Activities of Kira Marie PETER-HANSEN related to 2020/0104(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Recovery and Resilience Facility
Amendments (36)
Amendment 65 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) Article 2 and 8 of the Treaty provides that equality between women and men is a value of the Union and that, in all its activities, the Union should aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality between men and women. Gender mainstreaming, including gender budgeting, should therefore be implemented in all policies and regulations of the EU.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 changed the economic outlook for the years to come in the Union and in the world, calling for an urgent and coordinated response from the Union in order to cope with the enormous economic and social consequences for all Member. The challenges linked to the demographic context COVID-19 crisis is having a disproportioned impact on women and girls due to existing inequalities that lead to, among others, an increased risk of violence against women and girls during the lockdown and a higher drop-out of the labour market linked to a higher burden on care tasks, a higher shavre beof women aemplified by COVID-19oyed in sectors affected by the lockdown, in informal economy, in sectors with higher precarious conditions and on women’s rights organisations. The current COVID-19 pandemic as well as the previous economic and financial crisis have shown that developing sound and resilient economies and financial systems built on strong economic and social structures helps Member States to respond more efficiently to shocks and recover more swiftly from them. The medium and long-term consequences of the COVID-19 crisis will critically depend on how quickly Member States’ economies will recover from the crisis, which in turn depends on the fiscal space Member States have available to take measures to mitigate the social and economic impact of the crisis, and on the resilience of their economies. Reforms and investments to address structural weaknesses of the economies and strengthen their resilience will therefore be essential to set the economies back on a sustainable recovery path and avoid further widening of the divergences in the Union. The current COVID-19 pandemic as well as the previous economic and financial crisis have demonstrated that, in the aftermath of crises, differences between Member States often become more pronounced, with regards to economic development, fiscal resources, livings standards, and public service quality. Economic crises lastingly increase or manifest inequality between and within societies, unless their effects are swiftly and effectively mitigated through crisis preparedness and economic, social, ecological and administrative resilience. A lack of resilience can also lead to avoidable spillover effects of shocks between Member States or within the Union as a whole, thereby posing challenges to convergence and cohesion in the Union, and threatening the stability of the Economic and Monetary Union and the Single Market.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) The economic consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak have severely reduced the fiscal room for manoeuvre for many Member States, which undermines their ability to implement important reform and investment priorities. While the European Semester is the EU framework to identify economic reforms and investment priorities, the need for recovery and resilience building, highlighted by COVID19, goes beyond the domain of economic policy and needs to be adequately prioritised in the design and set up of the European Semester. The Economic and Monetary Union governance needs to be adapted, including by overcoming its shortcomings in parliamentary accountability and lack of democratic oversight.
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) Women have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 crisis, forming the majority of healthcare workers across the EU, and balancing unpaid care work with their employment responsibilities, made increasingly difficult for single parents which women form 85% of. Investment in robust care infrastructure is essential in order to ensure equality between women and men, women’s economic empowerment, build resilient societies, combat precarious conditions in a female dominated sector, boost job creation, prevent poverty and social exclusion, and has a positive effect on GDP as it allows more women to take part in paid work.
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Against this background, it is necessary to strengthen the current framework for the provision of support to Member States and provide for a mechanism, that allows the distribution of direct financial support from the EU-level to Member States through an innovative tool, which governs the distribution of funds to support European priorities and provides for accountability, transparency, and democratic oversight with regards to the implementation of the agreed national reform and investment plans. To that end, a Recovery and Resilience Facility (the ‘Facility’) should be established under this Regulation to provide effective financial and significant support to step upfor the implementation of reforms and related public investments in the Member States, particularly in view of reaching the objectives of the new sustainable growth strategy presented in the European Green Deal. The Facility should be comprehensive and should also benefit from the experience gained by the Commission and the Member States from the use of the other instruments and programmes.
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Reflecting the European Green Deal as Europe’s sustainable growth strategy and the translation of the Union's commitments to implement the Paris Agreement and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the Facility established by this Regulation will contribute with at least 50% of its resources to mainstreaming climate actions and environmental sustainability and to the achievement of an overall target of 2540 % of the EU budget expenditures supporting The Union’s climate objectives and additional 10 % for bio diversity. The EU Taxonomy should be used to track the implementation of such overarching objectives. The Facility should only support activities that do not cause significant harm to one or more environmental objectives referred to in Article 9 of Regulation(EU)2020/852 pursuant to the provisions of Article 17 of the Regulation (EU)2020/852 and activities carried out in compliance with the ‘minimum safeguards’ pursuant to Article 18 of Regulation (EU)2020/852.
Amendment 94 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The Facility’s general objective should be the promotion of economic, social and territorial cohesion and to contribute to the objectives of Union policies, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the European Pillar of Social Rights. For that purpose, it should contribute to improving the resilience and adjustment capacity of the Member States, mitigating the social and economic impact of the crisis, and supporting the green and digital transitions aimed at achieving a climate neutral Europe by 2050foster the digital transitions and supporting the just and inclusive transition towards an environmentally sustainable, energy- and resource-efficient and circular economy, where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases as soon as possible and by 2050 at the latest, thereby refostoering themployment creation and the sustainable growth potential of the economies of the Union in the aftermath of the crisis, fostering employment creation and to promoting sustainable and gender- balanced sustainable growth.
Amendment 105 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) To ensure its contribution to the objectives of the Facility, the recovery and resilience plan should comprise measures for the implementation of reforms and public investment projects through a coherent recovery and resilience plan. The recovery and resilience plan should be consistent with the Union’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, and take into account the relevant country- specific challenges and priorities identified in the context of the European Semester, with the national reform programmes, the national energy and climate plans, the just transition plans, and the partnership agreements and operational programmes adopted under the Union funds. To boost actions that fall within the priorities of the European Green Deal and the Digital Agenda, the plan should also set out measures that are relevant for the green and digital transitions. The measures should enable a swift deliver of targets, objectives and contributions set out in national energy and climate plans and updates thereof. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect of the climate and environmental priorities of the Union. and comply with the ‘do no significant harm’ principle set out set out in Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation(EU) 2019/2088 [EU Taxonomy Regulation]. The Facility should not be used to support activities identified in the exclusion list referred to in this Regulation. Furthermore, at least 50 % of the recovery and resilience plans should be dedicated to mainstreaming climate and other environmental sustainability objectives. The EU Taxonomy should be used to track the implementation of such overarching objectives. The recovery and resilience plans should be consistent with the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025. The measures should also be consistent with the duty to respect and promote the values enshrined in Article 2 TEU. The Plans should contain a transversal gender section including, inter alia, mandatory gender impact assessments and ex post checks, gender proofing and requirements regarding gender balance and equal pay related to all economic activities supported by the plans. Member States should also ensure the collection of gender-disaggregated data and gender budgeting for the national plans.
Amendment 113 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) As local governments and municipalities are the closest to their citizens, and they have a first-hand experience regarding needs and problems of the local communities and economies, they play a crucial role in economic and social recovery. Taking this into consideration municipalities and local governments should play an important role in the planning and implementation of this Facility, including the preparation of the recovery and resilience plans as well as the management of the projects under the Facility. In order to fully exploit the potential of municipalities and local governments in achieving recovery and resilience, certain sources of the Recovery and Resilience Facility should be dedicated to them, with creating a direct access to those sources for municipalities and local governments.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 b (new)
Recital 16 b (new)
(16b) Member States should ensure that social partners are consulted when drafting the National recovery and resilience plans. In order to improve consistency and relevance of national plans, social partners should be given the possibility to provide their inputs at early stage before the national recovery and resilience plans are submitted to the EU. If the national recovery and resilience plan is attached to the National Reform Programme, social partners are consulted preferably not later than month of February on a draft NRP. If the national recovery and resilience plan or their updates are not attached to the NRP, member states will ensure that social partners are consulted at least one month before the plan is submitted to the European Commission. Social partners are heard according to national rules and practices. National recovery and resilience plans will explain how the inputs of social partners were taken into account and, if the social partners wish so, the opinion of social partners will be attached to the National Reform Programmes or, when appropriate, to the national recovery and resilience plans.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In order to ensure the national ownership and a focus on relevant reforms and investments, Member States wishing to receive support should submit to the Commission a recovery and resilience plan that is duly reasoned and substantiated. The plan should be drawn up based on a multilevel dialogue with local authorities, social partners, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders in order to ensure the largest consensus possible. The recovery and resilience plan should set out the detailed set of measures for its implementation, including targets and milestones, and the expected impact of the recovery and resilience plan on the objectives of the European Green Deal, in particular the sustainable growth potential, high-quality job creation and economic and social resilience; it should also include measures that are relevant for the green and the digital transitions; it should also include measures for politically neutral distribution of funds for support of civil society and non-profits as well as independent media of up to 5 % of the overall funds; it should also include a commitment by the government of distributing sufficient amount of funds to municipalities, at least of the level of 80 % of municipal funding available to them prior to the COVID-19 crisis; it should also include an explanation of how the measures in the plan are expected to address deficiencies as regards the values enshrined in Article 2 TEU. Furthermore it should also include an explanation of the consistency of the proposed recovery and resilience plan with the relevanlatest country- specific challenges and priorities identified in the context of the European Semester.recommendations adopted in the European Semester framework. The plans should also demonstrate how the plan is expected to contribute to gender equality and gender-balanced growth and job creation; Close cooperation between the Commission and the Member States should be sought and achieved throughout the process.
Amendment 126 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) The Commission should assess the recovery and resilience plan proposed by the Member States and should act in close cooperation with the Member State concerned and with the participation of social partners and civil society organisations. The Commission will fully respect the national ownership of the process and will therefore take into account the justification and elements provided by the Member State concerned and assess whether the recovery and resilience plan proposed by the Member State is expected to contribute to effectively address challenges identified in the relevant country-specific recommendation addressed to the Member State concerned or in other relevant documents officially adopted by the Commission in the European Semester; whether the plan contains measures that effectively contribute to the green and the digital transitions and to addressing the challenges resulting from them; whether the plan is expected to have a lasting impact in the Member State concerned; whether the plan is expected to effectively contribute to strengthen the growth potential, job creation and economic and social resilience of the Member State, mitigate the economic and social impact of the crisis and contribute to enhancing economic, social and territorial cohesion; whether the justification provided by the Member State of the estimated total costs of the recovery and resilience plan submitted is reasonable and plausible and is commensurate to the expected impact on the economy and employment; whether the proposed recovery and resilience plan contains measures for the implementation of reforms and public investment projects that represent coherent actions; and whether the arrangement proposed by the Member State concerned are expected to ensure effective implementation of the recovery and resilience plan, including the proposed milestones and targets, and the related indicators.
Amendment 128 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) In order to contribute to the preparation of high-quality plans and assist the Commission in the assessment of the recovery and resilience plans submitted by the Member States and in the assessment of the degree of their achievement, provision should be made for the use of expert advice and, at the Member State request, peer counselling; The application of this Regulation should fully observe Article 152 TFEU, and the National recovery and resilience plans issued under this Regulation should respect national practices and institutions for wage formation. This Regulation takes into account Article 28 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and accordingly must not affect the right to negotiate, conclude or enforce collective agreements or to take collective action in accordance with national law and practices.
Amendment 145 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
(1) The Recovery and Resilience Facility established by this Regulation shall not apply to: (a) the decommissioning or the construction of nuclear power stations, (b) the production, processing, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels (c) Investment in airport infrastructure except for outermost regions (d) Investment in capacity expansion of motorway infrastructure.
Amendment 148 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Recovery and Resilience Facility shall be to promote the Union’s economic, social and territorial cohesion by improving the resilience and adjustment capacity of the Member States, mitigating the social and, economic and gender related impact of the crisis, and supporting the green and digital transitions, while protecting workers that may suffer from such productive transitions, thereby contributing to restoring the growth potential of the economies of the Union, fostering employment creation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, and promoting fair sustainable growth.
Amendment 158 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9
Article 9
Amendment 171 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) an explanation of how the measures in the plan are expected to address deficiencies as regards the values enshrined in Article 2 TEU;
Amendment 172 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
(bb) an explanation of how the measures in the plan are expected to effectively and indiscriminately support non-profit civil society organisations and municipalities, regions or other subnational authorities in the Member State;
Amendment 181 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2
Article 15 – paragraph 2
2. The recovery and resilience plan presented by the Member State concerned shall constitute an annex to its National Reform Programme and shall be officially submitted at the latest by 30 April. A draft plan may be submitted by Member State starting from 15 October of the preceding year, together with the draft budget of the subsequent year. Such draft plan is submitted to the attention of national social partners for consultation not later than the next February and social partners will have at least 30 days to react in writing.
Amendment 190 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) an explanation of how the measures in the plan are expected to contribute to the green and the digital transitionconsistent with a pathway to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and of how they are expected to contribute to the achievement of the Union's climate and environment objectives or to the challenges resulting from them; and in particular their contribution to
Amendment 193 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
(ca) a detailed justification of how the plan will achieve the 40% allocation target to activities substantially contributing to climate change mitigation or adaptation and the 10% allocation target to activities substantially contributing to any of the other environmental objectives, in accordance with Article 4a(2) and with Article 14(1)b and a demonstration that the envisaged reforms and investments included in the plan comply with the 'do no significant harm' principle on the basis of a detailed list referred to in paragraph 1a of economic activities expected to be supported by the facility;
Amendment 197 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c b (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c b (new)
(cb) an explanation of how the measures respect the principles of interoperability, energy efficiency, data protection, the promotion of digital equality, digital accessibility, open software and open hardware solutions and personal data;
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c c (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c c (new)
(cc) a gender impact assessment of the plan, in-line with the objectives outlined in the Gender Equality Strategy, to effectively address the negative impact of the crisis on gender equality, in particular by ensuring high-quality job creation for women, the reduction of the gender pay gap and access to credit for women entrepreneurs, and through measures to prevent and combat gender-based violence and sexual harassment;
Amendment 203 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c d (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c d (new)
(cd) a summary of the consultations with stakeholders, as referred to in Article 14(5);
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c e (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c e (new)
(ce) a justification of the absence conflict of interest with relation to the implementation of the EU budget for all public investments measures contained in the plan
Amendment 205 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point f a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point f a (new)
(fa) the share of the estimated total cost of the recovery and resilience plan referred to in point (f) allocated to sustainable economic activities as defined under Regulation (EU) 2020/852, differentiated per environmental objective;
Amendment 233 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall adopt a decision within four months of the official submission of the recovery and resilience plan by the Member State, by means of an implementingdelegated act. In the event that the Commission gives a positive assessment to a recovery and resilience plan, that decision shall set out the reforms and investment projects to be implemented by the Member State, including the milestones and targets, and the financial contribution allocated in accordance with Article 11.
Amendment 237 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1
1. Where the recovery and resilience plan including relevant milestones and targets, is no longer achievable, either partially or totally, by the Member State concerned because of objective circumstances, the Member State concerned may make a reasoned request to the Commission to amend or replace the decisions referred to in Article 17(1) and 17(2). To that effect, the Member State may propose a modified or a new recovery and resilience plan, having heard national social partners and other relevant stakeholders.
Amendment 247 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2
Article 24 – paragraph 2
2. The annual report shall include information on the progress made with the recovery and resilience plans of the Member States concerned under the Facility and their impact on equality between women and men.
Amendment 249 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 1
Article 25 – paragraph 1
1. Four years after the entry into force of this Regulation, the Commission shall provide the European Parliament, and the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions with an independent evaluation report on its implementation and with an independent ex post gender- responsive evaluation report no later than three years after the end of 2027.
Amendment 250 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 4
Article 25 – paragraph 4
4. The ex-post evaluation report shall consist of a global assessment of the instruments established by this Regulation and shall include information on its impact in the long-term, including on equality between women and men.
Amendment 1075 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 2
Article 16 – paragraph 2
2. When assessing the recovery and resilience plan and in the determination of the amount to be allocated to the Member State concerned, the Commission shall take into account the analytical information on the Member State concerned available in the context of the European Semester as well as the justification and the elements provided by the Member State concerned, as referred to in Article 15(3), and any other relevant information including, in particular, the one contained in the National Reform Programme and the National Energy and Climate Plan of the Member State concerned and, if relevant, information from technical support received via the Technical Support Instrument. The Commission shall also require a gender impact assessment of the plan carried out by an independent expert or proceed to such an assessment itself.
Amendment 1150 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
(c a) whether the gender equality plan included in the recovery and resilience plan effectively addresses the gender issues emerging in the crisis and ensures gender equality. In particular, the area of employment, access to finance as well as whether it includes measures to prevent and combat gender-based and domestic violence;
Amendment 1165 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point d
(d) whether the recovery and resilience plan is expected to effectively contribute to strengthen the growth potential, job creation, gender equality and economic and social resilience of the Member State, mitigate the economic and social impact of the crisis, and contribute to enhance economic, social and territorial cohesion;