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Activities of Gérard DEPREZ related to 2017/2052(INI)

Shadow reports (1)

REPORT on the next MFF: Preparing the Parliament’s position on the MFF post-2020 PDF (1 MB) DOC (234 KB)
2016/11/22
Committee: BUDG
Dossiers: 2017/2052(INI)
Documents: PDF(1 MB) DOC(234 KB)

Shadow opinions (1)

OPINION on the next MFF: preparing the Parliament’s position on the MFF post-2020
2016/11/22
Committee: LIBE
Dossiers: 2017/2052(INI)
Documents: PDF(189 KB) DOC(68 KB)

Amendments (35)

Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the rise in the budget of the European Union must not increase the overall burden of public expenditure in Europe (1% of GDP), and any increase in the European Union’s budget should therefore primarily be achieved by transferring actions hitherto performed by the Member States at national level to the EU and making the corresponding appropriations available; whereas this should consequently result in greater effectiveness corresponding to European added value;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
4. Is convinced that the next MFF should build on the Union’s well- established policies and priorities, which aim at promoting peace, democracy and human rights, at boosting welfare, long- term and sustainable economic growth, high-quality jobs, sustainable development and innovation, protecting healthy living environment, fighting climate change and at fostering economic, social and territorial cohesion, as well as solidarity between Member States and citizens; considers that these pillars are prerequisites for a properly functioning single market, the Energy Union and Economic and Monetary Union as well as for reinforcing Europe’s position in the world; trusts that they are more relevant than ever for Europe’s future endeavours;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
7. Calls, therefore, for continuous support for existing policies, in particular the long-standing EU policies enshrined in the Treaties, namely the common agricultural and fisheries policies, and the cohesion policy; rejects any attempt to totally renationalise these policies, as this would neither reduce the financial burden on taxpayers and consumers, nor achieve better results, but would instead hamper growth and the functioning of the single market while widening the disparities between territories and economic sectors; intends to secure the same level ofan adequate funding for the EU-27 for these policies in the next programming period while further improving their added value and simplifying the procedures associated with them;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Supports, in order to assist the Commission in its ambition to invest in human capital, the creation, in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), of a programme devoted to the development of vocational training and apprenticeships;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
13. Is convinced that, unledeleted1 __________________ 1 It's not appropriate in this report to discuss the Csouncil agrees to significantly increase the level of its national contributions to the EU budget, the introduction of new EU own resources remains the only option for adequately financing the next MFF; rces of funding for the multiannual financial framework; this point must be dealt with exclusively in the own resources report. That's why we wish to delete this paragraph.
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
18. Is of the opinion that the decision on the duration of the MFF should strike the right balance between two seemingly conflicting requirements: on the one hand, the need for several EU policies – especially those under shared management, such as agriculture and cohesion – to operate on the basis of the stability and predictability of a commitment of at least seven years, and, on the other hand, the need for democratic legitimacy and accountability that results from the synchronisation of each financial framework with the five-year political cycle of the European Parliament and the European Commission;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
20. Underlines, therefore, the need for the MFF’s duration to move progressively towards a 5+5 period with a mandatory mid-term revision; calls on the Commission to elaborate a clear proposal setting out the methods of the practical implementation of a 5+5 financial framework;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
21. Acknowledges, however, that the timing of the next European Parliament elections in spring 2019, given that the current MFF runs until December 2020, does not allow for a 5+5 solution to be implemented immediately, as no satisfactory alignment of the different cycles would be achieved; takes the view, therefore, that the next MFF should be set for a period of seven years (2021- 2027), including a mandatory revision, by way of a transitional solution to be applied for one last time;deleted
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
34. Calls, in particular, for a substantial increase in the financial envelope of the Flexibility Instrument of up to an annual allocation of at least EUR 2 billion; recalls that the Flexibility Instrument is not linked to any specific policy field and can thus be mobilised for any purpose that is deemed necessary; considers, therefore, that this instrument can be mobilised to cover any new financial needs as they occur during the MFF;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
35. Points to the role of the Emergency Aid Reserve in providing a rapid response to specific aid requirements for third countries for unforeseen events, and stresses its particular importance in the current context; calls for a substantial increase in its financial envelope of up to an annual allocation of EUR 1 billion;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
36. Notes, in particular, the significant mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide assistance in a number of serious natural disasters with substantial budgetary consequences; stresses also the positive impact that this instrument has on public opinion; proposes the reinforcement of its financial envelope to an annual allocation of EUR 1 billion;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 9
Revenue – special reservedeleted1 __________________ 1 These paragraphs come from the own resources report. We wish to delete them outright because the duplication of the same paragraphs in two different reports may lead to an inconsistency in Parliament's position. Moreover, it is inappropriate in this report to mention the sources of funding for the multiannual financial framework; this point must be dealt with exclusively in the own resources report.
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
42. Reiterates its long-standing position that any revenue resulting from fines imposed on companies for breaching EU competition law or linked to late paydeleted1 __________________ 1 These paragraphs come from the own resources report. We wish to delete them outright because the duplication of the same paragraphs in two different reports may lead to an inconsistency in Parliament's of national contributions to the EU budget should constitute an extra item of revenue for the EU budget without a corresponding decrease of the GNI contributions;position. Moreover, it is inappropriate in this report to mention the sources of funding for the multiannual financial framework; this point must be dealt with exclusively in the own resources report.
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
43. Calls, to this end, for a special reserve to be established on the revenue side of the EU budget, which will be progressively filled up by all types of unforeseen other revenue; considers that this reserve should be deployed in order to cover additional payment needs, especially those linked to the mobilisation of the Global Margin for Commitments or the MFF special instruments;deleted1 __________________ 1 These paragraphs come from the own resources report. We wish to delete them outright because the duplication of the same paragraphs in two different reports may lead to an inconsistency in Parliament's position. Moreover, it is inappropriate in this report to mention the sources of funding for the multiannual financial framework; this point must be dealt with exclusively in the own resources report.
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
44. Agrees that the search forachieving real European added value should be one of the main principles guiding the EU institutions when deciding about the type of spending in the next MFF; points out, however, the existence of multiple interpretations of the concept and calls for a clear definition of the criteria thereof that should take territorial specificities into account;;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
46. Considers that better spending, i.e. the efficient use of every single euro of the EU budget based on critical assessment of current expenditure, can be achieved not only by directing EU resources towards actions with the highest European added value and the greatest increase in the performance of the EU’s policies and programmes, but also by achieving greater synergies between the EU budget and the national budgets, and by ensuring the tangible improvement of the spending architecture;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 a (new)
46a. Reiterates that focus should equally be put on the relationship between spending and performance of the EU budget; supports the recommendations of the 2016 Annual Report of the European Court of Auditors, for an efficient measurement framework of indicators for the spending programmes, more streamlined and balanced reporting on performance, and an easier access to the assessment results.;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
48. Underlines that the ‘health check’ of EU spending cannotshould provide for a reduction in the level of EU ambition or a sectoralisation of EU policies and programmes, nor should it lead to a replacement of grants by financial instrumentsn opportunity to re-prioritize with a view to generating some savings, as the great majority of actions supported by the EU budget are not suitable to be funded by the latter;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
52. Questions the justification and added value of establishing instruments outside the Union budget; considers that decisions to set up or maintain such instruments are in reality driven by attempts to conceal the real financial needs and to bypass the constraints of the MFF and own resources ceilings; deplores that they often also result in bypassing Parliament in its triple responsibility as legislative, budgetary and control authority and lead to less transparency towards the general public and beneficiaries;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
61. Recalls its request to the Commission to identify EU policy areas where grants could be combined with financial instruments and to reflect on a proper balance between the two; is convinced that subsidies should remain the predominant way of funding the EU project in the next MFF; underlines thatfor clearer division between instruments. The Commission should identify EU policy areas, which are best served by grants, those that could be better suited by financial instruments, and those where grants could be combined with financial instruments and to reflect on a proper balance between the two; underlines that the use of loans, guarantees, risk- sharing and equity financing should be used with caution, based on appropriate ex-ante assessments and only when their use can demonstrate a clear added value and a leverage effectin the next MFF must be accompanied by major efforts to facilitate access to these instruments for beneficiaries, in particular for start-ups, SMEs and mid- caps;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
65. Believes, therefore, that the current presentation of the headings requires some improvements, but is against any unjustified radical changes; proposes, as a result, the following structure for the MFF post-2020; Heading 1: A stronger and sustainable economy Including programmes and instruments supporting: under direct mcalls on the Commission to propose a new structure for the MFF post-2020; transport, digitalisation, energy environment and climate chanagement: - research and innovation - industry, entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises - large-infrastructure projects - - adaptation - - - supporting investments in Europe (possible umbrella agriculture and rural development maritime affairs and fisheries horizontal (financial) instrument at EU level, incl. EFSI) Heading 2: Stronger cohesion and solidarity in Europe Including programmes and instruments supporting: - cohesion (under shared management):  investments in innovations economic, social and territorial education and life-long learning culture, citizenship and health and food safety asylum, dmigitalisation, reindustrialisation, SMEs, transport, climate change adaptation  employment, social affairs and social inclusion - - communication - - justice and consumers - national administrations Heading 3: Stronger responsibility in the world Including programmes and instruments supporting: - development - - - - - external relations facilities Heading 4: Security, peace and stability for all Including programmes and instruments supporting: - - - policy - Heading 5: An efficient administration at the service of Europeans - - equipment of EU institutionsration and integration, support to and coordination with international cooperation and neighbourhood enlargement humanitarian aid trade contribution to EU trust funds and security crisis response and stability common foreign and security defence financing EU staff financing the buildings and
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67
67. Highlights the importance of completing the European research area, the energy union, the Single European Transport Area and the digital single market as fundamental elements of the European single market and reiterates the need for appropriate funding of the Connecting Europe Facility as strategic tool to support the attainment of these objectives;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 399 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
75. Considers it essential to secure a sustainable and affordablclean, stable and competitive energy supply in Europe; calls, therefore, for the continuous support for investments ensuring the diversification of energy sources, increasing energy security andsustainable investments that stimulate renewable energy sources, enhancinge energy efficiency, including by CEF Energy; stresses in particular the importance of providing for comprehensive support, especially for carbon-intensive regions, energy transition, transition to a low-carbon economy, the modernisation of power generation and grids, carbon capture storage and utilisation technologies, and the modernisation of district heating; considers that the transformation of the energy sector in the light of the climate objectives should be supported by the creation of an Energy Transition Fund under the next MFF that would facilitate the structural changes in energy-intensive industries and carbon-intensive electricity production plants, and create incentives for low-carbon investments and innovative solution as a first fuel, increase energy security and energy independence from import of energy sources and that support new and innovative energy and industrial technologies that are in line with Europe’s long-term climate commitments;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 427 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 77
77. Affirms that the common agricultural policy is fundamental for food security and autonomy, the preservation of rural populations, sustainable development and the provision of high-quality and affordable food products for Europeans; stresses the need to secure agricultural production in all parts of the EU as well as in the areas of natural constraints; points out that food requirements have increased, as has the need to develop environmentally friendly farming practices and the need to tackle climate change; underlines that the CAP is one of the most integrated policies and is mainly financed at EU level and, therefore, replaces national spending;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 452 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78
78. Expects the global amount of direct payments to be kept intact under the next MFF, as they generate clear EU added value and strengthen the single market by avoiding distortions of competition between Member States; opposes any total renationalisation and any national co- financing in that respect; stresses the need to increase funding in line with responses to the various cyclical crises in sensitive sectors, to create new instruments that can mitigate price volatility and to increase funding for Programmes of Options Specifically Relating to Remoteness and Insularity (POSEI); concludes, therefore, that the CAP budget in the next MFF should be at least maintained at its current level for the EU-27receive an adequate funding for the EU-27 based on an analysis of the needs and taking into account the evaluation of the implementation of the policy;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 467 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80
80. Stresses the importance of the EU’s leading role in tackling cneed for appropriate financial resources to be provided to ensure that EU can meet its international oblimgate change and its internal and external biodiversity commitments and goals; asks for appropriate financial resources to be provided to implement the Paris agreement and thorough climate mainstreaming of future EU spendiions made under the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as its internal and external biodiversity commitments and goals; underlines the importance of sustaining and strengthening the EU’s leading role in tackling climate change; recalls that the next MFF should help the Union to achieve its 2030 climate and energy framework objectives; underlines that the EU should not finance projects and investments that are contrary to the achievement of these goals; calls for thorough climate mainstreaming of future EU spending;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 472 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80 a (new)
80a. Draws attention to the first recommendations of the High Level Expert Group on Sustainable Finance1a,including those relating to the multiannual financial framework, and emphasize that the sustainability objectives must be supported by a financial system capable of promoting long-term, sustainable growth; calls on the Commission also to examine and address these recommendations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework, including the need to develop a 'sustainability test' for all future EU financial regulations and policies, and for financial instruments to achieve greater policy steering effects; __________________ 1a https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/17 0713-sustainable-finance-report_en.pdf
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 493 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 81
81. StressUnderlines that cohesion policy post- 2020 should remainis the main investment policy of the European Union covering all EU regions while concentrating the majority of the resources on the most vulnerable ones; believes that, beyond the goal of reducing the disparities between levels of development and enhancing convergence as enshrined in the Treaty, it should focus on the achievement of the broad EU political objectives and proposes, therefore, that under the next MFF, the three cohesion policy funds – the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Cohesion Fund – should concentrate mainly on providing support for innovation, structural reforms, digitalisation, reindustrialisation, SMEs, transport, climate change adaptation, employment and social inclusion; calls, moreover, for a reinforced territorial cooperation component and an urban dimension for the policy;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 509 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82
82. Considers maintaining thStresses the need for an adequate financing of cohesion policy post-2020 for the EU-27 at least abased on an analysis of the needs and taking into account the level of the 2014- 2020 budget to be of the utmost importancealuation of the implementation of the policy; 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; 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;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 518 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82 a (new)
82a. Considers that the allocation of structural funds post-2020 for the EU-27 shall be conditional on the respect of the fundamental principles of the rule of law, the acceptance of the control by the European Public Prosecutor of the use made of these funds, the acceptance of an effective solidarity in the sharing of the burdens resulting from common European policies; considers, furthermore, that macroeconomic conditionality shall be maintained when allocating these funds.
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 549 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 84
84. Emphasises in particular the continuous need to fight unemployment, especially among young people, and calls, therefore, for a doubling of the Ysubstantial strengthening of initiatives to boost youth Eemployment Initiative envelope in the next programming period; considers that investment to boost education and training, especially the development of digital skills, remains one of the top priorities of the EU; insists that the Union's resources in support of these initiatives result in a net increase in the funds available for NEETs (young people not in employment, education or training) and shall not replace expenditure previously financed by national budgets.
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 586 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86
86. Expects that in the post-2020 period, the European Union will move from crisis-management mode to a permanent, European common policy in the field of asylum and migration; stresses that the actions in this field should be covered by a dedicated instrument, i.e. the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund; emphasises that the future fund, as well as the relevant Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies, must be equipped with an adequate level of funding for the whole of the next MFF to address the comprehensive challenges in this area; believes, furthermore, that the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) should be complemented by additional components tackling this issue under other policies, in particular by the cohesion funds and the instruments financing external actions, as no single tool could hope to address the magnitude and complexity of needs in this field; recognises, moreover, the importance of cultural, educational and sports programmes in integrating refugees and migrants into European society;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 606 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 88
88. Stresses that the world is confronted with multiple challenges including conflicts, cyber-attacks, terrorism, disinformation, natural disasters, climate change, biodiversity loss; marine pollution; human rights violations and protracted crises; believes that the Union has a particular political and financial responsibility which is founded on rules- based foreign policy, cooperation with partner countries, poverty eradication and crisis response;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 608 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 88
88. Stresses that the world is confronted with multiple challenges including conflicts, cyber-attacks, hybrid warfare, terrorism, disinformation, natural disasters, climate change, human rights violations and protracted crises; believes that the Union has a particular political and financial responsibility which is founded on rules-based foreign policy, cooperation with partner countries, poverty eradication and crisis response;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 673 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 96
96. Welcomes initiatives by the institutions, bodies and agencies to further enhance efficiency through increased administrative cooperation and the pooling of certain functions, thereby generating savings to the Union budget; highlights that, for certain agencies, further efficiency gains could be made, especially through increased cooperation among agencies with similar tasks, such as in the field of the financial market supervision and of agencies with multiple locations; calls, in a more general way, for a thorough assessment of the strategic interest and tasks of all agencies and the possibilities of grouping agencies according to the strategic nature of their mission and their result;
2018/02/01
Committee: BUDG