23 Amendments of Ramón Luis VALCÁRCEL SISO related to 2016/2245(INI)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission Communication of 6 May 2015 "A Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe" (COM(2015)0192),
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas demographic change is one of the main challenges for local development in the EU today, together with uncontrolled globalisation, climate change and the challenges posed by the technological shift, climate change and inclusiveness;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the European population has been characterised by increasing longevity and low fertility rates for several decades, which implies side-effects of a shrinking workforceing age population and an ageing population;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the top priority for the European Union and for all the Member States is to promote growth that is at once smart, sustainable and inclusive;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas geographic or demographic features make development problems worse which is why the Treaty of Lisbon added territorial cohesion to the economic and social cohesion goals;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas demographic change does not affect all countries and regions in a uniform manner, with as, while the general trend is towards an ageing population and population loss, the majority of urban areas are experiencing a population gain and most rural and remote areas are experiencing a decline; whereas such imbalances represent major challenges both for areas and regions suffering from depopulation and for those experiencing a population influx;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas demographic change is exacerbating the process ofposes a challenge in regard to ensuring the societal fragmentation and the polarisation of our societies, with growing disparities in terms of economic capacity and service accessibilitycohesion and well-being of the whole population, and encouraging balanced economic development;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that demographic change entails major economic and social pressures on Member State governments and on regional and local authorities in terms of providing public services and infrastructure; stresses that those pressures will be exacerbated by a declining active population and a higher dependency ratio;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Points out that a comprehensive approach of any kind has to reflect the role of cities, rural areas, fishing and coastal areas as well as areas confronted with specific problems connected with their geography or demographic situation, and that, therefore, said approach will also have to take account of the specific challenges posed by the outermost regions, northernmost regions with very low population density and island, cross- border and mountain regions, as expressly acknowledged in the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recognises that demographic change, while creating new challenges, also brings development opportunities at a local level through the potential of sectors such as ecotourism, e-commerce and the silver economy; underlines in this respect the relevimportance of smart specialisation strategies to helpsupport regions in identifying high value-added activities and build attractive innovation ecosystems;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the main problems relating to the demographic change currently experienced by many EU regions are decreasing population densities, an ageing population due to structural changes in the age period, falling birth rates and gradual depopulationage changes, falling birth rates, population loss and how depopulation dynamics are recorded in certain areas;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. StressesEmphasises the fact that while demographic change affects the whole territory, whether rural or urban, its implications differ and depend on different factors such as the intensity and speed at which change occurs or whether it affects regions with net immigration or ones with a shrinking population; stresses, therefore, that one of the main objectives of an EU demographic policy should be to take into account all the territories having to contend with demographic imbalances and the specificities of those territories;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Recalls that the Europe 2020 Strategy addresses demographic challenges in most of its seven flagship initiatives, which were designed to overcome the problems and establish vital priorities for the EU in the fields of employment, innovation, education, poverty reduction, and climate and energy; points out that a fundamental part of implementation of the Strategy and its flagship initiatives is based on financial support through cohesion policy instruments, including provisions to tackle population change and ageing,and that these dimensions need to be stressed in all European Union instruments;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for a greater coordination of EU instruments in the different policy areas, such as the Common Agricultural Policy, European Structural and Investment (ESI) Funds, European Territorial Cooperation, the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and the Connecting Europe Facility, so as to ensure a more comprehensive approach to demographic change; welcomes, in this context, the efforts to maximise synergies between the ESI Funds and EFSI in the omnibus proposal and the EFSI 2.0; reiterates its call for the Commission to adopt a European strategy on demographic change that will deliver synergies and maximise the positive impact on European citizens;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Underlines the importance of existing initiatives such as the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, Ambient Assisted Living and the EIT Knowledge Innovation Centres Digital and Health;calls on the Commission to take into account the solutions already developed by these initiatives when addressing demographic challenges faced by European regions;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Is of the opinion that special attention should be paid to rural areas which face these demographic problems in a stronger way;highlights, in this context, the potential of the Smart Villages initiative, whereby with modern technologies such as 5G and innovation, rural communities can be revitalised;stresses, in addition, the importance of a strengthened cooperation between rural and urban areas;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that the EFSI can benefit declining regions by boosting investment in energy, transport and ICT infrastructure, as well as in research, innovation, SMEs, education and social infrastructure;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Believes that cohesion policy shouldprovides the right tools with which to address demographic change, both in respect of population ageing and population loss, and should therefore play a more prominent role to support regions in adapting to demographic change;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls foron the establishment of an EU-wide legal framework that specifically recognises all territories facing demographic disadvantageCommission to take into account real conditions in demographically challenged areas, given that NUTS levels do not reflect the true magnitude of the problem, since regional units differ widely from region to region; adds that it is thus necessary to consider smaller administrative units that provide a better approximation of reality;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for the establishment of an EU-wide legal framework that specifically recognises all territories facing demographic disadvantachallenges;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Invites the Commission to consider the establishment of new criteria that could pinpoint the territories facing demographic challenges; considers that GDP and population density are not sufficient indicators in this regard and take account of the disparity observed in this area; takes the view, therefore, that the Commission should conduct observational studies on potential indicators going beyond GDP and population density;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Considers that cohesion policy should include specific instrumentmeasures for the areas most affected by demographic disadvantachallenges, such as allowing for greater flexibility as regards co-financing rates or the choice of thematic objectives;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Considers that the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework should give a decisive impetus to the promotion of solutions for tackling demographic challenges, through targeted measures and an ad hoc budget with additional funding for areas with severe and permanent demographic handicaps;