Activities of Gérard DEPREZ related to 2017/2043(BUD)
Plenary speeches (1)
2018 Budget - Mandate for the trilogue FR
Amendments (23)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that in its resolution of 15 March 2017, Parliament confirmed that sustainable growth, jobs and, security and climate change are the core issues and main priorities for the 2018 EU budget;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses that Trump Administration's decision to dismantle key climate programmes highlights the importance of delivering on EU's commitment to achieving the goals set at COP21; regrets, in this regard, that the EU is currently falling short of meeting the spending target of at least 20% of the EU budget on climate-related action in 2014-2020 MFF; reiterates, therefore, its position that the EU budget must support the fulfilment of the objectives of the Paris climate agreement and the EU's own long-term climate goals by speeding up the implementation of the 20% spending target and underlines, in this respect, that the contribution for 2018 should offset the lower allocations from the first half of the current MFF; stresses also that European-funded projects should not have a negative impact on the climate change mitigation and on the transition towards a circular, low carbon economy;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates its firm conviction that in order to achieve sustainable growth and job creation in the EU, investments in research, innovation, infrastructure, education and SMEs are key; welcomes in this respect the proposed reinforcements to Horizon 2020, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and Erasmus+ as these programmes will contribute directly to reaching these goals; regrets, however, that the proposed allocation for COSME is lower in comparison with the 2017 budget and points to the need to further reinforce SMEs, which are the main source of job creation in the EU and have a crucial role in reducing the investment gap and contributing to the prosperity of the EU;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Recalls the crucial role of SMEs in job creation and reduction of the investment gap and underscores that their adequate funding must remain one of the top priorities of the EU budget; regrets, in this respect, that the proposed allocation for COSME is lower in comparison with the 2017 budget, points to the need to further reinforce SMEs and calls for full delivery on the programme's financial commitments in the rest of the current MFF;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Highlights the quick uptake of funds in the SME Window of EFSI and welcomes its intended scale-up in the proposed extension of EFSI; welcomes the Commission's attempt at streamlining SME financing within Horizon 2020, regrets however the lack of a holistic approach to SME funding that would allow for a clear overview of total funds available;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the EU initiatives and long-term perspective in the field of defence research and technology development and acquisition, which will contribute to achieving economies of scale in the sector and thus lead to greater coordination among Member States in the field; believes that this kind of pooling and sharing of resources can enable a better use of tax payer's money and offers a potential for savings; underlines also the need to improve the competitiveness and innovation in the European defence industry and to stimulate growth and job creation;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Stresses the importance of mainstreaming biodiversity protection across the EU budget, and reiterates its previous call for a tracking methodology that takes into account all biodiversity related spending and its efficiency;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets thatWelcomes the Move2Learn, Learn2Move initiative by the Commission has not followed up on Parliament’s request to put forward an assessment and relevant proposals for an ‘18th Birthday Interrail Pass for Europe’; is convinced that this proposal has the potential to boost European consciousness and identity and can serve as a concrete example of European added value; strongly reiterates its previous call on the Commission to put forward relevant proposals in this regarda positive step to increase mobility, intercultural experience and European identity of the youth, while supporting learning and promoting low-emission travel and combination of various means of transport; believes that any possible future actions beyond this one-off initiative should be socially and geographically inclusive and always linked to educational objectives, based on multimodal and decarbonised transport, and not undermine the budget of other existing successful EU youth programmes;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the fact that the draft budget 2018 includes an additional allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), responding thus to Parliament’s previous calls for the continuation of the programme; notes, in parallel, the proposal for draft amending budget 3/2017 that integrates the provision of EUR 500 million in commitments for YEI, as agreed upon by Parliament and the Council in the 2017 budgetary conciliation; is convinced that while the proposed amounts alone will not be sufficient to tackle youth unemployment, YEI will continue to contribute to the Union’s priority objective of growth and jobs; insists on the need to provide an effective response to youth unemployment across the European Union and underlines that YEI can be further improved and become more efficient;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. StressNotes that in 2018, cohesion policy programmes are expected to reach cruising speed and emphasises Parliament’s commitment to ensuring adequate appropriations for these programmes; is however preoccupied by the unacceptable delays in the implementation of operational programmes at national level; calls on Member States to ensure that the designation of managing, auditing and certifying authorities is concluded and implementation is accelerated;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Welcomes the fact that more and more Member States consider that cohesion funds should be a tool for guaranteeing solidarity in all Union policies, in particularly for migration issues;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Reaffirms that tackling the root causes of the migratory and refugee crisis represent the long-term sustainable solution and that investments in the countries of origin of migrants and refugees are key to achieving this objective; notes thereforwelcomes, in this regard, the External Investment Plan (EIP) and calls for the swith surpriseft agreement among the institutions and rapid implementation of the European Fund for Sustainable Development (EFSD); notes the decreases in Heading 4 which cannot be fully justified in the framework of past budgetary increases or low implementation rate; is convinced that the EU cannot enter in a post-migratory crisis scenario yet and that the efforts to address the instability in the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood must be enhanced;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Reiterates its support for the implementation of the Commission's strategy 'Budget Focused on Results' and calls on continuous improvement of the quality and presentation of performance data, in order to provide accurate, clear and understandable information on EU programmes' performance;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is surprisedRegrets, however, that COSME commitment and payment appropriations have been reduced respectively by 2.9 % and 31.3 %, although support to SMEs is identified as one of the top priorities of the EU; expresses its intention to further reinforce this programme in the 2018 budget;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Takes note of the Commission’s proposal to set up a European Solidarity Corps (ESC); notes, however, with concern that, despite Parliament’s warnings, the legislative proposal adopted on 30 May 2017 envisages that three fourths of the ESC budget would be financed by redeployments from existing programmes, and mainly from Erasmus+ (EUR 197.7 million); is also concerned byof the proposed cuts to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and to LIFE programme; is concerned of the risk that this situation would pose to those EU programmes that are subject to cuts;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Takes note ofWelcomes the Commission’s proposal to set up a European Solidarity Corps (ESC); notes, however, with concern that, despite Parliament’s warnings, the legislative proposal adopted on 30 May 2017 envisages that three fourths of the ESC budget would be financed by redeployments from existing programmes, and mainly from Erasmus+ (EUR 197.7 million); is concerned by the risk that this situation would pose to those EU programmes and expresses its intention to further reinforce Erasmus+ in the 2018 budget;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Highlights the prolongation of exceptional support measures for certain fruits for which the market situation is still difficult, but; regrets that, however, that the Commission is not currently proposing support measures in the livestock sectors, and particularly in the dairy sector, related to the Russian ban on EU imports will not be extendedand expects, therefore, a change of course in this regard; expects, consequently, that if the margin of Heading 2 is deployed, a part of it will be allocated to dairy farmers in countries most affected from the Russian embargo; awaits the Commission’s letter of amendment, expected in October, which should be based on updated information on the EAGF funding to verify the real needs in the agricultural sector, taking duly into account the impact of the Russian embargo and other market volatilities;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Notes the proposed EUR 3 473.1 million in commitment appropriations for Heading 3; emphasises the need for joint, comprehensive and sustainable solutions to the current migration and refugee crisihallenges, and to addressing safety and security concerns particularly following the series of terrorist attacks that the European Union has known on its territory; welcomes, therefore, the Commission’s proposal for an additional EUR 800 million dedicated to tackling these issues;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Furthermore believes that cooperation among Member States in security related matters could be further enhanced through increased support from the EU budget; questions how such an objective could be reached while relevant budgetary lines of the ISF are significantly decreased compared to 2017 Budget; stresses the need to guarantee the necessary funding to implement the new information and border systems such as European Travel Information and Authorisation and Entry-Exit Systems.
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Recalls Parliament’s consistently strong support for culture and media programmes; welcomes the proposed increases for the Creative Europe Programme compared with the 2017 budget, including for the European Year for Cultural Heritage under ‘Multimedia actions’; furthermore, insists on sufficient funding for the programme ‘Europe for Citizens’; appreciates, finally, also the increases in commitment appropriations for the Food and Feed programme, and the HealthConsumer programme and the Consumer programme compared with the 2017 budget; emphasises, finally, the importance of a strong Health Programme and an appropriate budget to enable European cooperation in the field of health, including new innovations in health care, health inequalities, the burden of chronic diseases, anti-microbial resistance, cross-border healthcare and access to care;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. NoteRegrets the increased support for political reforms for Turkey (IPA II); expects however the same logic to apply to due to Country's backslide in the fields of rule of law, freedom of speech and fundamental rights; expects sufficient funding to the IPA beneficiary countries in the Western Balkans which are in urgent need of financial support for reforms;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Reiterates its conviction that the European agencies active in the Justice and Home Affairs field must be provided with the necessary operational expenditure and staffing levels to allow them to achieve the additional tasks and responsibilities they have been given in recent years; welcomes, in this regard, the substantial staff increases proposed for the European Coast and Border Guard Agency (Frontex) and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), which it considers a minimum to ensure that these agencies can effectively perform their operations; calls the Commission to reassess whether the staff increase proposed for Europol is enough, as this does not reflect the increased workload related to the additional tasks recently conferred to the Agency, especially in the area of terrorism, cybercrime and migrant smuggling ; underlines the identified gaps in the existing exchange of information architecture and urges the Commission to provide eu-LISA with the appropriate human and financial resources to fulfil the additional tasks and responsibilities recently assigned to the Agency in this respect ; requests the Commission to reassess whether the proposed operational funding (-23.6 % compared to 2017) and staffing levels (-4) for Eurojust will indeed allow this agency to fulfil in an effective manner its key role in the promotion of judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, including in the fields of drug policy and crime prevention;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 a (new)
Paragraph 46 a (new)
46 a. Notes that the year 2018 is the third REACH registration deadline affecting a large number of companies in Europe and the highest number of SMEs to date, which will consequently have a significant impact on the workload of ECHA; calls, therefore, on the Commission to refrain from the planned reduction of six Temporary Agent posts in 2018 and postpone this reduction until 2019 so that ECHA can effectively implement its entire 2018 Work Programme; notes, in this regard, that ECHA has already implemented a 10% REACH staff reduction since 2012;