Activities of Sander LOONES related to 2015/0263(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of the Structural Reform Support Programme for the period 2017 to 2020 and amending Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013 and (EU) No 1305/2013
Amendments (38)
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Several Member States have been undergoing and continue to undergo adjustment processes to correct macroeconomic imbalances accumulated in the past and many are facing the challenge of low potential growth. The Union has identified the implementation of structural reforms among its policy priorities to set the recovery on a sustainable path, unlock the growth potential to strengthen the adjustment capacity, boost competitiveness and support the process of convergence.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Member States may benefit from technical support in addressing challenges as regards the design and implementation of structural reforms. These challenges may arise from, or have an impact on, cross-border or Union-wide challenges and may be dependent on various factors, including limited administrative and institutional capacity or inadequate application and implementation of Union legislation.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The Union has a long-lasting experience on providing specifictechnical support to national administrations and other authorities of Member States as regards capacity building and similar actions in certain sectors (e.g. taxation, customs, support to small and medium-sized enterprises) and in relation to the implementation of cohesion policy. The experience gained by the Union in assisting national authorities carrying out structural reforms should be used in order to enhance the capacity of the Union to provide support to Member States. Comprehensive and integrated action is indeed necessary in order to providetechnical support to those Member States that are undertaking growth- enhancing structural reforms and request assistance from the Union in this respect.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) Efforts for growth-enhancing structural reforms should be continued with determination in order to ensure the effectiveness of such reforms and to build on the progress made.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Against this background, it is necessary to establish a Structural Reform Support Programme ('the Programme') with the objective of strengthening the capacity of Member States to preparedesign and implement growth-enhancing administrative and structural reforms, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds. The Programme is intended to contribute to the achievement of common goals towards obtaining economic recovery, job creation, boosting Europe's competitiveness and stimulating investment in the real economy.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) STechnical support under the Programme should be provided by the Commission upon request by a Member State, in areas such as budget and taxation, public function, institutional and administrative reforms, the justice system, anti-fraud, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering, business environment, private sector development, investment, competition, public procurement, privatization and liberalisation processes, access to finance, investment, trade, sustainable development, innovation, education and training, labour policies, public health, asylum, migration policies, agriculture and rural development, statistics and financial sector policies.
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Member States should be able to request technical support from the Commission under the Programme in relation to the design and implementation of structural reforms in the context of economic governance processes, in particular of Country Specific Recommendations in the context of the European Semester, to actions related to the implementation of Union law, as well as in relation to the implementation of economic adjustment programmes. They should also be able to request technical support in relation to structural reforms undertaken at their own initiative, in order to achieve sustainable investment, enhance growth and job creation and boost competitiveness.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Further to a dialogue with the requesting Member State, including in the context of the European Semester, the Commission should analyse the request, taking into account the principles of transparency, equal treatment, subsidiarity and sound financial management and determine the technical support to be provided based on urgency, breadth and depth of the problems as identified, support needs in respect of the policy areas envisaged, analysis of socioeconomic indicators, the added value of the envisaged structural reforms for the Union as a whole and the general administrative capacity of the Member State. The Commission should also, in close cooperation with the Member State concerned, identify the priority areas, the scope of the support measures to be provided and the global financial contribution for such support, taking into account the existing actions and measures financed by Union funds or other Union programmes.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Commission Communications ‘The EU Budget Review’13 and ‘A budget for Europe 2020’14 underline the importance of focusing funding on activities with clear European added value, i.e. where the Union intervention can bring additional value compared to action of Member States alone. Against this background, the support actions carried out under the Programme should ensure complementarity and synergy with other programmes and policies at national, Union and international level. The actions under the Programme should allow elaborating and implementing solutions that address national challenges which have impact on cross-border or Union-wide challenges and achieve a consistent and coherent implementation of Union law. In addition, they should contribute to further develop trust and promote cooperation with the Commission and among Member States. Moreover, the Union is in a bettergood position than Member States to provide a platform for the provision and sharing of good practices from peerbetween Member States as well as to mobilise expertise. _________________ 13 14COM(2010)700 of 19 October 2010. COM(2010)700 of 19 October 2010. 14 COM(2011)500 final of 29 June 2011. COM(2011)500 final of 29 June 2011.
Amendment 104 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
Amendment 110 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) Since the objective of this Regulation, namely to contribute to the institutional, administrative and structural reforms in the Member States by providing technical support to national and, where appropriate, regional authorities for measures aimed at structurally reforming institutions, governance, administration, economic and social sectors, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States alone, but can rather, by reason of their scale and effects, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective, since the scope of the support would be mutually agreed with the Member State or the region with vested legislative and executive powers concerned.
Amendment 113 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – title
Article 2 – title
Definitions and principles
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions and principles shall apply:
Amendment 116 #
1 a. 'Member State' means one or more Member States of the European Union and includes regions with vested legislative and executive powers;
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the development and implementation of solutions that address national challenges which arise from or have impact on cross-border or Union-wide challenges;
Amendment 128 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
The general objective of the Programme shall be to contribute to institutional, administrative andgrowth- friendly structural reforms in the Member States by providing technical support to national authorities fornd, where applicable, regional authorities upon their request for policy measures aimed at reforming institutions, governance, administration, economic and social sectors in response to economic and social challenges with a view to enhancing competitiveness, growth, jobs, and investment, in particular in the context of economic governance processes, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds.
Amendment 136 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to assist the initiatives of national authorities to design and implement their reforms according to priorities, taking into account initial conditions and expected socio- economic impacts;
Amendment 141 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) to support the efforts of national authorities to definesign and implement appropriatetheir processes and methodologies by, taking into account good practices and lessons learned by other countries in addressing similar situations;
Amendment 145 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) to assist the national authorities to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of human resources management, where appropriate,ir human resources, including through definition of clear responsibilities and increase of professional knowledge and skills.
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The specific objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall refer to the following policy areas related to competitiveness, growth, jobs and investment, in particular to the following:
Amendment 159 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) business environment, private sector development, investment, privatization and liberalisation processes, trade and foreign direct investment, competition and public procurement, sustainable sectoral development and support for innovation;
Amendment 163 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
(ea) the production, provision and quality monitoring of data and statistics;
Amendment 165 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
With a view to pursuing the objectives set out in Articles 4 and 5, the Programme may finance in particular the following types of action:
Amendment 166 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) organisation of local operational support in areas such as asylum, migration, border control;
Amendment 167 #
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point i
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point i
(i) compilation and publication of materials to disseminate information as well as results of the Programme: development, operation and maintenance of systems and tools using information and communication technologies;
Amendment 169 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point j
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point j
Amendment 170 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – title
Article 7 – title
Request for technical support
Amendment 174 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. A Member State wishing to receive technical support under the Programme shall submit a request for technical support to the Commission, identifying the policy areas and the priorities for support within the scope of the Programme as set out in Article 5(2). This request shall be submitted at the latest by 31 October of each calendar year.
Amendment 178 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Taking into account the principles of transparency, equal treatment, subsidiarity and sound financial management, further to a dialogue with the Member State, including in the context of the European Semester, the Commission shall analyse the request for support referred to in paragraph 1 based on the urgency, breadth and depth of the problems identified, support needs in respect of the policy areas concerned, analysis of socioeconomic indicators, Union added value and general administrative capacity of the Member State. Taking into account the existing actions and measures financed by Union funds or other Union programmes, the Commission in close cooperation with the Member State concerned shall identify the priority areas for support, the scope of the support measures to be provided and the global financial contribution for such support.
Amendment 181 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) the implementation of structural reforms in the context of economic governance processes, in particular of the relevant Country Specific Recommendations issued in the context of the European Semester or of relevant actions related to the implementation of Union law;
Amendment 185 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) the implementation of structural reforms by Member States, undertaken at their own initiative, notably to achieve sustainable investment, growth and job creation.
Amendment 187 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – title
Article 8 – title
Organisation of technical support
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission may define the technical support envisaged for Beneficiary Member States in cooperation with other Member States or international organisations.
Amendment 189 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. The Beneficiary Member State, in coordinperation with the Commission, may enter into partnership with one or more other Member States which shall act as Reform Partners in respect of specific areas of reform. A Reform Partner shall, in coordinperation with the Commission, help formulate strategy, reform roadmaps, design high-quality assistance or oversee implementation of strategy and projects.
Amendment 190 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. The financial allocation of the Programme may also cover expenses pertaining to preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities which are required for the management of the Programme and the achievement of its objectives, in particular studies, meetings of experts, information and communication actions, including corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, as far as they are related to the general objectives of this Regulation, expenses linked to IT networks focusing on information processing and exchange, together with all other technical and administrative assistance expenses incurred by the Commission for the management of the Programme.
Amendment 192 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1
Article 10 – paragraph 1
1. In addition to the financial envelope set out in Article 9, the Programme may be financed through additional voluntary contributions from Member States.
Amendment 195 #