3 Amendments of Franck PROUST related to 2011/0177(APP)
Amendment 2 #
1. Believes that to get the EU out of the current economic and social crisis, and to guarantee its future competitiveness in a globalised world, it is absolutely essential that the objectives set out in the EU 2020 strategy to achieve a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth are met; points out that, to do this, the EU has the ambition ultimately to become the world’s leading science and technology destination in terms both of growth and of employment; underlines that to implement these objectives, an estimated total of EUR 1600 billion of future- oriented investments in core policies are needed;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the key role that the EU budget must play in achieving the commonly agreed EU 2020 strategy objectives since, if well devised, EU funding can actually trigger and catalyse actions of clear EU added value that Member States are unable to carry out on their own, as well as create synergies and complementarities with Member States’ activities by helping them to focus on key future-oriented investments; welcomes, therefore, the Commission’s proposal to increase – relative to the current MFF 2007-2013 – the funding available for EU programmes in the fields of research, innovation, competiveness, SMEs and infrastructure; strongly believes that these proposed financial allocations constitute a bare minimum and; considers it essential for the EU to earmark 3% of its expenditure for research and innovation by 2020; calls on Europe’s public authorities and private sector to do their utmost to achieve this target; strongly warns against the temptation by some Member States to cut themallocations, as this would jeopardise the EU’s credibility and political commitment in favour of growth and jobs; emphasises, at the same time, the need to ensure sufficient budgetary flexibility so that the budgetary means can be aligned in an appropriate manner with evolving circumstances and priorities;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the added value of EU programmes in favour of SMEs, as these have proven very helpful in supporting Member States’ efforts to secure SMEs’ access to funding opportunities in a time of deep financial crisis; stresses, nevertheless, that a better and, more diverse access to funding, (from grants to loans or equity financing,), simplified and centralised (one-stop shops for SMEs throughout the EU) access to funding should be available in the future for all European industrial actors; strongly believes that in the foreseen financial envelope for the Programme for the Competitiveness of enterprises and SMEs (COSME), the budget allocated to financial instruments shall be increased, and the access to it improved, so that the programme can be extended to include even more SMEs, and so that it answers more adequately to SMEs’ various needs;