Activities of Andrey NOVAKOV related to 2021/2158(DEC)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh European Development Funds for the financial year 2020
Amendments (47)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the alignment of Union development cooperation with partner countries’ own development priorities should always be fully respected and is a key element of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (‘2030 Agenda’);
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas policy coherence and complementarity of various external policies should be carefully looked at, especially when several policies are being implemented in a single partner country, with a view to promoting cooperation between the public and private sectors, encouraging synergies and trade-offs between existing policies, avoiding the possible damaging consequence of having one single Union policy on an area otherwise dealt with by another policy and avoiding unnecessary administrative burden as much as possible;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is concerned that the estimated level of error surpassed the materiality threshold, with 3,8 % of expenditure affected for the eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh EDFs (compared to 3,5 % in 2019, 5,2 % for 2018, 4,5 % in 2017, 3,3 % in 2016, 3,8 % in both 2014 and 2015, 3,4 % in 2013 and 3 % in 2012); notes that, compared to the financial year 2019, the increase of the estimated error rate is relatively insignificant0,3%; points out, nevertheless, that it is necessary to address the causes of such anthis increase, while taking into account the specific circumstances of the 2020 discharge exercise;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible for the Court to carry out on-the-spot visits to EU delegations, thus preventing it from carrying out certain audit procedures, in particular verifying contract implementation for the transactions selected, and therefore the Court’s audit work was mainly limited to desk reviews of transactions and projects by means of remotely connecting with auditees; notes, nevertheless that desk reviews are a predominantly common tool when carrying out an audit procedure and evaluating data; invites ECA to resume the on-the-spot visits as soon as possible once the COVID-19 situation would allow so;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission, following several formal and informal exchanges of views, the hearing debate held in Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control and the Commission’s replies to written questions, to take appropriate and effective steps to assure that the Court will receive adequate access to all necessary information in order to be able to appropriately check the legality and regularity of Union budget expenditure, as required by primary and secondary law; notes, that the limited access might be a result of diverging interpretation of the legal requirements;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers that monitoring activities will be more effective if Commission intelligence is regularly published and shared with the discharge authority in advance so long as such reporting is in compliance with applicable legislation;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that the Court found that the Commission and its implementing partners in 2020 committed more errors in transactions relating to grants and to contribution and delegation agreements with international organisations and delegation agreements with Member States’ cooperation agencies than they did with other forms of support, such as those covering works, supply and service contracts (as had happened in 2019); notes that of the 67 (65 in 2019) transactions of that type examined by the Court, 27 (38 transactions (40,3 %) compared to 25 transactions (38 %) in 2019) contained quantifiable errors, which accounted for 94,2 % of the estimated level of error (71,7 % in 2019); calls on the Commission to publish comprehensive, updated and detailed information regarding funded projects and recipients, to enhance its risk- based approach and to invest control capacity in areas that are more error prone;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Calls on the Commission to proceed with a pre-established format for communication between partner countries, EDF beneficiaries and the Union with a view to reducing the errors found by the Court;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is worried about, notwithstanding the positive analysis by DG INTPA in its Annual Activity Report on Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for 2020 (14 KPIs scoring better than in 2019), the Court’s observation, as in previous years, that the frequency of identified errors, including some contained in final claims which had been subject to ex-ante external auditchecks and expenditure verifications, still points to weaknesses in those checks; reiterates its expectation that the control system be more rigorous and calls on DG INTPA to continue efforts to improve the assessment of both the effectiveness and efficiency of its control system by identifying KPIs for both, by setting realistic and ambitious targets and by monitoring and improving its control system; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to set up a platform covering EDF-funded projects by country, focusing on the final recipients, general and specific project goals and, above all, their practical results in terms of the desired increase in development indices; suggests that developing such an integrated, interoperable information and monitoring platform would increase control reliability and would contribute to enhanced effectiveness and visibility of EU development aid; in this regard, invites the Commission to consider also launching a dialogue with the beneficiary countries with reference to a possible use of a single risk-scoring tool in the future;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes that DG INTPA’s ninth residual error rate (RER) study, carried out by an external contractor on its behalf in 2020, estimated the overall RER to be below the 2 % materiality threshold set by the Commission for the fifth year in a row (0,95 % in 2020, compared to 1,13 % in 2019); ; 1,13% in 2019; 0,85% in 2018; 1,18% 2017; 1,67% 2016);19a _________________ 19a https://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADoc uments/annualreports- 2020/annualreports-2020_EN.pdf para 32.
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Points out that, as in previous years, the Court considers that there are many factors contributing to the underestimation of the RER, as raised in 2019 discharge resolution, with the main limitations being the method for determining the RER and overreliance on previous control work carried out either directly by the Commission or by independent third parties (17 % share of full reliance and 37 % for partial reliance); supports the Court’s evaluation that that is contrary to the purpose of the RER study, which is to identify the errors that precisely evaded such checks;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recalls that the Court’s recommendation to the Commission to issue reservations to all areas prone to having a high-level risk, regardless of their share of total expenditure and their financial impact was already included in the 2019 EDF annual report; regrets that the Commission does not accept the recommendation; highlights the fact that the Court is very clear and consistent in pointing out that by applying the de minimis rule, the Commission is reducing its ability to identify risks in its overall area of responsibility; considers that excluding areas because of their financial impact but still considered by DG INTPA itself as high risk is a very dangerous situation; strongly supports the Court in its recommendation and invites the Commission to revise its approach accordingly;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Is of the view that it is worth underlying that the regulatory framework governing the RER study and the contract between DG INTPA and the RER study contractor do not provide for any systemic approach for reporting on suspected fraud against the Union budget detected during its RER work; strongly supports the Court’s recommendation in that area and; welcomes in this regard the Commission’s initiative to amend its RER Manual and Methodology by the end of 2021 taking, as much as possible, into account the remarks by the Court; notes that the new version will include an increase in the number of field visits, additional explanations on procurement checks and reliance on previous control work and the obligation to report to the Commission any suspected fraud against the EU budget detected during the work on the RER study; invites the Commission to report back to the discharge authority on the measures introduced in the RER methodology or in the terms of reference to formalise the communication of suspected fraud by the RER study contractor;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes with concern the Court’s statement about an unjustified absence of reservations in the 2020 annual activity report caused by the limitations of the RER study, on the one hand, and the conservation of the de minimis rule of less than 5 % of total payments with a financial impact of less than EUR 5 million, on the other hand; is worried that that evaluation may lead to the possible non-reliabilityimpact the effectiveness of DG INTPA’s annual activity report;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Stresses that the vast amount of resources allocated to respond to the urgent needs presented by the COVID-19 crisis, combined with relaxedmore flexible oversight and accountability measures, also creates ample opportunities for corruption to grow and thrive; recalls that not only is corruption detrimental to crisis response and recovery, but it undermines the achievement of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda, in particular SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and has a negative impact on peace, security, the rule of law, gender equality, human rights and the environment; notes, moreover, that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption risks demonstrated that efforts to combat and prevent corruption were proving insufficineeded further enhancement; underlines the important role of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor's Office in fighting corruption and fraud, within the limits of their mandate;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Notes the actions undertaken by DG INTPA to mitigate the risks stemming from the use of exceptional financial or procurement procedures in the response to the COVID-19 crisis, in particular by means of budget support; notes, however, that the risk of corruption and fraud remained the highest perceived risk in all regions, even if a small decrease can be observed over time; acknowledges that, in certain situations, high risks can be accepted, as long as there are opportunities for engagement with authorities and concrete prospects for improvement, to the extent that risks can be mitigated and, in a fragile context, as long as the risks associated with non-intervention outweigh the risks of providing budget support; calls on DG INTPA to keep on monitoring the situation and pay particular attention to the most fragile countries; expects to be updatedinvites the Commission to report back to the discharge authority on further developments;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Notes that in 2020 DG INTPA developed a new draft anti-fraud strategy, the adoption of which was delayed to 2021; notes, furthermore, that the anti-fraud strategy is based on the DG INTPA survey to assess risks and controls, a risk analysis to be linked to the new Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI)2 , the new implementation modalities and the Commission’s anti-fraud strategy, adopted in 2019; emphasises also the role of the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) as an essential tool to sanction fraud and encourages further DG INTPA to make known the use of this system; _________________ 2 Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, amending and repealing Decision No 466/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009 (OJ L 209, 14.6.2021, p. 1).
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Notes that the regular monitoring of pillar assessment requirements and reports by the Commission were disrupted due tohas progressed despite the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent need to postpone complement; calls on the Commission to continue the close monitoring of the pillary assessments to the end of 2021; calls on the Commission to resume the pilland keep the discharge authority informed about the progress and the results also with views to the complementary assessments as soon as practicable and keep the discharge authority informed about the progress and the results; of all pillar assessed entities and the target to have them completed by the extended deadline end of 2021 due to the COVID- 19 outbreak;31a _________________ 31a https://ec.europa.eu/info/system/files/ann ual-activity-report-2020-international- partnerships-annexes_en.pdf p. 446-447.
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Expresses satisfaction that, as of the 2021-2027 MFF period, the EDFs, the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) and other instruments with the NDICI-Global Europe have been incorporated into the Union general budget under heading 4 ‘Global Europe’, which accounts for 6,6 % or EUR 11,4 billion of the Union budget: of that amount, EUR 3 billion (26,7 %) is spent on DCI, EUR 2,7 billion (23,2 %) on the European Neighbourhood Instrument, EUR 1,9 billion (16,9 %) on the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance, EUR 1,9 billion (16,8 %) on humanitarian aid, and the rest on other actions and programmes; notes that certain implementation modalities and flexibility provisions of the EDF have been integrated into Regulation (EU) 2021/947; recalls that the budgetisation of the EDFs has been a long- standing demand of Parliament;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Underlines that such a new set-up entails new institutional responsibilities and tasks, in particular for Parliament as one arm of the budget authority for the annual budget; expects budgetary transparency, policy coherence and democratic accountability to benefit from those new arrangements; notes with satisfaction the increased role of the Parliament in the area of international partnerships under Global Europe including through the High-level geopolitical dialogue;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Notes that there is still a need for a more systematic approach to the communication of the Union’s grant- funded activitisupport to partners and efforts to tackle global challenges to enhance the Union’s visibility and to strengthen transparency, accountability and human rights due diligence along the chain of funding; calls on the Commission to introduce in framework agreements the obligation for the leading agency to ensure the visibility of the Union in multi-donor projects; calls on the Commission to carry out sample- based on-the-spot controls years after the completion of the co-financed projects to checknotes the importance of the Team Europe approach with regards to the effectiveness and visibility of EU’s assistance; calls on the Commission to redouble its efforts to ensure the continued impact of the EDF interventions and to take the necessary steps to ensure the long-term impact of its operations;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Notes with appreciation that in 2020 sub-Saharan Africa remains the largest recipient of budget support with a share of 38 % (36 % in 2019); observes, moreover, that lower-middle-income countries account for 52,4 % (47 % in 2019) of the total ongoing commitments; notes with concern that low-income countries account for 29,4 % of total commitments, confirming the decreasing trend noted in 2019 (32 % compared to 38 % in 2018); notes that, altogether, 47 % of the ongoing budget support programmes are being implemented in least-developed countries;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Paragraph 43 a (new)
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Stresses that entrepreneurship plays an essential role in the fight against poverty; highlights the fact that providing business training can help small-scale entrepreneurs set up businesses and improve business practices; notes that, in order to improve the effectiveness of such programmes, such training should be complemented with customised support and follow-up services; recalls, in addition, that men and women entrepreneurs face inherently different constraints, including psychological and cultural factors, and that to truly empower women,o continue empowering both women and men, as well as the policies needed to address those constraintrelevant challenges;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Reiterates its call on DG INTPA tothe Commission services to continue strictly assessing in its policy dialogue the risks related to corporate tax avoidance, tax evasion and illicit financial flows affecting, in particular, developing countries; encourages DG INTPAthe Commission to assess the fiscal impact and to help establish oriented investment objectives;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Considers that needs assessments in connection with NDICI-Global Europe programming should take into account countries’ debt situations and how those situations influence the possibility of pursuing the SDGs; stresses the need for crowding in private financing to achieve the SDGs and the need for donors to prioritise grant-based financing as the default option, especially to the least developed countries, and not favour blending, guarantees or any loans that could inchighlights the increased efforts to leverage EU funds with a view to providing more ase the burden of debt over grants; sistance to partners including through blending and de- risking mechanisms; discourages the UnCommission and othe Member States to develop, as a first step, and in addition to its pledges on a debt moratorium, a new debt relief initiative regarding heavily indebted poor countries; calls, more broadly, for the creation of a multilateral debt workout mechanism to address both the impact of the crisis and the financing requirements of the 2030 Agendar European institutions from setting up new financial aid instruments and rather encourages them to assure greater visibility of the existent instruments in their respective area of operation and in the European Union and strengthening partner countries capacity to monitor and manage their debt;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Notes that the Commission considers the implementation of Team Europe’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as very effective, allowing the EDF resources available for 2020 to be fully executed; is worried aboutnotes the reduction of the number of visits to projects, which were replaced by remote audits due to the COVID-19 outbreak; considers that remote audits cannot compare to real on- the-spot checks and invites the Commission to resume visits as soon as possible taking on board the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of the use of technologies and instruments to complement visits;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Notes with concerns that, as of 12 NovemberAcknowledges the overall positive impact of COVAX to ACP countries despite several implementation challenges and weaknesses throughout the process; notes that by mid-February 20212, COVID- 19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) has delivered only 476 697 161ver 1 billion doses to 144 countries, of which 160265 million doses were donations; notes that EU Members States have provided 48shared 352 million doses; regrets that the impact of COVAX is pretty poor, having missed its own targets for 2021; call on the Commission to stop sending vaccines which are about to expire; (by early February 2022); notes that the impact of COVAX is below its optimal performance with regards to its own targets for 202151a; _________________ 51a COVID-19 Vaccine Market Dashboard, UNICEF Supply Division https://www.unicef.org/supply/covid-19- vaccine-market-dashboard
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Calls for close monitoring and thorough policy dialogue with partner countries regarding objectives, progress towards agreed results and performance indicators; calls once more on the Commission to better define and measure expected development impact and, especially, to improve the control mechanism with regard to the conduct of beneficiary countries in the areas of corruption, rule of law, respect for human rights, good governance and democracy; remains deeply concerned about the use that could be made of Union budget support in recipient countries where there is no or only limited democratic controlstresses the need to include the private sector in that strategic dialogue; notes the importance of democratic control over the use of Union budget support in recipient countries;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Reiterates its call on the Commission to carry out an evaluation on a country-by-country basis of the long-term on-going EDF-financed projects in order to demonstrate the true impact on the relevant country of decades-long Union investment and how it has effectively helped beneficiary countries’ economic, social and sustainable development; calls on the Commission to limittake advantage orf terminate the funding of ineffective projectshe lessons learnt with projects that have not been implemented effectively or efficiently and to take decisive action in the future;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
56. Regrets the factNotes that, as in 2019 report, the Court did not include the performance of the EDFs in Chapter 6, entitled ‘Global Europe’, of its report on the performance of the Union budget; regrets, moreovernotes, that the Court has not yet carried out a horizontal and detailed performance evaluation of the EDFs; calls on the Court to resume that practiceacknowledges that with the budgetisation of the EDF, the Court will be also auditing the new EDF as part of the long-term Union budget;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 57
Paragraph 57
57. Takes notes of the EDFs’ contribution to DG INTPA objectives 14 (human development) and 12 (sustainable jobs); recalls that health, gender equality, education and decent jobs should remain, employment and improving the living conditions are at the core of the Union’s external action, in particular for the most vulnerable, populations, including for migrants and for refugees; acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted societies in many ways, reversing the human development progress achieved in recent years, putting pressure on the most vulnerable populations, exacerbating inequalities and leading to limitations to the civil and democratic space in fragile democracies;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 58
Paragraph 58
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Calls on the EIB to fullycontinue supporting the achievefulfilment of the SDGs through its activities within the framework of specific mandates decided by the Council and Parliament;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62
Paragraph 62
62. Considers the audit onReflects on the accountability process where the Parliament is the discharge authority with the exception of the iInvestment fFacility to be good practice in, which is managed by the EIB and is therms of cooperation and collaborative scrutiny between Parliament and the Court; regrets, however, that projects implemented efore outside the scope of ECA’s audit62a; _________________ 62a See Articles 43, 48-50 and 58 of Council Regulation (EU) 2015/323 of 2 March 2015 on the fin and funds allocated to the OCTs are not covered by the audit; deplores the fact that the investment facility does not fall within the scope of the Court’s annual statement of assurance audit and is not subject to Parliament’s discharge procedure; cial regulation applicable to the 11th European Development Fund (OJ L 58, 3.3.2015, p. 17; In 2012, a tripartite agreement between the EIB, the Commission and the ECA (Article 134 of Council Regulation (EC) No 215/2008 of 18 February 2008 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the 10th EDF (OJ L 78, 19.3.2008, p. 1)) set out the rules for the audit of these operations by the ECA.
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 63
Paragraph 63
63. Recalls that 2 EUTFs were created under the EDF, namely the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for stability and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in Africa (the ‘EUTF for Africa’) and the European Union Trust Fund Bêkou for the Central African Republic (the ‘EUTF Bêkou’); recalls Parliament’s regular stance that the Commission should ensures that any trust fund established as a new development tool must always be in line with the Union’s overall strategy and development policy objectives, i.e. the reduction and in the long term eradication of poverty as enshrined in Article 208 TFEU, and must, in particular, ensure that the security interests of European countries do not override the needsrecipient countries receive support in tackling the root causes of irregular migration flows as security is essential for the stability of the recipient populations; encouragnotes ,the Commission to reconsider financial aid to EUTF projects deflecting from that centreline; proposal for the establishment under the CFSP of a European Peace Facility (EPF) for the financing of military and defence-related cooperation with third countries and IOs that will enhance the ability of the Union to respond more rapidly and effectively to security challenges together with the NDICI;63a _________________ 63a https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/ etudes/IDAN/2021/691520/IPOL_IDA(20 21)691520_EN.pdf p. 28.
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. Notes that the EDFs’ contribution to address migration and forced displacement challenges has increased over recent years, either through projects directly funded by the EDFs or through EDF contributions to the EUTF for Africa; notes that poverty generates several consequences, including an increase in migration, which represents an obstacle to development; recalls the fact that the EUTF for Africa must address the root causes of destabilisation, forced displacement and irregular migration by promoting resilience, economic opportunities,and equal opportunities, security of populations and human and social development;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
65. Notes that EDF contributions to the EUTFs increased from EUR 600 million in 2019 to EUR 800 million in 2020, with additional EDF funds to the EUTF for Africa used to address specific areas of concerns in the Sahel and Lake Chad and Horn of Africa regions, including security challenges, essential stabilisation efforts and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic; recalls the fact that EUTF for Africa’s funding lines must not be used for security measures, which would jeopardise migrants’ rights; calls on the Commission the Commission to continue mon ito put in place tangible guarantees that migration-related EUTF projects are not used by the implementing authorities to violate migrants’ basic human rightring migration-related EUTF projects and inform the discharge authority on their outcomes;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
66. Expresses concerns aboutNotes the financial contribution of the EDF to the EUTF Bêkou to support the Central African Republic’s exit from the COVID- 19 crisis and its reconstruction and development, due to the control exercised by mercenaries from; expresses concerns about the influence of the Wagner Group over the Central African Armed Forces; echonotes the concerns that mercenaries from the Wagner Group were commanding units that the Union had trained and notes the CommissiCommission's decision to temporarily suspend its military training mission due to concerns referring to activities of the Wagner Group; in this regard, notes, that in December 2021 the EU has decided to impose restrictive measures against the Wagner Group; welcomes EU’s strong decision to temporarily suspend its military training mission;termination to stand up for its interests and values in its worried by reports of systematic and serious human rights violations by the Wagner Group andneighbourhood and to take decisive action against threats to the international peace and security; calls on the Commission to checkmonitor that no funds weare paid out directly or indirectly to the Wagner GroupRussian contractors or sub-contracts especially in view of the current war on Ukraine;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67
Paragraph 67
67. Notes that the mid-term evaluation of the EUTF for Africa was concluded in 2020; notes the main findings of the evaluation report and expresses concerns about some of the critical aspects highlighted therein, namely the fact that despite significant resources allocated for addressing irregular migration, the most appropriate means for addressing it, which is the main objective of the EDFs, was not well defined, leading to a situation in which the EUTF for Africa has focused on migration to Europe rather than the broad migration and development agenda; is worried by one ofhose purpose is to provide with an objective assessment of the strategic approach and operationalisation of the EUTF from 2015 to 2019 was concluded in 2020; notes the main findings of the evaluation report, namely that the EUTF for Africa, as a short-term instrument, is not an appropriate vehicl has a too wide mandate for addressing the root causes of major societal problemsigration; notes the need to better address challenges related to intra-African migration that makes up almost 90% of migration flows in Africa; requests the Commission to continue responding to thatese concerns in the remaining implementation period, making sure to have more focused activities to eradicate poverty in line with the EDFs’ main objective and to work towards an approach limiting the dependencies on external intervention;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68
68. Is also worriedNotes that the EUTF for Africa has managed to make modest contributions to increased economic opportunities and employment; supports the recommendation, set out in the evaluation report, to request that Union support to economic opportunities and employment creation be integrated where possible with local labour market dynamics and actors; and also with private sector investment;68a _________________ 68a https://ec.europa.eu/info/system/files/ann ual-activity-report-2020-international- partnerships-annexes_en.pdf p.731.
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
71. Expresses satisfaction that following the strong concerns expressed by Parliament on the use of forced labour via national service, the Commission has decided not to pay out the EUR 60 million tranches planned for 2020 for the project “Reconnecting Eritrea and Ethiopia through rehabilitation of the main arterial roads in Eritrea”, funded by the EUTF for Africa; welcomes the decision in May 2021 to fully de-commit the unused funds initially allocated to Eritrea, but regrets that the EUR 20 million paid in 2019 was already implemented and could not be recovered; calls on the Commission to avoid similar situations in the future and to learn lessons from that very unfortunate experienceWelcomes the decision by the Commission to de-commit funds originating from the EUTF for Africa that were initially allocated to Eritrea, in particular for the procurement for road renovation that used forced labour;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74
Paragraph 74
74. Is concerned by the Commission’s rejection of a recommendation of Parliament to include in the next annual activity report a structured assessment and evaluation of aid and reporting on the results and impact of the activities of the EDFs; notes that the Commission considers that the impact of the activities of the EDFs has already been assessed by means of the production and transmission to Parliament of the annual report on the implementation of the Union’s instruments for financing external actions, but recalls that part 1 of DG INTPA’s annual activity report does not distinguish between the activities of the general budget and the EDFs, making it difficult to evaluate the Commission’s statement that the EDFs have achieved important results in addressing poverty reduction; considers that to implement its role of discharge authority, Parliament needs all possible useful data to evaluate the EDFs and their impact; invites the Commission to revise its position and respond positively to Parliament’s specific request;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
79. Notes with concerns that 73,3 % of the contracts with Member States were signed with only 2a few national development agencies (such as the French AFD and the German GIZ); while recognising their expertise of those 2 agencies, considers that, considers that more efforts for promoting also the vision of more national development agencies are necessary; Union development policy cannot be reduced to the vision of only 2two Member States; welcomes the efforts of the Commission in that regard, including the preparation of a study to understand the strength of each partner in the Members States in order to evaluate how they could better contribute in the future; asks the Commission to provide the discharge authority with that report as soon as it is available;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 81
Paragraph 81
81. Notes that the report on the follow- up to the discharge for the financial year 2019 was duly published in July 2021; regretnotes the delayed transmission of the detailed replies to the specific requests made by Parliament in the discharge resolution but welcomes that, in an answer to the written questions, the Commission has agreed to provide an advance copy of the follow-up to the EDF discharge; recalls the importance of having detailed follow- up information in due time as a vital part of the discharge procedure;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82
Paragraph 82
82. RegretNotes the lack of follow-up to some of Parliament’s requests during the 2019 discharge procedure and invites therefore the Commission to provide a more in-depth analysis of Parliament’s recommendations.;