21 Amendments of João PIMENTA LOPES related to 2017/2052(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the EU is faced with multiple challenges that affect global stability and that can only be tackled with long-term and holistic extdisparities between countries and regions in the EU have increased, leaving periphernal actions; recalls the ambition of EU leaders as expressed in the Rome Declaration to strive towards a Union that is ‘big on big issues and small on small ones’countries caught in an austerity trap with low levels of investment and increasing indebtedness; calls for the multi-annual financial framework (MFF) to make this a reality bystrengthen cohesion and substantially increasing external action appropriations (Heading 4), thereby making common foreign policy a core EU functioninable growth based on contributory solidarity and promoting harmonious and inclusive development; calls for this to be a priority for the EU Member States;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that high-quality transport infrastructures are the backbone of the single market and crucial to ensuring the four fundamental freedoms pertaining to persons, capital, goods and services; notes that accomplishing a single European transport area connected to neighbouring countries requires major transport infrastructure to, networks and services are crucial to the economic and social development of countries and regions, not only because they help bring about economic growth, boost the production system, and contribute to job creation and the modernisation of countries and regions, but also because they play a fundamental role in bringing peoples together and combating the isolation of communities; considers it imperative, therefore, that they be treated as a key political priority for the EU’s competitivenesseconomic growth and for territorial, economic and social cohesion; , which means that public control of the development, management and maintenance of transport infrastructure, networks and services is essential;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Takes the view that the foreign policy is the exclusive competence of each Member State; stresses that the principles of national independence, respect for human rights, the rights of peoples, equality between States, the peaceful settlement of international disputes, non- interference in the internal affairs of other States and cooperation with all other peoples for the empowerment and advancement of humankind must form the basis for international relations in each Member State;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights that increased funding is needed for an effective European response to modern challenges and to tacklthe EU Global Strategy and European Neighbourhood policy are promoting external interventionism, militarism and the Ecurope’s new priorities, which are reflected in rent preoccupation with security in the EU, remaining in line withe EU Global Strategy and the renewed European Neighbourhood policy, including development aid, human rights violations, bad governance, security threats and armed confpolicies that are curtailing individual rights, freedoms guarantees; rejects therefore any type of funding contributing to the strengthening of EU external action, security and defence policties, and natural disasters and climate change as well as the refugee and migratory challenges caused by these issuthe development of military industry or the limitation of individual rights, freedoms and guarantees;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Recalls that the adoption of the last multiannual financial framework (MFF), covering the period 2014- 2020, involved less than 1% of Member States' gross national income and represented a sharp reduction from the previous MFF, which belies any priority given by the EU to economic and social cohesion and any idea of solidarity within the EU;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. ConsidersPoints out that the economic and social crisis that hit the Member States in 2007/2008 is far from being at an end and that social, economic and territorial divergences persist; considers, therefore, that cohesion policy’s share of the total EU budget should be maintainedincreased significantly post-2020, as the Cohesion Fund makes a major contribution to closing infrastructure gaps between regionplays a fundamental role in combating asymmetries between and within Member States, including infrastructure gaps; strongly rejects, therefore, any attempt to reduce the budget earmarked for cohesion; rejects the intention to increase funding earmarked for defence and external action by, inter alia, the transfer of cohesion funds;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Maintains that the next MFF needs to earmark set amounts for investment with a view to upgrading and setting up high-quality public welfare facilities affording easier access to childcare services, including crèches and preschools, and care services for the elderly;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Points out that women and children make up a very large number of the refugees and asylum seekers who have entered and are still entering the EU; calls for the MFF to be revised with a view to providing financial instruments specifically for the purpose of integrating women refugees and asylum seekers and of properly meeting the needs of refugee and asylum seeker families;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Rejects any proposal, as put forward in the Reflection Paper on the Future of EU Finances, that the next MFF should strengthen the link between the disbursement of cohesion funds and the implementation of structural reforms, economic governance and the European Semester or the rule of law in the Member States;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls for the disbursement of funds earmarked for transport and tourism in the next MFF to take account of their positive impact on reducing regional asymmetries, as well as on combating and reducing job insecurity and seasonality in these two sectors;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes the view that the existingcurrent EU Ttrust Ffunds should also prove their added value in their ability to mobilise additional funding; notes that a simple relabeling of existing EU funding for political purposes does not represent increases per se, and creates an additional layer of complexitycontribute to development and solidarity between peoples, and not be instruments promoting and upholding the economic and financial in termests of democratic oversight and budgetary scrutiny; emphasises the need for increased parliamentary scrutiny of activities under EU Trust Funds and the EU Facility for Refugees in Turkeymajor multinationals or the political interests of major EU powers;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) should allow for adequate EU funding, including structural and investment funds, for projects which contribute, in particular, to the completion of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) core network and its corridors; reiterates that financial instruments cannot replace grants for TEN-T projects, as only grants can maximise output on the ground; considers, furthermore, that better coordination of EU instruments related to transport, including blending of grants and innovative financial instruments, can facilitate project implementation and catalyse private financing;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Maintains that EU external financing instruments are essential for effective EU external action in particular in the European Neighbourhood (European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI)) and pre-accession countries (Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance II); points out that the ENI should take account of the increased emphasis on stabilisation, peace processes, post-crisis reconstruction and resilienmore funding should earmarked for demilitarisation and for conventional and nuclear disarmament programmes; calls on EU Member States to prioritise the defence and promotion of peace;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the importance of strengthened support for the rule of law, democracy and human rights as a cross- cutting issue in EU instruments in view of ongoing developments in the European Neighbourhood and beyonddevelopment, cohesion, solidarity and cooperation between States with equal rights; stresses the importance of strengthening support for policies that promote peace and healthy coexistence between peoples, in full compliance with the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. StressesRejects the argument that funding for completing the single European rail area should be safeguarded; stresses further that the deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) should be brought forward in order to further implement common technical standards and maximise the benefits in terms of interoperability, given that the main objectives of this project are the privatisation and liberalisation of Member States’ rail sectors and that it has been, since its introduction, synonymous with the worsening quality and safety of the services provided, the increased exploitation of transport workers, and the subordination of this strategic sector to free competition and the interests of multinationals;
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines the importance of secured funding to achieve an integrated maritime policy, as a flagship initia (that will promote marine research and the development of maritime technology and engineering in various fields, including shipbuilding; that will promote more environmentally sustainable maritivme for cross-sectoral and trans-national governancetransport and port infrastructure within a framework of public management; that will attach appropriate value to fishing, guaranteeing the sector’s modernisation, its socio- economic viability and the sustainability of resources; along with the role and specific characteristics of the outermost regions), as well as for optimising multimodal connections and shifting to digital transport services and sustainable transport modes, including inland waterways;
Amendment 134 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the importance of shifting towards a sustainable tourism sector, which requiresat tourism is a key factor in boosting local and regional economies and thus in economic and social cohesion; highlights, therefore, the importance of shifting towards a sustainable tourism sector that does not rely on low wages and insecure jobs, which will require measures to combat its strongly seasonal nature, but also better coordination between tourism and infrastructure projects; considers that a specific heading for tourism should be created in order to move towards a genuine European tourism policy and action to safeguard the natural, historical and cultural heritage;
Amendment 148 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. ConsidersRejects any proposal that the future MFF should provide maximum predictability and flexibility in order to allow the full utilisation of the resources committed within it, which should therefore guarantee that any surplus resulting from under-implementation of the EU budget and de-commitments resulting from non- implementation are made available again in the EU budget.maintain the link with macroeconomic conditionality and economic governance and national reform plans as part of the European Semester, which is continuing to give priority to financial instruments and public-private partnerships; considers, therefore, that the future MFF should instead promote increased public investment, supporting productive and strategic sectors (such as transport) and their modernisation and sustainability, focusing on job creation, the fight against poverty, social exclusion and inequalities, environmental protection, and action to exploit the full potential of each country and region;