43 Amendments of Brando BENIFEI related to 2018/0230(COD)
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The solidarity activities offered to young people should be of high quality, in the sense that they should respond to uncontribute to the achievement of the objectives of the European Solidarity Corps and help overcomet societal needs, contribute to strechallenges, while addressing thening communities, offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and competences, be financially needs of local communities. Solidarity activities should offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable competences for personal, social, civic and professional development, include a solid learning and training dimension, be accessible to all young people, and be implemented in safe and healthy conditions. and be properly validated. Solidarity activities should not have a negative impact on existing jobs or traineeships and should contribute to reinforcing the corporate social responsibility commitments of companies, while not replacing them.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The European Solidarity Corps provides a single entry point for solidarity activities throughout the Union and beyond. Consistency and complementarity should be ensured with other relevant Union policies and, programmes and instruments. The European Solidarity Corps is built on the strengths and synergies of predecessor and existing programmes, notably the European Voluntary Service19 and the EU Aid Volunteers20. It also complements the efforts made by Member States to support young people and ease their school-to- work transition under schemes such as the Youth Guarantee 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, are also ensured. Furthermore, complementarity and loyal cooperation between the existing related schemes and the European Solidarity Corps should be fostered, in particular nationalwith solidarity schemes, volunteering, civic service and mobility schemes for young people, and the European Solidarity Corps should be ensured, building on good practices where appropriateoperating at national, regional or local level, as well as with priorities related to solidarity and youth in the participating countries, as appropriate, to mutually enhance and enrich the impact and qualities of such schemes and build upon good practices. The European Solidarity Corps should not substitute similar national solidarity, volunteering, civic service and mobility schemes. Equal access for all young people to national solidarity activities should be ensured. Partnerships with European networks which are specialised in certain urgent social problems should be encouraged. __________________ 19 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. 50–73). 20 Regulation (EU) No 375/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 establishing the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (‘EU Aid Volunteers initiative’) (OJ L 122, 24.4.2014, p. 1-17).
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The European Solidarity Corps opens up new opportunities for young people to carry out volunteering, traineeship or job activities in solidarity- related areas as well as to devise and develop solidarity projects based on their own initiative. These opportunities contributeshould help respond to unmet societal needs and contribute to strengthening communities while also contributing to enhancing their personal, educational, social, civic and professional development. The European Solidarity Corps also supports networking activities for European Solidarity Corps participants and organisations as well as measures to ensure the quality of the supported activities and to enhance the validation of their learning outcomes. It will thus also contribute to European cooperation relevant to young people and raising awareness of its positive impact. It should also contribute to supporting and strengthening existing organisations that implement solidarity actions.
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Volunteering activities (both within and beyond the Union) constitute a rich experience in a non-formal and informal learning context which enhances young people’s personal, socio-educational and professional development, active citizenship and employability. Volunteering should be based on a written volunteering agreement and volunteering activities should not have an adverse effect on potential or existing paid employment, nor should they be seen as a substitute for it. The Commission and the Member States should cooperate regarding volunteering policies in the youth field via the open method of coordination.
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Traineeships and jobs in solidarity- related areas cshould be clearly separated from volunteering, both from a financial and offer additional opportunities for young people to make a start on the labour market while contributing to addressing key societal challenges. This can help foster the employability and productivity of young people while easingrganizational point of view. Traineeships should never lead to job substitution. Paid traineeships and jobs, however, can represent an incentive for disadvantaged young people and young people with fewer opportunities to participate in solidarity-related activities that they might not otherwise be able to access. Traineeships can ease their transition of young people from education to employment and can help foster the employability of young people, which is key to enhancachieving their chances onsustainable integration into the labour market. The traineeships activitiend jobs offered under the European Solidarity Corps should always be paid by the participating organisation hosting or employing the participant. Traineeships should be based on a written traineeship agreement in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework of the country where the traineeship takes place, as appropriate, and should follow the quality principles outlined in the Council Recommendation on establishingf 10 March 2014 on a Quality Framework for Traineeships[21]. The traineeships and jobs offered constitute a stepping stone for young people to enter the labour market and are accompanied by adequate post-activity support. The tJobs should be based on an employment contract in accordance with the national regulatory framework or applicable collective agreements, or both, of the participating country where the job is being carried out. Financial support to participating organisations offering jobs should not exceed twelve months. Traineeships and jobs should be accompanied by adequate preparation, on- the-job training and post-placement support in relation to the participation of the participant. Traineeships and job activities ars could be facilitated by relevant labour market actors, in particular public and private employment services, social partners and Chambers of Commerce, and are remunerated by the participating organisation. As participating organisations, they should apply for funding via the competent implementing body of the European Solidarity Corps in view of intermediating betweens well as the member organisations of EURES, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2016/589 of the European Parliament and of the yCoung participants and employers offercil ing traineeship and job activities in solidarity sectorhe case of cross-border activities. __________________ 21 Council Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships (OJ C 153, 2.5.2018, p. 1).
Amendment 39 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Young people’s spirit of initiative and their active citizenship is an important asset for society and for the labour market. The European Solidarity Corps contributes to fostering this aspect by offering young people the opportunity to devise and implement their own projects aimed at addressing specific challenges to the benefit of their local communities. Theose projects arshould be an opportunity to try out ideas and support young people to be themselvesfor young people to develop innovative solutions and try out ideas in a sustainable way and to experience being the drivers of solidarity actions. They could also serve as a springboard for further engagement in solidarity activities and arcould be a first step towards encouraging European Solidarity Corps participants to engage in self-employment or setting upocial entrepreneurship or as volunteers in associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youth organisations or other bodies active in the solidarity, non-profit and youth sectors and the setting up of their own associations. Post-placement support will aim to support young people in remaining engaged and active in the solidarity sector, including through involvement with associations, cooperatives, social enterprises, youth organisations and community centres.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Particular attention should be givenpaid to ensuring the quality of the solidarity activities and other opportunities offered under the European Solidarity Corps, in particular by offering participants online and offline training, and language support, insurance, administrative and post-activity support to participants in a way that respects the principle of multilingualism, insurance, administrative support and support before the solidarity activity, after the solidarity activity, or both, as well as thea validation of the knowledge, skills and competences acquired throughduring their European Solidarity Corps experience. Security and safety of the volunteers remain of paramount impThose support measures should be developed and provided in collaboration with youth ortgance and volunteers should not be deployed to oisations and other non- profit and civil society organisations in order to tap into their experations conducted in these on the field. Those support measures should take into account the environment and the nature of international and non-international armed conflictactivities carried out by participants, with special attention to any potential risks.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Particular attention should be given to ensuring the quality of the activities and other opportunities offered under the European Solidarity Corps, in particular by offering training, language support, insurance, administrative and post-activity support to participants as well as the validation of the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through their European Solidarity Corps experience. Security and safety of the volunteers remain of paramount importance and volunteers should not be deployed to operations conducted in the theatre of international and non-international armed conflicts, nor to facilities that contravene international human rights standards and/or EU policy, such as residential institutions for children.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) To ensure the impact of European Solidarity Corps activities on the personal, educational, social, civic and professional development of the participants, the knowledge, skills and competences that are the learning outcomes of the activity should be properly identified and documented, in accordance with national circumstances and specificities, as recommended in Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning22. To that end, the use of effective instruments at Union and national level for the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, such as Youthpass and Europass should be encouraged, as appropriate. __________________ 22 Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non- formal and informal learning (OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1–5).
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) A quality label should ensure compliance of the participating organisations with the principles and requirements of the European Solidarity Corps,. Separate quality labels should be put in place for volunteering and for traineeships and jobs to ensure the effective and continuous compliance of participating organisations with the principles and requirements of the European Solidarity Corps as regards their rights and responsibilities during all stages of the solidarity experience. Obtaining a quality label ishould be a precondition for participation but should not automatically lead to funding under the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24 a (new)
Recital 24 a (new)
(24a) It is essential for the good functioning of the programme and the timely deployment of the actions that mechanisms are put in place within the European Solidarity Corps work programmes to guarantee that offers are presented to registered young people within a reasonable and relatively predictable amount of time. Periodic information and updates on available placements and actively involved participating organisations should therefore be sent to registered individual in order to stimulate their engagement with the European Solidarity Corps after their registration, while also offering them the opportunity to directly get in touch with the actors involved in the field of solidarity at both national and European level.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Special attention should be given to ensuring that the activities supported by the European Solidarity Corps are accessible to all young people, notably the most disadvantaged ones. Special measuresin particular young people with fewer opportunities as further detailed in the Inclusion and Diversity Strategy developed and applied within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme in the youth field. Special measures, such as appropriate formats of solidarity activities and personalised guidance, should be in place to promote social inclusion, the participation of disadvantaged young people, as well as to take into account the constraints imposed by the remoteness of a number of rural areas and of the outermost regions of the Union and the Overseas Countries and Territories. Similarly, the participating countries should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the European Solidarity Corps. This should resolve, where possible, and without prejudice to the Schengen acquis and Union law on the entry and residence of third-country nationals, administrative issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits, as well as the issuing of a European Health Insurance Card in the case of cross-border activities within the European Union.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 39
Recital 39
(39) In order to better achieve the objectives of the Programme, the Commission, Member States and national agencies should preferably work closely together in partnership with non- governmental organisations, youth organisations and local stakeholders having expertise in solidarity actions.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
(5) ‘participating organisation’ means any public or private entity, whether local, regional, national or international, that has been attributed the European Solidarity Corps quality label which ensures that this entity is able to implement the solidarity activities in accordance with the objectives of the European Solidarity Corps, and that offers a volunteering, traineeship or job opportunity to a participant or implements and supports other activities in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps;
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
(7) ‘traineeship’ means a solidarity activity that takes the form of work practice for a period from twohree to six months, renewable once and for a maximum duration of 12 months, that is offered and paid by the participating organisation hosting the European Solidarity Corps participant;
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8
(8) ‘job’ means a solidarity activity for a period from 2 to 12three to twelve months, paid by the participating organisation employing the European Solidarity Corps participant;
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9
(9) ‘solidarity project’ means an unpaid in-country solidarity activity for a period of up to 12twelve months, carried out by groups of at least five European Solidarity Corps participants, with a view to addressing key challenges within their communities while presenting a clear European added value;
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10
(10) ‘“quality label’” means the certification attributed to a participatingn organisation willing to provide solidarity activities under the European Solidarity Corps, in the role of a host and/, either in a host function, or in a supporting function, including a sending function, or both, that certifies that the organisation is able to ensure the quality of solidarity activities in accordance with the principles and objectives of the European Solidarity Corps, and that is attributed accor din a support funcg to varying specific requirements depending on the type of solidarity activity and the function of the organisation;
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Programme is to enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high-quality solidarity activities as a means to contribute to the strengthening of cohesion, solidarity and democracy in the Union and abroad, addressingto support communities and respond to societal and humanitarian challenges on the ground, with particular effort to promote social inclusion, by enhancing the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high- quality solidarity activities.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) participation of young people in solidarity activities addressing societal challenges, as referred to in Article 6;
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) participation of young people in humanitarian aid related solidarity activities (European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps), as referred to in Article 10.
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) their approachinclusiveness and their effective ability to involve young people from different backgrounds;
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) reinforcing the capacities of the participating organisations to offer goodhigh- quality projects to an increasing number of European Solidarity Corps participants;
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) providing opportunities to give feedbacks on solidarity activities; and
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) measures aimed at ensuring the quality and accessibility of volunteering, traineeships or jobs, including training, language support, jobs, or solidarity projects and equal opportunities for all young people across participating countries including offline and online training, language support, administrative support for participants and participating organisations, complementary insurance, support before orand, where necessary, after the solidarity activity, as well as the further use of Youthpass thato identifiesy and documents the competences acquired during the solidarity activities for participants, and capacity building and, administrative support for participating organisations;
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) the development and maintenance of aseparate quality labels for entities willing to provide solidarity activities for the European Solidarity Corpsrespectively volunteering or traineeships and jobs for the European Solidarity Corps in order to ensure compliance with the principles and requirements of the Programme;
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a regulation
Chapter 3 – title
Chapter 3 – title
Amendment 119 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Actions implemented under the strand ‘Participation of young people in sSolidarity activities addressing societal challenges’ shall in particular contribute to strengthening cohesion, solidarity and democracy in the Union and abroad, while also responding to societal challenges with particular effort to promote social inclusion.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Volunteering as referred to in Article 4.1, point (a) shall provide young people with the opportunity to contribute to the daily work of organisations in solidarity activities to the ultimate benefit of the communities within which the activities are carried out; shall include a learning and training component, shall not substitute traineeships or jobs, shall not be equated with employment and shall be based on a written volunteering agreement.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. A traineeship as referred to in Article 4.1, point (b) shall be based on a written traineeship agreement concluded at the beginning of the traineeship in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework of the country where the traineeship takes place, as appropriate, indicating the educational objectives, the working conditions, the duration of the traineeship, the remuneration of the participant and the rights and obligations of the parties and taking into account the principles of the Quality Framework for Traineeships (2014/C 88/01).; Traineeships shall not substitute jobs. ;
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. A job as referred to in Article 4.1, point (b) shall be based on a written employment contract in accordance with the national regulatory framework of the participating country wherewhich respects all the terms and conditions of employment as defined in the national law, applicable collective agreements, or both, of the country in which the job is being carried out. The financial support to participating organisations offering jobs shall not exceed 12twelve months in cases when the duration of the employment contract exceeds 12twelve months.
Amendment 126 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3
Article 8 – paragraph 3
3. Traineeships and jobs shall include a learning and training component. to help the participant gain relevant experience with a view to developing competences useful for the participants’ personal, educational, social, civic and professional development;
Amendment 132 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. The financial support to solidarity activities referred to in Article 7 and Article 8 shall indicatively be 80 % for volunteering and solidarity projects; and 20 % for either traineeships or jobs, or both, with a maximum of 20 % for in- country activities.
Amendment 139 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Young people aged 17 to 30 years willing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps shall register in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. However, at the moment of commencing volunteering, traineeship, job or a solidarity project a young person shall be at least 18 years of age and not older than 30.
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1
Article 16 – paragraph 1
1. The European Solidarity Corps shall be open to the participation of public or private entities and international organisations, provided that they have received a European Solidarity Corps quality label. and that they offer activities that correspond to the definition of solidarity activity within this Regulation and that they have received a quality label. In line with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, the grants shall not have the purpose or effect of producing a profit.
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 2
Article 16 – paragraph 2
2. An application from an entity to become a European Solidarity Corps participating organisation shall be assessed by the competent implementing body of the European Solidarity Corps on the basis of the principles of equal treatment; equal opportunities and non-discrimination; avoidance of job substitution; provision of high quality activities with learning dimension focusing on personal, socio- educational and professional development; adequate training, working and volunteering arrangements; safe and decent environment and conditions; and the ‘no- profit principle’ in compliance with the Financial Regulation. The above principles ascertain whether its activities meet the requirements of the European Solidarity Corps. The quality label shall only be attributed to organisations committing to comply with these principles. Actual compliance shall be controlled in accordance with Articles 26 and 27 of this Regulation.
Amendment 148 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3
Article 16 – 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. Any entity which substantially changes its activities shall inform the competent implementing body for reassessment. The process for attributing the quality label for volunteering shall be differentiated from that for jobs and traineeships.
Amendment 151 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 3
Article 21 – paragraph 3
3. The national agencies referred to in Article 23 shall develop a consistent strategypolicies with regard to the effective outreach. Such policies shall also target young people with fewer opportunities including in remote areas as well as dissemination and exploitation of results of activities supported under the actions they manage within the Programme, shall assist the Commission in its general task of disseminating information concerning the Programme, including information in respect of actions and activities managed at n, involving also youth organisations and specialised youth information services, as appropriate. Communication activities shall also contribute to the communication of the political priorities of the Union, provided that they are related to the general objective of this Regulational and Union level, and its results, and shall inform relevant target groups about the acthat they represent added value and visibility for the Union. Participating organisations shall use the brand name “European Solidarity Corps” for the purposes of communications and activities undertaken in their countrydissemination of information related to the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. The Commission shall organise regular meetings and trainings with and for the network of national agencies in order to ensure coherent implementation of the European Solidarity Corps across all participating countries. The Commission shall regularly consult key stakeholders, including participating organisations, on the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Annex – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex – paragraph 1 – point a
Annex – paragraph 1 – point a
Output indicators (a) number of participants in solidarity activities; volunteering (in-country and cross-border) broken down by country, age, gender, professional background and educational attainment; (b) number of participants in traineeships (in-country and cross-border) broken down by country, age, gender, professional background and educational attainment; (c) number of participants in jobs (in- country and cross-border) broken down by country, age, gender, professional background and educational attainment; (d) number of participants in solidarity projects broken down by country, age, gender, professional background and educational attainment; (e) number of organisations holding a quality label broken down by country and funding received; (f) number of participating young people with fewer opportunities. Result indicators (Composite indicators); (g) number of participants reporting positive learning outcomes; (h) percentage of participants whose learning outcomes have been recognised through a certificate such as Youthpass, or another type of formal recognition of their participation in the European Solidarity Corps; (i) overall satisfaction rate of participants with regard to the quality of activities; (j) number of people supported directly or indirectly through solidarity activities. In addition, as appropriate, the coherence with key indicators for Youth as referred to in Annex [XX new Erasmus + Regulation] shall be ensured.
Amendment 157 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex – paragraph 1 – point b
Annex – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 158 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex – paragraph 1 – point c
Annex – paragraph 1 – point c