13 Amendments of Irena JOVEVA related to 2024/2019(DEC)
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. ObservesIs concerned that the total outstanding commitments reached a record high of EUR 543 billion by the end of 2023, mainly due to an increased commitment of shared management funds, as well as NextGenerationEU (NGEU), but notices that the total outstanding commitments are expected to decrease in the 2024-2026 period;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission’s timely proposal to increase the ceilings of Headings 4 and 6 as part of the Multiannual Financial Framework mid- term revision with a view to ensuring sufficient funding for the implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum; stresses the need to ensure adequate and timely Union funding for Member States and Union agencies to facilitate the smooth implementation of Union law in the areas of asylum and migration; calls on the Commission to monitor and, assist in and scrutinise the timely progress of the administrative, operational and legal steps required by Member States and Union agencies for the full implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum by Summer 2026 in line with the deadlines set out by the Common Implementation Plan published by the European Commission on 12 June 2024;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with concerns that the Court of Auditors estimates that the level of error for MFF heading 2 ‘Cohesion, resilience and values’ in 2023 reached 9,3 %, compared with 6,4 % in 2022, significantly above the already high rates of previous years, resulting in the Court issuing an adverse opinion on the legality and regularity of budget expenditure; recognises that the majority of spending in this area is deemed high-risk expenditure as mainly reimbursement-based and often subject to complex rules; calls for urgent action to decrease the errnotes the main types of error quantified were ineligible projects and costs, non-compliance with public procurement or rstate in the futureaid rules, and absence of essential documents;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Calls for urgent action to decrease the error rate in the future especially for the new funding period, and notes the Court’s observation that the complexity of the way funds are disbursed has an impact on the risk of error; further calls on the Commission to assist the agencies to improve their internal procedures in order to ensure compliance with applicable public procurement and state aid rules;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with concern that the number of migrants arriving irregularly in the Union increased again in 2023 as compared to previous years; furtherTakes note of the Commission effort to strenghten and developp all aspects of the common European asylum system, including its external dimension; acknowledges the Commision's role in supporting legal migration to the Members States including by contributing to the integration of third countries nationals; notes the Commission’s ongoing efforts to assist Member States in addressing irregular arrivals and in successfully integrating legally residing third-country nationals; notes that the number of migrants arriving irregularly in the Union increased in 2023 as compared to previous years; recalls that, while the Commission should continue to take action on migration and asylum within the framework of external action, the functioning of the ‘Team Europe’ approach must be clarified while safeguarding the role of Parliament; calls on the Commission to increase the transparency and accountability of the programming and implementation of the Union home affairs funds in third countries; welcomes the Commission's effort to enhance solidarity and responsability sharing between Member States, in particular towards those most affected by migration and asylum challenges; renews its call on the Commission to support the Union agencies and the Member States in coordinating effective search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean, ensuring that such actions are carried out in accordance with international and Union law;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Notes however that the Court recognises several factors which put additional pressure on Member State administrations and increased the risk regarding their capacity to ensure spending was regular and in line with the principles of sound financial management; recalls these factors include the significant additional REACT-EU resources being made available, and the end date of 31 December 2023 for the 2014-2020 cohesion eligibility period, which for the last few years overlaps with the eligibility period of the RRF;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Expresses concerns that the Commission forecast decommitments for cohesion policy funds, including the European Social Fund Plus, at EUR 2,2 billion for the 2024-2027 period, five times higher its 2022 forecast, mainly due to persistent low absorption; stresses the Commission should identify ways to help Member States accelerate the use of EU funds, in particular shared management funds under the Common Provisions Regulation to improve absorption, while respecting sound financial management;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Recalls the importance of the ESF+ which aims to achieve high employment, fair social protection, a skilled and resilient workforce, and inclusive/cohesive societies as key in eradicating poverty; underlines the importance of closely involving regional actors, in particular civil society organisations and social partners working on the ground in the implementation of ESF+ funded activities;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with concern that the number of migrants arriving irregularly in the Union increased again in 2023 as compared to previous years; further notes the Commission’s ongoing efforts to assist Member States in addressing irregular arrivals and legal pathways and in successfully integrating legally residing third-country nationals; recalls that, while the Commission should continue to take action on migration and asylum within the framework of external action, the functioning of the ‘Team Europe’ approach must be clarified while safeguarding the role of Parliamentrole of Parliament in any partnership agreements with third countries must be ensured as set out by the Treaties and the 2010 framework agreement on relations between Parliament and Commission; calls on the Commission to increase the transparency and accountability of the programming and implementation of the Union home affairs funds in third countries; renews its call on the Commission to support the Union agencies and the Member States in coordinating effective search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean, ensuring that such actions are carried out in accordance with international and Union law;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Notes the Court issued a qualified opinion on the legality and regularity of RRF expenditure due to weaknesses in the design of measures and cases of vaguely defined milestones/targets contributing to a more discretionary assessment and persistent weaknesses in the Member States’ reporting and control systems;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with concern that the number of migrants arriving irregularly in the Union increased again in 2023 as compared to previous years; further notes the Commission’s ongoing efforts to assist Member States in addressing irregular arrivals and in successfully integrating legally residing third-country nationals; recalls that, while the Commission should continue to take action on migration and asylum within the framework of external action, the functioning of the ‘Team Europe’ approach must be clarified while safeguarding the role of Parliament; calls on the Commission to increase the transparency and accountability of the programming and implementation of the Union home affairs funds in third countries; renews its call onfor the Commission to support the Union agencies and the Member States in coordinating effective search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterraneanestablishment of a comprehensive EU SAR mission implemented by the Member States’ competent authorities and Frontex, ensuring that such actions are carried out in accordance with international and Union law;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges the Commission’s continuous monitoring of rule of law benchmarks through the rule of law toolbox, including the annual rule of law report, while remaining concerned that, by adopting an overly diplomatic approach and, failing to distinguish between individual and systemic issues and not basing its analysis on specific indicators, the annual rule of law report risks trivialising some of the most serious and/or persistent breaches of the rule of law; supports the link established between the release of funds under the European recovery plan and the achievement of super milestones, and calls on the Commission to apply more generally this link between financial instruments and respect for the rule of law; reiterates its regret and serious concern with respect to the lawfulness of the Commission’s decision concluding that, in Hungary, the horizontal enabling condition of the Charter had been fulfilled in relation to judicial independence which decision enabled the Hungarian authorities to start claiming reimbursements of up to approximately EUR 10,2 billion from Union funds; calls on the Commission to take steps towards the full implementationdevelop a more systematic, predictable and reasoned approach to the objective reasons for freezing or unfreezing funds; calls on the Commission to take steps towards the full implementation – taking into account developments that have taken place in the meantime – of Parliament’s recommendations on the establishment of an EU mechanism for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, contained in its resolution of 25 October 20161, and to ensure that assessments of rule of law benchmarks are more precise and qualitative than is presently the case, relying not only on legislative changes, but also on precise indicators and on real and independent evidence of their implementation in practice; _________________ 1 European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2016 with recommendations to the Commission on the establishment of an EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (2015/2254(INL)) (OJ C 215, 19.6.2018, p. 162).
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. AcknowledgWelcomes the Commission’s continuous monitoring of rule of law benchmarks through the rule of law toolbox, including the annual rule of law report, whilose remaining concerned that, by adopting an overly diplomatic approach and failing to distinguish between individual and systemic issues, the annual rule of law report risks triviigourous chapters detail individual and systemic issues regarding the rule of law in the different Member States and allow for a comprehensive analiysing somes of the most serious breaches of the rule of lawsituation and its evolution in each Member State; reiterates its regret and serious concern with respect to the lawfulness of the Commission’s decision concluding that, in Hungary, the horizontal enabling condition of the Charter had been fulfilled in relation to judicial independence which decision enabled the Hungarian authorities to start claiming reimbursements of up to approximately EUR 10,2 billion from Union funds; calls on the Commission to take steps towards the full implementation of Parliament’s recommendations on the establishment of an EU mechanism for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, contained in its resolution of 25 October 20161 , and to ensure that assessments of rule of law benchmarks are more precise and qualitative than is presently the case, relying not only on legislative changes, but also on real and independent evidence of their implementation in practice; _________________ 1 European Parliament resolution of 25 October 2016 with recommendations to the Commission on the establishment of an EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (2015/2254(INL)) (OJ C 215, 19.6.2018, p. 162).