Activities of Katalin CSEH related to 2021/2075(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Challenges for urban areas in the post-COVID-19 era (short presentation)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the challenges for urban areas in the post-COVID-19 era
Amendments (51)
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas long standing inequalities have been deepened by the pandemic; whereas vulnerable groups such as homeless, elderly, Roma, people with disabilities, victims of gender-based violence, migrants and refugees, have become even more vulnerable; whereas cities face challenges such as social exclusion and a lack of accessibility as well as environmental issues;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas cities, towns and functional urban areas, such as metropolitan areas, are key economic pillars to boost growth, create jobs and enhance the Union’s competitiveness in a globalised economy; whereas functional urban areas and mid-sized cities play a key role in providing social services and economic opportunities for rural and depopulated areas, while offering alternative urban solutions to big cities;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas many European cities are facing a record-breaking surge in energy prices that threatens to affect the post- pandemic economic recovery;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas multi-level governance including the active involvement of urban authorities, based on coordinated action by the EU, the Member States and regional and local authorities, and in accordance with the partnership principle as laid down in the Common Provisions Regulation, are essential elements for the design and implementation of all EU policierograms;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas the global urban population is expected to increase by up to three billion people by 2050, and as a result cities will require extensive urban construction that must also mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F c (new)
Recital F c (new)
F c. whereas job losses are estimated to be higher in large cities than elsewhere, hitting low-skilled, self-employed, and migrant workers, as well as those with precarious contracts and people working in the informal economy particularly hard; whereas the risk of unemployment is highest among young people, whose education and training pathways have been disrupted, many not finding the internships or apprenticeships required in order to complete their studies;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges the social, economic, territorial, cultural and historical diversity of urban areas across the Union, draws attention to challenges such as segregation and poverty;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that overconcentration of the population in certain urban areas has already led to repercussions such as congestion, the growing challenge of affordable housing, pollution, a deterioration in quality of life, urban sprawl, and a significantwhile the density of cities has many advantages in terms of sustainable living, high concentration of the population in certain urban areas may also have repercussions on the affordability of housing, the level of pollution, the quality of life, the risk of poverty and social exclusion for certain segments of the population;
Amendment 74 #
2 a. Notes that economic migration has a direct impact on the inclusiveness of cities, requiring tailored policy responses; points to the potential of the EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021- 2027 in building inclusive and cohesive societies; notes also that community-led local development strategies are an essential tool to create jobs and increase accessibility to services at urban level;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Member States to promote the inclusion of marginalised communities such as people with disabilities, more isolated older people, homeless people and ethnic minorities such as Roma; calls for funding needs to be addressed at a local level, including those of urban areas, in order to support these marginalised communities sustainably; recalls that sufficient national resources are key to the successful implementation of policy measures put forward by the EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation; stresses the role of urban authorities in ensuring that these measures reflect the actual needs of Roma Communities;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on the Commission to develop a new EU anti-poverty framework to support integrated city strategies on poverty reduction; highlights the role of urban authorities in coordinating the process to design, implement and monitor strategies, as well as in targeting programmes to the most deprived neighbourhoods;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Reminds that in deprived urban areas, children often experience multiple risk factors, such as poor housing, risk of discrimination, violence and unequal access to services such as childcare, healthcare and education; calls on Member States to support local Child Guarantee schemes to address the specific urban challenges of child poverty;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4 c. Emphasises the need for an EU framework to support local and national strategies to fight homelessness by promoting an integrated approach combining housing support with social care and health services, and active inclusion;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses the role played by cities towards gender equality and recalls that all actions implemented under cohesion policy should take into account gender equality as a horizontal principle throughout their preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; underlines that action aimed at bridging the gender gap under cohesion policy should employ an intersectional approach that also takes age, race and disabilities into consideration; stresses, moreover, that the beneficiaries of cohesion policy should not adopt any discriminatory policies, least of all against minorities, such as the LGBTI community;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Highlights that in addition to health risks, women are more vulnerable to the economic risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic; recognizes that in a post-pandemic context, supporting women in the formal and informal sectors is essential for urban economic recovery; strongly recommends that urban governing bodies set up spaces to engage women and girls in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts through women’s organisations and other community partners;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the widespread gender data gap in the field of cohesion policy and urban planning and calls on the Member States to introduce data collection methods using sex-disaggregated data; stresses that gender blindness in data collection and monitoring can be detrimental to evidence-based policy responses and to cities delivering on the UN Sustainable Development Goals; notes that gender disaggregating data helps understand which groups of women are the most vulnerable and how risks to their health and wellbeing can be mitigated;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the widespread gender data gap in the field of cohesion policy and urban planning and calls on the Member States to introduce data collection methods using sex-disaggregated data and to carry out ex ante and ex post gender impact assessment when managing cohesion funds;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Emphasises the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to spikes in domestic violence; calls on the Commission and the Member States to allocate cohesion policy funding and mobilise urban authorities to address the global increase in gender-based violence; encourages European cities to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive approaches to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and gender-based violence in public spaces by committing to the principles of the UN Women’s Global Flagship Initiative “Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces for Women and Girls”;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Calls on the Council to urgently conclude the EU ratification of the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, asks the Commission to submit a legal act tackling all forms of gender-based violence and take the necessary steps to have violence against women included in the catalogue of EU-recognised crimes;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Recognises the burden placed on women as principal caregivers in formal and informal settings, whereas 80% of all care provided across the EU is provided by (unpaid) informal carers, 75% of whom are women; as well as its social value, especially during the COVID-19 crisis; points at the relevant role of Cohesion Funds in securing investment in care services; welcomes the Commission’s intention to propose a European Care Deal;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Believes that the beneficiaries of the Cohesion Policy should not adopt any discriminatory policy, in particular against minorities, such as the LGBTI community; encourages the rejection of applications from potential beneficiaries, including from regional or local authorities, which have adopted discriminatory policies against members of the LGBTI community such as the declaration of ‘LGBT-free zones’;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Draws attention to unemployment and youth unemployment in particular, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic; calls on the Member States to actively involve urban authorities in devising programmes that meet the needs of young people in cities, as well as policies focusing on the mental health and well-being of young people, especially crucial in the post-COVID 19 context;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Warns that cities and towns are acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; is highly concerned that heatwaves, which are already more extreme in cities due to the effects of urban heat islands, are increasing in both intensity and frequency, while extreme precipitation events and storm surges are likely to result in increased flooding such as that witnessed in Europe this summer; urges managing authorities and local and regional authorities to establish climate change adaptation urban strategies that encourage investment to transform cities and adapt them to the potential threats of climate change;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Highlights that retrofitting buildings to lower energy use, and redesigning cities to increase green spaces and promote walking and biking, will generate savings, create jobs, help fight energy poverty, and yield climate benefits long after the pandemic fades;
Amendment 150 #
13. Stresses that the commitment of urban areas is crucial for the transition to a climate-neutral society; believes, therefore, that morenotes that local governments often lack the know-how, human resources, as well as access to high quality data necessary for launching actions and making progress, believes, therefore, that more capacity building, technical support and funding must be made available for urban areas to achieve the targets of the European Green Deal;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Believes that COVID-19 crisis has shown the need for new urban planning and mobility solutions in order to make urban areas more resilient and adaptable to mobility demand and it should be an occasion to reduce transport congestion and greenhouse emissions;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13 b. Calls for investment promoting sustainable urban mobility through environmentally friendly transport systems; highlights the need to promote and develop public transport systems in urban areas, and to adapt public transportation capacity to the growing demand of day-to-day job travel in or out of city centres;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13 c. Calls on Member States to reassess their investment in urban mobility and to give priority to digital infrastructure that will benefit the general experience of all passengers, including people with reduced mobility, and which can be adapted to the post-COVID-19 needs of transport workers;
Amendment 162 #
13 d. Calls for action to improve the urban air quality to minimise the risks for human health and stresses the need to promote energy transition and climate adaptation;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Underlines that among the many inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide is a serious one; notes that the pandemic has accelerated digitalisation; recalls that digitalisation and digital connectivity must be a priority for local communities in their recovery; Recalls the importance of having an adequate competition and State Aid framework that enables the deployment of highspeed broadband and 5G infrastructure in all cities regardless of their size;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Underlines that among the many inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide is a serious one; notes that the pandemic has accelerated digitalisation, with technology becoming imperative for teleworking, home-schooling, e-commerce, e-health, e- government, digital democracy, and digital entertainment; recalls that digitalisation and digital connectivity must be a priority for local communities in their recovery;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls for actions and policies for a just digital transition, which should be deployed across various levels, from cities to the EU itself; calls for digital inclusion to be recognised as a right for the new generation and for a clear commitment to achieve universal internet connectivity for cities, recommends the launch of pilot projects on the urban level, as cities are best suited to testing policies for digital inclusion;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls for actions and policies for a just digital transition, which should be deployed across various levels, from cities to the EU itself; calls for digital inclusion to be recognised as a right for the newall generations and for a clear commitment to achieve universal internet connectivity for cities;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Highlights that libraries and cultural centers can support local communities and disadvantaged groups in facilitating digital inclusion, social inclusion, lifelong learning and pathways to employment;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Stresses that cities must be able to regulate the impact of digital platforms on the urban realities in which they operate, while emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence must adhere to ethical criteria to avoid the repeat of existing social inequalities;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. Considers that existing urban primary health structures need to be strengthened physically and financially; notes that the shift in healthcare delivery shall also propel the arrival of digital innovation and improve the integration of care through up-to-date information channels to deliver more targeted, personalised, effective and efficient healthcare;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16 c. Calls on the Commission to work with the Member States and urban authorities to develop networks to educate citizens in the use of digital healthcare and digital public administration, enabling universal and equitable access, with the highest levels of protection of sensitive data and prevention of cybercrime; highlights the crucial role of Member States in supporting city authorities in their efforts to shape and ensure digital inclusion, by protecting citizens data and empowering people and local business through access to data;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Underlines the need to adapt to the new reality in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and to reflect on a new model for the EU’s urban areas; believes that the Conference on the Future of Europe is an opportunity to bring cities more prominently into EU decision-making processes, and give them a strong role in building stronger participatory democracy and dialogue with citizens;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Recognises the fact that despite the lack of explicit EU competences on urban development, a broad range of EU initiatives do have an impact on towns, cities and functional urban areas; recognises the need for stronger cooperation on EU programmes and policies relevant for urban areas; is concerned that while various initiatives have grown in recent years to go beyond cohesion policy, coordination remains low with risks for duplication and unsuccessful impacts;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the Urban Agenda for the EU as a new model of multi-level governance; believes that this should not remain a voluntary process, urges the Member States and the Commission to commit to implementing the recommendations received;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Recognizes the important role that urban areas play in the concrete implementation of programmes and projects derived from EU legislation;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19 b. Calls on the Commission and Member States to provide proper support to local and regional authorities and their project management teams on EU programmes and funding opportunities;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Reiterates the need for further funding opportunities for cities to implement programmes locally; calls for the European Urban Initiative to be given a greater budget and scope, notes that it shall support the delivery of the Urban Agenda in the next programming period;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Reiterates the need for further funding opportunities for cities to implement programmes locally; reminds that EUR 400 000 000 of the resources for the Investment for jobs and growth goal shall be allocated to the European Urban Initiative under direct or indirect management by the Commission as laid out in Regulation (EU) 2021/1058, calls for the European Urban Initiative to be given a greater budget and scope, in order to support the delivery of the Urban Agenda in the next programming period;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Highlights that economic recovery of cities will be impeded by soaring energy prices; Calls on proper steps to advance the Energy Union and to strengthen the resilience of the European energy market;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Highlights the importance of EU funding for implementing social inclusion locally; calls for its impact to be strengthened through a common management and reporting framework; as well as through better participation of social services at national and European level;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Recognises the need to establish a structured dialogue between the Commission and cities on the Recovery and Resilience Facility to monitor the involvement of urban authorities in the implementation of National Recovery and Resilience Plans; calls on the Commission, in its review report on the implementation of the facility, to examine the role of cities and if needed to strengthen their role in order to guarantee an effective implementation of the Facility; highlights that urban authorities must be provided with the necessary support to properly implement NRRPs through capacity building, exchanges and technical assistance;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Calls on the Member States to ensure that urban authorities are included in the design and implementation of all programmes and to notify urban authorities as to why funding applications are refused; Calls on the Commission to examine any complaints from urban authorities where no valid justification is given for the refusal of an application for funding;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Calls on the Commission to develop a strategy for functional urban areas and mid-sized cities;