4 Amendments of John HOWARTH related to 2017/2279(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the crucial role cohesion policy has played in the achievement ofimproving economic and social convergence in the EU and the delivery of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals; expresses concern, however, that inequalities persist between and within rich and poor regions and between the salaries of the social categories of citizensthat inequalities have increased in and between many regions, in particular since the financial crash of 2008; stresses that neither the objectives nor the EU funding of cohesion policy should be watered down;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes the shortcomings of the financial planning and implementation system, which have led to the accumulation of unpaid bills; expresses concern at the significant delays in the adoption of operational programmes and in the designation of management, payment and certification authorities for cohesion policy, which have led to extremely low absorption rates of cohesion policy in the current programming period; stresses that the level of payment appropriations should match past commitments; calls for the early adoption of the recommendations of the High Level Group on Simplification;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that infrastructure projects within cohesion policy will frequently involve time scales that extend beyond the scope of a 7 year MFF and therefore acknowledges the requirement to develop budgeting frameworks that enable effective long term planning to take place;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that financial instruments in EU cohesion policy should not replace direct grants and aid, but should be treated as complementary tools that extend the scope of the project or where projects generate income; and also stresses that the logic of the Commission’s December 2017 report “Financial instruments under the European Structural and Investment Funds” should be followed and therefore financial instruments should be used less in those programmes where they have the least impact, i.e. the ESF and the European Fund for Agricultural Development;