38 Amendments of Xabier BENITO ZILUAGA related to 2017/2052(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights the importance of completing the energy union, the digital single market, the capital markets union and the European research areaConsiders that the future MFF should promote increased public investment to support research and innovation, knowledge economy, environmentally sustainable infrastructure and SMEs, so that to achieve sustainable growth, creation of stable and quality jobs and a low-carbon circular economy, consistent with 2030 climate and energy efficiency goals;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Whereas Council Regulation No 1311/2013 laying down the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the years 2014-2020 provides that the Commission should present its proposal for the future post-2020 MFF before 1 January 2018;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Whereas the legislative proposals for the next MFF need to be presented as soon as possible, so that the new funding can be agreed before the end of the current programming period in order to prevent delays in programming and implementation for the new period;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Whereas according to the Treaty, the Parliament and the Council constitute the two arms of the budgetary authority; therefore the Parliament should be fully involved in the decision making, as well as, in the implementation of the new MFF;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Whereas the adoption of the last MFF 2014-2020, involved up to 1% of Member States' GNI, represented a sharp reduction from the previous MFF and undermined territorial, economic and social cohesion and the principle of solidarity within the EU;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)
Paragraph 1 e (new)
1e. Whereas suitable measures should be taken to ensure that the budgetary challenge deriving from the United Kingdom's departure from the EU does not have a negative effect on the next MFF budget;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 f (new)
Paragraph 1 f (new)
1f. Points out that the economic and social crisis that hit the Member States in 2007/2018 is far from over, while new priorities, challenges and unforeseen crises need to be addressed; therefore post-2020 MFF budget should at least be equivalent to the current period, if not increased;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 g (new)
Paragraph 1 g (new)
1g. Recalls its opposition to macroeconomic conditionality and rejects any proposal that the next MFF should maintain the link between disbursement of funds and the implementation of structural reforms, economic governance, European Semester and the rule of law in Member States;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 h (new)
Paragraph 1 h (new)
1h. Calls on the Commission to structure the next MFF in a manner that clearly reflects the current and new priorities and allow a response to unforeseen crises; in this context it underlines that new priorities should be financed with fresh money without jeopardizing long-term policy objectives and programmes like HORIZON 2020 and COSME that have clearly demonstrated their European added value and enjoy lasting popularity among beneficiaries;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that funding should be guaranteed for thea new job-creating industrial policy strategy so that the EU can become the world leader in innovation, digitisation and decarbonisation; calls for the necessary financial programme to be safeguarded through a dedicated investment programme that facilitates the development of a comprehensive industrial strategythat is an important driver for growth, employment and innovation in Europe;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that the next MFF period should make provision for adequaten increase in EU funding, including structural and investment funds, in order to deepen the integration of the EU energy market, especially for key energy infrastructure projects such as projects of common interest (PCIs)reach affordable, secure and clean energy and secure the Union resources in the field of research, development and innovation;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the need for an upgraded and, more effective and environmentally sustainable Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) which will close the missing links in Europe’s energy and digital backbone by supporting the development of high- performance, sustainable and efficiently interconnected trans-European networks in the fields of energy and digital services;
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates that, in the next MFF, financial instruments canshould not replace grants in financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, innovative technologies for conventional energy and R&I projects, as only grants are suitable for stable funding and can maximise output on the ground;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. StressReiterates that the next MFF provides an opportunity for the UnionMember States to demonstrate that it stands togethere solidarity that is embedded in the Union and its ablecapacity to address political developments such as Brexit, the rise of nationalistextremist right-wing movements ands well as changes in global leadership; underlines thatstresses its full commitment to the respect of rule of law and democracy and calls upon all stake holders and civil society to commit to an inclusive, progressive and collaborative process to duly, fully and timely address the current societal, political, environmental and economical challenges; divisions and self- centredness are not an answer to globcal issues and to citizens’ concern, regional, national nor global issues; considers that the Brexit negotiations, and in particular, show that the benefits of being a Union memberthe commitment to the rule of law and democracy, the full respect of the framework of the commitments previously assumed, as within the Good Friday Agreement, remain as a key reference that the benefits of an inclusive, progressive and collaborative process greatly outweigh the costs of contributing to its budgetless harmonious solutions;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recalls the importance of completing thea reoriented digital single market by makingin order to make sure that a full use of spectrum, 5G and internet connectivity, and by making further progress on EU telecom rules will lead to job creation, facilitate SMEs accession to finance and strengthen the rights of workers and consumers;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Further stresses the need to better coordinate EU instrumentfunds relating to investment in SMEs, information and communication technology and energy infrastructure, and considers that a combination of grants and innovative financial instruments could facilitate project implementation and stimulate private financingvironmentally sustainable energy infrastructure;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Believes that Europe should offer prospects to the younger generation as well as to the future-oriented undertakings that make the EU more successful in the global arena; is determined to substantially scale up, among others, two of its flagship programmes, namely the Research Framework Programme and Erasmus+, which cannot satisfy the very high demand involving top quality applications with their current means; calls also for progress to be made in thestands firm in its support to substantially increase the resources to fight against youth unemployment and in support for micro, small and medium-sized, as well as, social enterprises by equipping the successor programmes of the Youth Employment Initiative and the programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) with greater financial means;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Reiterates the need to continue with Horizon 2020 and to provide it with at least the same share of funding as at present in order to respond to societal challenges and secure Europe’s global competitiveness and industrial leadership in innovation; considers that programmes such as the successor programme to Horizon 2020 should receive twice the funding available under the current framework programme in order to respond to societal challenges and alleviate the research and innovation funding gap; calls also for a greater focus on implementing innovation through joint undertakings, on supporting investment in key technologies and on ensuring that SMEs have better access to risk capital;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for an upgraded EFSI that would make it possible to bridge the gap between research and the market and would focus on boosting market innovationthe Commission to facilitate greater synergies and complementarities between the different EU funds and programmes, including cohesion policy, Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility, while complying with their respective specific rules;
Amendment 142 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Emphasises that the next EU budget should include sufficient space-related funding to continue and further develop the EU’s flagship Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus space programmers; reminds that all research and innovations shall have an exclusive focus on civil applications;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Believes that a stronger and a more ambitious Europe can only be achieved if it is provided with reinforced financial means; calls, in the light of the above- mentioned challenges and priorities, and taking into account the UK’s withdrawal from the Union, for a significant increase of the Union’s budget; estimates the requiredconsiders that the MFF expenditure ceilings at 1.3 % of the GNI of the EU-27, notwithstanding the range of instruments to be counted over and above the ceilingshould be several times higher than the percentage of the GNI of the EU-27 set as a ceiling so far, in order to be able to compensate for the external imbalances between the centre and the periphery resulting from the Union’s economic architecture and to be able to cope with the risks of future economic, humanitarian and environmental crises;
Amendment 152 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 158 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Draws attention toStrongly rejects further EU militarisation through the European Defence Fund and the recent Commission proposal for a European defence industrial development programme which is intended to cover the period 2019-2020; welcomes the Commission’s intention to submit both a more substantial defence industrial development programme and a programme to support defence research as part of the MFF; considers that these programmes should not draw funds away from other programmes in the same heading. at the expense of other programmes;
Amendment 166 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Amendment 176 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Points out that while acknowledging the need to consolidate and further increase flexibility within MFF, all funds, financial instruments, financial mechanisms and agencies’ finances should be recorded in the union balance sheet, in full compliance with the principle of the unity of the budget and on the grounds of democratic accountability and transparency;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Approves the overall architecture of the MFF special instruments, notably the Flexibility Instrument, the Emergency Aid Reserve, the EU Solidarity Fund, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF), and points to their extensive mobilisation under the current MFF; calls for improvementsa substantial increase to be made to their financial envelopes and operating provisions;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 16
Subheading 16
A stronger, more equitable1a and sustainable economy __________________ 1a In spite of the joint declaration attached to the 2014-2020 MFF on gender mainstreaming, there has been little progress in this field and no clear gender equality strategy with specific objectives, concrete targets and allocations, has emerged from the MFF 2014-2020. An iconic reference underlining the potential in which the overall financial framework of the Union may contribute to increase gender equality and ensure gender mainstreaming is of the utmost importance, in the context of this report.
Amendment 344 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68
68. Believes that tThe next MFF should see a greater concentration of budgetary resources in areas that demonstrate a clear European added value and stimulate economic growth, competitiveness andconvergent economic and sustainable green growth, quality and long-term employment; stresses, in this context, the importance of research and innovation in creating a sustainable, world-leading, knowledge- based economy, and regrets that, due to the lack of adequate financing, only a small proportion of high-quality projects in this field has received EU funding under the current MFF;
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69 a (new)
Paragraph 69 a (new)
69a. Notes that the next MFF must support the EU and its member states in reaching their climate goals as laid out in the Paris Agreement; stresses that EU funds should support the renewable energy transition to lower emissions source; stresses the importance of guaranteeing biodiversity funding, through programmes such as the LIFE Programme and ensuring its continuation in the next MFF;
Amendment 362 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70 a (new)
Paragraph 70 a (new)
70a. Insists on the Union’s commitment to peace and calls upon the Member States to agree upon a ban on the use of the EU budget to finance or guarantee any dual technological development projects with military applicability;
Amendment 508 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82
Paragraph 82
82. Considers maintaining the financing of cohesion policy post-2020 for the EU-27 at least at the level of the 2014- 2020 budget to be of the utmost importance; stresses that GDP should remain one of the parameters for the allocation of cohesion policy funds, but believes that it should be complemented by an additional set of social, environmental and demographic indicators to better take into account new types of inequalities between EU regions and enable every country to benefit from this policy; supports, in addition, the continuation under the new programming period of the elements that rendered cohesion policy more modern and performance-oriented under the current MFF;
Amendment 526 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83
Paragraph 83
83. Is strongly committed to the delivery of Social Europe and the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, andreorienting the European integration process so as to make Social Europe its highest priority; calls for the European Pillar of Social Rights to be implemented through legislative convergence on a most favoured nation basis; points to the existing instruments contributing to these goals, notably the ESF, the Youth Employment Initiative, the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, the EGF and EaSI; believes not only that they should be safeguarded in the next MFF, but that their funding should be increased to match their aims;
Amendment 554 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 84 a (new)
Paragraph 84 a (new)
84a. Underlines the need to step up with support measures to address the demographic challenges, in particular, the significant increase on an ageing population in need of special and dedicated care, in particular the elderly; reiterates its support to initiatives such as "villages for person’s with dementia" where due care is provided for since early stage.
Amendment 573 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 85 a (new)
Paragraph 85 a (new)
85a. Recognises the importance of addressing public health threats at a global as well as EU level, notes the importance of robust health programmes to tackle transnational public health issues; calls for a safeguarding of funding for research and development for rare diseases; calls for increased funding for tackling anti-microbial resistance across the EU.
Amendment 612 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 88 a (new)
Paragraph 88 a (new)
88a. Expresses its dedication to the pursuit of peace; calls upon the Member States, the Council and the Commission to commit to a European Convention to ban investment, development and implementation of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, and to develop all efforts to support and develop the creation of a worldwide Convention;
Amendment 648 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 93
Paragraph 93
Amendment 649 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 93
Paragraph 93