills Guarantee to support value chain transitions in favour of strategic growth sectors or occupations across the labour market through upskilling and reskilling of the workforce and Vocational Education and Training (VET) partnerships to strengthen cooperation between VET providers and businesses, especially SMEs and connecting them with regional industrial ecosystems.

Amendment 139

Proposal for a regulation

Article 31 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. In accordance with Article 150 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the ECF shall contribute to the maintenance and extension of the single electronic data interchange area for participants to ensure simplified access to Union funding. That contribution shall be irrespective of the mode or instrument of budget implementation and including advisory and business acceleration services and support to a single gateway for access to Union support in accordance with Regulation (EU) [XXX] [Performance Regulation].	Amendment1. In accordance with Article 150 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509, the ECF shall contribute to the maintenance and extension of the single electronic data interchange area for participants. That contribution shall be irrespective of the mode or instrument of budget implementation and including advisory and business acceleration services and support to a single gateway for access to Union support in accordance with Regulation (EU) [XXX] [Performance Regulation], with the aim of ensuring simplified access to Union funding, including by means of standardised document templates, proportionate reporting for SMEs, where appropriate.

Amendment 140

Proposal for a regulation

Article 31 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. The ECF may support any additional activities to facilitate and accelerate access to Union funding, and other funding, financing and investments, as well as to ensure valorisation and uptake of results through tools and instruments such as proof of concept, deployment grants, advisory and business support services, and any dedicated platform.	Amendment2. The ECF may support any additional activities to facilitate and accelerate access to Union funding, and other funding, financing and investments, as well as to ensure valorisation and uptake of results through tools and instruments such as proof of concept, deployment grants, advisory and business support services, and any dedicated platform. Where relevant, this may include proportional reporting, monitoring and audit obligations tailored to the size and risk profile of the portfolio and the beneficiary of the entity receiving support or carrying out work programmes under the ECF.

Amendment 141

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) ”LIFE activities”: providing support to bottom-up projects for the demonstration, testing and market uptake of innovative solutions and best practices in clean transition and industrial decarbonisation and awareness raising on climate and environment to relevant governance levels.	Amendment(a) "LIFE actions”: providing support to the demonstration, testing and market uptake of innovative solutions for industrial decarbonisation, as well as bottom-up projects, best practices and awareness raising on climate and environment with a view to reaching the objectives of Union legislation and policy on the environment, nature, biodiversity climate action and pollution reduction while strengthening the Union’s competitiveness and long-term resilience and the transition towards a clean, circular, water resilient and sustainable economy, including restoration efforts and activities that reduce environmental and nature related risks to the economy.

Amendment 142

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) Energy efficiency, energy storage, demand-response, domestic transmission and distribution grids, digitalisation of energy systems, integrated renewable energy, energy renovations, and heating and cooling solutions, systems and services.	Amendment(b) Energy efficiency, energy storage, demand-response, domestic and cross-border interconnections and transmission and distribution grids, digitalisation of energy systems, renewable energy, including in an integrated manner, energy renovations, and heating and cooling solutions, systems and services, and energy communities.

Amendment 143

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point c

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(c) Clean energy and decarbonisation solutions in industry, including electrification of energy intensive industries and carbon capture, storage and utilisation (CCS/CCU), and in cities, in particular for energy, transport and buildings.	Amendment(c) Clean energy and decarbonisation solutions in industry, including electrification of energy intensive industries and carbon capture, removal, storage and utilisation (CCS/CCU) for hard-to-abate sectors, and in cities, in particular for energy, transport and buildings, while supporting the progressive phase-out of fossil fuels and harmful subsidies, in line with the Union’s climate objectives.

Amendment 144

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(d a) Investments for the adaptation, decarbonisation and modernisation of industrial infrastructure and infrastructure critical to the clean transition, including energy networks, relevant transport infrastructure and digital support infrastructure.

Amendment 145

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point e

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(e) Clean, multimodal and digitalised, safe transport and mobility solutions, including mobile assets (e.g. vehicles, vessels including fishing vessels, aircrafts, rolling stocks) and infrastructures (among others charging infrastructure, ports or high speed rail), systems and operations.	Amendment(e) Clean, multimodal and digitalised, safe transport and mobility solutions, including mobile assets (e.g. vehicles, vessels including fishing vessels, aircrafts, rolling stocks) and sustainable infrastructures (such as charging infrastructure, ports or high speed rail, including support for innovative solutions to decarbonise energy-intensive infrastructures), systems and operations, with particular attention for achieving low- and zero-emissions solutions in accordance with the Union’s climate objectives.

Amendment 146

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point f

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(f) Supporting the development and deployment of smart mobility, including vehicles, infrastructure, connected and automated mobility, smart traffic management systems and related services.	Amendment(f) Supporting the development and deployment of smart and public mobility, including vehicles, sustainable infrastructure, connected and automated mobility, smart traffic management systems and related industries, their supply chain and services.

Amendment 147

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point g

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(g) Clean tech manufacturing and its supply chain, including through financial support to Strategic Projects under Regulation (EU) 2024/1735, scaling up the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies and their supply chains, and by ramping up of existing production lines.	Amendment(g) Clean tech manufacturing and its supply chain, including through financial support to Strategic Projects, scaling up the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 and in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2024/795, and their supply chains, and by ramping up of existing production lines to ensure the reduction of strategic dependencies.

Amendment 148

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point h

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(h) Strengthening Union capacity in innovation and industrial deployment of advanced manufacturing and advanced materials.	Amendment(h) Strengthening Union capacity in sustainable innovation and industrial deployment of advanced manufacturing and advanced materials, including innovation, scale-up and deployment of waste-processing, recycling and recovery techniques as a competitiveness tool for circularity, waste reduction and critical raw material security.

Amendment 149

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point i

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(i) Circular economy, water efficiency, ocean health and environmental policy, including solutions to protect, restore and improve the quality of the environment, including the air, water, marine and soil, and to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to tackle the degradation of ecosystem, sustainable solutions for climate action in agri-food and forestry supply chains.	Amendment(i) Circular economy, water efficiency, ocean health and environmental policy, including solutions to protect, restore and improve biodiversity and the quality of the environment, including the air, water, marine and soil, and to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to tackle the degradation of ecosystem, sustainable solutions for climate action and resilience including in agri-food and forestry supply chains.

Amendment 150

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point j

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(j) Climate and water resilience.	Amendment(j) Climate and water resilience, including modernisation of water infrastructures, measures to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change, as well as to address water scarcity and improve water management, including in industrial processes.

Amendment 151

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point k

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(k) Pollution prevention, control and remediation.	Amendment(k) Pollution prevention, control and remediation, such as through measures that reduce harmful emissions and exposures that negatively affect public health and the environment, in line with the 8th Environment Action Programme.

Amendment 152

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point l

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(l) Investment, innovation, and modernisation in sustainable blue economy sectors such as shipbuilding and shipping, offshore energy, ocean observation technologies, blue tech and preserving ecosystems.	Amendment(l) Investment, innovation, and modernisation in sustainable blue economy sectors such as shipbuilding and shipping, renewable and clean offshore energy, ocean observation technologies, blue tech and preserving marine biodiversity and ecosystems.

Amendment 153

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point m

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(m) Sustainability and clean transition of SMEs, including in tourism, construction and other economic sectors.	Amendment(m) Sustainability and the clean transition of SMEs including in tourism, construction and other economic sectors, with particular support in developing energy efficient, circular and sustainable production processes, enable access to clean technologies, simplify access to finance and ensure proportionate sustainability and administrative compliance criteria.

Amendment 154

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point o

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(o) Support actions for the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of relevant Union legislation and policy. This includes supporting the relevant institutions, the cooperation between national authorities and with stakeholders, studies, the development and deployment of tools and infrastructures, including IT infrastructure and tools.	Amendment(o) Support actions for the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of relevant Union legislation and policy, in particular Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 and Council Directive 92/43/EEC. This includes supporting the relevant institutions, the cooperation between national authorities, independent experts and with stakeholders, studies, the development and deployment of tools and infrastructures, including in IT.

Amendment 155

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 – point o a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(oa) Support for investments in nature-based solutions and circular economy innovations to strengthen competitiveness and reduce raw materials dependencies.

Amendment 156

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment1a. The support provided through the activities referred to in paragraph 1 may be used to facilitate the repurposing, decarbonisation and reuse of existing industrial sites to ensure new clean energy and decarbonised industrial capacities.

Amendment 157

Proposal for a regulation

Article 33 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. Support provided through the activities referred to in paragraph 1, may be provided in any form, including through collaborative research and innovation activities set out in Regulation (EU) [XXX] [Framework Programme for Research and Innovation] and identified in a specific dedicated part of the Work Programme.	Amendment2. Support provided through the activities referred to in paragraph 1, may be provided in any form, including through collaborative research and innovation activities set out in Regulation (EU) [XXX] [Framework Programme for Research and Innovation] and identified in a specific dedicated part of the Work Programme, while ensuring that the Programme’s R&I funding is safeguarded against use for deployment funding.

Amendment 158

Proposal for a regulation

Article 34 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. By way of derogation from Article 184(6) of the Financial Regulation, for activities supporting Coordination and Support Actions in the area of energy efficiency and clean energy transition and LIFE activities referred to in Article 34, paragraph 1, point (a), the authorising officer responsible may authorise or impose, in the form of flat-rates, funding of the beneficiary’s indirect costs up to a maximum of 25 % total eligible direct costs, excluding direct eligible costs for subcontracting, financial support to third parties and any unit costs or lump sums which include indirect costs.	Amendment2. By way of derogation from Article 184(6) of the Financial Regulation, for activities supporting Coordination and Support Actions in the area of energy efficiency and clean energy transition and LIFE actions referred to in Article 34, paragraph 1, point (a), the authorising officer responsible may authorise or impose, in the form of flat-rates, funding of the beneficiary’s indirect costs up to a maximum of 25 % total eligible direct costs, excluding direct eligible costs for subcontracting, financial support to third parties and any unit costs or lump sums which include indirect costs.

Amendment 159

Proposal for a regulation

Article 34 – paragraph 3

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission3. Work programmes shall ensure coherence with the types of actions planned to be implemented under the Fund referred to in Article 10a(8) of Directive 2003/87/EC and coherence and complementarity with the Regulation (EU)[XXX] [Connecting Europe Facility]	Amendment3. Work programmes shall ensure coherence with the types of actions planned to be implemented under the Fund referred to in Article 10a(8) of Directive 2003/87/EC and coherence and complementarity with the Regulation (EU)[XXX] [Connecting Europe Facility] and shall ensure the continuity of the core objectives and delivery principles of LIFE actions under direct management.

Amendment 160

Proposal for a regulation

Article 35 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. Award procedures under this chapter may take the form of competitive bidding. That includes contracts for difference, carbon contracts for difference, or fixed premium contracts to support decarbonisation investment, provided that the financial interests of the Union are protected and the exposure of the budget remains limited to a maximum contribution. Competitive bidding procedures may be implemented through, and in accordance with, any of the budget implementation instruments set out in Article 12.	Amendment1. Award procedures under this chapter may take the form of competitive bidding. That includes contracts for difference, carbon contracts for difference, or fixed premium contracts to support decarbonisation investment, provided that the financial interests of the Union are protected and the exposure of the budget remains limited to a maximum contribution. Competitive bidding procedures may be implemented through, and in accordance with, any of the budget implementation instruments set out in Article 12 and incentives in contribution criteria for sustainability and environmental and climate objectives, including activities generating environmental and social co-benefits.

Amendment 161

Proposal for a regulation

Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point f

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(f) Fostering an innovative and competitive bioeconomy sector in the Union, including in the areas of health biotech, biobased materials and products, valorising farm and forest residues, carbon negative products, biomanufacturing and biochemicals, in particular by supporting the discovery, development, derisking, demonstration, piloting, and scaling-up of bioeconomy innovations; by accelerating the market introduction and market uptake of bio-based materials from agriculture and forestry and bioeconomy solutions; by strengthening emerging value chains; by building a skilled workforce, by providing access to finance and other support for SMEs, startups, scale ups and innovators.	Amendment(f) Fostering an innovative, more sustainable, circular and competitive bioeconomy sector in the Union, including in the areas of health biotech, biobased materials and products, innovative food products, valorising farm and forest residues, carbon negative products, biomanufacturing and biochemicals, in particular by supporting the discovery, development, derisking, demonstration, piloting, and scaling-up of bioeconomy innovations; by supporting the development, production, deployment and recycling of bio-based materials that deliver measurable climate benefits such as long-term carbon storage in products, and increased resource efficiency in line with the cascading use principle, including measures to increase the collection, sorting and preparation of post-consumer wood for material recycling; by accelerating the market introduction and market uptake of bio-based materials and bioeconomy solutions by strengthening emerging value chains; by building a skilled workforce, by providing access to finance and other support for SMEs, startups, scale ups and sustainable innovators safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems, and preserving food security.

Amendment 162

Proposal for a regulation

Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point g

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(g) Fostering the competitiveness, the sustainability, the resilience and fairness of agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry sectors and rural and coastal areas, and contribute to long term food security in the Union.	Amendment(g) Fostering the competitiveness, the sustainability, the resilience and fairness of agriculture, the agri-food sector fisheries, aquaculture, forestry sectors and rural and coastal areas, in order to enhance their role in the transition to a climate-neutral, climate-resilient, water-smart, nature-positive economy and in the protection of natural resources and biodiversity and contributing to reduced import dependencies and strengthening long term food security and sovereignty, in the Union, including by assisting farmers in gradually reducing the reliance on antibiotics in animal farming, as antimicrobial resistance can have adverse consequences for food security, health and the environment.

Amendment 163

Proposal for a regulation

Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point g a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ga) Increasing the adaptation and resilience of the agricultural sector to the effects of climate change, in particular floods, heatwaves, droughts and forest fires, by supporting the development and dissemination of agricultural and pastoral practices, techniques and innovations resilient to natural and climate-related disasters, including support to the development of agricultural and pastoral solutions contributing to forest fire prevention and to the sustainable management of rural and forest areas.

Amendment 164

Proposal for a regulation

Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point g b (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(gb) Supporting projects for efficient modern irrigation infrastructure, including for desalination, reuse of treated water in agriculture, solutions based on digitalisation and advanced monitoring, reducing water losses, greater resilience, circularity and energy efficiency, and improving climate change adaptation.

Amendment 165

Proposal for a regulation

Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point h

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(h) Supporting actions for the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of relevant Union legislation and policy. This includes supporting the relevant institutions, the cooperation between national authorities and with stakeholders, studies, the development and deployment of tools and infrastructures, including IT infrastructure and tools.	Amendment(h) Supporting actions for the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of relevant Union legislation and policy. This includes supporting the relevant institutions, the cooperation between national authorities and with stakeholders, studies, the development and deployment of tools and infrastructures, including IT infrastructure and tools including investment in ecosystem-level data infrastructures and first-of-a-kind demonstration and production capacities across the bioeconomy, as well as enabling the development and scaling of market-based and impact-based financing models for environmental restoration.

Amendment 166

Proposal for a regulation

Article 37 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ha) Supporting the development of resilient, sustainable and diversified agri-food supply chains, including research and innovation in seed breeding and plant protection solutions development, blended finance instruments to invest in capacity building for storage and processing, incentivising practices contributing to cutting the dependence of the Union on imported commodities, especially protein crops.

Amendment 167

Proposal for a regulation

Article 37 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. Work programmes adopted in accordance with the rules of this Regulation under this chapter shall integrate in a specific dedicated part and ensure coherence with [Competitiveness and Society activities supported under the Regulation (EU) [XXX] [Horizon Europe Framework programme for Research and Innovation	Amendment2. Work programmes adopted in accordance with the rules of this Regulation under this chapter shall integrate in a specific dedicated part and ensure coherence with [Competitiveness and Society activities supported under the Regulation (EU) [XXX] [Horizon Europe Framework programme for Research and Innovation while ensuring that the Programme’s R&I funding is safeguarded against use for deployment funding.

Amendment 168

Proposal for a regulation

Article 39 – paragraph 2 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) Achieving leadership in digital and AI technologies through research and innovation, applied research, technology transfer, industrial deployment, and market uptake. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, developing and shaping sustainable core digital technologies that reflect Union values, safeguard the Union’s security and foster its competitiveness globally.	Amendment(a) Achieving leadership in digital and AI technologies through research and innovation, applied research, technology transfer, industrial deployment, and market uptake. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, developing and shaping sustainable core digital technologies that reflect Union values, including innovations that strengthen the environmental sustainability, resource-, water- and energy-efficiency of digital and AI technologies, and safeguard the Union’s security and foster its competitiveness globally.

Amendment 169

Proposal for a regulation

Article 39 – paragraph 2 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) Achieving technological sovereignty by building resilient digital ecosystems, including advanced digital skills, and ensuring a high-level of cybersecurity in the Union. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, creating an attractive ecosystem for disruptive innovative companies, SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as emerging industry leaders in the digital sector to remain, grow and thrive within the Union, supporting them in scaling up, expanding their markets, including through procurement, and contributing to the Union’s digital sovereignty, with a focus on addressing the complexity of the technological value chains, standardisation, the security of supply of advanced digital technologies, infrastructures, and services, needed capacities, including manufacturing, production capacity, and advanced digital skills both in the private and public sectors.	Amendment(b) Achieving technological sovereignty by building resilient water-, energy- and resource efficient and sustainable digital ecosystems, including advanced digital skills, and ensuring a high-level of cybersecurity in the Union. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, creating an attractive ecosystem for disruptive innovative companies, SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as emerging industry leaders in the digital sector to remain, grow and thrive within the Union, supporting them in scaling up, expanding their markets, including through procurement, and contributing to the Union’s digital sovereignty, with a focus on addressing the complexity of the technological value chains, standardisation, the security of supply of advanced digital technologies, infrastructures, and services, needed capacities, including manufacturing, production capacity, and the deployment and uptake of key digital infrastructures that are resource- energy- or water-efficient and, where feasible, powered by additional renewable energy advanced, and advanced digital skills both in the private and public sectors, as well as measures to enhance the cyber security and digital resilience of critical water and energy infrastructure.

Amendment 170

Proposal for a regulation

Article 39 – paragraph 2 – point c

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(c) Enabling the power of digital for businesses and citizens by deploying state-of-the-art and sustainable digital applications, infrastructures and services across the Union. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, actions to research and innovate, develop, produce, manufacture, or deploy advanced digital infrastructures at scale across the Union (e.g. high-performance computing, telco-cloud-edge, AI Factories and Gigafactories, data and data spaces, testing and experimentation facilities, semiconductor, photonics and quantum chips pilot lines, quantum computing, communication and sensing infrastructures, cybersecurity hubs, the EU for Business Network, European Digital Innovation Hubs, advanced connectivity infrastructures including submarine cables and non-terrestrial networks), the EU Digital Identity Wallets and trust services as well as the European Business Wallets and services, secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure, to act as a key enabler of the digital transformation and in support of societal resilience and preparedness, bringing clear added-value to businesses, public services and citizens. Where relevant, these actions shall be coordinated with national investments and shall otherwise exploit untapped potential to create a domestic market for advanced digital technologies ‘made in Europe’. Such actions may be provided under the framework of Multi-Country Projects established in accordance with Decision (EU) 2022/2481, including notably those implemented through the European Digital Infrastructure Consortia or Joint Undertakings.	Amendment(c) Enabling the power of digital for businesses and citizens by deploying state-of-the-art and sustainable digital applications, infrastructures and services across the Union. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, actions to research and innovate, develop, produce, manufacture, to improve energy efficiency and sustainability in line with Directive (EU) 2023/1791 of the European Parliament and of the Council and deploy advanced and sustainable and resilient digital infrastructures at scale across the Union most notably for innovating financing like high-performance computing, telco-cloud-edge, AI Factories and Gigafactories, and for:
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment– data and data spaces, testing and experimentation facilities,
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment– semiconductor, photonics and quantum chips pilot lines, quantum computing, communication and sensing infrastructures,
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment– cybersecurity hubs, the EU for Business Network, European Digital Innovation Hubs,
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment– advanced connectivity infrastructures including submarine cables and non-terrestrial networks,
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment– the EU Digital Identity Wallets and trust services as well as the European Business Wallets and services,
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment– secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure,
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendmentto act as a key enabler of the digital transformation and in support of societal resilience and preparedness, bringing clear added-value to businesses, public services and citizens.
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentWhere relevant, these actions shall be coordinated with national investments and shall otherwise exploit untapped potential to create a domestic market for advanced digital technologies ‘made in Europe’. Such actions may be provided under the framework of Multi-Country Projects established in accordance with Decision (EU) 2022/2481, including notably those implemented through the European Digital Infrastructure Consortia or Joint Undertakings.

Amendment 171

Proposal for a regulation

Article 39 – paragraph 2 – point d

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(d) Supporting the Union’s digital transformation of public and private sectors, including to support the development and the circulation of digital skills. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, providing the necessary support to accelerating and deepening the uptake and deployment of digital solutions across economic sectors, through research, innovation and deployment, to boost their productivity and competitiveness, with a focus on more complex technologies, as well as to achieve societal benefits. Support to public sector applications as well as the broader digitalisation of the public sector shall aim at ensuring a cohesive Union-wide interoperable digital public services landscape, support technological sovereignty, maximising their efficiency for businesses and citizens. The digital transformation of economic and public sectors shall also be supported by the other sectoral windows of the ECF.	Amendment(d) Supporting the Union’s digital transformation of public and private sectors, including to support the development and the circulation of digital skills. The implementation shall include, but not be limited to, providing the necessary support to accelerating and deepening the uptake and deployment of digital solutions across economic sectors, through research, innovation and deployment, to boost their productivity, energy-efficiency, sustainability and competitiveness, with a focus on more complex technologies, as well as to achieve societal and environmental benefits. Support to public sector applications as well as the broader digitalisation of the public sector shall aim at ensuring a cohesive Union-wide interoperable digital public services landscape, support technological sovereignty, maximising their efficiency for businesses and citizens. The digital transformation of economic and public sectors shall also be supported by the other sectoral windows of the ECF.

Amendment 172

Proposal for a regulation

Article 42 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. Support to Resilience policy shall reinforce the strategic autonomy, economic security and the resilience of the Union industry by strengthening the different stages of the raw materials value chain, including through diversification of the supply of critical raw materials from third countries.	Amendment1. Support to Resilience policy shall reinforce the strategic autonomy, economic security and the resilience of the Union industry by strengthening the green transition, resource efficiency, remanufacturing, circularity and the different stages of the raw materials value chain, including through diversification of the supply of critical raw materials from third countries

Amendment 173

Proposal for a regulation

Article 42 – paragraph 2 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) support for the strengthening of the EU capacity in exploration, extraction, processing and recycling of raw materials;	Amendment(a) support for the strengthening of the EU capacity in exploration, extraction, processing and recycling of raw materials including innovation, innovative exploration and extraction best available technologies to prevent and control water pollution, scale-up and deployment of advanced waste-processing, recycling and recovery techniques targeting critical raw materials and semiconductor reuse, subject to compliance with Union environmental legislation, meaningful public participation;

Amendment 174

Proposal for a regulation

Article 42 – paragraph 2 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) purchasing of raw materials, in line with economic security needs and the green and digital transition objectives, in order to reduce the risk of supply disruptions for companies in the EU, including for establishing and managing stockpiles of critical raw materials in coordination with Member States and industry;	Amendment(b) purchasing of raw materials, in line with economic security needs and the green and digital transition objectives, in order to reduce the risk of supply disruptions for companies in the EU, including through third-country supply diversification, including for establishing and managing stockpiles of critical raw materials in coordination with Member States and industry;

Amendment 175

Proposal for a regulation

Article 42 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ca) support to supply chains in sectors contributing to reducing the Union's import dependence on raw materials while remaining in line with or positively impacting the environment and climate objectives;

Amendment 176

Proposal for a regulation

Article 44 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ea) Support to the long-term competitiveness and resilience of the European Defence Technology Industrial Base (EDTIB) through initiatives and actions that support energy-efficiency and reduction of emissions such as low-emitting materials and reduction in emissions in production processes and the development and deployment of circular value chains, such as increased reuse, recycling and recovery of strategic materials within the Union, in order to strengthen the Union’s autonomy.

Amendment 177

Proposal for a regulation

Article 46 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ea) actions including of a collaborative nature that support the resource- or energy-efficiency, the resilience of defence products and technologies, and of the defence and security sectors.

Amendment 178

Proposal for a regulation

Article 47 – paragraph 1 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) the establishment of cross-border industrial partnerships, including through public private partnerships or other forms of industrial cooperation, in a joint industrial effort, such as cross-border joint ventures including activities that aim to coordinate the sourcing or reservation and stockpiling of defence products, components and corresponding raw materials insofar as those components and raw materials are intended or used wholly for the production of defence products, as well as to coordinate production capacities and production plans;	Amendment(b) the establishment of cross-border industrial partnerships, including through public private partnerships or other forms of industrial cooperation, in a joint industrial effort, such as cross-border joint ventures including activities that aim to coordinate the sourcing or reservation and stockpiling of defence products, including, where relevant, the development of circularity and lifecycle planning approaches for materials and components and corresponding raw materials insofar as those components and raw materials are intended or used wholly for the production of defence products, as well as to coordinate production capacities and production plans;

Amendment 179

Proposal for a regulation

Article 47 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(fa) actions that support the energy-efficiency, and, the resilience, of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB);

Amendment 180

Proposal for a regulation

Article 47 – paragraph 1 – point f b (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(fb) the development and industrial deployment of dual-use technologies that enhance the resilience and strategic autonomy of military forces, in particular strengthening strategic alternative sustainable fuel supply chains and electrification, thereby reducing exposure and vulnerability to imported strategic technologies and materials. This includes, for instance, support for sustainable fuel production —including renewable fuels of non-biological origin — as well as battery technologies including battery energy storage systems and smart grid technologies.

Amendment 181

Proposal for a regulation

Article 48 – paragraph 1

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission1. The Programme shall support activities that aim at increasing cooperation among Member States and associated countries in joint certification capability development, procurement, maintenance and availability of defence capabilities, thereby reducing fragmentation and enhancing interoperability, achieving economies of scale, ensuring faster access to needed equipment, and strengthening collective defence readiness.	Amendment1. The Programme shall support activities that aim at increasing cooperation among Member States and associated countries in joint certification capability development, procurement, maintenance and availability of defence capabilities, thereby reducing fragmentation and enhancing interoperability, achieving economies of scale, where relevant enhancing sustainability, energy- and water-efficiency, ensuring faster access to needed equipment, and strengthening collective defence readiness.

Amendment 182

Proposal for a regulation

Article 49 – paragraph 1 – point a

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(a) The incentivisation of the procurement of products which enable or enhance the movement, transportation, or deployment of military personnel, equipment, or supplies, and improve the access to military mobility capabilities.	Amendment(a) The incentivisation of the procurement of products which enable or enhance the movement, transportation, or deployment of military personnel, equipment, or supplies, and improve the access to military mobility capabilities, and where relevant or technologically feasible, the resource- and energy-efficiency, circularity and resilience of military equipment and infrastructure, and related supply chains.

Amendment 183

Proposal for a regulation

Article 49 – paragraph 1 – point f

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(f) The enhancement of the protection and resilience of infrastructures that are strategic for military mobility especially for those located on a military mobility corridor and those having a European impact.	Amendment(f) The enhancement of the protection, climate-resilience and resilience of infrastructures that are strategic for military mobility especially for those located on a military mobility corridor and those having a European impact, improving critical infrastructure resilience and integrating climate resilience within infrastructure planning, including dual-use infrastructure.

Amendment 184

Proposal for a regulation

Article 51 – paragraph 8

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission8. Unless in certain duly substantiated and exceptional circumstances to be defined in the work programme or the documents related to the award procedure, the infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources of the recipients of Union funding involved in an action which are used for the purposes of that action shall be located on the territory of a Member State or of an associated country. Where appropriate, the work programmes may set out conditional exceptions to this rule.	Amendment8. Unless in certain duly substantiated and exceptional circumstances to be defined in the work programme or the documents related to the award procedure, the infrastructure, facilities, assets and resources of the recipients of Union funding involved in an action which are used for the purposes of that action shall be located on the territory of a Member State or of an associated country. Where appropriate, the work programmes may set out conditional exceptions to this rule, following a duly justified risk analysis and after informing the committee referred to in Article 83.

Amendment 185

Proposal for a regulation

Article 53 – paragraph 1 – point b

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(b) The objectives, priorities and the expected results set for the relevant action, in particular trough the evaluation of one or more of the following criteria as specified in the work programmes: (i) contribution to excellence in the defence domain, (ii) innovation capacities, (iii) cross-border cooperation, in particular with SMEs and mid-caps that bring substantial added-value to the action, (iv) competitiveness, (v) increase in production capacities and availability, (vi) reduction of lead production time, (v) increase in interoperability, (vii) increase in interchangeability and (viii) security of supply throughout the Union in response to identified risks, including in particular high exposure to the risk of materialisation of conventional military threats.	Amendment(b) The objectives, priorities and the expected results set for the relevant action, in particular trough the evaluation of one or more of the following criteria as specified in the work programmes: (i) contribution to excellence in the defence domain, (ii) innovation capacities, (iii) cross-border cooperation, in particular with SMEs and mid-caps that bring substantial added-value to the action, (iv) competitiveness, (v) increase in production capacities and availability, (vi) reduction of lead production time, (v) increase in interoperability, (vii) increase in interchangeability and (viii) security of supply throughout the Union in response to identified risks, including in particular high exposure to the risk of materialisation of conventional military threats, (ix) circularity and carbon intensity of the materials or products used and, without prejudice to the relevant exemptions, the DNSH principle.

Amendment 186

Proposal for a regulation

Article 65 – paragraph 2

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission2. The Union shall foster an autonomous and resilient access to space, by supporting European reliable and cost-efficient launch services together with a cohesive European approach, taking into account the essential security interests of the Union and its Member-States.	Amendment2. The Union shall foster an autonomous and resilient access to space where appropriate in an environmentally responsible manner, by supporting European reliable and cost-efficient launch services together with a cohesive European approach, taking into account the essential security interests of the Union and its Member-States.

Amendment 187

Proposal for a regulation

Article 66 – paragraph 2 – point f

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(f) any additional action necessary to support the Union’s space economy and the establishment of a Single Market for space.	Amendment(f) any additional action necessary to support the Union’s space economy and the establishment of a Single Market for space, with a particular focus on the reduction of environmental impacts across manufacturing, launch and operations, in a proportionate manner.

Amendment 188

Proposal for a regulation

Article 67 – paragraph 2 – point g a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ga) activities supporting the assessment and monitoring of environmental impacts in cases of atmospheric re-entry, such as effects on the ozone layer, the upper atmosphere or the Earth’s oceans or environment;

Amendment 189

Proposal for a regulation

Article 67 – paragraph 2 – point h a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(ha) activities aimed at improving the circularity, environmental sustainability or energy-efficiency of the Union space sector.

Amendment 190

Proposal for a regulation

Article 80 – paragraph 1 – point d

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(d) Civil preparedness against security threats, whether natural or human-made, accidental or intentional.	Amendment(d) Civil preparedness, adaptation and mitigation against security threats, including in relation to climate change-related risks and disasters whether natural or human-made, accidental or intentional;

Amendment 191

Proposal for a regulation

Article 80 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(da) Technologies, capabilities and industrial solutions dedicated to the prevention of, preparedness for and response to natural and climate-related and health disasters.

Amendment 192

Proposal for a regulation

Article 84 a (new)

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentArticle 84a
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentAmendments to Regulation (EU) 2021/783
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentRegulation (EU) 2021/783 is amended as follows:
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment(1) Article 1 is replaced by the following:
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment'Article 1
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentSubject matter
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentThis Regulation establishes a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) (the 'LIFE Programme') for the period from 1 January 2028 to 31 December 2034.
Text proposed by the Commission	AmendmentThis Regulation also lays down the objectives of the LIFE Programme, its budget, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such funding.'

Amendment 193

Proposal for a regulation

Article 88 – paragraph 4 – point d

Amendment: Text proposed by the Commission and Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Text proposed by the Commission(d) Regulation (EU) 2021/783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE), and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013.	Amendmentdeleted

Back matter, 1

Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.

Annex: declaration of input 4 blocks

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the opinion, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

Table from the text: 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the
1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register
Cleantech for Europe
Green Power Denmark
Confederation of Danish Industry
T&E
DANVA
BUSINESSEUROPE
Climate Strategy & Partners
WWF, Birdlife
The European Investment Bank (EIB)
European Association of long term investors (ELTI)
2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

Procedure pages and committee votes

How the committees handled the text and how their members voted on it. Collapsed.

Procedure – committee asked for opinion 1 block

Table from the text: Title
Title	Establishing the European Competitiveness Fund (’ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities
References	COM(2025)0555 – C10-0165/2025 – 2025/0555(COD)
Committee(s) responsible Date announced in plenary	ITRE 23.10.2025
Opinion by Date announced in plenary	ENVI 23.10.2025
Rapporteur for opinion Date appointed	Stine Bosse 14.1.2026
Discussed in committee	25.2.2026
Date adopted	5.5.2026
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	59 22 4

Final vote by roll call by the committee asked for opinion 3 blocks

59 · For

EPP: Pascal Arimont, Bartosz Arłukowicz, Hildegard Bentele, Alexander Bernhuber, Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, Niels Flemming Hansen, Radan Kanev, Seán Kelly, Stefan Köhler, Ewa Kopacz, András Tivadar Kulja, Peter Liese, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Alexandra Mehnert, Jessica Polfjärd, Massimiliano Salini, Paulius Saudargas, Oliver Schenk, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Zala Tomašič, Dimitris Tsiodras, Axel Voss, Michał Wawrykiewicz
Renew: Grégory Allione, Stine Bosse, Pascal Canfin, Sigrid Friis, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Andreas Glück, Martin Hojsík, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik
S&D: Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Biljana Borzan, Christophe Clergeau, Annalisa Corrado, Heléne Fritzon, Romana Jerković, César Luena, Pierfrancesco Maran, Alessandra Moretti, Matteo Ricci, Elena Sancho Murillo, Günther Sidl, Birgit Sippel, Marta Temido, Bruno Tobback, Tiemo Wölken
The Left: Li Andersson, Anja Hazekamp, Jonas Sjöstedt
Greens: Pär Holmgren, Katrin Langensiepen, Tilly Metz, Jutta Paulus, Lena Schilling, Villy Søvndal, Marie Toussaint

22 · Against

ECR: Stefano Cavedagna, Emmanouil Fragkos, Paolo Inselvini, Nicola Procaccini, Antonella Sberna, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Beatrice Timgren, Laurence Trochu, Aurelijus Veryga, Alexandr Vondra
ESN: Anja Arndt, Marc Jongen, Milan Mazurek
No group: Friedrich Pürner
Patriots: Barbara Bonte, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Susanna Ceccardi, Klara Dostalova, Viktória Ferenc, Roman Haider, Ondřej Knotek, Antonín Staněk

4 · Abstained

No group: Ondřej Dostál
The Left: Lynn Boylan, Emma Fourreau, Martin Günther

Connections

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Sources & citation

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Permalink: https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/ENVI-AD-784252
Data source: EP Open Data API: document record
Licensed CC BY 4.0.
Retrieved: 25 September 2026

Cite as

European Parliament (2026). “OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities”. Text, 5 May 2026. docId ENVI-AD-784252. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/ENVI-AD-784252 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/ENVI-AD-784252 (CC BY 4.0).

BibTeX

@misc{epw-text-envi-ad-784252,
  author = {{European Parliament}},
  title = {{OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities}},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-05-05},
  howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/ENVI-AD-784252}},
  url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/ENVI-AD-784252},
  urldate = {2026-09-25},
  publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
  note = {Text. docId ENVI-AD-784252. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the… specific programme for defence research and innovation activities

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On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Competitiveness Fund ('ECF’), including the specific programme for defence research and innovation activities