Activities of Karlo RESSLER related to 2022/2046(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Upscaling the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (debate)
Amendments (28)
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the combined effect of multiple crises and low MFF ceilings has given rise to a ‘galaxy’ of ad hoc instruments beyond the EU budget, as well as greater use of external assigned revenue not subject to the budgetary procedure, most notably in the case of NextGenerationEU; whereas, as one arm of the budgetary authority, Parliament should play a full role in this new budgetary environment in order to ensure democratic accountability and transparency for the remaining of the current MFF;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines the central role that the EU budget plays in delivering on the Union’s political priorities, including making a success of the green and digital transitions, fostering an inclusive and social recovery, promoting growth and competitiveness, strategic autonomy and energy independence, providing support for small and medium-sized enterprises, fostering sustainable development that leaves no one behind and ensures cohesion and upward convergence, ensuring a more robust European Health Union in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, promoting the rule of law, EU values and fundamental rights, contributing to greater opportunities for all, and ensuring a stronger Union for its people and in the world;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underscores that there is a clear consensuse unity among the institutions that, in the wake of the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine, the EU should provide the strongest possible social, economic and financial assistance to Ukraine, while addressing the economic and social consequences of the crisis within the Union and delivering the necessary support to its citizens; underlines, in this context, the sharedat the Union has provided emergency assistance to support resilience, humanitarian assistance, military aid and other support to Ukraine including in the health, energy, food and agriculture sectors and facilitated trade, notably by the suspension of import duties on Ukrainian exports and by establishing solidarity lanes to help Ukraine export agricultural goods; underlines the Union goals of delivering on the European Green Deal and the digital transition, scaling up defence cooperation and coordination, improving its strategic autonomy and, energy independence and security, ensuring food security, and addressing the challenges caused by high inflation;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights that, in the short term, large-scale humanitarian aid in Ukraine and financial support to Member States receiving and helping to settle people fleeing the conflict are needed to address the impact of the war against Ukraine; notes the Amending Letter for the 2023 Budget in this context, which reinforces humanitarian aid and addresses the global food crisis as a first step; points out that further reinforcements will be needed in the future not only in the area of humanitarian aid but also in emergency assistance in order to sustain basic services and to fix the most essential infrastructure; highlights in this context the importance of reinforcing the solidarity lanes through Connecting Europe Facility;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Points out that the Union should play a major role in the international community in the rebuilding of Ukraine and stresses that EU financial mechanisms provide the best safeguards for the proper use of funds ensuring good governance, respect for the rule of law and sound financial management; regrets however the lack of financial means in the current MFF in relation to the requirements of the task ahead; supports the Commission’s communication on Ukraine Relief and Reconstruction and underlines that ‘RebuildUkraine’ reconstruction plan should be embedded in the Union budget through upscaling the MFF with fresh financial resources making sure that this unprecedented support is not financed at the expense of pre-existing Union programmes or policies;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova candidate country status; emphasises that this decision entails a long-term financial and budgetary commitment to supporting the reconstruction and recovery as well as the necessary reforms specific to each country, as has been the case with other candidate countries, as well as to reconstruction and recovery;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points outRegrets that essential new policy initiatives put forward since the adoption of the current MFF have come with proposals to shift money away from key EU policies and objectives at their expense;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points to the extensive use made of the special instruments in the first two years of the MFF; notes that the Flexibility Instrument was mobilised for Heading 6 spending in 2022 and points to the proposal that it be mobilised for spending under both Headings 6 and 7under the same heading again in 2023; points out that, under the defence proposal of July 202218 , further appropriations are to be mobilised via special instruments in 2023 and 2024; _________________ 18 Proposal of 19 July 2022 for a regulation on establishing the European defence industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (COM(2022)0349).
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Emphasises, therefore, that the 2021-2027current MFF is already being pushed to its limits less than two years after its adoption, a situation aggravated by the unforeseeable events of 2022; points out that it is simply not equipped, in terms of size, structure or rules, to respond to a multitude of crises of this scalethe consequences of the war in Ukraine and other crises , nor to adequately finance new shared EU policy ambitions and the swift implementation of the requisite EU- wide solutions; highlights further the strategic importance of an upscaled MFF, which would allow the Union to respond to the current and future needs in an adequate manner reflecting its position in the international arena;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that the MFF is increased annually on the basis of a 2 % deflator applied to 2018 prices; underlines that spiralling energy prices and extreme energy market volatility caused mainly by Russia’s decision to cut gas supply have been feeding soaring inflation, with severe impacts on all citizens, and businesses and consumers; is deeply concerned that such unexpectedly high levels of inflation are placinge the MFF under severe strain and reducinge its purchasing power further, in a context where its overall level is already lower than previous MFFs; stresses that, in practice, this means that fewer Union projects and actions can be funded, thereby negatively impacting beneficiaries;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Concludes that, in thise context of the war in Ukraine and several consecutive crises , the need for an urgent review and revision of the MFF is beyond any doubt and that a ‘business as usual’ approach will not remotely suffice to tackle the array of challenges posed and could thereby undermine confidence in the Union in the long term;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
Addressing the funding gaps – more financial capacitythroughout the MFF headings – a call for strong European action with greater transparency and democratic accountability
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission, therefore, to conduct an in-depth review of the functioning of the current MFF and proceed with a legislative proposal for a comprehensive and ambitious MFF revision as soon as possible and no later than the first quarter of 2023;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Requests increasing the MFF ceilings to ensure a stronger and more agile EU budget which meets the highest standards of transparency and democratic accountability and is able to respond to the current financing needs in the context of multiple crises; furthermore, requests redesigning and increasing the budgetary flexibility ensuring parliamentary control over all EU spending including off-budget instruments;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13 b. Reaffirms its long-standing position that new political initiatives must be financed with additional fresh money and not to the detriment of well- established, pre-existing Union programmes or policies;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Insists that the principle of unity, whereby all items of the Union’s revenue and expenditure are shown in the budget, is both a Treaty requirement and a basic precondition for accountability, democratic legitimacy and the transparency of the EU’s public finances; stresses the need for an upscaled MFF to ensure a stronger and more agile EU budget which meets the highest standards of transparency and democratic accountability; requests, therefore, an increase in the MFF ceilings, as well as an increase in and redesign of budgetary flexibility and significantly greater parliamentary control over all EU spending, including off-budget instruments, funds and common borrowing and lending programmes;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Calls therefore for the Commission to:
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. HIncrease ceilings for Heading 1: Single Market, Innovation and Digital; highlights that many of the policy ambitions recently stated – notably in the fields of energy and strategic and industrial autonomy – and the new policy initiatives since January 2021 (Chips Act, Secure Connectivity, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority) imply spending under Heading 1; recalls the importance of research, innovation and the SMEs and opposes the use of agreed programme envelopes to finance new initiatives andt the expense of existing flagship programmes; believes that the margins are insufficient to accommodate thefor greater long-term needs; cshort-, medium and long-term needs; highlights especialls,y therefore, for an increase in the ceiling of Heading 1 investment needs into fully functioning solidarity lanes to Ukraine through the Connecting Europe Facility;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Reinforce Heading 2:Cohesion, Resilience and Values according to developing dynamics in Europe; calls to remove the EURI repayment line from Heading 2b and for it to be counted over and above the MFF ceilings; regrets that, contrary to Parliament’s position, it was decided that the costs of EURI borrowing and the repayment of debt be included as a budget line under Heading 2b, alongside flagship programmes such as Erasmus+, EU4Health, and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values; stresses that interest costs and debt repayment depend on market developments, are not discretionary spending, do not follow the logic of caps on spending and should never compete with programmes under the same ceiling; recalls that any activation of the Emergency Support Instrument also depends on the availability of an unallocated margin under the ceiling of this heading; insists, therefore, that the status quo presents significant risks to programme spending and that the repayment line be removed from Heading 2b and counted over and above the MFF ceilings; underlines that tackling demographic challenges should be one of the criteria within a number of programmes with a social dimension;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. ReiteratesAdjust the ceiling of Heading 3: Natural Resources and Environment accordingly reiterating its position that the Social Climate Fund must be fully incorporated into the EU budget and within the MFF, without negatively impacting other programmes and funds under this heading, bearing in mind the importance of ensuring food security and delivering on the Green Deal; calls for the ceiling of Heading 3 to be adjusted accordingly;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. ETo increase the ceiling of Heading 4: Migration and Border Management to reflect the real financing needs of the Union’s migration and border management; emphasises that the war against Ukraine has placed unexpected demands on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) and the decentralised agencies in Heading 4; expresses further concern, furthermore, that successive Commission proposals for agency mandate extensions are eroding the BMVI’s financial envelope; calls for the ceiling of Heading 4 to be increased to reflect the real financing needs of the Union’s migration and border management;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Highlights that the necessary spending to enhance defence cooperation and investment cannot solely be covered within the ceiling of Heading 5; calls for the ceiling to be increased in line with needsTo increase the ceiling of Heading 5: Security and Defence in line with the needs to enhance defence cooperation and investment especially in the light of changed geopolitical context; highlights that the necessary spending needs cannot solely be covered within the ceiling of Heading 5;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. DTo increase the ceiling of Heading 6: Neighbourhood and the World to fully cover the current and projected future needs of the Union’s external action, which have dramatically increased both in neighbouring countries and world wide as a result of the food, energy and economic crises; deplores the fact that, even prior to the war against Ukraine, funds available under Heading 6 were woefully inadequate and that pressure has since increased substantially; underlines that the continued funding for the needs of refugees from Syria, Iraq and other countries was not factored into the MFF or NDICI-Global Europe negotiations and should therefore have been financed by fresh appropriations with a corresponding increase in the ceiling of Heading 6; highlights that, owing to the risk of default on MFA loans provided to Ukraine, a far higher rate of provisioning than the standard 9 % is likely to be required as further loans are rolled out; underlines that additional needs in Ukraine must not lead to money being diverted away from other geographic regions in need; insishighlights, therefore, on an increase in the ceiling for Heading 6 to fully cover th need to continue cEurrent and projected future needs of the Union’s external action, which have dramatically increased both in neighbouring countries and worldwide as a result of the food, energy and economic crisesope’s financial support to the Western Balkan and the accession process of the countries in the region;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Underlines that Heading 7: European Public Administration spending must be set at a level that guarantees that the EU has an effective and efficient administration; calls for the swift adoption of the targeted revision of the Financial Regulation proposed by the Commission in relation to the handling of default interest for the late repayment of cancelled or reduced competition fines, so as to avoid pressure on spending under Heading 7;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Insists that, beyond a reinforcement of the existing special instruments, it is necessary to establish a permanent fiscal capacity and common crisis instrument as an additional special instrument over and above the MFF ceilings so that the EU budget can better adapt and quickly react to crises and their social and economic effects;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Insists that decommitted appropriations should remain in the budget so as to provide additional budgetary flexibility, which is needed more than ever in the current context of war in Ukraine and its economic and social consequences; underlines the need for corresponding changes to the Financial Regulation;