Activities of Rasmus ANDRESEN related to 2023/0264(BUD)
Plenary speeches (2)
General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024 - all sections (debate)
2024 budgetary procedure: Joint text (debate)
Shadow reports (2)
REPORT on the Council position on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024
REPORT on the joint text on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024 approved by the Conciliation Committee under the budgetary procedure
Shadow opinions (2)
OPINION on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024
Opinion in the form of a letter on the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024- all sections
Amendments (54)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 14
Citation 14
– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, including the climate, biodiversity and gender-related provisions, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources10 , _________________ 10 OJ L 433I, 22.12.2020, p. 28.
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for the 2024 EU budget to ensure that all Member States put in place structural reforms to unleash the full potentialwell designed and future-oriented investment and structural reforms, in particular for climate mitigation and adaptation, in order to meet EU climate neutrality and biodiversity targets, enhance the resilience and sustainability of the EU economy and, achieve long-term gprowthsperity and well-being for all European citizens;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 (European Climate Law),
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Highlights that according to the Commission Strategic Foresight Report of July 2023 additional investments of over EUR 620 billion annually will be needed in the EU to meet the objectives of the Green Deal and RepowerEU, with an additional EUR 92 billion needed to address the objectives of the Net-Zero Industry Act over the 2023-2030 period; stresses therefore that larger funding and public investments are directed to finance a just green transition;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Stresses that the 2024 Union budget should be aligned with the Union’s ambitions of making the Union climate neutral by 2050 at the latest, as well as the Union’s international commitments in particular the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Agreement and significantly contribute to the implementation of the implementation of the European Green Deal, the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, of the Farm to Fork Strategy, of the Circular Economy Action Plan, of the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability and of a Zero-pollution Action Plan;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)
Citation 21 a (new)
– - having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015 (the Paris Agreement),
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that simple and enforceableStresses the importance to reform the EU fiscal rules thato promote forward- looking countercyclical policies and, ensure debt sustainability rules and integrate a long-term perspective accounting for the sustainability risks of climate inaction; emphasises that high quality public investments are key for the long-term economic and social sustainability and prosperity of Member States and the Union;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 b (new)
Citation 21 b (new)
– - having regard to the Agreement adopted at the 15st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Biodiversity Conference on global biodiversity framework (the Kumin-Montreal Agreement),
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 c (new)
Citation 21 c (new)
– having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 11 December 2019, on “The European Green Deal” (COM(2019)0640),
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 d (new)
Citation 21 d (new)
– - having regard to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) special report on global warming of 1,5 °C, its special report on climate change and land, and its special report on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 e (new)
Citation 21 e (new)
– having regard to the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 f (new)
Citation 21 f (new)
– having regard to the special report of the European Court of Auditors “Sustainable finance. More consistent EU action needed to redirect finance towards sustainable investment“, 2021,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 g (new)
Citation 21 g (new)
– having regard to the special report of the European Court of Auditors Special Report 09/2022: Climate spending in the 2014-2020 EU budget - Not as high as reported, May 2022,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 h (new)
Citation 21 h (new)
– having regard to the UN Sustainable Development Goals,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, following on from the COVID-19 pandemic, has brought further substantial economic and social consequences for the people of Europe and worldwide, pushing up inflation, generating energy insecurity, driving up food and energy prices and resulting in a cost of living crisis for millions both in the European Union and in the Global South; underlines that the new geopolitical and economic context, as well as the worsening Climate Change and biodiversity crisis manifested by unprecedented extreme weather events and natural disasters impacting both people and communities both Europe and its neighbourhood, has given rise to new policy needs, notably in climate and energy, social investments, defence and industrial policy;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the 2024 budget to include targeted spending in areas that are key for the Union’s strategic autonomy such as climate, biodiversity, energy, defence, education and the labour market;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that, despite the Commission’s proposal to revise the MFF, the Council chose to formulate its position on the 2024 budget assuming no change to the framework; deeply regrets that, despite the drastic constraints, the Council elected to cut commitment appropriations in the DB by EUR 772 million and payment appropriations by EUR 515 million across the MFF headings; considers that thedeplores that the Council’s reading in time of unprecedented crisis sticks to ‘business- as-usual’ approach which presents a budget reading that is not fit for purpose; considers that the mostly unjustified cuts proposed by the Council are not driven by an objective assessment of needs or absorption capacity and run counter, in many instances, to shared policy ambitions and political agreements and risk undermining Union’s ability to act; decides, therefore, to restore appropriations on all lines cut by the Council to the level of the DB;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
Horizontal Budgetary Aspects
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses that the 2024 Union budget should be aligned with the Union’s ambitions of making the Union climate neutral by 2050 at the latest, as well as the Union’s international commitments in particular the Paris Agreement and the Kunmin-Montreal Agreement and significantly contribute to the implementation of the implementation of the European Green Deal, the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, of the Farm to Fork Strategy, of the Circular Economy Action Plan, of the Chemical Strategy for Sustainability and of a Zero-pollution Action Plan;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Reiterates its call for the phase-out of harmful subsidies and for coherence between all EU funds and programmes; insists that projects and programmes which are inconsistent with the objective of limiting global warming to under 1.5°C, or with the objective of halting and reversing biodiversity loss, should not be eligible for support under the EU budget in line with the do no significant harm; recalls that the 8th Environment Action Programme lays down the enabling condition of phasing out of environmentally harmful subsidies, including through setting a deadline for the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies consistent with the ambition of limiting global warming to 1,5°C as well as a binding Union framework to monitor and report on Member States’ progress towards phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, based on an agreed methodology;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Stresses the need for continuous efforts towards the achievement of climate and biodiversity mainstreaming targets laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 in the Union budget and the European Union Recovery Instrument expenditures (IIA); Welcomes the efforts for a more transparent and comprehensive reporting in the budgetary documents as well as the performance website, and emphasises the need to carry out sufficient ex-post evaluations with a particular focus on impact; Calls on the Commission to carefully take into account the conclusions of the special report of the European Court of Auditors on climate spending in the 2014-2020 EU budget as well as the performance audit from November 2022;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5d. Takes note of the Commission estimates based on the ex-ante methodology that the total climate financing in the EU budget will reach EUR 58 134 million, representing a share of 31.9% ; looks forward to the Commission presenting in 2023 a methodology for tracking climate related expenditure which are effect-based (looking at CO2 impact) to complement the intention-based on based on EU climate coefficients; Calls for further work to differentiate between differentiating between climate mitigation and adaptation, as set out in the IIA;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 e (new)
Paragraph 5 e (new)
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 f (new)
Paragraph 5 f (new)
5f. Stresses the need to ensure consistency between climate and biodiversity funding and calls on the Commission to publish the amounts and shares of expenditure that will contribute to both targets per programme when presenting the draft budget; recalls that the do-no-significant-harm principle is mainstreamed in all Union activities through the budgetary implementation as agreed in the IIA and stresses therefore the urgent need to ensure the respect of the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle through the entire budget in all the 6 dimensions and to take necessary corrective measures if and when needed without undue delay;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 g (new)
Paragraph 5 g (new)
5g. Highlights the need to ensure that the do-no-significant-harm principle is mainstreamed in all Union activities through the budgetary implementation as agreed in the IIA and welcomes the Commission proposal for amending the Financial Regulation to include DNSH in the regulation in line with the Union’s commitment to sustainable financing and the green transition; calls on the Commission to monitor the proper implementation of the DNSH and to take immediate corrective measures if and when needed;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 h (new)
Paragraph 5 h (new)
5h. Welcomes that the Commission has further developed a methodology to track gender equality-related spending in the 2021-2027 MFF, which looks at policy design and resource allocation and in particular the presentation of an ex-post gender impact assessment on a more granular level and reporting on volumes; calls on the Commission to assess holistically gender impact and facilitate that all the relevant data is available for the tracking;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Welcomes that the Commission has further developed a methodology to track gender equality-related spending in the 2021-2027 MFF, which looks at policy design and resource allocation and in particular the presentation of an ex-post gender impact assessment on a more granular level and reporting on volumes; calls on the Commission to assess holistically gender impact and facilitate that all the relevant data is available for the tracking;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 i (new)
Paragraph 5 i (new)
5i. Welcomes the first baskets of new own resources presented by the European Commission on 22 December 2021 and the adjusted second basket published on 20 June 2023; reiterates its position that the real progress on new own resources is crucial both for EURI repayments for NGEU implementation but also for the future multiannual financial frameworks and the ability of the Union to deliver on its objectives; calls again on the Commission to ensure timely introduction of new own resources, in line with the roadmap set out in the Interinstitutional agreement of 16 December 2020; underlines that more robust and new types of the own resources will need to be designed to make sure EU budget fit for purpose in future years and with the view of multiple challenges the EU will face; calls the Council to agree on the new own resource’s without further delay;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates its assessment, now shared by the Commission, that a structural solution must be found for the repayment of EURI borrowing costs, which are; reaffirms its position, as defended in the 2021-2027 MFF negotiations, that the NGEU interest costs and repayments should be counted over and above the MFF ceilings; underlines that the EURI borrowing costs are currently estimated at EUR 4 billion in the DB as against the initially programmed EUR 2,1 billion and would therefore exhaust the Flexibility Instrument and use part of the Single Margin Instrument in 2024 without the MFF revision;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Recalls that the do-no-significant- harm principle is mainstreamed in all Union activities through the budgetary implementation as agreed in the IIA and stresses therefore the urgent need to ensure the respect of the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle through the entire budget in all the six dimensions and to take necessary corrective measures if and when needed without undue delay;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the Council, in its position on the 2024 budget, reduces appropriations set aside for EURI borrowing costs; shares the Council’s hope that borrowing costs are ultimately lower than forecast in the DB, but insists that, in accordance with the principle of budgetary prudence, the budgetary authority should rely on the Commission’s objective forecasting and the updates in the Amending Letter; proposes, therefore, to restore the DB amount and, in line with its MFF interim report, to delete the line from Heading 2b and place the full amount in the EURI special instrument over and above the MFF ceilings, in line with Parliament’s longstanding approach;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underlines that budgetary flexibility has been key for the Union to respond to unforeseen events, in particular in the context of the war in Ukraine as well as of the worsening climate and biodiversity crisis and deteriorating humanitarian situation across the globe, and to adjust its spending priorities in light of evolving political and economic needs; highlights, however, that the Union budget is not equipped with the flexibility it requires; reiterates, therefore, its view that the Flexibility Instrument should be increased by EUR 1,457 billion in 2024 in line with its MFF interim report;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers that demands on the SEAR are unlikely to lessen and, therefore, that reinforcing the SEAR is crucial to enable the Union to act in emergency situations caused by major natural disasters or, public health crises in Member States and accession countries and also to support non-EU countries suffering from conflicts, refugee crises or, natural disasters, impact of Climate Change and biodiversity loss as well as of other global challenges in particular of extreme poverty and hunger ; increases, therefore, allocations for the SEAR in 2024 by EUR 1,092 million in 2024 in line with its MFF interim report; maintains appropriations for the European Global Adjustment Fund and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve as proposed in the DB;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8c. Takes note of the Commission estimates based on the ex-ante methodology that the total climate financing in the EU budget will reach EUR 58 134 million, representing a share of 31.9%; looks forward to the Commission presenting in 2023 a methodology for tracking climate related expenditure which are effect-based (looking at CO2 impact) to complement the intention-based on EU climate coefficients; calls for further work to differentiate between differentiating between climate mitigation and adaptation, as set out in the IIA;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recalls that programmes under Heading 1 play a key role in supporting research and innovation, in boosting the competitiveness of the EU economy, in supporting SMEs and in investing in cross- border infrastructure, thusas well as in reaching the European Union climate and energy targets and contributing significantly to the green and digital transitions and to driving growth, economic development and job creation;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls that the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is key to boosting investment in high-performance, sustainable trans-European networks, as well as to supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency and to decarbonising the EU economy, thereby accelerating the green transition and promoting interconnectivity; underlines that CEF Transport has been vital in supporting transportdecarbonisation of transport and related infrastructure in and towards Ukraine (“solidarity lanes”) and in enabling the transport of critical goods in both directions and welcomes the decision to associate Ukraine to the programme; proposes, to increase appropriations for CEF Transport by EUR 100 million above the DB in 2024 in order to support these aims;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Highlights the vital role that Horizon Europe plays in supporting research and innovation and in helping to turn research results and innovative ideas into products and services that boost the global competitiveness of EU business and that will strengthen Union’s efforts to tackle climate change and the biodiversity crisis.; recalls that the programme remains heavily over-subscribed and is therefore unable to support a large number of research projects evaluated as ‘excellent’; proposes, therefore, to increase allocations for the programme by a total of EUR 140 million compared to the DB (excluding the STEP- related increases), with reinforcements for the European Research Council, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Clusters ‘Health’, ‘Culture’ ‘Climate, Energy and Mobility’ and ‘Food’;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines the important role played by the decentralised agencies active under this heading in particular in the context of the current geopolitical developments; proposes to increase appropriations and staffing for the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity and the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators in line with their identified needs and expanding mandates;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Is highly concerned by the continuously high energy and food prices as well as the long-term high inflation with broad negative economic impacts resulting, in particular, in the cost of living crisis across the Union; Underlines the key role cohesion policy plays in delivering on EU policy priorities and boosting the EU economy by contributing to fair and sustainable growth and development, promoting economic and social convergence and solidarity between countries and regions, supporting the green and digital transitions, and fostering innovation and employment as well as addressing regional and social inequalities; calls on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate implementation of cohesion policy; and to mobilise resources to provide solidarity, help and relief to the people, communities and regions hardest hit by the multiple crisis of recent years;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Underlines that placing EURI borrowing costs over and above the MFF ceilings would have the effect of restoring some margin within Heading 2b and creating budgetary space in the Flexibility and Single Margin Instruments; underlines that programmes under Heading 2b have been impacted heavily by the EURI line’s presence within the same heading sinceand that the Commission has been de facto prevented from proposing reinforcements to the programmes where they are needed in order to ensure the Union’s ability to deliver on its programmes, priorities and objectives;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Points, in this regard, to the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programmes, which play a vital role in supporting learning mobility opportunities, improving people’s skills and employability and promoting social inclusion; emphasises that both programmes should aim to boost participation rates among people with fewer opportunities - an objective that is challenged by soaring inflation and the increased cost of living; regrets in this context that students and participants from disadvantaged families are often prevented from participating in the programme because of higher costs of living and insufficient volume of grants; is committed to ensuring that Erasmus+ does not become a de facto selective programme open only to those who can afford to participate and recalls that the Commission is required to put in place financial support measures for people with fewer opportunities; proposes, therefore, an increase of EUR 100 million for Erasmus+ and EUR 2 million for the ESC above DB specifically to ensure the programmes are accessible for all;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Underlines the importance of a stronger Health Union and enhanced preparedness in post-pandemic Europe, as well as the need to better understand and treat long COVID; reiterates the need to allocate sufficient budgetary resources under the EU4health programme to support actions including the gender aspect of health, including sexual and reproductive health, an integral part of health care that must be placed at the heart of health policy to ensure universal access, as well as quality of services, especially considering the backlash against women’s rights and access to safe and legal abortion in several Member States; highlights the vital role that the EU4Health programme plays in this respect; proposes, therefore, to increase the programme’s appropriations by EUR 20 million above DB, including to help offset redeployments towards the European Health Emergency and Response Authority;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is alarmed by the growing impact of extreme weather events and natural disasters in Europe and its neighbourhood and globally and concerned about the EU’s ability to respond effectively; underlines that these extreme weather events and disasters are often linked to climate change and are therefore likely to occur with an even greater frequency and intensity in the future; stresses the importance to increase resources the Union Civil Protection Mechanism to enhance the protection of people and underlines the need to invest in preventive measures and resilience; increases, therefore, appropriations for the Union Civil Protection Mechanism by EUR 20 million above DB in order to ensure an effective response and protect human lives;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Reiterates the importance of Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme in promoting European values and citizens’ rights, in fostering active civic engagement, in building resilient societies, in combatting gender-based violence, in particular with regard to the measurable increase in cases of violence against women and against LGBTQI+ persons, and in supporting the key principles of democracy, the rule of law, solidarity, inclusiveness, justice, non- discrimination and equality; proposes, therefore, to increase appropriations for the programme by EUR 6 million above DB, with reinforcements for the ‘citizens’ engagement and participation’, Daphne and ‘Union values’ strands;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Underlines the importance of school schemes under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in ensuring broad access to healthy and nutritious food for children and points out that the schemes’ reach is impacted by rising food prices; decides, therefore, to increase by EUR 5 million above DB support for the schemes;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36a. Calls on the Commission to address the conclusions of the European Court of Auditors regarding overstated climate spending in particular as regards the mainstreaming targets in the CAP, and insist on the importance of the CAP Strategic Plans; expresses concern about the possibility that the 2026 and 2027 targets might not be reached and calls on the Commission to enhance its efforts to reach the targets; recalls that primary importance of the CAP for biodiversity mainstreaming and calls on the Commission the implement the recommendations of the study in this regard; calls on the Commission to address the concerns raised by the Court of Auditors as regards the ineffectiveness of biodiversity spending in the CAP and calls on the Commission to publish the amounts and shares of expenditures that will contribute to both targets per program when presenting annual budgets; calls on Member States to ensure the integration of biodiversity in partnership agreements and operational programmes as well as in their CAP strategic plans;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Underlines the central role that the LIFE programme plays inas EUs flagship programme plays in catalysing measures towards climate mitigation and climate adaptation, delivering on the European Green Deal and achieving the Union’s climate neutrality goal, in line with the Paris Agreement, by reducing emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy, creating a circular economy and reversing the alarming trend of biodiversity loss; is extremely concerned by the growing urgency to tackle climate change and the biodiversity crisis in the view of the latest IPCC reports as well as mounting extreme weather events and natural disasters such as heat waves, droughts and floods; further stresses the need to accelerate the just transition in line with the political commitments taken in the context of the Green Deal and ; proposes, therefore, to increase appropriations for the programme by EUR 30 million above DB;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Underlines that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, armed conflicts and instability in neighbouring regions, impacts of climate change as well as extreme poverty and hunger, underlying trends in economic development as well in access to democratic rights and freedoms, demographic changes, as well as globalisation in transport and communications continue to push people to come to the Union for refuge, in search of safety and freedoms, a better life or to reunite with close family members, placing significant pressure on programmes and agencies under Heading 4; recalls, in that regard, its view that financing under the Heading should be increased by EUR 250 million in 2024, in line with its MFF interim report;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Stresses that the war has vastly increased pressure on asylum systems in the Member States and that the Union must provide longer-term support to the host Member States to facilitate the reception and integration of refugees from Ukraine, face the recent migration trends via the Mediterranean route and anticipate the financial implications of a timely agreement on the Pact on Asylum and Migration (AMIF); highlights the importance of the European regions in the implementation of migration and asylum policies and calls on the European Commission to ensure sufficient resources and adequate support for subnational entities implementing AMIF; decides, therefore, to reinforce the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund by EUR 110 million above DB in 2024 given AMIF’s positive contribution in providing immediate support to refugees;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Stresses that effective and fair management and protection of the Union’s external borders are key to ensuring the security of the Union, as well as ensuring free movement of people and guaranteeing the smooth and efficient implementation of the Union’s migration and asylum policy and preserving the free movement of people within the Union and the proper functioning of the Schengen area; stresses, moreover, the need to better prevent irregular migration to protect vulnerable people from smuggling and trafficking networks and address the instrumentalisation of migrants as part of hybrid attacks; underlines the vital role thatof the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) plays in that regard; notes that the Commission proposes to reinforce the BMVI above financial programming levels in the DB, though points out that this ‘reinforcement’ only partially offsets repeated redeployments from the BMVI to finance revised agency mandates; proposes to increase appropriations for the BMVI by EUR 60 million above DB, including to support Romania and Bulgaria in their preparations for accession to the Schengen area;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Highlights the need for a further increase in appropriations and staff for eu- LISA to ensure that the agency can implement critical internal security and border management projectstasks in accordance with its mandate; underlines the need for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) to have the requisite resources to carry out its operational activities effectively and decides, therefore, to restore the DB for the agency;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Underlines that the war has had a particularly significant effect on countries in the Eastern Neighbourhood, such as Moldova, that have provided shelter and assistance to refugees fleeing the war and faced the knock-on effects of sky-high inflation and energy and food prices; underlines the importance of sustained support for candidate countries in implementing the necessary accession- related reforms and in enhancing their resilience and preventing and countering hybrid threats; decides, therefore, to increase appropriations by EUR 450 million above DB for the Eastern Neighbourhood; proposes, furthermore, to increase accession-related support under the Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA III) by EUR 50 million in 2024 for the Western Balkans;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Shares the Council’s assessment that the Commission should have factored humanitarian aid needs resulting from the war into the DB; considers that, given the highly challenging international context, increasing geopolitical instability, crises and natural disasters, humanitarian aid needs in 2024 are likelyexpected to be more substantial than estimated by the Council, in particular since humanitarian aid to Ukraine will continue to be covered under Heading 6 rather than the Ukraine Facilityalso as according to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA 3632a million people are projected to need humanitarian assistance by the end of 2023 and furthermore recalls that humanitarian aid to Ukraine will continue to be covered under Heading 6; is highly worried by the increasing humanitarian aid needs also linked to devastating impacts of climate change on regions and communities across the world, further amplified by the effect of the El- Niño phenomenon, as well as by the deepening food insecurity in developing countries, exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; reminds that women and children bear the greatest consequences of limited access to humanitarian aid, and in particular food, are the most vulnerable to violence and abuses; recalls that the EU’s humanitarian aid budget, since the beginning of the MFF, has heavily relied on ad-hoc financing and that this is putting a high level of stress on the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve (SEAR), which is increasingly being mobilised for foreseeable needs which should have been covered by HUMA, driving the SEAR away from its objectives and reduces EUs ability to react on new emergencies; proposes, therefore, to increase appropriations for humanitarian aid by EUR 550 million compared to the DB; furthermore, calls in this context on the EU Member States live up to the commitment to dedicate 0,7 % of their gross national income to Official Development Assistance; _________________ 2a https://www.unocha.org/publications/repo rt/world/global-humanitarian-overview- 2023-august-update-snapshot-31-august- 2023
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 57
Paragraph 57
57. Underlines its support for the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia and the need to continue relevant actions financed under the EU Trust Fund for Colombia; proposes, therefore, to reinforce appropriations by EUR 10 million above DB for 'The Americas' geographic programme under the NDICI; reiterates, furthermore, its unwavering commitment to protecting and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms globally, including in particular defending women’s and girls' rights and the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community, and increases by EUR 10 million above DB the allocation for the 'fundamental rights and freedoms' thematic programme;