Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1

Where the Member State whose territory is concerned by a proposed project objects to granting the proposed project strategic status, it shall present substantiated reasons for doing so during the discussion referred to in paragraph 4. The legal base for an objection is EU environmental legislation, such as the respect of the Habitat Directive, in particular the protection of Natura 2000 sites. The Board shall discuss the substantiated reasons presented by a Member State for its objection. If, after the discussion, the Member State maintains its objection, the project shall not be considered for the status of Strategic Project.

2023/06/05
Committee: REGI

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Underlines the necessity of providing the regions with appropriate financial means in order to deal with the waves of migration, uncertainty and widespread price hikes, affecting disadvantaged social groups and the public sector in particular, caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine ~~and its multifacete~~, COVID-19 crisis, climate crisis and econ~~sequenc~~omic and financial crises; emphasises the need to address the grave difficulties that the current rise in energy costs is causing for the regions, and to swiftly identify suitable financial instruments over and above the European Structural and Investment Funds to deal with them at a regional and local levels;

2022/07/27
Committee: REGI

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Insists that video games can be a valuable teaching tool for actively involving learners in a school curricul~~um;~~ a;believes that the deployment of video games in school should be done in parallel with ~~raising teachers’ awareness of how best to~~enhancing schools’ level of equipment and connectivity, and calls member states and the Commission to take action in order to raise teachers’ awareness and provide them for free with training skills opportunities on how to best use video games in their teaching;

2022/05/31
Committee: CULT

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Reaffirms that the NEB has the potential to reshape the way policies are conceived and to define the environment of the future by meeting the need for spaces adapted to new ways of life, without compromising people's basic needs;

2022/05/02
Committee: ITRE CULT

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 h (new)

6 h. Regrets that the CCS and especially performing arts have been stigmatized as COVID-19spreading points; suggests therefore the Commission and member states to target resilience and recovery also by including communication and public awareness campaigns and tools to de-stigmatize the CCS from the blame and fear of being COVID-19 triggers and spread the message to the audiences that the CCS equally ensure the thorough implementation of the perspective hygiene protocols and thus are as safe as all sectors of the economy;

2022/02/11
Committee: CULT

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 b (new)

— having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and particularly SDG 3 which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, including universal health coverage,

2021/10/29
Committee: REGI

2021/2100(INI)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

— having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 11 November 2020 entitled ‘Building a European Health Union: Reinforcing the EU’s resilience for cross-border health threats’,

2021/10/29
Committee: REGI

2021/2100(INI)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)

— having regard to the OECD report entitled ‘Health at a Glance: Europe 2020’ published in November 2020,

2021/10/29
Committee: REGI

9 a. Highlights the importance of the Digital Service Act and the Digital Markets Act for European media and audiovisual sectors since citizens and in particular minors increasingly access news und diverse content via thord-party platforms; such as social networks and news aggregators; stresses the need to further improve the proposed Acts in order to mitigate the issues mentioned above;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9 b. Notes that media are increasingly dependent on global platforms and interfaces, some of which are vertically integrated competitors, to deliver their services to European audiences; call upon Member States to come up with prominence regimes to ensure that media content of general interest is easy to discover and find on third-party platforms and calls upon the Commission to develop a solid European approach to support this overall goal;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Recognises the additional challenges for ~~news~~ media operating in smaller markets, including local, regional and niche media, which have limited revenues, and are not viable using current commercial business models, and which cannot embrace new ones that media operating in larger markets can; believes, therefore, that public funding mechanisms based on the arm’s length principle are increasingly necessary; calls on Member States to ensure stable, transparent and adequate funding for public service media on a multiannual basis in order to guarantee their independence from governmental, political and market pressures and enable them to provide a broad range of pluralistic information and diverse content;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Stresses that it is essential to guarantee financial sustainability of public service media, and to ensure and maintain the independence of private and public service media from political and economic interference, including from external actors and shareholders; acknowledges the specific situation of the Member States which are exposed to geopolitical risks arising from third country interference in their information space, including through media financing; believes that the best viable antidote is a more robust media landscape with steady revenue streams; considers increased transparency to be important, and therefore welcomes the Media Ownership Monitor initiative;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12 a. Encourages the Commission for an actve regulation of the big platforms with the new proposed Acts to allow a fair permanent discussion between the media that produce editorial contents and the platforms that used them by references in their searching, communicating and clouding services for individual, institutional and business users;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14 a. Urges the Commission to take into account the specificities of the different types of media and definite a broad approach on media producers, including press publishers and focused on independent, cooperative nd exile media producers and public audio and audiovisual media;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Stresses the need for transformation in the ~~news~~ media sector, including through the digitalisation of newsrooms, the uptake of artificial intelligence (AI), changes and improvements to content creation and presentation, as well as better distribution and subscription models, including micro- payments; notes that the above require additional investment and skills that ~~news~~ media sector players often lack, especially those with small market share; calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide tailored support for the digital transformation of the sector;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to stabilize media freedom projects in order to prevent practices in the Member States that prevent journalists from reporting and researching, and to protect whistleblowers in a socially and legally sustainable manner;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Underlines the added value of including the media sector in media and information literacy initiatives; which must be central to the educational policies of Member States and the European Union;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Considers ~~that in order to help spur competition,~~ the EU also needs to promote the creation and growth of digital media start-ups through easier access to finance and a supportive framework that enables scalability;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Is of the view that targeted co- production, translation and co-distribution, subtitling and dubbing could contribute to increasing the availability of diverse European audiovisual content; notes with interest several innovative projects carried out by European public service media organisations in that regard, such as the ARTE European collection, the News Recommendation Box and ENTR;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2017(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Highlights that film literacy is particularly important for making younger audiences aware of European cultural diversity and history; considers it necessary to develop a film literacy toolkit; recalls the specificities of the European cinematographic production and the cultural exception in this domain to preserve the quality production of the European continent;

2021/06/08
Committee: CULT

2021/2007(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recognises the paramount importance of ‘intangible assets’ and intellectual property (IP)-intensive industries in the economic recovery and resilience of the EU in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic; underlines the need to protect these by law, allowing creators to benefit from their intellectual property rights (IPRs) and acknowledges that access to education, knowledge, information and culture are fundamental rights, which must be guaranteed by copyright limitations such as those established by the revised EU Copyright Directive;

2021/06/25
Committee: CULT

2021/2007(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Recognises that the IP Action Plan ensures access to education, knowledge, information and culture, alongside proposed arrangements for dealing with critical intellectual property from patents, e.g. for use in public health protection, as well as relevant parts of the cultural, educational, media and higher education sector1as. Within the EU Copyright Directive, the use of copyright-relevant material by institutional users, such as educational institutions, research institutions, cultural heritage institutions, is regulated through copyright limitations. Other directives1b provide for exceptions such as those required for the implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty to ensure inclusion. The part of the cultural and media sector, which is often specifically European, not- for-profit and public service, should equally be protected more proactively and in a more sustainable manner in international trade agreements, along the lines of the UNESCO Convention on Culture, which firmly establishes the dual nature of cultural and media productions as goods and carriers of identities and values1c; _________________ 1a see Article 6 of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, 2001 1bDirective (EU) 2017/1564 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2017 on certain permitted uses of certain works and other subject matter protected by copyright and related rights for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled and amending Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society 1c see Article 8 of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, 2001

2021/06/25
Committee: CULT

2021/2007(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Acknowledges that a growing number of authors and creators deliberately opt for publications under creative commons licences in different contexts of knowledge and cultural exchange, or in the distribution of educational opportunities and documentation; advocates that due account be taken of them in the Member States’ regulations under Article 17 and others, as well as in the development of a European copyright infrastructure and related registration procedures; stresses, therefore, that the Copyright Directive has for the first time recognised creative commons licences and thus strengthened a culture of sharing knowledge, particularly in the public cultural and knowledge sector;

2021/06/25
Committee: CULT

2021/2007(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Calls for continued intensive dialogue on the appropriate definition of copyright-protected uploaded content, which truly recognises different types of licensing as well as non-licensed works, and encourages an exchange of views on remuneration models that must be commensurate with modern uses of music and media platforms.'

2021/06/25
Committee: CULT

2021/2007(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Alexis GEORGOULIS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Welcomes the Commission’s commitment to support the full and timely transposition of the two copyright framework directives; notes that the Commission ~~is putting~~put special emphasis on ~~the~~a fair implementation of Article 17 of the Copyright Directive2~~and strongly supports its plans for issuing~~ regarding the rights of users, rights intermediaries and the cultural industry as well as platforms, in the implementation guidelines for Member States; it recently proposed urges Member States to quickly and completely transpose the dDirectives into their national legislation, using pre-flagging or other means of flagged upload to explain copyright protection, giving users the right to enjoy fundamental rights to freedom of expression, artistic processing, such as parody, pastiche, etc. in a timely manner, while at the same time requiring respect for copyright-protected material; _________________ 2Directive (EU) 2019/790 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on copyright and related rights in the Digital Single Market and amending Directives 96/9/EC and 2001/29/EC, OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 92.

2021/06/25
Committee: CULT

2021/2007(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Highlights the ongoing problems faced by creators, artists and cultural sector workers with regard to copyright and related rights; notes with great concern that they continue to be pressured into unfavourable contracts, ~~giving up the~~so that the publishing rights to their intellectual property ~~withou~~are not represented in a durable manner and they therefore frequently do not receiv~~ing~~e just remuneration for their creative work; stresses that Member States must ensure that sufficient protection is put in place to prevent loss of IPRs by authors and cultural sector workers across the EU.; calls, therefore, on the Member States to strengthen, in particular, the membership and contractual position of authors and creators vis-à-vis their collecting societies and commercial rights intermediaries, such as the film and music industry and publishers, as laid down in Articles 18-20 of the Copyright Directive in the provisions on the fair drafting of copyright contract law, by means of transparency requirements, the bestseller clause and other contractual provisions and dispute resolution mechanisms, ensuring insight into contractual provisions with large platforms and fair remuneration for authors;

2021/06/25
Committee: CULT

2021/2007(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Recognises, particularly in light of the experience of the pandemic, that major cultural and media productions can only come to be if, in addition to the creative talent, the many requisite technical and intermediary services are available, ranging from assistance to the director through to catering, from lighting through to production coordination, and which are not paid for through licence sales, but are often indirectly dependent on creators having good contracts;

2021/06/25
Committee: CULT

2021/0293(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a decision
Recital 3

(3) As outlined in the Commission’s Communication updating the 2020 new industrial strategy32, it is necessary for the European Union to identify systems of critical technologies and strategic sectors, to address strategic weaknesses and high- risk dependencies which could lead to supply shortages or cybersecurity risks, and to foster digital transition. This underlines the importance for Member States to join forces and to support industry’s efforts to address these dependencies and to develop strategic capacity needs. This also responds to the analysis in the 2021 Strategic Foresight Report33. In the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the preparation of national recovery and resilience plans, the Commission encouraged Member States to coordinate their efforts in favour of Multi-Country Projects in the digital area. This experience highlighted the need for the Commission to support coordination efforts by Member States, and for the Union to dispose of implementation mechanisms that facilitate joint investments, in order for Multi-Country Projects to materialise. In conjunction with other Commission’s initiatives such as the Observatory for Critical Technologies34, a governance structure implementing the Digital Compass Communication should be established and should help to identify the Union’s current and possible future digital strategic dependencies and contribute to strengthening its digital sovereignty. _________________ 32 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions updating the 2020 new industrial strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe’s recovery”, 5.5.2021 COM(2021) 350 final. 33 COM(2021) 750 final of 8.9.2021 – “2021 Strategic Foresight Report - The EU’s capacity and freedom to act”. 34 Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries, 22.02.2021, COM(2021) 70 final, Action 4.Does not affect the English version.)

2022/02/15
Committee: CULT

2021/0293(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Proposal for a decision
Recital 29

(29) In order to ensure transparency and public participation, the Commission should engage with all interested stakeholders. To that end, the Commission should closely cooperate with stakeholders including private and public actors, such as bodies governed by public laws of the educational or health sector, as well as establishments that make cultural heritage and global knowledge assets publicly accessible in libraries, archives and museums, and consult them on measures to accelerate the digital transformation at Union level. The involvement of stakeholders would be important at the level of Member States as well, in particular when adopting their national Digital Decade strategic roadmaps and their adjustments.

2022/02/15
Committee: CULT

2021/0293(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) ensure digital sovereignty notably by a secure and accessible digital infrastructure based on fundamental values that is capable tof processing vast volumes of data ~~that~~, enables other technological developments, and innovative education and research, and support~~ing~~s the competitiveness of the Union's industry, democratic dialogue and social welfare;

2022/02/15
Committee: CULT

2021/0293(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)

5a. Basic digital skills include knowledge of personal and institutional data protection, ownership and security structures of online applications used, and basic knowledge of legal safeguards that digital service providers must provide;

2022/02/15
Committee: CULT

2021/0293(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Proposal for a decision
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point i a (new)

(ia) Developing European projects for the digitisation of global knowledge assets and cultural heritage, including the public accessibility thereof;

2022/02/15
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Believes that the economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic should not adversely affect investments of a social, educational, creative and cultural nature; therefore, increases the allocations of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps Programme to better support the recovery, in particular by ‘greening’ those programmes; underlines that particular attention should be paid to ensure good outreach to vulnerable people, whose exclusion has been worsened by the pandemic, in order to ensure equal access to the programmes for all, leaving no one behind;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Given the dramatic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis on Europe’s cultural and creative sectors (CCS), reinforces the Culture strand of the Creative Europe Programme, to support organisations ~~and artist~~, artists and all cultural workers in their recovery, to provide targeted support for the performing arts, in particular the music sector, and to ‘green’ and to “digitize” the programme;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Urges the Member States once more to earmark at least 2 % of the Recovery and Resilience Facility for the recovery of the CCS and industries, and/or to provide equal protection measures such as tax deductions or exemptions, disposal of public buildings for free to boost the recovery, financing of the costs of the expensive processes required for the special hygiene protocols to be obligatorily adopted by the CCS or other measures possibly suggested by the CCS agents themselves;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Insists that no funding from any of the three strands of the Creative Europe Programme should be used for financing projects in the framework of the New European Bauhaus initiative, in line with the repeated commitment of the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth to this effect, in order to prevent diversion of the programme’s already thinly spread funds ~~towards new, unforeseen political prioritie~~, which, as past years have shown, are not sufficient to meet the needs of the programme, towards new, unforeseen political priorities; notes that the New European Bauhaus initiative needs its own funding, which should also be tailored to its particular needs and requirements;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Emphasises that more funding is needed to fund all high-quality projects submitted in the framework of call~~s for proposals under the Citizens’ engagement and participation strand~~ Union programmes in the fields of culture and education, with particular emphasis ofn the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme ~~and~~in order to tackle the historically low application success rate of that strand;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Increases the budget for “Multimedia actions” by EUR 2,2 million and creates a reserve of EUR 5 million, in order to encourage the Commission to provide more stability, financial security and predictability for radio networks covering EU affairs with funding covering at least two years; furthermore, splits the existing budget line into its four components, for enhanced transparency and budgetary scrutiny.

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Underlines the need to support the CCS so that they manage to develop creativity and innovation in order to further develop and eventually deal with the digital transition as an opportunity and not as a threat;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6 b. Νotes the importance of providing equal access for all to funding for education and culture; therefore, calls for specific measures to enhance visibility of the funding tools that the Union makes available to the CCS, as well as educational activities to enhance know- how and accessibility to the administrative processes required to access Union funding;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)

6 c. Stresses the need for Member States to monitor and be monitored with regard to the management of funding for the CCS;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

2021/0227(BUD)

Alexis GEORGOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)

6 d. Highlights the need to enhance data gathering and usage for the CCS; notes that there are many data that are currently not further used to add value for policy-design; suggests the adoption of specific measures to enhance the usage of the data already gathered in the implementation processes of the programmes;

2021/09/08
Committee: CULT

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18

(18) The setting of more ambitious targets under Regulation (EU) 2018/841 will decrease the capacity of Member States to generate net removals that can be used for compliance under Regulation (EU) 2018/842. In addition, the split of the use of the LULUCF flexibility into two separate time periods, will further limit the availability of net removals for the purpose of compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/842. As a result, some Member States may face challenges in meeting their targets under Regulation (EU) 2018/842, while some Member States, the same or other, may generate net removals that cannot be used for compliance with Regulation (EU) 2018/842. As long as the Union objectives as set out in Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 are met, in particular with regard to the maximum limit of the contribution of net removals, it is appropriate to create a new voluntary mechanism, in the form of an additional reserve, that will help adhering Member States to comply with their obligations.deleted

2021/12/15
Committee: REGI

2021/0200(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1

Regulation (EU) 2018/842
Article 1

(1) ~~In Article 1, “30%” is replaced by “40%”;~~ "Subject matter 1.This Regulation contributes to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Union’s objective of balancing greenhouse gas emissions and removals by 2050 at the latest and achieving negative emissions thereafter as set out in Article 2 of Regulation 2021/1119 (EU Climate Law). 2. This Regulation lays down obligations on Member States with respect to their minimum contributions for the period from 2021 to 2030 to fulfilling the Union’s target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % below 2005 levels by 2030 in the sectors covered by Article 2 of this Regulation. 3. This Regulation also paves the way for the setting of post-2030 Union’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in the sectors covered by Article 2 of this Regulation and of Member States’ minimum contributions to the fulfilment of those post-2030 Union’s targets. 4. Finally, this Regulation lays down provisions for the determination of minimum Union-level individual sector contributions to fulfilling the Union’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2030 and beyond set by this Regulation, and for ensuring compliance with those minimum sector contributions."

2021/12/15
Committee: REGI

2021/0200(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5

Regulation (EU) 2018/84
Article 7

(5) Article 7 is amended as follows: (a) the title is replaced by the following: ‘Additional use of net removals from LULUCF’ (i) the introductory sentence is replaced by the following: ‘To the extent that a Member State’s greenhouse gas emissions exceed its annual emission allocations for a given year, including any annual emission allocations banked pursuant to Article 5(3) of this Regulation, a quantity up to the sum of total net removals and total net emissions from the combined land accounting categories included in the scope of Regulation (EU) 2018/841, may be taken into account for its compliance under Article 9 of this Regulation for that year, provided that:.’ ‘(a) the cumulative quantity taken into account for that Member State for the years 2021 to 2025 does not exceed half of the maximum amount of total net removals set out in Annex III to this Regulation for that Member State; (aa) the cumulative quantity taken into account for that Member State for the years 2026 to 2030 does not exceed half of the maximum amount of total net removals set out in Annex III to this Regulation for that Member State;.’deleted

2021/12/15
Committee: REGI

2021/0200(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7

Regulation (EU) 2018/842
Article 11a new

(7) The following article is inserted: ‘Article 11a Additional reserve 1. If, by 2030, the Union has reduced net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% compared to 1990 levels in compliance with Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council**, and taking into account the maximum limit of the contribution of net removals, an additional reserve shall be established in the Union Registry. 2. Member States which decide to neither contribute nor benefit from the additional reserve shall notify their decision to the Commission no later than six months after the entry into force of this Regulation. 3. The additional reserve shall consist of the net removals that participating Member States have generated in the period 2026 to 2030 in excess of their respective targets pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/841, after deduction of both of the following: (a) any flexibilities used under Articles 11 to 13b of Regulation (EU) 2018/841; (b) the quantities taken into account for compliance pursuant to Article 7 of this Regulation. 4. If an additional reserve is set up pursuant to paragraph 1, a participating Member State may benefit from it if the following conditions are fulfilled: (a) the greenhouse gas emissions of the Member State exceed its annual emission allocations in the period from 2026 to 2030; (b) the Member State has exhausted the flexibilities pursuant to Article 5(2) and (3); (c) the Member State has made the maximum use possible of net removals in accordance with Article 7, even if that quantity does not reach the level set in Annex III; and (d) the Member State has made no net transfers to other Member States under Article 5. 5. If a Member States fulfils the conditions set out in paragraph 4, it shall receive an additional quantity from the additional reserve up to its shortfall to be used for compliance under Article 9. If the resulting collective quantity to be received by all of the Member States which fulfil the conditions set out in paragraph 4 of this Article exceeds the quantity allocated to the additional reserve under paragraph 3 of this Article, the quantity to be received by each of those Member States shall be reduced on a pro rata basis.’ ** Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1).’deleted

2021/12/15
Committee: REGI

2021/0106(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4

(4) At the same time, depending on the circumstances regarding its specific application and use, artificial intelligence may generate risks and cause harm to public interests and ~~rights~~fundamental rights of people in employment and in learning and of socially active people that are protected by Union law. Such harm might be material or immaterial.

2022/04/01
Committee: CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the COVID-19 crisis has made artists and cultural and creative ~~professional~~workers even more vulnerable, as the loss of earnings for freelancers and non- standard workers, who make up the majority of the CCSI, has been exacerbated by weak or absent national social security schemes and dedicated support measures;

2021/06/10
Committee: CULT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)

11 b. Calls on the Commission and Member States to broaden employment opportunities for artists and arts experts by mainstreaming the teaching of arts in the curricula of schooling education, which would further contribute in development of fantasy, innovation and creativity for the citizens of tomorrow, while cultivating audiences to appreciate culture and strengthening social cohesion;

2021/06/10
Committee: CULT

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas climate change and its multiple impact affect European regions in different ways, with different degrees of severity and in different timeframes;

2021/01/13
Committee: REGI

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

8c. Stresses that gender mainstreaming should be fully implemented and integrated as a horizontal principle in all EU activities, policies and programmes, including cohesion policy; points out that addressing the gender dimension has a key role in leveraging the full potential of both climate and cohesion policies;

2021/01/13
Committee: REGI

2020/2074(INI)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that Cohesion Policy should focus on the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and the fight against climate change through an effective ~~methodology for monitoring climate spending and its performance, including its negative effects for EU region~~, transparent, comprehensive, result- oriented and performance-based methodology for monitoring climate spending, which should also depict the negative effects of climate change in all EU regions and include measures to be taken in case of insufficient progress towards achieving the Union’s climate targets;

2021/01/13
Committee: REGI

2020/2074(INI)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. ~~Welcomes the proposal to top up the Just Transition Fund~~Recalls its support to the Commission amended proposal to increase the budget of the Just Transition Fund from EUR 7.5 to EUR 40 billion, with EUR 10 billion under the MFF and EUR 30 billion from Next Generation EU; regrets the fact~~, however,~~ that the ~~top-up~~ amount proposed by the Commission hwas ~~been cut~~cut in less than half under the Council agreement on MFF and Next Generation EU and the fact that these cuts have been maintained in the final agreement between the Parliament and the Council; underlines that these cuts would jeopardise the fund’s core objectives;

2021/01/13
Committee: REGI

2020/2074(INI)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Emphasises that islands, in particular small islands with limited governing autonomy, should be able to access sufficient economic resources in order to deliver integrated, sector-coupled and innovative interventions for infrastructure and local economic development; underlines the renewable energy potential of the peripheral and outermost regions, linked to their geographical and climatic characteristics;

2021/01/13
Committee: REGI

2020/2074(INI)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Emphasises that all sectors need to be represented and supported in the transition towards a climate-neutral ~~industrial processes, while maintaining international competitivenes~~economy, thus contributing to the sustainability of the Union while maintaining international competitiveness; underlines the strategic role of renewable, sustainable and decentralised energy in the development of the EU regions and their enterprises, in particular SMEs;

2021/01/13
Committee: REGI

2020/2074(INI)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls for a greater role for Cohesion Policy in supporting risk prevention efforts to adapt to the present and future impacts of climate change at regional and local levels; calls for the establishment of effective regional and interregional cooperation mechanisms in the field of natural disaster prevention, including a capacity for reaction, management and mutual assistance in the event of disasters;

2021/01/13
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)

- having regard the Territorial Impact Assessment report of the Committee of the Regions on the Demographic Change of 30 January 2020

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 b (new)

- having regard the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Demographic change: proposals on measuring and tackling its negative effects in the EU regions" of 12-14 October 2020

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Observes in this context significant demographic contrasts at both Union and Member State level between core, metropolitan regions and periphery, often rural areas, and between the mainland and islands and outermost regions;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Notes that ~~economic migration has a direct impact on the~~with changing migration trends, local and regional authorities face the challenge to promote greater inclusiveness ~~of cities~~, requiring tailored policy responses and supporting measures in different territorial contexts;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Reiterates the need for further simplification of cohesion policy instruments in order to allow for an easier, but at the same time sound management of financial resources and for maximising synergies among the various EU funds; emphasises the needplace based and integrated approaches of cohesion policy, Common Agricultural Policy national strategic plans and national recovery strategic plans, notably in order to improve synergies among the various EU funds and integrated tools; emphasises the need to reinforce administrative capacity, to reduce red tape and ensure coherent legislation throughout the project implementation process;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. recalls its position that the objectives of the ERDF/CF include that of supporting urban and rural areas with geographical or demographic handicaps, and includes that Member states should support and allocate provision of EU financial support for projects that promote environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive economic development in the regions concerned;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)

22b. recalls in this regard that particular support should be given to NUTS level 3 areas or clusters of local administrative units with a population density of below12.5 inhabitants per km2 for sparsely populated areas or below 12 inhabitants per km2 for very sparsely populated areas, or with an average population decrease of more than 1% between 2007 and 2017, which should be subject to specific regional and national plans to support public services, enhance attractiveness and boost the accessibility of digital and public services, including a fund in the Structural Fund cooperation agreement;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Calls on the Member State to include demographic challenges in their national development policies and long- term strategies for sustainable development ~~correlated with the European Semester~~, thus ensuring proper financing for demographic issues;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls on the regions at risk of depopulation to focus investments on universal accessibility to quality services and infrastructure and job creation; insists on investment in education, reskilling of workers, creating entrepreneurial conditions and supporting SMEs; Calls on Member states to reinforce their support to this end;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Encourages ~~policymakers at regional and national level to invest in the knowledge~~Member-States to fully involved regional and local authorities in at every stage of the development and implementation process of the recovery plan; encourages the local and regional authorities to use the new RRF to invest in the broadband extension in order to invest in foster the digital economy, as well as in providing ~~services and incentiv~~quality and basic public services, to maintain high-skilled workers and to ~~develop research centres in the different regions;~~ ensure the attractiveness of the depopulated areas;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28a. Asks the European Commission Statistic Office to provide data on the situation of quality of life indicators at NUTS 3 and LAU level to monitor the impact of demographic challenge on the territories; highlights the possibility for Member states to use the Recovery and Resilient Facility to modernise the capacity of data collection at those levels to ensure that national investment policies and European data reflect the real situation in these territories;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Insists that investments should be focused on information and communication technology, since this has the potential to reduce the distance between the users and to attract high- skilled workers in order to avoid the digital divide and ensure digital cohesion; stresses the importance of funding the infrastructures, the development and uptake of these technologies among ~~companie~~SMEs and schools in rural and isolated regions and regions in industrial transition;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2039(INI)

Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)

34a. States that the future Conference of the Future of Europe should propose a definition of the areas which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps mentioned in the article 174 (TFEU) in order to ensure a long-term support of the EU key policies from a place-based approach;

2021/02/09
Committee: REGI

2020/2023(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that the cross-border and transnational programmes funded through Interreg play a key role in encouraging cooperation between regions ~~in different Member States, and proposes that Interreg programmes should remain open to the UK in future, provided that a financial contribution is made~~and their citizens; would welcome any agreement which would allow Northern Ireland to participate in other EU programmes, in particular Interreg, provided that a financial contribution is made; believes, however, that, as a third country, the entire UK cannot enjoy the same rights and benefits as a Member State; proposes, therefore, that Interreg programmes should remain open to the UK in future, provided that the UK commits itself to make a fair and appropriate financial contribution to the programme for its full length under the multiannual financial framework;

2020/04/16
Committee: REGI

2020/2009(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Considers that in order to fight against disinformation and fake news, reinstate a climate of trust in the media and counter threats to democratic political processes, a comprehensive strategy is needed, based inter alia on media, internet and information literacy, and aimed at empowering citizens to critically assess media content and recognise the difference between opinion and fact;

2020/05/06
Committee: CULT

2020/2009(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission to work in close cooperation with the Member States and civil society organisations to develop ~~common curricula on media~~educational programmes on media and internet literacy and to reach out to all citizens through formal, non-formal and informal education, and through lifelong learning, and to ensure comprehensive civil society organisation involvement in broadcasting and audience advisory boards;

2020/05/06
Committee: CULT

2020/2009(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines its view that non- discriminatory, comprehensive and balanced media coverage is essential to a free and well-informed society in Europe; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote an inclusive media sphere in which more women, migrants and refugees, as well as members of LGBTI+ communities and people with disabilities, occupy creative and decision- making positions, which would in turn contribute to the reduction of stereotypes in media; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote multilingual and barrier-free media projects;

2020/05/06
Committee: CULT

2020/2009(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Considers that the protection of sources, full editorial support for journalistic research in word and picture, independent editorship and favourable employment contracts or corresponding levels of fees for journalists are prerequisites for balanced, fact-based reporting;

2020/05/06
Committee: CULT

2020/2009(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Considers that the Commission and the Member States have a particular responsibility for alternative media projects and exile media;

2020/05/06
Committee: CULT

2020/2009(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Alexis GEORGOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Considers that state interventions or commercial pressure on published material damage free journalism and democratic debate; takes the view that securing media freedom and assuming editorial responsibility are also important in terms of information on large-scale platforms which publish or broadcast news and programmes directly or via users; recalls that the Audiovisual Media Services Directive drew up useful rules to regulate the elimination of hate speech, the protection of minors and the placing of advertisements. Implementation of and compliance with the Directive should be transparent, subjected to evaluation and further developed to ensure continued media freedom in the long term;

2020/05/06
Committee: CULT

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Recognises the need for the EU budget to continue to~~Calls for a strong and ambitious Union budget for the 2021 to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis and support the recovery~~, convergence, fair and~~ of the Union, enhance economic, social and regional convergence, cohesion and resilience, support fair, inclusive and sustainable growth and ~~competitiveness of the European economy and other EU priorities~~accelerate the implementation of core Union priorities and objectives, such as social, economic and territorial cohesion and regional development, climate action, ~~digitalisation and innovation, security and the management of migration, while acknowledging~~the European Green Deal, the Paris Agreement, the “do no significant harm” principle, the just transition to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050, the Sustainable Development Goals, the European Pillar of Social Rights, digital transformation, innovation and the management of migration on the basis of solidarity, cooperation and shared responsibility; stresses that the COVID-19 pandemic has provided amultiple new and unexpected socio-economic challenges that the EUnion and its Member States need to respond determinedly and provide ~~solutions at the EU~~fair and effective solutions at both Union and Member State level;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Reiterates its position for a 2021 budget of EUR 192,1 billion in current prices in commitment appropriations and its call for major additional appropriations on top of this position in order to respond to the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis; deplores, in this regard, the lack of ambition and decisiveness shown by the Commission in its 2021 Draft Budget proposal, which represents a reduction of 9,8 % compared to the 2020 budget in terms of commitments and incorporates significant cuts to core Union policies and programmes, such as cohesion, regional development, agriculture, SMEs support, health, research and innovation; underlines that these cuts cannot be considered counter-balanced by the Next Generation EU top-ups and calls for the significant enhancement of the above policies and programmes in the 2021 budget;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Rem~~Underlindes that cohesion is a shared competence between the EU and Member States and ~~that a~~constitutes a main public investment policy ithat will play a major role in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic; emphasises that cohesion policy is based on a solidarity and its goal is to reduce economic, social and territorial disparities between Member States and within the EU and regions; emphasizes in that context that programmes managed under European Structural and Investments (ESI) Funds support and contribute significantly to sustainable solutions for fair ~~and~~, inclusive and resilient economic growth, and investments ~~and competitiveness~~, as well as high quality, safe and secure working and living conditions of the citizens, including equal opportunities, social justice and non- discrimination; rejects, in this regard, the massive cuts to cohesion in the 2021 Draft Budget proposed by the Commission;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that the budget for the year 2021 starts the new programming period 2021-2027 and that it should reflect the principles and priorities of an updated and reoriented Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and contribute effectively to the mitigation of the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a fair, inclusive, sustainable and resilient way, while carefully considering available resources as well as budgetary rules and principles that will ensure ambitious, realistic, immediate and ~~satisfactory~~effective implementation;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Stresses the need for enhanced and targeted emergency measures to swiftly and effectively support citizens, workers, the self-employed and sectors hit harder by the COVID-19 crisis in order to avoid even wider divergences among Member States and regions; calls for significantly increasing resources to fight social and gender inequalities, poverty and unemployment, paying particular attention to the youth and vulnerable groups;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Acknowledges the European Council agreement on the European Union Recovery Instrument (Next Generation EU) as an important first step towards a fair, inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery of the Union; deplores, however, the massive cuts to the grant component of the Next Generation EU in the final agreement that seriously upset the balance between grants and loans and have led to massive cuts to the top-ups for Horizon Europe, InvestEU, Rural Development (EAFRD), REACT-EU and the Just Transition Fund (JTF), the withdrawal of top-ups for EU4Health, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) and humanitarian aid, as well as the complete cancellation of the Solvency Support Instrument; stresses that these cuts will seriously undermine the recovery efforts;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines the necessity to provide a sufficient level of payment appropriations in the budget for the year 2021 ~~in order to avoid the accumulation of unpaid claims from MFF 2014-2020~~that will take into account the volume of outstanding commitments at the end of 2020 in order to avoid the accumulation of unpaid claims from MFF 2014-2020 and a new payment crisis, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; notes that due to the delays in implementation of the programming period 2014-2020 most of the re~~fund~~levant payments will be ~~done~~settled in years 2021- 2022; stresses, however, that this should not hinder the launch of new programmes;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Reiterates that the revision of the EU’s own resources system and the introduction of a basket of new own resources as of 1 January 2021, based on a legally binding timetable, is extremely essential to meet the increased financial needs of supporting the recovery and delivering other Union priorities and objectives; urges Member States to swiftly agree on an increase of the own resources ceilings and to adopt rapidly the legislative proposals that will introduce new own resources;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes the enhanced flexibility in cohesion policy – increased co- financing, anti-crisis use of EU funds - introduced in March and April 2020 and believes that it - should be maintained also in MFF 2021-2027, while ensuring full respect of the applicable rules for the sound management of the resources and for the transparency of their spending;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Welcomes the proposal for the creation of the REACT-EU programme that will make additional funds available to the ERDF and the ESF as well as to the FEAD in the fight against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; calls for the rapid implementation of the programme and for payments to start as early as possible in 2021;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8 b. Welcomes the activation of the general escape clause to suspend the Growth and Stability Pact that allows for further flexibility as well as the introduction of the State aid Temporary Framework in the context of COVID-19; points out, however, the uneven capacity of Member States to provide financial support to citizens and sectors hit harder by the pandemic, which could lead to even wider divergences among Member States; calls for specific measures to minimise such side-effects;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/1998(BUD)

Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)

8 c. Calls for the rapid implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which aims to address the multiple socio- economic challenges faced by the Member States; calls for the increase of grants and a flexible conditionality for loans; calls for the Facility to support investments that promote fair, inclusive and sustainable growth and enhance convergence, cohesion and resilience, in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal, the Paris Agreement, the “do no significant harm” principle, the Sustainable Development Goals, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the objective of a just transition to a carbon- neutral economy by 2050 at the latest; calls for payments to start the soonest possible in 2021; deplores the macro- economic conditionalities attached to the Facility, the exclusion of the European Parliament from its governance, which moves away from the community method and endorses an intergovernmental approach, and the emergency brake procedure adopted by the European Council, which could lead to detrimental delays; stresses the need for transparency and scrutiny in the distribution and use of the funds that will be provided through the Facility;

2020/09/02
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3

(3) The Union is committed to mitigating the ~~economic~~negative economic, social and territorial impacts of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union and to show solidarity with all Member States, regions and local communities especially the most affected ones in such exceptional circumstances.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5

(5) For the purposes of contributing to economic, social and territorial cohesion, it is appropriate that Member States, when designing support measures, focus in particular on the regions, areas and local communities, including those dependent on fishing activities in the United Kingdom waters, that are likely to be most negatively impacted by the withdrawal of the United Kingdom. Member States may have to take specific measures notably to support ~~businesses and~~ economic sectors, in particular SMEs and employees, the public sector and regional and local authorities adversely affected by the withdrawal. It is therefore appropriate to provide a non-exhaustive list of the type of measures that are most likely to achieve this objective.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)

(5a) These measures should be consistent with the Union’s social and environmental targets and priorities and therefore in accordance with the principles set out in the European Pillar of Social Rights, with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They should also contribute to eliminating inequalities and promoting gender equality and gender mainstreaming as well as combatting discrimination as set out in Article 2 TEU, Article 10 TFUE and Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. All stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Reserve shall commit to promote gender equality and ensure that the impact of the measures on women is taken into account.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6

(6) At the same time, it is important to clearly specify any exclusions from support provided by the Reserve. The Reserve should exclude from support the value added tax as it constitutes a Member State revenue, which offsets the related cost for the Member State budget. In order to concentrate the use of limited resources in the most efficient way, technical assistance used by the bodies responsible for the implementation of the Reserve should not be eligible for support from the Reserve. In line with the general approach for cohesion policy, expenditure linked to relocations or contrary to any applicable Union or national law should not be supporteline with the general approach for cohesion policy, expenditure linked to relocations or contrary to any applicable Union or national law should not be supported. In order to concentrate the limited resources and line with the objective of this regulation to focus on negative impacts of the UK's withdrawal the financial sector should not be eligible for support from the Reserve and should not form an element of the allocation method.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7

(7) In order to take into account the immediate impact of the adverse consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union on the Member States and their economies and the need to adopt mitigating measures, as appropriate, prior to the expiry of the transition period, the eligibility period for implementing such measures should start as from 1 J~~uly 2020 and be concentrated over a limited period of 30 months~~anuary 2019, taking into account expenses incurred in anticipating the withdrawal agreement, and last until 31 December 2023.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8

(8) It is necessary to specify that the budget allocated to the Reserve should be implemented by the Commission under shared management with Member States within the meaning of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council12 (the ‘Financial Regulation’). It is therefore appropriate to determine the principles and specific obligations that the Member States should respect, in particular the principles of sound financial management, transparency and non-discrimination and the absence of conflict of interest and the partnership principle, involving LRAs, economic and social partners and civil society of the territories concerned in the identification and implementation of support measures. _________________ 12Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1).

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12) Prior to the payment of the pre- financing, Member States should notify the Commission of the identity of the bodies designated and of the body to which the pre-financing shall be paid, at the appropriate territorial level(s), in accordance with their institutional, legal and financial framework, and confirm that the systems’ descriptions have been drawn up, within three months of the entry into force of this Regulation.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13

(13) To ensure equal treatment of all Member States, there should be one single deadline applicable to all Member States for the submission of applications for a financial contribution from the Reserve. The specific nature of the instrument and the relatively short implementation period justify the establishment of a tailor-made reference period and would make disproportionate the requirement for Member States to provide the documents required in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 of Article 63 of the Financial Regulation, on an annual basis. Given that at the same time, the risks for the Union budget are mitigated by the requirement for a solid management and control system already existing or, where appropriate, to be set up by Member States, it is justified to derogate from the obligation to submit the required documents in February or March of each year. In order to enable the Commission to check the correctness of the use of the financial contribution of the Reserve, Member States should also be required to submit, as part of the application, implementation reports providing more detail on the actions financed, a management declaration as well as an opinion of an independent audit body, drawn up in accordance with internationally accepted audit standards.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14

(14) Pursuant to paragraphs 22 and 23 of the Inter-institutional agreement for Better Law-Making of 13 April 201613 , there is a need to evaluate the Reserve on the basis of information collected through specific monitoring requirements, while avoiding overregulation and administrative burden, in particular on Member States, local and regional authorities. These requirements, where appropriate, should include measurable indicators, as a basis for the evaluation of the Reserve. _________________ 13Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on Better Law-Making (OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1).

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16

(16) In order to ensure the proper functioning of shared management, Member States should establish a management and control system, designate and notify the Commission of the bodies responsible at the appropriate national, regional or local level for the management of the Reserve as well as a separate independent audit body. ~~For simplification reasons, Member States may~~Member States are encouraged to make use of existing bodies designated and systems set up for the purpose of the management and control of cohesion policy funding or the European Union Solidarity Fund. It is necessary to specify the responsibilities of the Member States and lay down the specific requirements for the bodies designated. Member States will ensure that the local and regional authorities concerned are involved in the monitoring bodies, if they are not already part of them.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18

(18) Member States, regions and local communities should raise awareness on the Union contribution from the Reserve and inform the public accordingly as transparency, communication and visibility activities are essential in making Union action visible on the ground. Those activities should be based on accurate and updated information.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19

(19) In order to enhance transparency on the use of the Union contribution, the Commission should provide a final report to the European Parliament ~~and the Council~~, the Council, the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee on the implementation of the Reserve.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1

(1) ‘reference period’ means the reference period referred to in Article 63(5), point (a), of the Financial Regulation, which shall be from 1 Julanuary 202019 to 31 December 20223;

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1

The Reserve shall provide support to counter the adverse consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union in Member States, regions, local communities and sectors, in particular those that are worst affected by that withdrawal, and to mitigate the related negative impact on the economic, social and territorial cohesion.

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. In those Member states where resources are allocated on the basis of the fisheries criterion (Annex I, point 2), at least the respective share shall be used exclusively to support businesses and local and regional communities dependent on fishing activities in the United Kingdom waters, as provided for in Article 5(1)(c).

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) measures to assist businesses, in particular SMEs, employees and freelancers, and local communities adversely affected by the withdrawal;

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) measures to support the most adversely affected economic and public sectors, including the cultural sectors;

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) measures to support businesses and local and regional communities dependent on fishing activities in the United Kingdom waters;

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d

(d) measures to support job protection, high quality and inclusive employment, including through short-time work schemes, re-skilling, up-skilling and training in affected sectors, and re- integration of EU nationals and third country nationals who left the United Kingdom as a result of the withdrawal;

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)

(da) measures to mitigate disruptions caused by the withdrawal oft he United Kingdom from cooperation and exchange programmes;

2021/03/31
Committee: REGI

2020/0380(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – title

Exceptional additional resources and implementing arrangements for the Investment for growth and jobs goal to provide assistance for fostering crisis repair in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing a just green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy (REACT-EU) (This Amendment applies throughout the text)

2020/07/24
Committee: REGI

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6

(6) Achieving climate neutrality ~~should~~ requires joint and coherent efforts by all levels governance, funding and investment policies and a contribution from all economic sectors. ~~In light of~~Given the importance of energy ~~produc~~generation, distribution and consumption onfor the sustainable and socially cushioned reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the transition to a sustainable, affordable and s~~ecure~~afe, well-functioning public energy supply system ~~rely~~is essential. The phasing- o~~n a well-functioning internal energy market is essential. The~~ut of fossil fuels and their direct and indirect subsidies, digital transformation, technological innovation, and research and development are also important drivers for achieving the climate-neutrality objective.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10) The Union ihas a responsibility as a global leader in the transition towards climate neutrality, ~~and is determined~~ to help raise global ambition and to strengthen the global response to climate change, using all tools at its disposal, including climate diplomacy.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12) The Union should aim to achieve a balance between anthropogenic economy- wide emissions and removals, through natural and technological solutions, of greenhouse gases domestically within the Union by 20540. The Union-wide 20540 climate-neutrality objective should be pursued by all Member States collectively and individually, and the Member States, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission should take the necessary measures to enable its achievement. Measures at Union level will constitute an important part of the measures needed to achieve the objective.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1

This Regulation establishes a framework for the irreversible ~~and gradual~~, rapid and absolute reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and enhancement of removals by natural or other sinks in the Union.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2

This Regulation sets out a binding objective of climate neutrality in the Union by 20540 in pursuit of the long-term ~~temperature~~ goal set out in Article 2 of the Paris Agreement by limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and provides a framework for achieving progress in pursuit of the global adaptation goal established in Article 7 of the Paris Agreement, in full coherence with the EU’s zero-pollution ambition.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2 a (new)

This Regulation is based on the principle to prioritise emissions prevention at the source over control and mitigation, on the precautionary and the polluter-pays principle.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1

1. Union-wide and individual national emissions and removals of greenhouse gases regulated in Union law shall be balanced at the latest by 20540, thus reducing emissions to net zero by that date, while pursuing significant reductions in absolute terms both at Union and national level at the same time.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2

2. The relevant Union institutions and the Member States shall take the necessary measures at Union and national level respectively, to enable the ~~collective~~ achievement of the national and collective climate- neutrality objectives set out in paragraph 1, taking into account the importance of promoting fairness and solidarity a~~mong Member State~~s well as economic social and territorial cohesion among and within Member States and regions.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3

3. By September 2020, the Commission shall review the Union’s 2030 target for climate referred to in Article 2(11) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in light of the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1), and ~~explore options for~~set a new 2030 target of ~~50 to 5~~65% emission reductions compared to 1990. Where the Commission considers that it is necessary to amend that target, it shall make proposals to the European Parliament and to the Council as appropriate.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Each Member State shall achieve climate neutrality by 2040 and shall review their National Energy and Climate Plans accordingly.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 4

4. By 30 June 2021, the Commission shall assess how the Union legislation implementing the Union’s 2030 target, as well as all EU policies, legislation and funding and investment instruments and their implementation would need to be amended in order to enable the achievement of 65~~0 to 55~~ % emission reductions compared to 1990 and to achieve the climate-neutrality-objective set out in Article 2(1), and consider taking the necessary measures, including the adoption of legally binding intermediate targets and other legislative proposals, in accordance with the Treaties.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1

1. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 9 to supplement this Regulation by setting out a trajectory at Union level to achieve the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) until 20540. At the latest within six months after each global stocktake referred to in Article 14 of the Paris Agreement or at the request of the European Parliament, the Commission shall review the trajectory.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point c

(c) best available technology and technological progress;

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point d

(d) energy efficiency, energy affordability, the need to tackle energy poverty and ensure the right to energy for EU citizens, and security of supply;

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point e

(e) fairness and solidarity between and within Member States and regions;

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j

(j) the best available and most recent scientific evidence, including the latest reports of the IPCC and IPBES.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 (new)

(a) the best available and most recent scientific evidence, including the latest reports of the IPCC and IPBES; (b) international developments and efforts undertaken to achieve the long- term objectives of the Paris Agreement and the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; (c) the need to ensure a just and socially fair transition; (d) investment needs and opportunities; (e) the need to ensure environmental effectiveness and progression over time; (f) fairness and solidarity between and within Member States and regions; (g) energy efficiency, energy affordability, the need to tackle energy poverty and ensure the right to energy for EU citizens and security of supply; (h) best available technology and technological progress; (i) competitiveness of the Union’s economy; (j) cost-effectiveness and economic efficiency.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2

2. Member States shall develop and implement adaptation strategies and plans with concrete reduction targets that include comprehensive risk management frameworks, based on robust climate and vulnerability baselines and progress assessments.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point a

(a) the collective and individual national progress made by all Member States towards the achievement of the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) as expressed by the trajectory referred to in Article 3(1);

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2020/0036(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b

(b) the collective and individual national progress made by all Member States on adaptation as referred to in Article 4.

2020/06/09
Committee: REGI

2019/2212(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Calls for a genuine revision of the EU’s and the Member States’ education, training and skills policies to deliver multilingual education and the right for lifelong learning, addressing, in particular, the digital skills gap and the need for ~~adaptation to~~understanding and shaping of the realities of the digitalised economy and society, and of preparing for the future impact of artificial intelligence on the labour market and public spheres; stresses that these policies should promote personal and societal development while respecting the goals of the energy transition towards the low- carbon economy;

2020/01/30
Committee: CULT

2019/2212(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Points out that socio-economic disadvantage isand segregating educational institutions are frequently a predictor of poor educational outcomes and vice versa; insists that a properly funded, quality education and lifelong learning system can help break this vicious circle and promote social inclusion and equal opportunities; supports the plans to make the European Education Area a reality in the foreseeable future with the aim of allowing everyone access to a quality education; calls on the Commission to assist the Member States in reforming and modernising their education systems, including digital learning and high-quality teaching;

2020/01/30
Committee: CULT

2019/2212(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Asserts that quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) has a positive impact on all children, boys and girls, and even more so on children belonging to less privileged socio-economic backgrounds, thereby contributing to reducing social inequalities; stresses that ECEC has an impact on children’s development, learning and well-being in the short-term, and creates the building blocks, like abilities to deal with conflicts, problem-solving skills, social and democratic behavior, for improving later long-term life outcomes;

2020/01/30
Committee: CULT

2019/2212(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Believes that investing in ~~human capital~~a modern democratic educational landscape, with a particular focus on young people and people with fewer opportunities, is key to boosting knowledge-intensive, sustainable, qualitative and inclusive growth, in a context of increasing skills shortages and mismatches in a rapidly changing world of work, particularly in the era of digitalisation; underlines the importance of entrepreneurship education in order to motivate young people to opt to set up in business on one hand; and underlines the importance of education for self- realisation and for the possibility of participation in a democratic community on the other hand;

2020/01/30
Committee: CULT

2019/2212(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Urges the Member States to foster cooperation between education and businesses with a view to addressing skills mismatches, including by fostering technical and digital skills, as well as vocational training and dual trainings and studies, and to put in place effective and comprehensive methodologies for the recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning;

2020/01/30
Committee: CULT

2019/2212(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Calls for an increased focus on the promotion of girls and women in STEAM subjects in schools, trainings and studies; including support for the transition into professional life and for starting up businesses;

2020/01/30
Committee: CULT

2019/2212(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that an all-encompassing approach to education policy enjoying strong political and public support, is vital to the educational reform process, and that in order to achieve these objectives, it is essential to involve both society as a whole and all relevant and interested stakeholders, including teachers and parents;

2020/01/30
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the European Green Deal sets the target of a climate-neutral European Union by 2050, thereby putting the climate emergency at the centre of all the Union’s programmes and policies; believes that the European Green Deal needs to be more ambitious, particularly in regard to setting a 2030 reduction target of, at the bare minimum, 55%;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas education, sport, volunteering and culture play a fundamental role in the green transition as regards awareness-raising, learning, communication and the sharing of knowledge, and whereas the potential they offer can be exploited to develop innovative ways of tackling environmental challenges; whereas these sectors provide low-carbon and high-quality jobs;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas, although these programmes do not primarily focus on the environment, they nonetheless contribute to the green transition through their substance and scope and have an environmental impact like all economic activities, so that their essential nature should be preserved;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the objectives and the very nature of the ESC give young people the opportunity to ~~take~~share knowledge on taking practical action to protect the environment and on activism;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the experience of mobility offered by these programmes can ~~change everyday behaviour~~be a transformative experience for young people, and whereas mobility of this kind should therefore be encouraged;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas Creative Europe has a role to play in promoting culture and the audiovisual media, which can help raise people’s awareness of environmental issues, organise activism and are also a unique source of creative solutions;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas the aim, under the current multiannual financial framework, of devoting 205% of expenditure to climate protection measures cannot be achieved if the data and instruments needed to measure the contribution of the programmes to meeting this aim are not available, and whereas they must therefore be put in place as a matter of urgency;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital N

N. whereas there are currently few incentives – particularly of a financial nature – to encourage participants in the three programmes to shift to more environmentally friendly means of transport; whereas more environmentally friendly means of transport tend to be the least accessible and affordable and whereas participants in these programmes tend to have less financial means;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission to record systematically the means of transport used so ~~that participants’ individual CO2 emissions can be calculated~~as to take measures to reduce programme-specific emissions; takes the view that the Mobility Tool should be used for this purpose and that use of the Tool should be extended to cover all parts of Erasmus+ and the ESC; calls on the Commission to make a similar calculation tool available for journeys undertaken in connection with the Creative Europe programme; provided that data protection is fully respected;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the main stakeholders in the programmes to inform participants of examples of good practice which they can employ in their everyday lives, ~~perhaps by means of a digital app~~by the most efficient and direct way possible;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission and on national and regional agencies and offices to take account of the environmental aspects of projects and to evaluate projects accordingly;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Urges the Commission to make it possible for participants to choose the least-polluting means of transport, but at the same time not to stigmatise or exclude participants for whom air travel is the only option; calls for special attention to be paid to the outermost regions in this regard and to examine more environmentally-friendly modes of transport particularly for these regions;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission to revise the current financial rules so that the additional costs and journey times associated with the use of more environmentally friendly means of transport can be ~~off~~properly reimbursetd; insists that the additional costs be reimbursed in full;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Urges Member States and regions to widen the offer of the most environmentally friendly means of transport;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Commission – particularly in the light of its European Year of Rail in 2021 – to enter into partnerships with European rail and bus ~~companie~~operators so that participants are eligible for discounted fares;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Calls on the Commission, along with Member States and regions with education and university competences, to design and provide a financial assistance scheme to those students who cannot afford the costs of the Erasmus+, ESC and Creative Europe programmes or the cost of the transport means, as long as they meet the most environmental friendly standards;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission to include respect and protection for the environment among the principles set out in the Erasmus+ Higher Education Charter; urges the Commission to apply this approach to the whole programme and to take action to achieve it;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Emphasises the potential of the European Universities and Vocational Education and Training Centres of Excellence, as they could be encouraged to introduce programmes of excellence for teaching and training in environmental issues~~, provided sufficient~~; emphasises that the Commission should ensure enough funding is available to achieve this;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Calls on the Commission to introduce Environmental Protection and Fighting Climate Change at the core of all the programmes as a transversal skill;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Considers that encouraging mobility among the staff of local sports organisations would help make them aware of more environmentally friendly ways of organising sports events and encourage environmental activism; calls for greater emphasis to be placed on environmental issues when the European Week of Sport takes place;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Calls on the national, regional and local authorities involved in the ESC to support and actively advise organisations responsible for sending and receiving participants; stresses that they are also able to identify the scope for and set up environmental projects in situ;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Calls on the authorities involved to extend the offer of traineeships related to environmental issues and to introduce environmental education and environmental impact into the scope of every project;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)

18b. Calls on the Commission to introduce Environmental Protection and Environmental Education as the one of the key principles of the ESC programme;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the Commission to draw up, together with the national and regional offices, a charter setting out the environmental principles which every participant in the programme must observe;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Calls on the Commission to publish a ‘n ambitious ’good environmental practice’ guide covering audiovisual and cultural production, dissemination and event organisation, with a particular focus on transport, energy and waste management and with the aim of making the practices concerned standard for all projects financed by the programme; calls on the Commission to develop a tool to evaluate the environmental impact of cultural events;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2195(INI)

Pernando BARRENA ARZA, Niyazi KIZILYÜREK, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Calls on the Commission to authorise, as a trans-sectoral measure, the establishment of a European network of environmental consultants to advise project developers and draw up annual reports, with the aim of maintaining transparency and sharing best practices;

2020/05/07
Committee: CULT

2019/2055(DEC)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Takes note that the source of those errors, regarding both grants and - less closely audited - financial instruments is mainly a result of reimbursements of ineligible costs, as well as infringements of internal market rules and lack of support documentation, but is also due to the previous year’s overall low rates of reimbursement and payments as well as fewer financial instruments having been included in the audit;

2019/12/16
Committee: REGI

2019/2055(DEC)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Points out that the Union is having increasing recourse to financial instruments and guarantees for the EIB group, particularly through the provision of guarantees within the framework of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), placing the Union budget at greater risk of exposure as a result; supports the European Court of Auditors’ position that the Court should be mandated to audit all EIB operations including those where the EIB uses non- Union budget funds for its operations;

2019/12/16
Committee: REGI

2019/2055(DEC)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that the reasons behind this low absorption rate ~~not only lie in the decommitment methodology (the so-called “n+3 rule”), but also~~lie mainly in the late adoption of the legislative framework enabling the implementation of the cohesion policy; therefore calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure proper measures in the next programming period 2021-2027 to avoid the repetition of delayed implementation of ESI Funds and its domino effect.;

2019/12/16
Committee: REGI

2019/2028(BUD)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Recalls that cohesion policy is a helpful tool to support the reception and integration of migrants and insists that 2020 EU budget should contribute to tackling the challenges linked to migration in a spirit of solidarity;

2041/01/05
Committee: REGI

2019/2028(BUD)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission and the Council to consider the lessons of this programming period and avoid any further payment crises; is worried about the consequences of a possible no deal Brexit and calls the Union and MS to avoid any possible impact on cohesion policy;

2041/01/05
Committee: REGI

2019/2028(BUD)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Recalls that cohesion policy and economic governance have different and partly contradictory objectives;

2041/01/05
Committee: REGI

2018/2090(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas digital skills which go well beyond the requirements of the labour market offer people better opportunities to participate in the life of society, both today and in the future, facilitate information and cultural exchange and give people a greater say in political decision-making;

2018/09/28
Committee: CULT

2018/2090(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas a new and innovative approach ~~should~~can place digital technolog~~y at the heart of education~~ies and connectivity at the heart of holistic, humanist education which focuses on pupils;

2018/09/28
Committee: CULT

2018/2090(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas basic education in cyber hygiene, cyber safety and media literacy is necessary from an early age to help children become critical consumers, content producers and shapers of a democratic digital society, make informed decisions and be aware of the opportunities and risks associated with the Internet;

2018/09/28
Committee: CULT

2018/2090(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Stresses, therefore, that a transformation of the educational and training systems at all levels is necessary to meet the demands of the society and labour market of the future, the latter to be developed further on the basis of stringent social and environmental standards, whilst guaranteeing the right to personal fulfilment through participation in education;

2018/09/28
Committee: CULT

2018/2090(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Encourages Member States to take steps, in collaboration with businesses, education and training centres and civil society stakeholders to identify existing skills gaps, expand digital literacy, enhance media and Internet literacy and establish a high level of digital connectivity and inclusion;

2018/09/28
Committee: CULT

2018/2090(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Calls, in connection with the Digital Education Action Plan, for special attention to be paid to measures to overcome the digital gender gap, for alternative avenues of access for women to STEAM subjects and skills to be tested and for projects in this area to be given long-term support;

2018/09/28
Committee: CULT

2018/2090(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)

18b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to offer appropriate guidance on the legally secure application of derogations from copyright law in the education sphere and straightforward access to licences for public, non-profit- making establishments in the formal and informal education sphere, combined with rules specifying that the Member States are responsible for compensating publishers and rights-holders who make educational and teaching material available; takes the view that teachers and pupils need security when using digitally accessible resources and imparting and learning the skills which are fundamental to democratic Internet use, along with knowledge about data protection and modern copyright laws which attach just as much importance to the rights of creatives to fair remuneration as to the rights of individual and institutional users to engage in free online communication;

2018/09/28
Committee: CULT

2018/2024(BUD)

Petra KAMMEREVERT, Helga TRÜPEL, Constanze KREHL, Sabine VERHEYEN, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. In the light of the seriously deteriorating situation of press and media freedom in Europe, calls for the existence of the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom in Florence (CMPF) and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom in Leipzig (ECPMF) to be safeguarded for the remainder of the MFF and for additional funding to be made available in 2019; notes that these centres complement each other perfectly in their activities and urges the Commission to guarantee them a long- term financing basis in the next MFF to enable them to develop as independently as possible as effective European instruments to safeguard media freedom and media pluralism and provide journalists in hazardous situations with tailor-made assistance and support;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Citation 2 a (new)

– having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 10 May 2007 on a European Agenda for Culture in a Globalising World (COM (2007)0242) and the Council Resolution of 16 November 2007 on a European Agenda for Culture (2007(C287)01);

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Isabella ADINOLFI, Curzio MALTESE, Luigi MORGANO

Draft opinion
Citation 2 a (new)

– having regard to the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property and the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Citation 2 b (new)

– having regard to Directive 2012/28/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on certain permitted uses of orphan works;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Citation 2 c (new)

– having regard to the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, which has been in force since 25 April 2018;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Citation 2 d (new)

– having regard to Articles 10 and 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union of 2010;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Isabella ADINOLFI, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the EU has the right to adopt policies on trade in cultural and audiovisual services with the aim of protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions as well as cultural heritage;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas the European Union must take responsibility for modernising its European Agenda for Culture in a Globalising World, which includes providing a precise definition of media services and a clear framework for the media in public institutions and private undertakings in Europe;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)

Bb. whereas the European Union must further develop intellectual property rights to cover the legal exploitation of orphan works in museums, archives, libraries and other research facilities which safeguard cultural heritage;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Recital C

C. whereas Europe has a rich variety of traditions and strong cultural and creative industries, ~~and whereas the promotion of cultural diversity~~small and medium- sized enterprises and different systems of public media bodies and public film funding, and whereas the promotion of cultural diversity, of access to culture and of democratic dialogue must remain a guiding principles;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas the Data Protection Regulation lays down high standards of personal data processing which require a certain level of responsibility on the part of platforms and streaming services in the regulation of international trade;

2018/05/03
Committee: CULT

2018/2005(INI)

(b) attracting newcomers, both young people and non-profit participating organisations;

2018/11/07
Committee: CULT

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2

The co-financing rates set out under point (a), shall also apply to outermost regions. This rate also includes the additional allocation for the outermost regions.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Martina MICHELS

The co-financing rate for the Cohesion Fund at the level of each priority shall not be higher than 7085 %.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 3

The co-financing rate for the Cohesion Fund at the level of each priority shall not be higher than 70 85%.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 4

The ESF+ Regulation may establish higher co-financing rates for priorities supporting innovative actions in accordance with Article [14] of that Regulation as well as for the ‘employment and growth objective’ and, more specifically, for combating material deprivation and social exclusion under Article [7][4] of the Regulation.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1

The co-financing rate for Interreg programmes shall be no higher than 7085 %.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1

The co-financing rate for Interreg programmes shall be no higher than 70 85%.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 3

3. Contribution to the budgetary guarantee under InvestEU with justification Reference: Article 8(e) CPR; Article 10(a) CPR; Table 2: Transfer to InvestEU Category of regions* Text field [3500] (justification)deleted

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 3 – paragraph 2

~~Table 2: Transfer to InvestEU~~deleted

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – point 3 – paragraph 4

Table 15: Contributions to InvestEU*deleted

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex XXIV – point 9

9. An additional special allocation corresponding to an aid intensity of EUR 340 per inhabitant per year will be allocated to the outermost NUTS level 2 regions and the northern sparsely populated NUTS level 2 regions. That allocation will be distributed per region and Member State in a manner proportional to the total population of those regions.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 2 – row 042

~~042~~ ~~Household waste management: 0% 100% prevention, minimisation, sorting, recycling measures~~ Delete

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1

(1) Culture, cultural heritage and cultural diversity are of great value to European society from a cultural, democratic, environmental, social, human rights and economic point of view and should be promoted and supported. The Rome Declaration of 25 March 2017 as well as the European Council in December 2017 stated that education and culture are a key to building inclusive and cohesive societies for all, and to sustaining European competitiveness. Cultural, democratic dialogue does much to foster a robust approach to history in European societies and their cooperative relations with neighbours and other continents.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4

(4) The Commission Communication on a New European Agenda for Culture15 further sets out the objectives of the Union for the cultural and creative sectors. It aims to harness the power of culture and cultural diversity for social cohesion and societal well-being, fostering the cross-border dimension of cultural and creative sectors, supporting their capacity to grow, encouraging culture-based creativity in education and innovation, and for jobs and growth as well as strengthening international cultural relations. Creative Europe, together with other Union programmes, should support the implementation of this New European Agenda for Culture and at the same time acknowledge the intrinsic value of artistic expression and materials and basic research as part of the process of producing both highly abstract and popular artistic works and promote these activities in particular by putting infrastructure for producers of artistic works on a more sustainable footing. This is also in line with the 2005 UNESCO Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which entered into force on 18 March 2007 and to which the Union is a party. __________________ 15 COM(2018) 267 final. COM(2018) 267 final.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5

(5) The promotion of European cultural diversity depends on the existence of flourishing and resilient cultural and creative sectors, able to create, produce and distribute their works to a large and diverse European audience. This thereby enlarges their business potential and contributes to sustainable growth and jobs creation. Creative Europe, together with other Union programmes, should support the implementation of this New European Agenda for Culture.. In spite of recent progress, the European cultural and creative market continues to be fragmented along national and linguistic lines, which do not allow the cultural and creative sectors to fully benefit from the European single market and the digital single market in particular. In addition, the highly fragmented cultural and creative sector gives rise to many precarious employment relationships and gender pay disparities to the detriment of women, problems which the support provided through Creative Europe must address and remedy.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6

(6) The Programme should take into account the dual nature of the cultural and creative sectors, recognising, on the one hand, the intrinsic and artistic value of culture and, on the other, the economic value of those sectors, including their broader contribution to growth and competitiveness, creativity and innovation. This requires strong European cultural and creative sectors, in particular a vibrant European audiovisual industry, taking into account its capacity to reach large audiences and its economic importance, including for other creative sectors as well as cultural tourism. However, competition in global audiovisual markets has been further intensified by the deepening digital disruption e.g. changes in media production, consumption and the growing position of global platforms in the distribution of content. Therefore, there is a need to step-up the support to the European industry. Steps must therefore be taken to ascertain to what extent the support provided by Creative Europe can help to bring about the establishment of a public video and film platform which is permanently available to the European public in all relevant languages.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12) Artistic freedom is at the core of vibrant cultural and creative industries, ~~including~~and freedom of expression, the protection of sources and the economic conditions for functioning media pluralism are vital for the news media sector. The programme should promote cross-overs and collaboration between the audiovisual sector and the publishing sector to promote a pluralistic media environment.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14

(14) In line with the Joint Communication "Towards an EU strategy for international cultural relations", endorsed by the European Parliament's resolution of 5 July 2017, and the conclusions drawn following the European Year of Cultural Heritage 201818a, European funding instruments, and in particular this programme, should recognize the relevance of culture in international relations and its role in promoting European values by dedicated and targeted actions designed to have a clear Union impact on the global scene. __________________ 18 JOIN(2016) 29 JOIN(2016) 29 18a In that connection, attention should be drawn to the statement issued by the Council of Culture Ministers in late November and the statements made at the closing ceremony held on 7 December 2018, including a reference to the relevant source when available.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14

(14) In line with the Joint Communication "Towards an EU strategy for international cultural relations", endorsed by the European Parliament's resolution of 5 July 201718, European funding instruments, and in particular this programme, should recognize the relevance of culture in international relations and its role in promoting European values by dedicated and targeted actions designed to ~~have a clear Union impact on the global scene. __________________ 18~~enable the Union to develop cooperative international exchanges based on mutual respect. __________________ 18 JOIN(2016) 29 JOIN(2016) 29

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27

(27) One of the greatest challenges of the cultural and creative sectors is their access to finance allowing their activities to grow maintain or increase their competitiveness or internationalise their activities. The policy objectives of this Programme should also be addressed through financial instruments and budgetary guarantee under the policy window(s) of the Invest EU Fund. In that connection, however, due account should be taken of the fragmentary nature of the cultural sector and access to funding should be provided for producers with a low turnover who can show that, in addition to generating European added value, that turnover is stable.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)

(aa) to promote the intrinsic value of forms of artistic expression, cultural education and cultural criticism and the protection of freedom of opinion and sources for a plural media landscape;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a b (new)

(ab) to promote and safeguard a sustainable infrastructure for the production of artistic works, in particular in the digital sphere as well;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d

(d) to enhance the capacity and infrastructure of European cultural and creative sectors to generate cross-border democratic dialogue, to prosper and to generate jobs and growth;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)

(aa) to support projects which improve platform-based infrastructure for the long-term accessibility of European audiovisual works;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) to support cross-sectoral transnational policy cooperation including on the role of culture for democratic dialogue, social inclusion and promote the knowledge of the programme and support the transferability of results;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1

The financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period 2021 – -2027 shall be EUR 12 8506 000 000 in c~~urre~~onstant prices.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – indent 1

– ~~up to EUR 609 000 000~~not less than 33% for the objective referred to in Article 3 (2)(ab) (strand ~~CULTURE~~MEDIA);

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – indent 2

– ~~up to EUR 1 081 000 000~~not less than 58% for the objective referred to in Article 3(2)(b) (strand MEDIA);

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – indent 3

– up to ~~EUR 160 000 000~~9% for the activities referred to in Article 3(2)(c) (CROSS SECTORAL strand).

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. The grants shall be awarded taking into account the following features of the projects concerned: (a) high cultural standard and/or long-term safeguarding of infrastructure for the production of artistic works and their dissemination; (b) impact; (c) quality and efficiency in their implementation. (d) guarantee of a living and/or collectively agreed wage for employees and service-providers involved in the project;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 4

4. ~~Where applicable, t~~The actions of the Programme shall define appropriate non-discrimination criteria, including on gender balance.

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – point 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)

(ca) to safeguard technical, logistical and digital infrastructure for the production of artistic works and their dissemination;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – point 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)

(fa) to safeguard technical, logistical and digital infrastructure for the production, dissemination, documentation and storage of cross-border artistic works;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – point 2 – paragraph 1 – point l

(l) Specific measures to contribute to ~~a more balanced~~fair gender participation in the audiovisual sector;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2018/0190(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – point 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 4 – point c a (new)

(ca) to safeguard political and civil society dialogue on threats to media freedom and media pluralism in Europe;

2018/11/30
Committee: CULT

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas 2014-2020 is marked by increased ESIF and CEF budgets and, despite the delayed implementation of the programming period, there is no major impact on transport investments; whereas EU transport infrastructure investments are one of the policies that provide ~~the highes~~significant EU added value due to the spill-over effects within the single market, which effectively make all Member States net beneficiaries of the investment;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas TEN-T and transport infrastructure such as road, ~~high-speed~~ railways, waterways and air are EU priorities, and if European investment were to lag behind, increased FDI could fill the gap while relocating profits, taxes and job opportunities outside of the EU, perhaps increasing the dependence and macroeconomic instability of the regions; whereas such a process would undermine the Union’s regional presence and policies in the long term and would lead to fragmentation and divergence;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas smart, sustainable and fully interconnected transport, energy and digital networks are a ~~necessary condition for~~key factor in the completion and smooth operation of the ~~European single market and for linking Europe with the world market; whereas these are genuine arteries for European economic growth and~~economy and in the well-being of itEurope's citizens;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the Cohesion Fund (CF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) should remain the core EU sources for transport infrastructure investments under the thematic objective of ‘promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures’; proposes that, due to the high European added value and the extensive spill-over effects generated, these funding sources should remain available for all eligible EU regions, without detracting from the need to award priority to the less developed regions and regions clearly lagging behind in terms of transport infrastructure;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses that infrastructure and transport policy must be based on a social and economic model that reduces demand for goods haulage and passenger transport without impacting on the economic welfare and needs of the public; therefore sees a need, on the one hand, for a more decentralised and balanced economic system that avoids massive transfers of goods and workers, and which enables endogenous regional development, and, on the other hand, a new approach and praxis in regional planning which narrows the gap between cities and rural areas and segmentation between over-populated areas and depopulated ones; also sees a need to promote measures such as prioritising the use of public and community transport, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, the consumption of local and seasonal products, and sustainable local for tourism and leisure models, etc. Considers this to be the only way to achieve genuinely sustainable development that is environment-friendly, economically viable and delivers territorial and social cohesion;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Calls on the Commission to present, within six months, a detailed and up-to-date country-by-country and project-by-project report on financing in the periods 2007-2014 and 2014-2020 under the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund, with a breakdown for each of the tangible objectives under Article 5(7) of Regulation (EU) No 1301/2013 on the European Regional Development Fund and Article 4(d) of Regulation (EU) No 1300/2013 on the Cohesion Fund; that report should cover the cost of the projects, the EU financing involved and the effective use of the infrastructure completed, and include an analysis of their economic and social benefits;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the role of additional sources such as the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) needs to be defined in view of their complementarity to the ERDF and CF and their additionality to EIB lending operations; ~~notes in thi~~stresses that doubts linger as to the need for the EFSI and its effectiveness and finds it regrettable that public guarantees are~~gard that EFSI should serve as a platform for public-private partnerships (PPPs) in matching~~ provided for private sector operations when it is the private sector operator who reaps the rewards of successful projects; stresses that in any event the EFSI must prioritise sustainable transport and essential transport infrastructure projects that offer high social, economic and environmental added value, and focus on those projects that foster quality job creation, long-term growth, innovation and territorial cohesion, including sustainable urban transport and railway projects, meaning that it must maintain a territorial balance in investments; notes in this regard that EFSI should serve to match financial instruments to private investment and to national/regional financing at project level; notes that the support available through the EU guarantee should be provided to bankable infrastructure projects which would not otherwise be supported through the ERDF, CF or CEF;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Points out that, in all circumstances, grants should be the key tool for funding sustainable public transport infrastructure, and especially railways;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that infrastructure requires objective quantification of demand prior to setting the budget and the delivery methods; believes that one priority should be to upgrade existing infrastructure by increasing its capacity, quality and safety; underlines that it should be possible for the ERDF and CF eligibility criteria to consider existing demand at NUTS 3 level;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Believes that all transport infrastructure should be subject to broad public debate, in-depth investigation into its actual necessity and economic and social benefit, and to an exhaustive environmental impact study; considers that only infrastructure on which there is public consensus, which is necessary and socially beneficial and which does not occasion major and/or irreparable environmental damage should be implemented and financed through EU instruments;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Calls for a pivotal decision-making role to be played by the local and regional authorities, and by civil society and local community representatives, in the adoption, planning and financing of transport infrastructure, including in European cross-border coordination and cooperation;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Believes that EU transport infrastructure funding should be geared primarily to sustainable means of transport such as conventional railways, waterways and short-sea shipping; stresses that projects in receipt of co-financing should reflect the need for infrastructure which benefits the EU from a perspective of social, economic and territorial cohesion, which minimises the impact on the environment, which is resistant to the potential impact of climate change and which protects health and ensures user safety; emphasises that EU funding for such means of transport through cohesion policy and the Connecting Europe Facility should be increased, since it is these types of transport which best ensure that the stated aims of transport policy and cohesion policy are achieved;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 d (new)

4d. Emphasises in particular regarding railways that special attention should be paid to revitalising and maintaining branch lines that connect with national main lines and European corridors, provide cross-border connections between Member States and relieve bottlenecks; that local, regional and nations railway connections that have been abandoned despite their economic and public worth, and especially cross- border connections, should be rejuvenated as a matter of urgency; and that initiatives to find new uses for disused lines, such as goods transport or new tourism services, should be promoted. Calls on the Commission also to ensure that the use of railways for goods transport is stepped up with a view to greater network efficiency and more sustainable and safe transport;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for tha study to be conducted on the possible creation of an EU transport infrastructure index as an additional eligibility criterion in order to accurately reflect regional and local demand; proposes that the index help determine the overall envelope of investments as well as the co- financing rates; suggests that the EU transport scoreboard could be the basis for the proposed index with complementary elements such as road safety, regional specifics and environmental impact, which could contribute to the accuracy of the assessments; calls on the Commission to present to Parliament, within six months, a communication on this transport infrastructure index;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Urges that an integrated approach to the objective of sustainable transport be adopted under the cohesion policy, which is to say that it should prioritise interoperability, interconnectivity and intermodality, ensuring an optimum use of all means of transport and fostering the compatibility of interconnections between different means of transport; also favours an intermodal TEN-T approach based on means of transport which are more environmentally friendly, less fuel- expensive and safer, ensuring an optimum use of all means of transport and fostering the compatibility of interconnections between different means of transport;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Recommends that national administrations and regional authorities upgrade intermediate stations and local connections as well was linkages with the TEN-Ts, in order to minimise the costs associated with the existence of peripheral areas; calls on the Commission to promote necessary projects of this type;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Emphasises the need to integrate climate protection into cohesion policy as regards the sustainable transport objective and hence pursue the Community's objectives for reducing CO2 emissions; calls on the Commission to require the Member States to integrate Community environmental legislation into the process of adopting and planning projects eligible for funding, and especially Natura2000, strategic environmental assessment, environmental impact assessment, air quality, the Water Framework Directive, the Habitats and Birds Directives, and the European Environmental Agency's Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM);

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Stresses that increased energy efficiency should be one of the key priorities of European transport policy and, therefore, of cohesion policy in that field; emphasises the importance of promoting electro-mobility and electric public transport systems, alongside the introduction of renewable electrical energy sources, awarding priority to continuing electrification of the railway network;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for athe common European transport policy, whose overriding objectives should be environmental sustainability and territorial and social cohesion, to be based on a funding framework that is integrated and coordinated with the EU transport instruments; considers that thematic concentration should be preserved in order to permit synergies between different funding sources at project level; proposes the creation of a single set of rules for all financing sources related to the thematic objective of ‘promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures’; considers it necessary to streamline and accelerate procurement and state aid compliance procedures through standardised public procurement;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2285(INI)

Ángela VALLINA, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Demands that the utmost attention be paid, in all the transport infrastructure projects financed by the European Union, to quality of employment and dignified working conditions for workers, with a specific focus on compliance with occupational safety standards;

2018/02/27
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas cohesion policy ~~aims~~is the European Union’s key toolkit to express the EU’s solidarity as one of the fundamental principles of the Union, by pursuing its Treaty based objective to promote harmonious development of the whole Union, leading to a strengthening of its economic, social and territorial cohesion, in a spirit of solidarity and with the aim of promoting growth, and reducing the backwardness of the least favoured regions;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas balanced social and economic development throughout Europe is crucial to maintain and promote social peace and an innovative, sustainable and inclusive European integration process that is based on broad public support;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas one of the key pieces of new information provided by the 7th Cohesion Report concerns the identification of certain areas described as being caught in the ‘middle-income trap’, which risk ~~being left behind~~stagnation or even falling back again behind the already reached level of development;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Considers it crucial that cohesion policy should continue to cover all European regions and remain the European Union’s main ~~investment instrument, with a budget commensurate with the challenges~~solidarity, development and investment instrument, based on long-term strategy and perspectives, and with a budget commensurate with the challenges; demands therefore that the current 1%- ceiling for the EU’s expenditure be increased to at least 1.3% of the GNI, in order to be able to continue to support existing policy areas while avoiding funding new challenges at their expense and while maintaining the share of cohesion policy at the current level, i. e. more than one third of the MFF;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Emphasises that cohesion policy investments provide European added value by contributing to European public goods and to the Treaty objective of reducing disparities towards the upward adaptation of living standards;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Notes that cities, towns and urban areas combine opportunities and challenges, because of the concentration ~~of people facing serious economic~~serious social, economic, environmental difficulties and the existence of pockets of poverty, including in relatively prosperous cities;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Emphasises that efforts to consolidate the territorial dimension of cohesion policy require greater attention to be paid to peri-urban, cross border and rural problems, with a particular focus on to medium-sized towns;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Is convinced that a major challenge for future cohesion policy will be to provide ~~appropriate~~sufficient support to these regions to keep up their positive development paths, and that cohesion policy must both reduce disparities and prevent vulnerable regions from falling behind, by taking account of the different trends and dynamics and possibly expanding the scope of and support for the transition region category;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Stresses that social and fiscal convergence help to foster cohesion while improving the functioning of the single market; takes the view that divergent practices in this area may run counter to the objective of cohesion and are liable to cause further problems for territories which are lagging behind or are the most vulnerable to globalisation; considers that cohesion policy could contribute to the promotion of social and fiscal convergence by providing incentives, but reiterates its position that cohesion policy must not be subject to any conditionalities at European level that cannot be influenced by local and regional authorities and other beneficiaries; calls on the Commission to take better account of this aspect in the European Semester;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Supports a strong thematic concentration on a limited number of priorities linked to major European political objectives, leaving managing authorities the task of drawing up their territorial strategies on the basis of their needs; stresses that ~~employment,~~social integration and culture, decent employment and education, combating poverty and discrimination, civil research and innovation, support for SMEs, climate ~~change~~action and the circular economy should constitute priority areas for cohesion policy in future;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that financial instruments can be an effective lever and that they should be promoted if they generate added value; stresses, however, that their effectiveness hinges on many factors (nature of the project, of the territory or of the risk) and thatReiterates that grants must remain the basis of the financing of cohesion policy and points out that financial instruments can play a complementary role, but stresses, that their effectiveness hinges on many factors (nature of the project, of the territory or of the risk) and that they should be used with caution, based on an appropriate ex-ante assessment; grants should be complemented only where such financial instruments demonstrate an added value, and all regions, regardless of their level of development, must be free to determine the most appropriate method of financing; opposes any binding targets for the use of financial instruments;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Calls for a genuine single set of rules to be introduced for the various funds; supports consistent treatment of European funds under direct management and cohesion funds where State aid is concerned and, more generally, harmonised rules for European instruments aimed at the same beneficiaries; stresses the importance of greater complementarity between cohesion policy and the future EU research programme, in order to cover the full cycle from basic research to commercial applications; general exemption from state aid rules should be considered for support measures in the framework of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC);

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Calls for requirements in respect of the programming, implementation and monitoring of ESI Funds in future to be based on the principle of differentiation, based on transparent and fair criteria, in accordance with the amounts allocated to programmes, the risk profile, the quality of administration and the level of financing by recipients;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Regards it as essential that the relationship between the Commission and managing authorities should evolve towards a ‘contract of confidence’; calls on the Commission to build on the work already done in the area of sound public finance management, introducing the principle of a ~~new label~~"trust bonus" to reward managing authorities which have demonstrated their ability to comply with the rules; in relation to monitoring, calls for greater reliance on national and regional rules where their effectiveness has been verified and validated;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

~~36. Is~~Is extremely concerned atby the Commission’s ~~36.~~ recent statements concerning the massive cuts to the cohesion policy budget that might be made under the next MFF and which would exclude certain or even most regions from the scope of cohesion policy; wishes to see a budget commensurate with the challenges facing the regions, and calls for cohesion policy not to be made an adjustment variable; points out that the coverage of all EU regions is a ‘red line’ for the European Parliament; stresses that the theory of ‘economic development clubs’ confirms the importance of differentiated support for all European regions, including regions with a very high income, which must remain competitive with their global competitors;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2279(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38

38. ~~Welcom~~Notes the p~~ositive~~reliminary results of the Juncker investment plan; stresses that cohesion policy and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) are based on different concepts and objectives which in certain cases can be complementary, but that one cannot be a substitute for the other, irrespective of the level of development of the regions; calls for maintaining clear delimitations between the EFSI and cohesion policy, together with the provision of opportunities for their combination and facilitated use where appropriate without mixing them;

2018/02/28
Committee: REGI

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the negative impact of the ~~recession~~financial crisis, the recession, the investment backlog for public infrastructures and the restrictive austerity policies on young people’s prospects for developing their full potential continues to be felt across the European Union;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas macroeconomic conditionalities may continue to threaten the use of regional and structural funds and the sustainable use of the funds by financially depleted municipalities, particularly in respect of youth projects, youth education and employment;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas there is a need to mainstream EU action in the field of youth through the inclusion of a youth dimension in current and future plans, in particular in all key policy areas, such as the economy, employment and social affairs, cohesion, health, women, co-determination, migration, culture, the media and education;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas a gender perspective must be included in decision-making on youth policies which takes into account the specific challenges and circumstances faced by young women and girls in particular from different cultural and religious backgrounds;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Is concerned about the fact that, austerity policies as well as the persisting social and economic divergences between Member states, provoke involuntary migration that further exacerbates the effects of the brain-drain; Recommends that the future EYS should promote policies to reverse this phenomenon;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Believes that the EU should express solidarity with young people and continue to empower them to participate in society, primarily by mainstreaming volunteering and developing new tools for exchanges based on solidarity, community engagement, free space and a democratic dialogue, beyond the necessary training and employment prospects;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage regional and local authorities to ensure that young people are able to fully participate and be involved in decision-making and to promote self-organisation structures and the independent representation and expression of their interests;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Is highly concerned at the persistent high rates of youth unemployment throughout the EU; recalls that quality job creation and employment should be guaranteed and remain key commitments towards young people; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote fair working conditions and remuneration; stresses the importance of defining social rights for new forms of employment and fair professional traineeships and ensuring social dialogue;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Strongly believes that quality education and training is a fundamental right; considers, therefore, that access to education should be guaranteed for all Europeans, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity or gender; underlines the important role played by education in providing young people with the knowledge and skills to become committed citizens and take part in the European project - citizens who are able independently to develop specialist and communication skills for various contemporary challenges at local and global level, while striving to achieve sustainable solutions which are socially, environmentally and technologically convincing;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Strongly believes that quality education and training is a fundamental right; considers, therefore, that access to all levels of education should be guaranteed for all Europeans, regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity or gender; underlines the important role played by education in providing young people with the knowledge and skills to become committed citizens and take part in the European project; Notes, therefore, the importance of properly resourced public education systems;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Encourages the Commission to support initiatives which aim to foster citizenship, respect, tolerance, values and intercultural learning; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote spaces for dialogue with young people on a range of themes, such as sex, gender, policy and the environment, law, history and culture;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Strongly believes that education systems should promote holistic knowledge and skillset and foster critical and analytical thinking; Deplores the fact that, more and more, education systems are depended upon and defined by labour market and private interests needs;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Underlines the harmful impact of stress on young people’s well-being~~, both~~ at school, in training, on the labour market and in their personal lives; calls on the Commission and the Member States to invest in mental health programmes and to encourage the relevant actors to help young people in this regard;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2259(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. ~~Welcomes~~Points to the original approach of the European Solidarity Corps – to become a programme to foster solidarity among young Europeans; recalls Parliament’s position to properly finance the new initiative by means of fresh resources and not gradually to use the programme as a partial option for inadequately combating youth unemployment;

2018/03/07
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Recital Ia (new)

Ia. whereas intercultural and inter- faith dialogue in a cosmopolitan Europe is substantial and suitable for tackling racist and cultural exploitation;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Considers ~~the area of~~ access to culture and cultural participation as a cross-cutting issue, and therefore stresses the importance of coordinating cultural policy with other policy areas such as education, social, regional, foreign, digital and media policies;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses that public funding remains a key instrument for financing cultural activities and stable infrastructure, for instance widespread libraries, archives, museums, cinemas, concert halls, art colleges and cultural centres in cities and in rural areas; Calls therefore on the Commission and the Member States, within their respective spheres of competence, to devote a sufficient part of their budgets to public support for culture;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Calls on the Commission and the member states that public funding on culture remains on the same level regardless of possible future economic difficulties that a member state might be facing;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7 b. Regrets that economic downturns have resulted in cuts in public spending in culture especially in the south of the EU; therefore calls on the Commission to make more significant amount of funds available to the member states that were following economic adjustment programmes since 2010, regardless of whether these have come to an end already or not;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Regrets that economic downturns usually result, first and foremost, in cuts in public spending on culture; Thus recommends that all Member States make expanding cultural infrastructure a local obligation and that they make culture a special 'state objective';

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Points out that fragmentation, low added value and the activities of numerous self-employed men and women in the creative sector, seeing as these are generally regarded as interesting pursuits, must not result in the cultural/creative industry being a model for poorly paid work or work with poor social cover; thus proposes developing robust review processes for good work in the creative sector, for instance by introducing a fair work label on commercial products such as books, music, films, games and so on;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Draws attention to problems with international income taxation that artists all over Europe have to face, and so recommends a standard model that will be of benefit to employees and self-employed individuals, and which will prevent double taxation;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses that the level of education is one of the most important factors having a significant impact on the level of participation in culture; stresses that a higher level of education translates into a higher level of participation in cultural events24; stresses that the humanities, language learning in schools and cultural education are an integral part of classical education, they help reduce social disparities and thus require the same funding as STEAM subjects; _________________ 24 Eurostat Culture statistics 2016 edition, pp.116-136 and Eurostat (data from 2015 – EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC).

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Recommends the development of a coherent strategy for supporting educational projects proposed by cultural institutions; stresses that these projects are tools supporting and building awareness ~~and~~, cultural competences and intercultural knowledge, thus serving as a starting point for the long-term involvement of the public in cultural activities;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Notes the need for further action to improve access to a cultural infrastructure with no technological or physical barriers, cultural activities and media for people with disabilities; calls on the Member States and the Commission, within their respective spheres of competence, to continue to work towards the integration of people with disabilities through culture and efforts to remove existing barriers;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Stresses that the digitisation and online accessibility of cultural material in Europe should be carried out in ~~full~~ respect of intellectual property rights;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Stresses that regulations on exceptions to copyright for GLAM institutions (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) are, however, not sufficient, and so calls not only for digital copies for storage to be comprehensively regulated, but also for extensive regulation of the use of cultural heritage works for research purposes, academic discussion and of digital accessibility to said works;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2255(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Stelios KOULOGLOU, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Recognises the contribution made by Europeana and the Member States' institutions to the digitisation and accessibility of cultural content; Calls, in the context of the European Year of Cultural Heritage, for ~~further support~~ongoing support and better resources for the project and the promotion of public access to digital cultural heritage resources and services;

146/01/03
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)

- having regards to Article 2 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)

- having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights, Protocol 1, Article 2,

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)

- having regard of Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (2012/C 398/01),

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)

- having regards to Article 10 of the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 b (new)

- having regards to Strategic Objective B of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995),

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 c (new)

- having regards to Articles 28 and 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 d (new)

- having regards to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in September 2015 and entered into force on 1 January 2016, and in particular to its Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 5,

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

A a. whereas everyone has the right to free and accessible education, which enables all persons to participate effectively in a free society, promote understanding, tolerance and friendship and whereas education in all its forms and at all levels shall exhibit the following interrelated and essential features: a) availability b) accessibility c)acceptability and d) adaptability;1a _________________ 1a Art. 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

B a. whereas the common values that hold together our societies, such as freedom, social justice, equality and non- discrimination, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, tolerance and solidarity, are crucial; whereas European education systems represent an immense richness of cultural, social, linguistic diversity while at the same time Member States share similar challenges, such as ensuring equal access to education for all;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas it is essential that education, as a fundamental human right and a public good, ~~is focused not only on the labour market, but also on human, societal and cultural needs~~receives adequate public funding and whereas continuous and increased public financial support for education, knowledge and research is crucial to acknowledge the vital importance of free, equal and public education which is accessible to everyone and acts as powerful force for individual and collective empowerment;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

C a. whereas the latest Education and Training Monitor 20173a of the European Commission, recognizes that social- economic inequality is a fast growing trend affecting all Member States and data on early school leaving and training remains very high across the EU, whereas educational system should ensure all students, including those from disadvantaged groups, enjoy the same chances of accessing and completing higher education; _________________ 3a http://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/educati on/files/monitor2017_en.pdf

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

C b. whereas education is a powerful instrument to overcome deeply-rooted gender-based stereotypes and discrimination, while on the contrary it often reproduce or exacerbate existing discrimination; whereas also gender inequality in education hinders personal empowerment and affects many socio- cultural fields;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)

C c. whereas methodological and digital technology innovations are a potential instrument for expanding access to contents and knowledge, but they shall not substitute the personal contact and exchange among students and between students and teachers nor become the priority of educational systems;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Recital C d (new)

C d. whereas ensuring access to quality early childhood education and care services for every children is key to enjoy a positive start in life and in educational paths;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1

~~Knowledge as a key economic resource and a source of citizens’ well-being~~Quality and inclusive education

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Declare~~Affirms that universal quality education is a ~~cruc~~n essential component of personal, ~~professional and societal development in a knowledge-based society~~social and professional development;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Considers that the ~~attainment of the~~respect of European Union’s eco~~nomic and societal objectives depend on quality education;~~mmon values as well as the realization of a more inclusive and equitable society and a truly sustainable growth is crucially linked to quality education as a vector of democratic values, social cohesion and integration4a; _________________ 4aArt 2 TFEU and The Paris declaration adopted on 17 march 2015.

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Underlines that quality education and training systems ~~form the basis of~~are key institutions promoting active citizenship and common values, and as such they help shaping an open, inclusive, prosperous, democratic and tolerant society~~, while promoting active citizenship and common values~~;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Emphasises that quality and inclusive education is vital to equipping young women and men with knowledge, critical thinking, skills, media literacy and democratic attitudes that will help them to confront and shape the world;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Stresses the role of schools in helping learners to develop ethical and civic values and become active, responsible, open-minded members of society; underlines that ensuring equal access to quality inclusive education constitutes the fundamental basis to strengthen social cohesion, by combatting poverty, social exclusion and gender stereotypes, as well as contributing to prevent the marginalisation of people with disadvantaged and vulnerable socio- economic backgrounds;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3 c. Regrets that gender prejudices and stereotypes throughout the education cycle are still present in Member States; in this regards expresses concern for bias that constitutes an impediment on the road to gender equality in education, such as persisting stereotypes in learning materials and, too often, differing teachers’ expectations of girls and boys;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)

3 d. Encourages closer synergies between education and cultural sector, by supporting an active role of culture and the arts in formal, informal and non- formal educational contexts; recalls in this respect the need to give sufficient support to the professional training of artists, managers, teachers, facilitators, social workers and other professionals engaged in these contexts;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 e (new)

3 e. Reminds that schools and education institutions play a key role in creating and nourishing a positive attitude towards learning, including through the whole life;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 f (new)

3 f. Notes that quality education could foster research and innovation in Europe, relevant for and benefitting society; to this end encourages Member States and the European Commission to allocate the adequate financial resources and calls therefore them to exclude education related expenditure from the calculation of public deficit within the Growth and Stability Pact until it is repealed;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Believes that an all-encompassing approach to education policy, with strong p~~olitical~~ublic support, is ~~centr~~vital to the educational reform process and ~~requir~~to guarantee equal access t~~he cooperation of all relevant stakeholder~~o education for all; in order to achieve these objectives, it is key to involve society as a whole and all relevant actors: students, youth groups, education providers as well as families;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Affirms the need that education systems at all levels keep a gender perspective that takes into account the needs of people suffering multiple forms of discrimination, including people with disabilities, people identifying themselves as LGBTI and people from marginalised communities;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Highlights the potential of new ~~technologies to improve the quality of education by meeting learners’ needs, increasing flexibility in learning and teaching, and creating new forms of cooperation~~information and communication technologies as instruments to meet individual learners’ needs, including when it comes to special educational needs, increasing flexibility in learning and teaching, and fostering interactive forms of cooperation; notes that effective learning and teaching through modern technologies requires a competent level of digital skills, access to high-quality learning resources and training in order to make best use of such instruments for pedagogical purposes and for meeting learning objectives;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Considers that education related to digitalization should include civic competencies and critical thinking, while developing a proactive approach towards new technologies; stresses the importance to raise awareness on critically assessing sources and their reliability and the importance of media literacy projects in this respect;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Notes that increased efforts are needed to shift the educational paradigm to be more learner- and understanding- centred, thus strengthening the personalisation of the educational process and increasing retention rates; advocates for schools to remain the place where potentialities are developed, where each individual can find space and time for personal and social growth;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Recognises that in the increasingly globalised and digitalised world, innovative and relevant methods of learning, teaching and assessment are necessary; advocates for tailor-made assessment tools and techniques, as they can better reflect the complexity of results in specific social context; recalls the importance of involving teachers, students and school staff in assessing if and how learning objectives have been met;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Highlights that educational systems should promote and further develop interdisciplinary approaches and team work aimed at equipping pupils and students with knowledge and skills, as well as with ~~professional,~~ transversal, social and civic competences which are meaningful also in their professional life; recalls that delivering quality teaching and learning is a continuous process encompassing dialogue, sense of sharing and questioning;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Acknowledges ~~with interest~~ the proposal to create a European Education Area ~~based on enhanced~~, which should foster cooperation, mutual recognition and ~~increased mobility and growth~~mobility;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Stresses that quality and accessible ECEC creates a foundation for more equitable and effective education systems as well as ensures the individuals’ personal development, lifelong learning and well- being; calls in this respect on ECEC that supports young girls and boys to develop to their full potential while also challenging standardized gender socialisation processes;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Stresses the importance to guarantee every child can access ECEC; notes with concern that in several countries the demand for ECEC places is higher than supply, especially for younger children 4a; encourages Member States to take necessary measures to ensure material and financial conditions are met to ensure every child can access to early childhood education without discrimination; _________________ 4a EuropeanCommission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2015. Early Childhood Education and Care Systems inEurope.National Information Sheets – 2014/15 http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/euryd ice

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. CUnderlines that early childhood is a fundamental phase of development of a person’s life, as cognitive, social and emotional skills are learned; considers that preschools should promote children’s development more holistically with a view to facilitating the transition to compulsory schooling;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Sees schools as centres ofto foster critical and creative thinking and the foundation for democratic formation and active citizenship; schools focus on helping young people to critically read, understand and use available information as well as develop their learning autonomy; recognizes the importance that schools promote self-development by developing cognitive and non-cognitive skills and competences, capacity to deal with different opinions, anti- discrimination and intercultural skills as tools to address contemporary challenges;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13 a. Points out that all school students and their specific needs should be at the centre of effective school functioning, which requires setting up joint objectives and a clear agenda for their implementation as well as close collaboration of the entire school community and stakeholders, where appropriate; encourages educational initiatives and extra-curricular activities outside the school to support the fulfilment of students' individual needs and interests while also building bridges with local communities where the schools are based;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Underlines that ~~mastering basic skills is fundamental for pupils to ensure their further learning and personal development~~is fundamental to ensure students' personal development; to this end teachers should be provided with all possible public means to perform adequately their role and responsibilities;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Notes that modern curricula should be competence driven, should enhance personal skills and should focus on formative assessment and on the pupils’ well-being; every student should have the possibility to completely use her/his own intellectual potential;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15 a. Stresses the need to make schools more open in order to enable recognition of non-formal and informal learning, smoother transitions between different education paths such as technical and academic;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. ~~Takes note of~~Emphasizes the positive impact of ~~school~~cultural diversity and multilingualism in schools on pupils’ linguistic and cognitive development, as well as on the promotion of intercultureal awareness~~, understanding and diversity~~ and respect;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16 a. Underlines that school remains the fundamental learning environment, whilst striving to gradually adapt to the emerging digital technologies;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)

16 b. Advocates for an increased focus on inter-disciplinary study programmes and encourages the promotion, in tandem, of TEAM disciplines and human and social sciences; highlights the need to remove all material and immaterial obstacles preventing equitable access to curricula, completion of studies and access to relevant professions for women and underrepresented groups;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)

16 c. Recognises the pivotal role played by academics and students in disseminating knowledge, empirical findings and facts to the wider public; encourages, in this respect independent and especially economically and politically independent research, relevant for and benefiting society;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)

16 d. Recalls the importance of pedagogical training for teaching staff in higher education institutions and of considering pedagogical competencies at least equally important to research competencies in the recruitment process; highlights the role of research based education and pedagogical research as a means of stimulating a student-centred approach to learning and teaching, active learning, enhancing skills development, and improving teaching methodology;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)

16 e. Underlines that learners should be encouraged to use self-assessment techniques to measure their learning progress; advocates for education institutions to ensuring good intelligence of the feedback tools by using a mix of several instruments, such as student questionnaires, focus groups, suggestions boxes;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Emphasises, within the context of creating a European Educational Area, the importance of supporting, and building on, the potential of all European ~~universiti~~higher education institutions and of students; stresses that students are part of the academic community as well as society and must be engaged in the learning process; believes that a high quality higher education is characterized by removing all obstacles to access, facilitating progress and completion of school cycles;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Acknowledges the necessity to strengthen the knowledge triangle and to improve links between research and teaching by allocating adequate resources to such programmes and by ensuring students involved in research programmes are granted the financial means to lead their research;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Is of the opinion that an all- encompassing approach to internationalisation, including increased mobility for staff and students, and an international dimension to the curriculum, and to teaching, research, cooperation and additional activities, should be an important part of EuropeanBelieves that rankings and classifications of institutions are controversial as they pressure higher education institutions to perform in a reputation-race chasing criteria instead of focusing on their broader mission; further notes, in this respect, that rankings of higher education institutions are often blocking the ability of lower ranked institutions to attract students and stakeholders, thereby compromising the possibility to further improvements; recalls that such rankings should not be used as a tool for commodification of higher education ~~institutions~~;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20 a. Advocates that higher education must engage with society at large in order to promote innovative growth and social welfare; cooperation between external stakeholders and higher education institutions is desirable, as they can contribute with knowledge and participate to the discussion about design, delivery and recognition of higher education programmes, however it must be approached with care as the decision- making power must always rest with students and pedagogical experts;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)

20 b. Considers that the involvement of teaching and non-teaching staff is vital to ensure further improvements in school policy; emphasises the teacher’s key role in providing an inclusive learning environment that requires embracing a range of methods and approaches to meet diverse needs, thus enabling all pupils to be involved in the design, realization and assessment of their learning outcomes; acknowledges the crucial function of teachers as guides and mentors supporting students in learning how to evaluate information, adopt a supporting role in the face of challenges, and prepare learners for life;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)

20 c. Is of the opinion that a comprehensive school policy must guarantee effective support for teachers in order to ensure the attainment of educational goals, an enabling school environment, functioning and collaborative governance;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 d (new)

20 d. Acknowledges the important role of educators in all forms of education in supporting current and future generations; encourages, in this regard, an enhanced collaboration among educators in formal, non-formal and informal learning;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Considers that teachers and their skills, commitment and effectiveness are the ba~~sis of education system~~ckbone of education systems; notes that governments should provide the necessary resources to fulfil this role in the best possible conditions when it comes to remuneration, contracts, social rights and professional opportunities; highlights that teaching staff should be provided with support systems, which include mentoring programmes, peer-to-peer learning and sharing best practices;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Stresses the need to attract motivated candidates with sound academic backgrounds and ~~a predisposition to teaching to the teaching profession; calls for enhanced selection procedures and for improvements in teacher status, training, working conditions, remuneration~~pedagogical competencies to the teaching profession and insists, in this respect, that better working conditions should be guaranteed; calls for enhanced selection procedures and for specific measures and initiatives to improve teacher status, training, career prospects and support;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Underlines the importance of reshaping and investing in teacher education, encouraging teachers’ continuing professional development, ~~and~~including, for example by providing them with opportunities to participate in international teacher exchanges; advocates for further investing in lifelong learning programmes for teachers, equipping them with the necessary pedagogical competencies, including on key challenges faced by European societies (such as migration, acculturation and social psychology) as well as enabling them to utilise diversity as a rich source for learning;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Considers that the European Education Area should focus on achieving the common goal~~s and must be formed in alignment with existing policies and~~ of ensuring access to quality education for all; it must be formed in alignment and critical assessment of existing policies, building on their successes, challenges and evaluation at country level, so to ensure coherence, consistency and achievable results; recommends to critically consider most recent educational trends and figures in the EU, while giving also new impetus to their development and respecting the principles of subsidiarity and institutional and educational autonomy;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. CHighlights that education systems requires adequate public funding for all study programmes, regardless of their relevance for the labour market or the short term needs of the economies; calls on the Member States to increase funding for realizing such initiatives aiming at improving the quality of education;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25 a. Supports and encourages the implementation of actions concerning the development of media literacy and critical thinking through education and training; Recalls existing commitment in this field, outlined in the Council conclusions of 30 May 2016; calls, in this context, on the Commission to coordinate policy developments at the EU level in the area of media literacy with a view to disseminating most recent developments and best practices;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)

25 b. Encourages Member States to take the appropriate measures in order to tackle early school leaving and support schools to include in their programs citizenship education, democratic values and human rights as part of the civic competence, while also promoting intercultural skills; reiterates the importance of such programmes in times when Europe faces striking inequalities and lack of solidarity;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)

25 c. Encourages Member States to design and support initiatives aimed at fighting gender inequality, challenging stereotypes and parents’ gender-typed expectations while involving them in learning activities;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for enhanced cooperation among Member States in modernising education~~, as encouraged and facilitated by the Commission, with a view to promoting best practices and mutual~~; urges Member states to start implementation of principles of European Pillar of Social rights that embody the way to reducing inequalities in Europe through education, training and lifelong learning;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. ~~Enc~~Notes that digitalization and development of new learning resouragces the Member States and the Commission to support efforts by educational institutions to make greater use of state-of-the-art technology in learning, teaching and assessment, while bearing in mind the need to ensure quality assurancemust benefit lifelong learning, education quality, accessibility and the development of digital and future skills; expects the Digital Education Action Plan to provide guidance to the Member States and educational institutions in the increased and more effective use of state-of-the-art technology in learning, teaching and assessment and development-appropriate and which meets quality assurance standards; believes that any digital education plan should establish and regularly assess the connection between digital means of education and the qualification frameworks based on the learning outcomes;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Recommends that Member States and educational institutions promote innovative methods and interaction between teachers and students to support the achievement of intended learning outcomes, where students are active participants in their own learning process; highlights the importance of developing value based and learner- centred and individualiszed learning methods, which can, if used in the right way, lead to a significantly higher quality of European education systems;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28 a. Encourages the Commission to support the Member States in developing training and educational programmes facilitating adult learning, the active inclusion of adults in the education system; emphasises the value of adult learning as a unique opportunity for equipping adults with literacy and basic skills, for continuing training and professional development, and for active citizenship, including through community or popular education; recalls that adult learning and education should provide a variety of learning pathways and flexible learning opportunities, including second chance programmes for people who have never been to school, early school leavers and drop outs;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Calls for increased incorporation of inquiring, active, project- and problem- based learning into educational programmes at all levels, with a view to promoting cooperation and team work; recommends that education systems work to strengthen transversal skills, such as analysing, problem solving and critical and reflective thinking, while ensuring young men and women are truly engaged partners in all educational processes;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Calls on the Member States to ensure gfre~~ate~~e and fair access to high-quality ECEC, which should meet the key criteria of availability, accessibility, acceptability and adaptability;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. ~~Calls on the Commission to consider establishing a common European framework for ECEC;~~ Supports setting a European benchmark for the quality of ECEC to be designed in cooperation with teachers and professionals of the sector, and according to national or regional quality indicators; calls on the Commission to consider establishing a common European framework for ECEC, building on country principles proposed in the Quality Framework5a; recommends that such framework follows a holistic approach that is child-centred, paying attention simultaneously to all aspects of a child’s development, well-being and learning needs including those which relate to social, emotional, physical, linguistic and cognitive development; _________________ 5a http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture /repository/education/policy/strategic- framework/archive/documents/ecec- quality-framework_en.pdf

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Recommends that cooperation between ECEC staff and pre-primary school teachers be increased to improve the ~~quality of~~connection between educational levels, prepare pre-schoolers for the transition to primary school and focus on children’s development; highlights the importance of relationships between ECEC providers and children’s parents and tutors, between school staff and children, and among children themselves;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)

32 a. Recommends that Member States increase funding for ECEC so to avoid gaps between places and population needs; encourages the Member States to increase economic support and initiatives (such as tax reductions, subsidies, free quota) for parents and guardians from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to ensure access to quality ECEC is not a privilege for the few;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 b (new)

32 b. Reiterates the need to create rights-based and gender-sensitive learning environments for students to learn about and stand up for human rights, including women’s and children’s rights, fundamental values and civic participation, rights and responsibilities of citizens, democracy and the rule of law, being confident in their identity, knowing their voice is heard and feeling valued by their communities;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. ~~Recommends the implementation~~Takes notes of positive results of athe ‘wWhole sSchool aApproach’ to increase social inclusion, accessibility, democratic governance and quality in education, as well as to address early school leaving, while also aiming to put learning outcomes, learners’ needs, well-being and involvement in school life at the core of all activity; advocates for the promotion and support of democratic school students’ structures;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Stresses the need to strengthen opportunities and structures for school internal and external collaboration, including interdisciplinary cooperation, team teaching, school clusters and interactions with ~~external stakeholders~~actors involved in the design and implementation of learning paths ; notes the importance of international exchange and school partnership through programmes such as Erasmus+ and e- Twinning;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Encourages ~~more~~balance between STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) ~~initia~~and humanitives at school level, including through enhanced cooperation with higher education and scientific research institutions;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37

37. Encourages the Member States and the Commission to develop strategies to support existing initiatives ~~by school~~initiated by students and teachers to create a more inclusive learning environment;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)

37 a. Suggests that Member States increase efforts to make sure the results of scientific research are made publicly available, free of all restrictions on access, in order to fulfil the public responsibility of the higher education institutions, but also to maximize their positive effect on the whole community; further stresses that scientific research needs to be independent from economic and political interference;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38

38. ~~Calls for the creation of the~~Notes the Commission’s proposal of creating a European Education Area using the potential of existing frameworks, e.g. the European Research Area, the Innovation Union, the European Higher Education Area, in order t~~hat they~~o strengthen and complement each other;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40

40. Suggests that Member States and regional authorities, in allocating European structural and investment funds, give priority to educational programmes as well as to foster cooperation between the higher education, ~~business and research communities and society as a whole~~research communities, all relevant stakeholders and society as a whole; recalls that higher education requires adequate funding, continuous staff development, and constant promotion and acceptance by the totality of the academic community, including students;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41

41. Advocates facilitating student and staff mobility through: increased support via the Erasmus+ programme; smooth recognition of credits and qualifications obtained abroad; additional economic and personal assistance; and, where appropriate, the incorporation of educational mobility as part of education programmesCalls on the Member States to foster more inclusive and accessible mobility of students, teachers, researchers and administrative staff, as it contributes both to their personal and professional development as well as to the increased quality of learning, teaching, research and administration; express concern for the limited access of mobility projects by students from less wealthy backgrounds, due also to the lack of appropriate social guarantees; calls on Member States to provide adequate public funding and make more efficient use to ensure, inter alia, that students and researchers have the necessary material conditions to study abroad and that their social and economic background does not constitute a barrier;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 a (new)

41 a. Encourages the inclusion of high quality work placements, recognised through ECTS credits, into higher education programmes and included in VET schemes;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 b (new)

41 b. Stresses the need to develop comprehensive strategies and appropriate tools for determining the quality of new modes of teaching and learning eg. e- learning, MOOCs, open access resources; recognises, in this context, the role of ENQA and other relevant European networks in contributing to the establishment of quality assurance; recalls that for digital education to fulfil its full potential, it is necessary to develop new pedagogies suitable for this medium; notes that publicly funded open education resources should be freely available to all students and the public to fulfil their full potential as a tool for advancing education;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42

42. Calls on the Commission to increase its efforts to ~~improve~~strengthen teachers’ digital skills, multiply refresher trainings and to provide them with ongoing support ~~through~~, for example by developing online communities, open educational resources and courses for school professionals;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 a (new)

42 a. Supports the creation of the Academy of Teaching and Learning as a complementary opportunity for teachers to train and exchange best practices at European level; such academy could be a centre of online exchange, sharing experiences and mutual learning as well as a place for regular meetings in the form of workshops, seminars, and conferences to promote teachers’ collaboration, enhance quality of teaching, and foster teachers’ professional development; encourages the Commission to propose a project in this respect;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Eleonora FORENZA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42 b (new)

42 b. Calls for teachers and education structures at all levels to encourage students’ active participation in the governance of their learning structures; recognises the need to provide sustainable and structural support to youth associations and organisations inside and outside the educational system, in particular small-scale local initiatives and those working at grassroots level;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2224(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Eleonora FORENZA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44

44. ~~Calls for support to teachers delivering multilingual courses which are an important factor in~~Highlights the role of intercultural learning as part of teacher education with a view to enhancing teachers’ capacity to overcome stereotypes related to gender, social background, nationality and special needs of their students; notes that intercultural competences are essential to work in increasingly diverse societies and to foster the internationaliszation of ~~education~~schools;

2018/03/02
Committee: CULT

2017/2136(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that, as was the case in previous years, Member States had enough information to prevent or correct a significant number of errors before claiming reimbursement and the estimated error rate could have been reduced below the materiality threshold; takes note of the conclusion drawn by the Court of Auditors that there is no need for additional controls in EU spending, but that existing controls need to be enforced properly; calls, therefore, on the Member States to properly enforce their management and control systems;

2018/01/31
Committee: REGI

2017/2136(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Is concerned by the delays in implementing the 2014-2020 programmes ~~and~~by several Member States and the repercussions on the regions to mobilise and utilise EU funds and hence to pursue public investments which are ever more needed in the aftermath of the multiple crises of the past decade; points out that, in 2016, the total amount of outstanding budgetary commitments were higher than ever and reached some EUR 238,8 billion, mainly because of those delays; underlines that this amount is expected to rise until 2020; emphasises that clearing this backlog should be a priority when planning the next MFF; highlights that delays in the implementation should in no way be interpreted as declining need of EU funding;

2018/01/31
Committee: REGI

2017/2136(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Notes that the average disbursement rate for financial instruments was only 75 % at the end of 2015~~, which shows that the potential of those instruments is not fully exploited~~ and underlines that these instruments are not suitable for all types of interventions under cohesion policy, although they may be useful in some areas where they can play a complementary role; opposes therefore a further increase of the share of financial instruments or binding quantitative targets for the use of financial instruments, and insists that the use of financial instruments should not lead to a reduction of grants in the EU budget in general; points out that the revision of the Financial Regulation which is due to enter into force in 2018 ~~will~~could significantly contribute to the simplification, improvement and optimisation of their use during current programming period;

2018/01/31
Committee: REGI

2017/2136(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Highlights, as regards EFSI in particular, the audit relevant risks identified by the Court of Auditors namely additionality of EFSI to traditional EIB activities, coherence and complementarity of EFSI with traditional funding instruments under the EU budget, and the measurement and reporting of the public and private investment mobilized; stresses that the EFSI should not undermine the strategic coherence, territorial concentration and long-term perspective of cohesion policy programming and should not replace or crowd out the grants nor aim to replace or reduce the ESIF budget; insists on the real additionality of its resources; calls for the establishment of clear delimitations between the EFSI and cohesion policy; calls for further improvement of democratic scrutiny over EFSI;

2018/01/31
Committee: REGI

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Recalls that in February 2018, the Hungarian government introduced in Parliament the ‘Stop Soros’ package, a legislative proposal made up in the sphere of three bills that target civil society organisations working on migration;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Is deeply concerned that the proposed laws could serve as a model within the EU that will undermine the valuable work of civil society organisations fighting for the respect of human rights, a danger that the EU Fundamental Rights Agency has recently underlined;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Believes that the current situation in Hungary represents a clear risk of a serious breach of the values as referred to in Article 2 of the TEU;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Draws attention to the fact that the ~~segreg~~multiple forms of daily discrimination of Roma children in education in Hungary remains a widespread and deep-rooted phenomenon, which contributes to the social exclusion of Roma, reducing their chances of integration in the education system, labour market and in society;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Stresses~~Is deeply concerned, with reference to the ‘Democracy Index 2017’ published recently by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), that media freedom in Hungary has been considerably restricted in the past year as a result of State intervention and increased State control; deplores, in this connection, the closure and subsequent sale of Népszabadság, one of the oldest and most prestigious newspapers in Hungary, once again revealing the Hungarian Government’s intolerance vis-à-vis a critical press;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses that media freedom and pluralism are fundamental rights enshrined in Article 11 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and constitute essential foundations of democratic societies;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Note~~Regrets that the pro-government news website 888.hu recently published a black list of journalists working for foreign media, who are described as foreign propagandists for Soros, and that this clearly runs counter to the principle of media freedom;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Calls on the European Commission to urgently finalise the infringement procedures steps, taking into consideration the declaration made by the Hungarian government which has questioned the ruling of the European Court of Justice concerning the infringement procedure which the European Commission launched against Hungary for failing to implement the community’s decision on the relocation of asylum-seekers, and warrants the launch of the Article 7 TEU procedure;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Calls on the Commission, to continue to closely monitor the unfolding legislative process and the extent to which the proposals breach EU law, including its Fundamental Rights and to make the evaluation promptly and publicly available;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)

8c. Calls on the OSCE to set up an election observation mission to Hungary’s parliamentary elections not only with a limited mandate, to closely monitor the misuse of the freedom of expression, the abuse of the administrative resources and the election campaign that continues to vilify civic organisations engaged in public interest causes;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 d (new)

8d. Calls on the Commission to increase funding for independent projects in the field of media freedom and pluralism such as the Media Pluralism Monitor among others, mapping violations to media freedom and supporting journalists under threat;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2131(INL)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 e (new)

8e. Calls on the Commission to create robust funding instrument to support independent NGO-s to have their voices heard and to fulfil their missions in an increasingly hostile environment;

2018/03/26
Committee: CULT

2017/2114(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Believes that EU cohesion policy is the best tool for contributing to both competitiveness and solidarity throughout the EU regions, and it is therefore essential to continue it far beyond 2020~~, in order to combat the disparities that have increased following the crisis~~; stresses the importance of cohesion policy also to efforts to combat the disparities that have increased during the crisis, particularly between regions; stresses, however, that, although cohesion policy has alleviated the impact of the latest economic and financial crisis in the EU, as well as that of austerity policy, it cannot fully counteract the impact of austerity policies but that there is a need, inter alia, for policies to boost demand in countries with surpluses, debt restructuring in the Member States hardest hit by the crisis, and an investment policy geared to redistribution;

2017/07/19
Committee: REGI

2017/2114(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Is convinced that the urban dimension of cohesion policy can play an important role in supporting growth, jobs, inclusion, integration and innovation, not only in major urban areas, but also in all regions with special geographical characteristics;

2017/07/19
Committee: REGI

2017/2114(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Recognises that the EU needs to address new, serious challenges, ~~and that cohesion policy could be a very important source of financial support for various issues, such as the integration of migrants, education, employment, housing and combating discrimination~~which can be tackled partly by means of cohesion policy, which is indeed to some extent already addressing them; stresses, however, that cohesion policy is already tackling an enormous range of challenges in connection with the objectives laid down in the Treaties and cannot be expected to overcome all the challenges which will face the EU after 2020 using funding of the current level or even lower;

2017/07/19
Committee: REGI

2017/2114(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that different sources of financing must be coordinated by strengthening and creating new synergies for a better use of money throughout all existing instruments, such as the European Fund for Strategic Investments and Horizon 2020; synergies and communication between different sources of financing can be increased; observes, however, that the EFSI and other financial instruments should not undermine the strategic coherence, territorial concentration and long-term perspective of cohesion policy programming and should not replace or crowd out the grants nor aim to replace or reduce the ESIF budget for grants; calls for a clear demarcation between the EFSI and cohesion policy and for opportunities to be provided for a combination of the two and easier access to them without mixing them together;

2017/07/19
Committee: REGI

2017/2114(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Observes that the annual procedure of adopting country-specific recommendations to the Member States under the European Semester is not compatible with the medium- and long- term programme planning approach required for the ESIF and that in many cases the recommendations are contrary to social, economic and territorial cohesion objectives; rejects, therefore, any attempt to make access to EU funding instruments conditional on compliance with the country-specific recommendations;

2017/07/19
Committee: REGI

2017/2114(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10b. Rejects the concept of macroeconomic conditionality, as this type of linkage between the ESIF and economic-policy guidance 'penalises' regional and local authorities for the failures of the national government, over whose performance the local and regional level, as well as other beneficiaries, have no influence of any kind;

2017/07/19
Committee: REGI

2017/2052(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. whereas regional cohesion policy is one of the EU’s core policies, bringing Europe together, improving its economic, social and territorial cohesion and strengthening its economy, and it is therefore key that ~~sufficient~~ funding for cohesion policy - at least equivalent to that of the current period - is provided for in the MFF;

2017/09/05
Committee: REGI

2017/2052(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Recital C

C. whereas measures should be taken to ensure that the budgetary challenge deriving from the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU does not disrupt regional policy and does not reduce the budget for cohesion in the next MFF, including by shifting to new own resources for funding;

2017/09/05
Committee: REGI

2017/2052(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Recital D

D. whereas cohesion policy has contributed significantly to economic, social and territorial cohesion, to the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy and to achieving its goals for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; whereas the strategy should be reviewed for the post-2020 period, giving a major role to cohesion policy;

2017/09/05
Committee: REGI

2017/2052(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls, therefore, for the MFF to provide for ~~sufficient funds~~funds that are at least equivalent to those of the current programming period for cohesion policy post-2020, striking a good balance between investments in citizens and investments for citizens and ensuring that the EU’s political goals can be reached;

2017/09/05
Committee: REGI

2017/2052(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that regional funding should be protected and should continue to predominantly take the form of grants rather than financial instruments, which do, however, have an important role to play in certain cases; stresses that ~~in the event of a reduction in the EU’s budgets, greater focus on the EU’s core goals is requir~~under no circumstances should the EU have its budgets reduced;

2017/09/05
Committee: REGI

2017/2052(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses the importance of regional policy to protect the most vulnerable regions, such as the least developed and outermost regions;stresses that under no circumstances should those regions be harmed by any reduction in the MFF;

2017/09/05
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5

(5) The solidarity activities offered to young people should be of high quality, in the sense that they should respond to unmet societal needs, contribute to strengthening local communities and social cohesion, offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and competences, be financially accessible to young people, and be implemented in safe and healthy conditions.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6

(6) The European Solidarity Corps would provide a single entry point, free of discrimination based on gender or social background, for solidarity activities throughout the Union. Consistency and complementarity of that framework should be ensured with other relevant Union policies and programmes. The European Solidarity Corps should build on the strengths and synergies of existing programmes, notably the European Voluntary Service. It should also complement the efforts made by Member States to support young people and ease their school-to-work transition under the Youth Guarantee19 by providing them with additional opportunities to make a start on the labour market in the form of traineeships ~~or jobs~~ in solidarity-related areas within their respective Member State or across borders. Complementarity with existing Union level networks pertinent to the activities under the European Solidarity Corps, such as the European Network of Public Employment Services, EURES and the Eurodesk network, should also be ensured. Furthermore, complementarity between existing related schemes, in particular national solidarity schemes and mobility schemes for young people, including schemes operating at regional or local level, and the European Solidarity Corps should be ensured, building on good practices where appropriate. _________________ 19 Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee (2013/C 120/01).

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34

(34) In order to ~~ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers~~supplement this Regulation, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be ~~conferr~~delegated ton the Commission~~. Those powers should be exercised in acc~~ in respect of the adoption of work programmes. It is of particular impordtance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by the Member States of the Commission's exercise of implementing powers25 _____________ 25 Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 ofthat the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making25. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and of the Council ~~of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member State~~receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of ~~the~~ Commission’s exper~~cise of implementing powers, O.J. L 55, 28.2~~t groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. _____________ 25 OJ L 123, 12.5.20116, p. 13.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1

(1) “solidarity activity” means an activity of general interest within the structures of non-profit organisations aimed at addressing ~~unmet~~ societal needs to the benefit of a community while also fostering the individual’s personal, educational, social, civic and professional development, ~~which may take the form of placements,~~ projects or networking activities, developed in relation to different areas, such as education and training, employment, gender equality, ~~entrepreneurship, in particular~~ social entrepreneurship, citizenship and democratic participation, environment and nature protection, climate action, disaster prevention, preparedness and recovery, ~~agriculture~~social farming and rural development, provision of food and non-food items, health and wellbeing, creativity and culture, physical education and sport, social assistance and welfare, reception and integration of third-country nationals, ~~territorial cooperation and cohesion~~in particular migrants and asylum seekers, territorial cooperation and cohesion; this activity is characterized by: fixed period, clear objectives, contents, tasks, structure and framework; appropriate financial support shall be provided; legal and social rights of volunteers must be guaranteed;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2

(2) “~~participant~~volunteer” means a young person who has registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal and takes part in a solidarity activity under the European Solidarity Corps offered by a participating organiszation certified by means of the quality label;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3

(3) “disadvantaged young people volunteers” means individuals who need additional support because of disability, educational difficulties, economic obstacles, cultural differences, health problems, social obstacles, geographical obstacles;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4

(4) “participating organisation” means any public or private ~~entity~~non-profit entity which carries out activities of general interest, that has been attributed the European Solidarity Corps quality label, which offers ~~a placement to a participant in the Europea~~or supports participation in Ssolidarity ~~Corps or implements other activities in the framework of~~activities or training to a volunteer in the European Solidarity Corps;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5

(5) “solidarity p~~lacemen~~roject” means a volunteering activity, or traineeship ~~or job~~ in a solidarity-related area as referred to in Article 2.1(1), which is organised by a participating organisation and which contributes to addressing key societal challenges while enhancing the personal, educational, social, civic and professional development ~~and the employability~~ of the European Solidarity Corps ~~participant~~volunteer who undertakes it, either in a country other than the country of residence (cross-border) or in the country of residence of the participant (in-country);

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6

(6) “volunteering” means a part or full- time32 ~~unpaid~~ voluntary service for a period of up to twelve months, which provides young people with the opportunity to contribute to the daily work of organisations active in solidarity-related fields, to the ultimate benefit of the communities within which the activities are carried out, including a solid learning and training dimension in order to enable the young volunteer(s) to gain skills and competences, which will be useful for their personal, educational, and social ~~and professional developm~~development; this activity is characterized by a fixed period, clear objectives, contents, ~~and which will also contribute to improving their employability~~tasks, structure and framework; appropriate financial support, legal and social rights must be guaranteed; volunteering shall not be used to substitute or replace paid employment; _________________ 32 As a general principle, an activity carried out continuously, 5 days a week for 7 hours a day.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7

(7) “volunteering teams’ p~~lacemen~~rojects” means p~~lacemen~~rojects allowing teams of European Solidarity Corps ~~participant~~volunteers from different participating countries to volunteer together for a common objective, by carrying out manual or intellectual tasks, on a worthwhile community service project for a period between two weeks and two months;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8

(8) “traineeship” means a period of work practice for a fixed period from two to twelve months, remunerated by the organisation hosting the European Solidarity Corps ~~participant~~volunteer, based on a written traineeship agreement, which includes a learning and training component, clear objectives, contents, tasks, structure and framework, reference to legal and social rights and undertaken in order to gain practical and professional experience with a view to ~~improving employability and~~ facilitating transition to regular employment; ; traineeships shall not be used to substitute or replace paid employment;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9

(9) "job" means a period of work from two to twelve months, remunerated by the participating organisation employing the European Solidarity Corps participant, carried out in a participating country and based on an employment contract in accordance with the national regulatory framework of that participating country;deleted

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10

(10) “solidarity project” means a local initiative for a period from two to twelve months, which is set up and carried out by groups of at least five European Solidarity Corps ~~participants~~volunteers or by a participating organisation, with a view to addressing key challenges within their local community while linking them to a broader European perspective;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Title 1

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL laying down the legal framework of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + and amending Regulations (EU) No 1288/2013, (~~EU) No 1293/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1305/2013, (EU) No 1306/2013 and Decision No 1313/2013/EU~~This amendment applies throughout the text, with the exception of recitals 2 and 3. Adopting it will necessitate corresponding changes throughout.)

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11

(11) “quality label” means the certification attributed to a public or private non-profit entity or an international organisation referred to in Article 2.1(4) willing to provide p~~lacemen~~rojects under the European Solidarity Corps following a procedure aimed at ensuring compliance with the principles and requirements of the European Solidarity Corps ~~Charter~~Guidelines;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12

(12) “European Solidarity Corps ~~Charter~~Guidelines” means the document that sets out the respective rights and responsibilities that all the entities willing to join the European Solidarity Corps must agree to adhere to and which is annexed to this regulation;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13

(13) “European Solidarity Corps Resource Center” means the additional functions performed by a designated national agency to support the development and implementation of activities under the European Solidarity Corps as well as the identification of the competences acquired by the ~~participant~~volunteers through their ~~placements and~~ projects;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 14

(14) "European Solidarity Corps Portal" means a web-based tool that provides relevant online services to the European Solidarity Corps ~~participant~~volunteers and participating organisations, including providing information about the European Solidarity Corps, registering ~~participant~~volunteers, searching for ~~participants for placemen~~volunteers for projects, advertising and searching for p~~lacemen~~rojects, searching for potential project partners, managing contacts and offers for ~~placements and~~ projects, training, communication and networking activities, informing and notifying about opportunities, as well as other relevant developments related to the European Solidarity Corps.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) to provide young people, with the support of participating organisations, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities while improving their skills and competences for personal, educational, social, civic and professional development~~, as well as their employability~~ and facilitating transition into the labour market, including by supporting the mobility of young volunteers, trainees and workers;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) to ensure that the solidarity activities that are offered to the European Solidarity Corps ~~participant~~volunteers contribute to addressing concrete, unmet societal needs ~~and strengthening communities, are of high quality and properly validated.~~of general interest, such as social integration, environmental protection, counteracting and mitigating effects of climate change and natural disasters; and strengthening local and regional communities;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) solidarity ~~placements,~~ projects and networking activities

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) quality and support measures to solidarity projects.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – title

Solidarity ~~placements,~~ projects and networking activities

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) solidarity p~~lacemen~~rojects in the form of volunteering, or traineeships ~~or jobs~~, including individual cross-border and in- country p~~lacemen~~rojects as well as volunteering teams’ p~~lacemen~~rojects;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) solidarity projects at the initiative of European Solidarity Corps ~~participant~~volunteers;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4

(4) Young people should be provided with easily accessible opportunities to engage in solidarity activities as volunteers, which cwould bring positive effects to society while also enableing them to express their commitment to the benefit of communities while acquiring useful experience, skills and competences for their personal, educational, social, civic ~~and professional development, thereby improving their employability~~development. Thoese activities would also support the mobility of young volunteers~~, trainees and workers~~.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) networking activities for individuals and organisations participating in the European Solidarity Corps which must be entirely consistent with, and complement proven experience on the ground, in particular good volunteering and civil protection practice.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) measures aimed at ensuring the quality of solidarity p~~lacemen~~rojects, including training, language support, administrative support for ~~participant~~volunteers and participating organisations, insurance, post-p~~lacemen~~roject support as well as the development of a certificate that identifies and documents the knowledge, skills and competences acquired during the p~~lacemen~~roject;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) the development and maintenance of a quality label for entities willing to provide p~~lacemen~~rojects for the European Solidarity Corps in order to ensure compliance with the principles and requirements of the European Solidarity Corps ~~Charter~~Guidelines;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5

(5) The solidarity activities offered to young people should be of high quality, in the sense that they should respond to unmet societal needs, contribute to strengthening local communities and social cohesion, offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and competences, be financially accessible to young people, and be implemented in safe and healthy conditions.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point c

(c) the ~~LIFE programme~~global margin, contributing with EUR 4 500 000 in current prices;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6

(6) The European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + would provide a ~~single~~main entry point free of discrimination based on gender or social class, for solidarity activities throughout the Union. Consistency and complementarity of that framework should be ensured with other relevant Union policies and programmes. The European Solidarity Corps should build on the strengths and synergies of existing programmes, notably the European Voluntary Service. It should also complement the efforts made by Member States to support young people and ease their school-to-work transition under the Youth Guarantee19 by providing them with additional opportunities to make a start on the labour market in the form of traineeships or jobs in solidarity- related areas within their respective Member State or across borders. Complementarity with existing Union level networks pertinent to the activities under the European Solidarity Corps, such as the European Network of Public Employment Servicies~~, EURES and the Eurodesk network, should also be ensured~~ and programmes. Furthermore, complementarity between existing related schemes, in particular national solidarity schemes and mobility schemes for young people, and the European Solidarity Corps should be ensured, building on good practices where appropriate. __________________ 19Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee (2013/C 120/01)including schemes operating at regional or local level, should be ensured, building on good practices.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8

(8) The European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + should open up new opportunities for young people to carry out volunteering, ~~traineeship or job placements~~ in solidarity-related areas as well as to devise and develop solidarity projects based on their own initiative. Those opportunities should contribute to enhancing their personal, educational, social, civic ~~and professional~~ development. The European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + should also support networking activities for ~~European Solidarity Corps participants and~~volunteers and non-profit organisations as well as measures to ensure the quality of the supported activities and to enhance the validation of their learning outcomes.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9

(9) Voluntary activities constitute a rich experience in a ~~non-~~formal and inon-formal learning context which enhances young people's personal, socio-educational and ~~professional development, active citizenship and employability. V~~active citizenship. However, given the cross-sectorial nature of solidarity-related activities, the different status of entities and non-profit organisations potentially involved into these activities, as well as the socio-economic significance of the solidarity sector in the Union, provisions should be included in this Regulation to ensure that voluntary activities ~~shoul~~do not have an adverse effect on potential or existing paid employment, nor should they be seen ~~as a substitute for it~~or effectively deployed as a substitute for it. For this reason, solidarity projects in the form of volunteering under this Regulation should be offered exclusively by public authorities or by participating organisations in the non- profit sector, foundations and social enterprises. In order to ensure continuity with respect to the volunteering activities that are supported at Union level, the volunteering activities under the European Voluntary Service ~~that fall within the geographical scope of the European Solidarity Corps~~+ should be supported by the latter in the form of cross-border volunteering p~~lacemen~~rojects. The other volunteering activities under the European Voluntary Service ~~that do not fall under the geographical scope of the European Solidarity Corps~~+ should continue to be supported under the Programme established by Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing 'Erasmus+'~~: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport~~20 . With respect to the interpretation of related legislation at Union level, both the cross- border volunteering p~~lacements under the European Solidarity Corps~~roject and the volunteering activities that continue to be supported under Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 should be considered equivalent to those carried out under the European Voluntary Service. __________________ 20 Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing 'Erasmus+': the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC, OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1

1. The European Solidarity Corps shall be open to the participation of public or private non-profit entities, or international organisations referred to in article 2.1(4), provided that they have received a European Solidarity Corps quality label.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 3

3. As a result of the assessment the entity may be attributed the European Solidarity Corps quality label. The obtained label shall be re-assessed periodically and may be revoked. The results of the re-assessments of entities shall be part of the evaluation and monitoring referred to in article 15 and in particular of the progress report that the Commission shall publish in 2020.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1

Any public or private ~~entity~~non-profit entity which carries out activities of general interest established in a participating country as well as international organisations carrying out solidarity activities in the participating countries may apply for funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the activities referred to in point (a) of Article 7(1), a quality label shall be obtained by the participating organisation as a pre- condition for receiving funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the solidarity projects referred to in point (b) of Article 7(1), natural persons may also apply for funding on behalf of informal groups of European Solidarity Corps ~~participant~~volunteers.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a

(a) number of ~~participant~~volunteers in volunteering p~~lacemen~~rojects (in-country and cross-border);

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11

(11) Young people’s spirit of initiative is an important asset for society ~~and for the labour market~~. The European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + should contribute to fostering this aspect by offering young people the opportunity to devise and implement their own projects aimed at addressing specific challenges in solidarity to the benefit of ~~their~~ local communities. Thoese projects should be an opportunity to ~~try out idea~~develop innovative solutions and support young people to be themselves drivers of solidarity actions. They could also serve as a springboard for further engagement in solidarity activities and could be a first step towards encouraging European Solidarity Corps participants to engage in self-employment or setting up associations, NGOs or other bodies active in the solidarity, non-profit and youth sectors volunteers in associations, NGOs, youth organisations or other bodies active in the solidarity, non-profit and youth sectors as well as for social enterprises and the setting up of their own associations.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b

(b) number of ~~participant~~volunteers in traineeship ~~placement~~s (in-country and cross-border);

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12) Young people and organisations participating in the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + should feel that they belong to a community of individuals and entities committed to enhancing solidarity across Europe. At the same time, participating ~~organisations~~in non-profit organisations with general interest need support to strengthen their capacities to offer good quality p~~lacemen~~rojects to an increasing number of ~~participant~~volunteers. The European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + should support networking activities aimed at strengthening young people and participating non- profit organisations’ engagement in this community, ~~at fostering a European Solidarity Corps spirit, as well as at~~ encouraging the exchange of useful solidarity practices and experience. Those activities should also contribute to raising awareness about ~~the European~~ Solidarity ~~Corps~~ among public and private actors as well as to collect feedback from ~~participant~~volunteers and participating non-profit organisations on the implementation of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c

~~(c) number of participants in job placements (in-country and cross-border);~~deleted

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d

(d) number of ~~participant~~volunteers in solidarity projects;

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13

(13) Particular attention should be paid to ensuring the quality of the p~~lacemen~~rojects and other opportunities offered under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +, in particular by offering ~~training~~, language support, insurance, administrative ~~and post- placement support to participant~~support to volunteers as well as the validation of the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through their ~~European Solidarity Corps experience~~volunteering experience. This support should be created and provided in collaboration with youth organisations and other non-profit organisations in order to tap into their expertise on the field.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3

3. In 2020 the Commission shall publish a report taking stock of the progress made towards achieving its results, including the target of offering 100 000 young people opportunities under the European Solidarity Corps by 2020 (covering all the ~~placements and~~ projects referred to in points (a) and (b) of Article 7(1)).

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14

(14) To ensure the impact of European SVol~~idarity Corps placements~~untary Service + project on the personal, educational, social, civic ~~and professional~~ development of the ~~participants~~volunteer, the knowledge, skills and competences ~~that are the learning outcomes of the placement~~ should be properly identified and documented, in accordance with national circumstances and specificities, as recommended in the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning 22. __________________ 22 Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non- formal and informal learning, OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1

1. The Commission, in cooperation with the participating countries, shall ensure the dissemination of information, publicity and follow-up with regard to all actions supported in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps with a particular focus equal opportunities and accessibility.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15

(15) A quality label should be put in place to ensure compliance of the non- profit participating organisations with the principles and requirements ~~of the European Solidarity Corps Charter,~~ as regards to their rights and responsibilities during all stages of the solidarity experience. Obtaining a quality label should be a precondition for participation ~~but should not automatically lead to~~and funding under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16

(16) A European Solidarity Corps Resource Centre should assist the implementing bodies, the participating organisations and the young people taking part in the European Solidarity Corps in order to raise the quality of the implementation and of the activities of the European Solidarity Corps as well as to enhance the identification and validation of competences acquired through these activities.deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1

1. IThe Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 25 in order to imsupplement this Regulation~~, the Commission shall~~ by adopting work programmes ~~by way of implementing acts~~. Each work programme shall ensure that the general and specific objectives set out in Articles 3 and 4 are implemented in a consistent manner and shall outline the expected results, the method of implementation and its total amount. The work programmes shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed, an indication of the amount allocated to each action, an indication of the distribution of funds between the participating countries for the actions to be managed through the national agencies and an indicative implementation timetable.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17

(17) AThe European SVol~~idarity Corps Portal shoul~~untary Service + Portal should be developed and continuously ~~be develop~~updated in order to ensure easy access to the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + and to provide a one-stop shop for both interested individuals and non- profit organisations as regards, inter alia, registration, identification and matching of profiles and opportunities, networking and virtual exchanges, ~~online training, language and post-placement~~language support as well as other useful functionalities, which may arise in the future.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2

~~2. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 25(2).~~deleted

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – title

~~Committee procedure~~Exercise of the delegation

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 1

1. The ~~Commission shall be assisted by the committee established by Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011~~power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2

2. WThere power to adopt delegated acts referre~~nce is made to this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply~~d to in Article 24 shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from [date of entry into force of this Regulation]. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the two-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. The delegation of power referred to in Article 24 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2 d (new)

2d. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 24 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

2017/09/18
Committee: REGI

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18

(18) This Regulation lays down a financial envelope for the period 20189- 2020 which is to constitute the prime reference amount, within the meaning of Point 17 of the Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management23, for the European Parliament and the Council during the annual budgetary procedure. The prime reference amount includes redeployments from the Erasmus+ programme (EUR 197.7 million) and from the Employment and Social Innovation programme (EUR 10 million) for the financial years 2018, 2019 and 2020, and it is complemented by contributions from several Union programmes under different headings, such as the European Social Fund, the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, the LIFE programme and the European Agricultural Fund foverall budget available for the implementation of the European Voluntary Service + is set at EUR 294 200 000 in current prices, for the period from 1 January 2019 until 31 December 202023a. This budget should be also financed through the mobilisation of unallocated margins and other flexibility instruments even in the future Multiannual Financial Framework R~~ural Development~~egulation. __________________ 23 Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1. 23aThis financial envelope constitutes the prime reference amount within the meaning of point 17 of the Interinstitutional Agreement (2013/C 373/01) between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Isabella ADINOLFI

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19

(19) In order to ensure continuity in the activities supported by the programmes contributing to the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +, the financial support to solidarity p~~lacements and projects should indicatively follow an 80%-20% split between~~rojects should follow the 100% of volunteering ~~placements~~ and solidarity projects ~~on the one hand and traineeship and job placements on the other hand~~.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22

(22) IAs in EVS, in addition to the Member States, the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + should ~~also~~ be open to ~~the partici~~Erasmus+ Programme and partner countries, with parti~~on of other countries on the basis of bilateral agreement~~cular attention to countries neighbouring the Union from its start, in order to promote equality of opportunities between young people from EU Member States and non-EU third countries. This participation should be based, ~~where relevant,~~ on additional appropriations to be made available in accordance with the procedures to be agreed with the concerned countries.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25

(25) Any ~~entity~~non-profit entity or volunteer willing to participate in the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +, whether funded by the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + budget, by another Union programme or by a different funding source, should receive a quality label or certificate provided that the appropriate conditions are fulfilled. The process that leads to the attribution of a quality label should be carried out on a continuous basis by the implementing structures of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +. The attributed quality label should be reassessed periodically and could be revoked if, in the context of the checks to be performed, the conditions that led to its attribution were found to be no longer fulfilled.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26

(26) An ~~entity~~non-profit entity or volunteer or groups of volunteers willing to apply for funding to offer p~~lacemen~~rojects under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + should have first received a quality label ~~as a precondition. This requirement should not apply to natural persons seeking financial support on behalf of an informal group of European Solidarity Corps participants for their solidarity project~~or a certificate as a precondition and should be accompanied by simplified application procedures and open deadlines.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Isabella ADINOLFI, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28

(28) Appropriate outreach, publicity and dissemination of the opportunities and results of the actions supported by the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service+ should be ensured at European, national and local level. The outreach, publicity and dissemination activities should rely on all the implementing bodies of the European SVol~~idarity Corps, including, when relevant, with the support of other key stakeholders~~untary Service +, on Commission websites, and on Union programmes already associated with the European Voluntary Service +.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 35

(35) In compliance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the European Union26, the Commission should adopt work programmes and inform the European Parliament and the Council thereof. The work programme should set out the measures needed for their implementation in line with the general and specific objectives of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +, the selection and award criteria for grants, as well as all other elements required. Work programmes and any amendments to them should be adopted by ~~implementing~~delegated acts in accordance with the examination procedure. __________________ 26 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002, OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 39

(39) The financial envelope of the European Solidarity Corps under Heading 1a of the Multiannual Financial Framework also builds on funds redeployed from the Erasmus+ programme. These funds should mainly come from appropriations aimed at financing European Voluntary Service activities that would fall under the scope of the volunteering p~~lacements~~roject supported under this Regulation. In addition, some appropriations of the Student Loan Guarantee Facility, which are unlikely to be absorbed under Erasmus+, should be redeployed with a view to providing adequate co-financing to the operating costs of national agencies and be brought more in line with the absorption capacity of this action.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 40

(40) The financial envelope of the European Solidarity Corps under Heading 1a of the Multiannual Financial Framework should additionally be supplemented by financial contributions from other programmes and headings, which require the amendment of Regulations (EU) No 1293/201327, (EU) No 1303/201328, (EU) No 1305/201329, (EU) No 1306/201330 as well as of Decision No 1313/2013/EU31 of the European Parliament and of the Council. __________________ 27Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the establishment of a Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 614/2007 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 185). 28Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p.320). 29Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 487). 30Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 352/78, (EC) No 165/94, (EC) No 2799/98, (EC) No 814/2000, (EC) No 1290/2005 and (EC) No 485/2008 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 549). 31Decision No 1313/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism, (OJ L347 20.12.2013, p. 924).

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 41

(41) This Regulation should apply from 1 January 20189. In order to allow for the prompt application of the measures provided for in this Regulation, this Regulation should enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1

(1) “solidarity activity” means an activity of general interest within the structures of non-profit organisations aimed at addressing ~~unmet~~ societal needs to the benefit of a community while also fostering the individual’s personal, educational, social, civic and professional development, ~~which may take the form of placements,~~ projects or networking activities, developed in relation to different areas, such as ~~education and training, employment,~~formal and non-formal education and informal learning gender equality, social entrepreneurship, in ~~particular social entrepreneurship~~tercultural dialogue, social inclusion, citizenship and democratic participation, environment and nature protection, climate action, disaster prevention, preparedness and recovery, ~~agriculture~~social farming and rural development, provision of food and non- food items, health and wellbeing, creativity and culture, physical education and sport, social assistance and welfare, reception and integration of third-country nationals, ~~territorial cooperation and cohesion;~~ in particular migrants and asylum seekers, territorial cooperation and cohesion; this activity is characterised by fixed period, clear objectives, contents, tasks, structure and framework; appropriate financial support, and legal and social protection shall be provided;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2

(2) “~~participant~~volunteer” means a ~~young~~ person who has registered in the European ~~Solidarity Corps Portal and~~Voluntary Service + Portal, carries out activities benefiting society, of their own free will; these activities are undertaken for a non- profit cause, benefiting the personal development of the volunteer, who commits their time and energy for the general good without financial reward; the volunteer takes part in a solidarity activity under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + offered by a participating ~~organisation;~~ non- profit organisation certified by means of the quality label; the volunteer is reimbursed of expenses directly related to his activity;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3

(3) “disadvantaged young ~~people~~volunteer” means individuals who ~~need~~require additional ~~support because of disability, educational difficulties, economic obstacles, cultural differences, health problems, social obstacle~~, targeted support due to discrimination and a heightened risk of social exclusion as a result of various factors, either individually or in combination with each other. Such factors may include, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, health status, geographical obstacles;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4

(4) “participating organisation” means any public or private ~~entity~~non-profit entity which carries out an activity of general interest, that has been attributed the ~~European Solidarity Corps~~ Voluntary Service + quality label, which offers a ~~placement to a participant in the European Solidarity Corps or implements other~~volunteer solidarity activit~~ies~~y in the ~~framework of the~~ European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5

(5) “solidarity placement” means a volunteering activity, traineeship or job in a solidarity-related area, which is organised by a participating organisation and which contributes to addressing key societal challenges while enhancing the personal, educational, social, civic and professional development and the employability of the European Solidarity Corps participant who undertakes it, either in a country other than the country of residence (cross-border) or in the country of residence of the participant (in-country);deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6

(6) “volunteering” means a ~~full-time32 unpai~~part-time or full-time32, reimbursed voluntary service for a period of up to twelve months, which provides young people with the opportunity to contribute to the daily work of organisations active in solidarity-related fields, to the ultimate benefit of the communities within which the activities are carried out, including a solid learning and training dimension in order to enable the young volunteer(s) to gain skills and competences, which will be useful for their personal, educational, and social ~~and professional developm~~development; this activity is characterised by a fixed period and clear objectives, contents, ~~and which will also contribute to improving their employability~~tasks, structure and framework; appropriate financial support, and legal and social protection; volunteering shall not be used to substitute or replace paid employment; __________________ 32 As a general principle, an activity carried out continuously, 5 days a week for 7 hours a day.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7

(7) “volunteering teams’ p~~lacemen~~rojects” means p~~lacemen~~rojects allowing teams of European SVol~~idarity Corps participant~~untary Service + volunteers from different participating countries to volunteer together for a common objective, by carrying out manual or intellectual tasks, on a worthwhile community service project, in collaboration with public authorities, non-profit organisations, foundations and social enterprises for a period between two weeks and two months;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Isabella ADINOLFI

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8

(8) “traineeship” means a period of work practice from two to twelve months, remunerated by the organisation hosting the European Solidarity Corps participant, based on a written traineeship agreement, which includes a learning and training component, and undertaken in order to gain practical and professional experience with a view to improving employability and facilitating transition to regular employment;deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Isabella ADINOLFI

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9

(9) "job" means a period of work from two to twelve months, remunerated by the participating organisation employing the European Solidarity Corps participant, carried out in a participating country and based on an employment contract in accordance with the national regulatory framework of that participating country;deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10

(10) “solidarity network project” means a local initiative for a period from two to twelve months, which is set up and carried out by groups of at least five European SVol~~idarity Corps participant~~untary Service + volunteers or participating non-profit organisations, with a view to addressing key challenges within their local community while linking them to a broader European perspective;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11

(11) “quality label” means the certification attributed to a public or private, non-profit entity or an non-profit international organisation referred to in point 4 of this Article, willing to provide p~~lacemen~~rojects under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service+ following a procedure aimed at ensuring compliance with the principles and requirements of the European SVol~~idarity Corps Charter~~untary + Service Guidelines;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12

(12) “European Solidarity Corps Charter” means the document that sets out the respective rights and responsibilities that all the entities willing to join the European Solidarity Corps must agree to adhere to;deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13

(13) “European Solidarity Corps Resource Center” means the additional functions performed by a designated national agency to support the development and implementation of activities under the European Solidarity Corps as well as the identification of the competences acquired by the participants through their placements and projects;deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 14

(14) "European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + Portal" means a web-based tool that provides relevant online services to the European SVol~~idarity Corps participant~~untary Service + volunteers and participating non-profit organisations, including providing information about the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +, registering participants, searching for participants for p~~lacemen~~rojects, advertising and searching for p~~lacements, searching f~~rojects, or potential project partners, managing contacts and offers for p~~lacements and projects, training~~rojects, communication and networking activities, informing and notifying about opportunities, as well as other relevant developments related to the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1

The objective of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service+ is to enhance the engagement of young people and non-profit organisations in accessible and high quality solidarity activities as a means to contribute to strengthening cohesion and solidarity in Europe, supporting communities and responding to ~~societal challenges~~the urgent challenges of environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and greater social integration.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) to provide young people, with the support of participating non-profit organisations, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities while improving their skills and competences for personal, educational, social, civic ~~and professional development, as well as their employability and facilitating transition into the labour market,~~development including by supporting the mobility of young volunteers~~, trainees and workers~~;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) to ensure that the solidarity activities that are offered to the European SVol~~idarity Corps participant~~untary Service + volunteers contribute to addressing concrete, ~~unmet~~ societal needs ~~and strengthening communit~~of general interest, counteracting and mitigating environmental emergencies, apre ~~of high quality and properly validated~~venting and mitigating the effects of natural disasters.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2

2. The Commission and the participating countries shall cooperate to achieve efficiency and effectiveness, by ensuring coherence between national programmes and schemes related to solidarity, education, ~~vocational training and~~ youth on the one hand and actions under the European Solidarity Corps on the other hand. Those actions shall build on relevant good practices and existing programmes.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Isabella ADINOLFI

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3

3. Other Union programmes may also contribute to the objectives of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + by supporting activities within its scope. This contribution shall be financed in accordance with their respective basic acts.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. The Commission and Member States shall cooperate to achieve convergence and complementarity regarding volunteering policies between national legislation via the open method of coordination.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Isabella ADINOLFI, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. The Commission shall take initiative to develop a Union Agenda for Volunteering, aimed at guaranteeing the recognition and respect of the rights of volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations and the reduction of administrative and legal barriers to volunteering and volunteer-involving organisations across Europe, in addition to fostering, promoting and supporting a wider culture of solidarity and volunteering in Europe.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) solidarity ~~placements,~~ projects and networking activities;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) quality and support ~~measure~~to solidarity projects.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – title

Solidarity ~~placements,~~ projects and networking activities

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) solidarity p~~lacemen~~rojects in the form of ~~volunteering, traineeships or job~~full-time and part-time volunteering opportunities, including individual cross- border and in- country p~~lacemen~~rojects as well as volunteering teams’ p~~lacemen~~rojects;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Isabella ADINOLFI, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) solidarity projects at the initiative of European SVol~~idarity Corps participant~~untary Service + volunteers;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) networking activities for individuals and organisations participating in the European Solidarity Corps, which must be entirely consistent with and complement proven experience on the ground, in particular alongside good volunteering and civil protection practice.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a

(a) measures aimed at ensuring the quality and accessibility of solidarity p~~lacemen~~rojects, including ~~training,~~ language support, administrative support for ~~participant~~volunteers and participating non-profit organisations, insurance, ~~post-placement support~~ as well as the development of a certificate building on the experiences of the Youth Pass, that identifies and documents the knowledge, skills and competences acquired during the ~~placement~~volunteering activity;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) the development and maintenance of a quality label for entities willing to provide p~~lacemen~~rojects for the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + in order to ensure compliance with the principles and requirements of the European SVol~~idarity Corps Charter~~untary Service + Guidelines;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) the activities of a European Solidarity Corps Resource Centre to support and raise the quality of the implementation of the actions of the European Solidarity Corps and enhance the validation of their outcomes;deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point d

(d) the establishment, maintenance and updating of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + Portal and other relevant online services, primarily to disseminate the aims of this Regulation and publicise its accessibility, as well as the necessary IT support systems and web-based tools.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1

1. The overall budget available for the implementation of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + is set at EUR ~~341 5~~294 200 000 in current prices, for the period from 1 January 20189 until 31 December 20201a. __________________ 1aThis financial envelope constitutes the prime reference amount within the meaning of point 17 of the Interinstitutional Agreement (2013/C 373/01) between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2

2. The amount referred to in paragraph 1 includes a financial envelope of EUR 294 200 00033 in current prices supplemented by contributions from: (a) the European Social Fund, contributing with EUR 35 000 000 in current prices; (b) the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, contributing with EUR 6 000 000 in current prices; (c) the LIFE programme, contributing with EUR 4 500 000 in current prices; (d) the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, contributing with EUR 1 800 000 in current prices. __________________ 33This financial envelope constitutes the prime reference amount within the meaning of point 17 of the Interinstitutional Agreement (2013/C 373/01) between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management.deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Isabella ADINOLFI, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3

3. The financial support to solidarity ~~placements and~~ projects referred to in ~~paragraphs (a) and (b) of~~ Article 7~~(1)~~ shall ~~indicatively~~ be 8100% for volunteering ~~placements~~ and solidarity projects~~; and 20% for traineeship and job placements~~.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 4

4. The financial allocation may also cover expenses pertaining to preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities which are required for the management of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + and the achievement of its objectives, in particular, studies, meetings of experts and information and communication actions, expenses linked to the establishment, maintenance and updating of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + Portal and the necessary IT support systems, and all other technical and administrative assistance expenses incurred by the Commission for the management of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2

2. ~~The European Solidarity Corps shall be open for the~~Other participati~~on of other~~ng countries onf the ~~basis of bilateral agreements. Cooperation shall be based, where relevant, on additional appropriations to be made available in accordance with the procedures to be agreed with those countries~~Erasmus+ Programme, as referred in Article 24 of the Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013, shall also participate in the European Voluntary Service +.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1

1. Young people aged 17 to 30 years willing to participate in the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + shall register in the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + Portal. However, at the moment of commencing a ~~placement or a~~ project, a registered young person shall be at least 18 years of age and not older than 30. Such specific measures shall take into account and be based on the measures and best practices developed under the current Programme Erasmus+ (EVS).

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – title

Participating non-profit organisations

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1

1. The ~~European Solidarity Corps~~Voluntary Service + shall be open to the participation of public or private non-profit entities, or international organisations, provided that they have received a European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + quality label.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 3

3. As a result of the assessment the entity may be attributed the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + quality label. The obtained label shall be re-assessed ~~periodically~~every one year and may be revoked.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1

Any public or private ~~entity~~non-profit entity which carries out an activity of general interest, established in a participating country as well as international organisations carrying out solidarity activities in the participating countries may apply for funding under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +. In the case of the activities referred to in ~~point (a) of~~ Article 7~~(1)~~, a quality label shall be obtained by the non-profit participating organisation as a pre- condition for receiving funding under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +. In the case of the solidarity projects referred to in point (b) of Article 7(1), natural persons may also apply for funding on behalf of informal groups of European Solidarity Corps participants.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Isabella ADINOLFI, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1

1. The Commission, in cooperation with the participating countries, participating non-profit organisations as well as Union and national stakeholders such as youth organisations, shall regularly monitor the performance of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + towards achieving its objectives.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a

(a) number of participants in volunteering p~~lacemen~~rojects (in-country and cross-border);

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Isabella ADINOLFI, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b

~~(b) number of participants in traineeship placements (in-country and cross-border);~~deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Isabella ADINOLFI, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c

~~(c) number of participants in job placements (in-country and cross-border);~~deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e a (new)

(ea) satisfaction rate of participants with European Voluntary Service + projects;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e b (new)

(eb) rate of achievement of project objectives in terms of identified community needs;

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3

3. In 2020 the Commission shall publish a report taking stock of the progress made towards achieving its results, including the target of offering 100 000 young people opportunities under the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service + by 2020 (covering all the ~~placements and~~ projects referred to in ~~points (a) and (b) of~~ Article 7~~(1))~~.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1

1. The Commission, in cooperation with the participating countries, shall ensure the dissemination of information, publicity about registration and the accessibility of the procedures and follow- up with regard to all actions supported in the framework of the European SVol~~idarity Corps~~untary Service +.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. National agencies shall cooperate with specialised youth information services that inform, reach out, guide and support young people, especially those from disadvantaged background, in order to ensure a coherent and diverse dissemination and outreach.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1

1. In order to implement this Regulation, the Commission shall adopt work programmes by way of ~~implement~~delegated acts ing actscordance with Article 25a. Each work programme shall ensure that the general and specific objectives set out in Articles 3 and 4 are implemented in a consistent manner and shall outline the expected results, the method of implementation and its total amount. The work programmes shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed, an indication of the amount allocated to each action, an indication of the distribution of funds between the participating countries for the actions to be managed through the national agencies and an indicative implementation timetable.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2

~~2. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 25(2).~~deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 1

~~1. The Commission shall be assisted by the committee established by Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.~~deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2

~~2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.~~deleted

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 a (new)

Article 25a Exercise of the delegation 1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 24 shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from [date of entry into force of this Regulation]. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the two-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 24 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016. 5. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 24 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 27

Amendment to Regulation (EU) No In Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013, the following paragraph is added: ‘3. current prices from the sub-programme for Environment corresponding to the priority area Environment Governance and Information andrticle 27 deleted 1293/2013 A maximum of EUR ~~1 5~~3 000 000 in current prices from the sub-programme for Climate Action corresponding to the priority area Climate Governance and Information shall be allocated to finance projects within the meaning of Article 17(4) implemented by the European Solidarity Corps in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, which contribute to one or more of the priority areas within the meaning of Articles 9 and 13. This allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, to the exclusion of the specific requirements of Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013. ’

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 28

Amendments to Regulation (EU) No Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 is amended as follows: 1. Article 58(1) is amended as follows: (a) by the following: ‘At the initiative of the Commission, the ESI Funds may support the preparatory, monitoring, administrative and technical assistance, evaluation, audit and control measures necessary for implementing this Regulation and support actions pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX as referred to in the third subparagraph in so far as those actions pursue the aim of economic, social and territorial cohesion. ’ (b) following point (m) is added: ‘(m) actions financed pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX on the European Solidarity Corps in order to enhance the personal, educational, social, civic and professional development of young people, as well as their employability and facilitating transition into the labour market. ’ 2. subparagraph is added: ‘EUR 35 000 000 in current prices of the amount allocated to technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission shall be allocated to the European Solidarity Corps to support its actions, in accordance with point (a) of article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX. The allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, to the exclusion of the specific requirements of Fund-specific Regulations. ’rticle 28 deleted 1303/2013 the first subparagraph is replaced In the third subparagraph, the In Article 91(3), the following

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 29

Amendment to Regulation (EU) No In Article 51(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013, the following subparagraph is added under the first subparagraph: ‘The EAFRD may also finance actions implemented by the European Solidarity Corps with an amount of EUR 1 800 000 in current prices in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, which contribute to one or more of the Union priorities for rural development. The allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, to the exclusion of the specific requirements of Regulation (EU) Norticle 29 deleted 1305/2013~~. ’~~

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 30

Amendment to Regulation (EU) No In Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013, the following point (j) is added: ‘(j) European Solidarity Corps in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, which contribute to one or more of the Union priorities in the area of agriculture and rural development and notably the actions referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 51(1) of Regulation (EU) Norticle 30 deleted 13056/2013~~. The allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, to the exclusion of the specific requirements of Fund-specific Regulations. ’~~ actions implemented by the

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2017/0102(COD)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 31

Amendment to Decision No In Article 19(1) of Decision No 1313/2013/EU, the following subparagraph is added after the second subparagraph: ‘EUR 6 000 000 in current prices from the financial envelope derived from Heading 3 "Security and Citizenship" shall be allocated to finance actions implemented by the European Solidarity Corps in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, which contribute to one or more of the Union priorities in the area of civil protection. The allocation shall be implemented solely in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2017/XXX, to the exclusion of the specific requirements of Decision Norticle 31 deleted 1313/2013/EU~~. ’~~

2017/11/06
Committee: CULT

2016/2305(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Welcomes the aim of making it possible for all the main socio-economic drivers such as schools, public service providers and digitally intensive businesses to be linked to high- performance telecommunications infrastructure by 2025 and considers that almost universal availability of high- performance internet access services at gigabit level is essential in order to prevent a growing digital divide between urban and rural areas and to promote social, economic and territorial cohesion in its digital dimension;

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2305(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Stresses that basic broadband access as a universal service, and access to functioning internet services at affordable prices, which facilitate unlimited participation in the digital society and economy, should be regarded as a fundamental right of EU citizens, and considers guaranteeing basic broadband access to be an objective of general interest;

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2303(INI)

Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Takes note of the establishment of the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP), and ~~recognises its~~looks forward to the potential benefits for cohesion policy, among other areas; considers, however, that in case of a possible prolongation of the programme, resources should not be taken away from ESI Funds technical assistance; calls on the Commission to ensure maximum coordination between the actions financed by the SRSP and the technical assistance provided under the ESI Funds;

2017/03/24
Committee: REGI

2016/2303(INI)

Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Notes that, since technical assistance was first used in the area of cohesion policy, no global analysis has been carried out to establish the actual contribution it makes; points out that it is therefore difficult to make a detailed assessment of how important it is and of the contribution it makes in terms of administrative capacity-building and institutional strengthening with a view to ensuring that ESI Funds are managed in an effective way; calls, therefore, for an increase in information and transparency with regard to technical assistance activities, for Parliament to play a more significant role in monitoring and follow- up, and for a thoroughgoing, comprehensive study to be carried out on its contribution to the area of Cohesion Policy;

2017/03/24
Committee: REGI

2016/2303(INI)

Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Is concerned that in certain Member States technical assistance does not reach the local and regional authorities in an effective way; highlights that it is crucial, therefore, to make more effort to ensure that technical assistance actually reaches those local and regional authorities, significantly boosting their capacities, and to establish sound communication channels between the different levels of governance in order to successfully implement the ESI Funds, but also to restore trust in the effective functioning of the EU and its policies;

2017/03/24
Committee: REGI

2016/2303(INI)

Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16a. Takes the view that technical assistance must contribute to the sustainability of projects, i.e. the amount of time they last, focusing on key areas of cohesion policy and favouring long-term outcomes, for example projects that create lasting employment;

2017/03/24
Committee: REGI

2016/2303(INI)

Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)

16b. Points out that technical assistance must be seen as a simple, flexible instrument that can be adjusted to suit changing circumstances, and therefore as being really useful in the process of managing ESI Funds, the allocation of which also requires the flexibility necessary to respond to new and unusual situations and to emergencies;

2017/03/24
Committee: REGI

2016/2303(INI)

Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls for increased use of technical assistance in the area of European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) and related programmes, ~~which~~and especially in the field of cross-border cooperation, as those areas have their own specificities and require support in all phases of implementation, with a view to enhancing that cooperation and increasing the stability of the programmes concerned;

2017/03/24
Committee: REGI

2016/2302(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Acknowledg~~Notes that both the volume and t~~he quality~~ypes of financial instruments (in the form of microcredit, loans, guarantees, equity and venture capital) under Cohesion Policy’s shared management increased; highlights the two main reasons for this trend – the 2007-2013 period provided valuable experience and lessons regarding ESI Funds implementation through grants and financial instruments, while the 2014- 2020 MFF reflects the post-crisis ~~need for more financial instruments owing to fiscal limitations~~fiscal limitations and massive cutbacks in public funding for cohesion policy grants owing to austerity policy ;

2017/02/06
Committee: REGI

2016/2302(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Recognises that grants have some strengths as compared to financial instruments: supporting projects that do not necessarily generate revenue, providing funding to projects that for various reasons cannot attract private or public funding, targeting specific beneficiaries, issues and regional priorities, and lower complexity of use owing to existing experience and capacity; acknowledges that in some cases grants are bound to limitations: difficulties in achieving project quality and sustainability, risk of substituting public funding in the long-run and a crowding- out effect for potential private investment even when projects may have a revolving naturerisk of substituting national or regional public funding, complexity of implementation, deadweight effects in the private sector;

2017/02/06
Committee: REGI

2016/2302(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Recalls that the partly positive experience of using financial instruments in the 2007- 2013 programming period whas ~~accompanied by~~to be seen in contrast to a number of performance issues: late start of operations, inaccurate market assessment, diverging regional uptake to the advantage of more developed regions, overall low disbursement rates, low leverage effect, ~~problematic~~unsuccessful revolving, ~~high~~ management costs and fees that were high in relation to the support provided and significantly higher than for private-sector funds and inadequately large endowments;

2017/02/06
Committee: REGI

2016/2302(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Highlights that financial instruments perform better in well- developed regions and metropolitan areas, while grants address regional structural issues; ~~notes that increasing the shar~~underlines that the subsidy system plays an important role in fostering territorial development in particular in areas where the market has failed and where territorial cohesion challenges are a real issue and points at the complementary nature of subsidies and financial instruments; emphasizes that an increasing volume of financial instruments should not ~~influence~~negatively affect the grant appropriations ~~as this would hinder the balance~~or lead to a crowding out effect on the EU's budget allocated to cohesion policy as this could further territorial disparities; emphasiszes that in a number of public policies grants have to dominate, while financial instruments can play complementary roles;

2017/02/06
Committee: REGI

2016/2302(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Points out that financial instruments must be accessible for possible users on more advantageous terms compared to standard commercial loans;

2017/02/06
Committee: REGI

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls that~~, with some 40 % of EU workers lacking adequate digital skills,~~ the Union faces a digital skills gap; takes note of the Commission’s recent Communications on ‘Digitising European industry’ and ‘A New Skills Agenda for Europe’ as a first step in the right direction with regard to improving digital skills;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls that, with some 40 % of EU workers lacking adequate digital skills, the Union faces a digital skills gap; takes note of the Commission’s recent Communications on ‘Digitising European industry’ and ‘A New Skills Agenda for Europe’ as a ~~first step~~starting point in the right direction with regard to improving digital skills;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls on the Commission to take under consideration, in the context of the 'New Skills Agenda for Europe', that teaching digital skills have to go beyond the methodological 'know-how' or technological innovations and leading skills; expects from the Commission to support that digitisation is a complex process for the society as a whole in terms of democratic and communicative procedures, with special regards to education;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Underlines that sustainable digitisation includes the teaching of technological skills along with the knowledge of basic democratic principles, focusing on net neutrality, data protection, modern copyright law and knowledge on a new legal framework for modern technologies (e.g. cloud computing, apps, autonomous systems);

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Calls on the Commission, in addition to the trade unions, to include consumer protection organisations, data protection initiatives and other civil society organisations of the digital society in the comprehensive dialogue on the digitising European industry;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission to place digital skills at the heart of its upcoming revision of the Key Competences Framework; encourages the Member States to further develop primary, secondary and tertiary education curricula, as well as vocational training programmes, to meet the needs of an increasingly digital labour market and a digitally mediated democracy, which can be based on open access, open source and socially, ecologically produced hardware; emphasises the need for proper teacher training;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Believes that basic digital skills – ~~taught as part of primary and secondary education curricula – should encompass safe internet behaviour and awareness- raising about rights online~~in education and training curricula – should encompass data protection and data parsimony, safe internet network architecture behaviour and awareness- raising about intellectual property and online rights as well as the need for their reforms;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Highlights the considerable disparity across Member States in terms of digitisation and digital skills; considers that promoting best practice exchange and dialogue can bridge that gap; highlights the potential of the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs in this respect if it needs an addition with a coalition for Digital democracy;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2271(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses that special support of 'analogue' multilingualism in Europe is equally beneficial for the digitising European industry, as well as for teaching of comprehensive digital skills; stresses therefore that a massive support of the basic research for statistical, intelligent and machine-supported translation and learning software needs more attention;

2016/12/08
Committee: CULT

2016/2224(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Curzio MALTESE, Kostas CHRYSOGONOS, Stelios KOULOGLOU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Is of the opinion that since the effectiveness of the whistle-blowing environment is affected by cultural values, implementing an identical mechanism in all Member States may result in dysfunctional behaviour and needless costs, and that any measures taken should therefore be tailored to fit national contextTakes note that the Commission, in its EU Anti-Corruption report, stated that EU Member States have in place most of the necessary anti-corruption legal instruments and institutions, however, the results they deliver are not satisfactory across the EU and their capacity and efficiency should be improved; calls, therefore, on the Member States to enforce anti-corruption rules and, at the same time, to properly implement European and international standards and guidelines concerning whistle-blowers' protection in their national laws; insists that whistle-blowers play an essential role in helping Member States and EU institutions and bodies to deter and prevent any breaches of the principle of integrity and misuse of power that threaten public health and safety, financial integrity, human rights, the environment and the rule of law at European and national levels, and undermine the trust of citizens in democratic institutions and processes; notes that whistle-blowers often disclose scandals affecting several Member States; stresses~~, however,~~ therefore that existing cultural differences do not detract from the need for legal protection of whistle-blowers in Member States;

2017/04/04
Committee: CULT

2016/2224(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Kostas CHRYSOGONOS, Stelios KOULOGLOU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Reaffirms~~Observes that, in the case of whistle-blowers, there is no bilateral conflict between the whistle-blower and the business or authority but polygonal differences of interests, including in some cases across national borders, and that, while efforts should be made to weigh up the entitlement of businesses or authorities to have information kept secret and to expect loyalty, what is at stake is the provision of information in the public interest; reaffirms therefore the need for public and private organisations in the Member States to establish internal and external whistle-blowing procedures for ~~their~~ employees, setting out clear confidential routes for making disclosures; considers that, in this context, the legislature should in advance provide a structure for selecting the whistle-blowing procedure, in order to guarantee comprehensive protection of freedom of expression in accordance with Article 10 of the ECHR;

2017/04/04
Committee: CULT

2016/2224(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Kostas CHRYSOGONOS, Stelios KOULOGLOU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that, owing to significant gaps in the protection of whistle-blowers against retaliation, the obligation to use internal reporting channels can be risky and act as a deterrent, restricting both freedom of expression and the public’s right to access information; stresses that internal reporting procedures ~~should~~must not act as a tool for prohibiting the act of informing the wider public of illegal activities and activities that severely harm the public interest; stresses that this must apply equally to the use of external whistle-blowing procedures and that accordingly, as laid down in Article 5 of ILO Convention 158 of 22 June 1982, the filing of a complaint, participation in proceedings against an employer or provision of information to a competent authority do not constitute valid reasons for termination of employment;

2017/04/04
Committee: CULT

2016/2224(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Kostas CHRYSOGONOS, Stelios KOULOGLOU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that whistle-blowing is ~~linked to~~essential for freedom of the press and is essential in bringing to light illegal activities or activities which evidently severely harm the public interest; stresses that whistle-blowers are an important source of information for investigative journalism, and calls on the Member States to ensure that the right of journalists not to reveal a source’s identity is effectively protected and that authorities refrain from using surveillance in order to ascertain their sources.; observes in this context that the European Court of Human Rights has held, in its case-law, that protection of journalists' sources is not a privilege but a vital component of a free press.1a _________________ 1a European Court of Human Rights, judgment of 27.11.2007, 20477/05, Tillack v Belgium

2017/04/04
Committee: CULT

2016/2224(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Curzio MALTESE, Kostas CHRYSOGONOS, Stelios KOULOGLOU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the Commission to set up a framework for a common European legislation to protect whistle-blowers, witnesses and persons who cooperate with the judicial process that includes the establishment of a specific fund aimed at giving protection to the person lodging the complaint, in order to support legal fees, medical bills, psycho-social counselling as well as a resettlement programme; considers that whistleblowing and filing of complaints generally cause the loss of job, impair personal respect and family life or deeply worsen the working conditions;

2017/04/04
Committee: CULT

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas cohesion policy is the most visible expression of solidarity between Member States and regions in the EU and represents a significant part of the European Union (EU) budget, amounting to approximately one third of its entire expenditure;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas, with a budget of EUR 454 billion for the period 2014-2020, the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) are the EU’s main investment policy tool and a vital source of public investment in many Member States;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas the negotiations for PAs and Operational Programmes (OPs) for the period 2014-2020 have been a modernised, strongly adjusted and intensive exercise with a new framework for performance- based budgeting, ex-ante conditionalities and thematic concentration, resulting ~~inadvertently~~ in serious delays in the actual commencement of cohesion policy implementation;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

~~G. whereas cohesion policy in the programming period 2014-2020 has gained a more focused policy approach through thematic concentration, supporting the priorities of the Juncker Commission;~~deleted

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Notes that Europe ~~has been~~is going through a difficult phase in both economic and social and political terms, so that a decent investment policy that is close to citizens is needed more than ever;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Observes that the key communication on cohesion policy projects should focus on solidarity, European added value and the visibility of success stories; insists that communication on the subject of the ESI Funds should be modernised and intensified;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights the fact that in order to improve communication on, and the visibility of ESI Funds, greater focus ~~could~~must be placed on participation by stakeholders and recipients, and on involving citizens in cohesion policy; additionally, urges the ~~Commiss~~Member States and regions to communicate more about the achievements of cohesion policy;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Insists that cohesion policy should ~~continue to have thematic focus, while~~ allow~~ing~~ for ~~some degree of~~adequate flexibility in order to take on board the specific needs of each region;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines, in particular, that consideration should be given to the circumstances of the distinctively urban or rural regions, the so-called ‘lagging regions’, transition regions and regions with permanent natural or geographical handicaps (northernmost regions with very low population density, and cross-border, insular, mountainous or outermost regions); recalls in this context that it is important to support new policy challenges, such as immigration, as well as the broadly understood digital dimension of cohesion policy (including ICT and broadband access issues, which are linked to the completion of the Digital Single Market); points to the E~~nergy Union Strategy~~U’s commitments under the Paris climate change agreement, as the ESI Funds have an important role to play in ~~its~~their delivery;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Points out that ~~an important improvement~~one innovation has been the introduction of thematic concentration, whereby investments are focused on specific objectives and priorities corresponding to indicators and targets specifically agreed for all the themes;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. ~~Favours the establishment of a balanced link between cohesion policy and the European Semester, as both work towards achieving the same aims under the Europe 2020 Strategy~~Notes with concern the increasing links that have been established between cohesion policy and the wider economic governance framework, including in connection with European Semester rules, since sub-national-level actors are being punished for policy decisions taken at national level, but penalties are adversely affecting development at regional level; underlines the fact that cohesion policy derives its legitimacy from the Treaties;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Notes that the regulatory framework for ESI Funds for the period 2014-2020 supports financial instruments; ~~observes th~~is seriously concerned at there i~~s a focus on a gradual~~ncreasing tendency to shift from grants to loans and guarantees, bringing with it the danger of a paradigm shift in the original nature of EU cohesion policy; notes also that the use of the multi-fund approach still appears to be difficult;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) is presented as a success story when it comes to fast implementation~~, and~~; notes, however, that the agvai~~nst this background asks the Commission to come forward with learning points for~~lable data do not currently make it possible to agree with the Commission’s entirely positive interim assessment of the EFSI and the proposals for extending its duration and scope; asks the Commission to submit a comprehensive analysis of the projects supported so far, including the SME pillar, in order to assess the usefulness of EFSI support already granted and of potential future EFSI support; calls for any extension of the duration or scope of the EFSI ~~Funds for the new programming period;~~ not to be discussed until after such an analysis is available;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. ~~Suppor~~Rejects a further ~~balanced~~ increase in financial instruments; a~~sks the Commission, therefore, to come forward with incentives for managing authorities to achieve thi~~t the expense of grants;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Is convinced that the future ~~performance-oriented~~ cohesion policy must ~~be founded~~take account onf past experience at regional and local level in the area (performance-based budgeting, ex- ante conditionalities and thematic concentration), as, on the one hand, this can provides clear practical guidelines for local and regional authorities – including those who have not so far attempted to apply this approach – on the implementation of its principles and, on the other, flexibility requirements are made clear and can be better incorporated into future rules;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38

38. Believes that the spirit of innovation and smart specialisation ~~must remain an important driver of cohesion polic~~can further complement the core aspiration of cohesion policy: convergence of EU living standards out of solidarity;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)

38a. Is concerned at the fact that, in the 2017 EU budget, there is again a huge gap in appropriations for heading 1b (economic, social and territorial cohesion) between commitments and payments and that, as a result, there will inevitably be payment backlogs again; calls on the legislative authority and the Commission to guarantee both sufficient overall cohesion policy funding in annual budgets and under the next multiannual financial framework and a sustainable balance between commitments and payments;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Takes the view that excellence and competitiveness should remain the underlying principles of the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, while the ESI Funds should target regional growth and cohesion; ~~is therefore opposed to any criteria or quotas in the new Framework Programme which aim to influence geographic distribution or cohesion~~expresses, however, its concern about the difference in HORIZON’s investments in the different European regions. Therefore, considers that the 9th Framework Programme should propose a territorial approach;

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Regrets the fact that the creation of the EFSI has had a direct impact on Horizon 2020 as the programme’s budget has been reduced by EUR 2.2 billion to contribute to EFSI funding;

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes the divergences in aims and focus between the Framework Programme and the ESI Funds; takes the view, however, that efforts must be made to maximise synergies at programme level; therefore, calls on the Commission to simplify the regulatory framework because promoting synergies between the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) and Horizon 2020 is one of the priorities for the 2014-2020 period but this process is however being hampered by its regulatory complexity;

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Takes the view that RIS3 is a suitable vehicle for the reform of regional innovation ecosystems and that ESI Funds must be used for capacity building; points out that, based on the priorities identified in the RIS3, interregional cooperation should be developed as this will enable value chains to be creating throughout the EU; considers therefore that the current regulatory framework is totally inadequate and rather than fostering, in fact constrains interregional cooperation.

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Takes the view that effective investments in R&I from the ESI Funds can only take place if Member States have their framework conditions in order; ~~calls, therefore, for a closer linkage between country-specific recommendations for structural reforms and investments in R&I;~~

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Takes the view that there is a need to include stronger incentives to use ESI funds for R&I investments where there are country-specific recommendations to that effect; therefore proposes the establishment of a performance reserve for Member States if they invest a substantial proportion of their revenue from the Structural Funds in R&I;deleted

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls on the Commission to increase the participation of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the 9th Framework programme, with a larger dedicated budget for the SME Instrument.

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Commission to use the 9th Framework programme for the purpose of social inclusion, so research and innovation projects should invest in social innovation to address social exclusion challenges; reaffirms that the 9th Framework programme should promote gender equality, especially in research and innovation; points out that it should be a better appropriate balance between small and large projects;

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2147(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Considers that the 9th Framework programme should help to achieve EU climate and energy goals. More specific environmental goals that are directly tied to overall goals should be considered.

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/2143(INI)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on sports organiszations to ensure that bidding to host major events abides by good governance and sound financial management standards ~~and~~, fundamental and working rights, and guarantees a sustainable legacy for local communities; Reiterates that local communities could hold referendums in order to accept such biddings or not;

2016/10/19
Committee: CULT

2016/2143(INI)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

~~16. Notes that the threat of terrorism requires new efforts to ensure operational safety and security at sports events;~~deleted

2016/10/19
Committee: CULT

2016/2143(INI)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Calls on the promotion of mixed- gender sports events and matches, especially regarding team sports;

2016/10/19
Committee: CULT

2016/2143(INI)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Stresses that disabled people should have equal access to all sports facilities;

2016/10/19
Committee: CULT

2016/2143(INI)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44 a (new)

44a. Stresses the importance of having full transparency of ownership in professional sports clubs;

2016/10/19
Committee: CULT

2016/2143(INI)

Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44 b (new)

44b. Calls on all Member States to provide all athletes and especially those that suffered from injury, with public healthcare for life after the end of their career;

2016/10/19
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Acknowledges that online and open education is changing the way that education is resourced, delivered and taken up, making inclusion, personal fulfilment and occupational choice and switching possible for everyone by providing guaranteed educational opportunities throughout life;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that academic institutions must prepare students for ~~uncertainty and provide them with tools such as~~future occupational requirements, some of which are as yet unknown, and provide them with 'how to' tools for independent learning and entrepreneurial and ~~adaptability~~problem- solving skills to explore their own pathways;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Perceives the ever-advancing quality of education as crucial for the EU’s efforts to ensure social cohesion~~, competitiveness~~ and sustainabled growth;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Recognises the role of the smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) in developing key regional potential based on the needs of ~~the labour mark~~society;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Highlights the fact that only one quarter of schoolchildren in Europe are taught by digitally confident teachers, which is a major obstacle preventing the flourishing of new methods of teaching; calls therefore on schools to provide stronger support trough IT and media literacy training for teachers and school leaders;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Acknowledges the costs of quality education and tailor-made learning; stresses that, for funding to be used successfully, how the education sector is structured - from generously resourced early-childhood learning and school, non- school and cultural education to higher education and further training - is of considerable importance and that there must be greater financial and practical involvement of industry and business, too, in vocational training;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Advocates the creation of a user- friendly online platform as a one-stop-shop where education professionals and learners can facilitate the exchange of best practice;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Recommends the corroboration of lifelong learning efforts with a European Digitalisation Strategy within education; recommends that the copyright exceptions for education and research in the projected copyright directive (Articles 3 and 4) also be systematically applied to further education and distance education;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Highlights the importance of stepping up European efforts to make the Lifelong Learning Strategy a reality for all; by providing a guaranteed entitlement under employment law to further education in the form of a range of learning opportunities that can also be pursued for personal fulfilment and for switching occupations;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Calls on Member States to ensure a holistic approach to education and to provide students with authentic learning opportunities that develop their aspirations and individual self-realisation and the skills needed to survive, and play a role, in a global economy and a democratic society;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Urges academic institutions to ~~anticipate~~become pioneers changes in society and the labour market, and to ~~adapt their way of working~~enable students to develop tools and skills accordingly;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2142(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Highlights the importance of specialised teacher training for ~~distance learning~~academic further and distance learning, so to meet the needs of their students;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2016/2101(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Acknowledges the greater coherence of the new mainstreamed European Semester, which allows for more opportunities to engage and communicate with Member States and stakeholders at all levels~~Is highly concerned about the increasing subordination of the EU cohesion policy under the new mainstreamed European Semester;

2016/07/27
Committee: REGI

2016/2101(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Recognises~~Notes with concern the strong links that cohesion policy has established with the wider economic governance framework ~~by providing support for recovery efforts to stimulate compliance with~~including the European Semester rules; underlines~~, however,~~ that the legitimacy of cohesion policy derives from the Treaties, and that this policy is the expression of European solidarity; is therefore of the opinion that the measures linking ~~the~~ effectiveness of ESI Funds with sound economic governance ~~should be~~currently in force should be reviewed, revised and until then applied judiciously, with caution and only as a last resort; recalls, moreover, that the application of such measures should always take into consideration the specific socio-economic circumstances of the Member State concerned, in order to avoid restricting regional and local investments;

2016/07/27
Committee: REGI

2016/2101(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Believes that ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of public expenditure is essential for creating a ~~growth-friendly environment; welcomes the fact~~n environment that encourages more and enhanced use of EU funding and that is beneficial to social and economic regional development; notes that several Member States have been able to address those CSRs in their operational programmes (OPs) ~~by means of~~that targeted public investments or reforms undertaken in the context of those ex-ante conditionalities that help enhance participation and proper implementation of cohesion policy; appreciates the fact that the ESI Fund investments ~~already~~ contribute to ~~the implementation of structural reforms and improve overall economic performance in Member Stat~~improving overall economic performance in regions and Member States in many cases while in some Member States and regions they remain a large or even the main source of public investment and at least help mitigating the impacts of unresolved crises;

2016/07/27
Committee: REGI

2016/2101(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Is of the opinion that the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) should provide dedicated and targeted support to Member States on a voluntary basis to assist them with the design and implementation of institutional, structural and administrative reforms avoiding austerity measures, only when such reforms cannot be addressed by other instruments or supported by other types of technical assistance; ~~emphasises that~~rejects the Commission’s proposal of the budgetary transfer from the technical assistance under cohesion policy to the SRSP ats th~~e initiative of the Commission should not b~~is could create a precedent for ~~any~~ future proposals.

2016/07/27
Committee: REGI

2016/2072(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission to design its future policies based on ~~the following definition of CCI~~a definition of CCIs in line with the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions: ‘cultural and creative industries are those industries that are based on cultural values, individual creativity, skills and talent with the potential to create wealth and jobs through generating, producing and marketing value from intellectual property and contributing to the cultural and democratic dialogue. They include the following sectors relying on cultural and creative inputs: architecture, archives and libraries, artistic crafts, audio-visual (including film, television, video games and multimedia), cultural heritage, design, creativity-driven high-end industries and fashion, festivals, music, performing arts, books and publishing, radio and visual arts, as well as advertising, the dissemination of art and art therapy’;

2016/09/09
Committee: ITRE CULT

2016/2072(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses that technology and infrastructure rely on the content provided by creators; calls, therefore, on the Commission to establish a legal framework for the value chain in the digital age that takes into account the specificities of the sector and leads to an improvement in the remuneration of authors and creators as well as to the strengthening of their contractual position vis-à-vis right holders;

2016/09/09
Committee: ITRE CULT

2016/2072(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls for consideration to be given to the introduction of a fair work label to safeguard the earnings of those unable to claim copyright protection for their products or services, given the way in which CCI occupations are structured, calling on numerous individual self- employed operators, particularly in the case of design and advertising agencies, communications and games software engineering, event services, editorial teams and publishers;

2016/09/09
Committee: ITRE CULT

2016/2072(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Asks the Commission, in view of the upcoming copyright reform, to create legal solutions which will ~~suit~~meet the interests of creators, right holders and consumers alike in order to make clear that liability exemptions can only apply to genuinely neutral and passive online service providers and not to services that play an active role in distributing, promoting and monetising content at the expense of creators;

2016/09/09
Committee: ITRE CULT

2016/2072(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Highlights that piracy and counterfeiting remain a serious concern for CCIs ~~and citizens alike~~; stresses that these illicit activities can cause safety and health concerns that need to be addressed;

2016/09/09
Committee: ITRE CULT

2016/2072(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Recommends considering the introduction of tougher sanctions and the promotion of a system of guarantees on traceability as a deterrent for counterfeiters as well as increasing the damages and compensation awarded to right holders; cCalls on the EU and the Member States to launch awareness-raising campaigns against piracy and counterfeiting; stresses, finally, the need to involve all digital actors in the fight against online counterfeiting; more over recommends to start a public discussion on fair use and a European regulation in copyright laws for exceptions and modern sharing culture;

2016/09/09
Committee: ITRE CULT

2016/2064(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Acknowledges the initial results of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) to mobilise private investments; recalls that the EFSI must also contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion and that efforts are needed to enhance synergies and complementarity between the EFSI and European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs); ~~underlines the importance of ensuring additionality of the EFSI with respect to other EIB initiatives and EU- funded program~~notes that some of the projects completed so far do not meet the EFSI requirements of additionality, European added value and sustainability; underlines the importance of complying with these EFSI principles;

2016/09/16
Committee: REGI

2016/2064(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Notes that the available data do not currently make it possible to agree with the Commission’s entirely positive interim assessment of EFSI and its proposals for extending EFSI’s duration and scope;

2016/09/16
Committee: REGI

2016/2064(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Asks the Commission - in order to assess the usefulness of EFSI support already granted, the prospects for EFSI support in future and the possibility of extending EFSI - to submit a comprehensive analysis of the projects supported so far, including the SME pillar; calls for any discussion of extending the duration of EFSI to take place only after such an analysis is available;

2016/09/16
Committee: REGI

2016/2064(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Takes the view that any extension of the duration or scope of EFSI should where appropriate be funded exclusively from additional EU budgetary resources and EIB resources, and from remittances by the Member States;

2016/09/16
Committee: REGI

2016/2064(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Welcom~~Notes the publication of the Commission’s new guidelines of 22 of February 2016 on combining ESIFs and the EFSI; takes note~~, however,~~ of the fact that the number of existing synergies between EFSI and ESIFs funds is still extremely low and calls on the Commission, the EIB, the national promotional banks and institutions (NPBI) and the managing authorities to accelerate the design and implementation of further synergi, and is likely to remain, extremely low, which is mainly due to the fundamentally different natures of EFSI and ESIF, particularly as regards criteria for support, types of funding and also objectives;

2016/09/16
Committee: REGI

2016/2064(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Regrets that the regions were not appropriately involved in drawing up the project list of possible investments by the ‘Investments Taskforce’ set up in September 2014 by the Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB); Believes that the selection of EFSI financing operations and the managing of projects should be more transparent, accountable, based on defined criteria and involve local and regional stakeholders at an early stage; stresses that the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) and the EFSI investment committee should use the expertise of regional authorities in order to promote integrated ESIF-EFSI projects; with a view to this, the EIAH should play an active role in enabling even more local and regional authorities to make the most of the EFSI;

2016/09/16
Committee: REGI

2016/2064(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Rejects support for nuclear energy projects;

2016/09/16
Committee: REGI

2016/0287(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4

(4) Support of this kind should encourage entities with a public mission such as public authorities and providers of public services to offer free local wireless connectivity as an ancillary service to their public mission ~~so as~~and thus help to ensure that local communities in the centres of public life are guaranteed access to information and involvement in (digital) public life, can improve their digital skills and can experience the benefits of very high-speed broadband ~~in the centres of public life~~. Such entities could include municipalities and other local public authorities, libraries, schools, community centres, sports facilities, bus and tram stops and hospitals.

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/0287(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9

(9) Due to the limited reach of any single local wireless access point and the small value of individual projects covered, access points benefitting from financial assistance under this Regulation are not expected to challenge commercial offers. In order to further ensure that such financial assistance does not unduly distort competition, crowd out private investments or create disincentives for private operators to invest, the intervention should be limited to projects that do not duplicate already existing ~~private or public~~ offers of similar characteristics ~~in the same area~~available free of charge under similar terms in the same area served by existing public WLAN routers. This should not exclude additional support to deployments under this initiative from public or private sources of funding. Municipalities which already offer access at lower speeds should continue to be eligible for support with a view to promoting the blanket availability of fast internet access.

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

2016/0287(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)

(9a) Giving local SMEs priority in the context of the procurement and installation of equipment with a view to the provision of WLAN in accordance with this Regulation would safeguard the potential for innovation and job creation in municipalities.

2017/02/14
Committee: REGI

Martina MICHELS

(1) The acts of communication to the public and of making available occurring when providing an ~~ancillary~~ online service by or under the control and responsibility of a broadcasting organisation as well as the acts of reproduction which are necessary for the provision of, the access to or the use of the ~~ancillary~~ online service shall, for the purposes of exercising copyright and related rights relevant for these acts, be deemed to occur solely in the Member State in which the broadcasting organisation has its principal establishment. Any disputes over the exercise of those rights shall fall under the jurisdiction of the Member State in which the broadcasting organisation is established. The competent jurisdiction does not depend on the main targeted audience of the broadcaster organisation.

2017/03/14
Committee: CULT

2016/0284(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 a (new)

Article 3 a Extended Collective Licensing 1. Member States may extend the application of a non-exclusive license concluded by a collective management organisation, on behalf of its members, with an information society service provider for the communication to the public or making available of, as well as the acts of reproduction which are necessary for the provision of, broadcasters’ radio or television programmes and audiovisual works provided by the broadcasting organisation to the public, the rightholders of the same category as those covered by the license who are not represented by the collective management organisation provided that: (a) the collective management organisation is, on the basis of mandates from rightholders, broadly representative of rightholders in the category of works or other subject-matter and of the rights which are the subject of the license; (b) equal treatment is guaranteed to all rightholders in relation to the terms of the license; (c) the collective management organisation makes available to all rightholders information about the exploitation of the works subject to this paragraph; (d) all rightholders may at any time exclude the application of the license to their works or other subject-matter. 2. Exceptions or limitations introduced by Member-States to the rights provided for in articles 2 and 3 of Directive 2001/29/EC apply in cases related to the provision to the public by an information society service provider of works covered by paragraph 1, insofar as the relevant rightholder does not exclude the application of the non-exclusive license.

2017/03/14
Committee: CULT

2016/0282(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Citation 5 a (new)

– having regards to the UNFCCC 2015 Paris Agreement.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)

(1a) The European Union is committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80- 95% below 1990 levels by 2050 and to holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 ºC above preindustrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5 ºC. To reach these objectives, 80% of the world’s known fossil fuels reserves need to stay in the ground. Therefore these objectives will require to organise an important phase-out of oil, coal and gas during the next 35 years.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 b (new)

(1b) Gas highly contributes to climate change due to the significant amount of methane leaked all along its lifecycle. Therefore, it does not represent a low- carbon energy source.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 c (new)

(1c) Access to affordable energy is a basic social right and energy poverty must be tackled.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 d (new)

(1d) As gas accounts for almost 50% of the EU´s primary energy consumption for heating and cooling, of which 80% is used in buildings, Member States should primarily focus on energy efficiency measures, particularly in buildings, in order to reduce gas demand and thus EU dependence on foreign suppliers.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7

(7) An internal gas market ~~that operates smoothly~~supervised by public regulatory authorities is the best guarantee of security of energy supply across the Union and to reduce the exposure of individual Member States to the harmful effects of supply disruptions. Where a Member State’s security of supply is threatened, there is a risk that measures developed unilaterally by that Member State may jeopardise the proper functioning of the internal gas market and damage the gas supply to customers in other Member States. To allow the ~~internal gas market to function even in the face of~~Members States to cope with a shortage of supply, provision must be made for solidarity and coordination in the response to supply crises, as regards both preventive action and the reaction to actual disruptions of supply.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10) Certain customers, including households and customers providing essential social services, are particularly vulnerable and may need social protection. A definition of such protected customers should not conflict with the Union solidarity mechanisms. This regulation should protect such costumers from soaring gas prices that are the result of a supply crisis.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11

(11) Responsibility for security of gas supply should be shared by natural gas undertakings, Member States, acting through their competent national, regional and local authorities; and the Commission, within their respective remits. Such shared responsibility requires very close cooperation between these parties. However, customers using gas for electricity generation or industrial purposes may also have an important role to play in security of gas supply, as they can respond to a crisis by taking demand-side measures such as interruptible contracts and fuel switching, which have an immediate impact on the supply/demand balance.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)

(15a) Energy efficiency measures have a fundamental role to play towards a secure energy system. Reduced gas consumption should be a priority to ensure Europe’s energy sovereignty and secure gas supply.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22 a (new)

(22a) The complementarity of European gas and electricity systems and demand side management can significantly improve European resilience and energy security and at the same time support the development of renewable energies.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24

(24) The roles and responsibilities of all natural gas undertakings and competent authorities should therefore be defined precisely in order to keep the internal gas market functioning ~~properly~~under the supervision of public regulatory authorities, particularly in the event of supply disruptions and crises. Such roles and responsibilities should be established in such a way as to ensure that a three-level approach is respected which would involve first the relevant natural gas undertakings and industry, then Member States at national or regional level, and then the Union. This Regulation should enable natural gas undertakings and customers to rely on market mechanisms for as long as possible when coping with disruptions. However, it should also provide for mechanisms that can be deployed when markets alone are no longer able to deal adequately with a gas supply disruption.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25

(25) In the event of a supply crisis, market players ~~should be given sufficient opportunity to respond to the situation with market-based measures. Where market measures have been exhausted and they are still~~under the supervision of public regulatory authorities should be obliged to respond to the situation. Where market measures are insufficient, Member States and their competent authorities should take measures to remove or mitigate the effects of the supply crisis.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28

(28) Demand-side measures, such as reducing heating and cooling demand in buildings by coordinated energy efficiency measures, fuel switching or reducing the gas supply to large industrial consumers in an economically efficient order, ~~may~~ have a valuable role to play in ensuring energy security~~, if they can be applied quickly and significantly reduce demand in response to a supply disruption~~. More should be done to promote efficient energy use, particularly where demand-side measures are needed. The environmental impact of any demand and supply-side measures proposed must be taken into account~~, with preference being given, as far as possible, to measures that have least impact on the environment. At the same time, security of supply and competitiveness aspects must be taken into account~~ as a priority. Environmental assessment of each new gas infrastructures must be conducted.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32

(32) The preventive action plans and emergency plans should be updated regularly and published. They should be subject to peer review. The peer review process allows for early identification of inconsistencies and measures that could endanger other Member States’ security of supply, thereby ensuring that plans from different regions are consistent with one another. It also enables Member States to share best practice. The plans should be coherent with the EU energy and climate targets on greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and renewable energy. The plans should be regularly updated in order to ensure their coherence with those objectives.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1

This Regulation establishes provisions aimed at safeguarding the security of gas supply by ensuring the proper and continuous functioning of the internal market in natural gas (“gas”), by allowing for exceptional measures to be implemented when the market can no longer deliver the required gas supplies and by providing for a clear definition and attribution of responsibilities among natural gas undertakings, the Member States and the Union, in close cooperation with local and regional authorities, regarding both preventive action and the reaction to concrete disruptions of supply. This Regulation also provides transparent mechanisms, in a spirit of solidarity, for the coordination of planning for, and response to, an emergency at Member State, regional and Union levels. Whenever possible, sustainable measures will be preferred over the construction of new gas infrastructures.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point 2

(2) ‘essential social service’ ~~means a health~~for the purpose of this regulation means a healthcare, social care, social housing, education, child care, emergency or security service;

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2a (new)

Member States may, in close cooperation with local and regional authorities, further specify and in duly justified cases broaden or tighten these definitions.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

1. The competent authority shall require the natural gas undertakings, that it identifies, to take measures, in close collaboration with electricity undertakings to ensure the supply of ~~gas~~energy to the protected customers of the Member State in each of the following cases:

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 6

6. The competent authorities shall ensure that conditions for supplies to protected customers are established without prejudice to the proper functioning of the internal energy market and at a fixed maximum price respecting the market value of the supplies to be defined on a yearly basis.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

1. The competent authorities of the Member States of each region as listed in Annex I, after consulting the natural gas and electricity undertakings, the relevant organisations representing the interests of household and industrial gas customers, including electricity producers, the national environmental agencies, and the national regulatory authorities, where they are not the competent authorities, shall establish jointly:

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2 – point e a (new)

(ea) is not in line with the EU climate and energy targets.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2016/0030(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1

1. A Gas Coordination Group is established to facilitate the coordination of measures concerning security of gas supply. The Group shall be composed of representatives of the Member States, in particular of their competent authorities, local and regional authorities, as well as the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (the “Agency”), the ENTSO for Gas and representative bodies of the industry concerned and those of relevant customers. The Commission shall, in consultation with the Member States, decide on the composition of the Group, ensuring it is fully representative. The Commission shall chair the Group. The Group shall adopt its rules of procedure.

2016/06/23
Committee: REGI

2015/2347(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Considers that the introduction of thematic objectives has had a positive role in encouraging the Member States to focus their investment policies on the development of their transport infrastructure; is of the opinion that the ex- ante conditionality of drafting master plans for transport has helped the Member States in prioritising their transport investments, is, however, of the opinion that transport masters plans and ESIF investments in the transport sector should be better aligned to the "European White Paper on Transport" as regards the key sustainability goals;

2016/03/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2347(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that ESI Funds ~~can be~~should be increasingly used in the development of the missing links in the border areas across Central and Eastern Europe~~; recalls that priority should be given to~~ in order to improve local and regional connections, and calls on the Commission to provide, where needed, enhanced assistance towards this aim; recalls at the same time the importance of cross-border projects pertaining to the trans-European networks (TENs) in the region; calls, in this context, for continued efforts to be made towards introducing common standards in infrastructure, notably with regard to railways, in order to speed up attainment of the objective of efficient and Europe-wide interoperability;

2016/03/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2347(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Encourages regions and Member States to adopt or continue with measures to move towards more environmentally friendly transport options; encourages the use of ESI Funds for projects aiming at the generation of demand for public and more sustainable transport options, e. g. by simplified cross border ticketing and investment in electrical charging point systems;

2016/03/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2347(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Strongly advises making better use of existing policies and instruments for regional cooperation, such as European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), Interreg and ~~especially~~ European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), to enhance cross- border transport between regions and remove bottlenecks; urges the Member States to support and not impede such solutions on a local and regional level; advocates the use of macro-regional strategies like those for the Danube and the Baltic Sea in order to advance transnational infrastructure projects;

2016/03/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 19 January 2016 on the role of intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity and education in promoting EU fundamental values2a, __________________ 2a Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0005.

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas Creative Europe ~~has~~will proved to be a successful programme in terms of its objectives if those objectives are not geared one-sidedly to economic effects and parameters and instead place more emphasis on the specific features of culture and its contribution to democratic dialogue and the discussion on values and future developments looking beyond economic success;

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the Creative Europe Programme,’s sub-programmes are seriously underfinanced in pvar~~ticular, its Culture Sub-programme,~~ ious ways, since the focus on networks, marketing and dis se~~riously underfinanced~~mination and a fresh audience and new recipients is insufficient;

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Urges the Member States to increase the Creative Europe budget in line with the ambitions of the programme, accepting that the values of cultural production cannot be gauged in terms of economic figures alone;

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Asks the Commission to enhance the programme’s consistency with all relevant EU policies and other funding sources and thereby to take due account of the particular creative processes and creativity of cultural production, which produce aesthetic discoveries and communicative innovations for society now and in the future;

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Asks the Commission to strike a better balance, in both sub-programmes and in the guidelines for evaluators, between the artistic and creative component and the managerial and innovative aspects, ~~especially of~~in relation to both the projects funded and, in particular, CCI;

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Underlines the ~~success and~~ significance of the European Capital of Culture scheme, and calls for better use of the know-how of capitals of culture for ~~the development of~~cultural dialogue and democratic exchange in the development of cities, including long-term support for the local cultural scene in cities;

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2328(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Asks the Commission to guarantee a geographic and sectoral balance in the Guarantee Facility, evaluate its impact, in particular on small cultural enterprises, cultural mediators and networkers, and examine possibilities as regards the development of synergies with ~~EFSI and~~ other programmes;

2016/11/22
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas Erasmus+ is one of the most successful Union programmes and ~~the major~~an essential tool to support activities in the fields of education, training, youth and sport, and strengthen the concept of citizenship, facilitate students' personal development and critical thinking, the programme still remain under-recognised in Member States, socially selective and difficult to access;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas the ~~programme’s high political and economic relevance is reflected in~~Commission increased the budget ~~increase of~~by 40% for the programme period, ~~and the commitment rate of the foreseen budget which has reached nearly 100% with a high number of applications~~the funds set aside for Erasmus+ are not proportional to the number of needs of potential applicants for the mobility programmes offered;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas not all relevant data for a full quantitative and qualitative analysis of the implementation are yet available, ~~whereas~~ it is therefore ~~too early~~not possible to conduct a complete qualitative assessment of the programme’'s impact;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Recognises that, according to reports from stakeholders at all levels, the first two and half years of programme implementation were difficult and challenging ~~but improvements have been made in the meanti~~, encourages the Commission to strengthen dialogue with social partners, local authorities and civil society so to ensure the widest possible access to the programme;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Points out that the goal of simpler, more user-friendly and more flexible implementation has not yet been reached; ~~underlines in this context the continuing lack of clarity and uneven level of detail in the programme guide~~considers that having fewer bureaucratic obstacles would lead to have wider and more accessible programmes; Calls upon the Commission and the Member States to renovate efforts to simplify the programme's content, terms and conditions and make them more accessible; underlines that information on this programme has to be provided in all the official and co-official languages of the European union in order to foster greater involvement;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Underlines the continuing lack of clarity and uneven level of detail in the programme guide which should be written in a user-friendlier language; the programme guide should provide clear indications as to which documents are needed at each stage of the project cycle and provide samples of those documents in a clear and accessible way; Ensure that NAs and EACEA have enough resources to be able to improve the implementation of the programme;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that despite the programme~~’s significant~~'s overall budget increase, the budgetary profile in the MFF indicates a limited increase for the first half of the programme period, which has led to the rejection of many high quality projects and hence a low success rate;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Notes that the Student Loan Guarantee Facility was ~~only~~ launched in February 2015 after signature of the delegation agreement with the European Investment Fund (EIF) in December 2014, ~~and that to date there are~~considers to be inadmissible that students have to take out bank loans in order to take part in Erasmus+ programmes; considers that indebtedness has a negative impact only th~~ree banks in France and Spain participating in this innovative tool~~e personal development and integration in the labour market; inclusive and widely available grants must be provided so that no student is excluded on account of not having sufficient income; requests the Commission to expand the system of mobility grants to cover students, regardless of their socio- economic background, wishing to take their Master’s degree in another participating country;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Believes that education is a fundamental human right and a public good, regrets that growing inequality within and between Member States are making access to the programme difficult as they create barriers for applicants, especially for students with a lower income, people with disabilities and learners from remote regions, calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure gender equality and equal access to the programmes;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Encourages the Commission to ~~continue~~strengthen its efforts towards an open, consultative and transparent way of working and to further improve its cooperation with ~~partners~~the social partners and the civil society (including, where appropriate, associations of parents, students, teachers, non-teaching staff and youth organisations) at all levels of implementation;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Calls for ~~further~~ improvement of the relevant IT tools and for the focus to be put on streamlining and improving connections between the different tools rather than developing new ones;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Welcomes the introduction of two types of strategic partnerships as a first and important positive step towards increasing the chances for small-sized organisations to participate in the programme; calls on the Commission to make ~~further~~ improvements in order to ~~include more~~ensure access to small-sized organisations in programme activities;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote VET programmes, points out that traineeship and internship systems are a formative opportunity that do not substitute full time professional positions, they must guarantee dignified working conditions and adequate pay for apprentices and in no instance should the competences attributed to beneficiaries be replaced by those proper to an employee;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)

21b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to validate and recognise formal and non-formal learning and apprenticeships;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2327(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS, Tania GONZÁLEZ PEÑAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls ~~not only for~~on the Commission to increase the current budget level ~~to be secured~~ for the next programme generation under the new MFF, ~~but~~and considers this a further budget increase to be an important step for the continued success of the programme;

2016/10/24
Committee: CULT

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas this region constitutes an interconnected macro-region with environmental, biodiversity-loss, climate- change and melting-of-glaciers, demographic, transport, tourism and energy-related issues, and whereas coordinated territorial planning could produce better results and added value for territorial cohesion of Alpine ~~and peri-Alpine~~ areas;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Insists that local and regional authorities, together with local and regional civil society, should have a leading role in the ~~political~~ managing bodies and in the operational, technical and implementing bodies of the Strategy, in full respect of the principles of subsidiarity and multi-level governance;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Draws attention to the lack of effective, non-polluting connections within mountain areas; urges the Commission and the Member States to facilitate ~~better~~clean, low-carbon connections at local level in order to enhance cohesion and quality of life in these areas and encourage resettlement;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Encourages all local and regional authorities to increase the number of pedestrian-only mountain resorts;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4

The environment, biodiversity, climate change and energy

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Condemns all practices which involve the indiscriminate mass slaughter of certain emblematic wild Alpine species;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Underlines the urgent need to develop new strategies to combat air pollution ~~and climate change~~ in the peri-Alpine regions;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Stresses the importance of supporting the development of the most efficient renewable energies in the region, from hydro through solar and wind to the sustainable use of forest wood and to promote the development of new forms of renewable energy that are specific to the Alps;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. ~~Calls~~Expresses concern at the profound changes taking place throughout the Alps as a result of climate change and the large-scale melting of glaciers; calls for a wide-ranging transnational plan to combat the melting of glaciers and climate change throughout the Alps; calls also for the further strengthening of the collaboration and work done in the framework of the World Glacier Monitoring Service, in view of the recent decisions of the COP21 conference in Paris and the strategy to be followed thereafter;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Stresses that the alpine regions have a major role to play in the functioning of water systems; stresses that mountain water sources should be protected as stringently as possible; points out that water is a public commodity and that its management should not be privatised at any level;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2324(INI)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Calls on the participating countries to continue their efforts to diversify energy supply sources and to develop the renewable sources available, such as solar and wind energy, within the energy production mix; underlines the sustainability and competitiveness of hydropower plants; stresses, however, that the installation of hydropower plants frequently triggers major geological and environmental changes that could even cause large rivers such as the Rhône to sink into their own beds; calls on the participating countries to contribute to the setting-up of well-functioning electricity infrastructure networks in the macro- region;

2016/04/27
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses the importance of the EU acknowledging Protocol No 26 TFEU on Services of General Interest;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Is concerned that the competences of local and regional authorities (LRAs), which are responsible for a large share of public investment under the EU’s cohesion policy and are also actively involved in the delivery of key public services across the territory, will be limited by TiSA, thus reducing their ability to foster local and regional development, to guarantee the provision of high-quality universal services in urban areas as well as in remote regions and to protect the general interest of their citizens;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Opposes any encroachment on the discretionary power of LRAs with regard to services, as laid down in Article 14 of the TFEU and Protocol N°26 of the TFEU, especially through provisions on domestic regulation, ~~standstill~~‘regulatory cooperation’, standstill, safeguard and ratchet clauses, as well as provisions on public procurement; calls, therefore, on the Commission to fully exclude public services, both publicly and privately funded, from the TiSA negotiations and to further strengthen flexibilities on the enforcement of commitments at local level, as laid down in GATS Article 1.3;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls for the establishment of a ‘positive list’ of those services and service sectors to be covered by the TiSA, instead of a ‘negative list’ of spheres excluded from the agreement;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Considers that the TiSA should impose only minimum standards and that the right to adopt and implement better standards should not be restricted, and calls for the country of destination principle to be upheld where standards for the provision of services differ;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. opposes any encroachment on the sovereignty of the Member States and their local and regional authorities in the spheres of, inter alia, education, culture, theatre, libraries, museums, urban planning and landscaping, labour protection, environmental protection, data protection, social welfare and public health care, water supply, waste disposal, consumer standards, public procurement provisions and licensing;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)

5d. Welcomes the explicit exclusion of audiovisual services from the negotiations, and calls for cultural services to be excluded likewise, in particular in the public and not-for-profit sectors, and advocates protection of cultural and linguistic diversity, paying particular attention to the interests of minorities, on the basis of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 e (new)

5e. Points out that it is not feasible to apply the principle of reciprocal market access for companies run by municipalities or regional authorities owing to their embeddedness in their own locality;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 f (new)

5f. Opposes restrictions to cross- subsidisation of undertakings or services under the same local authority where they exceed the restrictions existing under EU and national law;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 g (new)

5g. Rejects necessity tests and the inclusion of vague legal concepts such as ‘unnecessary’ and ‘inappropriate’;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 h (new)

5h. Calls for a revision clause to be included in the agreement, so that decisions on liberalisation of a service can be reversed at any time;

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2233(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. URecalls that not only is the obligation to provide consistent, high-quality public services an integral part of the European social model, but so is the right of citizens to exercise democratic control over said services, and thus urges the Commission to involve and consult LRAs – alongside economic and social partners and civil society organisations – in the context of the TiSA negotiations as they will be the ones most affected.

2015/10/21
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Invites~~Calls on the Member States to provide additional support and guidance to smaller and less developed localities which often have limited resources and capacity and for which the administrative burden and complexity related to the implementation of these tools may be overwhelming;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Encourages the Member States to increase the use of CLLD and ITI and to allow more flexible rules in areas referred to in Article 174 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, such as islands, mountainous ~~and rural~~, rural and cross- border regions;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Recalls that CLLDs can be organised to ensure delegation of responsibility to the LAGs from either Managing Authorities or Regional or Local Delivery Bodies in a manner proportionate to a LAG's capacity, with its decisions being inclusive, transparent and accountable;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Highlights the fundamental importance of a non-discriminatory and transparent approach and of minimising potential conflicts of interest; welcomes, furthermore, the participation of a wide range of partners in LAGs; emphasises, however, that the provision whereby public authorities cannot hold more than 49% of voting rights in LAGs, as provided for in the current legislative framework, may in certain situations impede the implementation of CLLD since the other interest groups involved might lack the adequate expertise and resources; asks the Commission to closely monitor and assess the implementation of this provision in order to detect regions where these requirements can pose particular problems, and possibly provide future recommendations, including the circumstances in which exceptions may be beneficial;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Notes that ITIs concern any geographical area: urban neighbourhoods, urban areas, metropolitan areas, urban-rural, sub- regional or inter-regional, cross-border and territories with specific geographic features; stresses that urban ITIs should not be privileged nor take priority over other types of ITI at EU State level as ITIs are tools for all geographical areas;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Stresses that the early involvement of local governments in the territorial development strategy, leading from the bottom up, is key for the future ownership, participation and success of the integrated territorial strategy that will be implemented at the local level; asks for a greater delegation of management of ITIs that empowers sub-regional actors (local/urban stakeholders) by ensuring their involvement and ownership of programme preparation and implementation;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Asks the Commission and Member States to make greater use of ITIs in the field of cross-border cooperation;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Asks the Commission to take into account the results of the Committee of the Regions' survey, 2015, making more efficient use of IT tools and creating less paperwork, introducing more flexible rules for countries/regions with very low allocations, improving the co-financing mechanisms in the Member States and providing more training to those responsible for the management and absorption of funds, including elected politicians;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2224(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. ~~Recomme~~Demands that the bottom-up approach in the context of ITI is formalised in the next generation of cohesion policy;

2015/12/17
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Notes that 2014 was the first year of the new programming period and that the relevant regulatory framework and implementing guidelines were adopted with a substantial delay; emphasises that the Member States and the regions have accordingly been subject to time constraints when launching new projects, which may potentially have resulted in misapplication of the revised rules;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Notes that the main source of errors affecting expenditure under the heading of economic, social and territorial cohesion, which account for almost half of the estimated error rate, continues to be infringements of EU public procurement rules, and that compliance with these rules by the Member States and their enforcement by the Commission is essential in order to eliminate the risk of corruption or nepotism; emphasises, however, that the EU procurement rules and their interpretation should explicitly allow and encourage tender clauses which seek to promote high standards in terms of workers' rights, gender equality, environmental protection and support for groups that are disadvantaged on the labour market;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Notes that the authorities in the Member States have sufficient information at their disposal to prevent or detect a substantial portion of quantifiable errors in transactions and to correct these errors before applying for reimbursement from the Commission; calls, therefore, on the Managing Authorities and the Intermediate Bodies in the Member States to step up their efforts to eliminate any shortcomings in connection with 'primary controls';

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Calls on the Commission, the Member States and the regional authorities to ensure that beneficiaries are provided with consistent information about funding conditions, particularly concerning the eligibility of expenditure and the relevant ceilings for reimbursement;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that the implementation of Cohesion Policy in Member States involves substantial national procedures and rules, which constitute an additional layer and in turn lead to irregularities; calls on the Commission to contribute to simplification of implementation at the level of Member States and to take account of the proposals set out in the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 26 November 2015, 'Towards simplification and performance orientation in cohesion policy 2014-2020’;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Considers that administrative capacity is essential for regular and efficient use of European Structural and Investment Funds and calls on the Commission and Member States to reinforce the exchange of knowledge and good practices, in particular for potential beneficiaries with fewer administrative and financial capacities;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Notes the Court's views that there is a weak focus on results and that the Europe 2020 Strategy goals are not systematically translated into operational targets in the partnership agreements, and calls on the Commission to provide details on these issues in the context of the reporting on the outcome of the negotiations, due at the end of 2015; recalls that the main goal of the Cohesion Policy, which accounts for the bulk of EU expenditure, is economic, social and territorial cohesion, and that this goal cannot be quantified solely on the basis of short-term economic indicators;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Reiterates its concern at the payment backlog and its repercussions on the ability of a number of Member States to mobilise and utilise EU funds; invites the Commission to propose concrete and effective measures aimed in particular at helping Member States which are currently in a difficult economic and financial situation to overcome capacity constraints in respect of funding uptake, for example by increasing the Commission's budget for start-up financing;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Reiterates its concern at the payment backlog, which amounts to EUR 17 billion of outstanding commitments; calls on the Commission to ensure compliance with the payment plan adopted on 18 November 2015, and at the same time to avoid any delays in respect of approvals and payments for projects in the current programming period;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2154(DEC)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)

6c. Regrets the delays in implementation of the Youth Employment Initiative in 2014 and the lack of any commitment appropriations for this programme beyond December 2015; reiterates that reducing youth unemployment remains a key political priority for all parties, and reaffirms its commitment to making the best possible use of the budgetary resources available, especially in view of the high take-up rate for the YEI; recalls the joint declaration of 18 November 2015 by Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the Youth Employment Initiative; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the relevant lessons are learned from the YEI evaluation and, within the framework of the mid-term review of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework, to commit to the prompt examination of specific proposals aimed at guaranteeing continuation of the initiative through to 2020;

2015/12/16
Committee: REGI

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Stresses that extensively ensuring net neutrality is a key part of a socially-just DSM strategy and should therefore not be partially sacrificed for the goal, necessary in the short term, of abolishing roaming fees;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Supports, from a cultural perspective, the Commission’s aim of hastening the roll-out of broadband, particularly in rural areas, and calls for the promotion of public WLAN networks in both large and small municipalities, as this approach provides an indispensable infrastructure for their future operation in the interests of social and cultural integration, modern educational and information processes, and tourism and the regional cultural economy;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Welcomes the Commission’s approach of prohibiting geo-blocking and restrictions on portability;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)

4d. Considers there is a need to stimulate an open debate between businesses, public institutions and consumers with a view to reaching a definitive conclusion on what constitutes ‘unjustified’ geo-blocking;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 e (new)

4e. Welcomes, particularly from a cultural sector perspective, the Commission’s efforts to reject restrictions on cross- border portability of content to which rights have been acquired;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 f (new)

4f. Stresses that the living diversity of languages and growing multilingualism form a crucial cultural basis of the European Digital Single Market; takes the view that digitally supporting the diversity of world – and specifically European – languages, increasing their accessibility and promoting and securing the relevant skills will be an essential precondition for enabling a Digital Single Market to develop in a socially sustainable way; considers therefore that, within a DSM strategy, more needs to be done on at least two levels to overcome analogue and digital ‘language blocking’;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 g (new)

4g. Proposes, therefore, that research into and development of multilingual translation software combining statistical, learning-based and machine language technologies should be more broadly promoted;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 h (new)

4h. Looks to the Commission, in the DSM strategy as elsewhere, to step up its efforts towards a productive interaction with multilingualism, so as to permit speedier implementation of the technological basis for the active protection and productive application of European multilingualism in education, film, cultural heritage, research and public administration, as well as in everyday working and business life;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 i (new)

4i. Welcomes the Commission’s thoughts on constructing new knowledge storage systems for the public sector by means of cloud technologies and text and data mining that are certified and secured under data protection law; takes the view that using such technologies in educational establishments, public libraries and archives calls for special training efforts in the library, archiving and documentation professions, and for corresponding multilingual accessibility for users;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 j (new)

4j. Proposes that efforts to enhance media skills should be permanently complemented by the teaching of wide- ranging internet skills, including knowledge about accessibility, source security and source tagging, data protection, developments in intellectual property rights and rights protection for one’s own content production;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 k (new)

4k. Urges that more efforts be made as part of the DSM strategy to verify the implementation of free and open software in educational establishments and public administration, as the accessibility and visibility of source codes enhances the resource-saving participation of the public authorities in decisions on the use of collaborative innovations; takes the view that more open software may make it possible to certify the digital skills of users, particularly within educational establishments;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2147(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 l (new)

4l. Calls for digital forms of collaborative work and communication – using and developing CC licences – to be taught and applied across national and linguistic borders in education and training and in public research establishments, and promoted in public procurement procedures;

2015/10/02
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the EU represents an immense richness of cultural, social and linguistic diversity; whereas, in this context, the shared values that hold together our societies, such as freedom, ~~fairness,~~ social justice, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, tolerance and solidarity, are crucial for Europe’s future;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Argues that a European Union approach should seek to promote a common understanding of intercultural and interfaithe issues by bringing together European and national politicians, local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, cultural workers, media professionals and academics;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Advocates that fostering an intercultural and interfaith approach in the educational field is, policy programmes that support youth activities, cultural and media sectors are needed in order to address and promote multiculturalism, integration and social cohesion;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Advocates that including cultural exchange in EU external relations and development policy ~~provides a tool~~is a meaningful and sustainable approach for conflict resolution, peacemaking and crisis prevention;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses that education and access to lifelong learning not only provide knowledge, skills and competences, but should also help learners to develop civic values and become active, responsible, open-minded members of society; recognises the importance of cooperation among all education stakeholders, including parents, families and associative structures;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Encourages the Member States to develop training, empowering educators to address all forms of discrimination and racism; notes that multilingual and multicultural experiences and skills of teachers must be paid more attention and be promoted systematically in this context;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Encourages the EU institutions to broaden their analysis of all forms of radicalisation and initiate new reflections on the nature and the processes of political violence;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Calls on the Member States to involve migrants, refugees, atheistic and faith communities in respectful and empowering integration processes, ensuring their participation in civic and cultural life by designing permanent mechanisms;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2139(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the Member States and the Commission to prevent ~~extremism and marginalis~~and counteract all forms of extremism, such as right-wing extremism, racism, anti-semitism, islamophobia and other forms of discrimination through community cohesion measures, involving a broad range of actors with the objectives of countering extremism and fostering community cohesion;

2015/10/28
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls that the fight against the sexual abuse of children needs a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach; insists, for that reason, that measures such as awareness raising, training and education for authorities, for parents, teachers, children and minors are just as essential in the fight against these crimes as assistance to victims, investigation of crimes and prosecution of offenders;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Underlines that the prevention 3. measures should cover technology related aspects in particular, with a view to ensuring a safer internet and digital literacy as well as media literacy; calls upon Member States to adopt provisions to apply measures of protection, such as encryption and parental control;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Calls on Commission and Member States to promote and support public policies, agencies, strategies and tools aimed at raising children's and young people's awareness on over-sexualisation by supporting approaches and structures such as: Safer Internet Centres and helplines, and involving children and minors as well as parents in the conception of tools and messages;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Emphasizes the role of parents in the prevention of sexual exploitation of children and minors, by setting guidelines, monitoring children's and minors internet and social media use and informing their children and minors on the dangers of child pornography;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3 c. Notes that the use of new technologies and the Internet is increasing and changing very rapidly and that children as well as minors are often exposed to new technologies;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)

3 d. Encourages the European Commission and Member States to facilitate access to public funds for NGOs to carry out prevention and educational activities regarding the sexual exploitation of children and minors online and child pornography, and to give to this matter greater public attention;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Reminds that sexual exploitation of children and minors starts before the spread of the network, therefore recalls that the online sexual exploitation of children and minors is a constantly evolving frightening phenomenon which parallels developments in technology; underlines that peer-to-peer and Darknet networks provide a high degree of anonymity and are therefore used for exchanging child sexual abuse material;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Recommends the European Commission and Member States to investigate the impact of the readily accessible online child pornography on children and minors, as a part of prevention in line with Article 23 of the Directive;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4 b. Encourage the media and advertising sectors to safeguard the dignity and innocence of children and minors in their productions, through co- regulatory mechanisms, internal codes of conduct and other voluntary action;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Recommends that blacklists of websites containing child pornography be prepared by national authorities and communicated to Internet service providers in order to remove the harmful or illegal contents; recommends also the sharing of such blacklists of websites among the Member States through enhanced cooperation with Europol and its European Cybercrime Centre, and with Interpol;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Asks to the Commission to start the consultations for the revision of the e- commerce directive (2000/31/EC) or to evaluate an alternative legislative framework in order to set a proper mechanism to monitor Information society services such as video-sharing platforms which currently do not have editorial responsibility, thus better protecting minors from child pornography and online phishing; reminds the European Commission that restrictions on online content are to be grounded in the law, well-defined, proportionate, legitimate, pursuing a clear aim; recalls therefore any mechanism set by the European Commission to monitor such services as video-sharing platforms should be limited to protect minors from pornography and online phishing;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Urges the European Commission and Member States to promote initiatives raising awareness of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and minors, especially in connection to the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, established by the Council of Europe;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6 b. Invites the European Commission to take into account the decisions of the Council of Europe, with special regards to the Recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) 2092 (2016) on Fighting the over-sexualisation of children;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Urges the Member States to make it mandatory for Internet service providers (ISP) to report and remove child sexual abuse material detected in their infrastructure to law enforcement authorities and calls on the ISPs to preserve evidence;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Urges Member States to introduce in their legislation mandatory ~~background checks~~Extended Police Clearance Certificate for persons applying or volunteering for activities or jobs relating to children and to systematically exchange information on individuals posing a risk to children;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Notes that about half of the Member States have chosen to apply – besides measures aimed at the prompt removal of web pages containing child sexual abuse material in accordance with Article 25 (1) – measures which are optional under Article 25 (2) of the Directive to block access to websites containing or disseminating child pornography; notes that removal of the illegal and harmful content is a valid way on combating the sexual exploitation of children, minors and child pornography;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2129(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA, Nikolaos CHOUNTIS, Curzio MALTESE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11

11. Calls on the Member States to ~~accelerate~~work, in cooperation with the internet industry, on the notice and take-down procedures.; with the aim of providing adequate safeguards, in particular to ensure that the interference is limited to what is necessary and proportionate, and include the possibility of judicial redress;

2017/05/12
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas ~~valuable efforts of~~ this intergovernmental initiative~~, carried out in close cooperation with academia, have been made to provide a common European response to serious problems in many countries~~ met the opposition of a big part of the university community; whereas a lot of mobilisations took place all around Europe against the reforms linked to the Bologna Process and the liberalisation of higher education; whereas these reforms were unable to provide a common European response to serious problems in many countries especially concerning the access to higher education and the struggle against youth unemployment;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas an assessment is needed of the progress and the failures made over the past 15 years that takes into account both the success story, in terms of intra-regional cooperation, and the persistent problems encountered and the uneven achievements of the stated goals;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Stresses the important role of the Bologna Process in the creation of a Europe of Knowledge~~Is aware of the role the Bologna Process has in the creation of a Europe of Knowledge; however highlights the need for consultation within the higher education community (teachers, students and non-teaching workers) in order to understand the opposition to reforms linked with the Bologna Process and to build a new strategy on higher education guaranteeing public education that is free and accessible to all and that responds to the needs of society;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that the Bologna reforms resulted in the launching of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA), and have allowed significant achievements in the past 15 years in making higher education structures more comparable, increasing mobility, adjusting educational systems to labour market needs, and improving overall employability and competitiveness as well as the attractiveness of higher education in Europe;deleted

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the EHEA countries to implement the commonly agreed reforms aimed at hastening the achievement of the Bologna Process goals, and to support those countries encountering difficulties in implementing these reforms; supports, in this regard, the creation of broad partnerships between countries;deleted

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Highlights the importance of preserving the diversity of teaching, including the diversity of languages; urges the Member States to freeze the inscription fees especially in this period of crisis, to massively increase the student grants, and to ensure that these grants are easily accessible;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Expresses concern for the impact the EFSI will have on higher education and research considering the fact that 500 million euros is to be taken from Horizon 2020 over the next 5 years; proposes that any profit that might be generated over and above the guarantee fund is reimbursed to the budget line of programmes like Horizon 2020 that will inevitably be affected by the investment plan; calls for a mechanism to be put in place to ensure that these programmes that were funded under Horizon 2020 and that have now lost funding will be given particular priority if and when applying to the EFSI for the purpose of research and development;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Calls for more flexible learning paths that ~~promot~~include joint degree programmes and interdisciplinary studies, and that support innovation, creativity, vocational education and training (VET), dual education, and entrepreneurship in higher education, and calls for the potential offered by new technologies and digitalisation to be explored;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Calls on HEIs, public administrations, social partners and enterprises to lead an on-going dialogue facilitating and enhancing employability; however is totally opposed to the involvement of firms in the administration councils of universities and in the implementation of school programmes including through the ECTS system; reiterates the fact that education needs to be a public service that is accessible to all;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/2039(INI)

Liadh NÍ RIADA, Martina MICHELS, Curzio MALTESE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Notes that the dialogue between public administrations and enterprises did not reduce the problem of youth unemployment and in a lot of cases created even more problems; points out that these practices led to a lack of investment from Member States in higher education leading to the privatisation of big sectors of education and research and to the submission of different school curricula to private interest;

2015/03/04
Committee: CULT

2015/0284(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2 a (new)

(2a) As part of a further harmonisation copyright law, the Union and Member States should develop new forms of transnational European licences in the future. These would not constitute a loss of revenue for either creators or for right holders and would protect the expression of cultural and linguistic diversity across the Union. The use of online content services in the Union should be fairly regulated for creators, right holders and users.

2016/05/17
Committee: CULT

2015/0284(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)

(12a) As portability applies to previously acquired online content, it should be understood as an essential component of cross-border access. Therefore, the objective of this Regulation is also to ensure cross-border access for private and public users such as libraries and educational and cultural projects and institutions that need to access online content while being present in another Member State.

2016/05/17
Committee: CULT

2015/0284(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 a (new)

(23a) In order to enable cross-border portability of online content services, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of establishing a non-exhaustive list of means for the verification of the subscriber's Member State of residence, prepared and drawn up in consultation with all relevant experts, including small right holders and consumers' rights organisations. Such verification means should be the most appropriate in the relevant Member State and equivalent amongst Member States. This list may, for example, include a confirmed installation of a set top box, a local home bank account, a local electoral role or tax paying confirmation. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making1a. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. __________________ 1a OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1.

2016/05/17
Committee: CULT

2015/0284(COD)

Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point b

(b) "Consumer" means any natural person ~~who, in contracts covered by this Regulation, is acting for purposes which are outside his or her trade, business, craft or profess~~or any non-profit educational or cultural institution or project, in contracts covered by this Regulation;

2016/05/17
Committee: CULT

2015/0009(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Martina ANDERSON

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2

(2) Comprehensive action is required to reverse the vicious circle created by a lack of investment. ~~Structural reforms and fiscal responsibility are necessary preconditions for stimulating investment. Along with a~~A renewed impetus towards investment financing~~, these preconditions~~ can contribute to establishing a virtuous circle, where investment projects help support employment and ~~demand and lead to a sustained increase in~~ growth potential.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4

(4) Throughout the economic and financial crisis, the Union has ~~made efforts to promote growth, in particular through initiatives set out in~~initiated the Europe 2020 strategy that ~~put in place~~sets up an approach for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The capital of the European Investment Bank ('EIB') has ~~also strengthened its role in instigating and promoting investment within the Union, partly by way of an increase in capital~~increased in January 2013. Further action is required to ensure that the investment needs of the Union and that the achievement of the social, economic and territorial cohesion of the Union are addressed and that the liquidity available on the market is used efficiently and channelled towards the funding of viable investment projects taking into account the reduction of the gap between the different levels of economic development of the regions and Member States of the Union.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10) The purpose of the EFSI should be to strengthen social, economic and territorial cohesion and to help resolve the difficulties in financing and implementing productive investments in the Union and to ensure increased access to financing. It is intended that increased access to financing should be of particular benefit to small and medium enterprises. It is also appropriate to extend the benefit of such increased access to financing to mid- cap companies, which are companies having up to 3000 employees. Overcoming Europe's current investment difficulties should contribute to strengthening the Union's economic, social and territorial cohesion.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16

(16) The EFSI should target investments that are expected to be economically, socially, environmentally and technically viable, which may entail a degree of appropriate risk, whilst still meeting the particular requirements for EFSI financing.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17

(17) Decisions on the use of the EFSI support for infrastructure and large mid- cap projects should be made by an Investment Committee. The Investment Committee should be composed of independent experts who are knowledgeable and experienced in the areas of investment projects. The Investment Committee should be accountable to a Steering Board of the EFSI, who should supervise the fulfilment of the EFSI's ~~objectives~~. The Steering Board of the EFSI should be accountable to the European Parliament. To effectively benefit from the experience of the EIF, the EFSI should support funding to the EIF to allow the EIF to undertake individual projects in the areas of small and medium enterprises and small mid-cap companies.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31

(31) Within the Union, there are a significant number of potentially viable projects, in particular in less developed, outermost, remote and transition regions that are not being financed due to a lack of certainty and transparency with respect to such projects. Often, this is because private investors are not aware of the projects or have insufficient information to make an assessment of the investment risks. The Commission and the EIB, with support from the Member States, should promote the creation of a transparent pipeline of current and future investment projects in the Union suitable for investment. This 'project pipeline' should ensure that information is made publicly available regarding investment projects on a regular and structured basis to ensure that investors have reliable information on which to base their investment decisions.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34

(34) To ensure accountability to European citizens, the EIB should regularly report to the European Parliament ~~and the Council~~, the Council, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee on the progress and impact of the EFSI.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2

The purpose of the EFSI shall be to strengthen social, economic and territorial cohesion and to support investments in the Union and to ensure increased access to financing for companies having up to 3000 employees, with a particular focus on small and medium enterprises, through the supply of risk bearing capacity to the EIB ('EFSI Agreement').

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)

(d a) the methodology to ensure a balanced and equitable distribution of investments and that adequately address the investment needs in all categories of regions as defined in the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR);

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1

2. For as long as the only contributors to the EFSI are the Union and the EIB, the number of members and votes within the Steering Board shall be allocated based on the respective size of contributions in the form of cash or guarantees. Additional members and votes within the Steering Board shall be granted to the European Parliament and to the European Council.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2

The Investment Committee shall be composed of six independent experts and the Managing Director. Independent experts shall have a high level of relevant market experience in project finance and of public investment experience. They shall be appointed by the Steering Board for a renewable fixed term of three years.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. The Steering Board of the EFSI is accountable to the European Parliament and to the European Council, who supervise its compliance to EFSI's objectives and EU's social, economic and territorial cohesion objectives, while ensuring the full safeguard of public interest.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1

2. The EU guarantee shall be granted for EIB financing and investment operations approved by the Investment Committee referred to in Article 3(5) or funding to the EIF in order to conduct EIB financing and investment operations in accordance with Article 7(2). The operations concerned shall be consistent with Union policies, with Articles 174 and 309 TFEU and support any of the following general objectives:

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point a

(a) development of infrastructure, including in the areas of transport, particularly in industrial centres and in remote regions; public interest investments; energy, in particular energy interconnections and renewable energy; and digital infrastructure;

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Martina ANDERSON

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b

(b) investment ~~in education and training~~prioritising public-led investments in education and training, social inclusion, fight against poverty, health, research and development, information and communications technology ~~and innovation;~~ , cultural industry, innovation, and maritime economy;

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d

(d) infrastructure projects in the environmental, natural resources, urban development ~~and~~, social fields and maritime economy;

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 4

4. Provided that all relevant eligibility criteria are fulfilled and that the principle of additionality of EFSI is guaranteed while prioritising public interest, Member States may use European Structural and Investment Funds to contribute to the financing of eligible projects in which the EIB is investing with the support of the EU guarantee.

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part

2. The EIB, in cooperation with the EIF as appropriate, shall report annually to the European Parliament ~~and to the Council~~, the Council, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee on EIB financing and investment operations. The report shall be made public and include:

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2015/0009(COD)

Martina ANDERSON, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point a

(a) an assessment of EIB financing and investment operations at operation, sector, country and regional levels and their compliance with this Regulation and with Articles 175 and 309 TFEU, together with an assessment of the allocation of EIB financing and investment operations between the objectives in Article 5(2);

2015/03/06
Committee: REGI

2014/2256(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Highlights the need for a common definition of ‘public domain’ so as to ensure the widespread dissemination of cultural content across the EUnion while having a balanced approach between rights of users and authors;

2015/03/06
Committee: CULT

2014/2256(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses that a fair remuneration of authors and creators is key to support Union cultural contents and to ensure effective freedom to create; underlines however that interests of intermediaries and rightholders are not equivalent to author's interests and urges therefore the Commission to explore new legal solutions with the objective of strenghtening the contractual position of authors and creators regarding rightholders;

2015/03/06
Committee: CULT

2014/2256(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that ~~embedding and~~ linking should not be considered acts of communication to the public and thus should not be subject to Article 3 of the directive;

2015/03/06
Committee: CULT

2014/2256(INI)

Curzio MALTESE, Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Urges for the establishment of mandatory limitations and exceptions to copyright, ~~at least~~ with regard to the most important exceptions, such as those in the field of education, research and libraries, to allow for the more widespread dissemination of cultural content across the EUnion;

2015/03/06
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point a

(a) ensure, via a general clause in the agreement, in full compliance with the ~~GATS and the~~ UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and fully respecting Member States' practices, that the parties to the agreement reserve the right to adopt or maintain any measure (in particular of a regulatory and/or financial nature) with respect to the protection or promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity, media pluralism and media freedom, and to preserve or develop, in accordance with the principle of technological neutrality, a regime for audiovisual services in line with democratic, social and cultural requirements;

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point b

(b) reaffirm that services with a ~~strong~~ cultural component will not be challenged by the TTIP agreement; remain concerned about the GATS being the basis of regulation for cultural aspects in the TTIP agreement as a lot of cultural services are covered by the commercial services provision;

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)

(ba) fully respect the negotiating mandate, understood as excluding audiovisual services, including those provided online and to not include these services in other provisions, including those concerning investment, telecommunications and e- commerce;

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point b b (new)

(bb) consider the preservation of the cultural diversity as a complement to the exclusion of audiovisual services and not as an alternative; as both concepts of "cultural exception" and "cultural diversity" do not grant enough judicial guarantee to protect culture and audiovisual services;

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)

(ca) ensure that the current reform of copyright and Intellectual Property right avoids reducing the freedom of access to cultural production for citizens. In this view, it should not fall into the scope of TTIP-negotiations. Copyright should protect authors and European creation - as well as it includes exceptions for individual and institutional users like libraries, schools, Universities and Institutions for non-formal art and educations (like fair use) - and not been subjected to any attempt of control by huge transnational companies;

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point c b (new)

(cb) protect cultural production from being subject to secret trade implementation, considering that the implementation of trade secrets in the US is different and more extensive than the European one, where it exists;

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point d

(d) ~~ensure with a general clause the right to adopt or maintain any measure with regard to the provision of all educat~~Does not affect the English version. (NB: This amendment applies only to the German version. The English version al ~~services which receive public funding or state support in any form and ensure that privately funded foreign providers meet the same quality and accreditation requirements as domestic providers;~~ready makes it clear that not only schooling but also non-formal education is covered, whereas the German version suggests the opposite.)

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2228(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point g

(g) refrain from introducing ~~the~~any kind of ISDS system in the agreement that would challenge in the same court States and investors, bearing in mind that the parties to the agreement have fully developed legal systems and procedures.

2015/03/10
Committee: CULT

2014/2224(BUD)

Neoklis SYLIKIOTIS, Takis HADJIGEORGIOU, Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS, Sofia SAKORAFA, Emmanouil GLEZOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses that the research and innovation programmes of the EU, a fundamental pillar of growth strategy, should support social development and resolve problems of the European Union such as poverty and social exclusion;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Neoklis SYLIKIOTIS, Takis HADJIGEORGIOU, Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS, Sofia SAKORAFA, Emmanouil GLEZOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Stresses that the EU Budget must promote social development and cohesion over austerity, wage reductions and distortion of social fabric in countries under adjustment programmes;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS, Emmanouil GLEZOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)

3d. Highlights that the EU austerity policies have created a downward pressure on real wages in Member States and that this will prolong the economic and social crisis; underlines that the EU budget should be used to underpin efforts to increase real wages as well as to fight social-dumping in the Member States;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS, Emmanouil GLEZOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 e (new)

3e. Notes with concern that, while the proposed level of payment appropriations will be mainly dedicated to covering outstanding commitments and the winding down of programmes while at same time most of the instruments have seen their scopes increased (e.g.: Fund for most deprived), the Commission declares that the payments backlog will continue to grow above the EUR 23,4 billion already reached at the end of 2013, even with DAB 3/2014 adoption;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS, Sofia SAKORAFA, Emmanouil GLEZOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls for the end of the mechanisms introduced by the new CPR such as the macroeconomic conditionalities and the performance reserve, which could punish local and regional authorities in a budgetary context they are not responsible for;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Recalls that instruments such as the ESF, the ERDF, the Cohesion Fund or the Youth Employment Initiative are of particular importance during a crisis, and that the first victims of payment decrease are always the weaker stakeholders, such as Member States with budgetary constraints, local and regional authorities, outermost regions, SMEs, NGOs, social partners;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Recalls that EU funds, including research grants from the Commission, shall not fund military projects; stresses that the concept of dual-use technology shall not be used as a loophole to fund projects with a de facto military aim such as drones for high-tech warfare and security surveillance;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS, Sofia SAKORAFA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Notes with concern the clear statement of the 6th Cohesion Report that regional disparities widened in particular during the crisis years 2008-2011, meaning that efforts of cohesion policy will have to be significantly increased in order to reach the goals of economic, social and territorial cohesion as stipulated in Article 174 TFEU;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Notes that 2015 will be the second year of implementation of the new ESI funds cycle; underscores the need for sufficient commitment and payment appropriations in order to ensure that the programmes reach the intended number of beneficiaries and thus impact;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Marisa MATIAS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Recalls that, according to Article 310 TEUF, the revenue and expenditure shown in the EU budget shall be in balance;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2224(BUD)

Marisa MATIAS, Martina MICHELS, Sofia SAKORAFA, Emmanouil GLEZOS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Insists on the need to enhance its support for the Middle East Peace Process and its determination to ensure the adequate amount of funding to UNRWA and the Palestinian Authority by increasing the level of commitment appropriations to EUR 300 million in payments and to increase it up to EUR 300 million in commitments in order to provide sufficient resources to ease the dramatic humanitarian situation and to support the efforts of reconstruction in the Gaza strip; is astonished that the Council has once again reduced the DB payment appropriations for UNRWA and the Palestinian Authority without clear justification; considers this line under- budgeted already in the DB;

2014/12/12
Committee: BUDG

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas cities, towns and the larger functional urban areas should become the social pillars in order to combat poverty, support social cohesion and promote the creation of full-rights jobs all over the EU;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas cities, towns and the larger functional urban areas are responsible for the biggest proportion of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the EU ;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas there is an immediate need to tackle the emergence of ghettos phenomenon, social exclusion and different types of discrimination in many European cities and urban areas;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas functional urban areas receive the bigger flows of international immigration, thus there is an instant need for the creation of the conditions for their fair economic and social inclusion and for cultural integration;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)

Dc. whereas the consequences of the financial crisis and the implications of austerity policies around Europe has deteriorated the well-being and the quality of life of the majority of the people living in urban areas and has increased the disparities between European regions;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)

Dd. whereas in cities, towns and functional urban areas there is an increase of the homelessness phenomenon while at the same time several buildings remain unused;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital D e (new)

De. whereas improving the quality and accessibility of public utilities and services is the most efficient way to increase the quality of life of the entire population living in cities, town and urban areas;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas the depopulation of rural areas and its consequent negative impacts is also a challenge that should be met by EU policies;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Recital M a (new)

Ma. whereas the EU2020 Strategy failed to meet its targets and must be reoriented in a different direction, promoting social and economic justice;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Believes that a European Urban Agenda should be fully in line with the EU’'s overall objectives and strategy, particularly ~~Europe 2020~~social and economic sustainable development and cohesion; stresses that administrative borders are becoming less and less pertinent when trying to address development challenges at local level; believes, therefore, that the European Urban Agenda should be inclusive and take into account the diversity of territorial entities in the EU, especially the rural- urban linkages concerning those services that functional urban areas provide for their surrounding countryside and even the entire region, such as public utilities, access to public educational and cultural institutions, infrastructure and transport;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission to apply a more place-based integrated territorial approach when conceptualising new policy initiatives aimed at urban areas, in order to ensure consistency and to empower towns, cities and larger functional urban areas to deliver the ~~Europe 2020~~ objectives of smart, sustainable and inclusive ~~growth~~social and economic development;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Stresses that budgetary cuts in the Member States and liberalization commitments, may have a negative impact on local financial resources; calls therefore, for the adoption of social and sustainability objectives as a prefix in EU policies and in fiscal consolidation;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to make full use of the regulatory framework to create synergies between, on the one hand, EU subsidised programmes (such as LIFE, Horizon 2020, Intelligent Energy Europe, etc.) and cohesion policy, and, on the other hand, national public financial instruments~~, and to blend these, to the greatest possible extent, with private financial instruments in order to obtain the greatest leverage effect of invested public money~~;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Urges the Commission to ~~develop~~suggest elements for a new model of multi-level governance, combining formal governmental structures with informal flexible governance structures that correspond to the new realities, such as of the digitalised ‘network’ society, and ~~which~~desirable as well as negative processes and challenges that follow globalisation that is adapted to the scale at which the challenges exist~~, a~~; such model ~~which~~or elements shall help improves multi-level cooperation, both vertical and horizontal, with governmental and non-governmental actors at local, regional, national and European level, thus bringing government closer to the citizens and improving the democratic legitimacy of the European project; recommends that ~~this~~such model become the working method of the future European Urban Agenda after being agreed on by all relevant stakeholders;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Believes that in order for the European Urban Agenda to be an effective tool it should be a shared and regularly updated conceptual framework with a thematic focus on a limited number of challenges in the larger context of the Europe 2020 goals of smart, inclusive and sustainable growth, with particular attention being given to social inclusion, demographic change and environmental sustainabilitkey challenges with particular attention being given to social inclusion, combatting poverty, migration, housing ,demographic change, provision of public services, environmental sustainability, combatting tax evasion and black market economy;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Asks the Commission to ~~appoint a special EU urban envoy to~~present proposals on the optimum monitoring and evaluateion of the practical implementation of such coordination by closely following the implementation of the ~~Europe 2020 strategy and the~~ territorial agenda of the EU in a horizontal (engaging all relevant policy sectors) and vertical (engaging all levels of government) manner; is of the opinion that the ~~special EU urban envoy~~se proposals should, with the help of the Commission’s Inter-service Group on ‘Urban Development’, ~~perform~~target at a systematic impact assessment of policy proposals, ensuring that the urban dimension of future legislation is adequately addressed;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2213(INI)

Martina MICHELS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Urges Member States to fully associate cities with and involve them in strategic policy development and programming (such as national reform programmes, partnership agreements and operational programmes); calls on the Member States to strengthen their exchange of experience on national programmes for urban development, which empowers cities to ~~deliver the Europe 2020 objectiv~~tackle the identified common challenges, by setting regular informal Council meetings of ministers in charge of urban development;

2015/03/26
Committee: REGI

2014/2155(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA, Younous OMARJEE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Notes that 321 irregularities reported as fraudulent and 4 672 reported as non- fraudulent were cohesion-policy related; recalls how important it is to differentiate non-fraudulent and fraudulent irregularities; points out that in both categories the number of reports increased by 15 % as compared to 2012 while the related amounts decreased; observes that, as in previous years, the largest share of amounts that involved irregularities in 2013 (63 %) is nonetheless still related to cohesion policy; notes also that for the first time cohesion policy was not the area of budgetary expenditure with the highest number of irregularities reported as fraudulent;

2014/11/17
Committee: REGI

2014/2155(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Notes that in order to effectively tackle irregularities, whether fraudulent or non- fraudulent, adequate resources need to be available particularly in relation to the administrative capacity thematic objective;

2014/11/17
Committee: REGI

2014/2155(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA, Younous OMARJEE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Recalls its deep concern regarding the unpaid bills of the EU; believes that this issue must be addressed when fighting irregularities;

2014/11/17
Committee: REGI

2014/2155(INI)

Martina ANDERSON, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ, Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Notes the large amounts of funding that are wasted and lost from EU Programmes due to non-fraudulent and fraudulent irregularities and that this is particularly deplorable given the current economic difficulties in EU Member States, cuts to the EU budget in 2014- 2020 period and the climate of austerity.

2014/11/17
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph - 1

-1. Notes that an integrated approach for cultural heritage for Europe is necessary for the contemporary processes of cultural dialogue and cultural mutual understanding between EU regions;

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph - 1 – a (new)

-1a. Notes that cultural heritage by nature is not a mere commodity, hence an integrated approach to cultural heritage for Europe cannot be based on a business as usual model;

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph - 1 – b (new)

-1b. Believes that unconditional private sector engagement in cultural heritage projects and the application of sole market-oriented criteria in this field, does not favour cultural heritage promotion in remote, poor and sparsely populated European regions;

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph - 1 – c (new)

-1c. Notes that the expansion of using cultural traditions, architecture and cultural history as a marketing issue drastically affects the blossom of unique regional cultures and customs, which in many occasions are the locomotives of local economies, by imposing a framework of standardized cultural models;

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph - 1 – d (new)

-1d. Notes that economic, social and territorial disparities, which were increased during the economic crisis, create inequalities in access to culture and cultural heritage sights among the citizens of EU regions;

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph - 1 – e (new)

-1e. Believes that culture and culture heritage are common and public goods and must be provided equitably, without exclusions and artificial barriers in order to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion;

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 – f (new)

-1f. Notes that an integrated approach to cultural heritage for Europe should mainstream social and territorial cohesion in all its dimensions and should support and enhance public and free profit-making projects;

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Notes that cultural heritage projects can contribute to the creation of new, innovative and high qualified jobs in the fields of museum restoration, public relations, research, cultural statistics and digitalization; and in addition to the required state and regional public funding; Notes that cultural heritage projects are often examples of innovative and sustainable economic activities which create jobs and develop the business and research capabilities of small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs);

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11

11. Welcomes the Commission proposal to introduce VALOR as the platform for the dissemination of project results, but calls on the Commission also to include in the platform examples of good practice taken from the cultural heritage projects carried out under the ERDF during the 2000-2006 and 2007-2013 programming periods; Calls on the Commission to introduce a communication platform in order to inform potential beneficiaries in an effective way about existing European funding lines for cultural heritage.

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2149(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Josu JUARISTI ABAUNZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Establish a European Year of Cultural heritage in the near future with an adequate budget.

2015/04/14
Committee: REGI

2014/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas films are both ~~economic and cultural~~cultural and economic goods which contribute greatly to the European economy in terms of growth and employment whilst helping shape European identities by reflecting cultural and linguistic diversity, promoting European cultures across borders and facilitating cultural exchange and mutual understanding among citizens;

2015/01/30
Committee: CULT

2014/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas European films are characterised by their quality, originality and diversity but suffer from limited promotion and distribution across the Union ~~whilst facing intens~~so that European forms of cinematic story-telling arouse too little international ~~competition~~interest;

2015/01/30
Committee: CULT

2014/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the diversity of European films reflecting the richness and strength of Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity means that the European film market is ~~natural~~permanently fragmented;

2015/01/30
Committee: CULT

2014/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Suggests that the development of cross- border portability of audiovisual services, taking account of the rapid growth of VOD and online transactions across the Union, could be further explored ~~as this would enable viewers~~with the creation of a copyright regulated at European level as this would enable viewers and public libraries, media libraries and public institutions involved in safeguarding film heritage to access films regardless of where they are;

2015/01/30
Committee: CULT

2014/2148(INI)

Martina MICHELS, Liadh NÍ RIADA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Calls on the Member States to redouble their efforts to improve media literacy, and in particular film literacy, in school curricula and cultural education establishments, and to develop initiatives at national, regional or local level in formal and informal education and training;

2015/01/30
Committee: CULT

2014/2040(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA, Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Is of the opinion that the amounts entered in the Draft Budget (DB) 2015 for heading 1b to cover the minimum needs and objectives of cohesion policy as set by the Union in the Treaty and in the policy legislative framework for 2014-2020 are insufficient; in all the communications from the European Commission on the execution of payments for Structural Funds the Commission clearly reports a EUR 23.4 billion deficit on the appropriations to cohesion programmes;

2014/09/05
Committee: REGI

2014/2040(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Notes with concern the clear statement of the 6th Cohesion Report that regional disparities widened in particular during the crisis years 2008-2011, meaning that efforts of cohesion policy will have to be significantly increased in order to reach the goals of economic, social and territorial cohesion as stipulated in Article 174 TFEU;

2014/09/05
Committee: REGI

2014/2040(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA, Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Notes that 2015 will be the second year of implementation of the new ESI funds cycle; underscores the need for sufficient commitment and payment appropriations in order to ensure that the programmes reach the intended number of beneficiaries and thus impact;

2014/09/05
Committee: REGI

2014/2040(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA, Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes with concern the decrease in payment appropriations under heading 1b by 5,0% to EUR 51 601,9 million over 2014, while the so-called increase in commitment appropriations of +3,6% stems mainly from the proposed mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument in 2015 to address the situation of Cyprus; recalls that instruments such as the ESF, the ERDF, the Cohesion Fund or the Youth Employment Initiative are of particular importance during a crisis, and that the first victims of payment decrease are always the weaker stakeholders, such as Member States with budgetary constraints, local and regional authorities, outermost regions, SMEs, NGOs, social partners;

2014/09/05
Committee: REGI

2014/2040(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA, Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes with concern that, while the proposed level of payment appropriations will be mainly dedicated to covering outstanding commitments and the winding down of programmes while at same time most of the instruments have seen their scopes increased (e.g.: Fund for most deprived), the Commission declares that the payments backlog will continue to grow a~~nd is expected to reach around~~bove the EUR 1823.4 billion already reached at the end of 20153, even if DAB No 3/2014 is approved;

2014/09/05
Committee: REGI

2014/2040(BUD)

Martina MICHELS, Ángela VALLINA, Younous OMARJEE, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Condemns mechanisms introduced by the new CPR such as the macroeconomic conditionalities and the performance reserve, which could punish local and regional authorities in a budgetary context they are not responsible for;

2014/09/05
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5

(5) Growing interdependency between labour markets calls for reinforced cooperation between employment services to bring about freedom of movement for all workers through voluntary and fair labour mobility within the Union in accordance with Article 46 (a) of the Treaty, and therefore a common framework for cooperation should be established between Member States and the Commission on labour mobility within the Union. This framework should bring together job vacancies from across the Union and the possibility of applying for those job vacancies ('clearance'), define the provision of related support services to workers and employers and provide for a common approach to share information necessary to facilitate said co-operation. Voluntary and fair labour mobility can only be achieved, however, by establishing demanding minimum social standards harmonised across the whole of the EU and a European minimum wage.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29

(29) The freedom of movement for workers and high levels of employment are closely linked and make it necessary for Member States to establish a European minimum wage, harmonise their social standards and develop mobility policies supporting a better functioning of labour markets in the Union. Member States' mobility policies should be considered as an integral part of their social and employment policies.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) the analysis of geographic and occupational mobility, endeavouring to reflect regional and/or local characteristics;

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d

(d) the monitoring and evaluation of EURES activity and its employment performance, in co-operation with EURES Members;, with particular attention to the regional and/or local dimension and, where appropriate, drawing up any proposals for improvement that it sees fit.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Younous OMARJEE, Martina MICHELS

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 6

6. Each Member State ensures that its National Coordination Office gets the staff and other resources necessary to carry out its tasks as defined under this Regulation, and properly represents the regional and/or local interests that exist within its territory.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

Activities of Martina MICHELS

Plenary speeches (26)

Shadow reports (20)

Opinions (2)

Shadow opinions (22)

Institutional motions (13)

Oral questions (4)

Written explanations (1)

Written questions (16)

Amendments (2338)