48 Amendments of Giorgos GRAMMATIKAKIS related to 2018/0191(COD)
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In its Communication on 'A modern budget for a Union that protects, empowers and defends - the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027'26 adopted on 2 May 2018, the Commission called for a stronger “youth” focus in the next financial framework, notably by more than doubling the size of the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ Programme, one of the Union’s most visible success stories. In its resolution of 14 March 2018 on the next multiannual financial framework, the European Parliament called for the Programme’s budget to be tripled on order to maintain its success, achieve its goals including increased inclusiveness, as well as reduce its shortcomings and barriers to participation. The focus of the new Programme should be on inclusiveness, and to reach more young people with fewer opportunities. This should allow more young people to move to another country to learn or work.
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Programme should be more inclusive by improving its outreach to those with fewer opportunities, including throughoffering more flexible learning mobility formats, and by fostering the participation of small organisations, in particular newcomers and community-based grassroots organisations that work directly with disadvantaged learners of all ages. Virtual formats, such as virtual cooperation, blended and virtual mobility, should be promoted to reach more participants, in particular those with fewer opportunities and those for whom moving physically to a country other than their country of residence would be an obstacle. , and strengthening cooperation and dialogue with social partners, national and local authorities and civil society. To that end, an EU-wide strategy on fostering inclusiveness should be developed, including a specific methodology and specific measures to reach people with fewer opportunities and assist their participation in the Programme. Such a strategy should be further adjusted to national and local contexts and implemented by national agencies together with relevant stakeholders.
Amendment 167 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) Virtual formats, such as virtual cooperation, blended and virtual mobility, can be promoted to reach more participants, in particular those whose participation in transnational activities is limited or strongly impeded. Such virtual formats should be viewed as an enhancement to, rather than a replacement for, physical mobility.
Amendment 171 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 b (new)
Recital 16 b (new)
(16b) Non-discriminatory and barrier- free access to the Programme should be ensured for people with disabilities. To that end, adequate funding and enhanced structural support is necessary to increase the Programme outreach.
Amendment 172 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 c (new)
Recital 16 c (new)
(16c) With a view to enhancing outreach, inclusion and the quality of learning mobility, experienced non-profit mobility providers should benefit from a simplified application procedure, such as accreditation by complying with quality charters, in order to support the participation in the Programme of institutions and organisations with limited resources and capacities.
Amendment 173 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 d (new)
Recital 16 d (new)
(16d) The Programme should put greater emphasis on inclusive and high- quality early school education as a means of enhancing children’s long-term educational potential from early years and preventing social and economic inequalities. The mobility of early education and pre-school staff should be promoted with the aim of strengthening the educational mission of pre-schools and improving the teaching of children.
Amendment 174 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 e (new)
Recital 16 e (new)
(16e) Online tools and platforms connected with the Programme should be optimised and synchronised in order to create a single information point for all stakeholders and Programme beneficiaries.
Amendment 199 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20 a (new)
Recital 20 a (new)
(20a) The Programme should strengthen inclusivity and quality in VET in order to ensure its vital role in providing equal opportunities and social inclusion for all citizens. To this end, the Programme should address VET sector-specific issues in relation to Programme participation, such as high-quality mobility partnerships, sector-specific language training and competence recognition and/or certification.
Amendment 201 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20 b (new)
Recital 20 b (new)
(20b) VET institutions should be further encouraged to apply for the VET Charter in order to benchmark their quality and attractiveness. Partnerships and networks between employers and VET providers should be strengthened.
Amendment 202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20 c (new)
Recital 20 c (new)
(20c) The Programme should support and encourage the mobility of teachers and educational staff at all levels as an important factor in fostering their ongoing learning, enhanced working practice and overall professional development. To this end, teachers and educational staff should benefit from the same financial support regardless of sending countries, flexible work arrangements as well as the possibility to incorporate periods abroad into their work programmes and regular workloads.
Amendment 236 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) In its Conclusions of the 14 of December 2017, the European Council called on Member States, the Council and the Commission to take forward a number of initiatives to elevate European cooperation in education and training to a new level, including by encouraging the emergence by 2024 of 'European Universities', consisting in bottom-up networks of universities across the Union. The Programme should support these European Universities ensuring their high quality, as well as inclusive and geographically balanced character.
Amendment 247 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) The Programme should contribute to facilitating transparency and automatic recognition of skills and, competences, qualifications, and diplomas as well as the transfer of credits or units of learning outcomes, to foster quality assurance and to support validation of non-formal and informal learning, skills management and guidance. In this regard, the Programme should also provide support to contact points and networks at national and Union level that facilitate cross-European exchanges as well as the development of flexible learning pathways between different fields of education, training and youth and across formal and non-formal settings.
Amendment 251 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29 a (new)
Recital 29 a (new)
(29a) The Programme should put special emphasis on the validation and recognition of education and training periods abroad, including for secondary school education. In this regard, the budget allocation and concrete grants should be linked to quality assessment procedures, to a description of the learning outcomes, and to the full application of the Council Recommendation on European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships.
Amendment 274 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) The types of financing and the methods of implementation under this Regulation should be chosen on the basis of their ability to achieve the specific objectives of the actions and to deliver results, taking into account, in particular, the costs of controls, the administrative burden, and the expected risk of non- compliance. This should include consideration of the use of lump sums, flat rates and unit costs, as well as financing not linked to costs as referred to in Article [125(1)] of the Financial Regulation. Targeted financial support for people with fewer opportunities is of paramount importance to the Programme’s inclusiveness. Therefore, pre-financing options should be put in place.
Amendment 276 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36 a (new)
Recital 36 a (new)
(36a) The Programme should foster more synergies with the European Social Fund+ in terms of investments in skills and competences in particular for those with fewer opportunities;
Amendment 300 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) Member States should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the Programme. This includes exempting study grants from taxation and social levies, as well as resolving, where possible, and without prejudice to Union law on the entry and residence of third-country nationals issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits. In line with Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council39, Member States are encouraged to establish fast- track admission procedures. _________________ 39 Directive (EU) 2016/801 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing (OJ L 132, 21.5.2016, p. 21).
Amendment 322 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
(2) 'learning mobility' means moving physically to a country other than the country of residence, in order to undertake study, training or non-formal or informal learning;, including teaching or professional development activities. It may be accompanied by measures such as language support and training and/or be complemented by online learning and virtual cooperation. In some specific cases, it may take the form of learning through the use of information technology and communications tools; tools, but not to the exclusion of physical mobility.
Amendment 375 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 25
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 25
(25) ‘people with fewer opportunities’ means people facing obstacles that prevent them from having effective who need additional support due to their disadvantage compared to their peers because of various obstaccless to opportunities under the Programme for, for example disability, health problems, educational difficulties, cultural differences, economic, social, cultural, and geographical or health reasons, a migrant background or for reasons such as disability abstacles, including people from marginalised communities or at risk of facing discrimination based on any of the grounds educational difficulties;nshrined in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Amendment 384 #
(26a) ‘social inclusion’ means the process of enabling people with fewer opportunities to participate in the Programme or/and addressing issues of inclusion and diversity that ultimately benefit people with fewer opportunities;
Amendment 386 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 27 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 27 a (new)
(27a) ‘cross-sector cooperation’ means cooperation between different sectors of the Programme (higher education, vocational education and training, school education, early school education, adult education, youth and sport), as well as between formal, non-formal and informal learning environments and different legal entities (institutions and organisations) within those sectors.
Amendment 393 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Programme is to support the educational, professional and personal development of people in education, training, youth and sport, in Europe and beyond, thereby contributing to sustainable growth, quality jobs and social cohesion and to strengthening European identity. As such, the Programme shall be a key instrument for building a European education area, supporting the implementation of the European strategic cooperation in the field of education and training, with its underlying sectoral agendas, advancing youth policy cooperation under the Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027 and developing the, reinforcing lifelong learning and promoting an innovation-driven approach to education and training as well as a European dimension in sport.;
Amendment 413 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(ca) promote lifelong learning by enhancing cooperation between formal, non -formal and informal learning environments and supporting flexible learning pathways.
Amendment 419 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 b (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. To support and facilitate mobility, the e-card should be available to all students participating in the Programme by 2021 and its potential for all learners should be further explored with the cooperation of relevant stakeholders to maximise its benefits;
Amendment 421 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) the mobility of pre-school teachers and early education and care staff;
Amendment 467 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) Jean Monnet action in other fields of education and training, including VET;
Amendment 488 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) Union tools and measures that foster the quality, transparency and recognition of competences and skills, in particular through Youthpass and the e- Card;
Amendment 512 #
Proposal for a regulation
Chapter 4 a (new)
Chapter 4 a (new)
CHAPTER V SOCIAL INCLUSION 1. The increased participation of people with fewer opportunities shall be a priority in order to ensure wide outreach, to foster inclusiveness and to contribute to achieving the Programme’s goals. In this context, a Union-wide strategy on enhancing the Programme’s inclusiveness shall be developed, setting common goals, indicating possible measures and guidelines to achieve them, outlining structural and financial support available, as well as monitoring and evaluation tools. The national agencies may further adjust this strategy to national and local contexts and shall implement it. The European Commission shall monitor the implementation of such a strategy. 2. The strategy referred to in paragraph 1 shall give particular attention to the following elements: (a) enhanced cooperation and dialogue with social partners, national and local authorities and civil society; (b) the optimisation of the potential of participating organisations by facilitating their participation in the Programme; (c) adapting the level of financial support for the mobility of individuals to meet the needs of people with fewer opportunities, in line with the living and subsistence costs of the host country or region; (d) collection of qualitative and quantitative data on the Programme’s inclusiveness; (e) cooperation with other Union instruments including the European Social Fund+ and support for other Union policies; (f) dissemination and awareness- raising of the Programme in the most user-friendly way to targeted groups; (g) support to contact points for beneficiaries and organisations working with them; (h) portability of social grants, and provision of pre-financing options and structural aid for the disabled; (i) preparation initiatives for the mobility experience. 3. Grants for mobility actions for people with fewer opportunities shall cover their total cost of participation in the Programme.
Amendment 516 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period 2021-2027 shall be EUR 30 000in 41 097 000 000 constant prices (EUR 46 758 000 000 in current prices).
Amendment 521 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – introductory part
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – introductory part
(a) EUR 24 940 000 00083.17 % for actions in the field of education and training, from which:
Amendment 524 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 1
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 1
(1) at least EUR 8 640 000 000 should34.84 % shall be allocated to higher education actions referred to in point (a) of Article 4 and point (a) of Article 5;
Amendment 528 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 2
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 2
(2) at least EUR 5 230 000 00022 % shall be allocated to actions in vocational education and training referred to in point (b) of Article 4 and point (a) of Article 5;
Amendment 533 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 3
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 3
(3) at least EUR 3 790 000 00015.40 % shall be allocated to school education actions referred to in point (c) of Article 4 and point (a) of Article 5;
Amendment 539 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 4
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 4
(4) at least EUR 1 190 000 0005.5 % shall be allocated to adult education actions referred to in point (d) of Article 4 and point (a) of Article 5;
Amendment 550 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 5 a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a – point 5 a (new)
(5a) the remaining 22.26 % may be used to finance other actions in the field of education and training, in particular centralised actions, which should maintain geographical balance and an inclusive character;
Amendment 552 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
(aa) 1.50 % for Jean Monnet actions referred to in Article 7;
Amendment 557 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) EUR 3 100 000 00010.33 % for actions in the field of youth referred to in Articles 8 to 10;
Amendment 562 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) EUR 550 000 0001.80 % for actions in the field of sport referred to in Articles 11 to 13; and
Amendment 568 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) at least EUR 960 000 0003.20 % as a contribution to the operational costs of the national agencies.
Amendment 581 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 6 a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. The funds for the learning mobility of individuals referred to in Article 4 shall be adjusted to the cost of living in the host Member States or regions.
Amendment 583 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 6 b (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. The allocations provided for in this Article may be modified, by means of delegated act, according to the performance assessment made in the interim evaluation report prepared by the European Commission in order to promote efficient and effective use of resources.
Amendment 609 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 5
Article 18 – paragraph 5
5. To improve access to people with fewer opportunities and ensure the smooth implementation of the Programme, the Commission may adjust or may authorise the national agencies referred to in Article 23 to adjust, on the basis of objective criteria, the grants to support mobility actions of the Programme, for example by providing pre-financing.
Amendment 615 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1
Article 19 – paragraph 1
The Programme shall be implemented by work programmes referred to in Article [108] of the Financial Regulation. In addition, the work programme shall give an indication of the amount allocated to each action and of the distribution of funds between the Member States and third countries associated to the Programme for the actions to be managed through the national agency. The work programme shall be adopted by the Commission by means of an implementing act. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 31 delegated act.
Amendment 618 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 2
Article 21 – paragraph 2
2. The interim evaluation of the Programme shall be performed once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the Programme, but no later than four years after the startno later than 31 December 2024 in order to assess the effectiveness of the measures taken to achieve the Programme’s objectives and to evaluate the efficiency of the Programme, accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to amend this Regulation. In this regard, particular focus should be given to the performance assessment of EU-funded actions and the realisation of the pProgramme implementation. It’s inclusiveness strategy. The interim evaluation shall also be accompanied by a final evaluation of the predecessor programme.
Amendment 634 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. All Programme documents for beneficiaries shall be available in all the official languages of the European Union in order to ensure equal opportunities.
Amendment 636 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2
Article 23 – paragraph 2
2. The Member States shall take all necessary and appropriate measures to remove any legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the Programme, including, where possible, measures aimed at avoiding the taxation of grants, ensuring portability of rights among EU social systems and resolving issues that give rise to difficulties in obtaining visas.
Amendment 642 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The national agencies shall ensure the uniform and coherent application of the Programme’s guidelines in order to ensure high quality in terms of information, administrative procedures and project evaluation for all beneficiaries. The Commission is in charge of monitoring this provision.
Amendment 662 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 4
Article 29 – paragraph 4
4. Actions eligible under the Programme which have been assessed in a call for proposals under the Programme and which comply with the minimum quality requirements of that call for proposals, but which are not financed due to budgetary constraints, may beshould be provided with a Seal of Excellence to acknowledge their high quality. This might facilitate their application for funding from other sources and/or enable their selectedion for funding by the European Structural and Investment (ESI) funds, without a new application process. In this case the co- financing rates and the eligibility rules based on this Regulation shall apply. These actions shall be implemented by the managing authority referred to in Article [65] of Regulation (EU)XX [CPR] in accordance with the rules set out in that Regulation and fund specific regulations, including rules on financial corrections.
Amendment 671 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 1
Article 31 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall be assisted by an advisory committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. composed of relevant stakeholders, including external experts and representatives of beneficiaries, including civil society and social partners. The Committee shall meet in specific configurations to deal with sectoral issues at all levels of Programme implementation, including the preparation of the Annual Work Programme, its implementation and assessment.