Activities of Curzio MALTESE related to 2018/0207(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Rights and Values programme
Amendments (15)
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Those rights and values must continue to be promoted and enforced and shared among the citizens and peoples and be at the heart of the EU project. Therefore, a new Justice, Rights and Values Fund, comprising the Rights and Values and the Justice programmes shall be created in the EU budget. At a time where European societies are confronted with extremism, radicalism and divisions, it is more important than ever to promote, strengthen and defend justice, rights and EU values: human rights, including the rights of the persons belonging to minorities, children and youth rights, respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law. This will have profound and direct implications for political, social, cultural and economic life in the EU. As part of the new Fund, the Justice Programme will continue to support the further development of Union area of justice and cross-border cooperation. The Rights and Values Programme will bring together the 2014- 2020 Programme Rights, Equality and Citizenship established by Regulation (EU) No 1381/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council8 and the Europe for Citizens programme established by Council Regulation (EU) No 390/20149 , (hereafter 'the predecessor Programmes'). _________________ 8 Regulation (EU) No 1381/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme for the period 2014 to 2020 (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 62) 9 Council Regulation (EU) No 390/2014 of 14 April 2014 establishing the ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme for the period 2014- 2020 (OJ L 115, 17.4.2014, p.3)
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The Justice, Rights and Values Fund and its two underlying funding programmes will focus primarily on people and entities, which contribute to make our common values, rights and rich diversity alive and vibrant. The ultimate objective is to nurture and sustain rights-based, equal, inclusive and democratic society. That includes a vibrantsustaining and strengthening an active civil society, encouraging and ensuring people's democratic, civic and soci, social and cultural participation and fostering the rich diversity of the European society, based on our common history and memoryvalues. Article 11 of the Treaty of the European Union further specifies that the institutions shall, by appropriate means, give citizens and representative associations the opportunity to make known and publicly exchange their views in all areas of Union action.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The Rights and Values programme (the 'Programme') should allow developing synergies to tackle the challenges that are common to the promotion and protection of values and to reach a critical dimension to have concrete results in the field. That should be achieved by building on the positive experience of the predecessor Programmes. This will enable to fully exploit the potential of synergies, to more effectively support the policy areas covered and to increase their potential to reach people. To be effective, the Programme should take into account the specific nature of the different policies, their different target groups and their particular needs, especially considering the multilingual character of the Union and the need to include underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, such as young people, people with special needs, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, through tailor-made approaches.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In order to bring the European Union closer to its citizens, to foster the European citizenship, to improve the conditions for civic and democratic participation, to empower citizens to make use of their rights, a variety of actions and coordinated efforts are necessary. Bringing together citizens in town-twinning projects or networks of towns and supporting civil society organisations at the local, regional, national and transnational level in the areas covered by the programme will contribute to increase citizens' engagement in society and ultimately their involvement in the democratic life of the Union. At the same time supporting activities promoting mutual understanding, cultural awareness and expression, diversity, dialogue and respect for others fosters a sense of belonging and a European identity, based on a shared understanding of European values, culture, history and heritage. The promotion of a greater sense of belonging to the Union and of Union values is particularly important amongst citizens of the EU outermost regions due to their remoteness and distance from continental Europe.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Remembrance activities and critical reflectionand creative thinking on Europe’s historical memory are necessary to make citizens aware of the common history, as the foundation for a common future, moral purpose and sharend values of the Union. Recognition should values. The relevance of historicalso be given to tolerance, cultural and intercultural aspects should also be taken into account, as well as the links between remembrance and the creation of a European identity and sense of belonging togetherand dialogue, in order to promote a common ground based on integration, inclusion and peace. .
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Attitudinal and environmental barriers as well as lack of accessibility hinder the full and effective participation of people with disabilities in society, on an equal basis with others. People with disabilities are faced with barriers to, among other things, access to the labour market, benefit from an inclusive and quality education, avoiding poverty and social exclusion, enjoy access to culture, cultural initiatives and media, or and use of their political rights. As a party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the UNCRPD), the Union and all its Member States have committed to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities. The provisions of the UNCRPD have become an integral part of the Union legal order.
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In order to ensure efficient allocation of funds from the general budget of the Union, it is necessary to ensure the European added value of all actions carried out, their complementarity to Member States’ actions, while consistency, complementarity an. Transparent and clearly defined synergies shallmay be sought with funding programmes supporting policy areas with close links to each other, in particular within the Justice, Rights and Values Fund — and thus with the Justice Programme — as well as with Creative Europe programme, and Erasmus+ to realise the potential of cultural crossovers in the fields of culture, media, arts, education and creativity. It is necessary to create synergies with other European funding programmes, in particular in the fields of employment, internal market, enterprise, youth, health, citizenship, justice, migration, security, research, innovation, technology, industry, cohesion, tourism, external relations, trade and developmentand formal, non-formal and informal education and creativity. Synergies with Erasmus+ would also mean supporting youth civil society to upscale their activities with a particular focus on youth participation in decision-making and policy processes at local, national and transnational levels.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Programme is to protect and promote the rights and values of the citizens as enshrined in the EU Treaties, including by supporting civil society organisationand building the capacity of civil society organisations at local, regional, national and transnational levels, in order to sustain open, democratic and inclusive societies.
Amendment 135 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) increasing citizens’ particularly people’s belonging to disadvantaged and underrepresented groups of society such as young people understanding of the Union, its values, its history, culture and cultural heritage ands well as diversity;
Amendment 154 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period 2021 – 2027 shall be EUR [641 7051 400 000 000] in current prices.
Amendment 167 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. The Programme mayshall provide funding, through action grants and multiannual operating grants, in any of the forms laid down in the Financial Regulation, including simplified cost options such as lump sums, unit costs or flat rates, re-granting schemes or cascading grants, or two step application. Co-funding in kind and volunteers’ work will be included in the eligible costs in order to favour participation and support of civil society organisations.
Amendment 170 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) any non-profit legal entity created under Union law or any international organisation;
Amendment 176 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3
Article 14 – paragraph 3
3. The performance reporting system shall ensure that data for monitoring programme implementation and results are conceived and collected efficiently, effectively, and in a timely manner. TParticipation of the entities involved in the Programme shall be ensured to that end, p. Proportionate reporting requirements shall be imposed on recipients of Union funds and Member States.
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 3
Article 19 – paragraph 3
3. The committee may meet in specific configurations to deal with the individual strands of the Programme. In accordance with the objectives of the Programme external experts, including representatives of the social partners, civil society organisations and representatives of beneficiaries shall be regularly invited to participate in its meetings as observers.
Amendment 189 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) awareness raising, among citizens, particularly people belonging to disadvantaged and underrepresented groups of society such as young people, on the common values and rights on which the EU is founded and dissemination of information to improve the knowledge of the policies and rights in the areas covered by the Programme;