Activities of Jan MULDER related to 2012/2107(DEC)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION concerning Special Report No 6/2012 of the Court of Auditors entitled 'European Union Assistance to the Turkish Cypriot Community'
Amendments (25)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Supports the continuation of assistance to the Turkish Cypriot community until a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, in the framework of Council Regulation (EC) 389/2006 which states that measures to be financed under this Regulation are of an exceptional and transitional nature; considers it important to budgetise support for the Turkish- Cypriot community in the next MFF (2014-2020);
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas following the 2004 referenda in which the Turkish Cypriot Community has clearly expressed their desire for a future in the European Union, the Council (General Affairs and External Relations), shortly before the accession of Cyprus to the EU, requested the Commission to submit a proposal for an aid programme with particular emphasis on the economic integration of the island and on improving contacts between the two communities and within the EU and that on 7 July 2004, the Commission proposed a package of two regulations: one for a financial support instrument to encourage the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community and a ‘direct trade’ regulation; it proved, however, difficult for the Council to agree on the adoption of this package and the two regulations had to be decoupled;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas despite facing difficult political and legal circumstances and a tight timetable, the Commission developed a programme which was generally in line withreflected the regulation's objectives, and set up a programme management office and generally suitableffective implementation arrangementmechanisms;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on its Committee on Budgets and on the Committee on Budgetary Control to take the findings of this resolution into consideration when negotiating the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) starting in 2014 in order to take into account the Court of Auditors' recommendation that a mechanism with a multiannual perspective in order to ensure better planning, implementation and sustainability;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the existing de facto division of Cyprus dates back to Turkey's military invasion of in the Northern part of the island in July 1974; this followed after years of intercommunity struggles;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Acknowledges that a particular risk relates to the fact that an estimated 78 % of privately owned land in the northern part of Cyprus legally belongs to Greek Cypriots, whose consent is required for EU-funded infrastructure investments on their land;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls that according to Regulation 389/2006 the EU is bound not tothe objective of the programme is to facilitate the the reunification of Cyprus, and the granting of assistance shall not imply recognisetion of any public authority other than the Ggovernment of the Republic of Cyprus;Cyprus in which the government does not exercise effective control.
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes note that the programme has assisted a great number of different beneficiaries across the Turkish Cypriot community and some important results have already been achieved but that the construction of a seawater desalination plant, which is the programme's largest bi- communal project (€27.5 million), ended in failure due to unacceptable restrictionshas unfortunately not succeeded until now;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes noteExpresses its agreement ofn the conclusions of the Special Report of the Court of Auditors and in particular that ‘the programme has already achieved some positive results but their sustainability is often in doubt, particularly given the uncertainty over future EU funding’, and that the Commission ‘has been able to develop a programme which addresses and appropriately prioritises all sectors referred to in the regulations's also found a way in the face of significant constraints to quickly set up a programme management office in the northern part of Cyprus and use largely suitable implementation methods and risk mitigation measures. The main weaknesses in the management of the programme resulted from the local support office not operating under more devolved procedures in the same way as EU delegations and from the staff contracts being too short for them to manage the projects financed from start to finish. In addition, monitoring in the framework of joint management with the UN was not sufficient’;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that the programme has assisted many different beneficiaries across the Turkish Cypriot community; but observes nevertheless that it has not been possible to implement the single largest bi-communal project, the construction of a seawater desalination plant (27,5 million euro) due to restrictions imposed by the Turkish army. This represents a significant setback for the programme;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notices that ‘more generally, the sustainability of projects is often in doubt due to the limited administrative capacity, the delayed adoption of relevant laws and regulations and the uncertainties over future spending on the part of the beneficiaries;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Agrees with the Commission, that until a settlement of the Cyprus issue is achieved, the support to the TCc is toshould continue be based on the current Aid Regulation;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Acknowledges that the situation described in the Court of Auditors' Special Report No 6/2012 the Commission has taken a number of initiatives and that since the audit, further efficiency improvements have been achieved; takes note of the Commission proposals in the context of the future MFF;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Regrets the loss of the seawater desalination plant project which was an unfortunate setback; recalls that this project was not only the main project in the water sector but also the largest bi-communal project funded under the instrument and that the plant was intended to provide 23 000 m3 of clean drinking water per day covering the needs of an estimated 100 000 people and recalls that water supply is becoming an increasingly critical issue for the island following a 40 % decrease in the mean annual rainfall in the past 30 years; is deeply concerned that the cancellation of the project due to the restrictions, imposed by the Greek Cypriot contractor by the Turkish army means that this serious environmental issue will not be addressed;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Regrets the loss of the seawater desalination plant project which was an unfortunate setback; recalls that this project was not only the main project in the water sector but also the largest bi-communal project funded under the instrument and that the plant was intended to provide 23 000 m3 of clean drinking water per day covering the needs of an estimated 100 000 people and recalls that water supply is becoming an increasingly critical issue for the island following a 40 % decrease in the mean annual rainfall in the past 30 years; is deeply concerned that the cancellation of the project due to the restrictions, imposed by the Greek Cypriot contractor by the Turkish army, and once those restrictions were lifted in March 2010 the contractor was unwilling to continue means that this serious environmental issue will not be addressed;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Deeply regrets that delays have affected most of the actions on local and urban infrastructures, although thesein most cases the delays were due to political difficulties and verification of land ownership, which are largely outside the control the Commission and the UNDP;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Takes note ofEndorses the conclusions and recommendations of the Court of Auditors and urges the Commission to take fully into consideration the recommendations of the Court of Auditors;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Welcomes the conclusion of the Court of Auditors that despite the difficult political context and a compressed timetable, the Commission managed to establish a programme which reflected the Regulation's objectives and to quickly set up a programme management office and introduce suitable implementing mechanisms;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Stresses the transitional and exceptional character of the EU aid to the TCc, pending the reunification of Cyprus; and, as the Commission, supports the continuation of assistance to the Turkish Cypriot community until a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in the framework of Regulation (EC) No 389/2006;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. BelieveRecalls that the assistance should be based on the current Aid Regulation, recognising the inefficiencies, related to insufficient predictability of the reunification process in Cyprus;objective of the programme is to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus, and the granting of assistance under Regulation (EC) No 289/2006 shall not imply recognition of any public authority other than the Government of Cyprus in the areas in which the Government does not exercise effective control.
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Emphasizes that the main objective of Regulation 389/2006 is to facilitTakes note of the conclusions and recommendations of Special Report 6/2012 and proposes thate the reunification of the island; recommends reviewing once again the distribution of the aid to the TCc and the objective obstacles related toEU financial aid for the economic development of the Turkish-Cypriot community takes into account not only new projects but also the need to help secure the sustainability of theexisting projects; suggests considering whether large scale bi-communal infrastructure programs should still be pursued or a focus on smaller scale bi-communal projects, confidence building measures, the support when deciding on the allocation of any future funding, based ofn the civil society, the missing persons' related activities, the youth mobility, the preservation of historical sites should be considered instead;existing legal framework and in line with Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006.
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Considers that EU aid should continue to support the reunification process in Cyprus;