Activities of Andrew LEWER related to 2015/2353(INI)
Shadow opinions (2)
OPINION on the preparation of the post-electoral revision of the MFF 2014-2020: Parliament's input ahead of the Commission's proposal
OPINION on the preparation of the post-electoral revision of the MFF 2014-2020: Parliament’s input ahead of the Commission’s proposal
Amendments (11)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that one of the main objectives of the European Union is to promote economic, social and territorial cohesion and solidarity among Member States; underlines that cohesion policy set out for the long term is the Union's main tool for reducing disparities between all EU regions, and that it plays an important role in the delivery of the Europe 2020 strategy;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises that the RAL (reste à liquider) is an inevitable by-product of multi-annual programming and differentiated appropriations; notes that the RAL was significantly higher than expected at the end of the financial framework for 2007- 2013, and stresses that current gaps between commitments and payments will inevitablmay lead to new difficulties for ongoing programmes and that this must be avoided;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for the continuaNotes the introduction of the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), proposed by the European Council of 7-8 February 2013 as a reaction to the persisting problem of high levels of youth unemployment, following; underlines the need for a fully-fledged assessment of its performance and an ex ante impact assessment of any subsequent adjustments to overcome existing implementation impediments;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises the need for effectiveness and result-orientation of cohesion policy; recalls that European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds are at an early stage of implementation in 2016 and that at the time of the MFF review/revision only limited evidence is available as to results; therefore calls on the Commission to assess and communicate to REGI committee the state of play with regard to the implementation of ESI Funds as early as possible, to include a detailed analysis on risks of decommitment, with indicated amounts per Member State, and an analysis of payment forecasts submitted by Member States following the 31 January and 31 July deadlines set by Article 112(3) of the CPR;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. SupportNotes the creation of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and highlights the need to minimise the impact of the cuts onransfers from the Horizon 2020 programmes and theand Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programmes to establish EFSI in order to allow them to accomplish their respective objectives;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is concerned by the slower-than-planned take-off of new programmes under the 2014-2020 MFF period owing to the late approval of the legal bases and of the operational programmes, as well as to the shortages in payment appropriations in 2014; expresses its concern for how the important programmes whichthat seek to make investments in education and in human skills -, skills and the EU's cultural and creative industries, such as Erasmus+, Creative Europe and Europe for Citizens -, will manage to reach cruising speed; takes note that these experiences should be included as an important basis forreviewed as part of the coming MFF;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Highlights the opportunity of the mid- term review of the MFF 2014-2020 to assess the effectiveness and added value of all EU culture and education programmes, in line with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, and to ensure their effective management by executive agencies;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that grants are an effective form of support in many areas of public intervention; recognises the potential of financial instruments as a form of support for ESI Funds; calls for a more simplified use of financial instruments in future, underlining that clear, consistent and focused rules on Financial Instruments to help simplify the preparation and implementation process for fund managers and recipients, which recognise the different development levels of financial markets across the EU's Member States, are key to increasing their use;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Invites the Commission to take into accountnote of the extraordinary efforts made by Member States and regions in providing appropriate reception conditions and integrating asylum seekers and other migrants, and to explore the possibility, in full compliance with the agreed expenditure ceilings set out in the MFF, of providing additional assistance toflexibility within the ESI Funds in order to support such Member States and regions when reviewing the functioning of the MFF; stresses, however, the long-term nature of ESI Fund projects to support economic growth and territorial cohesion and underlines the availability of alternative tools for providing short-term, emergency assistance;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that avoiding a backlog of payments in future is crucial to ensuring successful implementation of EU cohesion policy and preventing negative impacts on beneficiaries, in particular SMEs, in receipt of ESI Funds;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points to the fact that a seven-year period of the multiannual financial framework has proved itsof some worth in the past and that the programming period should not be shorteand can be advantageous to the public sector, providing a stable source of funding for local and regional authorities in particular.