1880 Amendments of Katalin CSEH
Amendment 7 #
2023/2164(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes from the Agency’s follow-up to Parliament’s horizontal observations made in connection with the 2021 discharge procedure, as well as from the Agency’s follow-up report, that in recent years (as from 2019) the Agency has been using the services of an external law firm (specialised in Union civil service law) when dealing with cases of alleged harassment (i.e. requests for assistance under article 24 of the USR); observes in this context that the Agency’s Legal Services Unit performs an assessment to determine whether there is a need to request support or advice from an external law firm and that unit manages the relevant procedure and collaborates with the Agency’s Human Resources Unit in all those cases; recalls however, from Parliament’s discharge resolution for 2017 refusing to grant the Agency’s former executive director discharge for that year’s budget implementation, the Agency’s commitment to end outsourcing legal counselling by the establishment of an internal legal service; calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority as to why that commitment has not been kept;
Amendment 9 #
2023/2164(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recalls the Court’s finding that in 2020 the Agency had 16 vacant management posts, with 10 of those occupied on an acting basis for more than one year, as well as other issues such as acting managers occupying two posts, in the Agency’s establishment plan; notes with appreciation from the Agency’s follow-up report the subsequent mitigating actions it took in order to comply with Article 7(2) of the USR, first by reducing the number of temporary occupations of management posts exceeding one year to two at the end of 2022, and, as of 2023, discontinuing them altogether, whereas no staff members are on temporary management positions for longer than a year anymore; welcomes the Agency’s commitment to prioritise recruitment of managerial posts; commends the Agency for the progress made in 2022 and 2023 with regard to recruitment procedures for various middle and senior management positions, including that of the Deputy Executive Director, whereas, according to the Agency’s follow-up report, two selection procedures are completed, while nine selection procedures are ongoing or not finalised; calls on the Agency to keep the discharge authority informed of the outcome of all those procedures; observes lastly from the Agency’s website that as at 15 January 2024, the head of the Agency’s Administration Centre is on an ad interim position, while the head of the Agency’s Institutional and Horizontal Affairs Centre on an acting position; notes that the selection procedure for the Head of the Administration Centre is ongoing and is expected to be finalized in Q1 2024; further notes that the selection procedure for the Head of the Institutional and Horizontal Affairs Centre is ongoing and is expected to be finalized in Q1 2024; calls on the Agency to keep the discharge authority informed of the outcome of all those procedures;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2157(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes from the Court’s report that the Centre, although it paid interest for only one late payment, had a significant number of payments wrongly flagged as late (107 out of 1 595) by the Centre’s financial and accounting management (ABAC) because of the incorrect parametrisations and/or incorrect data inputs regarding the due date of payment or the reception of the documents entailing a payment obligation; notes from the Centre’s reply that the inconsistent flagging of late payments did not affect the regularity of the operations involved; notes further that the Centre has adopted some measures to minimize the referred risk for ‘false positive’ and to further ensure that its ABAC system may provide for a clear and accurate picture of the actual late payments; calls on the Agency to continue to monitor this issue and mitigate possible future reputational risks associated to this issue;
Amendment 2 #
2023/2157(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with appreciation that in 2022 the Centre released a new rapid mixed-method trendspotter study to assess the initial service response to the needs of displaced Ukrainians in neighbouring countries within the Union; commends the Centre for collaborating with Europol for preparing the fourth edition of the joint EU Drug Markets: In-depth analysis, the findings of which are presented in a series of modules, each focusing on the market for a particular drug and covering trends along the supply chain from production and trafficking to distribution and use; commends in this context the launch in 2022 of the first two modules on cocaine and methamphetamine;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas in the context of the discharge procedure, the discharge authority aims to emphasize the significant importance of enhancing the democratic legitimacy of Union institutions; this involves enhancing transparency and accountability, as well as implementing performance-based budgeting and ensuring good governance of human resources;
Amendment 3 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed, insist to step up against cyberattacks or infiltration attempts particularly originated from Russia or China;
Amendment 4 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. NoteRegrets the lack of gender balance among the Agency’s senior management members, with 6 out of 9 (67 %) being men; notes the gender balance within the Agency’s management board, with 18 out of 36 (50 %) being men; notes the gender balance within the Agency’s overall staff, with 118 out of 221 (53 %) being women; notes that the Agency has not adopted the ‘Charter on diversity and inclusion’; encourages the Agency to adopt it and actively participate in initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace;
Amendment 6 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. NotWelcomes that the Agency has a wellbeing coordinator and has done extensive work on awareness raising and setting up processes for staff returning from long term absence and in case needed, staff are offered professional assistance via the medical advisor;
Amendment 7 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Notes that the Agency has a policy on protecting the dignity of the person and preventing psychological and sexual harassment, and that the Agency is part of the interagency task force of confidential counsellors; looks forward to receiving their report and recommendations; notes that there were no reported cases of harassment in 2022 and encourages the Agency to continue and develop the work to prevent cases in the future as well;
Amendment 8 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. Raises concerns about the geographical balance within the Agency’s senior and middle management having no managerial staff from Central-Eastern Europe; insists that improvements have to be made; asks the Agency to report back on this to the discharge authority;
Amendment 9 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Is concerned about the large size the Agency's management board which makes decision making difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 10 #
2023/2149(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Acknowledges the achieved visibility of the Agency, is of the opinion that there is still a room for greater visibility in the media, internet, and social media in order to make its work and the dangers to our environment known to the citizens;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas in the context of the discharge procedure, the discharge authority aims to emphasize the significant importance of enhancing the democratic legitimacy of Union institutions; this involves enhancing transparency and accountability, as well as implementing performance-based budgeting and ensuring good governance of human resources;
Amendment 2 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the Agency is financed through fees paid by industry and by an EU balancing contribution, in accordance with Regulation (No 1907/2006), Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 and Regulation (EU) No 528/2012; highlights that due to the one-off nature of the fees and their dependence on strategic decisions of the chemical industry players, there is high uncertainty as to their amount and timing; insists on the need for areminds that the Commission’s promised a proposal to strengthen the governance of the European Chemicals Agency and increase the sustainability of its financing model in 2020; insist that the Commission should present it immediately;
Amendment 3 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed, insist to step up against cyberattacks or infiltration attempts particularly originated from Russia or China;
Amendment 4 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes that the Agency has put in effect an action plan to implement the objectives of its Charter on Diversity and Inclusion adopted in 2022, aiming to achieve gender balance in the management team among other inclusion measures; acknowledges that achieving results in this area takes time; is strongly of the opinion however notes that the gender balance within the Agency’s senior and middle management hasneeds to be improved with a faster paste, as it has only slightly decreased with 76 % positions occupied by men (82 % in 2021) and 24 % by women (18 % in 2021); notes that gender balance in the staff overall is 261 men (45 %) and 317 women (55 %);
Amendment 6 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes that the Agency has a policy on protecting the dignity of the person and preventing psychological and sexual harassment, and that the Agency is part of the interagency task force of confidential counsellors; looks forward to receiving their report and recommendations; notes that there were no reported cases of harassment in 2022 and encourages the Agency to continue and develop the work to prevent cases in the future as well;
Amendment 8 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Raises concerns about the geographical balance within the Agency’s senior and middle management having only one director from Central-Eastern Europe; insists that improvements have to be made; asks the Agency to report back on this to the discharge authority;
Amendment 10 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Recalls the importance for the Agency to develop greater visibility in the media, internet, and social media in order to make its work known to the citizens;
Amendment 11 #
2023/2148(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Highlights the fact that the Agency has continued its efforts to phase out animal testing in Europe to the extent possible under the current regulatory framework; notes that ECHA promotes alternatives to animal testing in three ways: focusing on groups of substances through a separate strategy, investing in international activities that promote alternatives and new approach methodologies, and making the data Agency holds available; reiterates its call on the Agency to speed up the phasing out process; notes in addition that the Agency is collaborating with the Commission and other stakeholders to support the Commission in developing a roadmap towards the full replacement of animal testing for chemicals;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas in the context of the discharge procedure, the discharge authority aims to emphasize the significant importance of enhancing the democratic legitimacy of Union institutions; this involves enhancing transparency and accountability, as well as implementing performance-based budgeting and ensuring good governance of human resources;
Amendment 2 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the Centre delivered 89 % of the outputs planned in its Single Programming Document 2022–2024; notes that 8 % of the planned outputs were postponed, while 3 % were delayed or cancelled by the end of the year; takes note that most of the outputs that have been postponed or delayed were dependant on the adoption and publishing of the amended legal text of Centre mandate, which took place in November 2022; calls on the Centre to analyse the postponed outputs and report back to the discharge authority about its plan to deliver them;
Amendment 3 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that throughout 2022, for the third consecutive year, ECDC maintained its public health emergency (PHE) plan in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic; takes note that in June the PHE level was gradually downgraded from Level 2 (Acute Phase) to Level 1 (Maintenance Phase); is of the opinion that the Centre acted speedily and efficiently throughout the entire period of the pandemic; considers that there could be a larger role of the Centre in shaping the European crisis response agenda for the future;
Amendment 4 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed, insist to step up against cyberattacks or infiltration attempts particularly originated from Russia or China;
Amendment 7 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Notes that the Agency has a policy on protecting the dignity of the person and preventing psychological and sexual harassment, and that the Agency is part of the interagency task force of confidential counsellors; looks forward to receiving their report and recommendations; notes that there were no reported cases of harassment in 2022 and encourages the Agency to continue and develop the work to prevent cases in the future as well;
Amendment 8 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Raises concerns about the geographical balance within the Agency’s senior and middle management; asks the Agency to report back on this to the discharge authority;
Amendment 9 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Is concerned about the large size the Agency's management board which makes decision making difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 10 #
2023/2147(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Acknowledges the visibility the Agency to developed during the pandemic, is of the opinion that there is still a room for greater visibility in the media, internet, and social media in order to make its work known to the citizens;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2144(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the Agency reacted rapidlyCommends the Agency for its rapid response to the unjustified war in Ukraine, and for delivereding a tailor made open source intelligence (OSINT) course for the Ukrainian General Prosecutors Office, in cooperation with the Council of Europe;
Amendment 3 #
2023/2144(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes with concern from the Court’s report that, since the 2020 financial year, the Court has raised for the Agency new procurement- related observations every year; highlights from the Court’s report the observation representing the basis for the Court’s qualified opinion on the legality and regularity of 359 payments of a total value of EUR 4,1 million made in 2022 under two framework contracts implemented directly through order forms (service requests) that were sent by Agency’s staff members who did not have the delegated authority to enter into legal commitments on behalf of the Agency, or by interim employees who could not legally have such delegated authority because of their interim status; takes note of the Agency's reply to the Court’s observation that, even if there was a weakness in the formalisation of the legal commitment, the services were ordered in line with the Agency’s needs and controls were applied in full to ensure that the funds were used for the intended purpose and no actual loss was incurred; notes from the Agency’s replies to Parliament’s written questions that those contracts were not affected by other irregularities and the Agency has taken measures to address the Court’s observation by amending the Agency’s internal procedures to ensure that orders will only be communicated to the travel agent by statutory staff, who have been delegated by an authorising officer to engage in a legal commitment; notes the Agency’s reply whereby the Agency has immediately introduced corrective measures, even before the end of the audit process; calls on the Agency to fully address these observations and improve its procurement procedures in order to avoid similar situations in the future years;
Amendment 4 #
2023/2144(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Highlights further from the Court’s report the qualified opinion according to which all the amounts paid in 2022 (EUR 152 655) for the implementation of a framework contract (for educational editorial services) could not be reconciled with the services provided and some categories of tasks did not reflect the nature of actual work performed, and for some categories, the amount of work paid for did not correspond to the amount actually done, thereby rendering those amounts irregular; notes the Agency's explanation that the number of pages ordered, delivered and paid did not fully match, as due to nature of work, namely editorial and educational content development, this was not always precisely quantifiable in advance; notes further that, according to the Agency's reply, checks were carried out on the deliverables and the categories of tasks were based on those listed in a previous contract with the Publications Office; calls on the Agency to put in place measures allowing the Agency to better quantify deliverables in advance and avoid such situations in the future;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas context of the discharge procedure, the discharge authority aims to emphasize the significant importance of enhancing the democratic legitimacy of Union institutions; this involves enhancing transparency and accountability, as well as implementing performance-based budgeting and ensuring good governance of human resources;
Amendment 2 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the Agency uses key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the results achieved in respect of its objectives, including among others on support to Working Groups, communications activities, centralised finance and procurement and Human Resources management; notes that most objectives have been achieved, however recommends to address the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that remain unfulfilled or are progressing slower than expected (e.g.Improvement of reimbursement process through the advanced gateway for meetings (AGM) tool, signature of contract in support to the development of “BEREC ICT strategy 2022-2025”; recommends that the Agency fine tunes KPIs on a regular basis in order to optimise its performance;
Amendment 3 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Welcomes that Ukraine's telecoms regulator NCEC was taken on board of the Agency as a member without voting rights;
Amendment 5 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed, insist to step up against cyberattacks or infiltration attempts particularly originated from Russia or China;
Amendment 6 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Welcomes the efforts of the Agency to align its operation with the principles of the Joint Statement of the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission of 19 July 2012 on decentralized agencies, including the expected minimum critical size;
Amendment 7 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Observes that the main challenge in the staff area policy was the high staff turnover, which in 2022 went up to 16,3 % in comparison to 4,6 % for 2021 and 5,4 % in 2020; takes note that the sharp increase of the staff turnover particularly affected the Administration and Finance Unit; notes that to fill in the posts becoming vacant and to ensure staff with new competences needed for the Agency and its administration in 2022 the Agency launched selection procedures in order to fill in five vacant posts (one temporary agents and four contract agents) for which it did not have suitable reserve lists in place while for remaining three posts which became vacant, the Agency ensured fast recruitment from its active reserve lists; asks however, the Agency to analyse the reasons for the high staff turnover and make the necessary steps to avoid it in the future and report back to the discharge authority;
Amendment 8 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Takes noteWelcomes that in 2022 as well as in 2021 gender balance was achieved overall within the staff, with 52 % female and 48 % male; insists on intensifying the efforts to maintain a reasonable gender balance among Agency’s staff; acknowledges that the Agency has only three middle management positions and that an acceptable gender balance was also achieved in middle management, with one woman and two men;
Amendment 9 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes that the Agency has a policy on protecting the dignity of the person and preventing psychological and sexual harassment, and that the Agency is part of the interagency task force of confidential counsellors; looks forward to receiving their report and recommendations; notes that there were no reported cases of harassment in 2022 and encourages the Agency to continue and develop the work to prevent cases in the future as well;
Amendment 11 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Is concerned about the large size the Agency's management board which makes decision making difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 12 #
2023/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Recalls the importance for the Agency to develop greater visibility in the media, internet, and social media in order to make its work known to the citizens;
Amendment 13 #
2023/2141(DEC)
18 a. Welcomes the efforts of the Agency to treat the new legislation laying down measures on cybersecurity at the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Union with priority; notes with concern the potential disproportionate burden of the cybersecurity regulation on small size agencies, like the BEREC Office, that might put the compliance at risk; calls the Commission to take this into consideration in next years’ programming cycles;
Amendment 15 #
2023/2134(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recognises the importance of the creation of the EEAS Crisis Response Centre (CRC); reiterates the importance of adequate levels of cybersecurity for assets, premises and activities, including for headquarters and the EU delegations; notes the significance of the culture of security and safety across all entities which need to be ensured through personnel, procedures, infrastructure, tools (including IT) and an adequate budget to ensure that all of them can perform their critical and essential functions in the event of unexpected or critical situations; Acknowledges the EEAS’s efforts to fight disinformation and foreign interference; welcomes that EEAS strengthened its international cooperation with Member States, Union institutions and NATO in this regard; is strongly of the opinion that the EEAS should not only highlight the disinformation coming from third countries but also reveal sources which are distributing the same or similar style of disinformation within the Union;
Amendment 6 #
2023/2129(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls that the rule of law, the EU’s fundamental values and the respect for human rights in recipient countries are embedded in the basic acts of IPA III and of NDICI-GE; calls on the Commission to modify assistance should threats to democracy, the rule of law, human rights of fundamental freedoms so require;
Amendment 6 #
2023/2129(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls that the rule of law, the EU’s fundamental values and the respect for human rights in recipient countries are embedded in the basic acts of IPA III and of NDICI-GE; calls on the Commission to modify assistance should threats to democracy, the rule of law, human rights of fundamental freedoms so require;
Amendment 8 #
2023/2129(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Calls on the Commission to send clear signals to those candidate countries in which a backlash against rule of law standards - including limitations on the freedom of expression, the freedom of press, women’s and minority rights, the harassment of NGOs and human rights defenders - is jeopardising or delaying their accession to the EU; invites the Commission to examine the efficiency of the funds spent on the improvement of the state of the Rule of Law in the accession countries and report back to the AFET and CONT committees;
Amendment 8 #
2023/2129(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Calls on the Commission to send clear signals to those candidate countries in which a backlash against rule of law standards - including limitations on the freedom of expression, the freedom of press, women’s and minority rights, the harassment of NGOs and human rights defenders - is jeopardising or delaying their accession to the EU; invites the Commission to examine the efficiency of the funds spent on the improvement of the state of the Rule of Law in the accession countries and report back to the AFET and CONT committees;
Amendment 52 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas China is simultaneously a partner and also increasingly a competitor and a systemic rival to the EUrather than a partner;
Amendment 103 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas in order to defend its core values and be treated as an equal partner, Europe needs a new approach towards China basrooted oin European strategic autonomythe rules-based international order, reciprocity, cooperation with like-minded partners and strong opposition to any form of coercion;
Amendment 217 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) ensure participation of liberal democracies at all levels in the multilateral organisations where China is actively trying to reshape norms;
Amendment 229 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) increase EU’s presence in the Global South through its Global Gateway project, to create alternative secure infrastructure to China’s Belt and Road Initiative;
Amendment 271 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) support an independent and impartial UN investigation into human rights violations in China, in particular in Xinjiang and Tibet, and urge the Chinese authorities to grant meaningful access to the regions concerned and immediately and unconditionally release the Uyghur scholar and 2019 Sakharov Prize Laureate Ilham Tohti and all other activists imprisoned and tortured because of regime opposition;
Amendment 337 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point n a (new)
(na) elaborate a mechanism through which political refugees from Hong Kong could settle and work on the territory of the EU;
Amendment 381 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) strengthen the EU’s economic autonomy, ensure mutually beneficial economic relations and preventban sensitive technologies from being used for military purposes by de-risking trade flows and reducing critical dependencies on the PRC without aiming to decouple or turning inwardhile seeking alternatives in democratic allies;
Amendment 401 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) work towards a more coordinated approach towards the protection of critical infrastructure at EU level and think in terms of security beyond economic interests;
Amendment 446 #
2023/2127(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point w
Paragraph 1 – point w
(w) ensure that the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is not changed by means of force or coercion by supporting initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue, cooperation and confidence-building between the two sides; prepare a scenario-based strategy for tackling potential security challenges in the Taiwan Strait and work together with like- minded democracies to prevent an invasion of Taiwan;
Amendment 35 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the transatlantic partnership in foreign affairs is instrumental in asserting and enhancing the principles of international law and multilateral cooperation in the face of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and an increasingly assertive and unpredictable China;
Amendment 50 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas standing together against the brutality of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine will be even more crucial in the months to come and must remain a joint transatlantic commitment regardless of upcoming political developments;
Amendment 90 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) foster the EU’s open strategic autonomy as a means to pursue the EU’s own legitimate interests while strengthening the transatlantic bondStrengthen the EU’s position globally by acting as “TeamEurope”, by boosting investments in new technologies, military capabilities, and overall capacity building, aiming for to a stronger EU-US partnership, improved burden sharing, and increasing thed joint leverage of the EU and the US on the world scene;
Amendment 121 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) reinforce the accountability and resilience of our democratic systems in the run-up to the elections next year on both sides, as well as enhance transatlantic dialogue and cooperation on policies supporting democracy, human rights and the rule of law and combating disinformation and foreign interference from authoritarian regimes including electoral interference, disinformation, and economic and political coercion;
Amendment 128 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) continue and enhance bilateral talks on technology with the aim to take the lead in developing international standards for emerging technologies, including but not limited to artificial intelligence (AI), cyber-security and emerging technologies.
Amendment 141 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) ensure that the joint commitment to support Ukraine remains an anchor of transatlantic cooperation regardless of the election results on both side of the Atlantic;
Amendment 165 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i – point i (new)
Paragraph 1 – point i – point i (new)
i) closely coordinate and align efforts for democratic and global convergence on frontier technologies, in particular artificial intelligence; closely coordinate EU-US efforts in the G7, OECD, Council of Europe, GPAI, and other multilateral fora aiming to establish governance frameworks for artificial intelligence, based on our common values and on our shared commitment to upholding them;
Amendment 213 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n
Paragraph 1 – point n
(n) deepen cooperation in forging democratic standards for the use of technology, including AI, by aligning their digital diplomacy strategies in order to defend our values, enhance our security and foster democracy-serving digital standards at home and worldwide;
Amendment 230 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) foster closer partnership with the US and other like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific regionseek EU-US alignment on the objective of an open Indo-Pacific region and deepen individual and joint cooperation with regional partners to contribute to regional stability and prosperity;
Amendment 247 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r a (new)
(ra) continue EU-US cooperation and support for the democratic path of the Republic of Moldova with the objective of its integration into the European Union;
Amendment 280 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point w
Paragraph 1 – point w
(w) aim for an EU-US agreement on a common carbon footprint calculation methodology; in efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Amendment 293 #
2023/2126(INI)
(xa) significantly strengthen cooperation mechanisms and contingency planning for joint responses to geopolitical developments, in particular by working together to strengthen the NATO Alliance’s Eastern Flank, to ensure the security and stability of the Black Sea region, to prepare for the reconstruction of Ukraine, and to prevent any significant disruptions to the global free flow of goods;
Amendment 305 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point y a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point y a (new)
(ya) consolidate coordination mechanisms and deepen synergies for securing joint supplies of critical raw materials and rebalancing supply chains of such materials to reduce strategic dependencies on non-democratic suppliers;
Amendment 337 #
2023/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point ad
Paragraph 1 – point ad
(ad) jointly address the spread of Russian and Chinese information manipulation and, interference, and economic and political coercion, particularly in the context of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and its impact on the Western Balkans, Africa and Latin America;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
– having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Articles 2, 3 and 11(, 5, 11(2) and Protocol (No 2) thereof,
Amendment 10 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas in line with the principle of subsidiarity only the funds directly awarded to NGOs have been subject to monitoring and reporting by the Commission so far;
Amendment 39 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that monitoring European values, Democracy, the Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and fighting corruption and areas of social policy, environmental policy and development assistance require public support beyond private donations;
Amendment 54 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out that laws and the legislative process often neglect the voices of local, regional and national NGOs, while favouring the priorities of large NGOs, that the priorities and needs of smaller local and regional NGOs are often ignored or have less attention paid to them, despite the fact that these smaller and regional groups often do the majority of the work; emphasises that the work of small and regional organisationsNGOs emphasises that their work is to be paid the highest respect, as they represent the true diversity and variety of volunteer work performed across Europe;
Amendment 63 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Commends the crucial role of NGOs in the EU and elsewhere in defending the rule of law, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights and democracy; reiterates that in countries with authoritarian or non- democratic regimes, NGOs often represent the last line of defence of democracy; insists on the importance of adequate EU funding for NGOs active in these fields;
Amendment 67 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is convinced that public transparency is vital for all for profit or for non-profit organisations, including NGOs, to showcase their valuable work, be recognised and build their credibility;
Amendment 76 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is of the opinion that the allegedAcknowledges the importance of transparency and accountability in preventing corruption cases like the one referred to as Qatargate and the role certain NGOs played in it couldat it may have been prevented through the consistent enforcement of existing transparency requirements and an obligation for NGOs to disclose their sources of funding and their internal structures; notes with concern that the relevant NGOs have profited from EU funding since 2015; considers it unacceptable that the use of funds and transfers to other organisations are not entirely traceable; warns of the danger that EU taxpayers’ money could ultimately be used within corrupt circlesrecommended by the Parliament; emphasises the importance of ‘final beneficiary transparency’ for EU NGO fundsin every type of financial management in the EU;
Amendment 82 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls that the following findings and recommendations are based on the conclusions of the transparency and accountability study and address further weaknesses concerning the handling of EU funds by NGOstransparency requirements for the use of EU funds by the Member States and the Commission;
Amendment 98 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reiterates the call for a common definition of an NGO made in the recommendations from the 2021 Commission discharge resolution13 ; calls for a common definition of an NGO at EU level, in particular for NGOs receiving EU funding; is of the opinion that this definition should provide minimum common conditions for defining an NGO; considers that such minimum conditions must include the form of an organisation, the objectives it pursues, its level of formal or institutional existence, the accountability of its structures to its members or donors, its level of independence from government, other public authorities, political parties or commercial organisations, and the commercial or professional objectives it pursues on behalf of its membersWelcomes the proposal for a definition within the Financial regulation; _________________ 13 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137.
Amendment 112 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that the spectrum of NGOs receiving EU funding covers a wide range of structures, ways of functioning, sources of financing and focus areas, which translates into a variety of projects that are financed with taxpayers’ money; notes that the Commission uses the terms NGOs and NFPOs without a clear definition and distinction in the FTS; regrets that this results in a lack of public transparency in the allocation and monitoring of EU funds and might lead to a lack of public trust, as well as policy planning and might lead to a misperception of the volume of funding for NGOs;
Amendment 117 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Stresses that reporting obligations and transparency should be in place to ensure that EU money is well spent while avoiding unnecessary burdens on organisations; Believes that current EU legislation on scrutiny, due diligence and transparency is likely sufficient with minor adjustments, which should apply to all beneficiaries of EU funds, and could, inter alia, address the concerns expressed by the European Court of Auditors, for achieving proportionate transparency goals ; Emphasises that the overlap of additional reporting/public disclosure obligations with other already existing measures under the pretext of concern about corruption and foreign interference should be avoided in order not to create an environment of excessive state monitoring;
Amendment 130 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is concerned that public transparency requirements can be circumvented, especially when money is passed along a chain and used to fulfil the purposes of other donors; hHighlights that the FTS does not provide any information about how EU funding sub-granted under indirect and shared management is distributed among NGOs, on what basis or for what purpoallocated, including to NGOs; Emphasizes that not all Member States provide the same level of information and there is no consistent and coherent EU data base ; considers this highly problematic, as large amounts of funding are committed through indirect and shared management; calls on the Commission to verify the re-allocation of funds and their use by the final beneficiary by imposing appropriate reporting and publication requirements in line with annual reporting by the Member States and the Commission on the implementation of the European structural and investment funds;
Amendment 136 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Calls, on the Commission to step up its work on streamlining databases and on increasing user-friendliness of the Financial Transparency System (FTS) to improve transparency and accessibility; stresses that, within the FTS, all types and subtypes of beneficiaries, including for- profit organisations, should be searchable as a category in the register, rather than providing distinct categories just for NGOs or non-profits;
Amendment 139 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17 b. Recalls that circumvention of transparency and accountability requirements cannot be prevented or remedied by creating new, burdensome rules on transparency and accountability, such as setting up a single, interoperable IT system for data mining and risk scoring including recipients’ data and beneficial owners’ data, income, amount spent on lobbying, or conducting comprehensive financial pre-screening of NGOs before they are listed in the Transparency Register, or developing a centralised certification system for NGOs wishing to apply for EU funding, which create further legal and administrative obstacles and may hinder smaller NGOs from receiving EU or foreign funds; calls on the Commission to facilitate better support for applicants when accessing EU funding as well as increased institutional funding for organisations;
Amendment 140 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 c (new)
Paragraph 17 c (new)
17 c. Appreciates that the Commission enhances the access status for the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in order to obtain information on the financial misconduct of individual NGOs, investigate them and impose appropriate sanctions in the event of fraud, corruption and other irregularities related to EU funds in compliance with the applicable regulations;
Amendment 141 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 d (new)
Paragraph 17 d (new)
17 d. Appreciates that the Commission ensures that all applicants or beneficiaries of EU funding are required to publish annually the number, amounts and nature of lobbying contacts they have, and welcomes that a growing number of EU- funded NGOs publish online their pursued interests and financial data in compliance with the applicable regulations, while adding that a more proactive approach from NGOs to public transparency would be expected that goes beyond the existing requirements for EU grant funding;
Amendment 145 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Regrets that a lack of transparency makes it possible for powerful actors to establish, fund and/or co-opt EU-funded NGOs in multiple Member States to promote false narratives, including through disinformation, apStrongly underlines that the EU budget must not be used to lobby against the EU’s democratic principles and values; recognises therefore the importance of transparentlcy in order to influence EU policy through different actors, as happened in Qatargate; underlines that the EU budget must not be used to lobby against the EU’s democratic principles and valuesall aspects of EU-funded activities to ensure responsible and accountable use of funds; acknowledges concerns regarding potential external influences on EU policy-making; reiterates that foreign influence on EU policymaking may be possible through NGOvarious channels, including diplomatic ones; calls on the Commission to require NGOall foreign organisations in receipt of EU grants to publish details of any funding received from other sources in relation to projects co-financed by the EU over a five- year period14 ; _________________ 14 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 2.
Amendment 150 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for national lobby registry laws to also require the disclosure of donors and their international financial chainsfor the creation of an EU wide transparency register for all organisations carrying out interest representation activities as a means to tackle undue influence;
Amendment 155 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Amendment 162 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on national authorities to take legal and administrative measures that facilitate action at EU level and make it easier and quicker for the Commission to include such organisationsentities concerned in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) and exclude them from EU funding; calls for such a requirement for Member States to be included in the proposal for an NGO regulation;
Amendment 164 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on national authorities to take legal and administrative measures that facilitate action at EU level and make it easier and quicker for the Commission to include such organisations in the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) and exclude them from EU funding; calls for such a requirement for Member States to be included in the proposal for an NGO regulation;
Amendment 172 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Regrets that public transparency is negatively impacted by the publication of data in the FTS with a delay of between 6 and 18 months; calls on the Commission to publish information about EU grants awarded to NGOs no later than 6 months after the date on which the grant was awarded15 , including funding received from other sources, such as foundations; calls on the Commission to develop and integrate data validation tools so that the FTS data validation process is automatic and continuous, is quicker and consumes fewer resources16 ; _________________ 15 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 5. 16 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 7.;
Amendment 194 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the Commission to use a common unique entity, such as a unique participant identification code, and project identification keys across all portals and databases, including on beneficiaries’ websites, to facilitate the reconciliation of publicly available information provided by different systems and websites; calls on the Commission to provide all NGO grant beneficiaries with code that extracts five years of funding data directly from the FTS and includes links to the corresponding project entries in the Commission’s programme databases17 ; _________________ 17 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 19.
Amendment 201 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Observes inconsistencies in the content and extent of the information displayed on project websites and notes NGOs’ insufficient clarity on grant distribution among partners and on the connection to pertinent Commission databases; calls for a more proactive approach from NGOs to public transparency that goes beyond the current minimal requirements for EU grant funding18 and on the connection to pertinent Commission databases; calls for a clearer and more systematic presentation of information on NGO and EU-funded project websites on the grant funding received from the EU and from other sources for both specific projects and overall, and on project objectives, results and impact; _________________ 18 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 17.
Amendment 209 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes that, although the mainstreaming of the eGrants system as a common grants management tool and applicant registration system across Commission services has improved the quality and completeness of FTS data, more effort needs to be made to improve the reliability of such data; is concerned that there are still continuing shortcomings in terms of consistency in existing Commission transparency portals and systems; further calls for a more user- friendly FTS that is linked to the Transparency Register and compatible with specific programmes’ databases, and highlights that it should include final payments and a clear definition of NGOs, making it possible to identify beneficiaries by category; requests that the Commission prepare a proposal for further administrative action by 1 June 2024;
Amendment 223 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
Amendment 230 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Notes that there might be a conflict of interest in the EU institutions if the legislative branch were influenced by the executive branch; calls for the Commission, the EU agencies and other EU entities and institutions to be required to make their contracts, agreements and work programmes with NGOs available without delay to members of the Committee on Budgetary Control by 1 February 2024; regrets that multiple requests by the rapporteur for access to contracts between NGOs and European agencies have not been followed up and that a request must be made via the chairperson of the Committee on Budgetary Control; calls for access to contracts to be given to members of the Committee on Budgetary Control without delay;
Amendment 239 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
Amendment 250 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
Amendment 265 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Calls for all EU-funded NGOs to publish onlinethe publication of all meetings with MEPs,by MEPs’ assistants or representatives of other EU institutions, bodies or agencies whenever such meetings relate to ongoing EU legislative affairs or to the EU financing that NGOs receive or apply for, in line with similar obligations for MEPs; calls on the relevant EU institutions and bodies to provide the tools necessary for the publication of such meetings;
Amendment 275 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Reiterates its call made in the 2021 Commission discharge resolution23 to adopt an NGO regulation by 1 June 2024 that includes harmonised minimum requirements for NGOs across all EU entities and a clear definition and categorisation of the fields of activity and size of NGOs and that provides for the necessary conditions for NGOs to receive EU funds; insists that there should be a clear distinction between regular NGOs and ‘public utility NGOs’; calls on the Commission to establish simplified procedures for small NGOs; _________________ 23 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137, paragraph 20.
Amendment 283 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Calls on the Commission to ensure that, when preparing its proposal for the NGO regulation, to take into consideration the exisiting transparency rules valid for all entities incuding important questions on issues relating to, but not limited to, clear definitions, revolving doors, transparency in financing and donations, the fight against money laundering, limiting foreign interference, independence from political and economic influence, whistleblowing, and transparency in actual leadership and ownership are dealt with in a sufficiently transparent manner;
Amendment 289 #
2023/2122(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Reiterates its call in the 2021 Commission discharge resolution24 for the creation of a public blacklist of NGOentities that have engaged in activities such as hate speech, incitement to terrorism, religious extremism, supporting or glorifying violence or spreading unfounded scientific statements or that have misused or misappropriated EU funds and are listed in the EDES database in order to ensure that they are blocked from access to EU institutions and EU funding programmes; expects a proposal on this to be put forward by the Commission no later than 1 July 2024; _________________ 24 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137, paragraph 19.
Amendment 64 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas, in addition to territories in Ukraine, Russia continues to occupy the Abkhazia region and South Ossetia of Georgia and the Transnistria region in the Republic of Moldova;
Amendment 71 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Strategic Compass aims to equip the EU with the necessary strategic guidance, realistic and operational tools to move towards a coherent and credible defence policy, and to make it an effective and capable security provider and an assertive global actor, also in view of the new security context and the growing presence of Europe's strategic competitors in operational theatres;
Amendment 95 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the People’s Republic of China increasingly attempts to change the international rules-based order and threatens to undermine European security by supporting Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine and through its escalating hybrid warfare tactics in the Indo-Pacific and South China Sea;
Amendment 149 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stands united with Ukraine and resolutely condemns Russia’s illegal war of aggression and the actions of countries such as Belarus, Iran and North Korea that enable Russia's war of aggression; deplores the global consequences of Russia’s illegal war of aggression which is hitting countries and vulnerable societies around the world through increased energy prices and food shortages and which also grossly violates international law and the principles of the UN Charter and undermines European and global security and stability;
Amendment 161 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Confirms the EU will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes to end Russia’s war of aggression and restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, enabling it to effectively exercise its sovereignty, protect its civilians, document and investigate war crimes and bring those responsible to justice, and fulfil their wish of the people of Ukraine for EU membership;
Amendment 188 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Suggests that the EU should consider establishing a security and military monitoring mission in Ukraine in order to learn the lessons of the war as soon as possible and to prepare for the challenges ahead;
Amendment 365 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Calls on China to uphold the rules-based international order, especially the principle of territorial integrity, and to oppose Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine; Condemns China’s aggressive posture in the Strait of Taiwan and the South China Sea, acknowledges that the potential repercussions of destabilisation in the region would directly impact the security of the EU, and thus calls for greater Coordinated Maritime Presences and capacity building with the EU’s partners in the region;
Amendment 393 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Welcomes the Council’s decision of 4 May 2023 to allocate EUR 40 million under the European Peace Facility to support the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova and EUR 30 million to support the Georgian Defense Forces; stresses the need to further increase support to these Eastern Partnership countries and to consider providing similar support to Armenia in order to strengthen its defence and security sector;
Amendment 396 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Amendment 436 #
2023/2119(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Emphasises that the EU must further develop its own capabilities in all domains to enhance its own strategic autonomy and protect the sovereignty of all its Member States, while enhancing its security cooperation with partners across the globe;
Amendment 4 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
– having regard to the UN Convention against Corruption,
Amendment 10 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas victims of corporate abuse often face multiple and overlapping obstacles to accessing remedies and these obstacles are even more severe for vulnerable or marginalised persons or groups; whereas impunity for human rights abuses by transnational corporations remains largely unaddressed in the absence of a robust and comprehensive regulatory framework and alignment at global and regional level;
Amendment 13 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas, in recent years, the EU has initiated a number of legislative measures aimed at regulating business activities to protect human rights and to establish environmental and climate- related obligations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, the Regulation banning products made with Forced Labour, the Regulation on Deforestation Free Products, the Conflict Minerals Regulation or the Critical Raw Materials Act;
Amendment 17 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the position of the EU and the Member States has marginally evolved in relation to the work of the OEIGWG; whereas, in the absence of a negotiating mandate, the EU representative only participated in the OEIGWG’s sessions as an observer and only contributed general statements;
Amendment 30 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the overall level of enjoyment of human rights worldwide is inevitably contingent, among others, on the behaviour of corporations, given the current scale of globalisation and the internationalisation of business activities and value chains;
Amendment 41 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes, with concern, that many procedural, substantive and practical barriers persist regarding access to justice for victims, including difficulties in identifying the competent court, barriers related to jurisdictional standards, short statutory limitation periods, excessive evidentiary burdens, limited liability owing to the corporate veil, access to legal representation and information, as well as other inequalities between claimants and defendants; emphasises that vulnerable or marginalised persons or groups, who may need additional attention in the context of stakeholder engagement activities, are facing heightened barriers to benefit equitably from compensation payments or other forms of restitution;
Amendment 47 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Chair of the OEIGWG and the UN member states to ensure that the negotiations are conducted in a transparent manner, with meaningful engagement with all stakeholders, including civil society, labour unions and the private sector with due attention to vulnerable stakeholders; insists, moreover, on the importance of ensuring active engagement from all regions, with a view to developing an effective instrument that reflects the global diversity of the legal, economic, cultural and political realities affecting human rights and that draws on best practices implemented at domestic and regional level; encourages regional human rights and economic organisations as well as officials to help facilitate this universal engagement;
Amendment 49 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recalls that the EU has a Treaty- based commitment to promote human rights worldwide and UN multilateral solutions to common problems, which has yet to be reflected in its participation in the OEIGWG with a negotiating mandate;
Amendment 53 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underscores that the latest normative developments at EU level on business and human rights have scarcare important initial steps but have not adequately addressed access to justice and victims’ rights, which lie at the centre of the LBI as a core human rights treaty; stresses, in this regard, the complementary nature, objectives and scope of both normative tracks, which will operate at different levels;
Amendment 56 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Believes that the EU should actively engage in the ongoing negotiations, in particular to further develop the draft LBI, while focusing on victims of business-related abuses, dismantling barriers to justice and effective remedy, and enhancing cooperation by drawing on international perspectives and best practices; considers that this engagement would ultimately contribute to securing better implementation and enforcement of human rights internationally, while equally contributing to an international level playing field and delivering a global instrument that is both widely supported and ratified among states across all regions, including but not limited to the European Union, and that remains relevant in the face of constantly evolving business- related threats to human rights;
Amendment 60 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the Council’s commitment that the EU will strengthen its engagement and actively participate in the OEIGWG; considers, however, that the only meaningful and tangible way to enact this stated commitment is by adopting an EU mandate for negotiations; urges, therefore, the Commission to recommend that the Council adopt an ambitious mandate for negotiations as soon as possible so that the EU is able to actively participate in the negotiations with a view to shaping the future LBI, which is already at an advanced stage;
Amendment 66 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Commission, the European External Action Service and the Member States to engage proactively with all partner states and prioritisinclude the topic in their dialogues with non-EU countries and regional organisations;
Amendment 70 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Supports a broad scope for the LBI, which aims to cover all business enterprises, including transnational business activities and state-owned enterprises and which allows for differentiation so that obligations are commensurate with enterprise size, sector, operational context and the severity of impacts on human rights; considers that allowing states parties the flexibility to differentiate, under their domestic legislation, how business enterprises discharge the prevention obligations under the LBI, would provide important leeway for national adaptation and would be consistent with the universal scope of the UNGPs;
Amendment 79 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Regrets the fact that several references to the environment and climate change were removed from the scope of the LBI in the latest draft; considers that the EU and the Member States should strive for the environmental and climate impact of business activities to be included within the scope of the LBI in line with EU legislation;
Amendment 81 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Amendment 87 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Believes that the obligation for companies to undertake regular human rights impact assessments prior to and throughout operations, and to take into account the needs of those at heightened risk, constitute particularly important elements for the LBI prevention framework, including by integrating a gender perspective, but also by taking into account issues concerning groups at risk of vulnerability or marginalisation, including indigenous peoples;
Amendment 89 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls for the LBI to provide a central role to affected stakeholders, in particular through the obligation to promote the active and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders, including trade unions, non-governmental organisations, indigenous peoples and community-based organisations, as well as the private sector, in the implementation of legislation, policies and other measures with special attention to the access to justice and remedies;
Amendment 91 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Calls for the LBI to provide a definition for active and meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders, including requirements for interactive processes of engagement conducted in good faith, on an ongoing basis, with proper follow-through, involving the identification and removal of potential barriers to engagement, and ensuring the safe participation of stakeholders without fear of reprisal;
Amendment 93 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Emphasises the need to ensure that states implement robust and effective, yet practical enforcement and compliance monitoring mechanisms; insists, furthermore, on the need for regular and in- depth reporting to be required from corporations and states parties; is concerned about the risks of forum- shopping and its impact on a level playing field, particularly in the context of the EU, urges EU level instruments to mitigate these risks including a monitoring mechanism through the European Semester for policy coordination;
Amendment 96 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Expects the EU and the Member States to promote robust provisions on access to justice, including access to state- based judicial remedy, within the LBI, in line with their commitment to protect victims, fight impunity and to upholding the UNGPs;
Amendment 104 #
2023/2108(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Insists that the LBI should address the practical and procedural obstacles faced by victims of corporate abuse when seeking justice with due attention to vulnerable or marginalized persons or groups;
Amendment 8 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Supports the ongoing negotiations between the EU and Mauritania on the establishment of a status agreement that provides for Frontex deployment in Mauritania; notes, however, that a status agreement can only be established under the condition that it enshrines and adheres to strict fundamental human rights guarantees; and with the inclusion of a clear human rights clause and guarantees of accountability in Mauritania and reporting of human rights violations by Frontex of all their activities concerning migration and asylum in Mauritania;
Amendment 12 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls for the inclusion of an adequate human rights monitoring mechanism of Frontex activities in all Frontex missions through the deployment of Frontex’s Fundamental Rights Monitors in third countries and clear commitments to transparency and information sharing of Frontex activities;
Amendment 21 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission and the Fundamental Rights Officer to conduct an independent assessment of the human rights situation in Mauritania as regards the treatment of migrants and refugees and inform the European Parliament without delay;
Amendment 28 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Maintains that the launch of Frontex operational activities under a status agreement should promote fundamental human rights and EU values; considers that any status agreement providing for Frontex operations in third countries should integrate this aspect into their mission;
Amendment 34 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that Frontex staff who are granted immunity for their activities in Mauritania must continue to be held accountable under EU or Member State law; considers that Frontex staff should not only avoid complicity in human rights violations by Mauritanian security forces, but should actively denounce such actions;
Amendment 39 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for clear guidelines and training to be provided to Frontex staff deployed in Mauritania including the establishment of a better understanding of and sensibility for the regional and Mauritanian human rights situation and legal framework as well as of international human rights and humanitarian laws and standards;
Amendment 40 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission to provide training to Mauritanian authorities on fundamental rights and the rights and obligations of Mauritanian staff in search and rescue operations, asylum processing and management;
Amendment 46 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls for the establishment of a robust complaint mechanism that is publicly accessible and for an incident reporting mechanism for Frontex activities; considers that this incident reporting mechanism should guarantee the anonymity and confidentiality of individuals reporting on Frontex activities, that infringe on international humanitarian law or violate human rights;
Amendment 48 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the EU to provide additional capacity building support to Mauritanian national and civil society human rights organisations; calls on Mauritania to ensure the independence of its judicial and human rights institutions;
Amendment 54 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Is of the opinion that any Frontex deployment of personnel to Mauritania and the conduct of operational activities with Mauritanian security forces can only take place where guarantees for adequate human rights protection can be ensured for migrants and asylum seekers throughout the entire process of their application or return;
Amendment 55 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Deplores and strongly condemns the repeated practice by Mauritanian border guards and security staff of pushbacks and refoulement of migrants and asylum seekers;
Amendment 56 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Reiterates and underlines that Frontex should not take part in any form of pushbacks and should publicly denounce such practices when observed or made aware;
Amendment 63 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers that the EU and Frontex should suspend their activities on migration and asylum carried out in cooperation with the Mauritanian authorities in the event of persistent human rights violations, as set out under ICC standards;
Amendment 70 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is highly concerned about Mauritania’s and their security forces’ human rights track record, most notably its violations committed between 2020 and 2023 while enforcing migration and border controls, including documented cases of violence and some of torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, prolonged pre-trial detention of people accused of migrant smuggling, abusive detention conditions, extortion and theft, abusive collective expulsions and trafficking into slavery;
Amendment 71 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Is concerned by the reported misuse of EU material support by the Mauritanian security forces for migration control purposes; calls for the comprehensive monitoring of the use of material support to Mauritanian authorities and that Frontex funding or material support do not contribute to human rights violations in Mauritania;
Amendment 82 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point b
Paragraph 10 – point b
(b) Interrogations will only occur where deemed necessary; torture under any form is actively prosecuted and heavily punished;
Amendment 90 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point e a (new)
Paragraph 10 – point e a (new)
(ea) Frontex activities will be documented in a transparent manner;
Amendment 92 #
2023/2087(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Maintains that development cooperation and efforts to tackle the root causes of migration should remain a priority in EU-Mauritania cooperation on migration;
Amendment 1 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
– having regard to the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) of 16 February 2022 in Cases C-156/21 and C-157/216 and the CJEU’s conclusions that the rule-of-law conditionality mechanism is in line with EU law,
Amendment 2 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)
Citation 5 b (new)
– having regard to the Commission proposal of 18 September 2022 for a Council implementing decision on measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary (COM(2022)0485),
Amendment 5 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
Citation 17 a (new)
– having regard to Commission communication of 14 December 2020 on the review of the European Union under the Implementation Review Mechanism of the United Nation Conventions against Corruption (UNCAC) (COM(2020)0793),
Amendment 6 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 b (new)
Citation 17 b (new)
– having regard to its recommendation of 17 February 2022 to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning corruption and human rights,
Amendment 15 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
Ib. whereas the ARACHNE is voluntary tool and, although already largely used in cohesion policy and being introduced for agricultural spending, making it mandatory - as repeatedly requested by the Parliament - would be a major step forward;
Amendment 16 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas the diversity of legal and administrative systems in the Member States is a disadvantage and whereas it needs to be adequately addressed to be able to create more unified, interoperable and comparable administrative and reporting systems in the EU to effectively prevent and fight in order to overcome irregularities and combat fraud and corruption;
Amendment 92 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Reiterates its strong support for the obligatory use of the single integrated IT system for data-mining and risk-scoring called ARACHNE envisaged by the Financial Regulation recast, which should ensure better protection of the Union’s financial interests;
Amendment 95 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47 a (new)
Paragraph 47 a (new)
47a. Emphasizes that the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES), as the EU’s blacklist, has a huge potential flagging people and companies that misuse EU funds; is strongly of the opinion that EDES should be operational not only in direct management but also in indirect and shared management as well;
Amendment 104 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Regrets the fact that the participation of Member States in the EPPO is not obligatory; Remarks that, in 2022, 22 Member States already participated in the EPPO, with the same five countries as in 2021 abstaining; insists that Member States which have not yet participated, must do so without delay; calls on the Commission to incentivise participation in the EPPO through positive measures;
Amendment 125 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72
Paragraph 72
72. Takes note of the Council decision of 16 December 2022 to suspend the disbursement of EUR 6.3 billion of EU funds to Hungary; expects the Commission and the Council to lift the adopted measures only where evidence is collected that the remedial measures adopted by the Hungarian Government have proven effective in practice and, in particular, that no regression has been detected on already adopted measures; regrets, that so far the Hungarian government showed little willingness to fulfil the requirements of the Conditionality mechanism; reiterates, however, its opinion that the 17 measures alone, as negotiated by the Commission and the Hungarian Government, are not sufficient to address the existing systemic risk to the EU’s financial interests and regrets that the Commission did not request sufficient substantial changes and safeguards to restore the independence of the judiciary and reduce the level of corruption;
Amendment 126 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73
Paragraph 73
73. CRegrets that the Commission is not transparent enough about the relevant developments, therefore calls on the Commission to inform Parliament and the Council swiftly and regularly about any relevant developmentof the ongoing negotiations and reminds the Commission, in particular, of its legal obligations set out in Article 25(2) of the RRF Regulation and Article 8 of the Conditionality Regulation;
Amendment 129 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74 a (new)
Paragraph 74 a (new)
74a. Calls on the Commission to update the fraud report system for funds spent in non-EU countries; notes that the new system should take into account specific issues that the EU faces when spending money outside EU territory;
Amendment 134 #
2023/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78 a (new)
Paragraph 78 a (new)
78a. Recommends the suspension of budgetary support in non-EU countries, including candidate countries, where authorities manifestly fail to take genuine action against widespread corruption, while ensuring that the assistance reaches the civil population through alternative channels; calls for greater priority to be given to the fight against corruption in pre-accession negotiations with a focus on capacity building, such as via specialised anti-corruption bodies; calls on the Commission to send clear signals to candidate countries that a backlash against rule-of-law standards is jeopardising or delaying the accession to the EU; regrets the fact that, according to ECA Special Report No 01/2022, EUR 700 million in financial support for the improvement of the rule of law in the Western Balkans provided by the EU between 2014 and 2020 had little impact on fundamental reforms;
Amendment 16 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
– having regard to the OSCE Moscow Mechanism report of 11 May 2023 on the serious threat to the OSCE human dimension in Belarus since 5 November 2020,
Amendment 24 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas almost three years after the so-called elections on 9 August 2020, the Belarusian authorities are continuing their repression against the Belarusian people; whereas more than 50 000 Belarusians have been illegally arrested and tortured, more than 1 500 persons remain imprisoned on political grounds and are daily exposed to isolation, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, and around 300 000 have left the country for fear of a similar fate;
Amendment 28 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas repression expanded to all segments of society - civil society organizations, human rights defenders, charitable organisations, environmental associations, independent trade unions, lawyers of political prisoners, private businesses and independent media - making any form of public dissent liable;
Amendment 31 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas around 1 000 civil organisations were deregistered and closed and over 300 media organisations labelled as extremists; whereas most of civil society organisations and independent media, especially their leaders, were forced to flee Belarus and to relaunch their activities in exile, primarily in Lithuania and Poland; whereas over 30 journalists and media workers remain imprisoned on bogus criminal charges;
Amendment 32 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas four major independent trade unions and the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions were shut down and at least 14 of their leaders and members were imprisoned;
Amendment 33 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas almost 100 Belarusian attorneys were stripped of their licenses;
Amendment 40 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the Lukashenka regime is dangerously undermining the sovereignty of Belarus by deepening Belarus’ integration into the Uturning it into a satellite state of Russia and allowing Belarus to be absorbed by Russia into a so-called union Sstate with Russia;
Amendment 45 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the Lukashenka regime is further destructing manifestation of national identity of Belarusians and is pursuing the aggressive policy of russification and destruction of Belarusian culture;
Amendment 47 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas religious and ethnic minorities in Belarus, in particular the Lithuanian and Polish minorities, face harassment and restrictions on their rights, such as the right to learn in their own language;
Amendment 51 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the Belarusian authorities actively support and have become accomplices in Russia’s unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine; whereas majority of Belarusians are against their country’s participation in this war and demonstrate it by organizing peaceful protests that result in arrests and police misconduct, sabotaging transportation of Russian military equipment and joining or supporting Belarusian regiments fighting alongside Ukrainian armed forces;
Amendment 56 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas Belarus is the only country in Europe to use capital punishment; whereas recent amendments to the Criminal Code introduced the death penalty for terrorist attacks not resulting in death, attempting terrorist attack or an assassination of a foreign official and treason committed by a state official or a serviceman, with the aim to deter any resistance to the involvement of Belarus into Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;
Amendment 60 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas the Lukashenka regime is actively engaged in Russian efforts to illegally transfer and re-educate Ukrainian children; whereas around 2 000 Ukrainian children, mainly from the territories temporarily occupied by Russia, have been sent to camps and sanatoriums in Belarus, including the Dubrava camp owned by Belarus’s main potash producer Belaruskali;
Amendment 82 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the leaders of democratic political parties have publicly declared the European aspirations of Belarusians;
Amendment 87 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas in response to the ongoing repression, the EU and its Member States have adopted a number of restrictive measures against the Lukashenka regime, including sanctions against 195 individuals and 34 entities directly involved into human rights violations and providing support to the regime, and allocated over EUR 100 million to support the people of Belarus and their democratic aspirations;
Amendment 90 #
2023/2041(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas as a result of the Western sanctions Belarus’ GDP shrank by 4,7 percent in 2022 or twice less than expected;
Amendment 23 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions safeguarded by comprehensive audit frameworks. The general objectives of the Facility should be to accelerate regional economic integration, progressive integration with the Union single market, socio-economic convergence of Western Balkans economies and alignment with Union laws, rules, standards, policies and practices with a view to Union membership. The Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to fundamentals of the enlargement process, including rule of law, public procurement and State aid control, public finance management and fight against corruption. These objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner.
Amendment 23 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions safeguarded by comprehensive audit frameworks. The general objectives of the Facility should be to accelerate regional economic integration, progressive integration with the Union single market, socio-economic convergence of Western Balkans economies and alignment with Union laws, rules, standards, policies and practices with a view to Union membership. The Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to fundamentals of the enlargement process, including rule of law, public procurement and State aid control, public finance management and fight against corruption. These objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner.
Amendment 27 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The Facility should promote the development effectiveness principles, respecting additionality to the support provided under other Union programmes and instruments and striving to avoidpreventing duplication between assistance under this Regulation and other assistance provided by the Union, the Member States, third countries, multilateral and regional organisations and entities.
Amendment 27 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The Facility should promote the development effectiveness principles, respecting additionality to the support provided under other Union programmes and instruments and striving to avoidpreventing duplication between assistance under this Regulation and other assistance provided by the Union, the Member States, third countries, multilateral and regional organisations and entities.
Amendment 28 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Facility should ensure consistency with, and support to the general objectives of Union external action as laid down in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union, including the respect for fundamental rights as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It will notably ensure the protection and promotion of human rights, and the rule of law which are the fundamental political prerequisites of the EU accession process.
Amendment 28 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Facility should ensure consistency with, and support to the general objectives of Union external action as laid down in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union, including the respect for fundamental rights as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It will notably ensure the protection and promotion of human rights, and the rule of law which are the fundamental political prerequisites of the EU accession process.
Amendment 32 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13 a) This regulation should promote the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle in order to prepare the Beneficiaries for the future implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds.
Amendment 32 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13 a) This regulation should promote the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle in order to prepare the Beneficiaries for the future implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds.
Amendment 36 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies with enhanced levels of transparency and continuous evaluation by the Commission. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 36 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies with enhanced levels of transparency and continuous evaluation by the Commission. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 37 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respects and upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to national, religious, cultural and sexual minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 37 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respects and upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to national, religious, cultural and sexual minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 38 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respects and upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 38 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respects and upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 39 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Restrictions of eligibility in award procedures under the Facility should be allowed on account of the specific nature of the activity or when the activity affects security or public order in due process with adequate means of appeal to avoid arbitrary use of these provisions based on political partiality.
Amendment 39 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Restrictions of eligibility in award procedures under the Facility should be allowed on account of the specific nature of the activity or when the activity affects security or public order in due process with adequate means of appeal to avoid arbitrary use of these provisions based on political partiality.
Amendment 40 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Reform Agendas should include an explanation of the Beneficiary’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, corruption, fraud and conflicts of interests, when using the funds provided under the Facility, and the arrangements that aim to avoidshould prevent double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes as well as other donors.
Amendment 40 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Reform Agendas should include an explanation of the Beneficiary’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, corruption, fraud and conflicts of interests, when using the funds provided under the Facility, and the arrangements that aim to avoidshould prevent double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes as well as other donors.
Amendment 41 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) The Commission should ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected under the Facility. At the same time, given the long track record of financial assistance provided to the Western Balkans Beneficiaries also under indirect management and taking into account their gradual alignment with the Unions internal control standards and practices, the Commission may rely to a great extent on the operation of the national internal control and fraud prevention systems. In particular, the Commission and OLAF should be informed of all suspected cases of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflict of interests affecting the implementation of funds under the Facility without delay. The Commission and OLAF should provide evaluation of said fraud prevention systems and offer recommendations for upgrades or fixes to the Beneficiaries in line with the EU acquis in case of deficiencies.
Amendment 41 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) The Commission should ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected under the Facility. At the same time, given the long track record of financial assistance provided to the Western Balkans Beneficiaries also under indirect management and taking into account their gradual alignment with the Unions internal control standards and practices, the Commission may rely to a great extent on the operation of the national internal control and fraud prevention systems. In particular, the Commission and OLAF should be informed of all suspected cases of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflict of interests affecting the implementation of funds under the Facility without delay. The Commission and OLAF should provide evaluation of said fraud prevention systems and offer recommendations for upgrades or fixes to the Beneficiaries in line with the EU acquis in case of deficiencies.
Amendment 58 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies in line with the respective EU accession priorities;
Amendment 58 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies in line with the respective EU accession priorities;
Amendment 71 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Activities under the Facility shall mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and environmental protection, human rights, democracy, gender equality and, where relevant, disaster risk reduction, and shall support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting integrated actions that can create co-benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way. They shall avoid stranded assets, and shall be guided by the principles of ‘do no harm’ and of, ‘leaving no one behind’ and the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle, as well as by the sustainability mainstreaming approach underpinning the European Green Deal.
Amendment 71 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Activities under the Facility shall mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and environmental protection, human rights, democracy, gender equality and, where relevant, disaster risk reduction, and shall support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting integrated actions that can create co-benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way. They shall avoid stranded assets, and shall be guided by the principles of ‘do no harm’ and of, ‘leaving no one behind’ and the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle, as well as by the sustainability mainstreaming approach underpinning the European Green Deal.
Amendment 83 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 7
Article 8 – paragraph 7
7. Tender applicants and candidates from non-eligible countries may be accepted as eligible in theonly in substantiated cases of urgency or where services are unavailable in the markets of the countries or territories concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where application of the eligibility rules would make the realisation of an action impossible or exceedingly difficult, with full transparency and backed by legitimate justification.
Amendment 83 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 7
Article 8 – paragraph 7
7. Tender applicants and candidates from non-eligible countries may be accepted as eligible in theonly in substantiated cases of urgency or where services are unavailable in the markets of the countries or territories concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where application of the eligibility rules would make the realisation of an action impossible or exceedingly difficult, with full transparency and backed by legitimate justification.
Amendment 84 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
(c a) the Beneficiary's commitment to the fundamental EU principle of subsidiarity in the distribution of funds within its jurisdiction, preventing regional or political favouritism.
Amendment 84 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
(c a) the Beneficiary's commitment to the fundamental EU principle of subsidiarity in the distribution of funds within its jurisdiction, preventing regional or political favouritism.
Amendment 95 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(f a) provisions facilitating transparency and accountability through the means of easy public access to information related to the distribution of Facility funds.
Amendment 95 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(f a) provisions facilitating transparency and accountability through the means of easy public access to information related to the distribution of Facility funds.
Amendment 102 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
For the part of the Facility funding paid as financial assistance, channelled directly to the Beneficiaries’ national budgets, the Commission shall rely on existing and improved internal control systems of the Beneficiaries, including the National Audit Authorities and, where applicable, the Anti-Fraud Coordination Services of each Beneficiary established in the framework of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance as well as on local civilian oversight facilitated by transparency measures in line with EU standards.
Amendment 102 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
For the part of the Facility funding paid as financial assistance, channelled directly to the Beneficiaries’ national budgets, the Commission shall rely on existing and improved internal control systems of the Beneficiaries, including the National Audit Authorities and, where applicable, the Anti-Fraud Coordination Services of each Beneficiary established in the framework of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance as well as on local civilian oversight facilitated by transparency measures in line with EU standards.
Amendment 148 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) Taking into account that more than 20 years after Thessaloniki summit, Western Balkan states are in different stages of accession process, upholding different dynamics in their efforts in fulfilling obligatory negotiating chapters.
Amendment 148 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) Taking into account that more than 20 years after Thessaloniki summit, Western Balkan states are in different stages of accession process, upholding different dynamics in their efforts in fulfilling obligatory negotiating chapters.
Amendment 149 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
(1b) Having regard to geostrategic importance of enlargement strategy towards Western Balkans for security, peace and stability of EU Member States in the light of dynamic changes in international environment, specifically with Russia's aggressive invasion on Ukraine.
Amendment 149 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
(1b) Having regard to geostrategic importance of enlargement strategy towards Western Balkans for security, peace and stability of EU Member States in the light of dynamic changes in international environment, specifically with Russia's aggressive invasion on Ukraine.
Amendment 154 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) To reduce this disparity, the European Commission adopted a Communication on a Growth Plan for the Western Balkans based on four pillars: (a) increasing integration with the EU’s Single Market; (b) boosting regional economic integration, based on EU rules and standards, by fully implementing the existing Common Regional Market Action Plan; (c) deepening reforms aiming at accelerating growtheconomic development in the region, promoting inclusive and sustainable economic convergence and strengthening regional stability; and (d) establishing a new Financing Instrument: the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.
Amendment 154 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) To reduce this disparity, the European Commission adopted a Communication on a Growth Plan for the Western Balkans based on four pillars: (a) increasing integration with the EU’s Single Market; (b) boosting regional economic integration, based on EU rules and standards, by fully implementing the existing Common Regional Market Action Plan; (c) deepening reforms aiming at accelerating growtheconomic development in the region, promoting inclusive and sustainable economic convergence and strengthening regional stability; and (d) establishing a new Financing Instrument: the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.
Amendment 159 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The implementation of that Growth Plan requires increased funding under a dedicated new Financing Instrument, the Reform and Growth Facility, to assist the region in implementing the growth- promoting reforms, forming a stable investment environment, regional integration and Common Regional Market.
Amendment 159 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The implementation of that Growth Plan requires increased funding under a dedicated new Financing Instrument, the Reform and Growth Facility, to assist the region in implementing the growth- promoting reforms, forming a stable investment environment, regional integration and Common Regional Market.
Amendment 161 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) The support under the Facility should be made available under the precondition that Beneficiaries continues to respect parliamentary democracy, effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including appropriate checks and balances, a multi-party parliamentary system, good governance at all levels, free and fair elections in line with EU's values, the rule of law including an independent judiciary and public prosecutor, continued advances in fighting corruption. Western Balkans should also continue to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, and work towards increased women's participation in decision-making.
Amendment 161 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) The support under the Facility should be made available under the precondition that Beneficiaries continues to respect parliamentary democracy, effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including appropriate checks and balances, a multi-party parliamentary system, good governance at all levels, free and fair elections in line with EU's values, the rule of law including an independent judiciary and public prosecutor, continued advances in fighting corruption. Western Balkans should also continue to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, and work towards increased women's participation in decision-making.
Amendment 162 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 b (new)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4b) The general objectives of the Reform and Growth Facility should be inter alia to assist Beneficiaries fostering democratic social, economic, environmental and territorial cohesion and resilience, and a progressive integration into the Union and global economy and markets as well as an upward economic, social and environmental convergence towards Union standards. Such objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner and with a regular monitoring of the evolving social and economic circumstances in Western Balkans. Beneficiaries should guarantee public access to the information on funding opportunities under this Facility, as well as free and fair competition during tendering process and grant allocation under the Facility.
Amendment 162 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 b (new)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4b) The general objectives of the Reform and Growth Facility should be inter alia to assist Beneficiaries fostering democratic social, economic, environmental and territorial cohesion and resilience, and a progressive integration into the Union and global economy and markets as well as an upward economic, social and environmental convergence towards Union standards. Such objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner and with a regular monitoring of the evolving social and economic circumstances in Western Balkans. Beneficiaries should guarantee public access to the information on funding opportunities under this Facility, as well as free and fair competition during tendering process and grant allocation under the Facility.
Amendment 164 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) To achieve these goals, special emphasis with respect to investment areas should be placed on sectors that are likely to function as key multipliers for social and economic development and in order to reduce strategic dependencies: connectivity, including transport, energy, green and digital transitions, research and innovation, education and skills development, with particular attention to youth.
Amendment 164 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) To achieve these goals, special emphasis with respect to investment areas should be placed on sectors that are likely to function as key multipliers for social and economic development and in order to reduce strategic dependencies: connectivity, including transport, energy, green and digital transitions, research and innovation, education and skills development, with particular attention to youth.
Amendment 168 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) To achieve these goals, special emphasis with respect to investment areas should be placed on sectors that are likely to function as key multipliers for social and economic development: connectivity, including transport, energy, green and digital transitions, research and innovation, education and skills development.
Amendment 168 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) To achieve these goals, special emphasis with respect to investment areas should be placed on sectors that are likely to function as key multipliers for social and economic development: connectivity, including transport, energy, green and digital transitions, research and innovation, education and skills development.
Amendment 186 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions safeguarded by comprehensive audit frameworks. The general objectives of the Facility should be to accelerate regional economic integration, progressive integration with the Union single market, socio-economic convergence of Western Balkans economies and alignment with Union laws, rules, standards, policies and practices with a view to Union membership. The Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to fundamentals of the enlargement process, including rule of law, public procurement and State aid control, public finance management and fight against corruption. These objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner.
Amendment 186 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions safeguarded by comprehensive audit frameworks. The general objectives of the Facility should be to accelerate regional economic integration, progressive integration with the Union single market, socio-economic convergence of Western Balkans economies and alignment with Union laws, rules, standards, policies and practices with a view to Union membership. The Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to fundamentals of the enlargement process, including rule of law, public procurement and State aid control, public finance management and fight against corruption. These objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner.
Amendment 187 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions. The general objectives of the Facility should be to accelerate regional economic integration, progressive integration with the Union single market, socio-economic convergence of Western Balkans economies and alignment with Union laws, rules, standards, policies and practices with a view to Union membership. The Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to fundamentals of the enlargement process, including rule of law, public procurement and State aid control, public finance management and, fight against corruption and organized crime. These objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner.
Amendment 187 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The support under the Facility should be provided to meet general and specific objectives, based on established criteria and with clear payment conditions. The general objectives of the Facility should be to accelerate regional economic integration, progressive integration with the Union single market, socio-economic convergence of Western Balkans economies and alignment with Union laws, rules, standards, policies and practices with a view to Union membership. The Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to fundamentals of the enlargement process, including rule of law, public procurement and State aid control, public finance management and, fight against corruption and organized crime. These objectives should be pursued in a mutually reinforcing manner.
Amendment 193 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The Facility should promote the development effectiveness principles, respecting additionality to the support provided under other Union programmes and instruments and striving to avoidpreventing duplication between assistance under this Regulation and other assistance provided by the Union, the Member States, third countries, multilateral and regional organisations and entities.
Amendment 193 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The Facility should promote the development effectiveness principles, respecting additionality to the support provided under other Union programmes and instruments and striving to avoidpreventing duplication between assistance under this Regulation and other assistance provided by the Union, the Member States, third countries, multilateral and regional organisations and entities.
Amendment 196 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Facility should ensure consistency with, and support to the general objectives of Union external action as laid down in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union, including the respect for fundamental rights as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It will notably ensure the protection and promotion of human rights, and the rule of law which are the fundamental political prerequisites of the EU accession process.
Amendment 196 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Facility should ensure consistency with, and support to the general objectives of Union external action as laid down in Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union, including the respect for fundamental rights as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It will notably ensure the protection and promotion of human rights, and the rule of law which are the fundamental political prerequisites of the EU accession process.
Amendment 200 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) Activities under the Facility should not question the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia-and- Herzegovina.
Amendment 200 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) Activities under the Facility should not question the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia-and- Herzegovina.
Amendment 207 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The implementation of this Regulation should be guided by the principles of equality and non- discrimination, as elaborated in the Union of Equality strategies. It should promote and advance gender equality and mainstreaming, the empowerment of women and girls, and seek to protect and promote women’s and girls’ rights, as well as prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, in line with the EU Gender Action Plans and relevant Council conclusions and international conventions. The implementation of the Facility should be in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and ensure accessibility in its investments and technical assistance.
Amendment 207 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The implementation of this Regulation should be guided by the principles of equality and non- discrimination, as elaborated in the Union of Equality strategies. It should promote and advance gender equality and mainstreaming, the empowerment of women and girls, and seek to protect and promote women’s and girls’ rights, as well as prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, in line with the EU Gender Action Plans and relevant Council conclusions and international conventions. The implementation of the Facility should be in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and ensure accessibility in its investments and technical assistance.
Amendment 210 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13a) This regulation should promote the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle in order to prepare the Beneficiaries for the future implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds.
Amendment 210 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13a) This regulation should promote the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle in order to prepare the Beneficiaries for the future implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds.
Amendment 216 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and improves, upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a functioning multi-party parliamentary system, media freedom and the rule of law, and to guarantees respect for all human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligat including but not limited to LGBTQ communities. Another pre-condition should be full alignment with the Union's stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relationcommon foreign and security policy, including adoption of restrictive measures against Russia as well as with EU visa requirements for third countries.
Amendment 216 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and improves, upholds effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a functioning multi-party parliamentary system, media freedom and the rule of law, and to guarantees respect for all human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligat including but not limited to LGBTQ communities. Another pre-condition should be full alignment with the Union's stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relationcommon foreign and security policy, including adoption of restrictive measures against Russia as well as with EU visa requirements for third countries.
Amendment 222 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies with enhanced levels of transparency and continuous evaluation by the Commission. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 222 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies with enhanced levels of transparency and continuous evaluation by the Commission. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 225 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to national, religious, cultural and sexual minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 225 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to national, religious, cultural and sexual minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 227 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 227 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and the Beneficiaries, should contribute to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that each of the Beneficiaries continues to respect and uphold effective democratic mechanisms and institutions, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 228 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations
Amendment 228 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) Another pre-condition should be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations
Amendment 232 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) The financial liability from loans under this Facility should not be supported by the External Action Guarantee, by way of derogation from Article 31(3), second sentence of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. Loans type of support under this Facility should constitute financial assistance within the meaning of Article 220(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046. An indicative amount of financing for each Beneficiary should be calculated based on the formula laid down in Annex I, combining the population share of a Beneficiary over the overall population of the Western Balkans region and the average GDP per capita for the Western Balkans region over the GDP per capita of the respective Beneficiary, weighing the two factors with 60% and 40% respectively. If the payment conditions for the release of funds are not met, the Commission may redistribute part of or the entire amount to other Beneficiaries, and if not used then the amount shall be returned to the European budget.
Amendment 232 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) The financial liability from loans under this Facility should not be supported by the External Action Guarantee, by way of derogation from Article 31(3), second sentence of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. Loans type of support under this Facility should constitute financial assistance within the meaning of Article 220(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046. An indicative amount of financing for each Beneficiary should be calculated based on the formula laid down in Annex I, combining the population share of a Beneficiary over the overall population of the Western Balkans region and the average GDP per capita for the Western Balkans region over the GDP per capita of the respective Beneficiary, weighing the two factors with 60% and 40% respectively. If the payment conditions for the release of funds are not met, the Commission may redistribute part of or the entire amount to other Beneficiaries, and if not used then the amount shall be returned to the European budget.
Amendment 233 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Restrictions of eligibility in award procedures under the Facility should be allowed on account of the specific nature of the activity or when the activity affects security or public order in due process with adequate means of appeal to avoid arbitrary use of these provisions based on political partiality.
Amendment 233 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Restrictions of eligibility in award procedures under the Facility should be allowed on account of the specific nature of the activity or when the activity affects security or public order in due process with adequate means of appeal to avoid arbitrary use of these provisions based on political partiality.
Amendment 234 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) In order to ensure an efficient implementation of the Facility, including the facilitation of the Western Balkans Beneficiaries’ integration in European value chains, all supplies and materials financed and procured under this Facility should originate from Member States, Beneficiaries, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, as well as contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and countries covered by Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council10 and Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 and countrieswhich provide a level of support to Beneficiaries comparable to the one provided by the European Union in order to develop our autonomic strategy, while taking into account the size of their economy and for which reciprocal access to external assistance in Beneficiaries is established by the Commission, unless the supplies and materials cannot be sourced at reasonable conditions in any of those countries. _________________ 10 Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, amending and repealing Decision No 466/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009 (OJ L 209, 14.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/947/oj).
Amendment 234 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) In order to ensure an efficient implementation of the Facility, including the facilitation of the Western Balkans Beneficiaries’ integration in European value chains, all supplies and materials financed and procured under this Facility should originate from Member States, Beneficiaries, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, as well as contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and countries covered by Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council10 and Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 and countrieswhich provide a level of support to Beneficiaries comparable to the one provided by the European Union in order to develop our autonomic strategy, while taking into account the size of their economy and for which reciprocal access to external assistance in Beneficiaries is established by the Commission, unless the supplies and materials cannot be sourced at reasonable conditions in any of those countries. _________________ 10 Regulation (EU) 2021/947 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 June 2021 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, amending and repealing Decision No 466/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EU) 2017/1601 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009 (OJ L 209, 14.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/947/oj).
Amendment 236 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The implementation of the Facility for Western Balkans should be underpinned by a coherent and prioritised set of targeted reforms aligned with EU values and investment priorities in each Western Balkans Beneficiary (a Reform Agenda), providing a framework for boosting socio-economic growth, clearly articulated and aligned with Union accession requirements. The Reform Agenda will serve as an overarching framework to achieve the objectives of this Facility. The Reform Agenda should be prepared in close consultation with relevant stakeholders, including national parliaments, regional and local representative bodies and authorities, social partners and civil society organisations.
Amendment 236 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The implementation of the Facility for Western Balkans should be underpinned by a coherent and prioritised set of targeted reforms aligned with EU values and investment priorities in each Western Balkans Beneficiary (a Reform Agenda), providing a framework for boosting socio-economic growth, clearly articulated and aligned with Union accession requirements. The Reform Agenda will serve as an overarching framework to achieve the objectives of this Facility. The Reform Agenda should be prepared in close consultation with relevant stakeholders, including national parliaments, regional and local representative bodies and authorities, social partners and civil society organisations.
Amendment 244 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) Disbursement of Union support should be conditional on compliance with the payment conditions and on measurable progress in the implementation of reforms set out in the Reform Agendas assessed and formally approved by the Commission. The release of funds should be structured accordingly, reflecting the objectives of the Facility. The Commission should develop internal guidance for assessing the satisfactory fulfilment of the payment conditions defined in the Reform Agendas, as well as arrangements for partial release of funds. It should also clarify how any potential reversal of the conditions previously fulfilled should be assessed. The Commission should keep the Parliament informed on these proceedings.
Amendment 244 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) Disbursement of Union support should be conditional on compliance with the payment conditions and on measurable progress in the implementation of reforms set out in the Reform Agendas assessed and formally approved by the Commission. The release of funds should be structured accordingly, reflecting the objectives of the Facility. The Commission should develop internal guidance for assessing the satisfactory fulfilment of the payment conditions defined in the Reform Agendas, as well as arrangements for partial release of funds. It should also clarify how any potential reversal of the conditions previously fulfilled should be assessed. The Commission should keep the Parliament informed on these proceedings.
Amendment 251 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Reform Agendas should include an explanation of the Beneficiary’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, corruption, fraud and conflicts of interests, when using the funds provided under the Facility, and the arrangements that aim to avoidshould prevent double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes as well as other donors.
Amendment 251 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Reform Agendas should include an explanation of the Beneficiary’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, corruption, fraud and conflicts of interests, when using the funds provided under the Facility, and the arrangements that aim to avoidshould prevent double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes as well as other donors.
Amendment 264 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) In case of redistribution of support under this Facility which would lead to additional support to a Beneficiary, this Beneficiary should submit to the Commission and the Parliament a revised Reform Agenda with additional measures to be achieved.
Amendment 264 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) In case of redistribution of support under this Facility which would lead to additional support to a Beneficiary, this Beneficiary should submit to the Commission and the Parliament a revised Reform Agenda with additional measures to be achieved.
Amendment 270 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 39
Recital 39
(39) In order to maximise the leverage of Union financial support to attract additional investment, and to ensure EU control over the expenditure, the infrastructure investments supporting the Reform Agendas should be implemented through the WBIF. Individual projects or programmes should be submitted to the WBIF Operational Board for its opinion only upon completion of relevant payment conditions defined in the Reform Agendas. In case of non-fulfilment of relevant payment conditions for investments within one year, the Commission may redistribute the investment funding under the WBIF among the remaining Beneficiaries and if not used then the amount shall be reinvested in the European budget.
Amendment 270 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 39
Recital 39
(39) In order to maximise the leverage of Union financial support to attract additional investment, and to ensure EU control over the expenditure, the infrastructure investments supporting the Reform Agendas should be implemented through the WBIF. Individual projects or programmes should be submitted to the WBIF Operational Board for its opinion only upon completion of relevant payment conditions defined in the Reform Agendas. In case of non-fulfilment of relevant payment conditions for investments within one year, the Commission may redistribute the investment funding under the WBIF among the remaining Beneficiaries and if not used then the amount shall be reinvested in the European budget.
Amendment 277 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) The Commission should ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected under the Facility. At the same time, given the long track record of financial assistance provided to the Western Balkans Beneficiaries also under indirect management and taking into account their gradual alignment with the Unions internal control standards and practices, the Commission may rely to a great extent on the operation of the national internal control and fraud prevention systems. In particular, the Commission and OLAF should be informed of all suspected cases of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflict of interests affecting the implementation of funds under the Facility without delay. The Commission and OLAF should provide evaluation of said fraud prevention systems and offer recommendations for upgrades or fixes to the Beneficiaries in line with the EU acquis in case of deficiencies.
Amendment 277 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) The Commission should ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected under the Facility. At the same time, given the long track record of financial assistance provided to the Western Balkans Beneficiaries also under indirect management and taking into account their gradual alignment with the Unions internal control standards and practices, the Commission may rely to a great extent on the operation of the national internal control and fraud prevention systems. In particular, the Commission and OLAF should be informed of all suspected cases of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflict of interests affecting the implementation of funds under the Facility without delay. The Commission and OLAF should provide evaluation of said fraud prevention systems and offer recommendations for upgrades or fixes to the Beneficiaries in line with the EU acquis in case of deficiencies.
Amendment 306 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) accelerate the transition of the Beneficiaries to sustainable, and inclusive economies, capable of withstanding competitive market pressures of the Union single market, and to a stable investment environment and reduce strategic dependencies;
Amendment 306 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) accelerate the transition of the Beneficiaries to sustainable, and inclusive economies, capable of withstanding competitive market pressures of the Union single market, and to a stable investment environment and reduce strategic dependencies;
Amendment 315 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) strengthen environmental protection and accelerate green transition in line with the 2020 Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and covering all economic sectors, particularly energy, including the transition towards de- carbonised climate-neutral, climate- resilient and circular economy;
Amendment 315 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) strengthen environmental protection and accelerate green transition in line with the 2020 Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and covering all economic sectors, particularly energy, including the transition towards de- carbonised climate-neutral, climate- resilient and circular economy;
Amendment 319 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) boost innovationaccelerate research and innovation, boosting cooperation between academic institutions and industry, particularly for start-ups and SMEs and in support of the green and digital transitions;
Amendment 319 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) boost innovationaccelerate research and innovation, boosting cooperation between academic institutions and industry, particularly for start-ups and SMEs and in support of the green and digital transitions;
Amendment 325 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies to address the needs of youth and women in particular; strengthen the policies targeting NEETs;
Amendment 325 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies to address the needs of youth and women in particular; strengthen the policies targeting NEETs;
Amendment 329 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies in line with the respective EU accession priorities;
Amendment 329 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies in line with the respective EU accession priorities;
Amendment 330 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies, with particular emphasis on youth;
Amendment 330 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h
(h) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling, and employment policies, with particular emphasis on youth;
Amendment 335 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point i
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point i
(i) further strengthen the fundamentals of the enlargement process, including the rule of law, democracy, the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, through promoting an independent judiciary, reinforced security,strengthening democratic institutions, in particular national parliaments, as well as regional and municipal representative bodies, and their powers of oversight and inquiry over the distribution of and access to public funds, promoting an independent judiciary, reinforced security, including cybersecurity and resilience against disinformation, strengthening the fight against fraud, corruption, including high level corruption, organised crime and money laundering and terrorism financing, tax avoidance, tax evasion and tax fraud; compliance with international law; strengthen freedom and independence of media and academic freedom and an enabling environment for civil society; foster social dialogue; promote gender equality, the overall empowerment of women and girls, non- discrimination and tolerance, to ensure and strengthen respect for the rights of persons belonging to all minorities such as ethnic, religious, LGBTQ communities;
Amendment 335 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point i
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point i
(i) further strengthen the fundamentals of the enlargement process, including the rule of law, democracy, the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, through promoting an independent judiciary, reinforced security,strengthening democratic institutions, in particular national parliaments, as well as regional and municipal representative bodies, and their powers of oversight and inquiry over the distribution of and access to public funds, promoting an independent judiciary, reinforced security, including cybersecurity and resilience against disinformation, strengthening the fight against fraud, corruption, including high level corruption, organised crime and money laundering and terrorism financing, tax avoidance, tax evasion and tax fraud; compliance with international law; strengthen freedom and independence of media and academic freedom and an enabling environment for civil society; foster social dialogue; promote gender equality, the overall empowerment of women and girls, non- discrimination and tolerance, to ensure and strengthen respect for the rights of persons belonging to all minorities such as ethnic, religious, LGBTQ communities;
Amendment 346 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
(j) reinforce the effectiveness of public administration, ensure access to information and the participation of civil society in decision making processes and public scrutiny, and support transparency, structural reforms and good governance at all levels, including in the areas of public financial management and public procurement and State aid control; support initiatives and bodies involved in supporting and enforcing democracy, international justice and anti-corruption efforts in the Western Balkans Beneficiaries.
Amendment 346 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
(j) reinforce the effectiveness of public administration, ensure access to information and the participation of civil society in decision making processes and public scrutiny, and support transparency, structural reforms and good governance at all levels, including in the areas of public financial management and public procurement and State aid control; support initiatives and bodies involved in supporting and enforcing democracy, international justice and anti-corruption efforts in the Western Balkans Beneficiaries.
Amendment 347 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
(j) reinforce the effectiveness of public administration and support transparency, structural reforms and good governance at all levels, including in the areas of public financial management and public procurement and State aid control; support initiatives and bodies involved in supporting and enforcing international justice in the Western Balkans Beneficiaries; further promote the role of civil society and its involvement in governance at all levels of administration.
Amendment 347 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j
(j) reinforce the effectiveness of public administration and support transparency, structural reforms and good governance at all levels, including in the areas of public financial management and public procurement and State aid control; support initiatives and bodies involved in supporting and enforcing international justice in the Western Balkans Beneficiaries; further promote the role of civil society and its involvement in governance at all levels of administration.
Amendment 364 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Activities under the Facility shall mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and environmental protection, human rights, democracy, gender equality and, where relevant, disaster risk reduction, and shall support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting integrated actions that can create co-benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way. They shall avoid stranded assets, and shall be guided by the principles of ‘do no harm’ and of ‘leaving no one behind’ and the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle, as well as by the sustainability mainstreaming approach underpinning the European Green Deal.
Amendment 364 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Activities under the Facility shall mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and environmental protection, human rights, democracy, gender equality and, where relevant, disaster risk reduction, and shall support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting integrated actions that can create co-benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way. They shall avoid stranded assets, and shall be guided by the principles of ‘do no harm’ and of ‘leaving no one behind’ and the European code of conduct on partnership and the multi-level governance principle, as well as by the sustainability mainstreaming approach underpinning the European Green Deal.
Amendment 380 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
1. Preconditions for the support under the Facility shall be that the Beneficiaries continue toimprove, uphold and respect effective democratic mechanisms, including a functioning multi- party parliamentary system, media freedom and the rule of law, and guarantee respect for all human rights obligations, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition shall be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relation including but not limited to LGBTQ communities.
Amendment 380 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
1. Preconditions for the support under the Facility shall be that the Beneficiaries continue toimprove, uphold and respect effective democratic mechanisms, including a functioning multi- party parliamentary system, media freedom and the rule of law, and guarantee respect for all human rights obligations, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. Another pre-condition shall be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relation including but not limited to LGBTQ communities.
Amendment 389 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
(1) Another precondition shall be full alignment with the Union's common foreign and security policy, including adoption of restrictive measures against Russia as well as with EU visa requirements for third countries.
Amendment 389 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
(1) Another precondition shall be full alignment with the Union's common foreign and security policy, including adoption of restrictive measures against Russia as well as with EU visa requirements for third countries.
Amendment 390 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Another pre-condition shall be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 390 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Another pre-condition shall be that Serbia and Kosovo engage constructively in the normalisation of their relations with a view to fully implementing all their respective obligations stemming from the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and its Implementation Annex as well as all past Dialogue Agreements and engage in negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on normalisation of relations.
Amendment 391 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. The Beneficiary countries shall as precondition and on country by country basis be in full alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy decisions and declarations, including restrictive measures.
Amendment 391 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. The Beneficiary countries shall as precondition and on country by country basis be in full alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy decisions and declarations, including restrictive measures.
Amendment 395 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall monitor the fulfilment of the preconditions set out in paragraph 1 before funds are released to Beneficiaries under the Facility and throughout the period of the support provided under the Facility taking duly into account the latest Enlargement Package. The Commission may adopt a decision concluding that some of these preconditions are not met, and in particular, withhold the release of funds referred to in Article 21, irrespective of the fulfilment of payment conditions referred to in Article 16(3). The Commission shall take into account the relevant recommendations of international bodies, such as the Council of Europe and its Venice Commission in this process. The Commission’s assessment shall be transmitted simultaneously to the European Parliament and the Council.
Amendment 395 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall monitor the fulfilment of the preconditions set out in paragraph 1 before funds are released to Beneficiaries under the Facility and throughout the period of the support provided under the Facility taking duly into account the latest Enlargement Package. The Commission may adopt a decision concluding that some of these preconditions are not met, and in particular, withhold the release of funds referred to in Article 21, irrespective of the fulfilment of payment conditions referred to in Article 16(3). The Commission shall take into account the relevant recommendations of international bodies, such as the Council of Europe and its Venice Commission in this process. The Commission’s assessment shall be transmitted simultaneously to the European Parliament and the Council.
Amendment 412 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) Member States, Beneficiaries, and contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and countries covered by Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 and Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529, as well as in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia;
Amendment 412 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) Member States, Beneficiaries, and contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and countries covered by Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/947 and Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529, as well as in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia;
Amendment 413 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) countries which provide a level of support to Beneficiaries comparable to the one provided by the European Union taking into account the size of their economy and for which reciprocal access to external assistance in Beneficiaries is established by the Commission in line with our strategic autonomy.
Amendment 413 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) countries which provide a level of support to Beneficiaries comparable to the one provided by the European Union taking into account the size of their economy and for which reciprocal access to external assistance in Beneficiaries is established by the Commission in line with our strategic autonomy.
Amendment 416 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 7
Article 8 – paragraph 7
7. Tender applicants and candidates from non-eligible countries may be accepted as eligible in theonly in substantiated cases of urgency or where services are unavailable in the markets of the countries or territories concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where application of the eligibility rules would make the realisation of an action impossible or exceedingly difficult, with full transparency and backed by legitimate justification.
Amendment 416 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 7
Article 8 – paragraph 7
7. Tender applicants and candidates from non-eligible countries may be accepted as eligible in theonly in substantiated cases of urgency or where services are unavailable in the markets of the countries or territories concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where application of the eligibility rules would make the realisation of an action impossible or exceedingly difficult, with full transparency and backed by legitimate justification.
Amendment 419 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall conclude a Facility Agreement with each Beneficiary for the implementation of the Facility setting out the obligationspecific arrangements for the management, control, supervision, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and audit of funds aund payment conditions of the Beneficiaries for the disbursement of Facility fundinger the Facility, as well as to prevent, detect, investigate and correct irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest. That framework agreement, including any related documentation, shall be transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council simultaneously and without delay and shall be made public.
Amendment 419 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall conclude a Facility Agreement with each Beneficiary for the implementation of the Facility setting out the obligationspecific arrangements for the management, control, supervision, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and audit of funds aund payment conditions of the Beneficiaries for the disbursement of Facility fundinger the Facility, as well as to prevent, detect, investigate and correct irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest. That framework agreement, including any related documentation, shall be transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council simultaneously and without delay and shall be made public.
Amendment 422 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. The establishment of monitoring committees inspired by the European Code of Conduct on Partnership following the best practices for the preparation of calls for proposals, progress reports, monitoring and evaluation of projects, measures and activities;
Amendment 422 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. The establishment of monitoring committees inspired by the European Code of Conduct on Partnership following the best practices for the preparation of calls for proposals, progress reports, monitoring and evaluation of projects, measures and activities;
Amendment 431 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
(ca) the Beneficiary's commitment to the fundamental EU principle of subsidiarity in the distribution of funds within its jurisdiction, preventing regional or political favouritism.
Amendment 431 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
(ca) the Beneficiary's commitment to the fundamental EU principle of subsidiarity in the distribution of funds within its jurisdiction, preventing regional or political favouritism.
Amendment 437 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point g
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point g
(g) the obligations referred to in Articles 22 and 23, including precise rules and timeframe on collection of data by the Beneficiary and access for the Commission the European Court of Auditors and OLAF;
Amendment 437 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point g
Article 9 – paragraph 5 – point g
(g) the obligations referred to in Articles 22 and 23, including precise rules and timeframe on collection of data by the Beneficiary and access for the Commission the European Court of Auditors and OLAF;
Amendment 461 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The Facility shall incentivise the implementation of the Reform Agenda of each Beneficiary by putting payment conditions on the release of funds. These payment conditions shall apply to funds under Article 6(2) point (a) and Article 6(3) and shall take the form of qualitative or quantitative steps. Such steps shall reflect progress on specific socio-economic reforms, including on fundamentals of the enlargement process and rule of law, EU values, rule of law, justice and fundamental rights, linked to the achievement of the different objectives of the Facility, set out in Article 3, consistent with the latest Enlargement Package.
Amendment 461 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The Facility shall incentivise the implementation of the Reform Agenda of each Beneficiary by putting payment conditions on the release of funds. These payment conditions shall apply to funds under Article 6(2) point (a) and Article 6(3) and shall take the form of qualitative or quantitative steps. Such steps shall reflect progress on specific socio-economic reforms, including on fundamentals of the enlargement process and rule of law, EU values, rule of law, justice and fundamental rights, linked to the achievement of the different objectives of the Facility, set out in Article 3, consistent with the latest Enlargement Package.
Amendment 463 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Funds under the Facility will not support activities or measures which could compromise the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Amendment 463 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Funds under the Facility will not support activities or measures which could compromise the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Amendment 464 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) measures constituting a coherent, comprehensive and adequately balanced response to the objectives set out in Article 3, including structural reforms, investments, the fight against fraud, corruption and organised crime and measures to ensure compliance with preconditions if appropriate;
Amendment 464 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) measures constituting a coherent, comprehensive and adequately balanced response to the objectives set out in Article 3, including structural reforms, investments, the fight against fraud, corruption and organised crime and measures to ensure compliance with preconditions if appropriate;
Amendment 480 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) provisions facilitating transparency and accountability through the means of easy public access to information related to the distribution of Facility funds.
Amendment 480 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) provisions facilitating transparency and accountability through the means of easy public access to information related to the distribution of Facility funds.
Amendment 493 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) whether the Reform Agenda can be expected to accelerate the transition of the Beneficiaries towards sustainable, climate- neutral and climate resilient and inclusive economies by improving regional connectivity, making progress on the twin transition of green and digital, including biodiversity, and boostingreducing strategic dependencies and boosting research and innovation, education and skills and the wider labour market, with particular attention on youth;
Amendment 493 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 14 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) whether the Reform Agenda can be expected to accelerate the transition of the Beneficiaries towards sustainable, climate- neutral and climate resilient and inclusive economies by improving regional connectivity, making progress on the twin transition of green and digital, including biodiversity, and boostingreducing strategic dependencies and boosting research and innovation, education and skills and the wider labour market, with particular attention on youth;
Amendment 528 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 7
Article 21 – paragraph 7
7. The Commission may reduce the amount of the non-repayable financial support, including by offsetting in line with Article 102 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, or of the loan, in the event of identified cases of, or serious concerns in relation to, irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests affecting the financial interests of the Union that have not been corrected by the Beneficiary, or a serious breach of an obligation resulting from the Facility Agreements or from the Loan Agreements, including on the basis of information provided by OLAF and the European Court of Auditors' reports.
Amendment 528 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 7
Article 21 – paragraph 7
7. The Commission may reduce the amount of the non-repayable financial support, including by offsetting in line with Article 102 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, or of the loan, in the event of identified cases of, or serious concerns in relation to, irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests affecting the financial interests of the Union that have not been corrected by the Beneficiary, or a serious breach of an obligation resulting from the Facility Agreements or from the Loan Agreements, including on the basis of information provided by OLAF and the European Court of Auditors' reports.
Amendment 535 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) expressly authorise the EPPO to exert its rights as provided for in Regulation 2017/1939.
Amendment 535 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) expressly authorise the EPPO to exert its rights as provided for in Regulation 2017/1939.
Amendment 538 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Persons and entities implementing funds under the Facility, as well as persons knowledgeable about the implementation process, shall be able to report the cases of alleged corruption, fraud, irregularities and maladministration through a dedicated digital tool, with the relevant whistleblower protection provisions.
Amendment 538 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Persons and entities implementing funds under the Facility, as well as persons knowledgeable about the implementation process, shall be able to report the cases of alleged corruption, fraud, irregularities and maladministration through a dedicated digital tool, with the relevant whistleblower protection provisions.
Amendment 541 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
For the part of the Facility funding paid as financial assistance, channelled directly to the Beneficiaries’ national budgets, the Commission shall rely on existing and improved internal control systems of the Beneficiaries, including the National Audit Authorities and, where applicable, the Anti-Fraud Coordination Services of each Beneficiary established in the framework of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance as well as on local civilian oversight, facilitated by transparency measures in line with EU standards.
Amendment 541 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
For the part of the Facility funding paid as financial assistance, channelled directly to the Beneficiaries’ national budgets, the Commission shall rely on existing and improved internal control systems of the Beneficiaries, including the National Audit Authorities and, where applicable, the Anti-Fraud Coordination Services of each Beneficiary established in the framework of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance as well as on local civilian oversight, facilitated by transparency measures in line with EU standards.
Amendment 551 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2
Article 28 – paragraph 2
2. The recipients of Union funding shall, especially governmental and other public institutions, shall actively and transparently acknowledge the origin and ensure the visibility of the Union funding, including, where applicable, by displaying the emblem of the Union and an appropriate funding statement that reads ‘funded by the European Union’, in particular when promoting the actions and their results, by providing coherent, effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences, including the media and the public.
Amendment 551 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2
Article 28 – paragraph 2
2. The recipients of Union funding shall, especially governmental and other public institutions, shall actively and transparently acknowledge the origin and ensure the visibility of the Union funding, including, where applicable, by displaying the emblem of the Union and an appropriate funding statement that reads ‘funded by the European Union’, in particular when promoting the actions and their results, by providing coherent, effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences, including the media and the public.
Amendment 552 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 28 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The recipients’ future access to Union funding shall be conditional upon fulfilling the visibility criteria as defined in paragraph 2.
Amendment 552 #
2023/0397(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 28 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The recipients’ future access to Union funding shall be conditional upon fulfilling the visibility criteria as defined in paragraph 2.
Amendment 3 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the growing instability and the rise of unprecedented challenges in the immediate European neighbourhood and the international environment increases the demands on the Union to act;
Amendment 6 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the European Union must continue to ensure access to education for children and young people in regions affected by conflicts and crises, and to continuously call for the lifting of bans on women and girls' access to education and full participation in public life in Afghanistan;
Amendment 8 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Strongly believes that a revision of the MFF is needed to make the Union budget fit for purpose in order to address global challenges; highlights that sufficient funding is key to the EU’s credibility as a stronger, more assertive, and more strategic actor on the world stage; welcomes therefore the Commission proposal for a revision presented on 20 June, believes however that an even stronger increase in Heading 6 would be needed to address the various challenges in the neighbourhood and beyond; strongly believes that external action funding is crucial for the EU’s stability and security amid Russian aggression in Ukraine and malign influence in the neighborhood and beyond, therefore views it as imperative that the EU maintains its current presence as a stabilizing power; calls on the Council to agree on a revision of the MFF before the end of the year so that it can have an impact on the 2024 budget; furthermore calls on the Commission to present as soon as possible a detailed breakdown per budget line regarding the suggested increases for 2024 of EUR 2.331 million (in 2018 prices) in order for the budgetary authority to make full use of the additional funds in Heading 6;
Amendment 9 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Strongly believes that a revision of the MFF is needed to make the Union budget fit for purpose in order to address global challenges, among which European defence; welcomes therefore the Commission proposal for a revision presented on 20 June, believes however that an even stronger increase in Heading 6 would be needed to address the various challenges in the neighbourhood and beyond; calls on the Council to agree on a revision of the MFF before the end of the year so that it can have an impact on the 2024 budget; furthermore calls on the Commission to present as soon as possible a detailed breakdown per budget line regarding the suggested increases for 2024 of EUR 2.331 million (in 2018 prices) in order for the budgetary authority to make full use of the additional funds in Heading 6;
Amendment 14 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes that increases in external action spending need to be accompanied by a strengthened monitoring and anti- corruption framework; calls on the Commission, following recommendations from the European Court of Auditors, to make external action spending more standardised, comparable and transparent; believes that granting the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutors’ Office (EPPO) powers to monitor external action spending is a good avenue to ensure that funds are properly spent and that funds contribute to the EU’s external goals;
Amendment 17 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Continues to see the Western Balkans integration as a geopolitical priority; welcomes furthermore the accession perspective for Ukraine and Moldova, insists however that additional funding is needed to support both countries on their path to accession; calls for the strengthening of rule of law conditionality in all funding streams linked to accession procedures, particularly in the Western Balkans; calls for reinforced monitoring and reporting regarding rule of law reforms;
Amendment 18 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Continues to see the Western Balkans integration as a geopolitical priority; welcomes furthermore the accession perspective for Ukraine and Moldova, insists however that additional funding is needed to support both countries on their path to accession; calls for continuous support for the Belarusian democratic forces, for increased support for Georgian civil society and independent media, and for peace-building activities between Armenian and Azerbaijani societies;
Amendment 24 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls for greater support for independent media fighting Russian disinformation and propaganda, in particular media in the national languages of the Eastern Partnership countries, Russian-language media inside and outside Russia, as well as media in the Western Balkans and in the African countries where the Wagner Group is active;
Amendment 25 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Reiterates that adequate level of funding should be maintained for the Southern Neighbourhood in 2024; regrets therefore the diminution of 100 million EUR compared to 2023;
Amendment 29 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that funding of projects focussing on women and girls in conflict and crisis-affected areas, including on gender-based violence, conflict prevention, rebuilding and empowering of women, is insufficient and should be strengthened throughout all geographical regions in the budget; calls for the rights of Afghan women and girls to be further strengthened and, most importantly, for them to have access to secondary and university education, including through EU scholarships to study at schools and universities in EU Member States;
Amendment 30 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that funding of projects focussing on women and girls in conflict areas, including on gender-based violence, conflict prevention, rebuilding and empowering of women, is insufficient and should be strengthened throughout all geographical regions in the budget; believes in particular that projects aiming at actively countering disinformation, in particular on these issues, can further strengthen EU actions and help establish long-term stability;
Amendment 31 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that funding of projects focussing on women and girls in conflict areas, including on gender-based violence, conflict prevention, rebuilding and empowering of women, is insufficient and should be strengthened throughout all geographical regions in the budget with meaningful stakeholder involvement throughout the funding process;
Amendment 34 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses the important work of civil society organisations in safeguarding democracy and human rights, and calls for additional funding to be made available for their activities, especially those concerned with LGBTIQ+ rights;
Amendment 36 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that the support of third countries in the fight against climate change needs to be increased as a matter of urgency; reiterates its call for the adoption of an EU financing plan for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), since Heading 6 of the MFF does not provide sufficient means for the EU’s external action to help partner countries finance their SDG strategies;
Amendment 40 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls for special attention to be paid to nuclear safety and disaster preparedness in the light of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine and concerns about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), as well as the Lukashenka regime's continued failure to ensure the nuclear safety of the Belarusian NPP in Astravyets;
Amendment 42 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Strongly believes that a considerable reinforesses the need to increase the humanitarian aid budget line (HUMA) by EUR 1 billion to meaningfully address the unprecemdented level of humanitarian aid is needed for the Union to be able to respond to emerging crises and therefore increases this budget line by EUR 1 billionneeds worldwide, aggravated by the Ukraine war and its global economic repercussions, notably in terms of food insecurity; highlights that funds from the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve (SEAR) can be mobilised for crises outside the EU throughout the whole financial year.
Amendment 43 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Strongly believes that a considerable reinforcement of humanitarian aid, accompanied by clear objectives in terms of the rule of law and governance is needed for the Union to be able to respond to emerging crises and therefore increases this budget line by EUR 1 billion.
Amendment 45 #
2023/0264(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that there is no direct or indirect funding of foreign associations that run counter to European values;
Amendment 57 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Türkiye remains a candidate for EU accession, a NATO ally and a key trade and economic partner, as well as a key partner on migration; partner in security and counter- terrorism, trade and economic relations, and migration; whereas Türkiye is the EU’s sixth largest trade partner while the EU is Türkiye’s largest trade partner; whereas trade between Türkiye and Russia nearly doubled since the imposition of European sanctions against Russia; whereas Türkiye is a key member in NATO and has an instrumental geopolitical role to play in the region, in particular regarding the Russian War in Ukraine; whereas CSFP alignment has deteriorated from 14% to 7%, as Türkiye continues to cultivate ties to Russia instead of seeking alignment with the EU´s position;
Amendment 62 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Türkiye remains a major neighbour of the EU, a candidate for EU accession, a NATO ally and a key trade and economic partner, as well as a key partner on migration;
Amendment 67 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Türkiye has been gradually moving further away from the EU’s values and normative framework, as exemplified by an increasing number of laws and measures curtailing fundamental freedoms and human rights; whereas EU accession negotiations have effectively been at a standstill since 2018, due to the deterioration of rule of law and democracy in Türkiye;
Amendment 73 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Türkiye has been gradually moving further away from the EU’s values and normative framework, as exemplified by a number of measures curtailing fundamental freedoms and human rights and by distancing itself from the EU foreign and security policy;
Amendment 75 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the Turkish Government seeks to influence members of the Turkish diaspora in the EU, such as through the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Turkish- Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB), to interfere with democratic processes in some Member States; whereas the Turkish Authorities actively called the Turkish diaspora to support “political parties that were not enemy of Turkey”;
Amendment 93 #
2022/2205(INI)
F. whereas the Turkish Government has repeis deliberatedly employed political delaying tactics and a transactional approach with regard to Sweden’s application for NATO membershipputting pressure on Sweden and delaying its accession to NATO membership at a moment of historical Russian aggressiveness;
Amendment 104 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas Türkiye is a member of the Council of Europe and is therefore bound by the judgements of the ECtHR;
Amendment 110 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Takes note of the results of the recent presidential and parliamentary elections in Türkiye and considers them a sign foreboding political continuity in the country; acknowledges the peaceful manner in which the Turkish people conducted this process and applaudnotes that the elections were largely peaceful, despite isolated instances of violence, primarily against opposition supporters and welcomes the high turnout; regrets, however, that, as reflected by the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission, the elections did not takbiased media coverage and the placek onf a level playing field and were impactgave an unjustified, among other things, by essential freedoms being heavily hindered by the current legal framework and practicedvantage to the incumbent; regrets that harsher rhetoric, inflammatory and discriminatory language, including against minorities, and by the unjustified advantage enjoyed by the ruling partiecontinued intimidation and harassment of supporters of some opposition parties undermined the process;
Amendment 113 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Reiterates its profound sadness about the deadly, devastating earthquakes that shook south-eastern Türkiye and Syria on 6 February 2023 and its heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families; welcomes the international relief and recovery effort, including particular by the EU and its Member States, which has demonstrated strong European solidarity with the Turkish people; believes that the EU should continue to support the people of Türkiye for its humanitarian needs and reconstruction efforts; underlines that European solidarity could lead to a tangible improvement in relations between the EU and Türkiye;
Amendment 116 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Reiterates its profound sadness about the deadly, devastating earthquakes that shook south-eastern Türkiye and Syria on 6 February 2023 and its heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families; welcomes the international relief and recovery effort, the organization of the International Donor's conference for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria in Brussels and the pledge of 6 billion euros of humanitarian aid for recovery and reconstruction in Turkey, including by the EU and its Member States;
Amendment 127 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is of the opinion that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine continues to impact EU-Türkiye relations in ways that are yet to unfoldas Türkiye attempts to uphold ties to both the West and Russia simultaneously; regrets and is deeply concerned that Türkiye’s alignment with the EU CFSP decreased from 14% to 7% in the context of the Russian War in Ukraine; therefore, calls on Türkiye to make significant steps on alignment to the EU’s CSFP as soon as possible, including on sanctions and the anti-circumvention of sanctions, as Türkiye has an instrumental key role to play in further isolating Russia and strategically weakening its war efforts; reiterates its appreciation for Türkiye’s role as an early mediator between Ukraine and Russia and the key part played by Türkiye in brokering and keeping alive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has been crucial in helping to counter a severe global hunger crisis;
Amendment 130 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. IDeplores Turkey’s weak level of alignment on the EU foreign and security policy; is of the opinion that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine continues to impact EU-Türkiye relations in ways that are yet to unfold; reiterates its appreciation for Türkiye’s role as an early mediator between Ukraine and Russia andwelcomes Türkiye’s aim to facilitate talks between Ukraine and Russia and reiterates its appreciation for the key part played by Türkiye together with the UN in brokering and keeping alive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has been crucial in helping to counter a severe global hunger crisis;
Amendment 138 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. AcknowledgeNotes that the trade between Türkiye and Russia nearly doubled since the start of the War in Ukraine, and that there is an elevated risk that sanctioned goods and technologies, such as semiconductors, could pass through Turkish territory; Acknowledges Türkiye´s decision to halt the transit of sanctioned goods as well as the partial measures taken in recent months by the Turkish authorities to prevent the re- exportation to Russia of goods covered by EU sanctions, but urges them to go further in order to ensure that Türkiye stops being a hub for entities and individuals that wish to circumvent such sanctions; ; however, urges Türkiye to fully ensure that circumvention of sanctions shall never take place on its territory, and that it shall take all necessary steps to stop circumvention, including by punishing entities and individuals; in this regard, calls on the Commission to investigate the increase in trade between Russia and Türkiye and assess the relevant trade flows that could point towards circumvention of sanctions; is concerned about the presence of an increasing number of Russian citizens in Turkey, such as oligarchs, that take up residency in Türkiye, acquire citizenship, and invest their capital in real estate, and calls on Türkiye to avoid becoming a safe haven for Russian oligarchs;
Amendment 144 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges the partial measures taken in recent months by the Turkish authorities to prevent the re-exportation to Russia of goods covered by EU sanctions, but urges them to go further in orderdeplores that Turkey refrained from aligning with EU sanctions against Russia, which is undermining the work of the REPO Task Force fighting against the circumvention of sanctions; urges the Turkish authorities to take measures to ensure that Türkiye stops being a hub for entities and individuals that wish to circumvent such sanctions;
Amendment 154 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores, against the backdropStrongly deplores, in the context of the war, the delaying of the ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession, following the previous delay of Finland’s NATO accession, which has only playsed into Russia’s hands; invites the Turkish authorities to deliver on their promise of a more constructive partnership in NATO and to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership in the Grand National Assembly as early as possiblcalls on Türkiye, following the ratification of Finland’s NATO membership in March, to also ratify Sweden’s NATO membership without any further delay, as now is the time to show unity and strength within NATO and further isolate Russia; calls on the Turkish government to overcome any tensions with NATO allies by halting actions that go against the collective interests of the alliance, such as its destabilising involvement in various conflicts in the region; calls on the EEAS to intensify transatlantic dialogue and cooperation with the Biden administration as regards the relations with Türkiye;
Amendment 164 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Is concerned about foreign interference by the Turkish state in EU Member States which is directed towards European citizens of Turkish origins, such as in the Netherlands, where 40% of the Dutch-Turkish citizens have expressed the need to receive more protection against this foreign interference; calls on the Commission to implement the recommendations of the ING2 Committee in the Defence of Democracy Package to counter foreign interference by foreign authorities; calls on the EEAS StratCom divisions to document suspicions of Turkish disinformation directed at the EU and to report its findings to the European Parliament;
Amendment 165 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Takes note with deep concern of reports about Turkey’s violation of the UN arms embargo in Libya; deplores the persistent absence of efficient cooperation between NATO Operation Sea Guardian and EU Operation IRINI, due to Turkey’s opposition to this cooperation, which is detrimental to the implementation of the UN arms embargo;
Amendment 167 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Regrets that the unresolved conflict in Cyprus continues to be a major obstacle to EU-Türkiye relations and reaffirms that the only viable solution is a settlement on the basis of a bi-communal and bi-zonal federation;
Amendment 168 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Condemns the air strikes and repeated attacks against the autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq, which disregard Iraq's sovereignty;
Amendment 169 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Commends Türkiye’s efforts to continue hosting the largest refugee population in the world of almost 4 million people; welcomes, in this regard, the continued provision of EU funding for refugees and host communities in Türkiye and expresses its strong commitment to sustain this in the future; recognizes the migratory pressure Türkiye is facing, but firmly objects to any instrumentalisation of migrants by the Turkish government;
Amendment 170 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Condemns the air strikes and the recent retaliatory strikes in Northern Syria; recalls that these actions put the gains of the Global Coalition against Daesh made in the fight against the Islamic State in jeopardy; reiterates that ground incursion into Syria would have grave implications for international security;
Amendment 191 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is dismayed byDeeply regrets the fact that, far from the negative trend stopping or being reversed, the democratic backsliding in Türkiye has continued in the last year, with new legal reforms and a relentless crackdown on any critical voice, particularly ahead of and during the recent elections; affirms with regret that Türkiye has now become a global showcase for all kinds of authoritarian practices; is deeply concerned that members of the opposition have come under increasing pressure, in certain cases leading to imprisonment; condemns the high number of imprisoned journalists and media employees; deplores the increasing online restrictions and censorship imposed by the Disinformation Law;
Amendment 199 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Condemns the continued prosecution, censorship and harassment of journalists and independent media in Türkiye; is concerned as well by the targeting of journalists and political opponents originating from Türkiye in the European Union;
Amendment 200 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Is worried by the increasing number of fake news in the Turkish social media environment; is also worried by the spread of state propaganda, in particular from the state-run news agency Anadolu;
Amendment 203 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Remains deeply concerned about the lack of independence of the judiciary, the continued breach of the obligation to abide by the landmark rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, the serious restrictions on fundamental freedoms – particularly freedom of expression and of association – and the constant attacks on the fundamental rights of members of the opposition, lawyers, journalists, academics and civil society activists and in particular human rights defenders in Türkiye; is particularly worried by the continued crackdown on Kurdish politicians, journalists, lawyers and artists; expresses concern about as well as the deterioration of the rights of women and the constant targeting and harassment of LGBTI+ people, both of whom could see their rights further curtailed by the possible amendments to Türkiye’s constitution; is in particular worried about the issue of domestic violence against women and so- called “honour killings”, in the context of Türkiye’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, as well as the increased targeted attacks or hate speech including by high-ranking officials and politicians towards LGBTI+ people; expresses the expectation that civil society activists, in particular human rights defenders, will have the possibility to carry out their work freely, as this could strengthen the Turkish democracy; is deeply committed to provide support to Turkish citizens and civil society organisations that promote European norms and values;
Amendment 233 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Expresses deep concerns about the continued proper funcdeteriorationing of Türkiye’s market economy, particularly with regard to the conduct of monetary and fiscal policies, and the institutional and regulatory environment; is concerned about the direct interference by the Turkish president in monetary policy; is of the opinion that Türkiye will need to implement reforms that will address the vulnerabilities of its economy and currency, such as the unprecedented high level of inflation;
Amendment 272 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes the overall de-escalation of tensions observed in the eastern Mediterranean in recent times, particularly in the wake of the February earthquakes,; expresses solidarity with EU member states which have suffered from these tensions and expresses its hope that a possible new era in Türkiye’s foreign policy might yield positive results in the bilateral relations between Türkiye and all EU Member States; reiterates its long- standing support for a solution to the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi- communal, bi-zonal federation and reaffirms its positions on the matter expressed in its resolution of 7 June 2022;
Amendment 340 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its firm conviction that Türkiye is a country of strategic relevance in political, economic and foreign policy terms, a key partner for the stability of the wider region and a vitaln important ally, including within NATO, and reaffirms that the EU is committed to pursuing the best possible relations with Türkiye based on dialogue, respect and mutual trust, under the conditions that it does not further drift apart from EU values and foreign and security policy;
Amendment 396 #
2022/2205(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Reaffirms its support for an upgraded c mutually beneficial modernization of the Customs uUnion with a broader, mutually beneficial scopen effective dispute settlement mechanism, which could encompass a wide range of areas of common interest, including digitalisation and Green Deal alignment; insists that such a modernisation would need to be based on strong conditionality related to human rights and the aforementioned principles; stresses that both parties must be fully aware of this democratic conditionality from the outset of any negotiations, as Parliament will not give its consent to the final agreement if no progress is made in this field; remains ready to advance towards visa liberalisation as soon as the Turkish authorities fulfil the six outstanding benchmarks;
Amendment 29 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has considerable potential to further destabilise many EU and non- EU countries, especially those in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership and highlights the critical importance of EU enlargement;
Amendment 77 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Commends North Macedonia’s full alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy, including its clear-cut response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine by aligning with the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus;
Amendment 90 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges decision-makers to foster a national consensus on EU integration, to work towards strengthening administrative capacities, building upon a successful start to the screening process, to work towards fulfilment and the ambitious goal of meeting the criteria for EU membership by 2030;
Amendment 122 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Encourages the country to increase institutional integrity and intensify its judicial reform to guarantee the independence, professionalism, transparency and impartiality of the judicial system; welcomes prosecutions related to the abuse of office and looks forward to systematic action to prevent, prosecute and follow-up on corruption cases; insists on adequate funding for and the effective functioning of independent bodies and agencies and on the consistent implementation of their decisions and recommendations; applauds anti-corruption contribution of independent civil society and the media;
Amendment 137 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Deplores the malign foreign interference and hybrid attacks, such as disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks and false bomb threats, directed against North Macedonia’s institutions and citizens; invites the EU to support the authorities to considerably strengthen North Macedonia’s resilience against such threats; calls for a stronger involvement of all stakeholders, including the Parliament of North Macedonia, in tackling foreign interference and disinformation
Amendment 178 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Urges the authorities to step up protection of vulnerable groups and the prosecution of domestic and online abuse and to improve services for the victims of violence; stresses that the Ombudsman concluded that courts' sentences against convicted offenders of rape and domestic violence were overly lenient and did not contribute to a reduction and elimination of severe forms of domestic violence nor provide sufficient protection to survivors; welcomes changes to the Criminal Code of North Macedonia, covering crimes related to violence against women and the safety of journalists and insists on the need to strengthen North Macedonia’s anti- discrimination commission and Ombudsman’s office;
Amendment 227 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Acknowledges North Macedonia’s enabling environment for media freedom and urges the authorities to ensure transparency of media ownership, financing and political advertising, as well as the public broadcaster’s and the media regulator’s ability to operate independently; recalls the need to counter political interference and foreign and home-grown disinformation and manipulative narratives; deplores threats and attacks against journalists, including the use of SLAPPs;
Amendment 233 #
2022/2203(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Is concerned about the lack of trust in journalism in North Macedonia, in particular due to the extreme political polarisation and pressure from businessmen on the media sector; deplores the high number of violations of professional and ethical standards by media in North Macedonia with portals being accused of spreading fake news and inciting speech, as highlighted by the Council for Media Ethics of North Macedonia; calls on the Association of Journalists of North Macedonia and its members to fully abide by the industry standards set up in the Journalism Trust Initiative developed by Reporters Without Borders, as the appropriate tool to increase professional journalists credibility and rebuilt society's trust
Amendment 42 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Amendment 43 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas in March 2023 President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik announced plans to introduce a ‘foreign agents’ law in Republika Srpska;
Amendment 45 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
C c. whereas the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet reports persistent discrimination based on various grounds in BiH, primarily based on ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, and voices concerns about access to education, social protection, and the rights of Roma and people with disabilities;
Amendment 70 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the European Council's decision to grant candidate status to BiH; reiterates its clear support for BiH’s EU integration, grounded in unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity; calls on all political actors in BiH to end and refrain from the blockades of democratic processes and work of institutions; condemns the secessionist policies and actions by the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and all political parties and movements promoting the dissolution of BiH;
Amendment 75 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the swift appointment of a new state-level government, the resumption of political decision-making and the appointment of the President and two Vice-Presidents of the Federation of BiH; calls for the Federation of BiH’s government formation to be swiftly completed in line with democratic standards and principles; calls on the Office of the High Representative to show due political insight and avoid actions which may lead to additional political and ethnic tensions in the country;
Amendment 80 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Encourages all authorthe government of BiH and especially the ruling coalitieson to seize the momentum to meaningfully advancerepresent the aspirations of all citizens of BiH and to focus on the preparation and meaningful implementation onf the 14 key priorities and avoid slipping back into obstructive policies, respecting the accountability of institutions and the quality and transparency of the processes; urges all political actors to avoid slipping back into obstructive policies of ethnocentrism and calls on all members of the ruling coalition to refrain from the nationalistic rhetoric shown by the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers Borjana Krišto in the exchange of views held in the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament on 21 March 2023; underscores that BiH’s path towards EU accession needs to be anchored in functioning democratic institutions, rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime, respect for fundamental rights and non-discrimination for all citizens and constituent peoples as enshrined in the constitution;
Amendment 89 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to continue supporting BiH’s EU integration based on strict conditionality, to promote and call for the accountability, transparency and inclusiveness of reform processes in state institutions, to publish detailed explanations of and measurement criteria for the 14 key priorities in order to raise citizens’ awareness of the benefits of EU membership and to strengthen monitoring capacities in BiH;
Amendment 94 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Expresses deep concern about media reports based on leaked Commission documents that the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement deliberately seeks to circumvent and undermine the centrality of democratic and rule of law reforms in talks with high ranking representatives of Republika Srpska; urges once again the Commission to initiate an independent and impartial investigation into whether the conduct engaged in and policies furthered by the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct for the Members of the Commission and of the Commissioner’s obligations under the Treaties;
Amendment 96 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. ReaffirmExpresses its support for the mandates of the Office of the High Representative and EUFOR Operation Althea in overseeing the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement, especially in enhancing stability and democratic processes in BiH; reaffirms its full support for EUFOR Operation Althea in overseeing the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement; calls on Member States to reinforce EUFOR and make it more fit for operational needs; calls on the OHR to act in line with its mandate and to refrain from using "Bonn Powers", which may strengthen illiberal political forces and ignite additional political and ethnic divisions in the country and in the wider region;
Amendment 109 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes BiH’s increasedCalls on the new government of BiH’s to swiftly and fully alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP), and urges for the effective implementation of sanctions stemming from CFSP alignment;
Amendment 119 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Strongly supports BiH’s sustained aspirations towards Euro-Atlantic integration and NATO membership; calls on all political actors to demonstrate full support for Euro-Atlantic integration and NATO membership not only in words but with concrete political action;
Amendment 124 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Denounces the recurring inflammatory rhetoric and secessionist laws and policies by the leadership of the Republika Srpska (RS) entity, including and other political parties including members of the ruling coalition in the Federation of BiH entity, such as the celebration of the so- called RS Day and other celebrations which cause tensions and discomfort among BiH citizens, as well as the refusal to implement rulings of the Constitutional Court of BiH; underlines that such actions destabilise BiH, undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement, contradict BiH’s EU perspective and endanger access to EU funding;
Amendment 140 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates its call for targeted and sustainable sanctions against all destabilising actors in BiH;
Amendment 141 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates its call for targeted sanctions against destabilising political actors in BiH;
Amendment 146 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Condemns malign foreign interference by third actors in BiH, notably Russia’s destabilisation of the Western Balkans; condemns interferences in BiH and the use of inflammatory ethnic-based rhetoric by high-ranking officials of Croatia and Serbia;
Amendment 160 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the rule of law, good governance, pluralism and fundamental rights need to be mainstreamed in IPA III funding, which must be based on strict conditionality and safeguarded by comprehensive and thorough oversight by the Commission; recalls that EU funding for projects in the RS entity should remain frozen until the reversal of democratic backsliding by the RS entity and until full alignment with the CFSP;
Amendment 161 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the rule of law, support for free and independent media, fight against corruption, good governance, pluralism and fundamental rights need to be mainstreamed in IPA III funding, which must be based on strict conditionality; recalls that EU funding for projects in the RS entity should remain frozen until the reversal of democratic backsliding by the RS entity and until full alignment with the CFSP;
Amendment 163 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Calls on the European Commission to make all necessary legal and political arrangements to extend the EPPO's jurisdiction and authority with regard to the use of EU funds also to BiH as a candidate country;
Amendment 174 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the fact that the general elections were held in October 2022 were generally well organised and competitive; notes however that they took place against a backdrop of stagnant reforms, divisive rhetoric and political obstruction, political and financial obstruction, non-transparent financing of the election campaign, misuse of public resources, trading of polling stations between political parties and undue political pressure on the Central Election Commission; regrets the numerous irregularities reported by election observers, including instances in which some local municipalities failed to publish and/or display voter registry lists; takes note of the changes introduced by the High Representative to the election law and constitution of the Federation of BiH, aimed at addressing a number of functionality issues; underlines however the criticism regarding the transparency, timing and lack of consultations in these processes;
Amendment 180 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Expresses concern about the amount of public expenditure aimed at attempting to influence the electorate; regrets that governmental structures have introduced new methods of electoral influence over interest groups; calls for the introduction of strict policies to prevent officials from abusing public funds, especially during the pre-election period;
Amendment 192 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on BiH to harmonise party registration rules and to ensure the transparency of political party financing; acknowledges the steps taken by the Central Election Commission and calls for its capacities to be strengthened; deplores all forms of intimidation and threats made by political actors in BiH against members of the Central Election Commission;
Amendment 196 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for the judiciary’s integrity and independence to be strengthened, namely by bringing the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and the Law on Courts in line with EU standards, and by eliminating selective justice, the case backlog, corruption, a lack of transparency and poor oversight; regrets that the strategic goal to solve all cases related to war crimes will not be met due to the high backlog; reiterates the necessity to prosecute and accelerate criminal proceedings, as 28 years have passed and reconciliation cannot be achieved without adequate judgements; expresses its concern over numerous scandals involving high ranking judiciary officials, political pressure and quality of the processes of selection of high ranking judges and prosecutors;
Amendment 203 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Expresses its concern about the lack of progress on preventing widespread corruption and the increasing signs of state capture, political interference and obstruction; urges BiH to adopt conflict of interest laws and to strengthen protection for whistleblowersan Anti-Corruption Strategy in line with international standards and best practices, and to strengthen protection for whistleblowers in particular in the Federation of BiH entity, by ensuring the implementation of existing laws and ensuring the independence of institutions responsible for implementation;
Amendment 206 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Expresses its concern about the lack of progress on preventing widespread corruption and the increasing signs of state capture, political interference and obstruction; calls for transparent use of EU financial assistance; urges BiH to adopt conflict of interest laws and to strengthen protection for whistleblowers;
Amendment 209 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Calls on the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement to strictly adhere to the Commission's own criteria throughout the entire monitoring process of the implementation of institutional reforms in BiH in order to meet the objectives of the 14 priorities put forward by the Commission in 2019 concerning democracy, functionality and the rule of law.
Amendment 210 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Urges the authorities to prosecute high-profile corruption cases and to conduct criminal proceedings in a timely manner; calls on the courts to issue a higher number of final judgements in corruption cases;
Amendment 217 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for increased resources for anti-corruption structures and the adoption of integrity plans for these structures; points to the added value of effective cooperation among law enforcement agencies and with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office;
Amendment 222 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes the steps taken to increase the alignment of public procurement laws with the EU acquis; expresses its concern about the sector’s vulnerabilities to corruption and irregularities; calls for more robust and efficient legislation regarding the exploitation of natural resources, including measures to increase transparency and integrity especially in the area of concessions;
Amendment 229 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reaffirms the significance of genuine reconciliation in BiH and calls on all authorities to actively promote and ensure access to truth, justice and non- selective reparations;
Amendment 232 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Expresses its solidarity with all survivors of war crimes and their families; deplores all historical revisionism, including genocide denial, the glorification of war crimes and war criminals, and the contestation of established facts and tribunals; calls for effective prosecution of such cases; regrets that prosecutors have failed to initiate any criminal proceedings on these matters; condemns the prohibition of public gatherings for families commemorating the victims of Prijedor in the Republika Srpska entity;
Amendment 237 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes the ongoing reduction in the backlog of war crimes cases, but regrets that the pace remains slow; is concerned about the fact that some war criminals convicted in BiH courts escape justice by hiding in some EU member and candidate states due to dual citizenship;
Amendment 240 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for further efforts on the issue of missing persons; calls for the harmonization of legislation aiming to guarantee a wide range of rights for civilian victims of war;
Amendment 254 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Emphasises the vital role of independent media; condemns attacks on and threats and intimidation against journalists, including by politicians and public figures; insists on appropriate judicial follow-up and the protection of journalists, public figures and private companies; expresses its concern regarding the announced criminalization of defamation in Republika Srpska; insists on appropriate judicial follow-up and the protection of journalists; underlines the importance of ensuring the transparency of media ownership and financial sustainability of the public broadcasting system;
Amendment 270 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Deplores discrimination, segregation, violence and hate speech against minorities and people on the move, and urges effective prosecution of such cases; calls on BiH to safeguard and promote the countrywide rights of all minorities and people on the move and to collect data on hate crimes categorized by motivation;
Amendment 273 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Deplores discrimination, segregation, violence and hate speech against minorities, and urges effective prosecution of such cases; calls on BiH to safeguard and promote the countrywide rights of all minorities, including their right to participate in democratic elections;
Amendment 280 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Expresses its deep concern at the discrimination faced by children from ethnic minorities, in particular Roma children, in accessing public services, including education and healthcare, and calls for the full protection of children's rights in BiH;
Amendment 281 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Calls for a higher degree of protection of the rights of the Roma minority and for an end to segregation and discriminatory practices;
Amendment 286 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27 b. Calls on BiH to ensure gender equality in all aspects of public and private life; regrets that BiH does not collect data on femicide and calls for the establishment of crisis centres for victims of sexual violence;
Amendment 288 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27 b. Notes that domestic violence, especially violence against women, remains among most serious human rights violations in BiH and calls for urgent actions in addressing gender-based violence, including for coordination among responsible institutions;
Amendment 300 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Regrets that rulings of the European Court of Human Rights have still not been implemented and calls for their swift implementation; regrets that discriminatory provisions from the BiH Constitution prevent all its citizens from enjoying equal political rights;
Amendment 309 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underscores the importance of inclusive and quality education; reiterates i and urges BiH institutions to implement domestic courts’ judgements calling for an urgent end to the discriminatory practice of ‘two schools under one roof’; calls on BiH institutions to reduce administrative barriers for students who wish to continue their education in another canton or entity;
Amendment 321 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Urges politicians, public figures, authorities and private companies to refrain from using SLAPPs as a form of intimidation against human rights defenders and journalists;
Amendment 323 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Deplores plans to introduce a ‘foreign agents’ law in the Republika Srpska;
Amendment 326 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30 b. Emphasises the need to withdraw the proposed amendments to the criminal code of Republika Srpska criminalising slander; calls on government representatives to cease labelling civil society as foreign agents and mercenaries;
Amendment 329 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 c (new)
Paragraph 30 c (new)
30 c. Regrets that laws on freedom of assembly are fragmented and restrictive; urges the authorities to amend laws according to European standards and refrain from interfering with the right to freedom of assembly;
Amendment 331 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 d (new)
Paragraph 30 d (new)
30 d. Reiterates its call on politicians and public figures to refrain from using hate speech in public statements and inciting violence towards journalists, LGBT persons and civil society; regrets the political obstruction of freedom of assembly for LGBT activists across the country and condemns violence and hate crimes against LGBT people in Banja Luka; regrets that the Pride March is continuously being discriminated against, and that this event is continuing to face administrative obstacles due to its nature;
Amendment 366 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Urges BiH to finalise and adopt the national energy and climate plan and to avoid energy infrastructure projects increasing the country's dependence on Russia and China; calls on it to adopt the necessary legislation on gas, electricity, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and to ensure the full harmonisation of laws for a functional energy market;
Amendment 371 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36 a. Calls for improvements to the legislation on concessions and use of natural resources to remove existing corruption risks, especially with regard to several major non-transparent projects with Chinese and Hungarian companies;
Amendment 379 #
2022/2200(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Calls on BiH to accelerate its implementation of projects under the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans and the Green Agenda; emphasises the importance of transparent and efficient use of investments;
Amendment 83 #
2022/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Commends Albania’s commitment to completing its comprehensive justice reform and looks forward to its implementation; encourages the country to intensify steps aimed at finalising the vetting process and ensuring universal justice through cross-cutting measures;
Amendment 105 #
2022/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes the ongoing progress and looks forward to systematic improvements and concrete results in the prevention, proactive investigation and prosecution of and non-selective final convictions for cases involving corruption and organised crime; calls for further progress in establishing a comprehensive, efficient, soundly coordinated and accountable public administration;
Amendment 115 #
2022/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Expresses its concern with the aspects of the draft law on fiscal amnesty and the proposed citizenship by investment scheme that are incompatible with EU norms and its visa policy and would pose risks as regards security, money laundering, tax evasion, terrorist financing, corruption and infiltration by organised crime ; welcomes Prime Minister Rama’s announcement to suspend the golden passport project;
Amendment 122 #
2022/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls for continued action to reduce unfounded asylum claims by Albanian nationals, while tackling criminal trafficking networks and increasing cooperation with the EU’s justice and home affairs agencies; welcomes successful international investigations and police operations to combat the trafficking of people, narcotics and firearms, and online fraud; stresses that countering cybercrime, trafficking in human beings and money laundering remain areas in which additional results are needed; calls on the authorities to step up its fight against child sexual abuse online which remains a concern;
Amendment 171 #
2022/2199(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Expresses its concern with the lack of progress on achieving institutional transparency, freedom of expression and media freedom and stresses the role of political leaders in creating an enabling environment for the pursuit of these freedoms; condemns attempts to discredit reporters and arbitrarily withhold public information, as well as the failure to ensure the safety of journalists; urges the authorities to take immediate action against political and economic interference in the media and intimidation against reporters; welcomes the withdrawal of the draft anti- defamation legislationcondemns any regulatory attempts aiming at increasing the political control over media institutions; welcomes in this context the withdrawal of the draft anti- defamation legislation; deplores the fact that only a minority of Albanian media have a sustainable business model and transparent funding; urges the government to ensure the independence of the public broadcaster and media regulator and the transparency of media ownership, financing and public advertising;
Amendment 15 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas over 75 % of people live in non-democratic countries, which limits their basic human rights; whereas shrinking space for civil societya host of features of authoritarian regimes negatively influences the right to participate in genuine elections such as a shrinking space for civil society, voter intimidation, arbitrary disqualification of candidates and other forms of malicious interference by state authorities;
Amendment 21 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is not respected in autocratic and illiberal regimes, which conduct sham elections with the goal of entrenching their power; whereas such elections aredo not free and fairrepresent the true will of the people, lack real political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to both vote and be elected;
Amendment 22 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the right to participate in genuine elections is not respected in autocratic and illiberal regimes, which conduct shamfake elections with the goal of entrenching their power; whereas such elections are not free and fair, lack real political contestation and place undue restrictions on the right to both vote and be elected;
Amendment 24 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas the EU should pay careful attention when choosing destinations to observe elections in order to avoid being seen as a legitimising force supporting the outcome of undemocratic elections;
Amendment 25 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the weakening of judicial independence and the rule of law and the overall democratic backsliding in autocratic and illiberal regimes enable these regimes’ legitimisation strategies by removing effective checks on enforcement of repressive laws, control of media and malign interference over digital channels of communications;
Amendment 31 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes have developed new ways and mock-compliance strategies to overcome the costs of fully complying with international election observation standards without overtly denouncing them; whereas they are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake elections; whereas these regimes contribute to the erosion of global trust in democratic institutions by copying, developing and multiplying fraudulent practices unchallenged;
Amendment 32 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes have developed new ways and mock-compliance strategies, such as promotion of ‘counter-norms’ within global governance institutions, to overcome the costs of fully complying with international election observation standards without overtly denouncing them; whereas they are becoming increasingly well organised in their efforts to provide international legitimacy to each other’s fake elections;
Amendment 33 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas autocratic and illiberal regimes undertake domestic and international observation activities that do not comply with the international standards set for domestic and international observers; whereas these fake international observation activities are then used to legitimise elections in other autocratic and illiberal countries;
Amendment 35 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)
Recital I b (new)
Ib. whereas citizens of autocratic and illiberal regimes have limited opportunities to observe elections, or, if they do, the regimes do everything in their power to discredit observers or sideline their efforts;
Amendment 41 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas authoritarian and illiberal regimes infiltrate and use international institutions for their own benefit, including the legitimisation of fraudulent elections;
Amendment 44 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas the suspension of democratisation processes and illiberal political tendencies in consolidated democracies have led to democratic backsliding and autocratisation;
Amendment 45 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L b (new)
Recital L b (new)
Amendment 48 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) design and implement more decisive EU actions to promote and protect the right to participate, which is a universal and fundamental human right, as part of a much broader strategy on human rights and democracy support;
Amendment 56 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) acknowledge the severity of the difficulties that people living under autocratic and illiberal regimes have in accessing unbiasedfactual election-related information and discerning it from among regime-sponsored propaganda, including reliable information on candidates, voting preferences and the conduct of the election process, which inhibits their ability to understandresources to assess whether elections are truly competitive and whether citizens’ preferences are reflected in the results;
Amendment 59 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) counter the narrative promoted by autocratic and illiberal regimes that they have mandates from their citizens as a result of genuine elections; formulate, in this regard, a comprehensive EU global strategy to counter the tools that these regimes use to legitimise elections, such as fake observers and shadow election observation groups in the place of standardised international mission, including those from the EU Members States and EU institutions, such as the European Parliament, and shadow election observation groups in the place of standardised international missions; work with democratic countries to strengthen international institutions to prevent autocratic and illiberal regimes from infiltrating them and using them for their own selfish ends;
Amendment 63 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) strengthen the link between election observation work and the EU’s wider support for human rights and democracy using both political and cooperation tools; consider authoritarian electoral legitimisation strategies as early symptoms of underlying non-democratic trends and react accordingly; counter authoritarian narratives that put security and democracy in contrast, thus limiting fundamental liberties under the pretext of state security,
Amendment 66 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) counter the attempts of autocratic and illiberal regimes to exploit policy areas such as climate, sport and international development initiatives to falsely reinforce their legitimacy;
Amendment 71 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) recognise the crucial role of civil society in delegitimising fake elections in the eyes of local populations; support civil society organisations, human rights defenders and the media, including through capacity building and communications strategies, and by gathering data on violations of the right to participate in genuine elections; support, in particular, local elections observers, whose activities increase people’s belief that their right to participate in genuine elections will be respected and condemn in the strongest terms attacks against them;
Amendment 72 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) recognise the crucial role of civil society in delegitimising fake elections in the eyes of local populations; support civil society organisations, democratic opposition forces, human rights defenders and the media, including through capacity building and communications strategies, and by gathering data on violations of the right to participate in genuine elections; support, in particular, local elections observers, whose activities increase people’s belief that their right to participate in genuine elections will be respected;
Amendment 75 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
(ha) counter efforts by autocratic and illiberal regimes to legitimise each other's elections by fostering a safe space where local election observers can exchange knowledge and best practices at regional and global level;
Amendment 78 #
2022/2154(INI)
(ia) increase support for long-term election observation missions, as some of the most serious violations of electoral processes take place before polling day;
Amendment 81 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j
Paragraph 1 – point j
(j) make use of the EU’s cultural diplomacy and international cultural relations toolbox to strengthen the right to participate, to counter autocratic and illiberal regimes’ narratives attempting to legitimise fake elections and to strengthen a universal democratic culture in non-EU countries;
Amendment 82 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point k
Paragraph 1 – point k
(k) give more support to initiatives related to election observation training and knowledge building; insists on the preference for support and capacity- building for local election observers, rather than election observers coming from EU Member States, as this is a more sustainable approach to democracy- building; reiterates the importance of supporting regional and international networks of election observers;
Amendment 88 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l
Paragraph 1 – point l
(l) explore the possibility of introducing a standing invitation for election observation within the democratic clause in EU agreements, the Generalised Scheme of Preferences and equivalent mechanisms, given the current reluctance of many countries to send election observation invitations to the EU; support Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group and its work, especially in the framework of election observation;
Amendment 90 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m
Paragraph 1 – point m
(m) include the outcomes of the EU’s election observation missions as an essential part of the overall framework for relations between the EU and the country concerned; include an adequate follow-up on the recommendations of the EU election observation missions with an increased involvement of the European Parliament;
Amendment 92 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m
Paragraph 1 – point m
(m) include the outcomes of the EU’s and OSCE ODIHR election observation missions as an essential part of the overall framework for relations between the EU and the country concerned;
Amendment 95 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n
Paragraph 1 – point n
(n) address the right to participate and all other aspects related to electoral integrity in non-EU countries through EU human rights dialogues;
Amendment 98 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o
Paragraph 1 – point o
(o) use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the EU Magnitsky Act) for persons responsible for serious breaches of the right to participate and of democratic election standards; considers that penalties should be further developed against persons involved in fake election observation missions, including members of parliaments and politicians of the EU Member States and Members of the European Parliament;
Amendment 99 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o
Paragraph 1 – point o
(o) use the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the EU Magnitsky Act) for persons responsible for serious breaches of the right to participate and of democratic election standards;
Amendment 101 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) recognise the role of the EU’s election observation missions and highlight the role of the European Parliament in providing evidence on whether elections are genuine and further improve this tool, including by strengthening its visibility; and condemning fake election observation missions;
Amendment 103 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) recognise the role of the EU’s and OSCE ODIHR election observation missions in providing evidence on whether elections are genuine and further improve this tool, including by strengthening its visibility;
Amendment 105 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) forge a coalition of democratic countries and multilateral institutions, such as the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Council of Europe, to counter the legitimisation of fake elections and fake observers more effectively in international forums, in particular the UN;
Amendment 109 #
2022/2154(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t
Paragraph 1 – point t
(t) lead the efforts to give more visibility to the UN Declaration Of Principles For International Election Observation and the work of those organisations that signed it and are active in election observation; consider calling for the list of signatories to the Declaration Of Principles For International Election Observation to be updated, with a view to reinforcing its credibility and establishing a clear-cut way of differentiating between genuine observation groups and fake observers; apply similar approach towards the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors uniting 251 members, including regional networks and individual non- partisan election monitoring organizations spanning over 89 countries and territories on five continents; explore ways to undermine the legitimacy of shadow organisations and fake observers;
Amendment 1 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
— having regard to Decision (EU) 2019/1798 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 appointing the European Chief Prosecutor of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office,
Amendment 3 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
Citation 12 a (new)
— having regard to the Commission’s Proposal for a Council Implementing Decision on measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary adopted 18 September 2022,
Amendment 5 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)
Citation 14 a (new)
— having regard to Commission communication of 14 December 2020 on the review of the European Union under the Implementation Review Mechanism of the United Nation Conventions against Corruption (UNCAC) (COM(2020)0793),
Amendment 6 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
Citation 15 a (new)
— having regard to its recommendation of 17 February 2022 to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning corruption and human rights,
Amendment 12 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the implementation of the RRF will increase the pressure on European and national administrations in the coming years, as it coincides with the 2021-2027 spending programmes, and whereas the Member States will need to master different management modes linked to the implementation of the various funds and the Commission will need to improve its monitoring skills;
Amendment 15 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the diversity of legal and administrative systems in the Member States needs to be adequately addressed in is a disadvantage and whereas it needs to be adequately addressed to be able to create more unified, interoperable and comparable administrative and reporting systems in the EU to effectively prevent and fight in order to overcome irregularities and combat fraud and corruption;
Amendment 20 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the Commission’s knowledge of the extent, nature, and causes of fraud is somewhat limited and many potential frauds are not reported through the irregularity management system; whereas corruption undermines citizens’ trust in the EU and represents a burden onjeopardise the Union’s financial interests and the EU economy as a whole, as well as posing a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law in the EU;
Amendment 21 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas the unprecedented increase in EU spending under Multiannual Framework 2021-2027 the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) recovery plan offers significant potential for misuse of funds by organised criminals; however the Commission is capable of monitoring approximately 10% of all expenditures;
Amendment 33 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Reiterates its concern that the occurrence of oligarchic groups has reached an unprecedented magnitude in the past several years; is concerned that oligarchic systems are often connected to widespread corruption, tight control over media and a judicial system which is not independent from the oligarchs themselves; emphasises that, in order to protect themselves, oligarchic groups seek to gain control over the media and the judiciary so as to avoid media exposure of possible criminal activities and prosecution;
Amendment 39 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses that corruption, especially high level corruption is a particularly serious crime with a cross- border dimensionpossibilities, whose impact affects the Union’s financial interests and the EU economy as a whole, representing a serious threat to democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law across Europe, undermining citizens’ trust in democratic institutions in the EU and in the Member States;
Amendment 42 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Recalls that weakening of the independence of the institutions responsible for monitoring and controlling finances in certain Member States seriously harm the Union’s financial interests while also representing a threat to the rule of law;
Amendment 63 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35 a. Emphasizes that the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES), as the EU’s Blacklist, has a huge potential flagging people and companies that misuse EU funds; welcomes the Commission's proposal to change of the Financial Regulation in order to allow EDES to be operational not only in direct management but also in indirect and shared management as well;
Amendment 71 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)
Paragraph 40 a (new)
40 a. Regrets that the participation of Member States in EPPO is not obligatory; reiterates its call on the Member States which refused so far to join the EPPO as soon as possible; calls on the Commission to incentivise participation in the EPPO through positive measures;
Amendment 76 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Acknowledges, on customs-related matters, the extremely close operational coordination between OLAF, EUIPO, Interpol and the World Customs Organization (WCO); regrets the weakness of the alert systems of the Member States;
Amendment 83 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49 a (new)
Paragraph 49 a (new)
49 a. Calls on the Commission to establish a complaint mechanism for SMEs faced with high level of corruption, severe misconduct by national authorities, irregular or biased treatment intenders or the distribution of subsidies, pressure or intimidation from criminal structures, organised crime or oligarchic structures, or another severe infringement of their rights to lodge a complaint directly with the Commission;
Amendment 86 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Underlines the important role the Member States play in protecting the Union’s financial interests; is aware that, under the new delivery model adopted with the RRF, the Member States have the biggestincreased responsibility in preventing and countering fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and double funding; however, it believes that the European level of protection is also crucial for the protection of the EU’s financial interest and believes that cooperation between the EU and the national authorities is essential for proper delivery;
Amendment 98 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Believes that uneven and fragmentary legislations, controlling mechanisms and reporting systems across EU Member States represents an obstacles to the effectiveness of the protection of the Union’s financial interests;
Amendment 99 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 a (new)
Paragraph 51 a (new)
51 a. Stresses the need for complete transparency in accounting for the transfers and loans provided for under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), so that any potential fraud to EU financial interest be pursued by the EPPO and/or OLAF and calls on the Commission to provide for the European Parliament to have full access to all relevant information;
Amendment 100 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 b (new)
Paragraph 51 b (new)
Amendment 101 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 c (new)
Paragraph 51 c (new)
51 c. Is of the opinion that OLAF should also follow up on its financial recommendations in order to compare them with the amounts recovered at the end of the procedures by the Commission and contribute to the overall monitoring of the recovery of funds;
Amendment 102 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 d (new)
Paragraph 51 d (new)
51 d. Recognises the principle of confidentiality of OLAF investigations; is of the opinion, however, that there is an overarching public interest and that EU citizens also have the right to access the reports and recommendations relating to closed OLAF investigations and national follow-up procedures, as recognised by the CJEU in Case T-517/19; therefore asks OLAF to set up a mechanism to publish the reports and recommendations for which there is no longer any legitimate reason to maintain the principle of confidentiality;
Amendment 104 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53 a (new)
Paragraph 53 a (new)
53 a. Notes with concerns that the European Commission opened infringement proceedings against 15 EU Member States for not having transposed the Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law (the "EU Whistleblower’s Directive" (2019/1937)).
Amendment 117 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Recalls that Member States’ ineffective or untimely cooperation or non- cooperation with the EPPO and OLAF constitutes grounds for action under the Conditionality Regulation, therefore calls on the EPPO and OLAF to report each case of lack of compliance with the Member States’ obligations to inform, to assist, to take appropriate action and precautionary measures and to ensure appropriate and timely follow up of reports and recommendations;
Amendment 118 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62 a (new)
Paragraph 62 a (new)
62 a. Considers that the Conditionality regulation is sufficient only and able to prevent or remedy democratic backsliding, if it is used in a timely manner with strict and clear conditions and if the national remedial measures are followed up with strong monitoring of the implementation of those measures;
Amendment 119 #
2022/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62 b (new)
Paragraph 62 b (new)
62 b. Deeply regrets that under the Rule of Law Conditionality mechanism the Commission presented Hungary with a set of 17 conditions as remedial measures, which are not sufficient enough to restore the serious breaches of the rule of law; regrets that the Commission did not request more substancial changes and safeguards to restore the independence of the judiciary, to improve the level of corruption and to guarantee the adequare protection of the EU's financial interest;
Amendment 4 #
2022/2093(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls the importance for all procurement procedure, to ensure fair competition between tenderers and to procure goods and services at the best price, respecting the principles of transparency, proportionality, equal treatment and non-discrimination. Asks for the implementation of the e-procurement IT tools developed by the European Commission. Calls for an updated clarification of the procedures and templates in the procurement guidelines.; Notes with concern the Court’s observation regarding the Public procurement weaknesses are increasing and remain the largest source of irregular payments for most of agencies.;
Amendment 8 #
2022/2090(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the EEAS’s efforts to ensure gender balance also in higher grades in Headquarters and EU delegations, particularly the appointment of the EEAS Ambassador for Gender and Diversity and the #NoWomenNoEUDiplomacy initiative;
Amendment 13 #
2022/2090(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Deplores the remaining lack of diversity, gender and geographical imbalances within the EEAS staff and the slow improvement in those matters; reiterates the importance of ensuring an intersectional distribution, greater diversity, and gender equality, as well as promoting a balance of staff in terms of gender and geographical origin within different categories and grades, particularly at senior management levels; calls on the EEAS to significantly improve the representation of women and marginalised groups across all levels and calls on all Member States to nominate more women and candidates from marginalised groups to seconded positions in the EEAS; draws attention to the remaining overrepresentation of some Member States’ diplomats among the Heads of Delegation and calls for further efforts to address those imbalances; encourages the EEAS to create and share guidelines on best practices on the conducting of recruitment procedures in order to ensure diversity, openness, fairness and transparency;
Amendment 20 #
2022/2090(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages EU delegations to engage with local actors, civil society organisations and social partners in third countries to stimulate social dialogue. and dialogue about rule of law, fundamental rights and fight against corruption;
Amendment 22 #
2022/2090(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Acknowledges the EEAS’s efforts on fight against disinformation and foreign interference, welcomes that EEAS strengthened its international cooperation with Member States, Union institutions and the NATO in this regard; is strongly of the opinion that EEAS should not only highlight the disinformation coming from third countries but also reveal sources which are distributing the same or similar style disinformation within the Union as well.
Amendment 4 #
2022/2081(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Regrets that according to ECA Special Report No 01/2022, EUR 700 million in financial support for the improvement of the rule of law in the Western Balkans provided by the EU between 2014 and 2020 had little impact on fundamental reforms; calls on the Commission to send clear signals to those candidate countries in which a backlash against rule of law standards - including limitations on the freedom of expression, the freedom of press, women’s and minority rights, the harassment of NGOs and human rights defenders - is jeopardising or delaying their accession to the EU; invites the Commission to examine the efficiency of the funds spent on the improvement of the state of the Rule of Law in the accession countries and report back to the AFET and CONT committees;
Amendment 6 #
2022/2081(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Is strongly of the opinion that the financial interest of the EU should be protected within the EU and outside the EU equally, therefore considers that the Commission should put more emphasis on the funds spent in non-EU countries in order to verify that those funds are spent in accordance with European rules and without the involvement of fraud or corruption, and to confirm whether they contribute to the goals of the Union’s development and external policy; recommends sanctions and suspension of budgetary support in non-EU countries where national authorities manifestly fail to take genuine action against widespread corruption, while ensuring that the assistance reaches the civil population through alternative channels;
Amendment 17 #
2022/2051(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Calls for the introduction of a provision for the Union’s ratification of the Council of Europe's Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities1a; _________________ 1a COFOE Conclusions 48.
Amendment 21 #
2022/2051(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Calls for the introduction of a legal basis to adopt legislation on the rights of people belonging to minorities2a; _________________ 2a COFOE Conclusions 48.
Amendment 3 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates its concern as regards the significant delay in the implementation of cohesion policy for the 2021-2027 period, as well as its call for the Commission and the Member States to speed up the adoption of the partnership agreements and programmes, without undermining their quality and while respecting the EU’s political priorities and the applicable principles; calls on the Member States to ensure that local authorities are included in the design and implementation of all programmes; reiterates the need for special consideration to be given to less-developed regions and island, islands, outermost regions and rural, remote and depopulated areas in this context;
Amendment 9 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Recalls that in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 all actions implemented under cohesion policy shall take into account gender equality as a horizontal principle throughout their preparation, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation; calls on the Commission to implement a gender budgeting analysis as part of the mid-term review of the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework; strongly believes that publicly available gender assessments of the budget should be made on a yearly basis and allow adjustments within the next annual budget; recalls that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated gender disparities which necessitates targeted action;
Amendment 12 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Welcomes the European care strategy as a new initiative with a strong gender dimension; calls on the Commission for a dedicated investment package to promote the EU care sector and care economy as well as to ensure coordination among the different programmes and initiatives towards an effective implementation of the strategy;
Amendment 14 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines the necessity of providing the regions with appropriate financial means in order to deal with the waves of migration caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its multifaceted consequences; recalls the pressing energy and food security concerns, and emphasises the need to address the grave difficulties that the current rise in energy costs is causing for the regionspeople, and to identify suitable financial instruments to deal with them at a regional ledirectly accessible at a regional level; stresses the need to further strengthen the Union’s solidarity capacities in times of crisis, and calls on the Commission to put forward a legislative proposal establishing a Ukrainian crisis Adjustment Reservel;
Amendment 20 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines the necessity of providing the regions with appropriate financial means in order to deal with the waves of migration caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its multifaceted consequences; emphasises the need to address the grave difficulties that the current rise in energy costs is causing for the regions, and to identify suitable financial instruments to deal with them at a regional level;
Amendment 21 #
2022/2046(INI)
3 a. Emphasises that the compensation of the social and economic consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine requires the deployment of adequate budgetary measures at the Union level offsetting the indirect costs of the conflict on businesses and citizens, and putting forward the necessary solidarity mechanisms between Member States and their regions; calls therefore on the Commission to issue a new legislative proposal establishing a European fund for the mutualisation of war-related costs ("Ukrainian crisis Adjustment Reserve"), with a view to support the most affected Member States with fresh common resources gathered at the EU level;
Amendment 24 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for a significant increase in the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) budget, which would help regions to anticipate and mitigate the effects of climate change, and for the scope of the EUSF to be broadened, so that it can also support more climate-resilient restoration or construction of public and private infrastructure; stresses the importance of the social dimension of the green transition and the need to provide targeted support to the regions, industries, workers and households facing the biggest challenges;
Amendment 29 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Stresses the high potential of rural areas and the necessity to improve transport connectivity, high-speed broadband and the provision of services in order to help them meet challenges such as rural desertification, depopulation and ageing; asks, therefore, to increase the amount of resources at national level that are allocated to integrated territorial development in disadvantaged non-urban areas, suffering from natural, geographical or demographic handicaps; highlights the importance of synergies between different funding tools to channel an adequate level of funding towards rural areas through a multi-fund approach; reaffirms the importance of urban-rural linkages and of the development of strategies based on functional areas with the aim of preventing rural areas from shrinking;
Amendment 30 #
2022/2046(INI)
4 a. Stresses the role of urban areas in tackling the climate emergency, 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 EuropeanUrban Initiative under direct or indirect management by the Commission as laid out in Regulation (EU) 2021/1058, calls for the European Urban Initiative to begiven a greater budget and scope, in order to support the delivery of the Urban Agenda in the next programming period;
Amendment 33 #
2022/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Recalls that among the many inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide is a serious one; highlights the need to allocate sufficient funds for the development of digital skills; calls for digital inclusion to be recognised as a right for all generations and for a clear commitment to achieve universal internet connectivity;
Amendment 39 #
2022/2046(INI)
5 a. Welcomes the decision of the European Commission to maintain the general escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact in 2023; suggests to envisage the possibility that public spending under cohesion policy by Member States and regional and local authorities as part of ESIF Funds should not be considered as national or equivalent structural expenditure as defined within the Stability and Growth Pact;
Amendment 40 #
2022/0219(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. The Instrument shall be implemented in direct management in accordance with the Financial Regulation. Grants shall take the form of financing not linked to costs referred to in Article 180(3) of the Financial Regulation.
Amendment 41 #
2022/0219(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3
Article 6 – paragraph 3
3. WBy way of derogation to Article 193 of the Financial Regulation, and where necessary for the implementation of an action, financial contributions may cover a perioctions started prior to the date of the request for financial contributions for that action, provided that these actions hasve not started prior to the 24 February 2022. 18 May 2022 and have not been completed before the signature of the grant agreement. Retroactively eligible actions must comply with all eligibility criteria provided for in Articles 7 and 8.
Amendment 107 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11 a) Where national authorities do not comply with the obligations laid down by this Regulation, in particular the general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget EU authorities should use all the means at their disposal, in accordance with this Regulation, to directly provide local governments and NGOs with the funding they would have received if their national government had complied with the aforementioned obligations. Increased amount of direct funding for local governments and NGOs should be encouraged anyway when implementing this Regulation.
Amendment 112 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27 a (new)
Recital 27 a (new)
(27 a) In order to ensure the most comprehensive and complete data on beneficiaries of Union funds to be available in the single integrated IT system for data-mining and risk-scoring, while not increasing administrative burden, all data on final benefeciaries already collected by persons and entities implementing Union funds should be recorded in the IT system, irrespective of these beneficiaries being deemed as recipients of Union funds.
Amendment 113 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) In accordance with the principle of transparency enshrined in Article 15 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), Union institutions and Member States when implementing the EU budget are to conduct their work as openly as possible. With regard to budget implementation, the application of that principle implies that citizens as beneficiaries of and contributors to the budget should know where, and for what purpose, funds are spent by the Union. Such information fosters democratic debate, encourages the citizens' identification with and sense of community within the Union, contributes to the participation of citizens in the Union’s decision-making process, reinforces institutional control and scrutiny over Union expenditure, and contributes to boosting its credibility. Furthermore it boosts the visibility for EU policies, investments and the European Added Values. Communication should be more targeted and should aim to increase the visibility of the Union contribution for citizens. Such objectives should be achieved by the publication, preferably using modern communication tools, of relevant information concerning all funding opportunities, such as call for tenders etc. in all forms of management on a dedicated website and of relevant information concerning all recipients of funds financed from the budget which takes into account those recipients’ legitimate interests of confidentiality and security and, as far as natural persons are concerned, their right to privacy and the protection of their personal data. Union institutions should therefore adopt a selective approach in the publication of information, in accordance with the principle of proportionality. Decisions to publish should be based on relevant criteria in order to provide meaningful information.
Amendment 115 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29 a (new)
Recital 29 a (new)
(29 a) In order to reduce administrative burden, the Commisson should take the information on recipients of Union funds to be published on a dedicated website from the single integrated IT system for data-mining and risk-scoring. Therefore, data to be recorded in the IT system for data-mining and risk-scoring should include and be aligned with the data to be published. As a result, persons and entities implementing Union funds will not need to transmit the same data more than once.
Amendment 119 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 43
Recital 43
(43) In view of the increased volume of borrowing and lending operations carried out by the Commission on behalf of the Union to finance the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, transparency regarding those operations should be further enhanced. To address the increased complexity of those operations and in order to ensure better visibility of their content, a comprehensive overview of borrowing and lending operations carried out by the Commission should be added to the document annexed to the section of the budget relating to the Commission, including as a minimum detailed information on maturities, schedule of payments, interest due and the role of own resources in the repayment of the debt, should be added to the document annexed to the section of the budget relating to the Commission. That document should lay down the underlying data and the methodology used by the Commission to estimate the interest due, including through comprehensive graphs and figures.
Amendment 124 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 194 a (new)
Recital 194 a (new)
(194 a)By introducing a new category of a very low value grant of an amount of up to EUR 10 000, the lessons learned from providing small-scale support during the pandemic to small and medium-sized enterprises and individual applicants should be implemented. The new category would create efficiencies for the implementing partners and the Commission, while reducing bureaucracy for applicants
Amendment 126 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 219 b (new)
Recital 219 b (new)
(219 b)The model for a single funding method, and most elements of the infrastructure needed for its implementation, have already been established in the form of a diversified funding strategy under Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053. That strategy has allowed the successful mobilisation of funds for grants and loans under Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council and for a range of other Union programmes referred to in Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094. To anticipate possible future borrowing and lending operations, which must respect the principles of budgetary neutrality and budgetary balance as set out in Article 310(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), it is appropriate to establish a diversified funding strategy as the single funding method for implementation of borrowing operations.
Amendment 137 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 48
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 48
(48) ‘non-governmental organisation’ means a voluntary, independent from government, non-profit organisation, which is not a political party or a trade union which is organized either on a local, national, European or international level to address issues in support of the public good;
Amendment 140 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 55
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 55
(55) ‘professional conflicting interests’ means a situation in which the previous or ongoing professional activities of an economic operator or an employee of an economic operator, affect or risk affecting its capacity to perform a contract in an independent, impartial and objective manner;
Amendment 142 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 73 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 73 a (new)
Regulation 2018/1046
Article 2 – after (68)
Article 2 – after (68)
(73 a) 'very low value grant’ means a grant lower than or equal to EUR 10 000;
Amendment 147 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Member States and the Commission shall ensure respect for fundamental rights including equality between women and men, non- discrimination, and compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the implementation of the EU budget.
Amendment 154 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 5
Article 21 – paragraph 5
5. A basic act may assign the revenue for which it providesThe European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, may assign the revenue provided for a basic act to specific items of expenditure. Unless otherwise specified in the basic act, such revenue shall constitute internal assigned revenue.
Amendment 155 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) ain attachedthe statement of expenditure, an annex, forming an integral part of the budget, setting out all the budget lines for which internal or external assigned revenue is foreseen and providing information on the estimated amount of such revenue to be received; for each budget line, that information shall be broken down into the specific categories of assigned revenue referred to in Article 21(2), (3) and (5), including a justification for the choice of the foreseen category.
Amendment 156 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) in the case provided for in Article 21(5), commitment and payment appropriations shall be made available in the context of the budgetary procedure where external assigned revenue comes from specific additional financial contributions from Member States, including voluntary contributions, to Union programmes, instruments and activities.
Amendment 174 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a
(a) the recipient’s full legal name in the case of legal persons, the first and last name in the case of natural persons, and their VAT identification number or tax identification number where available or another unique identifier at country level and the amount of funding. If a natural person, also the date of birth;
Amendment 175 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a a (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a a (new)
(a a) the amount of funding committed and, in case of a commitment with multiple recipients, the breakdown of this amount per recipient where available.
Amendment 176 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a b (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a b (new)
(a b) the locality of the recipient, namely: (i) the address of the recipient when the recipient is a legal person; (ii) the region on NUTS 2 level when the recipient is a natural person and is domiciled in the European Union or the country when the recipient is a natural person and is not domiciled in the European Union;
Amendment 177 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a c (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point a c (new)
(a c) the nature and purpose of the measure;
Amendment 180 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point b a (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 6 – point b a (new)
(b a) the first name(s), last name(s) and date of birth of the natural person(s) who hold the position of senior managing official(s), where no person has been identified as the beneficial owner;
Amendment 181 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2
Article 36 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 2
The use of and access to the data processed by the single integrated IT system for data- mining and risk-scoring referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall comply with applicable data protection rules and shall be limited to the Commission or a. The Commission, OLAF, the Court of Auditors, EPPO and other Union investigative and control bodies shall have unlimited, direct and real time access to the data to exercise their respective competences. The following entities shall use the system and have access only to the relevant data for exercising their competences and complying with the obligations imposed by this Regulation: (a) An executive agency as referred to in Article 69, t; (b) The Member States implementing the budget pursuant to Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (b), t; (c) The Member States that receive and implement Union funds pursuant to budget implementation under Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (a), t; (d) The persons or entities implementing the budget pursuant to Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (c), OLAF, the Court of Auditors, EPPO and other Union investigative and control bodies, within the exercise of their respective competences.
Amendment 183 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. For the purposes of point (d) of paragraph 2, Article 145(2) and Article 148, and in addition to any applicable sector-specific rule, Member States implementing the budget under point (b), first subparagraph, Article 62(1), shall transmit to the Commission information through the Irregularity Management System on facts and findings established in the context of final judgments or final administrative decisions, as well as facts established in the context of audits or investigations carried out by the EPPO, the Court of Auditors, OLAF or any check, audit, control performed under the responsibility of the Commission, as to the presence of the exclusion situations referred to in Article 139(1). For the same purposes, Member States shall transmit all other complementary information requested by the Commission.
Amendment 184 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1 (new)
For the purposes of point (d) of paragraph 2, Article 145(2) and Article 148 [and in addition to any applicable sector-specific rule], Member States that receive and implement Union funds, pursuant to budget implementation under point (a), first subparagraph, Article 62(1), shall transmit information through the Irregularity Management System on facts and findings established in the context of final judgments or final administrative decisions, as well as facts established in the context of audits or investigations carried out by the EPPO, the Court of Auditors, OLAF or any check, audit, control performed under the responsibility of the Commission, as to the presence of the exclusion situations referred to in Article 139(1). For the same purposes, Member States shall transmit all other complementary information requested by the Commission.
Amendment 185 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 9
Article 36 – paragraph 9
9. For the purposes of the application of the requirements of paragraphs 2, 3 and 6 of this Article by Member States implementing the budget under Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (b), references to recipients shall be understood as references to beneficiaries as defined in sector-specific rulin Article 2, paragraph 1, point 58 of this Regulation and shall also include sub-beneficiaries, subcontractors and sub-entities or subsidiaries receiving prizes.
Amendment 187 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 10 a (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. The system referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, shall provide an indicator of whether an entity or a person applying for, selected or receiving Union funds, has been excluded pursuant to Article 139. Persons and entities involved in budget implementation shall check that risk indicator before awarding EU funds to comply with the obligation set in Article 145 (5) of this Regulation.
Amendment 189 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 10 b (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Managing authorities shall record the data into the system referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article before awarding Union funds. Failing to comply with this obligation would be considered as a serious deficiency in the meaning of Articles 96 and 97 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.
Amendment 190 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 10 c (new)
Article 36 – paragraph 10 c (new)
Amendment 191 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 38 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Where the budget is implemented in accordance with Article 62(1), first subparagraph, points (b) and (c), and with Member States in accordance to Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (a), the Commission shall make available on its website information on recipients no later than 30 June of the year following the financial year in which the contract or agreement setting out the conditions of support was established. Where the budget is implemented in accordance with Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (b), references in this Article to recipients shall be understood as references to beneficiaries as defined in sector-specific rulin Article 2, paragraph 1, point 58 of this Regulation and shall also include sub-beneficiaries, subcontractors and sub-entities or subsidiaries receiving prizes.
Amendment 192 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 38 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Save in the cases referred to in paragraph 3 , the following information shall be published in an open, interoperable and machine-readable format, which allows data to be sorted, searched, extracted, compared, and reused and downloaded in individual datasets or complete database as a bulk download, having due regard for the requirements of confidentiality and security, in particular the protection of personal data:
Amendment 204 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 38 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) where disclosure risks threatening the rights and freedoms of the persons or entities concerned as protected by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union or seriously harming the commercial interests of the recipients;
Amendment 205 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 38 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) where it is not requirallowed for publication in sector-specific rules where the budget is implemented in accordance with Article 62(1), first subparagraph, point (b) .
Amendment 206 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 1
Article 38 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 207 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 a (new)
Article 38 a (new)
Article 38 a Visibility of the budget 1. In accordance with the principle of transparency and proportionality, the Commission shall ensure the visibility of the Union's budget. The Commission shall report to the European Parliament and the Council annually on the development of the visibility of the Union's budget and its added values, and include successful visibility approaches in order to encourage best practises sharing with beneficiaries. 2. To further increase the EU citizens' identification with and sense of community within the Union, all new communication efforts shall make the citizens' connection to the budget more visible by using the statements ‘Funded by the citizens of the European Union’ or ‘Co-funded by the citizens of the European Union’ next to the emblem of the Union.
Amendment 210 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 52 – paragraph 1 – point d – point iii – indent 3
Article 52 – paragraph 1 – point d – point iii – indent 3
— a comprehensive overview of borrowing and lending operations; that overview shall provide inter alia detailed information on maturities, schedule of payments, interest due, the underlying data and the methodology used to estimate the interest due (including through comprehensive graphs and figures), investor base, where applicable dimension and costs of the common liquidity pool underpinning the diversified funding strategy and on the role of own resources in the repayment of the debt, and information on expected annual amount to borrow in the following years and estimated amount available under the own resources ceiling to cover this borrowing;
Amendment 217 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 63 – paragraph 1
Article 63 – paragraph 1
1. Where the Commission implements the budget under shared management, tasks relating to budget implementation shall be delegated to Member States. The Commission and Member States shall respect the principles of sound financial management, transparency, the provisions of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget, the fundamental rights set out in the Charter of Fundamental rights including equality between women and men and non- discrimination and shall ensure the visibility of the Union action and its added value when they manage Union funds. To that end, the Commission and Member States shall fulfil their respective control and audit obligations and assume the resulting responsibilities laid down in this Regulation. Complementary provisions shall be laid down in sector-specific rules.
Amendment 218 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 63 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
Article 63 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) interrupt payment deadlines or suspend payments in case of non- compliance with Article 6 (2) and (3) putting at risk the legality of expenditure.
Amendment 224 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 126 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 126 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Union contributions under direct, shared and indirect management shall help achieve a Union policy objective and the results specified, shall not substitute recurring national budgetary expenditure, shall respect the principle of additionality of Union funding and may take any of the following forms:
Amendment 232 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 133 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
Article 133 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) non-compliance with Article 6 (2) and (3) puts the legality of expenditure at risk.
Amendment 240 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 139 – paragraph 2
Article 139 – paragraph 2
Amendment 242 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 139 – paragraph 8
Article 139 – paragraph 8
8. At the request of the authorising officer, and where the nature or the circumstances of the case requires it, a referral for a recommendation of the panel referred in Article 146 may be treated by means of expedited procedure, without prejudice to the right to be heard of the person or entity concerned, and only where the nature or the circumstances of the case requires it, such as where: (a) a final judgment or a final administrative decision has been issued by a Member State’s authority that does not include the duration of exclusion. (b) a final judgment or a final administrative decision has been issued in a third country which is subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. (c) a sanction has been already imposed on the person or entity by virtue of a decision of (i) international organisations or their agencies, (ii) EIB, (iii) EIF, where these organisations have been considered to apply equivalent sanction procedures under Article 158.
Amendment 246 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 143 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 143 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
In order to, where necessary, reinforce the deterrent effect of the exclusion and/or financial penalty, the Commission shall, subject to a decision of the authorising officer responsible, publish on its website the following information related to the exclusion and, where applicable, the financial penalty in the cases referred to in points (c) to (hi) of Article 139(1):
Amendment 253 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 145 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Article 145 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 258 #
2022/0162(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 158 – paragraph 2
Article 158 – paragraph 2
2. Persons and entities entrusted with the implementation of Union funds or budgetary guarantees pursuant to point (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 62(1) shall respect the principles of sound financial management, transparency, the provisions of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget, fundamental rights set out in the Charter of Fundamental rights including equality between women and men, non- discrimination and shall ensure visibility of Union action and its added value. Where the Commission establishes financial framework partnership agreements in accordance with Article 130 those principles shall be further described in such agreements.
Amendment 1 #
2022/0125(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b – point i
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b – point i
Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046
Article 108 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Article 108 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Repayments under point (a) of the first subparagraph shall be made within 60 days of the cancellation or reduction of the fine, other penalty or sanction. On the expiry of that time limit, the creditor shall be entitled to interest in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 116(5).
Amendment 291 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) This Directive is in coherence with the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-202499 . This Action Plan defines as a priority to strengthen the Union’s engagement to actively promote the global implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other relevant international guidelines such as the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, including by advancing relevant due diligence standards. _________________ 99 Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council on the EU Action Plan on HThe Action Plan also emphasises the importance of the fight against corruption along the lines of the UN Convention against Corruption, recognising that corruption facilitates, perpetuates and institutionalises human Rrights and Democracy 2020-2024 (JOIN/2020/5 final)violations and hinders the observance and implementation of human rights.
Amendment 297 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The due diligence process set out in this Directive should cover the six steps defined by the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct, which include due diligence measures for companies to identify and address adverse human rights and environmental impacts. This encompasses the following steps: (1) integrating due diligence into policies and management systems, (2) identifying and assessing adverse human rights and environmental impacts, (3) preventing, ceasing or minimising actual and potential adverse human rights, and environmental impacts, (4) assessing the effectiveness of measures, (5) communicating, (6) providing remediation. The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct also includes detailed recommendations to ensure meaningful stakeholder involvement and access to justice, including guidance to remove barriers to engagement with vulnerable stakeholder groups.
Amendment 344 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 55
Recital 55
(55) In order to ensure consistent application and enforcement of national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive, national supervisory authorities should cooperate and coordinate their action. For that purpose a European Network of Supervisory Authorities should be set up by the Commission and the supervisory authorities should assist each other in performing their tasks and provide mutual assistance. In order to safeguard the level playing field and mitigate risks of forum-shopping arising from decentralised enforcement, the Commission should support Member States with guidelines on application and enforcement, and monitor adherence to these guidelines through the European Semester for policy coordination, and address potential shortcomings in country-specific recommendations.
Amendment 381 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – introductory part
(b) the company did not reach the thresholds under point (a), but had more than 250 employees on average worldwide and had a net worldwide turnover of more than EUR 40 million in the last financial year for which annual financial statements have been prepared, provided that at least 50% of this net turnover was generated in one or more of the following sectors:
Amendment 383 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i
(i) the manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products (including footwear), and the wholesale trade of textiles, clothing and footwear;
Amendment 384 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
(iii) the extraction of mineral resources regardless from where they are extracted (including crude petroleum, natural gas, coal, lignite, metals and metal ores, as well as all other, non-metallic minerals and quarry products), the manufacture of basic metal products, other non-metallic mineral products and fabricated metal products (except machinery and equipment), the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, the manufacture of electrical equipment, and the wholesale trade of mineral resources, basic and intermediate mineral products (including metals and metal ores, construction materials, fuels, chemicals and other intermediate products).
Amendment 387 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii a (new)
(iii a) construction and civil engineering (including construction of roads, railways, bridges and tunnels, utility and water projects);
Amendment 389 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b – point iii b (new)
(iii b) financial services, real estate activities, legal and accounting activities (including auditing), management consultancy activities.
Amendment 400 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) ‘adverse human rights impact’ means an adverse impact on protected persons resulting from the violation of one of the rights or prohibitions listed in the Annex, Part I Section 1, as enshrined in the international conventions listed in the Annex, Part I Section 2, that Annex shall be reviewed on a regular basis and be consistent with the Union’s objectives on human rights. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 17, to amend the list in Annex I, Section 1;
Amendment 405 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) ‘adverse impact on good governance’ means any potential or actual adverse impact on the good governance of a country, region or territory, as set in Annex I, Section 3 to this Directive. That Annex shall be reviewed on a regular basis and be consistent with the Union’s objectives on good governance. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 17, to amend the list in Annex I, Section 3;
Amendment 419 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point n
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point n
(n) ‘stakeholders’ means the company’s employees, the employees of its subsidiaries, and other individuals, groups, communities or entities whose rights or interests are or could be affected by the products, services and operations of that company, its subsidiaries and its business relationships; workers and employees (including under informal arrangements), the workers and employees of its subsidiaries (including under informal arrangements), trade unions, consumers and end-users of products or services, civil society organisations, human rights and environmental defenders, witnesses and victims of corruption crimes perpetrated by the company, and other individuals, groups, communities or entities whose rights or interests are or could be affected by the products, services and operations of that company, its subsidiaries and its business relationships throughout the entire value chain; ‘vulnerable stakeholders’ means individuals or groups facing heightened risks of vulnerability or marginalisation, such as women, indigenous peoples, national or ethnic minorities, religious and linguistic minorities, children, persons with disabilities, and migrant workers and their families, in case of whom the adverse impact can be more severe or manifest differently, and who may need additional attention in the context of stakeholder engagement activities;
Amendment 423 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point n a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point n a (new)
(n a) ‘meaningful stakeholder engagement’ means interactive processes of engagement with relevant stakeholders taking place through, for example, meetings, hearings or consultation proceedings, characterised by two-way communication, conducted in good faith, in a responsive manner (involving the timely provision of all information needed by stakeholders), conducted on an on- going basis (not as a one-off endeavour), involving proper follow-through on implementation of agreed commitments, involving the identification and removal of potential barriers to engagement faced by vulnerable stakeholders (such as language, culture, gender and power imbalances, divisions within the community) and ensuring the safe participation of stakeholders without fear of reprisal;
Amendment 456 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 4
Article 6 – paragraph 4
4. Member States shall ensure that, for the purposes of identifying the adverse impacts referred to in paragraph 1 based on, where appropriate, quantitative and qualitative information, companies are entitled to make use of appropriate resources, including independent reports and information gathered through the complaints procedure provided for in Article 9. Companies shall, where relevant, also carry out consultations carry out meaningful stakeholder engagement with potentially affected individuals and groups including workers and other relevant stakeholders to gather information on actual or potential adverse impacts, with due attention to identifying and removing the barriers of meaningful engagement faced by vulnerable stakeholders.
Amendment 463 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) where necessary due to the nature or complexity of the measures required for prevention, develop and implement a prevention action plan, with reasonable and clearly defined timelines for action and qualitative and quantitative indicators for measuring improvement. The prevention action plan shall be developed in consultation with affected stakeholderthrough meaningful stakeholder engagement, with due attention to vulnerable stakeholders, and draw on the expertise of civil society organisations;
Amendment 484 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) neutralise the adverse impact or minimise its extent, including by the payment of damages directly to the affected persons and of financial compensation directly to the affected communities, assessing whether women and vulnerable stakeholders benefit equitably in compensation payments or other forms of restitution. The action shall be proportionate to the significance and scale of the adverse impact and to the contribution of the company’s conduct to the adverse impact, and aim to restore the affected persons to the situation they would be in, had the adverse impact not occurred (if possible). The type of remedy or combination of remedies may include restitution or rehabilitation, apologies, financial or non-financial compensation, punitive sanctions, taking measures to prevent future adverse impacts;
Amendment 493 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) where necessary due to the fact that the adverse impact cannot be immediately brought to an end, develop and implement a corrective action plan with reasonable and clearly defined timelines for action and qualitative and quantitative indicators for measuring improvement. Where relevant, tThe corrective action plan shall be developed in consultation with stakeholderthrough the meaningful involvement of stakeholders, on an ongoing basis, with proper follow- through on implementation of agreed commitments;
Amendment 513 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) persons who are affected or have reasonablindividuals, groups, communities or entities whose rights or interests are or could be affected by an adverse impact of the gprounds to believe that they might be affected by an adverse impactducts, services and operations of that company, its subsidiaries and its business relationships throughout the entire value chain,
Amendment 522 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) civil society organisations, human rights and environmental defenders active in the areas related to the value chain concerned.
Amendment 524 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(c a) victims and witnesses of corruption crimes perpetrated by companies, such as the obstruction of justice, bribery or embezzlement of property.
Amendment 530 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 4 – point a
Article 9 – paragraph 4 – point a
(a) to request appropriate, timely and effective follow-up on the complaint from the company with which they have filed a complaint pursuant to paragraph 1, and
Amendment 534 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 4 – point b a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 4 – point b a (new)
(b a) to participate in a procedure that is legitimate, accessible, predictable, safe, equitable, transparent, rights-compatible, adaptable and based on meaningful engagement.
Amendment 537 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Member States shall ensure that recourse to complaints procedures should not preclude claimants from having unhindered access to judicial mechanisms.
Amendment 547 #
2022/0051(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
In order to provide support to companies or to Member State authorities on how companies should fulfil their due diligence obligations, the Commission, in consultation with Member States and stakeholders, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the European Environment Agency, and where appropriate with international bodies having expertise in due diligence, may issue guidelines, including for specific sectors or specific adverse impacts. Given the importance of uniform implementation across Member State authorities to ensure a level playing field, adherence to these guidelines should be monitored through the European Semester for policy coordination, and potential shortcomings addressed in country-specific recommendations.
Amendment 2 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. Whereas the EIB is bound by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and that human rights principles are integrated into its due diligence procedures and standards, including publicly available ex-ante assessments;
Amendment 7 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
I a. whereas the EIB plays an important role outside the EU through its external lending activities as the biggest multilateral financial institution in the world;
Amendment 8 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Reiterates its call for a fair and transparent geographical distribution of projects and investment, with a focus on less-developed regions, especially in innovation, digitalisation and infrastructure, with the view to promote inclusive growth and economic, social and territorial convergence and cohesion; calls for the EIB to address recurring shortcomings that prevent certain regions or countries from taking full advantage of the EIB's financial activities;
Amendment 9 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes note of the net profit of EUR 1.7 billion reported by the EIB for 2020, in comparison to EUR 2.4 billion in 2019 ;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes with appreciation that despite the general context of uncertainty in the global financial markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EIB continues to maintain a robust liquidity position; Underlines the Bank’s total liquidity ratio remains well within internal limits, covering 78.1% of projected net cash outflows (compared to 88.6% in 2019).
Amendment 11 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Calls on the EIB to prioritise through its lending activities in social, green and sustainable projects, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
Amendment 12 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Call on the EIB to play an active role in supporting projects that contribute to a just transition, such as research, innovation and digitalisation, SMEs’ access to finance, and social investment and skills; Reiterates its calls for the EIB to provide targeted financing for just transition initiatives as a matter of priority, while taking into account the additionality that EIB financing can provide in combination with other sources; stresses, moreover, that coordination with other financing instruments is crucial given that the EIB alone cannot finance all of the initiatives;
Amendment 13 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8 c. Notes that in the present difficult context ( an ongoing pandemic and the Russian aggression against Ukraine), the gap between economic situations and capacities of the Member States has deepened and underlines the importance to ensure that most affected regions and countries will adjust to the new circumstances so that no one is left behind;
Amendment 14 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Calls on the EIB to continue to prioritise investments in the health infrastructure, personnel training and in the quality of the health services, in order to reduce inequalities between countries;
Amendment 15 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. HighlightWelcomes the EIB’s role in the success of the BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine through the signature in June 2020 of a EUR 100 million loan facility, making it the first financial investor to back BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine programme;
Amendment 16 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Underlines that the EIB, at the same time, offered support to global programmes to distribute COVID-19 vaccines, especially in the developing world;
Amendment 17 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that the EIB Group pledged EUR 6.5 billion to support countries outside the EU, including over €1 billion Ukraine in for infrastructure, environment, innovation and post- COVID-19 recovery and EUR 1.7 billion to support the social and economic recovery of the Western Balkans from the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a EUR 3.3 billion financial support package for the region announced by the Commission;
Amendment 19 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Reiterates its call for the strengthening of technical assistance for and the financial expertise of local and regional authorities, especially in regions with low investment capacity, and for projects of common interest to several Member States which are of such a size or nature that they cannot be entirely financed by the various means available in the individual Member States, before project approval, in order to improve accessibility to EIB funding; invites the EIB Group to intensify cooperation with national promotional banks and institutions;
Amendment 27 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that the process of updating the EIB Group’s environmental and social policy started in 2020 and has led to the approval in February 2022 of the new Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework; welcomes the revised EIB environmental and social standards included in the Framework, especially those related to labour rights, biodiversity and environmental protection; regrets, however, the lack of a specific tool on human rights due diligence; regrets furthermore that the EIB or its intermediaries are not required to disclose details of actual environmental and social risks or impacts linked to operations carried out through partners; stresses that any new requirements should not create more bureaucracy for SMEs;
Amendment 31 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Encourages the EIB to support the development of transport infrastructure projects, including railways and motorways, that are sustainable and environmental friendly and can contribute to tackling territorial and social disparities between regions and countries in the EU;
Amendment 32 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27 b. Stresses the need to focus on long- term financing, namely by supporting projects that would not be financed otherwise, in particular for innovative start-ups and SMEs emphasises however that the EIB’s financing activities are no substitute for sustainable fiscal policies in the Member States; Calls on the EIB to increase investment in break through innovations, especially for the green transition, in order to support European companies;
Amendment 33 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 c (new)
Paragraph 27 c (new)
27 c. Calls on the EIB to increase financing to address the technological transition, support development of skills adapted to the current and future labour market needs, further promote the investment in digital skills of employees and entrepreneurs, digital infrastructure and capacity-building for digitalization, provide funds for long term research and innovation, SMEs,support the social economy and enhance social and territorial cohesion, namely by filling current investment gaps in public housing and infrastructure;
Amendment 35 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on the EIB to develop a specific human rights strategy and an action plan for its implementation; calls on the EIB to align its financing strategy with the levels of ambition and commitment to common values and objectives shown by the partner countries;
Amendment 44 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32 a. Encourages the EIB to become more involved in the agricultural sector; Underlines that financial needs of farmers, especially young and new entrants are significant, and that farmers and enterprises in this sector have a lower rate of success when applying for financing; Highlights that EIB has made certain steps to tackle this issue; Calls for the EIB to further work on new financial tools that will boost accessibility for the agricultural sector; Insists, in this context, that EIB financing needs to support the transition of the agricultural sector inline with European policy objectives including with more respect for animal welfare, and should avoid contributing to stocking densities exceeding the carrying capacity of the land;
Amendment 59 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Calls for more transparency and accountability, also towards EU institutions, in particular Parliament; suggests the idea of a quarterly dialogue with relevant committees of the Parliament to participate to the investment strategy of the EIB and ensure adequate oversight; stresses the importance of greater Parliament scrutiny over decision of the EIB board of directors and points to the possibility of Parliament having observer status in the board’s meetings to ensure better information sharing demands from the Commission to increase its transparency towards Parliament on the positions it takes in the EIB board of directors;
Amendment 62 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Regrets that the EIB still does not fully disclose the details of the beneficial ownership of its clients; reiterates its calls for enhanced transparency regarding the EIB’s operations through financial intermediaries such as commercial banks and investment funds and for the definition of standard reporting obligations that can provide an adequate level of data and information; asks the EIB to use the available tools and to implement the standards promoted by the 5th AML Directive to make such data accessible; invites the EIB to explore the feasibility of working arrangements and memoranda with the relevant partners to make relevant information available and to eliminate the risk of opacity in the relevant procedures; Asks the EIB to ensure a full cooperation with the future Authority for Anti- Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism;
Amendment 71 #
2021/2235(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59 a (new)
Paragraph 59 a (new)
59 a. Reiterates its call to the EIB to establish a proper representation within its secretariat of nationals from all Member States, while at the same time respecting the competencies and merits of the candidates; calls on the EIB to publish annually a gender and nationality breakdown of middle and senior management position;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
— having regard to the EPPO Annual Report of 2021,
Amendment 2 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
Citation 24 a (new)
— having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on a European Parliament recommendation to the Council and the Vice- President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy concerning corruption and human rights (2021/2066(INI)),
Amendment 7 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Reminds that 2020 is the final year of the Multiannual Framework (MFF) for 2014-2020 despite the fact that programmes need to be finished only in 2023 and at the same time the year of the adoption of the MFF 2021-2027, the NextGenEU and the Rule of Law conditionality mechanism;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the PIF report highlights the risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic both in terms of revenue and expenditure; notes in particular that customs fraud appears to have affected EU Member States to differing degrees; notes, moreover, that the use of simplified procedures and the lower quality of tender specifications in the emergency pose risks to competitive public procurement, in particular by increasing the risk of conflicts of interest and corruption, and by inflating costs or reducing the quality of implementation; notes that proper focus was given to healthcare sector and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the additional risks;
Amendment 11 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Is of the opinion that the experiences earned during the COVID-19 outbreak require specific consideration in the framework of the post-evaluation of the MFF 2014-2020; asks the Commission to duly integrate in such evaluations the aspects related to risk assessment, risk management and mitigating measures in respect of irregularities and frauds, as components of a comprehensive analysis on effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance and EU added value and as lessons for future design and conduct; is of the opinion that the post-evaluation of the MFF should be concluded latest before the midterm evaluation of the MFF 2021-2027 in order to learn from the past to better prepare for the future vis a vis allow the drawn conclusions/lessons learned to be channelled into the improvement of the MFF 2021-2027; asks the Commission to in the post evaluation of the MFF 2014-2020 examine how this multiannual framework reached its targets, how the spending of the programmes contributed to the goals of the EU and the Member States and how the EU funds were affected by fraud and corruption in this period;
Amendment 12 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the total number of fraudulent and non-fraudulent irregularities reported in 2020 amounted to 9 72611 755 cases overall, and involved a value of approximately EUR 1.3346 billion; notes the new approach of the long-term budget 2021–2027, which focuses on the EU added value;
Amendment 14 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Takes note of the number of fraudulent irregularities reported in 2020 (9891056 cases) and their related financial value (approximately EUR 361.4274 million);
Amendment 15 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Takes into consideration the fact that the number of non-fraudulent irregularities registered in 2020 (8 73710699 cases, of which 5 3716696 cases related to expenditure) was lower than in the previous years, and that the drop in detection and reporting in certain areas of spending cannot easily be explained and is of concern; notes that the total related financial value of these cases is approximately EUR 967.02 m1.09 billion;
Amendment 18 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes from the 2021 VAT Gap Report that in 2019 the EU VAT Gap dropped to EUR 134 billion in nominal terms (a decrease of almost EUR 6.6 billion with respect to 2018); notes moreover that the study provides fast estimates for 2020 only for 18 Member States due to significant changes in the tax regimes and structures of the economies following the outbreak of the pandemic which do not allow yet to judge whether the EU-wide VAT Gap will decline or incline in 2020; notes that the econometric analyses confirmed that the VAT Gap is influenced by a group of factors, of which, within the control of tax administrations, the share of IT expenditure and the application of additional information obligations for taxpayers proved to have the highest statistical significance in explaining the size of the VAT Gap;
Amendment 22 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that over the past five years, the annual recovery rate has varied between 52 % and 71 % and that the recovery rate for cases reported in 2020 is currently 71 %; notes, however, that recovery rates vary among the Member States owing to factors such as the type of fraud or irregularity, or the type of debtor involved; notes that China remained also in 2020 the most important country of origin of goods affected by fraudulent and non-fraudulent irregularities;
Amendment 24 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that, over the period 2016- 2020, the detection of fraud in the context of the common agricultural policy (CAP) was concentrated in a small number of Member States and that this was not substantiated by a similar level of payments to those Member States from the CAP budget; notes moreover that, the majority of fraudulent irregularities concerning support to agriculture involved the use of false documents or false requests for aid, and that their number remained largely stable; observes furthermore that, as a proportion of the payments received by the Member States, the rural development part of the budget was more affected by fraud than support for agriculture, with the exception of market measures, for which incidences of fraud were higher than for rural development; notes that in relation to rural development, the falsification of documents was the main fraudulent practice; Underlines that more investigations need to be carried out and further appropriate measures to be put in place against the use of EU funds in agriculture-related activities by companies that do not respect employment laws or fundamental rights of workers, as attested by the situation of workers in agriculture especially during the COVID19 pandemic;
Amendment 28 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes that between 2016 and 2020, the number of irregularities reported related to the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Fisheries Funds for the 2014-2020 programming period increased; stresses, however, that for all funds, and in particular the European Regional Development Fund, as regards non- fraudulent irregularities, this increase was limited, highlighting an exceptional fall in the number of detected irregularities (and related financial amounts) in comparison to the previous programming period; notes moreover, that in relation to the 2007- 2013 programming period the number of fraudulent and non-fraudulent irregularities decreased for the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Fisheries Funds, in line with the implementation cycle; notes that a number of implementation rules changed between the two programming periods;
Amendment 29 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Is of the opinion that companies and organisations which involve offshore companies and organisations into their ownership structures should be excluded from the use of EU funds;
Amendment 30 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3 a (new)
Subheading 3 a (new)
External dimension of Protection of the EU’s financial interests
Amendment 33 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Is of the opinion that EU institutions and bodies should put more emphasis on the funds spent in non-EU countries in order to verify that those funds are spent in accordance with the rules and without the involvement of fraud or corruption, and to confirm whether they contribute to the goals of the Union’s development and external policy; recommends the suspension of budget support in third countries where corruption is widespread and where authorities manifestly fail to take genuine action, while ensuring that the assistance reaches the civil population through other channels;
Amendment 34 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Recommends the mainstreaming of an anti-corruption approach into EU external action instruments, including in the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance (IPA) and EU trust funds; calls for stronger priority for the fight against corruption in pre-accession negotiations and criteria with a strong conditionality framework and a focus on capacity building, such as specialised anti-corruption bodies;
Amendment 36 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20 b. Calls for an inclusion in all EU- third country trade and investment agreements a strong and mandatory conditionality framework with transparency provisions and binding and enforceable anti-corruption clauses; recommends that as a last resort, the EU should impose sanctions or suspend agreements in the event of serious acts of corruption;
Amendment 38 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)
Paragraph 20 c (new)
20 c. Calls for a monitoring of corruption risks involved in authoritarian third countries’ large-scale construction and investment projects undertaken in Member States, with particular attention to transparency in these projects, which often raises concerns about non- transparent financing or fiscal risks;
Amendment 39 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls for a greater degree of digitalisation, interoperability of data systems and harmonisation of reporting, monitoring and auditing in the EU; calls on the Commission to explore the possibility of using AI in the service of the protection of the EU’s financial interests; Is of the opinion that all EU bodies working in the field of Protection of the EU’s financial interest including Eurojust and Europol should have access to data systems such as ARACHNE and EDES;
Amendment 43 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls on the Member States to use the ARACHNE risk scoring tool in the MFF 2021-2027 and the NextGenerationEU recovery plan, especially with regard to the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF); believes that ARACHNE should be indicated as a one of the main tools endowing the national anti- fraud strategies (NAFS) that the Member States are expected to adopt in order to improve the integration of anti-fraud architecture; Calls on the Commission to assess, and to report to the Parliament, the reasons preventing the Member states from fully adopting and using ARACHNE; Calls on the Commission to make the use of ARACHNE compulsory for the MFF and the RRF as well;
Amendment 45 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Urges the Commission to extend the scope of the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) to include the funds under shared management in the context of the revision of the Financial Regulation; recalls the observations of Parliament outlined in its resolution of 24 November 2021 on the revision of the Financial Regulation as regards the use of digital tools and the data on the final beneficiaries of EU funds;
Amendment 47 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that by June 2021, two thirds of the actions of the Commission’s 2019 anti-fraud strategy had been implemented, while implementation of the remaining third was ongoing; calls on the Commission to report on the implementation of the remaining actions; notes, moreover, that good progress was made on a number of actions aimed at increasing coordination and cooperation between Commission departments and equipping the Commission with a more effective system of anti-fraud oversight; notes that the monitoring of the follow up to OLAF recommendations was made more efficient in 2020, taking stock of about 1 400 financial recommendations issued between January 2012 and June 2019;
Amendment 56 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes that by the end of 2020, 14 Member States reported having adopted a NAFS, up from 10 in 2019; notes, however, that these strategies vary in scope and depth and that some need to be updated; calls for more Member States to adopt a NAFS and to report it to the Commission; calls on the Commission to provide tangible support and advice to the Member States, by way of guidelines on drafting NAFS, advisory services on the setting and functioning of AFCOS, and reiterates its call for analyses of the adopted NAFS and on the reasons why in some Member States a NAFS is not adopted;
Amendment 64 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Recognises the principle of confidentiality of OLAF investigations; is of the opinion however that there is an overarching public interest and the EU citizens also have the right to access to those reports and recommendations in which OLAF investigations, and all national follow up procedures are closed as recognised by the CJEU in Case T- 517/19; therefore asks OLAF to set up a mechanism to publish those reports and recommendations for which there is no more legitimate reason to maintain the principle of confidentiality;
Amendment 66 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Takes note of the working arrangement signed on 3 September 2021 for a framework cooperative relationship between both the EPPO the ECA; notes, moreover, the administrative arrangements signed in 2019 between the OLAF and the European Court of Auditors;
Amendment 67 #
2021/2234(INI)
32. Welcomes the fact that the EPPO became operational on 1 June 2021; expectwelcomes its first annual report very soon; deeply regrets that there are still five Member States not participating in the EPPO; calls on these Member States to join the EPPO as soon as possible; welcomes that EPPO opened 576 investigations and that EPPO requested that €154.3 million be seized, of which the seizure of €147 million was granted; is concerned about the estimation of the EPPO on the total damages of EUR 5.4 billion caused by fraud and corruption; deeply regrets that there are still five Member States amongst them Poland and Hungary as biggest beneficiaries of the EU funds are not participating in the EPPO; calls on these Member States to join the EPPO as soon as possible; urges furthermore the non- participating Member States to sign cooperation agreements with EPPO; is of the opinion that the failure of Member States to cooperate with the EPPO has a direct effect on the protection of the EU’s financial interest; calls on the Commission to incentivise participation in EPPO with positive measures;
Amendment 69 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Welcomes the joint efforts of OLAF and Europol to assess the threats and vulnerabilities of the RRF instrument; welcomes 'Operation Sentinel' launched by Europol which intends to focus on proactive intelligence sharing, information exchange and supporting the coordination of operations to tackle fraud against COVID-19 EU recovery funds; welcomes the involvement of EPPO and OLAF and 19 EU Member States; is concerned about the fact those Member States which are major beneficiary of the Cohesion Funds, amongst others Poland, Hungary or Bulgaria do not participate in the operation; calls on all Member States to join to the operation; furthermore calls on the Member States to cooperate closely with one another and the EU bodies to allow action to be taken against fraud involving several countries;
Amendment 74 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Notes that in July 2020 the Council appointed the 22 European prosecutors; recalls that the EPPO is to work hand in hand with national law enforcement authorities and that it exercises the function of prosecutor in the competent courts of the participating Member States while at the same time closely cooperating with EU agencies and bodies such as Eurojust, Europol and OLAF; notes that this peculiar position is designed to allow EPPO drawing upon the existing experience and best practices at national and EU level; expects the Commission to duly consider EPPO reassessment of its staff needs based on its workload experience and to implement the needed financial adjustments to guarantee EPPO operational effectiveness and efficiency;
Amendment 81 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38 a. Welcomes the judgements of the CJEU of 16 February 2022 and its conclusions confirming that the EU indeed has competences regarding the Rule of Law in the Member States that the Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism is in line with EU law;
Amendment 83 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Is of the opinion that it is high time for the Commission to fulfil its duties as ‘gGuardian of the Treaties’ and to tackle the ongoing violations of the principles of the rule of law in several Member States, which represent a serious danger to the Union’s financial interests; calls on the Commission, therefore, to take urgent action andwelcomes the announcement of the Commission to apply the Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism immediately by sending a written notification under Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 to Hungary; is of the opinion that the rule of law is a universal concept and the Commission should consider the application of the Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism against all Member States which fail to respect the rule of law without discrimination; warns that the delay might already have detrimental impact on the financial interest of the EU and the state of the rule of law in certain Member States;
Amendment 87 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Recognises the importance of the annual rule of law report and the fact that the fight against corruption is an integral part of the report; is of the opinion, however, that it cannot substitute the anti- corruption report; welcomes the Commission’s intention to equip the rule of law report with specific recommendations to the Member States; is of the opinion that the Commission should consider the establishment of a “Corruption Index” based on a strict and easy to apply criteria should reflect upon the opinion about the performance of the Member states in fighting corruption and add it to the anti- corruption chapter of the Rule of Law report;
Amendment 96 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Considers that the financing of the EU has entered a new era with the adoption of the NextGenerationEU recovery plan and that this provides the EU’s anti-fraud architecture with additional challenges; is therefore strongly of the opinion that the anti-fraud architecture needs to be further strengthened; stresses that OLAF, the EPPO, Europol and Eurojust are understaffed and lacking in financial resources especially in light of the new mandates adopted to Eurojust and Europol; reminds the Commission and the Council that every euro spent on monitoring and investigation returns to the EU budget;
Amendment 103 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Reiterates the unsatisfactory level of analysis provided in the annexes to the PIF report regarding cases of conflicts of interest; calls for the Commission to engage in such analysis, following the amendment of the Article 61 of the Financial Regulation and the issue on 7 April 2021 to the benefit of the Member States of the ‘Guidance on the avoidance and management of conflicts of interest under the Financial Regulation’;
Amendment 104 #
2021/2234(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission and the Member States.
Amendment 21 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 29
Citation 29
— having regard to its previous resolutions on the Middle East peace process, in particular that of 18 May 2017 on achieving the two-state solution in the Middle East5 , and the resolution of 14 December 2022 on the prospects of the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine; _________________ 5 OJ C 307, 30.8.2018, p. 113.
Amendment 57 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas the first month of 2023 has been marked by a cycle of violence, with around 30 Palestinians killed by the Israeli Defense Forces, including 9 Palestinians killed in the Jenin Refugee Camp; whereas 7 people have been killed in a brutal attack by a Palestinian terrorist in a synagogue in East Jerusalem;
Amendment 76 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas EU assistance provides vital budget support to the PA through the PEGASE programme; whereas since the beginning of the current multiannual financial framework, EU assistance to Palestine has been ad hoc; whereas the 2021-2024 joint strategy provides a basis on which annual action programmes can be adopted, but a multiannual prospect for concrete funding is still lacking; whereas it is necessary to continue implementing an effective process and a scrutinized review of the designation of EU funds;
Amendment 85 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas EU funding includes a multiannual contribution to UNRWA, whose work Parliament continually supports and advocates to be continued with a strong focus on promoting education based on peacebuilding, reconciliation, tolerance, co-existence and non-violence in view of the crucial role played by the Agency for the promotion of stability and development in the region, keeping alive the prospects of sustainable peace;
Amendment 102 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas in 2011, the UN Ad Hoc Liaison Committee concluded that Palestinian institutions are ready for statehood; whereas however, since then, the democratic status of Palestine has deteriorated owing to the ongoing occupation, pressure from radical groups and internal problems, as well as worsening rule of law and corruption;
Amendment 161 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(a a) condemn the recent terror attack in a Jerusalem synagogue which led to the death of seven people;
Amendment 162 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
(a b) call for an immediate end to all act of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, to reverse this spiral of violence and engage in meaningful efforts to restart peace negotiations;
Amendment 171 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) continue to underline that Israeli settlements in the oPt are illegal; call for an end to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution on the ground and call for breaking the cycle of violence;
Amendment 182 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) stress the importance of education in the building of prospects for a two-state solution; reiterates its position that all schoolbooks and school materials must be in line with UNESCO standards of peace, tolerance, coexistence and non-violence;
Amendment 194 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) support Palestinian calls for renewed and inclusive political representation; strongly urge the PA and President Abbas to hold free and fair national elections in order to strengthen the legitimacy of the Palestinian political leadership; recall in this respect that Hamas is listed in the EU's list of terrorist organizations; call on Israel to respect its obligations to allow these elections to take place in East Jerusalem; promote the participation of youth and women;
Amendment 198 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) support Palestinian calls for renewed and inclusive political representation; strongly urge the PA and President Abbas to hold free, credible, inclusive, transparent and fair national elections in order to strengthen the legitimacy of the Palestinian political leadership; call on Israel to respect its obligations to allow these elections to take place in East Jerusalem; promote the participation of youth and women;
Amendment 205 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(d a) deploy an EU election observation mission to the oPt upon the announcement of general elections;
Amendment 233 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) demand that the PA establish independent and reliable mechanisms to investigate occurrences of torture or ill- treatment; and other human rights violations;
Amendment 262 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point l a (new)
(l a) better monitor the implementation of clear differentiation policies within the EU;
Amendment 282 #
2021/2207(INI)
Amendment 283 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point o
Paragraph 1 – point o
(o) continue its support to the work of the Central Elections Commission and to engage with relevant actors to support the electoral process; actively offer to deploy an EU election observation mission to the oPt upon the announcement of general elections;
Amendment 329 #
2021/2207(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point t b (new)
(t b) increase the visibility of EU actions on the ground through a better and more strategic communication;
Amendment 5 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. Whereas the Declaration on human rights defenders adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly in 1998, identifies human rights defenders as individuals or groups who act to promote, protect or strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means;
Amendment 9 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Guidelines, adopted in 2004 and revised in 2008, have gradually become the framework of reference for EU institutions, EU delegations, Member States’ diplomatic missions and EU leaders to promote and ensure respect for the rights of HRDs and to protect HRDs at risk of attacks and threats from state and non-state actors; whereas the European Parliament constantly calls for a proper and coordinated implementation of the EU Guidelines;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas consistent, coherent EU action to support and protect HRDs can have a significant impact, such as when Member States’ missions and EU delegations coordinate their action, including by raising specific cases both bilaterally and in multilateral fora;
Amendment 12 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas women human rights defenders are more at risk of being subjected to certain forms of violence and other violations, prejudice, exclusion, and repudiation than their male counterparts;
Amendment 18 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the EU, as a powerful economic actor, has the capacity to influence the situation of human rights and HRDs worldwide by integrating a human rights-based approach into its trade and investment policies in a coherent manner;
Amendment 24 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the new EU global human rights sanctions regime (EU Magnitsky Act) allows the EU to target serious human rights violations and abuses worldwide;
Amendment 29 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas there has been a substantial increase in the number, range and severity of attacks on HRDs and their families and lawyers in recent years; whereas the global analysis published by the NGO Front Line Defenders reported that 358 HRDs had been killed across 35 countries in 2021 alone, and since under-reporting is common, the actual figure is likely to be much higher; whereas 227 environmental defenders were killed in 2020, with more than half of those killings occurring in only three countries, Colombia, Mexico and the Philippines, according to the NGO Global Witness; whereas a large number of HRDs are under threat and attack because they raise concerns about the adverse human rights impacts of business operations, often in the context of large development projects that affect access to land and livelihoods; whereas according to several sources land and environmental rights defenders are the most targeted HRD groups;
Amendment 41 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Praises and thanks all human rights defenders for their courageous and crucial work for humanity andin defence of human rights as well as for the planet; acknowledges that they have to do their work under increasingly difficult circumstances and often at a heavy cost for them, their families and their communities;
Amendment 42 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Praises and thanks all human rights defenders for their courageous and crucial work for humanity and the planet; acknowledges that they have to do their work under increasingly difficult circumstances and often at a heavy personal cost for them, their families and their communities;
Amendment 47 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for the EU to put its ambitious rhetoric and HRD policy frameworkfurther strengthen its HRD policy framework by continuously putting into practice through concrete and effective action in third countries, in particular in its relations with authoritarian regimes in places where the EU and the Member States have association, trade, investment or cooperation agreements, or substantial commercial, energy, security, migratory and other interests;
Amendment 52 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the EU to implement a genuine Team Europe approach to HRDs, encouraging those Member States not yet active on HRD issues to develop a policydedicated strategy and policy framework, joining forces on the diplomatic and funding fronts and bringing together a broad coalition of governmental and non- governmental stakeholders, while representing and pursuing the same approach in their bilateral relations as well;
Amendment 53 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Believes that such an approach, through which all EU institutions – from the EEAS to the Commission, European financial institutions, Parliament and the Member States –, including the EU Special Representative for Human Rights would work together on implementing the Guidelines, would prove effective in helping to counter the global backsliding of human rights and democracy; stresses the need to apply a gender specific implementation of the guidelines;
Amendment 55 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the efforts by many EU delegations and Member States’ missions to give visibility and recognition to HRDs, in particular by establishing local human rights working groups with staff from EU missions, proactively reaching out to and holding regular meetings with HRDs, conducting systematic field visits to areas where HRDs are at risk (such as in Mexico and Colombia), developing rosters of diplomats for trial monitoring (for example in Russia), recognising outstanding contributions by HRDs through annual awards (for example in Uganda and Honduras), providing emergency support to HRDs, challenging laws that criminalise HRDs and supporting the development of HRD protection networks; highlights, as an example of best practice, the innovative #DefendamosLaVida initiative launched by the EU delegations and Member States’ missions in Colombia and, most recently, Mexico;
Amendment 61 #
2021/2204(INI)
10. Regrets, however, the fact that, due to the voluntarist nature of the Guidelines, the intensity and quality of EU delegations’ engagement with and on HRDs vary considerably from country to country and are in practice largely dependent on the local political context or the individual dedication and political will of the specific EU ambassador or staff in question, or of the officials at the EEAS and Commission headquarters; calls for greater consistency and a strategic overall approach in this regard and for a firm personal commitment by the VP/HR office to ensuring the consistent implementation of the Guidelines across all delegations, particularly in the countries where HRDs are most at risk;
Amendment 67 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Is encouraged by reports of improved coordination between EU delegations and Member States in the area of HRD protection, particularly through the practice of burden sharing and joint public diplomacy; regrets the fact that only a few Member States, such as Ireland and Finland, have adopted their own national HRD guidelines; calls on Member States to step up their efforts to achieve broader and more consistent engagement on the protection of HRDs and to set up their own HRD guidelines, which are in line with those of the European Union;
Amendment 73 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls for more public engagement by the VP/HR and the EU Special Representative for the safeguarding of Human Rights, including with regard to individual HRDs; encourages the VP/HR and the Commissioners to commit to systematically meeting with HRDs during their visits abroad and to raise at the highest level the plight of HRDs under attack, including those persecuted, intimidated, detained, arbitrarily imprisoned or forced to flee their country, including through public statements when appropriate;
Amendment 81 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the EU’s substantial and steadily increasing financial contribution to supporting HRDs worldwide, which makes it the lead donor in this regard, as well as its efforts to heighten flexibility and the development of various programmes to support human rights and HRDs, including when HRDs work in exile; emphasises the unique role of the civil society-run ProtectDefenders.eu mechanism in providing invaluable practical support for HRDs at risk; calls on the Commission to put greater emphasis on communicating these efforts publicly in order to reinforce the European Union’s image as the most prominent human rights defender entity in the world;
Amendment 84 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Warns of the active role of numerous government-organised non- governmental organisations (GONGOs) that present themselves as legitimate civil society organisations and calls on the EU and its Member States to avoid any promotion of these organisations or any form of association with them;
Amendment 85 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. HighlightCondemns the rise in attacks on HRDs’ families, communities and lawyers worldwide; stresses that these attacks also occur while in exile and are intended to inflict pain, fear, anguish, and a sense of vulnerability in order to humiliate and degrade the victims and break their physical and moral resistance accordingly, reiterates the importance of using the Commission’s emergency grants, ProtectDefenders.eu and the crisis facility to increase protection and support for these family members, bearing in mind the diverse family units that exist, and HRDs’ lawyers;
Amendment 87 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Underlines the need to invest more in HRDs’ overall long-term protection and psychosocial welfare, including by taking a more preventative approach in order to anticipate serious problems, such as assaults, in addition to implementing reactive measures focused on individuals; highlights that in its overall approach, HRD protection must prioritise preventive measures to reactive ones;
Amendment 98 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 – indent 9
Paragraph 18 – indent 9
- the development of a strategy to work for the release of HRDsarbitrarily detained HRDs or those in long-term detention;
Amendment 101 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 – indent 9 a (new)
Paragraph 18 – indent 9 a (new)
- Assistance to develop adequate protection mechanisms against new threats against HRDs, including cyberattacks or online harassment;
Amendment 113 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the recent efforts by EU delegations and Member States’ missions in some third countries to reach out to activists who do not match the traditional notion of HRDs; encourages the EU to pursue a broad approach to HRDs, particularly by engaging with and providing support for local and grassroots HRDs and especially marginalised and vulnerable HRDs, such as those operating in remote areas and vulnerable groups, including women, all of whom are at greater risk of experiencing violence and restrictions;
Amendment 114 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Acknowledges the multiple and intersecting forms of violence and discrimination faced by women human rights defenders, including sexual and gender-based violence; urges countries to adopt effective measures to protect women defenders and to consider integrating a gender perspective into their efforts to investigate threats and attacks against human rights defenders;
Amendment 116 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Commission to prioritise women HRDs’ access to protection mechanisms and resources, and provide increased funding to independent civil society organisations that promote the rights of women and girls;
Amendment 122 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that the EU should address climate activism as an integral human rights issue under its HRD policy and step up its action in support of those defending the climate and the environment, especially those environmental and indigenous peoples’ rights defenders who are most at risk;
Amendment 127 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the EEAS, the Commission and the Member States to address the threats against and attacks on HRDs by non-governmental actors, including criminal groups and local communitiehostile interest groups, as well as threats in conflict and transition settings; urges the EU to integrate violence against HRDs into its crisis management policy and provide an effective protection response to HRDs in need of relocation in crisis situations;
Amendment 131 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the EEAS, the Commission and the Member States to prioritise the fight against the misuse of surveillance technology to undermine the work of HRDs, particularly through the development of robust national and international legislation and, in the immediate future, the adoption of a global moratorium on the sale and transfer of such technology to countries with a poor human rights track record;
Amendment 141 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls for the EU to align its HRD strategies with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; underlines that EU delegations and Member States should prioritisefocus on engaging with the business community, and particularly European companies abroad, in order to protect HRDs working on land, extraction and manufacturing concerns and monitor their operations, especially in situations involving a risk or reports of human rights violations relating to their activities concerning the entire value chain of a company’s commercial activity;
Amendment 146 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Highlights the increasing phenomenon of transnational threats against HRDs by their national authorities or proxies, including in Member States; calls on the Commission and the Member States to identify and tackle these threats within the EU as a priority and as an integral aspect of the Guidelines; urges the Commission and the Member States to provide foreign HRDs residing in the EU with adequate financial and other means to enable them to continue their human rights work remotely and without fearing retaliation;
Amendment 148 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Calls on the Commission to investigate particularly concerning cases of third countries persecuting human rights defenders in EU Member States through operating unlawful overseas representations of their domestic authorities without the knowledge or consent of Member States authorities;
Amendment 151 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Notes the improvement of EU support for relocating HRDs at risk and the adoption of best practice in some Member States, such as Ireland and Spain, but deplores the fact that many HRDs and their families continue to see their urgent relocation or visa requests denied;
Amendment 163 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34 a. Calls on Member States authorities to set up protection mechanisms for HRDs who are at risk of continued harassment and persecution by their home countries even after being granted visas in a Member State;
Amendment 165 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Stresses that, as an integral member of Team Europe, Parliament should be fully integrated into the EU policy on HRDs, including through regular dialogue, when needed in a confidential setting, on key issues and policy developments in relation to the Guidelines, as well as through the Commission and Member States acting swiftly on its requests to initiate targeted sanctions for severe repression against HRDs; suggests that the concerns and recommendations expressed in its urgency resolutions be included in local strategies; calls on EU delegations to pay special attention to Sakharov Prize laureates;
Amendment 166 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 – indent 6
Paragraph 38 – indent 6
- systematic efforts by its missions to meet with arbitrarily jailed HRDs and their immediate family members, or to carry out trial observation, when deemed helpful for HRDs and their family members;
Amendment 169 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Resolves to ensure that its key resolutions on human rights, in particular urgency resolutions, are translated into the local languages of the countries concerned and published and distributed accordingly; calls for adequate follow-up of EP resolutions;
Amendment 178 #
2021/2204(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Regrets the lack of an in-depth, specific analysis by the EEAS and the Commission of the implementation of the Guidelines since 2008; calls for a comprehensive assessment of EU action on HRDs in the framework of the mid-term review of the implementation of the action plan on human rights and democracy 2020- 2024, scheduled for June 2023; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to, if necessary, expand their respective units with more officials working on HRD protection issues;
Amendment 6 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget (the Conditionality Regulation) integrated the conditionality mechanism into a wider framework, requiring the Commission to use its own annual rule of law reports as a source for its assessments under the Regulation; calls, once again, on the Commission to implement the Conditionality Regulation without any further delay; recalls that for budget-related measures in the event of violations of the rule of law in a Member State, the competences of parliamentary committees should be determined on the basis of Annex VI of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure if the infringements under the Conditionality Regulation procedure are dealt with in Parliament;
Amendment 7 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Welcomes the European Court of Justice decision to reject the actions brought by Hungary and Poland against the Conditionality Regulation; deplores the time wasted since its entry into force by the European Commission, who unilaterally decided to abide by non- binding European Council conclusions, which led the European Parliament to take action under Article 265 TFEU for failure to act; highlights that the Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law Report contains multiple and detailed examples of breaches of the rule of law that fall within the scope of the Conditionality regulation, which should have led the European Commission to trigger the conditionality mechanism a long time ago;
Amendment 8 #
2021/2180(INI)
1 b. Strongly regrets the fact that the Commission’s failure to act since January 2021 has let the rule of law situation to deteriorate in several Member States, as shown in the Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law Report;
Amendment 13 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls its resolution of 8 July 2021 on the creation of guidelines for the application of the Conditionality Regulation; insists that the Commission include in its annual rule of law reports a section dedicated to cases where rule of law breaches in a Member State could affect or seriously risk affecting the sound financial management of the Union budget or the protection of the Union’s financial interests in a sufficiently direct way; calls on the Commission to conclude each country chapter with a ‘traffic light’ assessment of the fulfilment of the conditions of the Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation;
Amendment 14 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls its resolution of 8 July 2021 on the creation of guidelines for the application of the Conditionality Regulation; insists that the Commission include in itsa more direct link between the Commission’s annual Rule of Law Report and the triggering of the Conditionality Regulation should be established, for example by including in the annual rule of law reports a section dedicated to cases where rule of law breaches in a Member State could affect or seriously risk affecting the sound financial management of the Union budget or the protection of the Union’s financial interests in a sufficiently direct way ;
Amendment 17 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Regrets that the Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law Report is mostly descriptive and lacking clear conclusions, with precise follow-up actions and proposals of remedial measures ; regrets also the lack of prioritisation of the breaches of the rule of law listed in the report, with the same attention and tone given to systemic major breaches and to isolated minor ones; calls therefore on the Commission to address these shortcomings and improve the annual report to transform it into a comprehensive tool to be used by Member States to fix the identified rule of law breaches;
Amendment 22 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. 3. Stresses that the four areas assessed in the 27 country chapters of the Commission’s 2021 rule of law report (the justice system, the anti-corruption framework, media pluralism, and other institutional checks and balances) are key interdependent pillars for upholding the rule of law, fighting fraud and corruption and protecting the Union’s financial interests; is of the opinion that other important elements of the Venice Commission’s 2016 Rule of Law Checklist should be included into the evaluation, particularly a chapter on shrinking civic space; welcomes the evaluation of the effects of COVID-19 on the four issues assessed; highlights the importance of continuing this evaluation in future annual rule of law reports; points out that COVID- 19 pandemic has shortened legislative processes and reduced parliamentary debate and shortened or stopped consultation of civil society and other stakeholders;
Amendment 25 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Considers that the European Union should lead by example in its respect for the rule of law principles; reiterates therefore its call to the European Commission include in its annual Rule of Law Report an assessment of the EU institutions’ performance in the areas addressed by the report, where applicable;
Amendment 32 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that corruption prevention policies cover many fields, typically including ethical rules, awareness-raising measures, rules on asset disclosures, incompatibilities and conflicts of interest, internal control mechanisms, rules on lobbying, and revolving doors; reiterates the role of national measures in preventing fraud and corruption; calls on further corruption prevention measures on European level including transparency of ownership structures, prohibition of involvement of offshore or shell companies into the spending of European funds; reiterates the role of national measures in preventing fraud and corruption but considers that the EU institutions need to be fully equipped to prevent and investigate fraud and corruption;
Amendment 36 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Notes with great concern the deteriorating situation of freedom of expression, protection of the right to information, and protection of journalists in 2021 compared to 2020 according to the Media Pluralism Monitor; recalls that media pluralism and media freedom is essential for the protection of the EU’s financial interests as investigative journalism is often at the source of the identification of issues such as corruption, fraud, or conflicts of interest in the use of EU funds;
Amendment 41 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Is concerned about the Commission’s 2021 Rule of Law Report’s findings that, in some countries, the state- sponsored harassment and intimidation of the LGBTI organisations is affecting their ability to access funding; calls on the Commission to take a closer look at the issue and to make sure that the non- discrimination principle governing the access to EU funds is fully complied with, everywhere in the EU; considers that these findings reinforce the long-standing position of Parliament that the scope of the Rule of Law report should be broadened to include all Article 2 TEU values;
Amendment 45 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Amendment 53 #
2021/2180(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Regrets the fact that the report fails to clearly recognise the deliberate process of the rule of law backsliding in Poland and Hungary which can result in further backsliding not only in the above mentioned Member States but it seriously risk affecting other Member States in the Union as well;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Whereas recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic must strive to address long-standing vulnerabilities of our regions and go beyond addressing the health impacts of COVID-19 to tackle the persistent inequalities; Stresses therefore, that the development of the social economy must harness the full potential of social economy enterprises and organisations to ensure a strong economic recovery, support entrepreneurship and to create high-quality jobs in all EU regions;
Amendment 20 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes note ofWelcomes the Commission’s action plan for the social economy and supports the proposals to improve social economy framework conditions, in particular regarding taxation, public procurement, State aid and access to EU programmes, as well as any kind of public funding, notably to the European Structural and Investment Funds;
Amendment 21 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Notes in particular the key role of European Structural and Investments Funds, including the ESF+ and the ERDF-CF, in financing social economy projects; recalls the specific objectives of the ESF+ in improving access to employment for all jobseekers, in particular young people, as well as through the promotion of self- employment and the social economy; further notes the specific objective PO 4 of the ERDF-CF of supporting a more social and inclusive Europe by enhancing the effectiveness and inclusiveness of labour markets and access to quality employment through developing social infrastructure and promoting social economy;
Amendment 26 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Highlights the importance of the social economy for rural development, and for regions which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps such as islands, outermost, cross-border and mountain regions, as a catalyst for the development of local resources and in countering depopulation, taking into account the importance of these actors in developing the social economy in rural areas and their links with urban areas, helping to maintain the population and to create greater social cohesion;
Amendment 30 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Reminds that the social economy is a way to solve urban challenges, including the risk of discrimination, poverty, inequality and social exclusion with a bottom-up approach, calls for funding needs to be directed at a local level, including those of urban areas;
Amendment 31 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3 c. Calls on the Commission to ensure that full gender equality is mainstreamed throughout the action plan for the social economy and that specific attention is given to fostering and supporting female- led social economy organisations, especially when it comes to access to funding;
Amendment 32 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3 d. Recalls that the gender pay gap in the EU stands at 14.1%, and around 24% of it is related to the overrepresentation of women in relatively low-paying sectors, such as care, health and education; points out the impact of unpaid care work on the gender pay gap, notes that while women often undertake both work and care responsibilities, 80 % of all care provided across the EU is provided by (unpaid) informal carers, 75 % of whom are women; believes that with access to EU funding, social economy organisations can have a leading role in tackling gender equality; asks the Commission to identify a clear role for social economy in the upcoming European care strategy;
Amendment 33 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
3 e. Notes the importance of promoting education and training in entrepreneurship through different forms of social economy at all educational levels, from primary to higher education (including both university education and vocational training) as a key driver of economic and social development in Europe;
Amendment 34 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Believes that the action plan should be accompanied by impact assessment tools and m, therefore calls on the Commissioni toring mechanisms and that the strengthen its mechanisms for monitoring and supporting social economy policies, including the collection of sex-disaggregated statistical data; notes that Member States shouldall set targets and objectives and organise a consultation process with relevant social economy actors and local and regional authorities, in accordance with the partnership principle;
Amendment 38 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to set up a new single EU Social Economy Gateway, urges the Commission to launch a call for proposals for the creation of European social economy contact points at the same time, facilitating access to EU funding for social enterprises, promoting the importance of capacity building and interregional cooperation, as well as enhancing the visibility of projects supported under the Cohesions fund;
Amendment 40 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Calls on the Member States to encourage the development of regional strategies for the social economy, and allocate financial resources according to locally defined priorities; Urges the Commission to publish detailed guidelines reflecting the diversity of legal forms of the social economy in Europe, that local and regional authorities can follow during the preparation of their strategies;
Amendment 42 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4 c. Notes that many local and regional authorities already have ambitious strategies and action plans to promote the social economy; calls on the Commission to support the sharing of best practices and existing initiatives among local and regional authorities, in order to promote the development of local and regional social economy ecosystems;
Amendment 44 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to make a quick and real improvement to the General Block Exemption Regulation in order to increase the de minimis threshold and ease the rules in relation to aid for social enter -prises, access to finance, training and capacity building; defends a real revision of public procurement with the inclusion of social and environmental conditionality.; and calls on the Commission to further promote socially responsible public procurement among European public authorities as a key tool to increase transparency in public procurement, to fight corruption, to foster competition and participation in public procurement by business actors of different sizes, and to promote socially responsible business practices; further highlights that socially responsible public procurement will play an important role in the implementation of National recovery and resilience plans, urges the Member States to enhance the use of social clauses in their tendering procedures;
Amendment 47 #
2021/2179(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Recommends the expansion of the scope of the European Social Economy Regions network to reinforce new regional and local partnerships in particular to boost digital and green transitions in territories.
Amendment 12 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the Commission acknowledged1a the need to reflect on amendments to the Financial Regulation that prevent selecting bidders that can be in a situation of conflict of interests and to improve implementation guidelines (Vademecum on public procurement) on the application of the notion of conflicting professional interests; _________________ 1a Case 853/2020/KR
Amendment 15 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas respect for the rule of law is an essential precondition for compliance with the principles of sound financial management;
Amendment 71 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Reiterates that ensuring the respect of all the values enshrined in article 2 of the TEU is a form of ensuring the protection of the EU budget and of the EU’s financial interests; highlights that Regulation 2021/1060 (CPR) equipped the Commission with strong ex-ante control mechanisms to ensure that managing authorities are in full compliance with the respect of EU values, in particular the non-discrimination principle; believes, however, that there is still a strong risk that final beneficiaries of EU funds use them in a way that is not compliant with EU values throughout their execution; calls therefore on the Commission to include in the Financial Regulation provisions setting out ex-post control mechanisms and procedures ensuring that every euro of the EU budget is used for projects or organisations that respect EU values, in addition to existing mechanisms; believes that a mandatory single, inter-operable and transparent database of direct and ultimate beneficiaries of EU funds would facilitate the detection of such breaches of EU values;
Amendment 75 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Highlights that the role of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is to investigate and prosecute fraud against the budget of the European Union and other crimes against the EU's financial interests; underlines the importance of cooperation between the EU institutions, the Member States, and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) with the EPPO; calls on the remaining Member States to ensure that their European and Delegated Prosecutors are appointed in a timely and impartial manner; recalls the need to provide the EPPO with adequate resources in order to ensure its proper functioning;
Amendment 82 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Calls on the Member States and the Commission to ensure greater interoperability of IT systems, of existing European and national databases and data-mining tools for the purposes of risk analysis and detection of fraud;
Amendment 128 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that the Commission’s Vademecum on public procurement was last updated in January 2020; notes that the current definition of ‘professional conflict of interest’ is limited to a conflicting interest that affects the capacity of an economic operator to perform a contract; calls on the Commission to provide for a more explicit definition and to ensure that its implementation rules on public procurement do not permit the awarding of policy-related service contracts to undertakings that are under the economic control of a parent company or a group that owns shares related to activities that are not in line with the EU’s environmental, social and Green Deal objectives; believes that such a revised definition should take into account the risk of conflict of interests of a performer that is developing sectoral guidelines it will have to comply with, with particular scrutiny when it comes to policy-related projects and studies;
Amendment 130 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that the Commission’s Vademecum on public procurement was last updated in January 2020; notes that the current definition of ‘professional conflict of interest’ is limited to a conflicting inter but has not been made public nor shared with the European Parliament for opinion; requests that affects the capacity of an economic operatorthe Parliament should be able to perform a contract; calls on the Commission to provide for a more explicit definition and to ensure that its implementation rules on public procurement do not permit the awarding of policy-related service contracts to undertakings that are under the economic control of a parent company or a group that owns shares related to activities that are not in line with the EU’s environmental, social and Green Deal objectiveulate an opinion on future revision of the Commission’s Vademecum on public procurement; calls on the Commission to share regular updates with the Parliament’s relevant committees on the revision of its Vademecum before it is finalised either through the discharge procedure of the European Commission or during dedicated hearings;
Amendment 133 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Asks the Commission to amend Article 167 – c) of the Financial Regulation to include professional conflict of interests, that is based on a revised definition, to the list of criteria for awarding policy-related service contracts;
Amendment 134 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17 b. Stresses that the General Conditions of the Commission’s public procurement contracts for services contain standard provisions on professional conflicting interests with requirements from contractors to proactively notify situations that could constitute a conflict of interests; asks the Commission to perform additional checks and thorough verifications before the signature of the contract, in order to avoid relying on voluntary notifications only from the applicants and to better assess possible professional conflict of interests; calls on the Commission to develop adequate sanctions, such as a temporary ban from public tender procedures, for economic operators that would be found in a situation of professional conflict of interests;
Amendment 137 #
2021/2162(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Considers that all EU institutions conducting public procurement should publish clear rules on their websites regarding acquisition, expenditure and monitoring, as well as all contracts awarded with the fullest possible transparency; Notes the guidance provided by the Commission on using the public procurement framework in the emergency situation related to the COVID-19 crisis; encourages the Commission to gather and evaluate the experience of contracting authorities with the public procurement framework in this regard and to reflect the lessons learned in the Financial Regulation, by identifying criteria for defining exceptional/unusual circumstances in which temporary/framed/necessary flexibility in the implementation of public procurement rules can be applied;
Amendment 2 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2020 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Agency for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 4 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for the financial year 2020 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 42 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes the Court’s remark that, for the financial planning of its return operations, the Agency relies on estimates provided by the cooperating countries and that complete and timely availability of this information is crucial; notes the Court’s observation that in 2020 in one case a national authority included two previously unannounced return operations, totalling EUR 355 000, in a grant agreement at the financial closure of the action, resulting in a sudden budgetary deficit for the Agency, that forced the Agency to make an ex-post budgetary commitment, contravening the Agency’s Financial Regulation; acknowledges the dependence of the Agency on cooperating countries and calls on the Agency to be more strict in setting and enforcing standards related to completeness and timeliness for the receipt of information related to financial planning of operations, including the return operations; recalls that rules and principles of the Agency's Financial Regulation must be observed and respected in all situations;
Amendment 47 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls the discharge authority’s observations on the application of the unit- cost approach for the deployment of heavy technical equipment and calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority on the results of the suggested contacts with the Court and the Commission toand to urgently solve the issue of lacking supporting evidence;
Amendment 62 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Recalls that all of the Agency's operations and activities must be conducted in full compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1896, as well as the EU Staff and Financial Regulations;
Amendment 63 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2 a (new)
Subheading 2 a (new)
Fundamental rights and follow up to the 2019 discharge cycle
Amendment 64 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Notes with regret that in October 2020, journalistic investigations presented several allegations against the Agency, regarding its possible complicity in illegal migrant pushbacks in the Mediterranean Sea; notes that these allegations were supported by video footage of Frontex assets allegedly participating in such actions;
Amendment 65 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11 c. Recalls that these revelations have prompted the creation of a Parliament Frontex Scrutiny Working Group (FSWG) in order to investigate the exposed allegations; highlights that the FSWG "did not find conclusive evidence on the direct performance of pushbacks and/or collective expulsions by Frontex in the serious incident cases that could be examined by the FSWG", but concluded "that the Agency found evidence in support of allegations of fundamental rights violations in Member States with which it had a joint operation, but failed to address and follow-up on these violations promptly, vigilantly and effectively"; further notes that the FSWG “found deficiencies in Frontex’s mechanisms to monitor, report and assess fundamental rights situations and developments, and makes concrete recommendations for improvement", but "also identified gaps in the framework of cooperation with Member States, which may hamper the fulfilment of Frontex’s fundamental rights obligations"; notes that the FSWG expressed concern "about the lack of cooperation of the Executive Director to ensure compliance with some of the provisions of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation, notably on fundamental rights"; notes that the "FSWG takes the position that the Management Board should have played a much more proactive role in acknowledging the serious risk of fundamental rights violations and in taking action to ensure that Frontex fulfils its negative and positive fundamental rights obligations as enshrined in the Regulation";
Amendment 66 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11 d. Reminds that following these findings, Parliament, through its Resolution P9_TA(2021)0442 on the 2019 Discharge for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, decided to place a part of the Agency's 2022 budget in a reserve, to be released upon completion of six conditions; regrets that following negotiations for the 2022 budget this reserve was not implemented; reiterates however its previous position that failure to fulfill these conditions increased the risk for refusal of discharge for the 2020 financial year;
Amendment 67 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 e (new)
Paragraph 11 e (new)
11 e. Notes that, with respect to the six conditions established by the European Parliament in its previous resolution, the Agency has made so far the following progress: a) the 20 Fundamental Rights Monitors (FRM) posts available at AD level remain vacant and are to be filled in 2022;notes that this process is under the control of the Fundamental Rights Officer (FRO), conducted independently from the office of the Executive Director;welcomes the cooperation between Frontex and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in this recruitment; b) all three deputy executive directors have been recruited and have joined the Agency; c) the Executive Director signed the Standard Operating Procedure on the mechanism to withdraw the financing of, or suspend or terminate, or not launch Frontex activities, in accordance with Article 46 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1896;notes however that the Agency continues to operate in Hungary;acknowledges that additional safeguards have been put in place and all requests from Hungary for support are assessed on a case-by-case basis; d) the Executive Director signed, in April 2021, the Standard Operating Procedure on the Serious Incident Report mechanism;notes that a report on the practical implementation of this procedure has been presented by the Executive Director and the FRO, concluding that there is a need to further revise the procedure; e) the Agency has adopted special rules to guarantee the independence of the FRO, it has recruited and adopted a new FRO as well as a deputy FRO;notes that the Agency has drawn up a Fundamental Rights Strategy and Action Plan, it has adopted a specialised fundamental rights training curriculum for FRMs and has also revised its complaints mechanism;underlines however that the recruitment of the 40 FRMs, due for December 2020, is still ongoing; f) the Agency has completed the implementation of a competency management project and has adopted a value-adding knowledge management and need-to-know policy, while the implementation of the Situational Awareness and Monitoring Division’s Transformation Programme and a Human Resources capacity assessment are still in progress;
Amendment 68 #
Amendment 69 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 f (new)
Paragraph 11 f (new)
11 f. Recalls the fact that the European Anti-Fraud Office has initiated an investigation on the Agency over allegations of harassment, misconduct and migrant pushbacks; highlights that the investigation was finalised on 15 February 2022 and its outcome was partially presented to the Members of the Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee and Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on 28 February 2022, but has not yet been provided to the Members; further highlights that Members were only informed of the outcome through an oral presentation, without providing any supporting written materials; underlines that the findings exposed in this partial presentation raise serious concerns and do not provide sufficient information to support a decision on granting discharge to the Agency for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 77 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
Amendment 86 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes from the Agency’s replies to the Parliament’s written questions that in total 17 cases of harassment were reported to the Agency’s competent entities in 2020; calls on the Agency to carefully assess each case, taking a zero-tolerance approach to psychological or sexual harassment; welcomes the training received by the confidential counsellors and the actions undertaken to raise awareness among staff and inform staff on the confidential counsellors; welcomes the online awareness-raising sessions for executive, senior, and middle managers and team leaders, and that dedicated awareness sessions were organised to staff members that signed up for such sessions; calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority about the outcome of these cases;
Amendment 93 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Notes the establishment and operationalisation of the Agency's transparency register; calls on the Agency to comply with the highest standards of transparency and to have the transparency register regularly updated;
Amendment 94 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes the Court’s finding that on 1 September 2020 the Agency asked the Commission for permission to upgrade 100 AST posts into advanced-level posts (grade AD 7 or higher), for the standing corps and new tasks under the new mandate; notes that the Agency, in anticipation of the Commission’s reply, on 9 September 2020, sent out 47 offers to advanced-level candidates with the Commission informing the Agency that it had no legal authority to upgrade the posts, resulting in the Agency immediately withdrawing the 47 job offers; acknowledges the actions undertaken by the Agency to achieve the required clarity on its establishment plan from the Commission and the pressing nature of the required recruitmentsrecalls that this has exposed the Agency at an unnecessary risk of reputational damage and litigation; calls on the Agency and the Commission to improve their communication, closer aligning the Agency’s actions with the Commission’s decision-making processes to avoid such situations from re-occurring;
Amendment 96 #
2021/2146(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
Amendment 1 #
2021/2143(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Administrative Director of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2020 / Postpones its decision on granting the Administrative Director of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 2 #
2021/2143(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) for the financial year 2020 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 4 #
2021/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that in 2020 prosecutors from across the Union and beyond turned to the Agency for assistance in 8 799 cross- border criminal investigations, an increase of 13 % compared to 2019, and that 4 200 were new cases opened during 2020 and that 164 of these were related to the COVID-19 pandemic; welcomes that the Agency provided legal, financial and operational support to 268 joint investigation teams in 2020 and facilitated the execution of 1 284 European Arrest Warrants;
Amendment 7 #
2021/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Takes note ofNotes with appreciation the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to prevent harassment; welcomes that in 2020, the Agency offered refresher training on psychological and sexual harassment to all staff and additional training on conflict management and resolution was provided to the confidential counsellors and managers;
Amendment 8 #
2021/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, a number of weaknesses in the Agency’s audited public procurement procedures were detected; notes that in one case, where the Agency signed a framework contract with a single economic operator, the Court concluded that the use of this sort of framework contract was not appropriate for the nature of the services required (the leasing of vehicles), as the related market is subject to frequent fluctuations in price; acknowledges the Court’s observation that the Agency should have used a framework contract with a reopening of competition in order to ensure that the required services were acquired as economically as possible; notes the Agency’s reply to this observation and its commitment to prepare more robust ex- ante documentation aimed at clarifying why a certain procurement procedure has been followed; calls on the Agency to step up efforts to address such weaknesses in the future;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Regrets the fact that the CVs of senior management, external experts and in-house experts of the Agency are not published on its website; calls on the Agency to publish these CVs immediately; notes that the Agency has adopted an updated standard operating procedure on the management of conflicts of interest by Decision AD 2020- 44 of the administrative director and that no conflicts of interest were reported in 2020;
Amendment 11 #
2021/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes that the Agency responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by activating its business continuity plan, that a business continuity team was formed, and that, based on the team’s recommendations, the administrative director adopted measures to counter the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Agency’s staff and operational processes; expresses its satisfaction that the Agency maintained full operational continuity during the COVID-19 crisis; highlights the coordinating role that Agency has played in compiling and disseminating information on the main practical and legal issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic in the field of judicial cooperation in criminal matters, as well as providing information about the impact of national measures taken in this context; notes that the staff were expected to telework unless their job required physical presence in the Agency’s premises and that the Agency encouraged a flexible approach to the organisation of work, taking diverging staff needs into account; notes that data protection issues were considered in the assessment of IT tools and that software for secure teleworking and video- conferencing was introduced;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2020 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 2 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large- Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) for the financial year 2020 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 3 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. RegretNotes that budget-monitoring efforts during the financial year 2020 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 75,61 % which, although it represents an increase of 31,10 % compared to 2019, it is still well below the target; notes, furthermore, that the payment appropriations execution rate was 96,24 %, representing an increase of 3,96 % compared to 2019;
Amendment 6 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. NotWelcomes the signature of the TEF, the largest tender ever signed by the Agency; notes that the Agency presents the TEF as a significant innovation to the operational sourcing model of the Agency that is expected to generate important gains in the vendor and contract management process, including better value for money, economies of scale and faster procurement processes, while also reducing the Agency’s dependence on a relatively small number of vendors; welcomes the innovative approach, encourages the Agency to continue with that approach and calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority of whether the gains are materialising and on how the risks, inherent to the innovative approach, are being managed by the Agency;
Amendment 7 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that the Court found that the Agency signed a specific contract for software that was different from the software offered by the contractor in its tender for the associated framework contract; notes that the Agency did not modify the framework contract; notes that, according to the Court’s observation, acquiring a different product that is not included in the price offer, at a different price than the product originally offered, is a deviation from the framework contract; notes the Court’s conclusion that the specific contract is non-compliant with the framework contract as is the associated payment of EUR 10 399 834; notes that the Agency acknowledges the Court’s observations and states that it has taken measures to strengthen the alignunderlines that following the issuance of the Court's observation, the Agency responded promptly, signing an amendment tof the evolution of the Agency’s IT architecture wiframework contract in order to rectify the its contractual frameworknitial omission; notes that the Agency states that the non- compliance did not result in any prejudice to the financial interests of the Agency or the Union as it considers that the expenditure was justified; regrets that the Agency did not follow the appropriate procedures, especially given the substantial amount concerned; notes the extensive considerations that the Agency’s executive director presented in a hearing with Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control on 29 November 2021, stating that the decision to acquire the software in question was a conscious decision of the Agency’s management that presented cost- saving opportunitiewith the purpose of reducing the duplication of training and support efforts, ultimately reducing the overall operational costs for the Agency; emphasises that, even though cost-saving opportunities can be assumed, the applicable procurement rules must be followed at all times to ensure that the Union taxpayer gets full value for money through transparent and competitive procurement procedures; calls on the Agency to make sure that procurement rules are respected at all times;
Amendment 8 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Points out that shortage of dedicated administrative positions may have a negative impact on the functioning of the procurement procedures within the Agency; invites the Commission and the Agency to engage in an active dialogue about improving the Agency’s establishment plan, especially about the level at which posts are allocated;
Amendment 9 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that challenged the Agency’s business continuity and the availability of the existing large-scale IT systems and the implementation of the new systems entrusted to it; notes that the Agency managed to reduce the negative impact by taking mitigating measureswelcomes that despite these challenges, the Agency ensured the uninterrupted availability of the existing large-scale IT systems (SIS, VIS and Eurodac) and made further progress with respect to the implementation of EES, ETIAS and the interoperability package; notes with appreciation that the mitigating measures taken by the Agency allowed it to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes with appreciation that the Agency drafted, negotiated and signed bilateral cooperation plans with the European Asylum Support Office (now the European Union Agency for Asylum), the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA); notes that the Agency also continued its cooperation with other partner agencies, for example with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) on training activities, with the European Border and Coastguard Agency on SIS, the Entry/Exit System (EES), the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and interoperability, with CEPOL on the Visa Information System (VIS), the Supplementary Information Request at the National Entries (SIRENE), SIS, EES, ETIAS and interoperability; and with the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) on the European Asylum Dactyloscopy database (Eurodac) and SIS;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2125(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, according to its statement of revenue and expenditure1 , the final budget of the European Chemicals Agency (the ‘Agency’) for the financial year 2020 was EUR 109 362 158 representing a decrease of 3,08 % compared to 2019; whereas approximately 29,41% of the Agency’s budget derives from fees and charges and 67,48% from the Union and third countries (in 2019 39,51 % from fees and charges and 57,61 % from the Union and third countries); whereas the inflation rate was 0,7% in the Union in 2020; _________________ 1 OJ C 114, 31.03.2021, p. 126.
Amendment 2 #
2021/2125(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the Court made one observation on the clarity of the tender specifications in a procurement procedure and another observation on the completeness of the audit trail in recruitment procedures in 2019; notes that, as regards the years 2017 and 2018, the implementation of three of the Court’s recommendations is still ongoing, namely recommendations related to launching a discussion with the Commission and the budgetary authority about a viable new financing model, collecting outstanding administrative charges and publishing vacancy notices on the European Personnel Selection Office website; calls on the Agency to complete the follow-up of those recommendations;
Amendment 4 #
2021/2125(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. NoteRegrets that the Agency, with regard to senior and middle management positions, reports that 23 (76,6 %) positions are occupied by men and 7 (23,33 %) by women; notes that the Agency reports, for the management board, a gender balance distribution of 14 men (37,8 %) and 23 women (62,2 %) and, for staff overall, 266 men (46,7 %) and 306 women (53,3 %); reiterates its call on the Agency to take pro-active measures to achieve gender balance among management positions;
Amendment 5 #
2021/2125(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Welcomes the efforts made in staff policy to promote teleworking and healthy life and continues to encourage the Agency to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework that addresses work-life balance, lifelong guidance and career development, gender balance, teleworking, geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 6 #
2021/2125(DEC)
13. Notes that the Agency’s internal audit capability conducted an audit on the ‘harmonised classification and labellingapplications for authorisation’ activity and that there were six important recommendations, namely to improve working methods, to improve knowledge management and consistency, to improve feedback mechanisms, to ensure sufficient resources for the Agency’s secretariat and committees, to clarify the roles and responsibilities within the Agency, and to consider further process simplification and efficiency gains;
Amendment 8 #
2021/2125(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Regrets that the Agency has not yet acted on the recommendations of the European Parliament in its decision on discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Agency for the financial year 2019 with regard to pro-active measures and resourcing for speeding up, improving and quantifying reductions in the number of animal tests and the replacement of such tests by new approach methodologies, as well as the establishment within the Agency of a team exclusively dedicated to animal protection and the promotion of non-animal test methods;
Amendment 9 #
2021/2125(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Amendment 10 #
2021/2125(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed; calls on the Agency to swifter develop its cybersecurity policy, to be delivered before the 31 January 2022 and to report back to the discharge authority on this matter;
Amendment 2 #
2021/2124(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, according to its statement of revenue and expenditure1 , the final budget of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (the ‘Centre’) for the financial year 2020 was EUR 62 490 000, representing an increase of 5,55 % compared to 2019; whereas the inflation rate was 0,7 % in the Union in 2020; whereas approximately 97,62 % of the Centre’s budget derives from the Union budget; _________________ 1 OJ C 114, 31.3.2021, p. 39.
Amendment 9 #
2021/2124(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that the Centre has adopted a policy on protecting the dignity of the person and preventing harassment; takes note that two cases of alleged harassment have been reported and one case was brought to the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2020; calls on the Centre to report to the discharge authority on the developments in this regard;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2124(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Is concerned about the large size of the Centre’s management board which makes decision-making difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 11 #
2021/2124(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Welcomes the efforts made in the Centre's staff policy to promote teleworking and healthy life and continues to encourage the Centre to pursue the development of a long term human resources policy framework that addresses work-life balance, lifelong guidance and career development, gender balance, teleworking, geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 14 #
2021/2124(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. NotWelcomes that the Centre reported an unprecedentedly high number of outputs in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and had the highest visibility since its creation; notes that the Centre’s main activities during this period were related to the support of vaccination strategies, the dissemination of evidence- based information, the application of surveillance and epidemic intelligence, the implementation of guidance for scientific and technical topics, and the establishment of networking and exchange practices across Europe;
Amendment 15 #
2021/2124(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Recalls the importance of increasing the digitalisation of the Centre in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the Centre to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the Union agencies at all costs;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Asylum discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2020 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Asylum discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 3 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2020 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Asylum Support Office for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 4 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that, following receipt of a report of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) at the end of 2018, which was extensively covered in the discharge report for 2018, the Office initiated three disciplinary procedures in 2019, which are currently ongoing; notappreciates the cooperation of the current management with OLAF and its commitment to addressing the proposed recommendations; welcomes the Office’s commitment to inform the discharge authority of the completion of those proceedings;
Amendment 6 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the Court declared payments made in 2020 of a total amount of EUR 1 177 848 irregular because they were related to procurement errors in procedures carried out in 2016 and 2017 for rented premises in Rome and procurement procedures declared irregular by the Court in previous years (i.e. procurement for rented premises in Lesbos, for interim workers in Italy and for external experts); appreciates the efforts of the current management to terminate these contracts where possible, or otherwise to reduce their future financial impact;
Amendment 13 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the Office uses certain measures as key performance indicators to assess the performance of its activities; welcomes the achievement or surpassing of targets for a majority of indicators, despite the difficulties faced because of the COVID-19 pandemic; deplores the fact that for a number of indicators no national data from Member States were available and calls on the relevant national authorities and the Office to address that issue through all available channels;
Amendment 15 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Welcomes the downward trend in the number of interim workers compared to the total number of staff; highlights that one of the reasons underlying the dependency on interim staff was also the delay in the adoption and entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 (the 'Regulation') establishing a European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA); welcomes the entry into force of the Regulation, allowing the new agency to employ remunerated experts; underlines that in order to decrease this dependency, the Office carried out an active dialogue with the Commission; regrets that only short term solutions could be identified and that the Office was allowed to employ 58 contractual agents in 2020 only for a period of one year, until the envisaged adoption of the Regulation; notes, however, that due to the delay in the adoption of the Regulation, the Office found itself in a difficult situation, as the agreement did not allow it to extend these contracts until the entry into force of the new legal framework; notes with regret a serious lack of foresight on behalf of the Commission when designing and allocating these posts to the Office; underlines that the situation created had a negative impact on the recruitment capabilities and activities of the Office;
Amendment 23 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes that a revised conflict of interest policy is in the final stage of inter- service consultation before its submission to the management board; calls on the Office to finalise this revised policy;
Amendment 25 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Welcomes the fact that the implementation of the internal control framework was further reinforced in 2020, by adding an ex-post controls’ function, thus addressing observations made in previous years by the discharge authority;
Amendment 27 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Welcomes the Office’s support to Member States to address the COVID-19 challenges, such as the impact of the pandemic on specific aspects of the asylum process and resettlement, with videoconference meetings of its thematic networks; welcomes the recommendations issued on remote solutions for registration and asylum interviews; notes with appreciation the Office’s pro-active roll- out plan for vaccinating asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection;
Amendment 30 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Notes with satisfaction the establishment in 2020 of the Office’s Legal Affairs and Data Protection Sector (the 'LDPS') within the Executive Office; highlights that the LDPS contributes to ensuring a sound legal environment for the functioning of the Office, handling litigation and pre-litigation procedures and representing the Office in court proceedings;
Amendment 31 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. Highlights that in 2020 the Office continued to face difficulties in fulfilling certain tasks as a result of its outdated mandate, especially in terms of the legal framework and mechanisms for deployment of asylum support teams providing the support required by the Member States; welcomes the agreement reached by the co-legislators and the entry into force of a new legal framework governing the activities of the Office and its transformation into a fully-fledged European Union Agency for Asylum;
Amendment 32 #
2021/2122(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)
Paragraph 16 c (new)
16 c. Recalls the important role that the Office fulfils in the asylum policy framework of the Union, assisting requesting Member States with valuable expertise and resources on the matter; welcomes the signature of a new operational support plan with Spain in 2020, bringing the total number of countries assisted by the Office to eight;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2020 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency's budget for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 2 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) for the financial year 2020 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) for the financial year 2020;
Amendment 4 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. NotesWelcomes the fact that, despite the COVID-19 outbreak, the Agency continued to increase its outreach with the number of training participants increasing by 13%; notes that, on 30 April 2020, the Agency launched a new Law Enforcement Education (LEEd) platform; notes that the pilot CEPOL Knowledge Centre on Counter Terrorism was set up, having the mandate to elaborate a comprehensive multiannual training portfolio;
Amendment 5 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Expresses its satisfaction that the Agency's trainings are closely aligned with the requirements voiced by the EU Policy Cycle EMPACT groups, while expertise was secured from Member States, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol), the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, the European Judicial Training Network, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the European Asylum Support Office, the European Cybercrime Centre, the European Cybercrime Training and Education Group, the International Criminal Police Organization and other stakeholders;
Amendment 6 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Observes that there were 16 resignations in 2020 (versus 6 in 2019) due to either the closure of Western Balkans project or due to new job opportunities in and outside the Agency; reiterates its concern that the Agency continues to suffer from a high staff turnover and a limited number of applications from Member States other than the host Member State; notes that the higher staff fluctuation had a significant impact on the organisation, on top of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that interim staff and seconded national experts have been contracted to fill in for staff absences and to cope with peak periods; calls on the Commission to engage in an active dialogue with the Agency in order to address those issues;
Amendment 7 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Underlines that insufficient office space and uncertainty about the Agency's headquarters premises creates further operational difficulties; calls on the Commission to engage in an active dialogue with the Agency and the host Member State in order to address those shortcomings;
Amendment 8 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. NotWelcomes the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency and the prevention and management of conflicts of interest; expresses satisfaction that the Agency has set up and implemented a code of administrative behaviour in 2019, the Anti- Fraud Sub-Strategy and Policy on Management of Conflict of Interest in 2020; notes with satisfaction that declarations of interests and CV’s of management board members and senior management are published on the Agency’s website; notes that the declarations on conflicts of interest and confidentiality for the remunerated experts are collected and screened before signature of contract;
Amendment 9 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. NoteRegrets that the Agency does not have a policy regarding cyber security and the protection of the digital records; notes with concern that the Agency was subject to a cyberattack that led to a temporary shutdown of online training activities for approximately 3 weeks; calls on the Agency to inform the discharge authority regarding its efforts in the area of cyber security;
Amendment 10 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Welcomes the introduction of new IT tools, namely SPEEDWELL for financial workflow, SYSPER for human resources and ARES for document management, in an effort to increase administrative efficiency;
Amendment 11 #
2021/2120(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Notes that the European Anti- Fraud Office (OLAF) launched an investigation in 2020 into a case of external fraud in the Agency; notes that this investigation was launched at the request of the Agency and that following the investigation conclusions from early 2021, the Agency has already started to implement the recommendations of OLAF;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2117(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, according to its statement of revenue and expenditure1 , the final budget of the Agency for Support for BEREC (the ‘BEREC Office’) for the financial year 2020 was EUR 7 233 653 , representing an increase of 27,96 % compared to 2019, which mainly represents an increase in staff and operational expenditure; whereas the inflation rate was 0,7 % in the Union in 2020; whereas the budget of the BEREC Office derives from the Union budget and third countries’ contributions; _________________ 1 OJ C 114, 31.3.2021, p. 174
Amendment 2 #
2021/2117(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. NotesReiterates its concern about the gender distribution within the BEREC Office’s senior management members, with 3 out of 4 being men (75 %); further notes the gender distribution within and the BEREC Office’s management board, with 23 out of 29 being men (79,31 %); notes the gender distribution within the BEREC Office’s overall staff, with 24 out of 42 (57,14 %) being men; encoureiteragtes its call on the BEREC Office to take measures to improve gender balance as soon as possible; reiterates its call on the Commission and the Member States to take into account the importance of ensuring gender balance when presenting their nominations for members of the board;
Amendment 4 #
2021/2117(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Is concerned about the large size of the BEREC Office's management board that makes decision-making difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 5 #
2021/2117(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Welcomes the efforts made in staff policy to promote teleworking and healthy life and continues to encourage the BEREC Office to pursue the development of a long term human resources policy framework that addresses work-life balance, lifelong guidance and career development, gender balance, teleworking, geographical balance and recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 6 #
2021/2117(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the BEREC Office in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the BEREC Office to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed; calls on the BEREC Office to speed up the development of its cybersecurity policy and to inform the discharge authority on its completion;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2116(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, according to its statement of revenue and expenditure1 , the final budget of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (the ‘Agency’) for the financial year 2020 was EUR 17 297 383, representing an increase of 7,12 % compared to 2019, whereas the inflation rate was 0,7 % in the Union in 2020; whereas the budget of the Agency derives entirely from the Union budget; _________________ 1 OJ C 114, 31.03.2021, p. 245
Amendment 3 #
2021/2116(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes thatReiterates its concern on the gender distribution within the Agency's senior management as the agency reported to have one woman (16,7 %) in its senior management and five men (83,3 %); notes thatis of the opinion that the gender balance among itsthe staff overall, needs to be improved and notes that the gender radistribution is 68 men (67,3 %) and 33 women (32,7 %); notes that the Agency’s management board is composed of four men (44,4 %) and five women (55,6 %);
Amendment 5 #
2021/2116(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Welcomes the efforts made in staff policy to promote teleworking and healthy life and continues to encourage the Agency to pursue the development of a long term human resources policy framework that addresses work-life balance, lifelong guidance and career development, gender balance, teleworking, geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 7 #
2021/2116(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes with concern that the Court has issued a qualified opinion regarding the legality and regularity of the payments underlying the accounts for the financial year 202019; notes with concern that for the 2019 financial year, the Court concluded that several specific contracts under a framework contract for IT services were irregular, because no competitive procurement procedure had been followed by the Agency, and more precise, certain ordered items and services were not covered by the price lists of the bids submitted for the contract; notes that payments made in 2020 for out-of-price list items under this framework contract amounted to EUR 752 654 (3,71 % of the total payment appropriations available in 2020); notes the statements of the director of the Agency in the discharge hearing with the agencies on 29 November 2021, and the Agency’s reply to written questions that the Court’s finding was related to an excessive use of the option of ‘out-of-price list items’, and that the Agency has taken steps to prevent this from happening in the future; calls on the Agency to report to the Court and the discharge authority on the above mentioned framework contracts as well as on the steps taken;
Amendment 8 #
2021/2116(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Notes that the Agency failed to report on the number of cases of harassment; asks therefore the Agency to report to the discharge authority on the figures of harassment cases in 2020 as well as on the results of closed harassment cases;
Amendment 9 #
2021/2116(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed; calls on the Agency to speed up the development of its cybersecurity policy and to inform the discharge authority on its completion;
Amendment 22 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
Recital F b (new)
Amendment 59 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 141 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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 #
2021/2075(INI)
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;
Amendment 3 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 a (new)
Citation 3 a (new)
— having regards to its resolution of 10 June 2021 on the rule of law situation in the European Union and the application of the Conditionality Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/20921a _________________ 1a Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0287.
Amendment 11 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Commission decided to abide by the non-binding European Council conclusions of December 2020 and declared that it would develop guidelines for the application of the Regulation;
Amendment 13 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas, in its resolution of 25 March 2021 on the application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092, the rule-of-law conditionality mechanism, Parliament requested the Commission to adopt the guidelines no later than 1 June 2021 and after having consulted Parliament;
Amendment 20 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Takes note ofRegrets the Commission’s intention to develop guidelines for the application of the Regulation; reiterates once again its view that the text of the Regulation is clear and does not require any additional interpretation in order to be applied;
Amendment 26 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights that guidelines are not legally binding; notdeplores that the Commission is deviating from its usual practice of drafting guidelines for the application of a legal act only in cases where the actual implementation of the act over a certain period of time shows the need for guidance;
Amendment 29 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Strongly regrets the Commission’s failure to respond to Parliament’s request and to adopt its guidelines by 1 June 2021; reiterates its call on the Commission to draft the guidelines as soon as possible in close cooperation with Parliament ; reminds the Commission that Parliament already started the necessary preparations for potential court proceedings under Article 265 of the TFEU against the Commission;
Amendment 35 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. UDeplores the time wasted by the Commission since the entry into force of the Regulation; urges the Commission to avoidct without any further delay in the application of the Regulation and to investigate swiftly and thoroughly any potential breaches of the principles of the rule of law in the Member States that affect or seriously risk affecting the sound financial management of the Union budget or the protection of the financial interests of the Union in a sufficiently direct way; reiterates that the situation in some Member States already warrants immediate investigation under the Regulation;
Amendment 41 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. AskRequests the Commission to report to Parliament on a quarterly or semi-annual basis regarding new and ongoing cases under investigation, starting as soon as possible with the first cases;
Amendment 46 #
2021/2071(INI)
6 a. Calls on the Commission to clarify in the guidelines that breaches of the rule of law in a Member state which result from decisions or events that took place prior to 1 January 2021 still fall within the scope of the regulation as long as their effect is still ongoing;
Amendment 51 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Draws particular attention to the list of indicative breaches of the principles of the rule of law laid down in Article 3 of the Regulation; calls onurges the Commission to investigate potential occurrences of the breaches included in that list in the Member States, while pointing out that other practices or omissions by public authorities may also be relevant;
Amendment 64 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Considers that the Commission’s annual Rule of Law report constitutes an objective, impartial, fair, and qualitative assessment of breaches of the principles of rule of law; believes that where the conclusions of the annual reports highlight individual or systemic breaches of the rule of law which affect or seriously risk affecting the sound financial management of the Union budget or the protection of the financial interests of the Union in a sufficiently direct way, they should be directly linked to the triggering of the conditionality mechanism; calls on the Commission to clarify, in the guidelines, a methodology to create a clear and direct link, when relevant, between the annual reports and the conditionality mechanism;
Amendment 67 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Highlights that civil society, including independent NGOs and citizens, is at the forefront to identify potential breaches of the rule of law at local and national level, and should therefore be involved in their reporting; calls on the Commission to establish, in the guidelines, an efficient, user-friendly, and easily accessible online one-stop shop for citizens and civil society to report both fraud and corruption cases related to EU Funds, as well as individual or systemic breaches in their Member State, guaranteeing anonymity and leading, where deemed relevant by its services, to further investigations by the OLAF, the EPPO or the Commission;
Amendment 75 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Recalls that the Regulation provides a clear definition of the rule of law, which must be understood in relation to the other values of the Union, including fundamental rights and non- discrimination; is of the opinion that state-sponsored discrimination against minorities has a direct impact on the projects on which Member States decide or not to spend EU money, and therefore directly affects the protection of the financial interests of the Union; calls on the Commission to take this into account when drafting the guidelines;
Amendment 80 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Recalls that measures under the Regulation are necessary in particular in cases where other procedures set out in Article 7 TEU, in the Common Provision Regulation (CPR), in the Financial regulation or in other sector-specific or financial legislation would not allow the Union budget to be protected more effectively; stresses that this does not mean that the Regulation is to be considered as a ‘last resort’, but rather that the Commission can use a wide range of procedures to protect the Union’s financial interests, to be chosen on a case- by-case basis depending on their efficiency and effectiveness;
Amendment 91 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines that ‘systemic’ breaches, for instance those affecting the functioning of the justice system, the independence of judges or the neutrality of public authorities, have in general a clear inand direct impact on the proper management, spending and control of Union funds;
Amendment 97 #
Amendment 98 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Believes that transparency is essential to foster the confidence of Member States and citizens in the conditionality mechanism: points out that each step of the procedure of the Regulation should therefore be taken in a fully transparent way;
Amendment 99 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15 b. Calls on the Commission to set up, in the guidelines, the transparency rules and principles that it will apply when triggering the Conditionality Mechanism;
Amendment 100 #
2021/2071(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15 c. Believes that transparency implies, in particular: - disclosing the sources used by the Commission to trigger the Mechanism, - disclosing the content of the written notifications sent to the Members States, - disclosing the answers received from the Member States and the remedies proposed, - disclosing the Commission’s assessment leading to the potential lifting of adopted measures under the Mechanism, - keeping the European Parliament informed and involved at every step of the process to ensure the democratic scrutiny of the Mechanism and of EU funds;
Amendment 11 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
— having regard to directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing, and the European Commission’s package of legislative proposals to strengthen the EU’s anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) rules of 20 July2021,
Amendment 20 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 29 a (new)
Citation 29 a (new)
— having regard to Recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force,
Amendment 29 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas corruption is a human rights violation, directly undermining the enjoyment of human rights and disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable groups in society, barring them from equal access to political participation, basic services, justice, natural resources, jobs, education, health and housing, while exacerbating poverty and inequality, whereas corruption is a catalyst of conflict;
Amendment 46 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas corruption typically involves the misuse of power, a lack of accountability, the obstruction of justice, the use of improper influence, the institutionalisation of discrimination, clientelism and the distortion of market mechanisms among other things, and is facilitated by inadequate transparency and access to information; whereas rising authoritarianism provides fertile ground for corruption, the combating of which calls for international cooperation with like- minded democracies; whereas corruption makes countries vulnerable to foreign malign influence and further damages democratic institutions;
Amendment 68 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
E a. whereas corruption acts as a barrier to education, makes education financially inaccessible, distorts values of young people and causes lack of motivation to study, resulting in the waste of talents and negative effects on the economy;
Amendment 95 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
J a. whereas corruption reporting is among main causes of journalist killings; whereas according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, five journalists investigating corruption have so far been killed in 2021;
Amendment 115 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
(c a) establish a dedicated Council Working Party for preparatory works on anti-corruption matters (similar or modelled on Working Party on Human rights or COHOM) in order to inform the discussions in the Council;
Amendment 121 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) insist on the full implementation and enforcement of existing national and international anti-corruption instruments such as the UNCAC, the OECD Convention on Combating the Bribery of Foreign Public Officials, Council of Europe anti-corruption standards and recommendations, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Council of Europe’s Criminal Law Convention on Corruption; launcpromptly proceed with an inclusive and comprehensive process to review the EU’s implementation of the UNCAC;
Amendment 126 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) advance efforts in all EU Member States to freeze and confiscate stolen assets in their jurisdictions, in line with the UNCAC, and to return them in a transparent and accountable manner to the country of origin; promptly follow up on UNGASS commitments relating to asset recovery, including those relating to non- conviction-based confiscation, confiscation and return of proceeds of corruption in connection with non-trial resolutions, and collection and publication of data on asset recovery; design a proper sequencing of actions (sanctions, civil and criminal asset forfeiture, criminal prosecution, asset return mechanisms), that ultimately lead to a repurposing of stolen assets to benefit victims of corruption;
Amendment 136 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) strengthen the credibility of EU external anti-corruption action by more effectively combating corruption and money laundering within the EU; recognise that systemic corruption and a failure to effectively prosecute foreign bribery in some EU Member States undermines anti- corruption efforts in third countries; recognise that a lack of determined action, delays and a gap in implementing the anti- corruption regulations within the EU emboldens corrupt actors outside of the EU;
Amendment 158 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) design programmes under the IPA, the NDICI, and the EU trust funds to support anti-corruption capacity building; increase the efficiency of EU spending by including clear programme targets and timelines; enable EU Delegations and Member States’ embassies to assess and report on corruption in their regular briefings;
Amendment 191 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) design programmes to provide more financial support to CSOs, independent media, whistleblowers, journalists and HRDs working on preventing and exposing corruption, advancing transparency and accountability, including support against strategic lawsuits (strategic lawsuits against public participation, SLAPP suits); improve smaller CSOs’ access to EU funding;
Amendment 198 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q
Paragraph 1 – point q
(q) strengthen protection of whistleblowers, journalists and anti- corruption HRDs, including through temporary visa schemes;
Amendment 199 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
(q a) call for a thorough investigation into and justice for the violence and killings of investigative journalists, HRDs and other anti-corruption activists;
Amendment 203 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r
Paragraph 1 – point r
(r) promote strong access to information laws and the provision of meaningful, comprehensive, timely, searchable, digitised and free to-access government data, including improved transparency of public procurement and lobbying, with independent oversight bodies;
Amendment 206 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) support independent, impartial and effective judiciaries, prosecution and law enforcement bodies; support the creation and professionalisation of specialised state anti-corruption bodies in third countries;
Amendment 209 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point t a (new)
(t a) establish European funding rules for political parties, NGOs and the media, especially when funding comes from non- democratic countries, to prevent malign influence and interference into democratic processes and public affairs of the EU and partner countries, including manipulation of people’s opinions resulting into erosion of trust in governments, electoral processes and politics in general;
Amendment 215 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point u
Paragraph 1 – point u
(u) assume a leadership role in forging a coalition of democracies to counter the global rise of kleptocracy; insist on including anti-corruption on the agenda of upcoming international summits such as the G7 orand support the anti-corruption portion in the agenda of the Summit for Democracy proposed by United States President Biden; continue to proactively contribute to the work of international and regional forums to fight corruption and promote human rights;
Amendment 222 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point w
Paragraph 1 – point w
(w) encourage a deepening of international commitments to put anti- corruption at the heart of the SDGs as an avenue for fighting global poverty, and for the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights, with special attention to the right to education; make fighting corruption in education and health-care sectors a priority;
Amendment 230 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point y
Paragraph 1 – point y
(y) initiate the procedure for the EU to become full member of GRECO, in which the EU has held observer status since 2019; insist on EU Member States to publicise and meet GRECO recommendations;
Amendment 236 #
2021/2066(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point aa
Paragraph 1 – point aa
(aa) promote European standards, including on anti-money laundering, beneficial ownership transparency and protection of whistleblowers in other multinational forums, and support the adoption of these standards by third countries; ensure that beneficial ownership registries in EU Member States are up-to-date and open to the public;
Amendment 1 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Reiterates its warning that the Union is facing an unprecedented and escalating crisis of its founding values, which threatens its long-term survival as a democratic peace project; is gravely concerned by the rise and entrenchment of autocratic and illiberal tendencies, further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession, as well as corruption, disinformation and state capture, in several Member States; underlines the dangers of this trend for the cohesion of the Union’s legal order, the protection of the fundamental rights of all its citizens, the functioning of its single market, the effectiveness of its common policies and its international credibility;
Amendment 3 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 a (new)
Paragraph -1 a (new)
-1a. Recalls that the Union remains structurally ill-equipped to tackle democratic, fundamental rights and rule of law violations and backsliding in the Member States; regrets the inability of the Council to make meaningful progress in enforcing Union values in ongoing Article 7 TEU procedures; notes that the Council’s failure to apply Article 7 TEU effectively is in fact enabling continued divergence from the values provided for in Article 2 TEU; notes with concern the disjointed nature of the Union’s toolkit in that field and calls for it to be streamlined and properly enforced;
Amendment 5 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that the rule of law is an essential precondition for compliance with the principle of sound financial management and for the protection of the Union’s financial interests, which can only be ensured if public authorities act in accordance with the law, if cases of fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest or other breaches of the law are pursued effectively by investigative and prosecution services, if national courts are independent, and if the decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union are respected; Stresses however, that the above institutions in the Member States have to be functional not only legally but also in practice;
Amendment 13 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the importance of the Commission’s first Rule of Law Report as a basis on which to build the new cycle of the rule of law mechanism; welcomes the inclusion among its pillars of the justice system, the anti-corruption framework and other institutional checks and balances, as these are particularly relevant for monitoring the protection of the EU budget; Is of the opinion that the annual report is lacking conclusions on the state of the Rule of Law in the Member States and in the EU in general; considers that these are essential preconditions to identify follow-up actions; encourages the Commission to propose remedial measures and tools and allocate adequate timelines to them;
Amendment 14 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the importance of the Commission’s first Rule of Law Report as a basis on which to build the new cycle of the rule of law mechanism; welcomes the inclusion among its pillars of the justice system, the anti-corruption framework and other institutional checks and balances, as these are particularly relevant for monitoring the protection of the EU budget; calls on the Commission to assess any possible overlaps between the Rule of Law Mechanism and the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism for Bulgaria and Romania and ensure a streamlined evaluation process;
Amendment 18 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Stresses that the analysis and the conclusions of the annual reports should be directly contributing to the Conditionality Mechanism; calls on the Commission to clarify in the methodology the clear link between the two mechanisms;
Amendment 20 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Is of the opinion that the Commission should be making publicly available all its correspondence regarding the annual Rule of Law report with all stakeholders, including the Member States and NGOs in order to prove its impartiality;
Amendment 29 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Member States to proactively participate in the procedure and engage themselves into meaningful dialogue and cooperation with the Commission in order to improve the state of the Rule of Law in each Member State and overall in the EU;
Amendment 33 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to assess the effectiveness of the national anti- corruption strategies and to use that knowledge to update and enhance the Union’s anti-corruption framework; calls on the Commission to use the information and assessments of GRECO in this process;
Amendment 36 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that transparency, access to public information, the protection of whistleblowers and an overall culture of integrity in public life are key factors that enable corruption to be identified and prevented; underlines the importance of harmonising definitions and methodologies to obtain comparative data across the EU; underlines that there are ongoing challenges to collect information on the persons benefiting directly or indirectly most from the CAP and cohesion funds;
Amendment 39 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that transparency, access to public information, the protection of whistleblowersmedia freedom and pluralism, investigative journalism the protection of whistleblowers, the protection of journalists against SLAPP and an overall culture of integrity in public life are key factors that enable corruption to be identified and prevented; underlines the importance of harmonising definitions and methodologies to obtain comparative data across the EU;
Amendment 42 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the importance of supporting and strengthening cooperation between the EU institutions, the Member States and, in particular, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in the fight against corruptionin the fight against corruption; is of the opinion that fighting corruption requires not only a strong mandate but a further increased budget to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO); Is of the opinion that OLAF should be focusing more on those Member States in its activity, which did not join to EPPO; recalls that Member States receiving grants from the EU budget should be required to join the EPPO, or, for those Member States availing of the JHA opt-out in accordance with the Lisbon Treaty, to have a relevant, independent national equivalent, working in close cooperation with the EPPO;
Amendment 45 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the importance of supporting and strengthening cooperation between the EU institutions, the Member States and, in particular, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in the fight against corruption; calls on the Commission and the Member States to provide the EPPO with all necessary support in order to ensure its successful launch of activities;
Amendment 49 #
2021/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates that Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 has been in force since 1 January 2021 and is not subject to the adoption of any guidelines or judicial interpretation; reiterates its call on the Commission to fulfil its obligations under this Regulation and provide Parliament with information as mentioned above by 1 June 2021, otherwise Parliament will have to consider that the Commission failed to act and subsequently shall take action under Article 265 of the TFEU.
Amendment 3 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the EU Gender Action Plan III (GAP III) and its ambitious and comprehensive objectives, and insists on its full implementation, policy coherence and institutional capacity across all areas of EU external action and the institutional structures of the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS); including EU Delegations and Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions;
Amendment 6 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to strengthen the synergies with the EU Strategic Approach to Women, Peace and Security and its Action Plan (2019- 2024), the EU Gender Equality Strategy (2020-2025), the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy (2020-2025), the EU Anti-racism Action Plan 2020-2025, the EU Roma Strategic Framework for equality, inclusion and participation and the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024;
Amendment 22 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Calls on the Commission and EEAS to strengthened synergies with the United Nations, partner countries and other international stakeholders, to jointly advance and successfully reach international targets related to gender equality in the 2030 Agenda, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and their review conferences, the UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and its follow-up resolutions, as well as the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence;
Amendment 43 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Stresses the important role of member states in achieving the objectives of GAP III; encourages EU Member States to align their policies and programmes in coherence with the objectives of the European Union and to increase their actions in the fight against gender-based violence through, inter alia, the establishment of focal points for gender-based violence within their consular services;
Amendment 49 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Welcomes the inclusion of sexual and gender-based violence within the criteria for the imposition of sanctions in the framework of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EU Magnitsky Act); reiterates its call to the Council and the European Council to move towards qualified majority voting, by activating the passerelle clause regarding sanctions and human rights;
Amendment 74 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Highlights the need to tackle the shrinking space for civil society and to closely consult in all the stages of the joint programming and implementation, with organisations fighting, in particular, for the rights of women, girls and marginalised groups; stresses the need to support women human rights defenders and peace builders in the EU external action;
Amendment 77 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Points out the need to increase the monitoring and accountability of EU action, especially with regards to the human rights, democracy and gender nexus; requests the EEAS and the Commission to include a specific update on the actions carried out to mainstreaming gender equality in the country reports of its Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy;
Amendment 78 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Calls on the EU to recognize women's leadership in the fight against climate change, and to promote their participation both at European level and in international fora, while increasing synergies with the external dimension of the EU Green Deal; encourages the EEAS and the Commission to ensure that a gender perspective is included in political dialogues and partnerships with third countries on disaster risk reduction, natural resources management and climate adaptation and mitigation;
Amendment 82 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the integration of the Women, Peace and Security framework in GAP III; insists on the inclusion of women and marginalised groups in conflict resolution and peace negotiations, across all tracks; encourages the EU and its Member States to make substantial political and financial support for peace processes conditional on the meaningful participation of women as negotiators, mediators as well as on the inclusion of women and girl's rights;
Amendment 99 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the introduction of country-level implementation plans; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to take full ownership of gender-sensitive country reporting and gender mainstreaming, by, among others, enhancing the role of gender focal persons (GFP) within EU Delegations to implement GAP III through adequate time and resources assigned to this position;
Amendment 101 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Amendment 111 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Expects specific and measurable baselines and targets to be added to the joint staff working document on the objectives and indicators to frame the implementation of the GAP III (SWD(2020)0284), as well as road maps and timelines for all objectives, and sanctions in case of non-fulfilment; notes that indicators based on the percentage of trainings on GEWE and GAP III, WPS, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and Sexual Harassment (SH) are not sufficient to determine the achievement of targets in this area; calls for the number of complaints on sexual abuse and harassment to be taken into account in the evaluation of compliance and reiterates the need to strengthen complaint mechanisms and to further protect victims and whistle-blowers.
Amendment 118 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Underlines that sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a weapon of war, and that women are disproportionately affected by conflict related sexual violence and other human rights violations with impunity, including higher risk of trafficking; Recalls that the Rome Statute provides a permanent legal framework to extensively address SGBV as a crime against humanity and therefore, calls on the EU to actively support the independent and essential activity of the International Criminal Court both politically and financially;
Amendment 121 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Stresses the need for the European Union to support women leaders in political institutions, including parliament, political parties and Election Management Bodies, therefore promoting working opportunities for women at all governmental levels; calls on the EU to encourage and retain women leaders, and highlight the constructive contribution women leaders make to decision-making as well as increasing role models;
Amendment 122 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8 c. Stresses the enormous gender dimension of the crime of trafficking; considers international cooperation to be a fundamental condition for the success of any response to human trafficking; calls for further integration of the fight against trafficking in women and girls into the objectives of GAP III and for increased synergies with the EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025); Calls on the Commission to deepening partnerships with third countries, regional and international organisations in order to step up cooperation and enhance criminal intelligence, information sharing and facilitate international judicial cooperation; Calls on the EEAS to play a key role on the fight against trafficking of women and children through political dialogue and by making full use of its external tools; underlines the potential for international cooperation in training for law enforcement, immigration and other relevant officials in the prevention of trafficking in persons with a human rights, child- and gender-sensitive approach, which should encourage cooperation with non-governmental organizations and civil society;
Amendment 125 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 d (new)
Paragraph 8 d (new)
8 d. Stresses the important role of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing gender equality, promoting women's political participation and empowerment and breaking gender stereotypes; calls on the EU and its Member States to further involve the European Parliament and national parliaments in their gender strategies in external action;
Amendment 127 #
2021/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 e (new)
Paragraph 8 e (new)
8 e. Notes the need for greater coordination between the European institutions, the External Action Service and the Member States in reporting on the implementation of GAP III; stresses that, for a proper monitoring of implementation, reporting must adopt a strong and solid impact-oriented approach;
Amendment 16 #
2021/0227(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls the estimate made by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) that it will process 3 000 investigations in 2022; emphasises that EPPO is a prosecutorial body with mandatory competences and obligations to investigate irrespective of budgetary provision; is concerned that the funding proposed for 2022 does not include a meaningful increase as compared with 2021; considers that last year budget was already falling short compared to the workload anticipated and a potential extension of the EPPO mandate covering environmental offences will require sufficient budgetary means, especially for the establishment of a EPPO Green Prosecutor with a special environmental crime unit; stresses that a substantial funding increase to EUR 55,7 million, ands well as 59 additional members of staff at AD grade and 76 additional members of staff at AST grade are required;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas de jure the Member States and the Commission have shared responsibility, and must work closely together, to protect the Union’s financial interests and fight fraud and corruption; whereas de facto Member State authorities managed approximately 74 % of EU expenditure and collected the Union’s traditional own resources with regard to the Union’s budget for 2019;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Commission should fulfil its respective responsibilities under shared management for supervision, control and audit, however the Commission is capable of monitoring approximately 10% of all expenditures;
Amendment 4 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the diversity of legal and administrative systems in the Member States needs to be adequately addressed in order to overcomeis not an advantage and whereas it needs to be adequately addressed to be able to create more unified administrative and reporting systems in the EU to effectively prevent and fight irregularities and combat fraud and corruption;
Amendment 6 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas systematic and institutionalised and high level cases of corruption and deliberate weakening of the checks and balances and of the independence of the institutions responsible for monitoring and controlling finances in certain Member States seriously harm the Union’s financial interests while also representing a threat to the rule of law;
Amendment 8 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
G a. whereas corruption affects all Member States burdens not only the EU economy, but undermines democracy and rule of law all across Europe;
Amendment 11 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the 31st Annual report on the protection of the EU’s financial interests and the fight against fraud, which underlines the achievements of 2019 with regards to the consolidation of the institutional framework on the fight against fraud and irregularities at Union level achieved by the transposition into national law by 12 Member States of the measures provided for in the Directive on the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests by means of criminal law (‘the PIF Directive’) with the22 Member States doing so by June 2020; calls on all remaining 22 Member States doing so by June 2020to take all necessary measures and ensure the full and correct transposition of the Directive within the shortest time possible; calls on the Commission to closely monitor the transposition process in all Member States, as well as to make use of its prerogatives for launching infringement procedures, where Member States fail to comply with the transposition process;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the number of detected irregularities reported as fraudulent is an indication of the level of detection and of the capacity to intercept potential fraud by Member States and Union bodies, and recalls that it is not a direct indicator of the level of fraud affecting the Union budget or a specific Member State; recalls that in 2019, two special reports of the European Court of Auditors highlighted the shortcomings of the Commission with regards to its insight into the scale, nature and causes of fraud, identifying weaknesses in the Commission’s strategic approach towards managing risks of fraud, calling on the Commission to take more proactive measures in order to address these issues; notes that the detection and reporting of an irregularity implies that corrective measures have been taken in order to protect the Union’s financial interests and that, whenever relevant, criminal proceedings have been launched;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Highlights that, in particular for fraudulent irregularities, detections were concentrated in a few Member States, suggesting different approaches to the use of criminal law in protecting the EU budget; calls on the Commission to address these differences and consider new harmonizing measures;
Amendment 24 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Underlines the increased risks associated to the implementation of the Union budget, incurred by the COVID -19 crisis; highlights that in 2019, fifteen Member States reported irregularities in actions related to health infrastructures, with seven reporting fraudulent irregularities; notes with concern that more than half of the fraudulent irregularities were reported by two Member States; calls on the Commission to pay particular attention to these cases, monitoring and taking action for ensuring the full protection of the EU budget, especially under exceptional crisis circumstances;
Amendment 63 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the adoption of the New Commission Anti-Fraud Strategy on 29 April 2019; welcomes the zero tolerance policy towards fraud; welcomes the reintroduction of the Commission’s corporate oversight of fraud issues by giving OLAF a stronger advisory and supervisory role reminds that the CAFS foresees actions only to the Commission, while the majority of responsibilities lie with the Member States; calls for a unified approach for the European Fraud Strategy, which includes the Member States as well;
Amendment 65 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses the importance of prioritising the development and establishment of National Anti-Fraud Strategies (NAFSs) by all Member States, also in the light of the new challenges of the COVID-19 crisis and the Recovery and Resilience Plans; deplores that only ten Member States have adopted a national anti-fraud strategy (NAFS); calls on all Member States who have not yet adopted a NAFS to do so without delay; calls on the Commission to push the remaining Member States to advance their adoption of NAFS;
Amendment 67 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses the importance of prioritising the development and establishment of National Anti-Fraud Strategies (NAFSs) by all Member States, also in the light of the new challenges of the COVID-19 crisis and the Recovery and Resilience Plans; calls on Member States who have not yet adopted a NAFS to do so without delay; calls on the Commission to assess the already existing NAFSs and assess the reasons why Member States have not done that so far;
Amendment 69 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses the importance of prioritising the development and establishment of National Anti-Fraud Strategies (NAFSs) by all Member States, also in the light of the new challenges of the COVID-19 crisis and the Recovery and Resilience Plans; reminds that still 16 Member States have not prepared their own NAFSs; calls on Member States who have not yet adopted a NAFS to do so without delay;
Amendment 74 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Stresses that after the creation of the EPPO, OLAF will remain the sole office responsible for protecting EU financial interests in the Member States that decided not to join the EPPO; highlights that according to opinion 8/2018 of the European Court of Auditors, the Commission proposal amending the OLAF regulation does not resolve the issue of low effectiveness of OLAF’s administrative investigations; underlines the importance of ensuring that OLAF remains a strong and fully functioning partner to the EPPO;
Amendment 75 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Is strongly of the opinion that OLAF needs to be strengthened with budgetary means and positions in order to be fully capable to exercise its duties regarding prevention and investigation; especially regarding those Member States, which are not participating in the EPPO;
Amendment 76 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25 b. Welcomes the agreement between OLAF and the co-legislators, in close cooperation with the Commission services, towards including standard provisions on the protection of the financial interests of the Union in all post-2020 spending programmes legislation harmonised by area;
Amendment 77 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Welcomes the appointment of Ms. Laura Codruța Kövesi as European Chief Prosecutor and the progress achieved by the setting upin 2019 and launch of operations of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) on June 1st 2021;
Amendment 78 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes that the procedure for the appointment of the European prosecutors was launched in 2019, and the discussion on national preparations to integrate European delegated prosecutors into national systemhas been completed in 2020, but regrets the lack of nominations of European delegated prosecutors by Finland and Slovenia, as well as the considerable delays in many other Member States; notes that by the end of 2019, 18 Member States had notified the Commission that they had incorporated Directive (EU) 2017/1371 into national law;
Amendment 81 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Stresses that the future cooperation between OLAF and the EPPO should be based on close cooperation, efficient exchange of information and complementarity, while avoiding duplications or conflicted competences;
Amendment 82 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Calls on the Commission to do its utmost to incentivise all Member States to join the EPPO;
Amendment 89 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Welcomes to the adoption of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (‘the Whistleblowing Directive’) noting the deadline for transposition on 17 December 2021; highlights the importance of independent media and investigative journalists and reiterates the need to protect them including through anti-slapp legislationcalls on the Commission to closely monitor and assist the Member States, ensuring the complete, correct and timely transposition of the Directive;
Amendment 91 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Welcomes to the adoption of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (‘the Whistleblowing Directive’) noting the deadline for transposition on 17 December 2021; highlights the importance of independent media and investigative journalists and reiterates the need to protect them including through anti-slapp legislation; calls on the Commission to start assessing the implementation by the Member States as soon as the deadline has passed;
Amendment 92 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28 a. Highlights the importance of independent media and investigative journalists and reiterates the need to protect them; calls therefore on the Commission to develop comprehensive measures for the protection and financing of independent investigative journalism, including a rapid response mechanism for journalists in distress and effective anti- SLAPP legislation;
Amendment 93 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses the importance of the progress made on the Commission’s legislative and policy initiatives to prevent and fight corruption, as well as the regular monitoring and evaluation of the Member States’ legal framework under the newly established Rule of Law Report; recalls however the highly descriptive nature of the newly established Rule of Law report;calls on the Commission to strengthen this instrument by issuing recommendations in situations where deficiencies are identified;
Amendment 105 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Calls on the Commission to ensure the full transparency and quality of data reported by Member States in the Irregularity Management System (IMS); urges Member States to report complete data in a timely manner; calls on the Commission and the Member States to link IMS with EDES and ARACHNE and provide access to all Member States and the Commission;
Amendment 107 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses the importance ofEmphasizes that the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES); invites the Commission to analyse the impact of a possible extension of EDES to, as the EU’s Blacklist, has a huge potential flagging people and companies that misuse EU funds; invites the Commission to initiate the change of the Financial Regulation in order to allow EDES to be operational not only in direct management but also in indirect and shared management;
Amendment 111 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33 a. Deplores the fact that there are more than 290 monitoring and reporting systems for the CAP and the Cohesion Fund which makes it impossible to verify the final beneficiaries of those funds, to prevent and effectively investigate fraud and corruption; calls on the Commission and the Member States to establish a harmonised or unified reporting system with timely and accurate data in order to remedy the situation;
Amendment 116 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. REmphasises the particular importance of EU and national anti-fraud institutions and bodies in the context of increased EU resources through the Recovery and Resilience fund; recalls the importance of supporting and strengthening cooperation among the EU institutions, the EPPO, OLAF, the EU agencies, in particular Europol and Eurojust, and national authorities, in order to detect and tackle fraud and corruption more effectively; reiterates its call to ensure adequate resources for the EPPO, OLAF and relevant EU agencies in this regardnext years’ budgets, and that the EPPO be able to use the financial resources in the 2021 budget for additional staff recruitment, as requested by Parliament;
Amendment 118 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Recalls the importance of supporting and strengthening cooperation among the EU institutions, the EPPO, OLAF, the EU agencies, in particular Europol and Eurojust, and national authorities, in order to detect and tackle fraud and corruption more effectively; reiterates its call to ensure adequatefurther strengthened resources for the EPPO, OLAF and relevant EU agencies in this regard;
Amendment 120 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35 a. Calls on the Commission to consider updating its anti-fraud strategy in order to fully reflect the operationalisation of the EPPO and its role in fighting fraud;
Amendment 121 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 b (new)
Paragraph 35 b (new)
Amendment 124 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Notes that only 13 Member States made use of ARACHNE during their risk analysis; reiterates the importance of this tool, as well as of interoperability of IT systems and databases for fraud risk analysis and fraud detection purposes; reiterates its call on the Commission to consider making thmake use of ARACHNE mandatory for Member States; calls on Member States to provide the system with timely and reliable data; is of the opinion that the Commission and OLAF need to have access to these data;
Amendment 126 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37 a. Notes that 16 Member States have strengthened risk analysis to detect fraud and irregularities via the use of IT tools; calls on the Commission to facilitate exchanges of good practices between these countries and Member States without experience;
Amendment 131 #
2020/2246(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Amendment 213 #
2020/2242(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Emphasises the timely need for hydrogen production and, transport and distribution infrastructure and the parallel development of demand and supply; welcomes, in this respect, the Commission’s intention to review Regulation No 347/2013 of 17 April 2013 on guidelines for trans- European energy infrastructure (the TEN-E Regulation)15; notes that, despite the concentration on industrial clusters in the first phase, the progressive reconversion of distribution grids and the planning of infrastructure for transmission over longer distances and its regulation should already be undertaken; _________________ 15OJ L 115, 25.4.2013, p. 39.
Amendment 241 #
2020/2242(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Encourages the Commission and the Member States to assess the possibility of repurposing existing gas pipelines for the transport and distribution of pure hydrogen in order to maximise cost efficiency and minimise investment costs and levelised costs of transmission and distribution;
Amendment 302 #
2020/2215(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls that stereotypes and taboo surrounding menstruation remain widespread in our societies, and that these can delay diagnosis of diseases such as the endometriosis disease, which despite affecting 1 women on 10 of reproductive age, being the first cause of women's infertility, causing chronic pelvic pain, has a median delay of 8 years for its diagnosis and for which there is no cure ; Calls on Member states to ensure comprehensive and scientifically accurate education about menstruation, to raise awareness and to launch major information campaigns on endometriosis targeting the public, healthcare professionals and legislators, and to invest on research about the causes and treatments of this disease;
Amendment 7 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Considers that greater attention should be paid to relevance and coherence, particularly in the context of overlapping areas of competence, when setting up future agencies;
Amendment 8 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Believes that resources should be allocated more flexibly based on need or urgency;
Amendment 17 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. insists on better combating overlapping subjects and areas of competence between the different agencies;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Calls on the agencies to continue to develop their synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other Union agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 20 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10 c. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the agencies in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 d (new)
Paragraph 10 d (new)
10 d. Believes that it would be necessary to strengthen the role of the agencies as centers of expertise and network;
Amendment 22 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 e (new)
Paragraph 10 e (new)
10 e. Believes that clear rules should be put in place concerning the evolution and termination of agencies' missions;
Amendment 23 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 f (new)
Paragraph 10 f (new)
10 f. Believes that an impact assessment should be carried out for each agency and that a review clause on the interest of the agency should be added systematically;
Amendment 24 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that the 32 decentralised agencies employed a total of 7 880 members of staff, comprising officials, temporary agents, contract agents and seconded national experts, in 2019 (compared to 7 626 in 2018), representing an important increase of 3,33 % compared with the previous year;
Amendment 32 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Underlines the important effect of turnover within the staff of the Union agencies, calls for the implementation of human and social policies to remedy it;
Amendment 36 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Encourages the agencies to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 37 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15 b. Regrets that some Member States have requested and succeeded in having an agency on their territory, without providing facilities for their installation and without taking measures to increase the attractiveness of staff recruitment;
Amendment 38 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15 c. Is concerned about the large size of some agency boards of directors deemed too big by the Court and therefore making it difficult to take decisions and generating considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 48 #
2020/2194(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Welcomes the increased use of e- procurement tools by Union agencies; notes that the most common e-PRIOR modules used by agencies are e-tendering, e-submission and e-invoicing; calls on the Network of Procurement Officers (NAPO) to accelerate the provision of the Public Procurement Management Tool (PPMT) of JRC to agencies;
Amendment 5 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. Whereas Parliament is not involved in establishing and allocating EDF resources compared to other development instruments;
Amendment 6 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. Whereas effective pre- conditionalities and regular checks are key components in ensuring the effectiveness and sound financial management of the EDF
Amendment 10 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are core objectives to be pursued in cooperation instruments;
Amendment 11 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. Whereas the prerequisite for sustainable development is a transparent, inclusive and efficient participatory policy framing process;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas budget support, for sustainable development while playing a key role in driving change and in addressing the main development challenges, carries a considerable governance risk and should be granted only if the beneficiary state is able to demonstrate a sufficient level of transparency, accountability and human rights prior to receiving budget support assistance;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Agrees with the Court of Auditors that the controls carried out abroad remain insufficient;
Amendment 22 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. Regrets that, as in previous years, the Commission made more errors in transactions relating to estimates, grants, contribution agreements concluded with international organisations and delegation agreements concluded with the cooperation agencies of the EU Member States;
Amendment 23 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12 c. Strongly regrets that additional measures are not being taken to increase ex ante controls;
Amendment 25 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes with concern that out of the 28 payments with quantifiable errors, in 9 cases (32 %) the Commission had sufficient information to prevent, or to detect and correct, the error before accepting the expenditure; calls on the Commission to substantially improve its processes to verify legality and regularity of transactions and to make sure the verifications are properly followed-up; Regrets to note that this lack of verification is similar to previous years.
Amendment 34 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Reiterates the necessity to ensure full transparency and access to data, in accordance with existing Union legislation, on projects implemented by international organisations and civil society organisations, as well as providing clear rules on governing control and monitoring;
Amendment 35 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recallunderlines that entities entrusted with the implementation of Union funds must, as a general principle, respect the principles of sound financial management and transparency; stresses that any entity must fully contribute to the protection of the financial interests of the Union and must, as a condition for receiving the funds, grant the necessary rights and access required for that the authorising officer responsible, for the Court and for the European Anti-Fraud Office; notes, in that regard, the difficulty faced by the Court in getting visas for a duly announced and planned on-the-spot-visit to projects in Burundi and the resulting limitations faced by the Court; calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to raise that issue and remind their counterparts in Burundi of their obligations as recipients of Union funding;
Amendment 47 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 b (new)
Paragraph 32 b (new)
32 b. Asks the Commission to carry out an evaluation on a country-by-country approach of the long-time on-going EDF financed projects in order to demonstrate their impact on the economic, social and sustainable development of the country and calls the Commission to limit and/or terminate further funding of ineffective projects;
Amendment 48 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 b (new)
Paragraph 35 b (new)
35 b. Calls on the Commission to encourage international institutions, in particular in the case of co-funded and multi-donor initiatives, to approximate their results management frameworks with the Union;
Amendment 49 #
2020/2190(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35 a. Believes that a better focus on local SMEs, private sector and civil society organisations should be a core axis of cooperation in the management of the Union delegations’ pipelines of projects; stresses that, given the funding gap required to reach the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, strategic dialogue with the private sector and civil society organisations must play a crucial role for the development of local economies;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. NotWelcomes the appointment of a new executive director on 16 June 2019; welcomes the detailed follow-up report by the Office on the observations of Parliament for the financial year 2019, in particular the steps made in the area of procurement with the successful conclusion of the framework contract for temporary agency workers in Italy that was awarded in 2019 and its full compliance with Union procurement rules;
Amendment 3 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Notes with satisfaction that during 2019 EASO continued the improvement towards a fully effective and efficient internal control system, tackling control environments, risk management, control activities, information and communication and monitoring activities; welcomes the conclusion of the internal control self-assessment that compared to 2018 the overall status of internal control systems in 2019 had significantly improved;
Amendment 8 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Notes with appreciation the progress achieved by the Office in 2019 in implementing its Annual Work Programme; notes that the Office successfully achieved 82% of the 347 pre- established annual targets, exceeding expectations on 43% of KPIs, achieving 31% of KPIs, nearly achieving 8% and not achieving 8% of KPIs;
Amendment 10 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that, on 31 December 2019, the establishment plan was 75,35 % executed, with 214 temporary agents appointed out of 284 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget (compared to 214 authorised posts in 2018); notes that, in addition, 72 contract agents and 9 seconded national experts worked for the Office in 2019; notes with satisfaction that the Office’s recruitment plan provides for a staff of 500 by 2020; points out the fact that the Office would not be in position to provide Member States with critical support to their asylum systems without recurring to the use of temporary agents, seconded national experts from the Member States; acknowledges the Office's proposal suggesting an Asylum Reserve Pool of 500 Member States experts; calls on the Member States and the Commission to urgently assess and address this issue, allowing the Office to fully implement its mandate;
Amendment 14 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Encourages the Office to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 20 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7
Subheading 7
Prevention and management of conflicts of interest, ethics and transparency
Amendment 23 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes the Office’s reply to the discharge authority on the declaration of interests, which stated that all staff sign a declaration of interests upon entry into service; notes that the declaration of interests of the executive director has been published on the Office’s website; calls on the Office to urgently publish the declarations of interests of the other senior management members on its website;
Amendment 24 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Underlines the fact that the current ethical framework applying to EU institutions and agencies suffers from considerable drawbacks due to its fragmentation and lack of coordination between existing provisions; highlights that these issues should be addressed by setting up a common ethical framework, ensuring the application of high ethical standards for all EU institutions and agencies; considers that public officials are not in a position to conduct self- assessments regarding ethical situations or in instances of conflicts of interest; believes that this should fall under the competences of an independent specialised third party; calls under these circumstances, for the creation of an EU independent ethics body, responsible for the implementation of the common ethical framework for all EU institutions and agencies;
Amendment 25 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9 b. Notes with appreciation that ethics and integrity processes were reinforced, including awareness raising measures; welcomes the adoption by the Management Board of a policy on protecting the dignity of the person and preventing psychological and sexual harassment, as well as the implementation of a procedure for the nomination of confidential counsellors, together with the nomination of an ethics correspondent as part of the HR team; calls on the Office to report back to the discharge authority about the implementation and effectiveness of these measures;
Amendment 26 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9 c. Welcomes the adoption of guidelines on whistleblowing by the Management Board's decision of 20 September 2019 and notes that staff was accordingly informed by email about these developments by the Office HR team; calls on the Office to report to the discharge authority on the implementation and effectiveness of the measure;
Amendment 28 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes, as noted by the Court, the re-establishment of the internal legal service, the recruitment of a senior legal office, with plans to further strengthen this function, the recruitment of an ex-post controller and the establishment of a new internal and ex-post control service; notes that the establishment of an internal audit capability is still under consideration, awaiting the implementation of a cost- effectiveness analysis;
Amendment 31 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Stresses the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Office in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Office to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 33 #
2020/2180(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13 b. Calls on the Office to continue to increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other European agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 2 #
2020/2178(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on the BEREC Office to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other Union agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 3 #
2020/2178(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Stresses the importance to increase the digitalisation of the BEREC Office in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the BEREC Office to continue to be proactive in that regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the Union agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 5 #
2020/2178(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Regrets that gender balance within the BEREC Office's management board members has not improved and the vast majority of the members are men; reiterates its call on the Commission and the Member States to take into account the importance of ensuring gender balance when presenting their nominations for members of the management board;
Amendment 7 #
2020/2178(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Is concerned about the large size of the BEREC Office’s management board as this makes decision making process difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 8 #
2020/2178(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Encourages the BEREC Office to pursue the development of a long term human resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of persons with disabilities;
Amendment 11 #
2020/2178(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Underlines the fact that the current ethical framework applying to Union institutions and agencies suffers from considerable drawbacks due to its fragmentation and lack of coordination between existing provisions; highlights that those issues should be addressed by setting up a common ethical framework, ensuring the application of high ethical standards for Union institutions and agencies; considers that officials of the Union are not in a position to conduct self-assessments regarding ethical situations or in instances of conflicts of interest; believes that this should fall under the competences of an independent specialised third party; calls under these circumstances, for the creation of an Union independent ethics body, responsible for the implementation of the common ethical framework for Union institutions and agencies;
Amendment 3 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on the Agency to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other Union agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 4 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Stresses the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in that regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the Union agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 7 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 10 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Notes with concern that according to the ECA Special Report on the Future of the Agencies the Agency faces the risk of limited resources which lead to deprioritisation of a long list of tasks;
Amendment 13 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Is concerned about the large size of the Agency’s Administrative Board which makes decision making process difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 14 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6 c. Encourages the Agency to pursue the development ofa long term human resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of persons with disabilities;
Amendment 15 #
Amendment 16 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 d (new)
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6 e. Regrets that the Agency has not set CO2 reduction targets; welcomes however the efforts made by the Agency to create an environment-friendly working frame and all the measures taken by the Agency to reduce its carbon footprint, its energy consumption and to develop a paperless workflow;
Amendment 20 #
2020/2177(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Underlines the fact that the current ethical framework applying to Union institutions and agencies suffers from considerable drawbacks due to its fragmentation and lack of coordination between existing provisions; highlights that those issues should be addressed by setting up a common ethical framework, ensuring the application of high ethical standards for Union institutions and agencies; considers that officials of the Union are not in a position to conduct self-assessments regarding ethical situations or in instances of conflicts of interest; believes that this should fall under the competences of an independent specialised third party; calls under these circumstances, for the creation of an Union independent ethics body, responsible for the implementation of the common ethical framework for Union institutions and agencies;
Amendment 3 #
2020/2174(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with concern the Court's observation that the amended 2019 budget and the 2020 budget of the Authority do not contain adequate information on the new host Member State’s contributions to the Authority's running costs; calls on the Authority to correct this omission or to communicate the reasons for this omission to the discharge authority; calls on the Authority to present an overview of the contributions of the new host member state to the running costs;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2174(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls on the Authority to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other European agencies with a view to improving efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 14 #
2020/2174(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Stresses the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Authority in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Authority to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2174(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Encourages the Authority to pursue the development of along term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 28 #
2020/2174(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes the inquiry of the Ombudsman following the Authority’s decision not to forbid its former executive director from taking up a role in a financial industry lobby and the inquiry’s conclusion that there was maladministration by the Authority in not immediately withdrawing its executive director’s access to confidential information; notes the recommendations made by the Ombudsman and the Authority’s reply that the new staff policy addresses the recommendations; Underlines that post- public employment and ‘revolving door’ conflict- of-interest situations are a problem common to many bodies and agencies across the EU;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Notes that in 2019 the Agency received a final budget of EUR 138.3 M and an increase of 15 Temporary Agents; highlights however that the draft estimate budget adopted by the Agency's Management Board called for a total allocation of EUR 143.3 M and a net increase in posts of 43 temporary agents; underlines that due to the budgetary and staffing shortfall, the Agency has had to deprioritise a number of objectives and actions; calls on the Commission and the co-legislators to enhance their dialogues with the Agency with regards to addressing the budgetary and staffing shortfalls;
Amendment 3 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls on the Agency to continue to increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other European agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 4 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Welcomes that in collaboration with eu-LISA, the Agency managed to integrate searches in SIS II into USE user interface and that further progress was achieved towards establishing access to VIS; deplores however the fact that the setting up of a SIRENE office within Europol did not materialise in 2019; encourages the Agency to step up its efforts towards advancing in aligning and coordinating the Agency's internal resources with the developments of the EU interoperability initiatives;
Amendment 5 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Notes that Europol ended 2019 with a vacancy rate of 3.6%, therefore higher than the 2% target; acknowledges that mitigation measures such as increasing the pace of publishing vacancy notes or using reserve lists were put in place; notes with concern however, that the Agency also recorded a higher than expected turnover rate of 11.7%, compared to 8.7% in the previous year; calls on the Agency to address this issue in light of potential revolving doors situations;
Amendment 11 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Welcomes the fact that the scope of the existing e-recruitment tool was successfully expanded to also cover restricted posts; notes with appreciation that Europol publishes its vacancy notices on the website of the European Personnel Selection Office;
Amendment 12 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Encourages the Agency to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 14 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, for the procurement of furniture, accessories and related services, the terms used in the documents for the call for tender were not specific enough, undermining the competitive nature of the tendering procedure; notes, moreover, that the Agency did not sufficiently check the accuracy of underlying prices and the calculation of discounts applied for the non-standard items before submitting the order form to the contractor; calls on the Agency to ensure full compliance with the principle of competition in all tendering procedures; notes that, according to the Agency’s reply, the tender documentation included the subject matter of the procurement and the applicable exclusion, selection and award criteria, thus allowing for competitiveness and, with regard to the discount given by the contractor, the fact that the contractor had offered a higher discount than the standard rate included in the contract and the Agency thus acted in compliance with the principles of sound financial management, in line with the provisions of the contract;
Amendment 16 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Prevention and management of conflicts of interest, ethics and transparency;
Amendment 17 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevention and management of conflicts of interest, whistleblower protection and the fight against harassment; notes that two cases of alleged psychological harassment and related inappropriate behaviour were reported and subsequently investigated by means of a formal administrative inquiry in 2019 and a decision on the outcome was to be taken in 2020; notdeplores that the CVs and declarations of interest of some of the members of the Agency’s management board have not been published on the Agency’s website; reiterates its calls on the Agency to rapidly publish the CVs and declarations of interest for all members of the Agency's management board;
Amendment 19 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Underlines the fact that the current ethical framework applying to EU institutions and agencies suffers from considerable drawbacks due to its fragmentation and lack of coordination between existing provisions; highlights that these issues should be addressed by setting up a common ethical framework, ensuring the application of high ethical standards for all EU institutions and agencies; considers that public officials are not in a position to conduct self- assessments regarding ethical situations or in instances of conflicts of interest; believes that this should fall under the competences of an independent specialised third party; calls under these circumstances, for the creation of an EU independent ethics body, responsible for the implementation of the common ethical framework for all EU institutions and agencies;
Amendment 20 #
2020/2172(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Stresses the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that the Agency is partly financed from the fees it receives from companies that request the registration of chemicals as required under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006; notes that the applicable fees depend on the size of the companies and the volume of chemicals registered (different thresholds); notes that, according to the Court’s report, since the first registrations in 2009, some 26 % of the companies claimed to be micro, small or medium sized; notes with concern, however, that thanks to the Agency’s effective system of ex-post verifications, the Agency has identified that some 50 % of the companies had incorrectly declared their size, resulting in lower fees; stresses that this finding demonstrates the limitations of a system that relies excessively on self-declarations made by applicants; notes that, in order to mitigate this situation, the Agency has, over the years, invoiced and cashed fee corrections and administrative charges amounting to EUR 32,2 million, and that the Agency has made considerable progress in recovering undue fee reductions and collecting overdue administrative charges; notes, however, that there is still a considerable verification workload ahead and that the remaining amount of necessary fee corrections was unknown at the end of 2019; calls on the Agency to report to the discharge authority on its efforts, and on the results achieved, to continue to reduce the considerable verification bacworklogad and to implement the fee corrections;
Amendment 4 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes, regarding follow-up of the Court’s previous years’ findings, that the Agency has revenues coming both from fees and charges payable by industry and a balancing subsidy from the Union budget; notes that, as the third registration deadline under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 expired in May 2018, income from fees and charges is expechas started to drop significantly from 2019 onwards and this trend is expected to continue; points out that there is a risk that relatively stable expenditure and much less predictable revenue may have a negative effect on the Agency’s operations and budget implementation; takes note, however, that according to the Agency’s reply, it has engaged proactively and has on-going discussions with the Commission to work towards ensuring sustainable financing and overcoming challenges in its financing model; calls on the Agency and the Commission to keep the discharge authority updated on developments in this regard; points out that relying on a predictable balancing subsidy from the Union budget, combined with transferring the income from fees and charges to the Commission, may guarantee more predictable revenue for the Agency, necessary to fulfil its mandate;
Amendment 5 #
Amendment 6 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Welcomes the efforts made by the Agency to create an environment-friendly working frame and all the measures taken by the Agency to reduce its carbon footprint, its energy consumption and to develop a paperless workflow and particularly the Director’s pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2030;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 13 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on the Agency to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other European agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, buildingmanagement, IT services and security);
Amendment 15 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Stresses the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 17 #
2020/2170(DEC)
6 c. Recalls the importance for the Agency to develop greater visibility in the media, internet, and social media in order to make its work known;
Amendment 19 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Amendment 26 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the development ofa long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 31 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Underlines the fact that the current ethical framework applying to Union institutions and agencies suffers from considerable drawbacks due to its fragmentation and lack of coordination between existing provisions; highlights that these issues should be addressed by setting up a common ethical framework, ensuring the application of high ethical standards for all Union institutions and agencies; considers that public officials are not in a position to conduct self- assessments regarding ethical situations or in instances of conflicts of interest; believes that this should fall under the competences of an independent specialised third party; calls under these circumstances, for the creation of an Union independent ethics body, responsible for the implementation of the common ethical framework for all Union institutions and agencies;
Amendment 35 #
2020/2170(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that the process of moving to the Agency’s new premises in Helsinki began on 21 December 2019 and the new building was open and operational for the Agency’s staff at the beginning of January 2020, concluding four years of preparations for relocating staff; notes that the move is due to the partial malfunctioning of its previous building, particularly as regards air quality;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the Agency implemented 99 % of its activities on time and that it fully implemented its annual communication strategy plan in 2019; highlights that in 2019 the Agency coordinated 32 381 fishing vessel inspections, which led to the detection of 1 487 suspected infringements, an increase, respectively, of 20.2% and 107.8% on the 2018 figures; takes the view that these figures show that inspections and follow- up activities remain an essential tool for ensuring that the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy are observed;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Notes with satisfaction that in 2019 the Agency has significantly expanded the scope of its activities without additional resources; stresses in particular that the Agency has coordinated monitoring, control and surveillance measures applicable to approximately 45 additional fish species in European waters, including all species subject to landing requirements, and has extended these activities to recreational fisheries (cod in the Western Baltic Sea);
Amendment 3 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the Agency, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) adopted a tripartite working arrangement defining the cooperation between those agencies and the cooperation with national authorities carrying out coast guard functions by providing services, information, equipment and training, as well as by coordinating multipurpose operations; notes that, during 2019, the Agency extended operational cooperation with Europol and Eurojust in the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats, which covers illegal fishing activities; considers these arrangements as a successful example of synergy between EU agencies that should inspire agencies in other areas;
Amendment 8 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Deplores the fact that women represent only 26% of the staff employed in grades AD 8 or above, while they represent almost half of the overall staff; notes with satisfaction, however, the improvement of this figure by 9 points compared to 2018 and by 2 points compared to 2017;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Regrets that in 2019 the agency's Administrative Board was only composed of 29% of women, a figure down from 32% in 2018;
Amendment 10 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Takes note of the policy of the Agency to promote equal treatment of staff and the objective of gender balance in terms of number, grade and level of responsibility;
Amendment 11 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 d (new)
Paragraph 7 d (new)
7 d. Invites the Agency to continue its efforts regarding its gender parity policy;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Acknowledges the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevention and management of conflicts of interest, and whistle-blower protection; noteregrets that some of the Agency’s administrative board members’ CVs and declarations of interest are not published on the Agency’s website;
Amendment 16 #
2020/2169(DEC)
10 a. Underlines the commitment made by the Agency to publish on its website the relevant meetings of the Executive Director and staff with interest representatives; regrets that this information appears in a section existing only on the English version of its website; invites the Agency to fulfil its commitment and to regularly update the page dedicated to this information in all language versions of its website;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2169(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Welcomes the Agency's efforts to increase the visibility of its action both in the traditional press and on social networks; believes that the communication strategy implemented by the Agency contributes to a better understanding by the general public of the role, institutional organisation and action of the European Union in the field of fisheries control; invites the Agency to continue its efforts in this direction and to strengthen its links with civil society, in particular the scientific and academic community;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on the Authority to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other Union agencies with a view to improve efficiency in areas such as human resources, building management, IT services and security;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Notes that according to the ECA Special Report on the Future of the Agencies the Agency has very limited autonomy in practice regarding its main task is to exploit the Galileo global satellite navigation system under a delegation agreement with the Commission; calls on the Commission to review the autonomy of the Agency particularly regarding its competencies on implementing the delegation agreement through a number of complex contracts with industrial partners and public sector entities; calls on the Agency to report back on the developments in this regard to the discharge authority;
Amendment 5 #
2020/2168(DEC)
7 b. Notes that according to the ECA Special Report on the Future of the Agencies the Agency significantly needs to improve its cooperation with Member States, other agencies and internationally; calls on the Agency to build up better cooperation and knowledge sharing with all Member States; calls on the Agency to report back on the developments in this regard to the discharge authority;
Amendment 6 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Stresses the importance of increasing the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed; recalls also the importance for the Agency to develop greater visibility in the media, internet, and social media in order to make its work known;
Amendment 7 #
Amendment 8 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 d (new)
Paragraph 7 d (new)
7 e. Regrets that on 10 July 2019, during a system upgrade, a service incident occurred in the Galileo ground infrastructure and that it resulted in a six- day interruption of the Galileo initial navigation and timing services; welcomes however that the Commission set up an independent Inquiry Board to investigate the incident and provide recommendations to avoid similar incidents in the future;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 e (new)
Paragraph 7 e (new)
Amendment 11 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Is concerned that according to ECA Special Report on the Future of the Agencies the Agency struggles to recruit staff with the necessary technical expertise and in order to compensate for a shortage of posts or national experts, the Agency increasingly outsources core tasks to private contractors, on whom it may then become dependent; calls on the Commission to examine the situation carefully and to provide the Agency with the necessary means to recruit the necessary staff; calls on the Commission to report back to the discharge authority on this matter;
Amendment 14 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Regrets the persisting geographical imbalances in the composition of the Agency`s staff, especially at middle and senior management levels; calls on the Agency to establish a proper representation of nationals from all Member States, while at the same time respecting the competencies and merits of the candidates like indicated in the Article 27 of the Staff Regulations of Officials;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2168(DEC)
8 c. Encourages the Agency to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 16 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 d (new)
Paragraph 8 d (new)
8 d. Appreciates the efforts of the Agency to improve gender balance from 7% (2017) to 28%(2019) of female representatives in senior management positions; asks however the Agency to take additional measures with a view to ensuring better gender balance within its senior management;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 e (new)
Paragraph 8 e (new)
8 e. Is concerned about the large size the agency’s management board which makes decision making difficult and generates considerable administrative costs;
Amendment 19 #
Amendment 20 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3 a (new)
Subheading 3 a (new)
Regrets that the Agency has not yet adopted CO2 reduction targets; calls on the Agency to create an environment- friendly working frame and to reduce its carbon footprint, its energy consumption and to develop a paperless workflow;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 f (new)
Paragraph 8 f (new)
8 h. Regrets that the energy supplied via an operator which does not provide the share of energy sources in details, therefore the use of renewable energy by the Agency cannot be determined; invites the Agency to switch to an operator which is capable of providing the details on the energy sources;
Amendment 23 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Regrets that still not all CVs of the Administrative board members are published in the Agency’s website; calls on the Agency to report to the discharge authority on the actions taken in that regard;
Amendment 24 #
2020/2168(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Underlines the fact that the current ethical framework applying to Union institutions and agencies suffers from considerable drawbacks due to its fragmentation and lack of coordination between existing provisions; highlights that these issues should be addressed by setting up a common ethical framework, ensuring the application of high ethical standards for all Union institutions and agencies; considers that public officials are not in a position to conduct self- assessments regarding ethical situations or in instances of conflicts of interest; believes that this should fall under the competences of an independent specialised third party; calls under these circumstances, for the creation of an independent Union ethics body, responsible for the implementation of the common ethical framework for all Union institutions and agencies;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. NotesWelcomes the fact that the Agency uses key performance indicators to measure its training activities and their impact, in particular the satisfaction level of the participants, in order to assess the added value provided by those activities, and uses performance indicators to improve its budget management;
Amendment 5 #
2020/2166(DEC)
5 a. Calls on the Agency to continue to increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other Union bodies, offices and agencies with a view to improve efficiency as regards human resources, building management, IT services and security;
Amendment 6 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Highlights that in 2019, the Agency received a high number of applications to the programmes it offers; underlines that the Agency was only able to accommodate 47% of this demand for the exchange programme and has had to decline 55% of the applicants for a course on cybercrime activities due to a shortage in human resources; calls on the Commission and co-legislators to further engage with the Agency in the process of allocating budgetary resources in order to address staff shortfalls and allow the Agency to fully implement its mandate;
Amendment 8 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Observes that, following its relocation from the United Kingdom to Hungary and the resulting lower correction coefficient applied to staff salaries, the staff turnover has been high and geographical balance has not always been maintained as applications from Member States other than the host country have decreased; notes that in 2019, the Agency continued to receive a significant number of applications from Hungarian citizens and host Member State nationals continued to be overrepresented in the total number of staff; notes with appreciation that in 2019, in order to reduce the high staff turnover, the Agency continued to implement staff retention and business continuity measures, for example, the Agency engaged a number of interim staff and seconded national experts, awaiting the completion of the recruitment of statutory staff, continued the reclassification of staff and functions and maintained social arrangements (e.g. schooling for staff’s children), teleworking and flexitime arrangements;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Highlights the difficulties faced by the Agency in the recruitment and retention of qualified staff; underlines that the correction coefficients vary significantly from one Member State to another, having a serious impact on the ability of agencies located in Member States with lower correction coefficients to recruit and retain staff and expertise; calls on the Commission to consider the possibility of setting up different correction coefficients based on a regional rather than national assessment; highlights that usually the headquarters of agencies located in Member States with lower correction coefficients are in capital cities where living and subsistence costs are significantly higher than in other parts of the countries;
Amendment 10 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Encourages the Agency to pursue the development of a long term human resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 13 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recalls from the Court’s report 2018 that the Agency had not yet introduced all the tools launched by the Commission aiming to introduce a single solution for the electronic exchange of information with third parties participating in public procurement procedures (e- procurement); notes with satisfaction that the Agency introduced e-invoicing and e- tendering in 2018 and introduced e- submission in 2019, thus fully implementing e-procurement;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Prevention and management of conflicts of interest, ethics and transparency;
Amendment 16 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency and prevention and management of conflicts of interest; expresses satisfaction that the Agency has set up and implemented a Code of Administrative Behaviour in 2019 and that declarations of interest and the CV’s of management board members and senior management are published on the website; notes with appreciation that in 2019 the management board has approved implementing decisions on whistleblowing as well as on the setting up of a staff committee;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency and prevention and management of conflicts of interest; expresses satisfaction that the Agency has set up and implemented a Code of Administrative Behaviour in 2019 and appreciates the fact that declarations of interest and the CV’s of management board members and senior management are published on the website;
Amendment 19 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Underlines the fact that the current ethical framework applicable to Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies suffers from considerable drawbacks due to its fragmentation and lack of coordination between existing provisions; highlights that those issues should be addressed by setting up a common ethical framework, ensuring the application of high ethical standards for all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies; considers that public officials are not in a position to conduct self- assessments regarding ethical situations or in instances of conflicts of interest; believes that this should fall under the competences of an independent specialised third party; calls, under those circumstances, for the creation of an independent Union ethics body, responsible for the implementation of the common ethical framework for all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies;
Amendment 20 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, on one occasion, a budgetary commitment of EUR 180 000 was approved in accrual based accounting system (ABAC) by an inappropriately authorised staff member and thus the Agency should ensure consistency between ABAC authorisation rights and the written decision signed by the Executive Director; notes from the Agency’s reply that the identified non-compliance was documented in the register of exceptions and non- compliance events, together with actions for improvement, in order to strengthen the controls over ABAC rights; calls on the Agency to report to the discharge authority about the actions for improvement it implemented and to avoid any future situations where budgetary commitments are approved by inappropriately authorised staff members, and to ensure full compliance with all principles of sound budgetary execution;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. NoteRegrets that, according to the Court’s report, on one occasion, a framework contract with a value of EUR 100 000 was signed by an authorising officer whose authorisation limit for legal commitments was EUR 60 000 and the Executive Director did not provide specific sub- delegations during his absence in order to ensure the continuity of Agency's operations; notes from the Agency’s reply that, following the audit finding, an amended decision on sub-delegations was adopted, where allocated ceilings for authorised officers were increased to better enable continuity of operations; calls on the executive director to ensure the business and operation continuity at all times, including during temporary absences;
Amendment 22 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Notes with appreciation that ISO 29993 certification had been successfully obtained for four key residential activities and that in 2019 pre-course quality control was introduced for granted residential activities;
Amendment 23 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. NotesDeplores the fact that the Agency does not have a policy regarding cyber security and protection of digital records in its possession which in current times is very important; acknowledges that in 2020 the Agency initiated the process to implement the advanced records management system (ARES) as a document management system together with the partner agency EIT; calls on the Agency to cooperate with other Union bodies, offices and agencies in developing and implementing a strong and reliable cybersecurity policy; calls on the Agency to report to the discharge authority regarding the progress of implementation;
Amendment 25 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21 b. Stresses the importance of increasing the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in that regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 26 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Welcomes the fact that the Agency has adopted the comprehensive strategy towards the digitalisation of the Agency, addressing its digitalisation needs with the objective of providing a holistic long term vision on the development of a technology-enhanced business model; encourages the Agency to further develop its digitalisation strategy;
Amendment 30 #
2020/2166(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes the Agency’s efforts to ensure a cost-effective and environment- friendly work-place; points ouregrets the fact that the Agency does not have a carbon off- setting scheme in place but acknowledges on the basis of the Agency’s reply to the standard questionnaire that the cost of participating in such a scheme cannot be covered from its limited financial resources, and acknowledges that the Agency encourages its staff to make use of public transportation to reduce emissions and considers reimbursing the costs for public transport for employees;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2165(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the agency to continue tobe proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 7 #
2020/2165(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Encourages the Centre to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities.
Amendment 13 #
2020/2165(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Welcomes the efforts made by the Centre to create an environment-friendly working frame;
Amendment 14 #
2020/2165(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13 b. Recalls the importance for the agency to develop greater visibility in the media and on the Internet in order to make its work known;
Amendment 3 #
2020/2161(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Encourages the Agency to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2160(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Welcomes the fact that, since 2017, the tripartite working arrangement between the Agency, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and the European Borderand Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) has functioned well; considers the arrangement an example of synergy between EU agencies that should inspire agencies in other areas;
Amendment 7 #
2020/2160(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Regrets that in 2019, the agency's administrative board was composed only of 21% of women; notes, however, that parity has been achieved in the management team, with 2 heads of department out of 4 being women;
Amendment 13 #
2020/2160(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Welcomes the commitment made by the Agency to procure energy from 100% renewable sources by 2021;
Amendment 14 #
2020/2160(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13 b. Invites the Agency to increase the availability of its website in languages other than English; considers that greater linguistic diversity will facilitate access to information for European citizens and thus enhance their understanding and knowledge of the European Union's action in terms of maritime safety ;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Regrets that some of the founding regulations of the other agencies do not require them all to use the services of the CdT and recalls that the Translation Centre, based on its founding regulations, responds to the language service needs of EU agencies and other EU bodies;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Wonders about the interest of having a management board composed of 72 people, which complicates decision- making;
Amendment 4 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Welcomes the Centre's willingness to develop synergies with other agencies such as the implementation of the e- recruitment tool systal;
Amendment 6 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Calls on the agency to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other European agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 7 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Recalls the importance to increase the digitalisation of the CDT in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the CDT to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 10 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Encourages the Centre to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 13 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Welcomes the efforts made by the Centre to create an environment-friendly working framework and all the measures taken by the Centre to reduce its carbon footprint, its energy consumption and to develop a paperless workflow;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2156(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14 b. Welcomes the efforts made by the Centre to encourage the use of the free public transport system in Luxembourg and the initiatives taken to preserve the biodiversity;
Amendment 4 #
2020/2155(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Welcomes the good collaboration between EU-OSHA, ETF, Cedefop, and Eurofound, in their work. This collaboration promotes the creation of synergies and helps to avoid overlaps; calls on the Agency to continue to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other Union agencies with a view to improve efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 7 #
2020/2155(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Stresses the importance to increase the digitalisation of the Agency in terms of internal operations and management procedures; stresses the need for the Agency to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to take all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2155(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the development of a long term Human Resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with huge concern from the Court’s report that the Centre did not apply the proper method for calculating the contributions for Iceland and Norway, resulting in a too low contribution;
Amendment 6 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the Centre has continued the cooperation with the European Training Foundation, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work; deeply welcomes the new Service Agreement with European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, in particular in the field of digitalisation, procurement, data protection and HR, and encourages the Centre to continue to pursue synergies;
Amendment 7 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Welcomes the fact that the Centre continues to develop its synergies, increase cooperation and exchange of good practices with other European agencies with a view to improving efficiency (human resources, building management, IT services and security);
Amendment 8 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Welcomes the good collaboration between the Centre, Eurofound, EU- OSHA and ETF in their work, as such collaboration promotes the creation of synergies and helps to avoid overlaps;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Welcomes the Centre on its actions to increase the digitalisation of the agency in terms of internal operation and management but also in order to speed up the digitalisation of procedures; stresses the need for the Centre to continue to be proactive in this regard in order to avoid a digital gap between the agencies at all costs; draws attention, however, to the need to continue all the necessary security measures to avoid any risk to the online security of the information processed;
Amendment 13 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Encourages the Centre to pursue the development of a long term human resources policy framework which addresses the work-life balance, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of people with disabilities;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Welcomes the efforts made by the Centre to create an environmentally friendly working framework and all the measures taken by the Centre to reduce its carbon footprint, its energy consumption and to develop a paperless workflow;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2150(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Questions the need to maintain a Board of Directors composed of 84 people;
Amendment 2 #
2020/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that the CJEU still overestimates some commitments as stated in the discharge resolution of 2017: for budget lines such as ‘missions for members’, budget line 104: EUR 299.750 committed versus EUR 34 340 paid; ‘missions persons working with institution’, budget line 162: EUR 498 500 committed versus EUR 272 898 paid; ‘training for members’, budget line 106: EUR 270 065 committed versus EUR 164 263 paid; and ‘training persons working with institution’, budget line 1612: EUR 1.528.061 committed versus EUR 706.717 paid; notes, however, that substantial amounts were paid in 2020 from the commitments carried forward; calls on the CJEU to pursue its efforts to ensure sound financial management for all budget lines in order to avoid significant discrepancies between commitments and payments;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for improvements in the context of geographical balance of staff, in particular for management positions, as at presentby mid-2020, 15 out of 58 heads of unit (25,8 %) and 2 out of 15 directors (13,3 %) come from Member States that have joined the Union since May 2004 (compared to 15 out of 57 heads of unit and 2 out of 13 directors in 2018); acknowledges that these figures have to be seen in the context of the percentage of CJEU staff coming from those member states (29 %); calls on the CJEU to strengthen its efforts in this regard;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Is concerned that only 46 8,5% of traineeships at the CJEU were paid in 2019; notes, however, that this share rose from 24,1 31,7% in 2018; recognises that 2019 was a transition year towards the gradual introduction of the new regime (CJEU’s decision of 3 December 2018, providing for the possibility of taking on trainees paid by the institutions); notes the estimation that for 2020 the CJEU will remunerate 75 % of its trainees; notes that all traineeships cancelled in the context of the COVID-19- crisis were unpaid traineeships; welcomes the fact that the CJEU foresees the possibility of increasing further the number of paid traineeships, highlights the fact that the possibility of hosting unpaid trainees should only be maintained in the case where such trainees receive payments from other sources, based on inter-institutional agreements signed by the CJEU;
Amendment 23 #
2020/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Encourages the CJEU to strengthen its efforts to finalise a general package of measures in relation to the code of conduct for staff; recalls that the last revised code of conduct for members entered into force on 1 January 2017; reiterates the need for detailed provisions related to issues such as conflicts of interest, outside activities, occupational activities after leaving service and gainful employment of spouses; notes that the additional workload owing to the current health situation has delayed the process;
Amendment 28 #
2020/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Appreciates that the CJEU is continuously improving its environmental performance by applying Regulation (EC) No 1221/20096 (EMAS III)which requires monitoring of the different environmental aspects based on indicators; welcomes the fact that most of the 2811 indicators, in the form of a ratio per FTE (Full-Time Equivalent), showed a favourable trend in 2019 compared to 2015, the base year of the CJEU’s EMAS system; _________________ 6Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), repealing Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 and Commission Decisions 2001/681/EC and 2006/193/EC (EUT L 342 af 22.12.2009, s. 1).
Amendment 37 #
2020/2143(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Welcomes the completion of the third phase of structural reform in 2019, bringing significant structural changes at the General Court, in particular the creation of specialised chambers for intellectual property and staff cases, a greater involvement of the presidents and the vice-president in judicial work, the modernisation of systems for the statistical monitoring of the performance of the chambers and for the mid-term planning of the General Court;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls that Rule 11 of the Rules of Procedure has introduced an obligation for rapporteurs, shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs to publish information on meetings held with interest representatives in the context of their reports; notes with satisfaction that, since the start of the new legislature, the necessary infrastructure has been available on Parliament’s website to allow Members to publish scheduled meetings with interested representatives in order to improve transparency; stresses, however, that the tool for publication of meetings needs further improvement in order to fulfil its function to make Parliament more open, transparent, and accountable to citizens;
Amendment 24 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Notes that 324 out of the 705 of current Members had published at least one meeting with an interest representative by 01 December 2020 on Parliament’s website; urges Parliament to take appropriate measures to ensure that all rapporteurs, shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs comply with the obligation to publish their lobby meetings, including by enhancing its communication towards Members about the obligation of publishing such information and to further encourage the publication of lobby meetings on Parliament’s website in all other cases as well;
Amendment 29 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Paragraph 26 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Regrets the difficulties for Members to recruit swiftly their assistants at the beginning of the term due to DG Pers' increased activity; calls for Parliament's administration teams responsible for the recruitment of APAs to be reinforced at the beginning of each new mandate, for the time necessary to enable Members to recruit their assistants and to provide comprehensive training beforehand and until the high work load has been completed;
Amendment 36 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Recalls nevertheless that the turnout remained too low in certain countries; considers that this type of communication campaign should be ongoing, with a particular focus on those countries;
Amendment 92 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 a (new)
Paragraph 71 a (new)
71 a. Asks its administration to create a space on Parliament’s website where the plenary voting record of each Member would be available and the repartition of votes per political groups and nationality of Members visible and comparable; Invites the relevant services to study the feasibility and test the visualisation of the most recent signed amendments in committees and plenary of volunteering Members on their personal Parliament website page;
Amendment 117 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 13
Subheading 13
Members, Staff, Accredited Parliamentary Assistants and Local Assistants
Amendment 120 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
79. Draws attention to the 6% staff reduction target, that in 2019 required Parliament to eliminate 59 posts from its administration establishment plan; acknowledges the simultaneous increase in the number of contractual agents; is concerned by the negative effects of this significant reduction on Parliament’s performance, both in the short and long term; calls for the reassessment of the staffing situation, while also ensuring responsible budgetary management and undertaking savings where appropriate; believes that further savings could be envisaged;
Amendment 122 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79 a (new)
Paragraph 79 a (new)
79 a. Stresses that Parliament’s establishment plans have remained relatively stable since 2012, while at the same time increasing the number of temporary staff ; highlights the number of contract staff employed by the European Parliament has increased by 121% between 2012 and 2018 to compensate for the replacement of permanent staff, with a similar trend in 2019; notes the Court’s annual reports on the implementation of the Union budget for 2019 did not scrutinise whether these replacements have resulted from transfers of employees based in Strasbourg or Luxembourg to Brussels; calls on the Parliament’s human resources unit to share information on staff relocation at Parliament's three places of work since 2012, either as part of the annual discharge procedure or by sharing relevant information to the Court for inclusion in the next annual reports on budget implementation;
Amendment 132 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80 a (new)
Paragraph 80 a (new)
80 a. Asks the Secretary-General to find a solution for the fact that APAs' salaries can exclusively go to Belgian bank accounts which runs counter to the idea of a single monetary and payments union;
Amendment 135 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 82 a (new)
Paragraph 82 a (new)
82 a. Deplores the fact that no system exists for Members who are on maternity leave or on long-term sick leave to temporarily continue their work remotely; is of the opinion that this impossibility is fundamentally at odds with core values of the Union because it sends the signal that a vote on a female candidate may entail temporary non-representation; therefore, building on the experience accumulated during the Covid-19 pandemic, calls on the development of a hybrid working method which allows for Members on maternity leave or long-term sick leave to participate on meetings and vote online if they wish do so;
Amendment 142 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83
Paragraph 83
83. Supports the launch of an awareness raising campaign in 2019 to promote a zero-tolerance policy on harassment in the workplace; recognises Parliament’s zero tolerance policy towards harassment at any and all levels including Members, staff and APAs; notes that following the 2019 elections, all Members were required to sign a declaration confirming their commitment to complying with the code of appropriate behaviour incorporated in Parliament's Rules of Procedure in January 2019; however, regrets that 10 new harassment cases were opened in 2019 out of which 4 cases concerned sexual harassment; calls for mandatory trainings for Member and staff;
Amendment 143 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83 a (new)
Paragraph 83 a (new)
83 a. Is of the opinion that Parliament should provide basic accommodations for breastfeeding mothers at work, particularly including time and a private space that is not a bathroom;
Amendment 190 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 92 a (new)
Paragraph 92 a (new)
92 a. welcomes that 100% of all A4 paper used in Parliament's offices is recycled and welcomes the significant decrease of paper purchase in 2019 compared to 2018; welcomes the Parliament's efforts to increase the number of paperless meetings and calls for more training to be ofered to all Members, staff and APAs about the paperless tools which have been created to enable less documents to be printed and for further communication campaigns;
Amendment 192 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 92 b (new)
Paragraph 92 b (new)
92 b. Calls for further ambitious actions to be undertaken swiftly and believes that the ultimate goal should be a Parliament free of single-use plastic;
Amendment 195 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 95 a (new)
Paragraph 95 a (new)
95 a. Is concerned by the fact that out of the 340 persons that Parliament’s vehicle fleet has a capacity to theoretically carry on the way to Strasbourg per plenary session, only 116 Members and APAs made use of this opportunity in 2019, which corresponds to an occupation rate of less than 3 percent; urges the Secretary-General to introduce a user- friendly on-line booking system and allow this option of travel to Strasbourg to political groups’ and all other staff, too; further requests Parliament to lift the obligation on APAs to use the fleet to go from Brussels to Strasbourg only when accompanied by their Member;
Amendment 203 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 98 a (new)
Paragraph 98 a (new)
98 a. Welcomes the significant increase of use of bicycles in Brussels in 2019 compared to 2018;
Amendment 212 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109
Paragraph 109
109. Recalls the decision that all Members shallould have a separate bank account to receive the general expenditure allowance; welcomes Parliament’s strict implementation of this obligation which resulted in a 100% compliance rate;
Amendment 219 #
2020/2141(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111 a (new)
Paragraph 111 a (new)
111 a. Is of the opinion that the current non-exhaustive list of expenditure is not sufficiently clear and leaves therefore loopholes and room for misinterpretation, calls on the Bureau to establish an exhaustive list of expenditure or at least establish a negative list of expenditure;
Amendment 16 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
Amendment 17 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. the 2019 discharge procedure covers a year marked by political and institutional transition with elections to the European Parliament and a new legislature which commenced on 2 July 2019 and the appointment of a new Commission, which took office on 1 December 2019 and which set new political priorities, such as the European Green Deal and an increasing focus on digitalising the Union and the protection of its values and of the money of EU taxpayers;;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) did not require any adjustments to the figures reported in the 2019 Union annual accounts; however, in 2020 and in the years to come, the COVID-19 outbreak will have a significant global impact, as well as having important implications for the Union budget, and in this regard, we have to determine with a particular attention if Commission used with efficiency and transparency the Union budget, because as from 2020, the implementation of the Union’s immediate response initiatives will affect the recognition, measurement or reclassification of multiple assets and liabilities in the financial statements of the Union;
Amendment 24 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Notes that the new regulation on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget is applicable since 1st January 2021;stresses that the Court of Justice of the European Union has already unequivocally established in its recent judgment in case C-5/16 Poland v EP & Council[1]that statements contained in European Council Conclusions cannot prevail over or modify the text of the regulation;calls therefore on the European Commission, as “Guardian of the Treaties" to apply the regulation from the date it entered into force and start the rule of law mechanisms when it is necessary; [1] Judgment of 21 June 2018, EU:C:2018:483.
Amendment 25 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Welcomes the new regulation on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget establishing the rules necessary for the protection of the Union budget in the case of breaches of the principles of the rule of law in the Member States ; Recalls that this regulation designed to protect EU funds will have to be applied to all commitments and payments, while providing safeguards for final beneficiaries and recipients;
Amendment 32 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Deplores the fact that the implementation of the CAP and the Cohesion Policy in EU Member States has in total 292 reporting systems, which makes the data fragmented and non- comparable, and prevents the effective use of AI and big data to control the funds; deplores the fact that none of the CAP and Cohesion policy reporting systems contains information on the ultimate beneficiaries, that disclosing this information is not legally required, and that not all information on beneficial owners of the companies is available in the national central registers of all Member States; calls on the Commission remedy the situation as a matter of urgency to create a unified reporting system which is updated automatically with comparable and timely data to make the system capable of monitoring, controlling with the use of AI and big data; calls on the Commission to make the publication of all information on beneficial owners as a legal requirement as a prerequisite for the use of EU funds as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 37 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Recalls that Commission established the Early Detection and Exclusion System to reinforce the protection of the Union's financial interests and to ensure sound financial management and to ensure that those companies and beneficial owners cannot benefit from EU funds who have been convicted in relation of fraud or corruption or other criminal activities related to use of Union funds, or against whom at least OLAF issued judicial recommendations to the criminal authorities of the Member States as of 1 January 2016; deplores the fact that this “EU blacklist” contains only 5 companies at the moment, is of the opinion that this tool could help the EU institutions and national bodies to better fight and prevent corruption and fraud in the Member States; calls therefore on the Commission to improve its use of this tool to connect the blacklist to the OLAF and EPPO and the national databases and create an automated system, which updates this database with reliable and timely information;
Amendment 38 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Asks the commission to create an EU black list of companies and their beneficial owners or individuals who have been convicted in relation of fraud or corruption or other criminal activities related to use of Union funds possibly banning them from applying for Union funding for a period of five years, and to scrutinise carefully all their ongoing projects involving the payment of Union Funds
Amendment 55 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls for the budgets of OLAF and EPPO to be increased in order to be able to fulfil their mission
Amendment 58 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Endorses the recommendations from the Court of Auditors (the “Court”) and encourages strongly the Commission and other relevant parties to implement them as soon as possible while emphasising some of the most important and urgent recommendations below;
Amendment 61 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls on the Commission to pay increased attention and allocate increased staff and budget of the Commission to Member States, whose management and control systems are only partially or not reliable, where there is an increased risk of fraud and corruption related to funds and especially those Member States who did not join to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office;
Amendment 62 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Make the utilisation of Arachne as a pre-condition for Member States to use Union Funds;
Amendment 96 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 – point b
Paragraph 8 – point b
b. that more than half (53,1 %) of the expenditure was materially affected by error, concerning mainly reimbursement- based expenditure, in which the level of error was as high as 4,9 % (compared to 4,5 % in 2018 and 3,7 % in 2017); notes that this increase is largely due to a rise in ‘Cohesion’ spending since expenditure under this field increased to EUR 66,9 billion in 2019;
Amendment 99 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points out that, as in previous years, eligibility errors (namely ineligible costs in costs claims and ineligible projects, activities or beneficiaries) in reimbursement-based payments, where expenditure is often subject to complex rules, were again the main contributors to the 2019 estimated level of error for high- risk expenditure at 74% (compared to 68 % in 2018);
Amendment 130 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Points out that according to the Court, the overall absorption rate of ESIF (European Structural Investment Funds) was lower than in the corresponding year of the previous MFF, as by the end of 2019, out of the total ESIF allocations for the current MFF (EUR 465 billion), only 40 % had been paid out to Member States (compared with 46 % by the end of 2012); notes that only nine Member States had higher absorption rates under the current MFF than under the previous one, and that overall the speed of absorption in 2019 stayed almost exactly the same as in 2018; Isvery concerned by the weak level of absorption rates;
Amendment 133 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Regrets that greater technical assistance is not being put in place to increase the absorption rate in many States and also make it possible to reduce the backlog of outstanding commitments (RAL)
Amendment 145 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Notes that the current agreement between the Commission, the EIB and the Court concerning audits of operations which are financed or backed by the Union budget expires in 2020; viewsStrongly calls to take this an opportunity to ensure that the Court is enabled to audit on an annual basis the regularity and also the performance of all the EIB activities, which do not fall under a specific Union mandate;
Amendment 149 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. supports the request made by the Court to audit the EIB’s non-Union budget related operations
Amendment 154 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 – indent 1
Paragraph 26 – indent 1
- call on the EIB to enable each year the Court to audit the regularity as well as the performance aspects of its financing activity, which does not fall under a specific Union mandate;
Amendment 162 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Notunderlines that the Court finds that the Commission has satisfactory procedures for the production of its annual management and performance report and programmes' performance overview; agrees with the Court that the Commission should continue to report on programme performance after the end of an MFF period;
Amendment 165 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Encourages deeply the Commission to continue to improve the reliability of performance information as a vital tool for assessing the success of programmes; this should include the dissemination of lessons learnt from the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, especially those concerning design and methodology;
Amendment 169 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Calls on the Commission to include in its performance reports greater analysis of the efficiency and economy of programmes when information becomes available, more systematic analysis of the significant external factors affecting programme performance; clear assessments of all the performance indicators reported on as regards whether they are on track to meet their targets; clear and balanced assessments of performance, covering all programme objectives in appropriate detail; Urges the Commission to take these measures for the next discharge 2020 due to all programs adopted in the context of theCOVID-19 crisis; .
Amendment 192 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 – indent 4 a (new)
Paragraph 39 – indent 4 a (new)
Amendment 194 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39 a. Encourages the Commission and the ECA to accelerate the discharge process to N+1
Amendment 195 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 b (new)
Paragraph 39 b (new)
39 b. Calls on the Commission to continue promoting a better gender balance and gender budgeting approach in the allocated funds
Amendment 198 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 a (new)
Paragraph 41 a (new)
41 a. Welcomes that the Commission’s work on the next EU’s financial programming and budget initiated before and throughout 2019 led to the introduction of a legally binding timetable, of new EU-wide streams of revenue, or ‘own resources’ intended to repay common European borrowing; Recalls the predominance of the Gross National Incomes (GNI) contributions in the EU budget; Stresses that new own resources come at a reduction of the share of national GNI-based contributions in the financing of the Union’s annual budget and do not therefore contribute to an overall increase of the EU budget; Urges the Commission to propose a diversification of its revenue sources to ensure the EU becomes truly independent vis-a-vis Member States’ contributions while significantly increasing the budget for EU programmes.
Amendment 212 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Points out that of eight long- outstanding VAT reservations set by the Commission and examined by the the Court, five of them were related to infringement procedures against Member States on the grounds of possible non- compliance with the VAT Directive;
Amendment 233 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62 a (new)
Paragraph 62 a (new)
Amendment 236 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
65. UnderlineNotes with concerns that SMEs are more error-prone than other beneficiaries since more than half the quantifiable errors found (17 out of 28) involved funding for private beneficiaries, even though the transactions in question accounted for just 42 (32 %) of the 130 transactions in the sample (SMEs made up 12 % of the sample but accounted for 21 % of the quantifiable errors);
Amendment 247 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68 – indent 1 a (new)
Paragraph 68 – indent 1 a (new)
- increase and develop information and training sessions for applicants with a focus on new applicants for whom training should be mandatory
Amendment 249 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68 – indent 4
Paragraph 68 – indent 4
Amendment 260 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72 – indent 7
Paragraph 72 – indent 7
- further simplify tools, administration and guidance for SMEs (in such a way that they impose a minimal burden on SMEs, and especially on start- ups without the resources and staff to deal with their complexity);
Amendment 268 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 81 – indent 2
Paragraph 81 – indent 2
- encourage deeply complementarity between Union financial instruments and Union budgetary guarantees (in the context of the new MFF programmes, the Commission should propose that the Union financial instruments are coherent and complementary in terms of the respective policy objectives to be achieved, so as to avoid competition between instruments);
Amendment 290 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 89
Paragraph 89
89. Is verhighly concerned about the weaknesses found in the work of several audit authorities covered by the Court’s sample, which currently limit the reliance that can be placed on that work (the recalculated rate was above the 2 % materiality threshold in nine out of 20 assurance packages for the 2014-2020 period, the Commission adjusted the residual error rates for eight assurance packages to a figure above 2 %);
Amendment 319 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94 – indent 1
Paragraph 94 – indent 1
- clarify fastly eligibility conditions (including by defining what is meant by ‘physically completed’ and/or ‘fully implemented’ operations, in order to help Member States to verify that operations comply with Article 65(6) of the CPR and avoid the non-detection of ineligible operations);
Amendment 320 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94 – indent 1 a (new)
Paragraph 94 – indent 1 a (new)
- Calls on the Commission to provide Parliament with an annual report setting out in detail the contribution of each budget item to the climate mainstreaming target and to biodiversity spending, in order to facilitate their monitoring;
Amendment 321 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94 – indent 1 b (new)
Paragraph 94 – indent 1 b (new)
- Calls on the Commission urgently to start working on an effective methodology, where relevant, and in accordance with sectoral legislation, for monitoring climate spending and its performance in view of achieving an overall target of at least30 % of the total amount of the 2021-2027 Union budget and Next Generation EU(NGEU) expenditures supporting climate objectives;
Amendment 349 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 95 a (new)
Paragraph 95 a (new)
95 a. is concerned about the problems raised by the Court of Auditors concerning the lack of internal controls in the Member States or the unreliability of data
Amendment 350 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 95 b (new)
Paragraph 95 b (new)
95 b. Regrets that not all Member States are using the Arachne data mining system to improve fraud detection; Points out that concerning fraud, both the Commission and the Member States are responsible for addressing fraud in Cohesion spending. They need to step up their efforts to prevent and detect fraud, in cooperation with EPPO and the anti- fraud office (OLAF)
Amendment 367 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102 a (new)
Paragraph 102 a (new)
102 a. Is deeply concerned that since 2019 a growing number of Managing Authorities of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) in Poland have adopted resolutions declaring themselves free from so-called ‘LGBTI ideology’ or have adopted ‘Regional Charters of Family Rights’ discriminating in particular against single-parent and LGBTI families; Insists on the fact that, in line with Regulation No 1303/20131a, the use of EU funds must comply with the principle of non-discrimination; Highlights that the new Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) for shared management funds entered into force in 2021 further reinforces the need of compliance of EU funds with the anti- discrimination principle and the charter of fundamental rights; _________________ 1aRegulation laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation
Amendment 368 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102 b (new)
Paragraph 102 b (new)
102 b. Believes that there is a clear risk of breach of the anti-discrimination provisions regulating the use of EU funds in these municipalities and regions;
Amendment 369 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102 c (new)
Paragraph 102 c (new)
102 c. Calls on the Commission to carry an in-depth audit of the use of ESIF in these regions since 2019 and its compliance with EU law, in particular with the anti-discrimination provisions; Calls of the Commission to make use of every tool at its disposal, including financial corrections and fines, in case it finds clear evidence of misuse of funds on those grounds; Asks the Commission to report to the discharge authority the findings of this investigation;
Amendment 372 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 106 a (new)
Paragraph 106 a (new)
106 a. Acknowledges that COVID-19 crisis has provided a new and unexpected challenge that the EU and its Member States need to respond determinedly and provide solutions at the EU and national level; welcomes the increasing financial flexibility in cohesion spending which enables Member States to use the funds to finance crisis-related projects; underlines the necessity of fostering the continuity and deeper cooperation of all stakeholders relevant to cohesion policy, mainly SMEs, municipalities and regions, which will struggle with unemployment and healthcare in the coming months
Amendment 373 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 106 b (new)
Paragraph 106 b (new)
106 b. welcomes the increasing financial flexibility in cohesion spending which enables Member States to use the funds to finance crisis-related projects; underlines the necessity of fostering the continuity and deeper cooperation of all stakeholders relevant to cohesion policy, mainly SMEs, municipalities and regions, which will struggle with unemployment and healthcare in the coming months
Amendment 374 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 106 c (new)
Paragraph 106 c (new)
106 c. Highlights the challenges that patients in the Union face in benefiting from the Directive on cross-border healthcare, as identified in the Court's Special Report 7/2019,particularly with regard to potential patients' awareness of their rights,problems and delays in exchanging patient health data electronically between Member States and access to healthcare for patients with rare diseases;
Amendment 381 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109 a (new)
Paragraph 109 a (new)
109 a. Reiterates the Parliament’s request for the creation of a new budgetary line for Tourism, to support this sector severely hit by the Covid-19 crisis; welcomes that the Court has launched an audit to assess tourism projects co-funded with EUR 6.4 billion in2007-2013 and EUR 4 billion so far in 2014-2020 ERDF and Cohesion Fund money, which will help improving EU Tourism policies
Amendment 382 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109 b (new)
Paragraph 109 b (new)
109 b. Notes that by the sixth year of the current programming period 2014-2020 only around 31% of the funds initially awarded had resulted in payments by January 2020, putting into question the full implementation of CEF; calls on Member States to significantly speed up investments and on the Commission to step up its monitoring in view of the urgent need for infrastructure investment for the speedy recovery from theCovid-19 related economic downturn;
Amendment 418 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 120
Paragraph 120
120. Regretnotes that 70 % of errors were made up by ‘Ineligible beneficiary/activity/project/expenditure’;
Amendment 428 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 126
Paragraph 126
126. Is concerned by the limitations in the reliability of the results of the certification bodies’ work, due to weaknesses the Court identified in some certification bodies’ checks and sampling methodologies; In view of the CAP new delivery model, in which certification bodies will play a more prominent role, calls on Commission to focus more on the reliability of the results they furnish
Amendment 499 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 4 – point f
Paragraph 128 – indent 4 – point f
f. emissions from agriculture accounted for around 12,6 % of total Union greenhouse gas emissions in 2017. Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture have fallen by more than 20 % since 1990, but have stalled since 2010 but they have been increasing in recent years;
Amendment 507 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point d
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point d
d. young farmers can receive additional direct payments under the EAGF and one-off support from the EAFRD for setting up their first agricultural holding. The Court’s findings coincide with those of evaluation support studies16 : EAGF support for young farmers has little to no impact, while EAFRD support is more effective, mainly because it is better targeted. CAP generational renewal measures have been found to be effective in ‘cases where complementary national, regional and local governance institutions and fiscal policies also support and enhance’ those measures; New measures should be initiated to help young farmers especially in the frame of land acquisition. _________________ 16Evaluation of the impact of the CAP on generational renewal, local development and jobs in rural areas, 2019; ECA special report No 10/2017: EU support to young farmers should be better targeted to foster effective generational renewal; SURE- Farm: Impact of the Young Farmers payment on structural change, 2020.
Amendment 509 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e a (new)
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e a (new)
e a. Deeply regrets that 40%of rural households still do not have high-speed internet access. Digitisation is not being speeded up in rural areas in order to develop employment there and also to support farms on a day-to-day basis.
Amendment 510 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e b (new)
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e b (new)
e b. Deplores the low level of organic farming in Europe, which is only 7.5% given the resources invested
Amendment 511 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e c (new)
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e c (new)
e c. Deeply regrets that the Arachne system is not used by all states and hopes that initiatives will be taken in this direction. Stresses the EC to use Arachne as a common data base and to promote strongly its use by all the Member states.
Amendment 512 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e d (new)
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e d (new)
e d. Calls the EC to put in place a performance based model in the CAP that should work based on these same indicators , giving quantified values to identify milestones; Insist on the need to provide significant additional information on performance towards achieving policy objectives on biodiversity and climate actions.
Amendment 513 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e e (new)
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e e (new)
e e. emphasises that better insight is needed into sectors such as agriculture and forestry; calls on the Commission to take account of suggested further improvements in reporting how EU and national mitigation policies contribute to meeting emission reduction targets
Amendment 514 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e f (new)
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e f (new)
e f. Insists that the Commission propose to introduce a specific mechanism of complaint into the CAP rules to support the farmers confronted with land-grabbing malpractices, criminal structures or organised crime or persons being subject to forced or slave labour.
Amendment 515 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e g (new)
Paragraph 128 – indent 5 – point e g (new)
e g. Propose that the Area Monitoring System (AMS) should be compulsory in the frame of the IACS (Integrated Administration and Control System) in the members states.
Amendment 600 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 146
Paragraph 146
146. Is deeply concerned that the return rate for individuals who no longer have the right to stay on Union territory is structurally unsatisfactory (31,5 %);
Amendment 624 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 149 a (new)
Paragraph 149 a (new)
149 a. carefully monitor the efficiency of the actions led by Frontex in order to better protect the external borders of the European Union;
Amendment 642 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 156 a (new)
Paragraph 156 a (new)
156 a. Notes that the Court found that EU aid helped to restore and maintain access to safe and good-quality education during humanitarian crises. Welcomes the relevance of projects regarding the problems identified. Notes that projects were able to achieve most of their objectives. Support the Court’s recommendation and calls the Commission to finetune its support for education in emergencies in order to reach a good level of efficiency and relevance
Amendment 661 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 163 – indent 1
Paragraph 163 – indent 1
- strengthen the focus of Union budget support in Morocco, namely apply a more transparent and better documented method to allocate amounts to sectoral budget support programmes and continue to monitor the performance;
Amendment 664 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 163 – indent 6
Paragraph 163 – indent 6
- finally fastly conclude the readmission agreement for which the Council granted the Commission a negotiating mandate in 2000, especially as Morocco is one of the biggest beneficiaries of Union development support25 ; _________________ 25Question for written answer E- 000331/2020, Subject: EU-Morocco readmission agreement
Amendment 690 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 169 a (new)
Paragraph 169 a (new)
169 a. welcomes the Court’s finding about a generally positive trend in terms of poverty reduction, gender equality in education,number of agreements with neighbouring countries, expresses however concern about the worsening trend in terms of consolidation of democracy, rule of law and political stability
Amendment 702 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 170 a (new)
Paragraph 170 a (new)
Amendment 706 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 171 – indent 2
Paragraph 171 – indent 2
Amendment 707 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 171 – indent 3
Paragraph 171 – indent 3
Amendment 708 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 171 – indent 4
Paragraph 171 – indent 4
Amendment 709 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 171 – indent 5
Paragraph 171 – indent 5
Amendment 710 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 171 – indent 6
Paragraph 171 – indent 6
Amendment 712 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 171 – indent 8
Paragraph 171 – indent 8
Amendment 725 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 174
Paragraph 174
Amendment 729 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 175
Paragraph 175
Amendment 747 #
Amendment 754 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 177
Paragraph 177
Amendment 756 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 178
Paragraph 178
Amendment 795 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 187
Paragraph 187
Amendment 802 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 188
Paragraph 188
Amendment 811 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 41 a (new)
Subheading 41 a (new)
Underlines the important effect of turnover within the staff of the agencies of the European Union, calls Commission to help them for the implementation of human and social policies to remedy it
Amendment 825 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 192 – indent 1 a (new)
Paragraph 192 – indent 1 a (new)
- Reiterates previously expressed concern over problematic material in school textbooks used in the West Bank,Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem that has still not been removed and is concerned about the continued failure to remove material containing hate speech and violence in school textbooks. Insists that salaries of teachers and education sector civil servants that are financed from EU funds such as PEGASE should be used for drafting and teaching curricula which reflects UNESCO standards of peace, tolerance, coexistence, and non-violence, following the standards set by EU education ministers in Paris on 17 March 2015; and the European Parliament decision of 13 May 2020 on discharge in respect of the implementation of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2018, Section III –Commission and executive agencies (2019/2055(DEC))
Amendment 827 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 192
Paragraph 192
Amendment 832 #
2020/2140(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 192 – indent 1
Paragraph 192 – indent 1
Amendment 2 #
2020/2133(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that transparency, accountability and integrity are key components in promoting ethics principles within the EU, and are essential to protect the EU budget from fraud and corruption and to maintain democratic legitimacy as well as public trust in the EU; recalls that corruption has serious financial consequences and constitutes a serious threat to democracy, the rule of law and public investment; recalls that conflicts of interest can significantly damage the EU’s financial interests and decision-making processes, and should therefore be prevented and condemned;
Amendment 4 #
2020/2133(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the European Court of Auditors (ECA) identified serious weaknesses in this regard in its 2019 audit on the ethical frameworks of the EU institutions, which concludes that improvements need to be made through harmonisation, awareness raising and strengthening of EU ethics rules; shares the ECA’s concerns about the absence of a common EU ethical framework governing the work of Member States’ representatives in the Council, the lack of overall strategies on ethics in the Parliament and the Council, the unreliable procedures for verifying declarations of interest, the limited scrutiny of these declarations and the incomplete policies in other areas concerning the existing ethical frameworks;
Amendment 10 #
2020/2133(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises that the high level of fragmentation in the ethics legal framework and the lack of oversight have prevented the proper implementation of codes of conduct in EU institutions; believes that the current self-regulatory approach is not fit for purpose and cannot guarantee integrity; highlights that public officials are not in a position to self-assess ethical situations or conflicts of interest, and that this assessment should fall under the remit of an independent specialised third party; underlines the need to enhance the integrity of the EU institutions and restore public trust;
Amendment 14 #
2020/2133(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the creation of an Independent Ethics Body (IEB) common to all EU institutions; welcomes the fact that the Commission has made it a priority, and is committed to supporting the IEB’s effort to establish a common ethical framework at EU level; calls on all EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies to support and contribute to the establishment of the future common ethical framework of the EU; encourages the extension of the competences of the IEB as to cover all EU agencies, offices, bodies and other EU structures;
Amendment 17 #
2020/2133(INI)
5. Sees high potential for the EU institutions to transfer administrative decision-making competences to the IEB based on a new harmonised ethics framework that it will establish, which should include common rules on the content and publication of declarations of interests, avoidance of conflicts of interest and revolving doors, acceptance of gifts and entertainment, protection of whistle- blowers and victims of harassment, transparency of lobby meetings, public procurement and meeting calendars of senior staff, and use of transparent bank accounts for public funds;
Amendment 26 #
2020/2133(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines that the IEB should be in charge of prevention, monitoring, investigation and enforcement of the common ethical framework for the protection of the EU’s financial interests; highlights that the IEB should be able to take disciplinary measures and impose financial sanctions, and not only issue recommendations, in order to avoid abuse of the EU budget linked to unethical behaviour;
Amendment 4 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
– having regard to the Advocate General’s Opinion in Case C-156/21 and C157/21 Hungary v Parliament and Council; Poland v Parliament and Council,
Amendment 8 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the budgetary authorities adopted the MFF 2021-2027 package, which together with the NextGenerationEU recovery instrument amounts to an unprecedented EUR 1.8 trillion in total of funding over the coming years to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the EU’s long- term priorities across different policy areas;
Amendment 9 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the implementation of all of those funds is de jure subject to full and unlimited scrutiny by ParliamentEuropean scrutiny, including scrutiny by the European Parliament; however the de facto capacity of the EU institutions to control the EU funds is unfortunately rather limited without the effective and meaningful cooperation of the national authorities;
Amendment 12 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the protection of the EU’s financial interests is a key element of the EU policy agenda to strengthen and increase the confidence of the public and ensure that taxpayer money is used properly; whereas the implementation of the MFF 2021-2027 budgetary package must be in line with the general principles enshrined in the Treaties, in particular the European Values set out in Article 2 of the TEU and the principle of sound financial management set out in Article 310 of the TFEU and in the Financial Regulation;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that, in today’s society, ‘oligarchy’ refers to any small, cohesive class or group that is in a position to make decisions or command others in either political or non-political contexts or rule a political community in its own interest, without regard for democracy; notes that in an oligarchy, political elites misdirect public funds from the EU or national budgets to serve their private interest and often rely on businessmen who act on their behalf in a structure where real beneficiaries and beneficial owners are usually concealed; notes that the extreme concentration of political and financial elites leads to state capture;
Amendment 27 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes, with particular concern, that the occurrence of such oligarchic groups, which sometimes do not refrain from using government tools or criminal practices, has reached an unprecedented magnitude in the past several years; notes, with extreme concern, that politically connected oligarch networks can capture the national media market and interfere with the workings of democratic public spheres;
Amendment 35 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that ensuring the effective functioning of the rule of law, promoting competition, enhancing transparency and assuring functional implementation of public procurement rules and free access to markets is fundamental to prevent oligarchs from seizing control of the economy and financial market, which would result in them self-reinforcing; insists that the EU promotes transparency in the spending of EU and national funds, strengthen the rules of transparency, especially on final beneficiaries and beneficial owners and closely monitor and enforce the proper implementation of such rules;
Amendment 44 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Asks the Commission nevertheless to amend Article 167(1)(c) of the Financial Regulation to include a more explicit definition of ‘professional conflict of interest’, so as to ensure that EU institutions are able to take mitigating measures in the case of bidders with a financial interest in a policy-related service contract; calls on the Commission to do its utmost for ensuring uniform interpretation of the definition of conflict of interest in all Member States of the EU;
Amendment 48 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Points out that conflicts of interest do not only occur in relation to corruption, fraud and criminal conduct; stresses nevertheless that the consequent detection and disclosure of conflicts of interest is paramount to identifying possible risks of misuse, bias, fraud and corruption in fund management, as well as preventing reputational harm;
Amendment 52 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Reiterates, however, that even the best legal framework cannot compensate for an insufficient implementation mechanism; calls therefore for an improvement of the capacities of the EU bodies for better enabling them to monitor and investigate conflict of interest cases;
Amendment 57 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Emphasises that as far as cohesion policy is concerned, the most frequently detected types of fraudulent irregularities for projects financed under the programming period 2014-2020 for European structural and investment funds concern overpricing, incorrect, missing and false or falsified supporting documents, infringement of contract provisions, single biding public procurements, eligibility and infringement of public procurement rules, and breaches in relation to ethics and integrity including conflict of interest and corruption;
Amendment 59 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that in agricultural spending, there is also there are established common practices at the misuse of CAP funds, such as a risk of falsification of documents and of the creation of artificial conditions , such as by splitting agricultural holdings to avoid EU agricultural payment cap and requesting aid through several linked companies, or through incomplete implementation of the action; highlights that with regard to market measures, high financial amounts were recorded in several cases of conflict of interest combined with other breaches linked to promotion and are being investigated by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF);
Amendment 60 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Points out that in several countries conflict of interest and revolving doors constitute serious problems; highlights that with regard to market measures, high financial amounts were recorded in several cases of conflict of interest combined with other breaches linked to promotion and are being investigated by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF);
Amendment 61 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Points out that the study on the implementation of the CAP funds revealed that the disbursement of EU agriculture funds is a highly problematic issue in at least five Member States and that there is a clear inequality between fund allocations for big and small farmers, with systemic advantages for the big farms, whose managers sometimesbeneficiaries often have close ties to the ruling political parties in their countries; calls for more equal allocation of CAP funds;
Amendment 68 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Points out that although there is a certain level of transparency required by the EU, its implementation is often impeded, so public access to data regarding the allocation of subsidies is highly problematic issue in the EU;
Amendment 71 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Deplores the fact that there are 292 reporting systems disclosing beneficiary information of CAP and Cohesion Policy which makes it de facto impossible to identify the ultimate final beneficiaries of EU funds, and to compare the data collected in the Member States; it also makes it more difficult to properly investigate misuses of EU funds; urges the Commission to establish a more unified reporting system which is capable of the comparison of the data provided by the Member States;
Amendment 88 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Appreciates OLAFʼs long-term intensive investigative activity covering many politically controversial and complex cases; regrets that the indictment rate following recommendations by OLAF to Member States decreased from 53 % in the 2007-2014 period to 37 % in the 2016- 2020 period; further notes that the extent to which financial amounts recommended for recovery are actually recovered has not been assessed in recent years, and that the most recent assessment covering the years 2009 to 2016 indicates a recovery rate of 21 %; calls on OLAF and the Commission to investigate the underlying reasons and calls on the Member States; reiterates its calls on OLAF to regularly follow up on its recommendations and the measures the Member States take and add it to its yearly reports and calls on the Member States’ authorities to do their utmost to improve the indictment rate and to cooperate closely with EU bodies to ensure that funds misused by organised crime and oligarchs are recovered;
Amendment 94 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Commends the invaluable work carried out by OLAF, the EPPO and Europol in combating financial crimes such as corruption, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion, and stresses that these institutions are chronically understaffed and lacking financial resources due to the unwillingness of the Council as one of the budgetary authorities to authorise sufficient human and financial resources during the annual budgetary procedure; callreminds that every euro spent on monitoring and investigation returns to the EU budget; urges therefore on the Council to review its position and allow for increased financing of human resources for these agencies and offices, enabling them to carry out their important mission in an appropriate and effective way and calls on the Commission to continuously present supporting draft budgets to the budget authorities;
Amendment 102 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls for the use of the Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) to be made compulsory under shared management and create a transparent EU wide blacklist; further notes that the EDES does not distinguish between subsidiaries of larger corporations; calls for the mandatory use of the ArachneRACHNE data mining and data enrichment tool by Member States in order to achieve more transparency on the beneficiaries of CAP funds; is of the opinion that the European investigative bodies shall have full and direct access to the ARACHNE;
Amendment 114 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Deplores that since 1 January 2021, the Commission has been unable to take any appropriate action to apply the Conditionality Regulation, which entered into force on that day; strongly regrets that after months of debating, Parliament has been forced to take legal action against the Commission under Article 265 TFEU for failure to apply the Conditionality Regulation; is of the opinion that the informal letters sent out to Hungary and Poland are insufficient in terms of applying the regulation; insist again that the Commission should start the application of regulation immediately and initiate procedures against all affected Member States without any discrimination immediately;
Amendment 116 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Underlines the important role of investigative journalists in the fight against corruption, fraud and illegal activities that negatively impact the EU budget; reiterates in this regard the need to protect investigative journalism from strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), as well as personal harassment, intimidation and threats to life;
Amendment 119 #
2020/2126(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls on the Commission to insist on a strict and rigorous implementation of the applicable rules, to use all available sources and to employ efficient management and control systems to address risks of corruption, fraud and conflict of interest, and to better monitor the situation of agriculture paying agencies and their formal and informal independence; is of the view that substantive auditing and controls both on the national and European level are key conditions for the protection of the EU funds; finds it worrying that the new CAP proposal does not strengthen the role of controlling systems at European level;
Amendment 28 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas COVID-19 has caused a global pandemic, which is affecting millions of human lives, giving rise to an unprecedented global health, economic, social and humanitarian crisis and will affect key aspects of EU foreign policy;
Amendment 61 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the pandemic has highlighted existing challenges such as the fight against disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and other malign third-party interference;
Amendment 62 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas COVID 19 crisis reveals once more the need to strengthen multilateralism and the rules-based order to better address global challenges
Amendment 66 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the challenges the EU was facing prior to the pandemic persist or/and have worsened by it
Amendment 69 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas the pandemic has aggravated the critical humanitarian situation of vulnerable people notably in conflict zones, refugee camps and fragile states; whereas in this perspective, the EU supported the United Nations' appeal to ease sanctions amid pandemic to not impede the delivery of essential equipment and supplies necessary to fight the coronavirus;
Amendment 72 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
Bd. whereas the EU echoed the United Nations' appeal for an immediate global ceasefire
Amendment 73 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B e (new)
Recital B e (new)
Be. whereas the EU was the target of disinformation campaigns from governmental and non-governmental actors with the direct intention to destabilize the EU institutions and the Member states and to weaken European values;
Amendment 113 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) to review the 2016 Global Strategy in light of the global impact of the crisis, reflecting these geopolitical shifts and ensuring more strategic EU action and that the EU plays its part in defending the rules-based multilateral world order that was created after the Second World War;
Amendment 119 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Deplores the early denial of the reality of the pandemic by a number of governments and political leaders across the globe, slowing down decisive actions against the spread of the virus in a dangerous way for the population;
Amendment 159 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 174 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is concerned about the lack of leadership the United States has shown in fightingUnited States' response to the COVID-19; believes that the false information in President Trump’s tweets and during his press conferences have been very unhelpful in the joint fight against the virus;
Amendment 177 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Regrets the lack of communication between the EU and United States and unilateral measures taken during the COVID-19 crises, for example when imposing of travel restrictions; stresses the need to work together in fighting COVID-19, including timely exchange of information;
Amendment 191 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is worried about the decision of the USurges the US to review its decision to withdraw funding from the World Health Organization (WHO) and; regrets the general tendency of its US President to withdraw the US from the multilateral organisations that were created to establish a rules-based world order or undermine them (ICC);
Amendment 213 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. AcknowledgStresses the need to find a new method ofadvance cooperation between the EU and US, based on mutual respect and a joint agenda to defend multilateralism, the rule of law and human rights;
Amendment 239 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recognises the emergency contributions provided by China to fight the virus; also recognises, however, a clear geopolitical and geo-economic dimension, bolstered by ‘virus and wolf warrior diplomacy’ and the politicisation of humanitarian assistance; condemns the massive infodemic by China and Russia during COVID-19 crises;
Amendment 247 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Is concerned about the lack of transparency related to the Chinese reaction to the global outbreak, involving the withholding of information, censorship, the suppression of whistle-blowers and human rights activists, and the projection of power in the region; is concerned about the increased efforts by the Chinese state to influence the European public domain by swaying public opinion and pressuring governments;
Amendment 260 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Condemns the disinformation campaigns and aggressive propaganda of China against the Union and its Members states during the crisis;
Amendment 273 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Urges the Chinese regime to fully cooperate with an independent investigation into the origins of COVID- 19, and calls on the Member States to present a united front towards a rising China, which is leading a crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong and has threatened to annex Taiwan, while brutally repressing and persecuting members of the Uyghur ethnic minority; calls on the Member States to advocate Taiwan’s membership of the WHO;
Amendment 278 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. UrgesDemands that the Chinese regime to fully cooperates with an independent investigation into the origins of COVID- 19, and calls on the Member States to present a united front towards a rising China, which is leading a crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong and has threatened to annex Taiwan; calls on the Member States to advocate Taiwan’s membership of the WHO;
Amendment 287 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the VP/HR to recognise these concerns and simultaneouslywork to prevent this new geopolitical environment from having negative repercussions in more fragile regions in the world; calls on the VP/HR to create an atmosphere of dialogue, engagement and genuine cooperation, based on a new, more assertive strategy in which the EU pushes back when necessary to defend European values; is of the view that, as part of this new strategy, the EU should seek closer collaboration with countries in the region and other democracies;
Amendment 301 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the EU to be vigilant of, and when necessary counter, Chinese attempts to shape international institutions around values and interests the EU does not share;
Amendment 314 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Expresses concern over the structural attempts of the Russian Federation to undermine EU unity and to create mistrust between the EU and Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries by the intensification of disinformation campaigns;
Amendment 316 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Expresses concern over the structural attempts of the Russian Federation to undermine EU unity by the intensification of disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks;
Amendment 322 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Notes that the voting on amendments to the Russian Constitution was flawed by multiple irregularities, including violation of voting secrecy, and regards the prevalence of Russian Constitution over international treaties and decisions of international bodies as incompatible with Russia‘s international obligations;
Amendment 324 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Notes that COVID-19 crises does not stop Russia from advancing with his geopolitical ambitions, calls for the EU not to dismiss this and to keep in the agenda the conflicts where Russia has an interest like Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia etc.;
Amendment 327 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Expresses indignation over reported Russian cyberattacks attempting to steal coronavirus-related research material from European pharmaceutical companies;
Amendment 331 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Condemns an attempt on Alexey Navalny’s life and calls for an independent and transparent investigation on Mr Navalny’s poisoning without any delay;
Amendment 361 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that the multilateral rules- based world order is vital for global peace, the rule of law and democracy; and believes that a geopolitical EU, together with like- minded partners, must play a firmer role in defending it and; underlines that international institutions should not be used for competition but for cooperation; believes that the EU must seek ways to de- escalate tensions between powers, notably when those tensions hinder multilateral action; notes that the COVID-19 crisis has shown both the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation, notably in global health governance, and the need to reform international institutions; calls on the EU Member States and HR/VP to promote and initiate structural reforms of multilateral organizations;
Amendment 368 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls for the EU's budget for external action in the MFF 2021-2027 to be strengthened and for the budgets of the NDICI, the European Defence Fund and the European Peace Facility to be sufficient so that the EU has the necessary resources to address the challenges in its neighbourhood, the geopolitical consequences of COVID-19 and can live up to its ambition to become a responsible geopolitical actor;
Amendment 380 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses that only a more united EU, backed up by sufficient and credible military capacities, will be able to conduct a strong foreign policy, and believes that the VP/HR should receive a stronger mandate in speaking on behalf of the EU, for example by establishing an European seat in multilateral organs such as the UN Security Council;
Amendment 402 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Believes that the end of the unanimity rule on foreign policy would help the EU to conduct a foreign policy that is more effective and more proactive; calls on the Council or European Council to follow the European Commission and European Parliaments' call to move to qualified majority voting, at least on human rights or sanctions implementation, by activating the passerelle clause;
Amendment 418 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines the important role of the armed forces during the COVID-19 pandemic and believes that a more in-depth joint operation and coordination of member states’ armed forces within existing frameworks - such as the European Medical Command - or within new frameworks - such as military hospital trains - could lead to greater efficiency and contribute to the EU’s preparedness to fight pandemics; recognises the need to review the EU’s security and defence strategies to develop strategic autonomy, to become better prepared and more resilient to the new and hybrid threats and technologies that have made the nature of warfare less conventional and challenge the traditional role of the military, as well as for a future in which Russia and China are becoming more assertive; stresses that the future Strategic Compass on security and defence should reflect these developments and take account of the broader geopolitical implications of COVID-19; believes that, given the new political balance and a potential worsening of the international security environment following COVID-19, the EU defence budgets must not be cutfor military personnel to be sufficiently trained, prepared and equipped to deal with this kind of essential tasks in support of their fellow citizens;
Amendment 434 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Recognises the need to review the EU’s security and defence strategies to develop strategic autonomy, to become better prepared and more resilient to the new and hybrid threats and technologies that have made the nature of warfare less conventional and challenge the traditional role of the military, as well as for a future in which Russia and China are becoming more assertive; stresses that the future Strategic Compass on security and defence should reflect these developments and take account of the broader geopolitical implications of COVID-19; believes that, given the new political balance and a potential worsening of the international security environment following COVID-19, the EU defence budgets must not be cut;
Amendment 460 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Welcomes the work of EUvsDisinfo on the fight against disinformation and calls the European External Action Service (EEAS) to further strengthen its capacities and to impose costs on countries that deliberately spread disinformation to divide and harm the EU and its Member States;
Amendment 461 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Notes that the online crime is on the rise, with the possibilities of major cyber-attacks on critical infrastructures increasing; stresses therefore the need to invest into fight against cyber-crimes and to raise the awareness of this increasing threat;
Amendment 471 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses that its biggest globallarge consumer market of almost 500 million people gives the EU leverage on the world stage, and believes that a geopolitical Commission should use this leverage when other countries are not prepared to comply with the rule of law or international treaties;
Amendment 472 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Stresses that the EU has a global responsibility in preventing the erosion of democratic values and principles and the declining respect for fundamental human rights in the wake of the pandemic;
Amendment 474 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the need to reduce dependency on third countries in certain strategic and existential sectors and might prompt diversification of its most critical supply chains; points out that COVID-19 has led to growing protectionism, therefore underlines the importance of finding the right balance between improving the resilience of our value chains to achieve strategic autonomy and maintaining trade relations as open as possible;
Amendment 503 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Welcomes the Team Europe package and the mobilisation of 36 billion euros to help partner countries in Africa, the Southern and Eastern Neighbourhood, the Western Balkans, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to tackle the impact of the coronavirus.
Amendment 520 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Underlines the strategic importance of EU engagement and support in the Arctic region, and in its neighbourhood, both in the East and in the South; stresses that the EU must give Western Balkan countries that are not yet part of the EU a fair chance to join the EU, and that the EU must continue its efforts to invest in the region;
Amendment 521 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Underlines the strategic importance of EU engagement and support in its neighbourhood, both in the East and in the South; stresses that the EU must givwelcomes the inclusion of the Western Balkans countries that are not yet part of the EU a fair chance to join the EU, andin the EU joint procurement of medical equipment and stresses that the EU must continue its efforts to invest in the regionWestern Balkans;
Amendment 554 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Notes the impact that COVID-19 has on more vulnerable regions, including conflict regions and least developed countries thereby increasing poverty and insecurity, prolonging conflicts and threaten gender equality and women’s rights; calls for the EU to increase its multilateral cooperation on humanitarian responses;
Amendment 556 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Calls on the EU to defend humanitarian accesses to remote conflict zones
Amendment 575 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Welcomes the EU's rejecting of vaccine nationalism and calls on the European Commission to take the lead in ensuring that any future vaccine is accessible to all;
Amendment 576 #
2020/2111(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Calls on the EU Commission to work with its international partners to ensure that no one will be left behind once a vaccine will be made available;
Amendment 17 #
2020/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Article 1(b) of Protocol 10 states that the Member States are to ‘have the capacity to supply by 2010 at the latest either at national level or as a component of multinational force groups, targeted combat units for the missions planned, structured at a tactical level as a battle group, with support elements including transport and logistics, capable of carrying out the tasks referred to in Article 43 of the Treaty on European Union, within a period of five to 30 days, in particular in response to requests from the United Nations Organisation, and which can be sustained for an initial period of 30 days and be extended up to at least 120 days’; whereas Article 1(b) needs to be revised in order to adequately respond to the challenging geopolitical environment; whereas the Member States are still far from achieving this goal;
Amendment 99 #
2020/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas work on the first three waves of PESCO projects has led to the pMS proposing 47 projects; whereas the current list of projects lacks coherence, strategic ambition and does not adequately address priority shortfalls as identified by the pMS; whereas one of these projects has been stopped in order to avoid unnecessary duplication; whereas other projects did not make sufficient progress or are at risk of being stopped, and around 30 projects are still in the ideation and preparatory phase; whereas the vast majority of PESCO projects coincide with EDF and NATO shortfalls;
Amendment 154 #
2020/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital U
Recital U
U. whereas currently, PESCO projects are dependent on the 25 participating Member States’ financial contributions; whereas it is expected that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, national defence budgets will suffer reductions; whereas paradoxically, several of the currently 47 PESCO projects, if funded accordingly, could strengthen Member States’ preparedness, should another massive public health crisis occur: military mobility – a flagship PESCO project –, the European Medical Command and many other projects in areas related to logistics and transportation, health care, disaster relief and, the fight against malicious cyber activities and hostile disinformation campaigns; whereas cutting funding for the strategic capabilities that the EU and its Member States currently lack would also weaken their ability to jointly act against future pandemics;
Amendment 162 #
2020/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital V
Recital V
V. whereas the prospect of co- financing certain PESCO projects via the future European Defence Fund (EDF) has led pMS to multiply their proposals, and despite the fact that this has encouraged exchanges and cooperation, not all proposals necessarily have the EU’s best common strategic interest in mind;
Amendment 336 #
2020/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point w a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point w a (new)
Amendment 338 #
2020/2080(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point w b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point w b (new)
(wb) ensure that in all relevant aspects of PESCO projects, involvement and inclusion of SME’s is ensured;
Amendment 87 #
2020/2077(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the importance of boostingfurther research efforts in the field of chemical recycling which, paired with organic and mechanical recycling, will complete a technology-neutral framework, including its environmental performance, as complementary to mechanical and organic recycling;
Amendment 91 #
2020/2077(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Urges the Commission to propose measures to ensure transparency and traceability to intra-EU trade in plastic waste, including by digital means and a certification framework to ensure treatment in accordance with circular- economy principles;
Amendment 16 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)
Citation 21 a (new)
- having regard to the European Council conclusions of 22 March 2019 (EUCO 1/19),
Amendment 28 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Union requires a new industrial strategy that makes its industries more globally competitive, resilientinnovative, inclusive, resilient, digitalised and environmentally sustainable; whereas such a strategy should cover the transition of European industries to digitalisation and climate-neutrality, strengthen European leadership and competitiveness and decrease dependency from other parts of the world in strategic value chains, while preserving an open market, prioritising the ‘energy efficiency first’ principles, energy savings and decarbonised and renewable energy technologies;
Amendment 53 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Union’s industrial strategy should ensure the correctfull functioning of the single market, create a level playing field inside and outside EU in particular by making reciprocal access to markets a principle and ensure easier access to finance, raw materials and markets, in addition to ensuring appropriate levels of investment, research and innovation, education and skills to boost competitiveness and sustainability;
Amendment 56 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the Union’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy require an autonomous and competitive industrial base and a massive effort in research and innovation; whereas the industrial strategy should contain an action plan to strengthen shorten and diversify the supply chains of European industry in order reduce over-reliance on few markets and increase their resilience as well as a strategy on smart reshoring to increase the production and investments in strategic sectors, redeploy industries in Europe and relocate industrial production in some strategic sectors for the EU;
Amendment 86 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic, that has led to a shortage of medical devices and medicinal products, has once again revealed that Europe is over- dependent on foreign imports of raw materials and particularly for strategic sectors;
Amendment 97 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the economic downturn demonstrated the crucial role played by social shields in the event of economic shocks and the importance of ensuring access to social protection for all, especially for young, atypical or vulnerable workers;
Amendment 102 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is of the opinion that digital and environmental transitions and strategic leadership and autonomy should be at the very core of all Unions strategies until 2050; in this context, calls on the Commission to define a comprehensive industrial strategy which manages these transitions, fosters transformation and guarante, creates long-term growth and global competitiveness based on innovation and strategic value chains, strengthens the entrepreneurial spirit, encourages the creation and upscaling of start-ups and companies and improves the Union’s strategic resilience and autonomy;
Amendment 123 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. ICalls for an inclusive industrial strategy that include all industrial ecosystems, SMEs, regions, communities and workers in its development and its implementation; is aware that market dynamics alone do not bridge the fractures created during the transformation process if there is no proper management of the transitions and no strong industrial policies; is, furthermore, aware that while markets, competition and innovation push fast towards transformation, it is society and the environment that face the impact of these transformations; considers that balancing out the number of jobs lost in traditional industries with new jobs created in the digital and environmental sectors is not enough in itself as these new jobs are neither created in the same regions nor taken up by the same workers; calls on the Commission, therefore, to ensure that these transitions are fair and socially just, and that every action aimed at accelerating a transformation process (digital, environmental, etc.) is accompanied by a corresponding initiative to up-skill and reskill workers, with the aim of managing the effects produced by that accelerated process on both regions and peoplEuropean production of essential products such as emission-intensive materials is transformed into a cleaner alternative rather than replaced by imports of the same products and that these transitions are fair and socially just, go hand-in-hand with the full implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, improved social and living standards and good working conditions, and that every action aimed at accelerating a transformation process (digital, environmental, etc.) is accompanied by a corresponding initiative to up-skill and reskill workers, with the aim of managing the effects produced by that accelerated process on both regions and the most vulnerable people; calls on the Commission and the Member States to anticipate and map the industry needs for skilled labour in order to deliver skills strategies that overcome labour demand and supply mismatch, to develop knowledge-based economy that empowers citizens to adapt and accelerate the digital and environmental transition; call on the Commission to make full use of and increase the amounts allocated to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to financially support workers made redundant, as a result of restructuring due to Covid19 or due to the digital and environmental transformations, in their retraining, re-skilling and reintegration into the labour market in sectors of the future;
Amendment 151 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers, in the current context, that the Union requires a new, tailor-made industrial strategy that focuses on two distinct phases; the first aimed at recovery and the second aimed at reconstruction and transformation; considers nevertheless that the investments which, from the recovery phase onwards, support and accelerate the digital and environmental transformation and strengthen the autonomy of the Union should be encouraged; calls on the Commission, therefore, to adapt the strategy published in March 2020 to the current situation and address both phases, while keeping the digital and environmental objectives, the Union’s sovereignty and its strategic autonomy as priorities throughout;
Amendment 153 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers, in the current context, that the Union requires a new, tailor-made industrial strategy that focuses on two distinct phases; the first aimed at recovery and the second aimed at reconstruction and transformation; calls on the Commission, therefore, to adapt the strategy published in March 2020 to the current situation and address both phases, while keeping the digital and environmental objectives as priorities throughout; Calls on the Commission and Member States to take into account when granting funds that the recovery phase represents an opportunity to accelerate the transformation of our industries towards a greener, digitalized, innovative and inclusive Europe;
Amendment 205 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to include in the recovery plan a strategy to redeploy industries in Europe and to relocate industrial production in strategic sectors; calls, moreover, on the Commission to adopt a stronger stance on unfair global competition and predatory acquisitions by SOEs and sovereign funds; is of the opinion that, in this context, the Union should implement a provn this context, calls for a substantial strengthening and swift adoption of Regulation 654/2014 (Enforcement Regulation), stresses that this is an important tool to protect the Union’s interests when third countries adopt illegal measures that negatively hit our businesses; Welcomes the White paper on levelling the playing field as regards subsidies and calls on the Commissional TDI scheme to come forward with appropriate proposals for legal instruments to address the distortive effects caused within the Single Market, including in public procurement procedures;
Amendment 234 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Highlights that, during this critical phase, the Union should protect its market in strategic sectors and block takeovers and FDI that could further increase its dependency on foreign powers; welcomes the guidelines on the EU framework for the screening of FDI and calls on the Commission to strengthen it without delay;
Amendment 311 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 – point e
Paragraph 9 – point e
e. gives preference to companies and SMEs that focus their business plans on digital and environmental transformation or that are necessary for the autonomy strategic of the Union in critical sectors;
Amendment 326 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Highlights the need to support a sustainable and fair recovery beyond the COVID-19 crisis in order to enhance growth and autonomy in the EU by increasing investment in the digital and green transitions; asks the Commission to support an ambitious Recovery Fund that is within the framework of a stronger MFF and is integrated in the own resource decision, and to pursue fiscal policy coordination to strengthen the European fiscal framework; in this regard, highlights the position of the European Parliament on the reform of the EU own resources system, including the introduction of new resources that are better aligned with and incentivise progress in major EU policy priorities such as a digital services taxation, a financial transaction tax, proceeds generated by the establishment of a common consolidated corporate tax base, income from the emissions trading scheme, a plastics contribution and a carbon border adjustment mechanism; is of the opinion that, after the peak of the pandemic, the Fund should become a permanent Reconstruction Fund to foster the digital and green industrial transitions;
Amendment 340 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its impact assessment practice and to carry out a detailed impact assessment of the potential costs and burdens for European companies and SMEs before presenting new proposals for legislation or adopting new measures especially when a traditional industry has to adapt because of regulatory decisions; calls on the Commission to propose commensurate support to the affected sectors whenever a negative impact cannot be avoidedin order to keep a strong European industrial basis;
Amendment 361 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers that once the emergency phase is overin parallel with the current crisis, the Union should embark on a second phase of its industrial strategy: ensuring the competitiveness, resilience and sustainability of its by unleashing the potential of the circular bioeconomy where sustainable and renewable resources are used in order to promote competitive and resilient industries in the long term;
Amendment 693 #
2020/2076(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Considers that the effective enforcement of Intellectual Property rights is essential to protect companies’ intangible assets, promote innovation and creativity and improve competitiveness as well as to fight against counterfeiting and piracy; welcomes the announcement of an Intellectual Property Action Plan; Calls on the Commission to resume the debate on the extension of geographical indication protection at EU level to non- agricultural products to preserve know- how, support sustainable production and jobs and to improve the attractiveness and reputation of EU high quality productions worldwide;
Amendment 1 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as interpreted by the Court of Justice in its Mayotte judgment of 15 December 2015 (Joined Cases C- 132/14 to C-136/14), which allows specific derogations to be adopted for the outermost regions of the European Union,
Amendment 8 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
Citation 17 a (new)
Amendment 11 #
2020/2074(INI)
– having regard to the Commission proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 May 2020 on the public sector loan facility under the Just Transition Mechanism (COM(2020)0453),
Amendment 13 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas climate change is a challenge that transcends boundaries and requires immediate and ambitious action at Unioglobal, European, national, regional and local levels to limit global warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and prevent biodiversity loss on a massive scale;
Amendment 33 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the economic, social and territorial disparities which Cohesion Policy has the primary goal of addressing may also be exacerbated by climate change and its long-term consequences; EU climate policy measures should support the objectives of EU cohesion policy;
Amendment 50 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the transition to a climate- neutral, sustainable and circular economy must involve citizens and all sectors of societyall stakeholders in society, particularly the private sector, social partners and citizens, together with elected officials, including local and regional authorities, and must be backed by robust and inclusive social measures to ensure a fair transition that supports job retention and creation, particularly green and blue jobs;
Amendment 58 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas energy sources derived from fossil fuels undermine efforts to achieve climate neutrality; whereas, in this regard, Cohesion Policy should guarantee the principle of ‘energy efficiency first’, which aims to improve the efficiency of energy supply and demand, and which should be applied and observed in all energy-related investments made under Cohesion Policy;
Amendment 63 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas regional environment strategies should serve the pursuit of full employment and social progressbalance ecology and economy while supporting the pursuit of full employment and progress in order to better tackle the effects of climate change and fight the loss of biodiversity;
Amendment 81 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines the importance of tackling climate change in line with the Union’s commitments undertaken under the European Green Deal to implementing the Paris Agreement and the SDGs, taking into consideration social and, economic and territorial aspects to ensure a fairjust transition for all territories and their citizens;
Amendment 91 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises the need for local and regional authorities to make a clear political commitment to achieving the climate targets; and translating them into local actions that respect the constraints and emphasise the assets of each territory;
Amendment 98 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the crucial role for Cohesion Policy, as with other policies, particularly environmental, agricultural, fisheries or cultural policies, in fighting climate change and achieving climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest and the intermediate target by 2030, as well as the role of local and regional authorities in mitigating and adapting to climate change, in particular through a far-reaching reform of investment policies;
Amendment 105 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that climate policies should serve the pursuit of full employment, including green and blue jobs, and training that can contribute to fair social progress;
Amendment 109 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. UnderlinWelcomes the European Council’s position that EU expenditure should be consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the ‘do no harm’ principle of the European Green Deal; supports, too, the fact that the Regulation laying down common provisions enshrines the ‘do no harm’ principle in all Structural Funds;
Amendment 117 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that sustainability and the transition to an economy that is safe, climate neutral, climate resilient, more resource efficient and circular, circular and socially balanced are crucial to ensuring the long- term competitiveness of the Union economy;
Amendment 131 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Believes that Cohesion Policy should focus oncontribute to the implementation of the ParisSustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement and, the fight againstConvention on Biological Diversity and the European Green Deal in order to tackle climate change, particularly through an effective methodology for monitoring climate spending and its performance, including its negative effects for EU regions; calls for this methodology to be used in all programmes under the multiannual financial framework and the European Recovery Plan, particularly for basic infrastructure in key economic sectors such as energy production and distribution, transport, water and waste management, and public buildings;
Amendment 142 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underlines the key role of local and regional authorities in achieving a fair transition to a climate-neutral economy for all, with social and, economic and territorial cohesion at its core;
Amendment 149 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to monitor the progress of national governments and local and regional authorities in addressing climate change at all levels; stresses the need to enhance the effectiveness and complementarity of ESI Funds as well as other EU programmes and instruments, such as the EAFRD, the EMFF, LIFE, Horizon Europe or Creative Europe, in tackling climate change;
Amendment 162 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the proposal to top upagreement reached in trilogue on the Just Transition Fund; regrets the fact, however, that the top-up amount proposed by the Commission has been cut under the Council agreement on Next Generation EU; underlines that these cuts would jeopardise the fund’s core objectivecalls on the Member States to programme the funds as quickly as possible and calls on the Member States concerned to give special consideration to the outermost regions in the distribution of funds;
Amendment 169 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Points out that, under Article 349 of the TFEU, the outermost regions benefit from special rules allowing the adoption of tailor-made measures that take account of their specificities; calls for the necessary financial resources to be allocated to those regions so that they can achieve a green transition that balances economy and ecology, and can adapt to the effects of climate change from which they particularly suffer due to their vulnerability;
Amendment 171 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Calls, too, for the creation of an observatory focusing on sustainable development and ecological transition in the outermost regions in order to identify best practices and develop sustainable solutions to tackle climate change, which could be adopted and adapted in other EU regions;
Amendment 181 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Highlights the need to capitalise on the outcome of initiatives such as New Energy Solutions Optimised for Islands (NESOI) and Clean Energy for EU Islands (CE4EUI), which also includes islands that have the status of Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) forming part of the European family, to ensure a functional transition between the 2014- 2020 and 2021-2027 programming periods; welcomes the Memorandum of Split, which recognises the leading role for island communities in the energy transition;
Amendment 208 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls for the updated Circular Economy Action Plan to continue to support the transition towards a circular economy, to tackle issues linked to geared towards re-use and repair in order to promote resource efficiency and to drive sustainable consumption by providing consumers with information on the durability and reparability of products through mandatory labelling;
Amendment 213 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Calls for local circular economy plans to be developed and for public contracts awarded by local and regional authorities to be green and ambitious in terms of durability of goods and services, which will increase the industrial resilience and strategic autonomy of the European Union;
Amendment 218 #
2020/2074(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for a greater role for Cohesion Policy in supporting risk prevention efforts to adapt to the present and future impacts of climate change at regional and local levels, with a particular focus on the outermost regions given that they are significantly affected by climate change and are exposed to natural disasters such as cyclones, volcanic eruptions and drought, as well as flooding and rising water levels;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. Whereas Article 81 of Directive 2001/83/EC1a calls for measures to prevent shortages or distributional issues of medicinal products in Member States; _________________ 1aDirective 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of November 6 2001 on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use (OJ L 311, 28.11.2001. p. 67)
Amendment 23 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. Whereas the European Parliament in its resolution of 8 March 2011 and the Council in its Conclusions of 13 September 2010 stressed the need to introduce a common procedure for the joint procurement of medical countermeasures, and in particular of pandemic vaccines;
Amendment 28 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
A c. Whereas Decision No 1082/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council1b encourages Member States to take advantage of joint procurement procedures provided that such procedures are preceded by a Joint Procurement Agreement of participating Member States; _________________ 1bDecision No 1082/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2013 on serious cross- border threats to health (OJ L 293, 5.11.2013, p. 1–15)
Amendment 31 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
A d. Whereas medicine shortages pose a serious threat to patients and undermine the resilience and efficiency of public healthcare systems across the Union;
Amendment 36 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
A e. Whereas early detection, monitoring, and reporting of medicine shortages should be improved and underpinned by more transparent and available medicine shortages data;
Amendment 37 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
A f. Whereas an effective coordination at EU level at times of crisis is essential to avoid unilateral border closures and export bans which exacerbate medicine shortages and jeopardise the resilience of supply chains and distribution channels;
Amendment 51 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Insists that the Commission urgently launches a multi-stakeholder consultation to identify key supply chain issues that directly cause or increase the risk of medicine shortages, and initiatives to mitigate risks to supply chains; calls on the Commission to propose ambitious and concrete actions to address these issues in its planned pharmaceutical strategy;
Amendment 52 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Insists that the Commission urgently launches a multi-stakeholder consultation as well as market research in order to identify key supply chain issues that directly cause or increase the risk of medicine shortages; calls on the Commission to propose ambitious and concrete actions to address these issues in its planned pharmaceutical strategy;
Amendment 57 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recognises the importance of drawing lessons from the COVID-19 crisis in order to be better prepared for and deal with future pandemics more effectively; therefore calls on the Commission, in close collaboration with Member States, to prepare and adopt a European pandemic preparedness plan, in order to ensure a coordinated and effective European pandemic response; emphasises that this should include measures ensuring open borders in order to protect the free movement of goods, and in particular medicines;
Amendment 67 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to consider proposing requirements for the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that its supply chain is diversified and put in place a medicine shortage risk mitigation plan to manage any vulnerabilities in and risks to the supply chain; highlights that such plan should include transparent reporting mechanisms with permanent communication channels through which patients and healthcare professionals can report and anticipate shortages.
Amendment 84 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the urgent need for the EU to reduce its over-reliance on a small number of third countries for medicine manufacturing and as sources of active pharmaceutical ingredients; calls on the Commission to foresee the creation of European common strategic reserves, building on rescEU stockpile's initiative, and to introduce new financial incentives to support the relocation of production sites from third countries to Europe, underpinned by more investment in research and development capabilities and infrastructure, including universities.
Amendment 125 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Highlights the fact that Horizon 2020 has already financed a significant number of health-related research and innovation activities; calls for more funding to be provided through Horizon Europe to create and support medicine- focused research and innovation ecosystems.
Amendment 132 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Underlines the need to establish permanent joint procurement mechanisms for vaccines, antiviral drugs, and high- cost and essential medicines as increased cooperation in procurement shall facilitate sustainable access, more balanced pricing, and better information exchange regarding medicinal products.
Amendment 138 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Calls for the establishment of an interconnected early warning mechanism across the Union which require manufacturers to notify in advance the Commission as well as the European Medicines Agency about imminent medicine shortages and temporary or permanent disruptions in the supply and distribution of medicinal products.
Amendment 148 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Notes with concern that increased product demand during medicine shortages could increase the risk of unfair pricing practices occurring in regions affected by the shortage as well as in cases where alternative pharmaceutical products could replace those affected by the shortage.
Amendment 151 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5 d. Calls for measures to discourage unfair practices and business strategies in the pharmaceutical sector such as pay for delay and parallel trading while introducing public service obligations with a view to ensure supply resilience across Member States’ markets.
Amendment 152 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 e (new)
Paragraph 5 e (new)
5 e. Calls for the establishment of preventive obligations for manufacturers and distributors to mitigate future medicine shortages more efficiently such as supply shortage risk assessments which includes information sharing on product development.
Amendment 154 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 f (new)
Paragraph 5 f (new)
Amendment 156 #
2020/2071(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 g (new)
Paragraph 5 g (new)
5 g. Calls upon the European Commission to maintain a robust European IP system under the forthcoming European Pharmaceutical Strategy, to encourage R&D and manufacturing in Europe, ensure that Europe remains an innovator and world leader, and ultimately to protect and strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in the field of public health.
Amendment 17 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas over 94% of today’s buildings will be standing in 2050;
Amendment 28 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas increasing renovation rates to almost 3% will create around 1 million additional jobs in the construction sector and could be an important part of the recovery strategy after the COVID-19 crisis;
Amendment 103 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
Strategic planning and indicators for measurable progress
Amendment 104 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Considers than long term renovation strategies should be recognised as a key instrument for planning, progress measuring and the achievement of energy objectives; (This new paragraph would be added under the new heading 'Strategic planning and indicators for measurable progress')
Amendment 105 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Is convinced that the multi-level implementation platform for integrated building renovation strategies should engage local, regional, national and European authorities in all sectors in order to support Member States in the execution of their long term renovation strategies; (This new paragraph would be added under the new heading 'Strategic planning and indicators for measurable progress')
Amendment 108 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 e (new)
Paragraph 8 e (new)
8e. Believes that the accelerated integration and use of renewable energies contributes to the principle of energy efficiency and provides a fully decarbonised and affordable energy supply; (This new paragraph would be added under the new heading 'Strategic planning and indicators for measurable progress')
Amendment 128 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Acknowledges the role of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) in the financing of energy efficiency projects and in defining energy efficiency as a specific objective for regional development in the period 2021 - 2027;
Amendment 132 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to create flexible models for the synergies of different financial programmes and instruments for financing energy efficiency in buildings;
Amendment 140 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Considers that the opportunity and the good practices in directing carbon revenues from the EU ETS into energy efficiency actions should be developed and promoted accordingly;
Amendment 147 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Acknowledges the role and the successful model of the European Fund for Strategic Investments; calls for a prioritisation funding for energy efficiency of buildings within the InvestEU sustainable infrastructure window; believes that financing schemes should incentivise and prioritise deep renovations aiming at 2050 climate neutrality targets;
Amendment 206 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Highlights that the use of renewable energy plays a crucial role in decarbonisation and energy efficiency; calls therefore on the Commission and the Member States to actively promote and incentivise full integration of renewable energies in the building sector;
Amendment 217 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines the importance of the energy efficiency first principle in decarbonising heating and cooling, other energy intensive systems, electrification of residual demand through renewable energy combined with heat pumps or efficient district heating systems, as well as in load management and flexibility; underlines the need to plan IRPs in order to achieve synergies;
Amendment 253 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Stresses that the new sustainable construction materials and technologies used to boost energy efficiency should be fire safe to safeguard circularity and resource efficiency; recalls that fire safety aspects should be considered during the design, construction, renovation and operation of buildings in prevention, detection, early suppression, evacuation, compartmentation, structural safety and fire-fighting;
Amendment 284 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Stresses the importance and potential of the Just Transition Fund within the context of the recovery plan after the COVID-19 crisis for trainings and qualification of workers of the construction and renovation sectors;
Amendment 304 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Considers that the digitalisation of the buildings and construction technologies are key drivers for greater energy efficiency; invites all local, regional, national and European actors involved to take pro-active part in the promotion of full digitalisation;
Amendment 308 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. Underlines that the digitalisation of construction and renovation companies is a major step forward towards full digitalisation of the entire buildings sector;
Amendment 311 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 c (new)
Paragraph 27 c (new)
27c. Underlines the role of digitalisation in planning, implementation, control and monitoring of the renovation plans’ results;
Amendment 334 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Recalls, in this respect, that the Renovation Wave is an integrated part of the EU Green Policy which can be implemented in full synergy with the Green Deal proposal, Industrial strategy, strategy for SMEs, Circular Economy Strategy and Clean Energy package;
Amendment 383 #
2020/2070(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to launch multinational, cross sectorial, country specific and tailored communication campaigns across EU on multiple opportunities and various benefits that could be obtained through improved energy efficiency of the European building stock;
Amendment 15 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
Citation 17 a (new)
— having regard to its Report of 17 May 2021 on the 2019-2020 Commission Reports on Turkey 2019/2176(INI),
Amendment 16 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
— having regard to the Draft Amending Budget No. 5/20201a and the accompanying decision on Mobilisation of the Contingency Margin in2020: continuation of humanitarian support to refugees in Turkey2a, _________________ 1aBudget 2020/1157, OJ L 299 11.09.2020, p. 0001 2aDecision 2021/1268, OJ L 298 11.09.2020, p. 0021
Amendment 23 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the revision of the Financial Regulation in 2018 introduced provisions strengthening to a certain extent Parliament’s scrutiny powers when new EUTFs are established or the current ones are extended;
Amendment 34 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the establishment of both the EUTFs and the Facility for refugees in Turkey (FRT) have been justified by the need for a flexible and swift reaction not possible under the classical institutional framework; whereas the extra-budgetary instruments such as the EUTFs, as well as extraordinary tools such as the FRT, pose challenges with respect to democratic accountability, includjeopardise the principles of democratic accountability, transparency and sound financial management, undermining the role of the European Parliament and also the integrity of the EU budget;
Amendment 38 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas according to the Commission estimations, substantial humanitarian refugee-related needs continue also beyond the Facility for Refugees in Turkey;
Amendment 67 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Continues to expresses concerns over the limited role of Parliament in the decision, supervision and scrutiny of the Union contributions to the EUTFs; recalls Parliament’s request to monitor the activities of the Operational Committee, and calls on the Commission to provide in good time detailed information on the decisions taken in that Committee and to ensure that Parliament is represented at its meetings and that Parliament’s position is taken into account;
Amendment 74 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomNotes the Commission’s efforts to closely monitor and evaluate interventions, and to generate knowledge about the activities of the EUTFs and of the FRT, through a dedicated set of reports; hailsasks to strengthen these efforts to achieve greater transparency by publishing relevant data on the web pages of the EUTFs and the FRT; stresses that the availability, completeness and factual consistency of such reports constitute the precondition for the support of European Parliament as budgetary authority;
Amendment 80 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Regrets the late evaluations of some of the Trust Funds, which did not allow Parliament to arrive at full and precise conclusions in a timely manner in the case of the Trust Fund for Africa, thus limiting democratic oversight and accountability;
Amendment 82 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Underlines that the existing EU institutional framework, NDICI-Global Europe should be used to its full potential, and where necessary improved, while the recourse to extraordinary financing tools should be limited to unforeseen emergencies, so as to guarantee efficiency, coherence and accountability of EU foreign policy instruments;
Amendment 84 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Underlines that in its reports the Commission should illustrate the complementarity of different financial instruments dedicated to the areas covered by EUTFs and FRT, including the EU External Investment Plan, as well as generated added value;
Amendment 91 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes the conclusions by the European Court of Auditors, published in its 2017 special report, that the Bêkou Trust Fund has had positive achievements overall and has attracted aid, but few additional donors, and that most of its projects have delivered their expected outputs and provided enhanced visibility to the EU; indicates however that the report recommended a better definition of the intervention scope, improved donor coordination, project selection procedures, monitoring and performance measurement, as well as optimisation of costs and increased transparency in the selection of implementing organisations;
Amendment 98 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that the emerging security challenges in the CAR will require well- targeted, flexible EU support under the NDICI-Global Europe to enhance peace and security, democratisation and strengthening democratic institutions, as well as respect for human rights in the CAR;
Amendment 134 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the generally strong degree of local ownership, the involvement of local authorities and civil society organisations (CSOs) in projects supported by the EUTF for Africa; notes however that according to the Special report No 32/2018 of the European Court of Auditors, there was a need in an improved project selection procedure, higher implementation speed and a more systematic performance monitoring covering the full range of projects;
Amendment 149 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Notes that according to the Special report No 32/2018 of the European Court of Auditors, due to the fund’s broad scope, it often lacked efficiency concerning targeted action due to an absence of adequate quantification of the needs and means through which measured impact could have been achieved;
Amendment 165 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Considers that the EU FRT has proven its value as an innovative pooling tool and important coordinating mechanism for assisting Turkey in swiftly responding to the immediate humanitarian and development needs of refugees and their host communities; notes however that the majority of projects needed to be extended to achieve the expected outcome; stresses in particular that according to the Special report No 27/2018 of the European Court of Auditors, greater value could have been achieved in cash- assistance projects; furthermore the report indicates inconsistency in the financing of health and education activities, with a parallel use of different management structures to fund similar projects; additionally the report calls on the Commission to improve the programming for municipal infrastructure and socio-economic support, enable the operating environment for NGOs and improve the reporting on the Facility;
Amendment 167 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Recalls that in 2020 the Commission requested a mobilisation of additional EUR 481,6 million under the EU Budget Contingency Margin, which goes beyond the initially foreseen allocation for the FRT, in order to finance the activities under the Emergency Social Safety Net programme and the Conditional Cash Transfer for Education programme;
Amendment 177 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Stresses that the refusal by the Turkish authorities to grant access to beneficiary data for the two cash- assistance projects could raise questions as regards the soundness of financial management under the Facility, particularly taking into account Turkey’s rapid backsliding on the rule of law and fundamental rights; calls on the Commission to obtain the data on beneficiaries of all FRT programmes and projects; stresses that in order to achieve full accountability the Commission should make the resources available on the basis of targets achieved by implementing partners on the ground and after the implementation assessment carried out according to the Financial Regulation rules1a; _________________ 1aSpecial report No 27/2018 of the European Court of Auditors “The Facility for Refugees in Turkey: helpful support, but improvements needed to deliver more value for money”, p. 6 and p. 40
Amendment 185 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Reiterates its request that Turkey respect the principle of non-refoulement, in particular on the Syrian border, and that it not use the flows of refugees against the EU; stresses that the financial support to Turkey in the management of refugee flow must be conditional on the respect of the rule of law and fundamental rights, full budgetary transparency, as well as unrestricted involvement of civil society organisations; calls on the Commission to build upon its experience in special third- party verification system to strengthen the oversight of spending;
Amendment 196 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Reiterates its request that Turkey respect the principle of non-refoulement, in particular on the Syrian border, and that itTurkey should not use the flows of refugees as a source of blackmail against the EU;
Amendment 199 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Calls on all involved parties of the upcoming Multilateral Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean, to address in a comprehensive way, along humanitarian and development issues, the issues of border management and migration, so as to maximise the added value of EU’s engagement in the region; reminds of the EU long-term objective of a gradual take- over of EU-funded activities by the Turkish authorities in full respect of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights;
Amendment 201 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Reiterates that NGOs and civil society stakeholders should be better involved in managing any pre-accession funds in Turkey, in order to guarantee both transparency and better accountability, while ensuring that funds are used exclusively for the purposes laid down in the agreement with Turkey;
Amendment 216 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Underlines the necessity of better addressing the funding needs in situations of protracted crisis and with a view to the coordination and transition between humanitarian relief, reconstruction and development in a flexible and interconnected manner, in a way that it is in line with development policy and humanitarian assistance's objectives and principles, such as supporting poverty eradication, the reduction of inequality and the meeting of humanitarian needs;
Amendment 221 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Highlights the need to ensure that projects supported by the EU Trust Funds are in line with international humanitarian and development policy targets such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
Amendment 228 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the need to take on board the lessons learned in the establishment, management and implementation of the Trust Funds and the FRT in order to apply them to the new generation of external financial instruments; underlines the need for a full parliamentary scrutiny of these instruments;
Amendment 232 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Recommends that a gender- sensitive analysis and consideration of the involvement of women in designing supported projects be prerequisite of implementation of projects under both the EU Trust Funds and the Facility for Refugees in Turkey;
Amendment 241 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Reiterates Parliament’s long- standing insistence that external assistance be financed in full from the Union budget and be implemented in a coherent and value-based way, following a streamlined set of rules, based on co-legislated instruments and in full respect of Parliament’s legislative, budgetary and monitoring prerogatives, and of the principles of EU's budgetary unity, accountability, transparency, effectiveness and sound budgetary management; highlights that the adoption of extraordinary tools increases the complexity of financing governance and puts financial pressure on existing foreign policy instruments, thereby possibly affecting their efficiency;
Amendment 244 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Stresses that the full transparency and availability of data on EU added value and human rights record in its engagement with the areas covered by the Trust Funds and the FRT is the precondition of the public support for further EU’s development and humanitarian aid in those areas; calls on the Commission to guarantee a more efficient communication on the ground, highlighting the EU’s role as the biggest donor of global development aid;
Amendment 257 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is confident that the NDICI-Global Europe will allow for more efficient and predictable allocation of resources, increased flexibility and responsiveness, allowing it to continue the activities of the existing Trust Funds and thereby safeguard the unity of the Union budget; underlines that ordinary decision-making governance framework confers more legitimacy to the EU’ external action, both within the EU and in the destination countries;
Amendment 259 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Calls on the Commission to guarantee that the implementation of the EU humanitarian and development aid in conflict-affected areas and areas with considerable refugee challenge is done in full transparency and under a close supervision of EU staff members responsible for the scrutiny, including audit and anti-corruption activities; underlines the importance of sharing the audit data with the EU financial scrutiny framework, including ECA, OLAF and EPPO;
Amendment 264 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. In the event of greater needs in the MFF 2021-2027, advocates increasing the NDICI-Global Europe envelope through a revision of the MFF and the NDICI-Global Europe regulations, or a strengthening of the relevant NDICI-Global Europe budget lines with contributions in the form of external assigned revenue; expects that the upcoming revision of the Financial Regulation will ensure appropriate involvement of the budgetary authority in the governance of external assigned revenue; stresses that, should a need for a duly justified new Trust Fund nevertheless arise, it insists that Parliament must be fully involved from the very outset and considers, therefore, that the Financial Regulation shall be revised to guarantee appropriate role of the Parliament in the establishment and scrutiny of Trust Funds;
Amendment 279 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that migration-related spending should target reducing vulnerabilities and building resilience within impacted communities, while funds allocated should be based on thorough impact assessment procedures and evidence- driven projections, and include a risk assessment, context analysis and conflict analysis as well; should any serious risk be identified, adequate procedures must be in place to mitigate and counterbalance these risks in a manner that is compatible with human rights and democratic standards;
Amendment 281 #
2020/2045(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30 b. Expects the Commission to publish all its impact evaluation, monitoring, and analysis, especially concerning high risk projects conducted in close cooperation with partner countries' national agencies; reiterates that the Parliament must be able to evaluate and study these reports on a regular basis;
Amendment 5 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical and cultural ties and are being brought ever closer by the increase in trade and shared challenges, which call for a continental-African approach and result- oriented use of EU resources ensuring transparency and monitoring procedures;
Amendment 28 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Considers that stable democratic institutions, free and fair elections, education and literacy improvement, promoting gender equality, and the protection of vulnerable groups are all prerequisites of development and must be at the heart of EU-Africa cooperation.
Amendment 32 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Highlights that Africa is disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change; notes that it is our common responsibility to introduce measures to fight climate change through promoting climate proofing of investments, adaptation, decentralised access to renewable energy, and climate mitigation in the African continent;
Amendment 53 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that Africa is still undergoing the process of integration at regional, continental and international level and that as yet 54 African countries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations; calls on the EU to forge a stronger partnership between the EU and the African Union to tackle global common challenges, by focusing on strategic areas such as digital transformation and climate diplomacy, under the principle of common and differentiated responsibilities; urges the EU to continue its support to the integration process in Africa through the AU, namely by supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Amendment 65 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the European Investment Bank to immediately strengthen its tax justice regime through ensuring that supported projects in Africa or companies with aggressive or harmful tax planning are forced to disclose information about their sales, assets, the number of employees, profits and tax payments in each country of operation.
Amendment 78 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004); calls for strongUnderlines the need to adopt, within the Africa-EU partnership, a coordinated and comprehensive approach, both between the EU-AU and among the EU and its Member States, as provided for by Article 210 TFEU; calls on the EU to step up this joint perspective in view of the next EU- Africa Summit to be held in October2 020; calls for a strong, coherent and constant EU engagement in the security, stability and development of Africa;
Amendment 91 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Underlines that Africa's future relies in the hands of its young generation; calls the EU to support concrete initiatives for the empowerment of youth and women in its renewed EU- Africa strategy ensuring their active involvement in decision-making processes of civic and political life.
Amendment 118 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players, especially China and Russia, are focused only on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security; calls the European Commission to take it into account in its EU-Africa strategy and to raise this issue at the future EU-China Summit;
Amendment 121 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed againstshould also focus on a political and normative partnership in terms of strengthening the multilateral system and the international rule-based order together with African nationstates, while other players, especially China and Russia, are focused only on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security; a growing unilateralism.
Amendment 128 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls that the extractive sector plays an important role in the economies of numerous African countries and is linked to an unequal resource interdependence with Europe, which should be rectified by addressing the issue by of illicit outflows of tax revenue and royalties in the extractive sector through the EU Transparency Directive and Accounting Directive;
Amendment 133 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Notes with concern that the EU’s open procurement rules are not always reciprocated, which often distorts competition at the expense of European companies operating in Africa; considers that “price only” tenders lack sufficient conditionality concerning labour and environmental standards and favour state sponsored actors;
Amendment 143 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.Recalls that the fight against terrorism is a common priority; calls the EU to continue its efforts to assist its African partners throughout its military operations and civilian missions and support for initiatives coming from the AU, regional organizations such as ECOWAS or G5 Sahel; encourages Member States to participate in EU missions and operations and in bilateral efforts; insists on the importance of the establishment of the European Peace Facility in order to provide a more comprehensive assistance to African partners in regions affected by terrorism;
Amendment 147 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal through peacebuilding and demilitarization projects while ensuring that international human rights are respected under all circumstances.
Amendment 150 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assissupport its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal, with a special focus in dialogue and peace-building solutions.
Amendment 157 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Highlights that the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 could have a grievous impact on African States; urges the Council, the EEAS and EU Member States to support to their multilateral partners in order to take more action on debt relief for African countries as well as to explore viable solutions to come to a humanitarian economic sanctions’ relief on a case by case basis within the context of COVID-19.
Amendment 159 #
2020/2041(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses the need to strengthen the cooperation on migration, based on the respect for human rights and international law; calls on the EU to target its policies to tackle the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, improving the return rates and to help African partners to fight against smuggling networks and human trafficking;
Amendment 4 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2018 on care services in the EU for improved gender equality1a, _________________ 1a OJ C 363, 28.10.2020, p. 80.
Amendment 8 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)
Citation 25 a (new)
- having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 28 November 2019 on the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and other measures to combat gender-based violence2a, _________________ 2a Texts adopted, P9_TA(2019)0080.
Amendment 13 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the principle of equality between women and men is a core value of the EU, enshrined in the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; whereas gender mainstreaming should therefore be implemented and integrated as a horizontal principle in all EU activities and policies measures and actions, including Cohesion Policy; whereas Article 7 of the Common Provisions Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 for 2014-2020 establishes that equality between men and women and the integration of gender perspective shall be taken into account and promoted throughout the preparation and implementation of programmes, including in relation to monitoring, reporting and evaluation;
Amendment 21 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas Cohesion Policy addresses disparities between various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions with a view to achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion, of which the achievement of gender equality is an essential part;
Amendment 26 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas cohesion policy is asnot only vital to economic growth and social cohesion but is also an important policy tool to support gender equality;
Amendment 33 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas promoting gender equality is importantkey to reduceing regional economic and social disparities and for ensuringes the long-term sustainable development of regions;
Amendment 47 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas gender-disaggregated data and the adoption of appropriate selection procedures are considered usefuessential for promoting gender equality;
Amendment 52 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas the participation of women is still limited in all stages of the cohesion policy cycle, especially in the development of Operational Programmes, decision-making processes and integration of gender equality in the implementation of the selected projects;
Amendment 54 #
2020/2040(INI)
G. whereas preliminary studies suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities, bythe full economic, employment and social consequences of the pandemic are still unknown; whereas preliminary studies suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities between men and women, including an increase in unpaid care work and an increase in gender- based violence, whereas the public health crisis has a disproportionately impacting women and marginalised groups on women and girls and in particular women and girls from marginalised groups, which Cohesion Policy should take into account;
Amendment 63 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
H a. whereas small and medium- sized enterprises are the backbone of regional economies, whereas the promotion of equality, work-life balance, inclusive hiring and equal pay will enable gender equality in SMEs;
Amendment 91 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises the importance of a coordinated governance framework on gender equality, national guidelines and technical support, and for gender impact monitoring, available in the official EU languages, as well as stronger scrutiny at EU level after the adoption of operational programmes;
Amendment 107 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. EncouragesCalls on the Member States to coordinate closely with local and regional authorities and civil society partners, in particular in the framework of the partnership agreement and when drafting the partnership principle, to take into account challenges related to effective equality policies at local and regional level;
Amendment 114 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Highlights that the gender equality dimension could be supported by promoting female entrepreneurship and management, and reducing gender gaps in company decision-making positions, urges the Council to reach an agreement on the Directive on gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges (Women on boards Directive), as it is a very important tool for achieving a greater gender balance in economic decision-making at the highest level;
Amendment 122 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 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 129 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recognises the burden placed on women as principal caregivers in formal and informal settings, as well as its social value, especially during the COVID-19 crisis; whereas 80% of all care provided across the EU is provided by (unpaid) informal carers, 75% of whom are women; therefore points out the crucial role of cohesion policy in securing investments in care services, to improve working conditions in this sector and to support a transition towards a care economy;
Amendment 131 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Points at the relevant role of Cohesion Funds in securing investment in care services; requests the Commission to propose a Care Deal for Europe aimed at supporting a transition towards a care economy in which Cohesion Policy should play a fundamental role;
Amendment 132 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. Emphasises the fact that countless women are facing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, including lockdowns, in order to contain the coronavirus which has led to spikes in domestic violence reports; calls on the Commission and Member States to allocate cohesion policy funding for creating plans to address the global increase of gender-based violence that can be triggered by natural disasters and pandemics; notes that in many EU countries, the pandemic exposed severe weaknesses in support systems for victims of gender-based violence; there is great regional, national and local disparity in the quantity of funding and quality of services provided for women and children suffering from gender-based violence which includes physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence as well; cohesion policy should aim at dismantling such inequalities in accessing services that guarantee the basic human rights of women and children suffering from gender-based violence;
Amendment 133 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12 c. Underlines that among the many inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide is a serious one, affecting in particular less developed regions, women, elderly people and people living in the Outermost regions and rural, remote and depopulated areas; greater investment is needed in digitalisation, digital innovation and digital connectivity, which will enable a fair and equal transition towards a more digital economy and a digital online education system, accessible to all citizens, especially the most vulnerable in society;
Amendment 134 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. SRecognizes that innovation is a key element to boost growth and jobs in Europe and tailor-made strategies can enable each region to identify and develop its own competitive advantages; stresses that cohesion policy needs to support equal access to training for women in order to bridge the digital gender gap and to support the green and digital transitions;
Amendment 152 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for compulsory requirements on gender equality objectives to be introduced in all post-2020 operational programmes, with specific and interdisciplinary measures to be translated into all operations; furthermore, equality between men and women, gender mainstreaming and the integration of gender perspective should be taken into account and promoted throughout the implementation of operational programmes;
Amendment 159 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Strongly supports the ex ante requirement of developing a national gender equality strategy to underpin cohesion policy interventions in order to improve its effectiveness and value added in relation to gender equality; calls on the Member States to set up binding national gender equality strategies;
Amendment 167 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses the importance of partnerships with gender equality bodies and their involvement in all programme phases;, in order to guarantee a better alignment between the implemented actions and the needs of women by consolidating institutional framework and strengthening the gender equality coordination and support bodies in all the policy domains; therefore believes that all bodies created in the area of cCohesion pPolicy should be gender balanced;
Amendment 170 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Calls for the integration of a strong partnership principle in operational programmes under cohesion policy which will allow recipients, such as regions, cities and people shaping investment to meet their local needs, while ensuring that the importance of gender equality is promoted and addressed in all operational programmes;
Amendment 171 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18 b. Believes that cohesion policy should contribute to the widely existing urban inequalities by better integrating women in policy planning for regional and urban development to design gender- inclusive cities and communities that work for all; underlines that gender- sensitive urban planning can ensure a fairer and more equal access to urban goods; regions and local governments have a key role to play in the promotion of social inclusion, and gender sensitive territorial planning can contribute to making advancements in this process;
Amendment 172 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines that aCalls for the introduction of a mandatory gender impact assessment ashould be a mandatory part of the Member States’ evaluations on how the funds are spent and whether compliance with gender equality targets is respectedin connection with the promotion of equality between women and men. It should be monitored how the funds are spent and whether the implemented programmes have a human rights, women’s rights- based approach;
Amendment 177 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Amendment 179 #
2020/2040(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19 b. Calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure that during the mid term review of the post-2020 cohesion policy, that an evaluation on the use of the resources is carried out to assess their effectiveness, efficiency, impact and, where applicable, inclusiveness and non- discrimination, including from a gender perspective;
Amendment 18 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
- having regard to the Territorial Impact Assessment report of the Committee of the Regions on the Demographic Change of 30 January 2020;
Amendment 20 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 b (new)
Citation 19 b (new)
- having regard the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Demographic change: proposals on measuring and tackling its negative effects in the EU regions" of 12-14 October 2020
Amendment 32 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas, although the EU population has seen substantial growth in previous decades, the growth rate is now falling and the population is expected to decrease in the longer term; whereas Europe will account for less than 4 % of the world’s population by 2070, and long- term demographic trends in European regions indicate lower birth rates and ageing societies; except in some outermost regions and particularly in Mayotte, where a population increase of 38% is forecast by 2050 compared to 2010 levels, alongside a corresponding increase of 26% for French Guiana1 a. _________________ 1aSources: INSEE (French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies), United Nations
Amendment 39 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas there is a high correlation between social services, physical and ICT connectivity and labour opportunities, and the ability to retain and attract population to certain areas;
Amendment 40 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas78% of European population lives in urban areas or functional urban areas, causing an uneven distribution of population throughout European regions
Amendment 41 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the health and economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic made clear that solidarity between generations is one of the driving forces of the recovery process; whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled the fragility our healthcare systems, especially in connection with an aging population
Amendment 45 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the full economic, employment and social consequences of the pandemic are still unknown; whereas preliminary studies suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities between men and women, including an increase in unpaid care work, whereas the public health crisis has a disproportionate impact on women and girls and in particular women and girls from marginalised groups, which Cohesion Policy should take into account;
Amendment 60 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines that the "4 free movement of labourdoms" represents a the cornerstone of EU competitiveness; notes, nevertheless, that it a and values; points out, nevertheless, that further attention should be paid to its effects on demographics, which has major trends, and its implications for EU regions and their economic, social and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 62 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Observes in this context significant demographic contrasts at both Union and Member State level between core, metropolitan regions and periphery, often rural areas and areas facing natural or other specific constraints (ANC) ;
Amendment 63 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Observes in this context significant demographic contrasts at both Union and Member State level between core, metropolitan regions and periphery, often rural areas and also in the outermost regions;
Amendment 67 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Observes that GDP per capita, income level, employment rate, fertility rate, socio economic factors, rural and urban divide, and population ageing are among the most important factors with a direct impact on demographics; notes that the current employment dynamics in particular are generating demographic flows within European regions leading to socio-spatial disparities and challenges that post-2020 cohesion policy will need to address; underlines that migration patterns from eastern, southeastern and central regions to northern and northwestern regions mostly involve young, educated and skilled workers;
Amendment 71 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that Europe is manifestly experiencing population ageing, affecting the dependency ratio and having negative effects on workforce growth, which is far behind the previous decade; warns of a visible decline of the labour force in eastern, southern and central European regions; regrets the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the average life expectancy in Europe
Amendment 76 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis and the possible medium- and long-term implications for labour market dynamicsocio-economic implications; underlines that self-isolation and social distancing measures, despite its positive impact in descending infection rates, have had visible effects on production, demand and trade, reducing economic activity and leading to higher levels of unemployment, a sharp decline in corporate incomes, and higher public deficits; Highlights however, that the new teleworking trend may prove a useful help reverse depopulation trends in rural areas; Considers the Resilience and Recovery Mechanism as an opportunity to address demographic challenges and urges Member States to put forward holistic and integrated solutions in their National Recovery Plans.
Amendment 77 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Recognises the burden placed on women as principal caregivers in formal and informal settings, as well as its social value, especially during the COVID-19 crisis; whereas 80% of all care provided across the EU is provided by (unpaid) informal carers, 75% of whom are women; therefore points out the crucial role of cohesion policy in securing investments in care services, to improve working conditions in this sector and to support a transition towards a care economy;
Amendment 80 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Underlines that the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has exposed strong disparities in the quality and access to healthcare services; Notes that the combination of ageing population and limited healthcare infrastructure in rural areas facing demographic decline and low population density further exposes their population to health risks.
Amendment 83 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Underlines that among the many inequalities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide is a serious one, affecting in particular less developed regions, women, elderly people and people living in the Outermost regions and rural, remote and depopulated areas. Greater investment is needed in digitalisation, digital innovation and digital connectivity, which will enable a fair and equal transition towards a more digital economy and a digital online education system, accessible to all citizens, especially the most vulnerable in society;
Amendment 94 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Points out that demographic challenges such as ageing population, low population density and negative migration patterns can have a direct impact on the rise of radical political movements and Euroscepticism. Considers that a strong cohesion policy can be a useful tool to combat the rise of these movements and believes that the Conference on the Future of Europe should address the consequences that demographic challenges will entail in Europe´s position in the world and in the social and economic sustainability.
Amendment 115 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Highlights that reducing the disparities between regions, especially in rural areas, requires the further social and economic integration of women; encourages the Commission and Member States to create specific strategies to promote the empowerment of woman in rural areas through lifelong education policies, access to financial instruments to support entrepreneurial projects, and address infrastructural deficiencies, including in relation to the provision of different types of care. Encourages the collection of gender-disaggregated data in order to identify and address any gender existing inequalities
Amendment 138 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that local and regional authorities should play a decisive role in developing territorial strategies, taking into consideration the development needs and the potential of the areas concerned, including the economic, social and demographic trends; points out that community-led local development strategies are a useful tool that can be used to create jobsterritorial approach to EU instruments, such as sustainable urban development, community-led local development strategies or Integrated Territorial Investments (ITIs) could be useful tool that can be used to maintain and create jobs, strengthen the attractiveness of the region, and increase accessibility to services at local level;
Amendment 139 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that local and regional authorities, professional associations and NGOs are essential to identify and assess specific investment needs in rural and urban areas and therefore they should play a decisive role in developing territorial strategies, taking into consideration the development needs and the potential of the areas concerned, including the economic, social and demographic trends; points out that community-led local development strategies are a useful tool that can be usedn essential tool to create jobs and increase accessibility to services at local level;
Amendment 148 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that the Urban Agenda for the EU, which identifies major priorities and actions for improving the quality of life in urban areas could serve as a model for providing proper instruments promoting growth, integration, cooperation and innovation and tackling social challenges; insists also on developing strategies aimed at enhancing the knowledge economy and smart specialisation in European regions, including through developing knowledge networks and providing support for human capital investments, underlines that cohesion policy should contribute to the widely existing urban inequalities by better integrating women in policy planning for regional and urban development to design gender-inclusive cities and communities that work for all;
Amendment 160 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that the COVID-19 health crisis has affected all Member States and regions to different extents, and is likely to lead to new trends as regards demographic flows; recalls in this context that the additional resources provided through REACT-EU in order to ensure a sound and robust recovery of the EU’s economy from the crisis could significantly help to keep people in employment, including through support for small and medium-size enterprises and for short-time work schemes and the self-employed; Recalls in this regard that the pandemic has highlighted the importance of digitalisation all across the economy to alleviate the consequences of the social distancing and freedom of movement restrictions.
Amendment 167 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Urges Member States and regional authorities to implement an integrated approach through Cohesion Policy Instruments to address demographic challenges and encourages the promotion of smart villages as a tool to attract and retain population; Recalls that the Recovery and Resilience Facility will provide large-scale financial support to make Member States’ economies more resilient and better prepared for the future, and insists that Member States should propose measures for addressing demographic change; highlights the importance of the instruments for a transition to sustainability such as the Just Transition Fund and its implementation mechanism, which aim to support the communities affected by the energy transition and avoid the risk of depopulation;
Amendment 175 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Welcomes the Commissions intention to accelerate the roll-out of high capacity broadband infrastructure in sparsely populated and rural territories and considers it as an opportunity to improve quality of life, promote job creation, innovation and better accessibility to public services;
Amendment 182 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls on the Member States to conduct the programming and implementation process of the 2021-2027 cohesion policy with full respect for the partnership principle; stresses the importance of prioritising regional needs, including as regards demographic and migration aspects and urban challenges; calls on the Commission to put forward a Code of Conduct on partnership setting minimum standards for the involvement of the competent local and regional authorities, professional and relevant civil society organisations, in line with the partnership principle;
Amendment 183 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Strongly supports the development of dedicated incentive schemes to retain population and attract young people to rural and semi-urban areas; Calls on the Member States to conduct the programming and implementation process of the 2021-2027 cohesion policy with full respect for the partnership principle; stresses the importance of prioritising regional needs, including as regards demographic and migration aspects and urban challenges;
Amendment 187 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Recalls the European Parliament position on the European Regional Development Fund and Cohesion Fund Regulation stating that one the ERDF CF main objectives shall be to support urban and rural areas with geographical or demographic handicaps; Recalls, in this regard, that particular support should be given to NUTS level 3 areas or clusters of local administrative units with a population density of below 12.5 inhabitants per km2 or with an average annual population decrease of more than 1% between 2007 and 2017, which should be subject to specific regional and national policies to ensure better physical and ICT connectivity, improve the access and the quality of social services, promote entrepreneurship and the creation of high quality job opportunities through cohesion instruments.
Amendment 212 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls on the regions at risk of depopulation to focus investments on universal accessibility to quality services and infrastructure and job creation; insists on investment in education, reskilling of workers, creating entrepreneurial conditions and supporting SMEs, calls for investment in childcare facilities to foster women's participation in the labour market;
Amendment 218 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Underlines the role of young people in the future sustainability of rural communities, recognizes that policy instruments linked to investments and growth are often disconnected to rural areas and have less impact in areas of lower population density; calls for targeted investment in rural entrepreneurship and innovative rural SMEs with a special focus on young people; highlights the importance of promoting the attractiveness of disadvantaged areas, including education and employment opportunities and the facilities and services for young people;
Amendment 222 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls for more to be done to support regions facing significant population increases, such as Mayotte and French Guiana, by deploying adequate financial resources to guarantee the continuity of basic services in sufficient quantity and quality, particularly in the sectors of education, health and transport.
Amendment 224 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Recalls that health is a fundamental human right, calls for the strengthening of public services in rural areas such as healthcare facilities to address the very significant inequalities and differences in life expectancy based on place of residence, social status and educational level in some Member States;
Amendment 231 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Asks the European Commission Statistic Office and National Statistic Offices to provide data at NUTS 3 and LAU level to better monitor the impact of demographic challenge on the territories; Encourages the promotion of indicators based of territorial coverage rather that population coverage as a means to reduce rural and urban gaps.
Amendment 232 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Highlights the role of cities and regions both in depopulated and overpopulated areas, reiterates the need for further funding opportunities directly available for cities and regions to implement programmes locally, calls for increasing the budget and broadening the scope of the European Urban Initiative;
Amendment 237 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Encourages policymakers at regional and national level to invest in the digital and knowledge economy, as well as in providing services and incentives, to maintain high-skilled workers and to develop research centres in the different regions in order to ensure the attractiveness of the depopulated areas to young talents and entrepreneurs;
Amendment 242 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Encourages regions to take capitalize on their competitive advantages as established in the Smart Specialization Strategies; Recommends developing the so- called ‘oasis strategies’ focusing on the most successful, vibrant and growing sectors, by exploiting the local potential for development of the region; calls on the local and regional authorities to focus on attracting young, trained and talented workers, encouraging entrepreneurship, using local, national and EU incentives; underlines the role of the ‘silver economy’ as a policy shift for rural areas, turning the issue of population ageing into an opportunity for the development of rural areas;
Amendment 249 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Calls on the Commission to focus on policy coordination at EU level on issues related to functional cooperation areas at different levels, such as cross- border, macro-regional and rural-urban, to address demographic challenges; Urges Member States to align their national demographic plans with the European Commission report on the impact of the demographic change in Europe and the Long-term vision for rural areas; Considers that the future Conference of the Future of Europe should propose a definition of the areas which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps mentioned in the article 174 (TFEU) in order to ensure a long-term support of the EU key policies from a place-based approach;
Amendment 251 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Insists that investments should be focused on information and communication technology, since this has the potential to reduce the distance between the users and to attract high- skilled workers; stresses the importance of funding the development and uptake of these technologies among companies and schools in rural and isolated regions and regions in industrial transition; stresses the importance of an equal and parallel deployment of these technologies among regions to avoid further deepening the gap of attractiveness and digital divide
Amendment 259 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Calls on the Member States and regions to harness the potential of digitalisation to develop and provide quality care service in a more efficient ways. Recalls that digitalisation and connectivity, as for example by easing health monitoring or teleconsultation, offers opportunities to provide healthcare services in sparsely populated areas or areas facing natural or demographic challenges often lacking basic healthcare infrastructures
Amendment 261 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to supporAcknowledges that ‘magnet cities’ since they primarily contribute to the building of regional ‘growth poles’; nevertheless, underlines that second-tier cities play a critical role in regional development, and calls onin this respect calls on the Commission and the Member States to put in practice strategies for the harmonised development of these cities;
Amendment 278 #
2020/2039(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the initiative on the long-term vision for rural areas includes practical solution and means of support to address demographic changes; invites the Commission, in agreement with the Member States, to propose a ‘new deal’ on demographics in the EU as a multi-level policy approach; the long-term vision for rural areas shall include a gender mainstreaming strategy as well as mandatory impact assessment tools;
Amendment 41 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes and insists that the Commission continues its practice to provide timely information to the Parliament on the negotiations, in line with the information that is shared with the Member States;
Amendment 42 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Strongly believes that transparency benefits the negotiation process and is also beneficial to citizens and businesses as it allows them to better prepare for the post-transition phase;
Amendment 53 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Underlines that the covid-19 pandemic directly affects the negotiation process; recognizes the willingness by both parties to continue negotiations during the covid-19 pandemic through virtual means in order to limit the extent of the delay; acknowledges that negotiations through virtual means pose additional challenges; calls on the parties to hold face-to-face meetings once this is deemed safe;
Amendment 55 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Strongly believes that the negative impact of the covid-19 pandemic on global trade and economic relations serves as an additional incentive to make substantial progress in the negotiations and work towards a comprehensive and ambitious partnership;
Amendment 92 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Emphasises the importance of making substantial progress on all topics in parallel, including on those that showed limited to no progress such as the level-playing field, governance, law enforcement as well as the timely conclusion of a fisheries agreement;
Amendment 134 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Insists that the European Parliament is regularly informed regarding the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement;
Amendment 162 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Takes note that the UK has chosen to establish its future economic and trade partnership with the EU on the basis of a ‘Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement’ as laid down in the UK’s Approach to Negotiations; emphasises that, while the European Parliament is supportive of the EU constructively negotiating a balanced, ambitious and comprehensive FTA with the UK, by its nature an FTA will never be equivalent to ‘frictionless’ trade; expresses concern at the intention of the UK government to move away from zero tariffs and zero quota and avoid any commitments on the level playing field; emphasizes, in this regard, that the agreement should ensure open and fair competition, and prevent distortions in trade and unfair competitive advantages; shares the Commission’s negotiating position whereby the scope and ambition of an FTA that the EU would agree to is conditional on the UK agreeing to provisions related to the level playing field, given the geographical proximity and integration of markets, as well as on the conclusion of an agreement on fisheries;
Amendment 178 #
2020/2023(INI)
(-i) a level playing field;
Amendment 216 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 – point ix
Paragraph 13 – point ix
(ix) an overarching chapter on the needs and interests of micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with regard to market access facilitation issues including, but not limited to, compatibility of technical standards, and streamlined customs procedures with the aim of preserving and generating concrete business opportunities and fostering their internationalisation; noteregrets that the UK’s approach to the negotiations does not include specific provisions reflecting these objectives;
Amendment 247 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – introductory part
Paragraph 16 – introductory part
16. Recalls its determination to prevent any kind of ‘dumping’ in the framework of the future EU-UK relationship; considerspoints out that a key outcome of the negotiations is to guarantee a level playing field through robust commitments and enforceable provisions on:
Amendment 249 #
2020/2023(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – point i
Paragraph 16 – point i
(i) competition and State aid, which should prevent undue distortion of trade and competition and include provisions on state-owned enterprises; regrets, with regard to State aid, that the UK approach does not reflect the same ambition and only covers subsidies;
Amendment 163 #
2020/2018(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that information society services providers, and in particular online platforms and social networking sites - because of their wide-reaching ability to reach and influence broader audiences, behaviour, opinions, and practices - bear significant social responsibility in terms of protecting users and society at large and preventing their services from being exploited abusively; calls for clear guidelines related to products and services that should be excluded from all forms of advertisement targeting children and minors, including influencer marketing.
Amendment 214 #
2020/2018(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that the current transparency and information requirements set out in the E-Commerce Directive on information society services providers and their business customers, and the minimum information requirements on commercial communications, should be substantially strengthened; and the introduction of an automated message mechanism before check-out informing customers about the potential side effects of certain products, as well as their recommended use, should be considered;
Amendment 228 #
2020/2018(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Commission to require service providers to verify the information and identity of the business partners with whom they have a contractual commercial relationship, and to ensure that the information they provide is accurate and up-to-date; calls for the establishment of an online database that can serve as a verification platform of business partners for influencers and small service providers unable to find the resources to do this otherwise;
Amendment 20 #
2020/2012(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that current and future defence-related activities within the Union framework will draw on AI, on robotics and autonomy, and on related technologies and that the Union must assume leading role in research and development of AI systems in defence field; believes that the use of AI-enabled applications in defence offer number of direct benefits such as higher quality collected data, greater situational awareness, increased speed for decision-making, as well as greater reliability of military equipment; recalls that AI systems are also becoming key elements in countering emerging security threats both in the online and offline spheres; notes, however, that AI could be exposed to forms of dangerous malign manipulation in unpredictable ways and with incalculable consequences;
Amendment 40 #
2020/2012(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights that, based on a human- centric approach, the Union follows a path of responsibility, of protecting our citizens and their data, and of defending our values, whilst seizing the opportunities that those technologies offer;
Amendment 46 #
2020/2012(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that the Union must be at the forefront of mastering those technologies by establishing well defined processes for their use, for understanding the related ethical aspects and for fostering an effective international regulatory framework that contains the inherent risks of these technologies and prevents use for malicious purposes; those include in particular unintended harm to persons, be it material or immaterial, such as breach of fundamental rights or physical harm; underlines that further AI research and development should ensure that AI enabled systems are better equipped to understand unique context; Calls for regular monitoring to make sure that AI- driven decision-making does not lead to discrimination and that AI systems are not trained on bias data;
Amendment 93 #
2020/2012(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines that the entire responsibility and accountability for the decision to design, develop, deploy and use AI-systems must rest on human operators and the human-in- the-loop principle must also be applied to the command and control of AI-enabled systems; stresses that AI- enabled systems must allow the military leadership to assume its full responsibility and exercise the necessary level of judgment for taking lethal or large-scale destructive action be means of such systems;
Amendment 99 #
2020/2012(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underlines that the Union must promote understanding the military implications of AI, of robotics and of autonomy; considers that the Union needs to promote the acquisition of the necessary skills and knowledge on technology development processes and operational methods throughout the supply chain and over the full lifecycle of AI-enabled military capabilities; underlines the urgent need for establishing increased European strategic and technological independence in the field of AI enabled systems, including the critical infrastructure it relies on;
Amendment 124 #
2020/2012(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Notes that since the bulk of AI research and development is happening in the private sector, it will be necessary to establish a closer cooperation with leading companies and enterprises in order to harness the potential of AI to the fullest, while fostering a better understanding of risks and benefits as well as ensuring maximum operational security;
Amendment 56 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean in the east, Africa is struggling to contend with challenges, such as historical underdevelopment compounded by the destruction of the traditional agro- pastoral economy as a result of climate change, population growth and deforestationparts of the Sahel region, West Africa and the Horn of Africa have been facing challenges limiting their development potential in an otherwise rapidly growing continent; these regions are particularly hard-hit by climate change and deforestation, which contribute to food insecurity and is exacerbated by population growth; whereas another major challenge is the emergence of new forms of mafia economy, including human and drug trafficking and the uncontrolled export of gold deposits, which, combined with the abandonment, inefficiency and corruption of the administration, is producing afragile institutions result in hybridisation of conflicts between terrorist groups, traffickers and traditional community and regional conflictactors, with the phenomenon of jihadist religious extremism appearing as a false response forin the societies concerned;
Amendment 66 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas poverty and insecurity feed off each other and act asroot-causes as well as accelerators of migration, pushing young people to migrate out of Africa to Europe in search of a better life, impoverishing states by depriving them of their best human resources;
Amendment 85 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the above-mentioned challenges will be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the worsening effects of climate change;
Amendment 143 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas Russia has sent hundreds of instructors to train and arm FACA soldiers; whereas there is a growing presence of Russian mercenary units in Africa, with ties to the Russian state;
Amendment 205 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the revision of Article 3a(4)(b) and (c) of Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 in the light of the grave and profound degradation in the security conditions in the region and in order to fill any gaps in EU missions and projects with a view to supporting the capacity-building of partners in the security sector, including through funding for military spending and the provision of weapons, ammunition or lethal equipment, transport and training essential for improving the combat capability of African armed forces fighting against jihadism; supports the Joint Communication of the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 28 April 2015 entitled ‘Capacity building in support of security and development – Enabling partners to prevent and manage crises’4 ; _________________ 4; finds that military options are most effective when combined with non- military strategies such as deradicalization and social reintegration programs; JOIN(2015)0017.
Amendment 254 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that all funding instruments should be explored with a view to supporting the development of security capabilities as well as capacities to establish and preserve peace in the affected African countries, as per Articles 209 and 212 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and in the light of the very serious security crisis in the Sahel-Saharan region;
Amendment 297 #
2020/2002(INI)
d a) ensuring that training extends to international human rights and their efficient enforcement under all circumstances;
Amendment 417 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 – point b
Paragraph 25 – point b
b) empowering women by recognising their role as the centre of gravity of African families, enhancing their educational and economic opportunities and promoting their participation in local and national institutions;
Amendment 427 #
2020/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 – point c
Paragraph 25 – point c
c) providing basic services such as health and education to increase people’s quality of life and confidence in the state;
Amendment 342 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) In order to achieve the objectives of this Regulation, and in particular to improve the functioning of the internal market and ensure a safe and transparent online environment, it is necessary to establish a clear and balanced set of harmonised due diligence obligations for providers of intermediary services. Those obligations should aim in particular to guarantee different public policy objectives such as the safety, health and trust of the recipients of the service, including minors, women and vulnerable users, protect the relevant fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter, to ensure meaningful accountability of those providers and to empowerprovide recourse to recipients and other affected parties, whilst facilitating the necessary oversight by competent authorities.
Amendment 478 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 57
Recital 57
(57) Three categories of systemic risks should be assessed in-depth. A first category concerns the risks associated with the misuse of their service through the dissemination of illegal content, such as the dissemination of child sexual abuse material or illegal hate speech, and the conduct of illegal activities, such as the sale of products or services prohibited by Union or national law, including counterfeit products. For example, and without prejudice to the personal responsibility of the recipient of the service of very large online platforms for possible illegality of his or her activity under the applicable law, such dissemination or activities may constitute a significant systematic risk where access to such content may be amplified through accounts with a particularly wide reach. A second category concerns the impact of the service on the exercise of fundamental rights, as protected by the Charter of Fundamental Rights, including the freedom of expression and information, the right to private life, the right to non-discrimination, the right to gender equality and the rights of the child. Such risks may arise, for example, in relation to the design of the algorithmic systems used by the very large online platform or the misuse of their service through the submission of abusive notices or other methods for silencing speech or hampering competition. A third category of risks concerns the intentional and, oftentimes, coordinated manipulation of the platform’s service through the submission of abusive notices, with a foreseeable impact on health, civic discourse, electoral processes, public security and protection of minors, having regard to the need to safeguard public order, protect privacy and fight fraudulent and deceptive commercial practices. Such risks may arise, for example, through the creation of fake accounts, the use of bots, and other automated or partially automated behaviours, which may lead to the rapid and widespread dissemination of information that is illegal content or incompatible with an online platform’s terms and conditions.
Amendment 1550 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Very large online platforms shall identify, analyse and assess, from the date of application referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 25(4), at least once a year thereafter,on an ongoing basis, the probability and severity of any significant systemic risks stemming from the functioning and use made of their services in the Union. This risk assessment shall be specific to their services and shall include the following systemic risks:
Amendment 1563 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) any negative effects for the exercise of any of the fundamental rights listed in the Charter, in particular on the fundamental rights to respect for private and family life, freedom of expression and information, the prohibition of discrimination, the right to gender equality and the rights of the child, as enshrined in Articles 7, 11, 21, 23 and 24 of the Charter respectively;
Amendment 1606 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 27 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Very large online platforms shall put in place reasonable, proportionate and effective mitigation measures, tailored to the specific systemic risks identified pursuant to Article 26. Such measures mayshall include, where applicable:
Amendment 1626 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Where a very large online platform decides not to put in place any of the mitigating measures listed in Article 27(1), it shall provide a written explanation that describes the reasons why those measures were not put in place, which shall be provided to the independent auditors in order to prepare the audit report in Article 28(3).
Amendment 1658 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 28 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the obligations set out in Chapter III; in particular the quality of the identification, analysis and assessment of the risks referred to in Article 26, and the necessity, proportionality and effectiveness of the risk mitigation measures referred to in Article 27
Amendment 2120 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 51 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 51 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. The Commission, acting either upon the Board’s recommendation or on its own initiative after consulting the Board, mayshall initiate proceedings in view of the possible adoption of decisions pursuant to Articles 58 and 59 in respect of the relevant conduct by the very large online platform that:
Amendment 2130 #
2020/0361(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 51 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 51 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Wheren the Commission decides to initiates proceedings pursuant to paragraph 1, it shall notify all Digital Services Coordinators, the Board and the very large online platform concerned.
Amendment 1132 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b a (new)
(b a) whether the plan contains measures that effectively strengthen the Union's strategic autonomy;
Amendment 1138 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b b (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b b (new)
(b b) whether the plan contains measures that effectively contribute to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to the European Pillar of Social Rights;
Amendment 1141 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b c (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b c (new)
(b c) whether the plan contains measures that effectively contribute to the climate and environmental objectives of the EU, in particular to the achievement of the Union’s updated 2030 climate targets and the objective of climate neutrality by 2050;
Amendment 1144 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b d (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point b d (new)
(b d) whether the plan contains measures to ensure that at least 37% of the amount requested for the recovery and resilience plan contribute to mainstreaming climate objectives based on the methodology provided by the Commission in accordance with Article 14(2a) and a demonstration of how the measures significantly decrease the national climate friendly investment gap;
Amendment 1226 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall adopt a decision within fourtwo months of the official submission of the recovery and resilience plan by the Member State, by means of an implementing 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 1292 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 5
Article 17 – paragraph 5
5. Where the Commission gives a negative assessment to a recovery and resilience plan, it shall communicate a duly justified assessment within fourtwo months of the submission of the proposal by the Member State.
Amendment 1321 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2
2. Where the Commission considers that the reasons put forward by the Member State concerned justify an amendment of the relevant recovery and resilience plan, the Commission shall assess the new plan in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 and shall take a new decision in accordance with Article 17 within fourtwo months of the official submission of the request.
Amendment 1392 #
Amendment 1422 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 a (new)
Article 21 a (new)
Article 21 a Discharge procedure Spending under the Facility shall be subject to the discharge procedure by the European Parliament.
Amendment 1499 #
2020/0104(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 a (new)
Article 25 a (new)
Article 25 a Exercise of the delegation 1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 4, Article 14, and Article 19 shall be conferred on the Commission until 31 December 2027. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 4, Article 14, and Article 19 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. 5. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 4, Article 14, and Article 19 shall enter into force if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.
Amendment 50 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) In accordance with Regulation [European Recovery Instrument] and within the limits of resources allocated therein, recovery and resilience measures under the European Investment and Structural Funds should be carried out to address the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Such additional resources should be used to ensure compliance with the time limits provided for in Regulation [ERI]. Moreover, additional resources for economic, social and territorial cohesion should be made available through a revision of the multiannual financial framework for 2014- 2020.
Amendment 59 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) An additional exceptional amount of EUR 58 272 800 000 (in current prices) for budgetary commitment from the Structural Funds under the Investment for growth and jobs goal, for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 as well as for the years 2023 and 2024, where justified by a Member State, should be made available to support Member States and regions most impacted in crisis repair in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic or preparing a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy, with a view to deploying resources quickly to the real economy through the existing operational programmes. Resources for 2020 stem from an increase in the resources available for economic, social and territorial cohesion in the multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020 whereas resources for 2021 and 2022 and where applicable for 2023 and 2024, stem from the European Union Recovery Instrument. Part of the additional resources should be allocated to technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission. The Commission should set out the breakdown of the remaining additional resources for each Member State on the basis of an allocation method based on the latest available objective statistical data concerning Member States’ relative prosperity and the extent of the effect of the current crisis on their economies and societies. The allocation method should include a dedicated additional amount for the outermost regions given the specific vulnerability of their economies and societies. In order to reflect the evolving nature of the effects of the crisis, the breakdown should be revised in 2021 on the basis of the same allocation method using the latest statistical data available by 19 October 2021 to distribute the 2022, and where relevant the 2023 and 2024 tranches of the additional resources.
Amendment 65 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
Amendment 66 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Horizontal financial rules adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on the basis of Article 322 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union apply to this Regulation. These rules are laid down in the Financial Regulation and determine in particular the procedure for establishing and implementing the budget through grants, procurement, prizes, indirect implementation, and provide for checks on the responsibility of financial actors. Rules adopted on the basis of Article 322 TFEU also concern the protection of the Union's budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States, as the respect for the rule of law is an essential precondition for sound financial management and effective EU funding, while the protection of final beneficiaries is crucial to foster crisis repair in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, NGOs or SMEs cannot lose their funding as a consequence of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States. If necessary, the Commission should temporarily, directly or indirectly, manage funds with recipients without the involvement of national governments violating the rule of law.
Amendment 78 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) In order to complement the actions already available under the scope of support of the ERDF, as extended by Regulations (EU) 2020/460 and (EU) 2020/558 of the European Parliament and of the Council5, Member States should continue to be allowed to use the additional resources primarily for investments in products, staff and services for health services including residential care homes for elderly people, for providing support in the form of working capital or investment support to SMEs, and support to adapt to teleworking in operations contributing to the transition towards a digital and green economy, infrastructure providing basic services to citizens, including in Outermost Regions, rural and depopulated areas and areas affected by industrial transition, or economic support measures for those regions most dependent on sectors, such as tourism and culture, most affected by the crisis. Technical assistance should also be supported. It is appropriate that the additional resources are focused exclusively under the new thematic objective “Fostering crisis repair in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy”, which should also constitute a single investment priority, to allow for simplified programming and implementation of the additional resources. _________________ 5 Regulation (EU) 2020/460 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 March 2020 amending Regulations (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013 and (EU) No 508/2014 as regards specific measures to mobilise investments in the healthcare systems of Member States and in other sectors of their economies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative) (OJ L99, 31.3.2020, p. 5); Regulation (EU) 2020/558 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2020 amending Regulations (EU) No 1301/2013 and (EU) No 1303/2013 as regards specific measures to provide exceptional flexibility for the use of the European Structural and Investments Funds in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, (OJ L 130, 23.4.2020, p. 1).
Amendment 93 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) For the ESF, Member States should primarily use the additional resources to support job maintenance, including taking into special consideration the needs of the Outermost Regions, rural and depopulated areas, and areas affected by industrial transition, including, but not exclusively, through short-time work schemes and support to self-employed, job creation, in particular for people in vulnerable situations and women bearing the brunt of the ensuing economic crisis, support to youth employment measures, education and training, transition towards a more digital and online education system, skills development and to enhance access to social services of general interest, including for children and people in vulnerable situations. It should be clarified that in the present exceptional circumstances support to short-time work schemes for employees and the self- employed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic can be provided even when that support is not combined with active labour market measures, unless the latter are imposed by national law. Union support to those short-time work schemes should be limited in time.
Amendment 115 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) In order to enable Member States to deploy the additional resources for crisis repair quickly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy within the current programming period, it is justified to exempt, on an exceptional basis, Member States from the need to comply with ex ante conditionalities and requirements on the performance reserve and application of the performance framework, on thematic concentration, also in relation to the thresholds established for sustainable urban development for the ERDF, and requirements on preparation of a communication strategy for the additional resources. It is nevertheless necessary that Member States carry out at least one evaluation by 31 December 2024 or by 31 December 2026 where additional resources are made available for budgetary commitment in 2023 and 2024, to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and impact of the additional resources as well as how they contributed to achieving the goals of the new dedicated thematic objective. To facilitate the availability of comparable information at Union level, Member States are highly encouraged to make use of the programme-specific indicators made available by the Commission. In addition, while carrying out their responsibilities linked to information, communication and visibility, Member States and managing authorities should enhance the visibility of the exceptional measures and resources introduced by the Union, in particular by ensuring that potential beneficiaries, beneficiaries, participants, final recipients of financial instruments and the general public are aware of the existence, volume and additional support stemming from the additional resources.
Amendment 133 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) With a view to allow the targeting of these additional resources to the geographic areas where they are most needed, as an exceptional measure and without prejudice to the general rules for allocating Structural Funds resources, the additional resources allocated to the ERDF and the ESF are not to be broken down per category of region. However, Member States are expected toshould take into account the different regional needs and development levels in order to ensure that focus is maintained on less developed regions, in accordance with the objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion set out in Article 173 TFEU. Member States should also involve local and regional authorities, as well as relevant bodies representing civil society, in accordance with the partnership principles.
Amendment 134 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15 a (new)
Recital 15 a (new)
(15a) REACT-EU represents a significant amount of additional resources to be spent in a short amount of time, increasing the pressure on control systems. Therefore, effective anti-fraud measures should be adopted and applied through existing anti-fraud agencies at Member State and EU level, such as the EPPO, ECA and OLAF.
Amendment 136 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) The available resources should be eligible for incurred expenditure related to the COVID-19 crisis as of 1 February 2020, in order to guarantee that all COVID-19 related costs are covered under this instrument.
Amendment 153 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 92 b – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
The additional resources for 2021 and 2022 shall be made available from the addditional resources as set out in Article 92a. By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, and based on a reasoned request from a Member State, the additional resources may also be made available for budgetary commitment in 2023 and 2024. The additional resources set out in Article 92a shall also support administrative expenditure up to EUR 18 000 000 in current prices.
Amendment 156 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 4
Article 92 b – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall adopt a decision, by means of implementing acts, setting out the breakdown of the additional resources as appropriations from the Structural Funds for 2020 and 2021 for each Member State in accordance with the criteria and methodology set out in Annex VIIa. That decision shall be revised in 2021 to set out the breakdown of the additional resources for 2022 based on data available by 19 October 2021. Where applicable, it shall also be revised in 2022 in relation to budgetary commitments in 2023 and 2024, based on the latest statistical data available. The revisions in 2021, and 2022 if applicable, shall ensure that operational programmes are not negatively impacted.
Amendment 164 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 6
Article 92 b – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 6
Each Member State shall allocate the additional resources available for programming under the ERDF and the ESF to operational programmes, together with local and regional authorities, as well as relevant bodies representing civil society, in accordance with the partnership principle.
Amendment 165 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
The distribution shall take into account the cumulative numbers of COVID-19 infections and the economic impact at NUTS 3 level, and concentrate the additional resources in the NUTS 3 areas with the highest sanitary and economic impact.
Amendment 178 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 2
Article 92 b – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 2
Member States may allocate the additional resources either to one or more separate priority axes within an existing operational programme or programmes or to a new operational programme referred to in paragraph 11. By way of derogation from Article 26(1), the programme shall cover the period until 31 December 2022, or 31 December 2024 where the derogation referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article applies, subject to paragraph 4 abovof this Article.
Amendment 183 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 3
Article 92 b – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 3
For the ERDF, the additional resources shall primarily be used to support investments in products, staff and services for health services, including residential care homes for elderly people, and to provide support in the form of working capital or investment support to SMEs, investmentsupport to adapt to teleworking in operations contributing to the transition towards a digital and green economy, investments in infrastructure providing basic services to citizens, and including in the Outermost Regions, rural and depopulated areas and areas affected by industrial transition, or economic support measures infor those regions which are most dependent on sectors, such as tourism and culture, most affected by the crisis.
Amendment 215 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 9 – subparagraph 5
Article 92 b – paragraph 9 – subparagraph 5
The revised financing plan set out in Article 96(2)(d) shall set out the allocation of the additional resources for the years 2020, 2021 and, where applicable, for 2022, 2023 and 2024, without identifying amounts for the performance reserve and with no breakdown per category of regions.
Amendment 239 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 12 – point d
Article 92 b – paragraph 12 – point d
Amendment 247 #
2020/0101(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 92 b – paragraph 13 a (new)
Article 92 b – paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Strong mechanisms to avoid possible fraud and corruption shall be put in place by Member States, such as enhanced cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor´s Office.
Amendment 4 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Commission adopted a Communication on the European Green Deal on 11 December 20199 , drawing its roadmap towards a new growth policy for Europe and setting ambitious objectives to counter climate change and for environmental protection. In line with the objective to achieve the Union's 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality in the Union by 2050 in an effective and fair manner, the European Green Deal announced a Just Transition Mechanism to provide means for facing the climate challenge while leaving no one behind. The most vulnerable regions and people are the most exposed to the harmful effects of climate change and environmental degradation. At the same time, managing the transition requires significant structural changes. _________________ 9 COM(2019) 640 final.
Amendment 10 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The proposal for establishing the Just Transition Fund was adopted by the Commission on 14 January 202011 . For the better programming and implementation of the Fund, territorial just transition plans are to be adopted, setting out the key steps and timeline of the transition process and identifying the territories most negatively affected by the transition towards a climate neutral economy by 2050 and with less capacity to deal with the transition challenges. _________________ 11 COM(2020) 22 final
Amendment 16 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In order to enhance the economic diversification of territoriesand modernisation of territories most negatively impacted by the climate transition, the Facility should cover a wide range of investments, on condition that they contribute to meet the development needs in the transition towards the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and a climate neutral economy by 2050, as described in the territorial just transition plans. The investments supported may cover energy and transport infrastructure, district heating networks, green mobility, smart waste managementtechnology and infrastructures for clean, affordable and renewable energy and environmentally-friendly and decarbonised transport, district heating networks, green, smart and sustainable mobility, investments in research and innovation activities, including in universities and public research institutions, fostering the transfer of advanced and market-ready technologies, investments in digitalisation, digital innovation and digital connectivity, including digital and precision farming, smart waste management, greenhouse gas emission reduction, clean energy and energy efficiency measures including renovations and conversions of buildings, support to transition to a circular economy, land restoration and decontamination when the “polluters pays” principle cannot be applied, as well as up- and re-skilling, training and social infrastructure, including social housing. Infrastructure developments may also include solutions leading to their enhanced resilience to withstand disasters. Comprehensive investment approach should be favoured in particular for territories with important transition needs. Investments in other sectors could also be supported if they are consistent with the adopted territorial just transition plans. By supporting investments that do not generate sufficient revenues, the Facility aims at providing public sector entities with additional resources necessary to address the social, economic and environmental challenges resulting from the adjustment to climate transition. Relevant local and regional authorities, economic and social partners and civil society of the territories concerned should be involved in the process of identification of the investments supported by the Facility in accordance with the partnership principle laid down in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) … /… [new CPR]. In order to help identify investments with a high positive environmental impact eligible under the Facility, the EU taxonomy on environmentally sustainable economic activities mayshould be used.
Amendment 24 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5 a) In the context of its effort to increase economic, territorial and social cohesion, the Facility should also contribute to eliminating inequalities and promoting gender equality and integrating the gender perspective, as well as combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU), Article 10 TFEU and Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. All stakeholders involved at all stages of implementation of the Facility should commit to promote gender equality and should ensure that the impact on women is taken into account, given that they are disproportionately impacted by climate change and transition process.
Amendment 25 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Horizontal financial rules adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on the basis of Article 322 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union apply to this Regulation. These rules are laid down in the Financial Regulation and determine in particular the procedure for establishing and implementing the budget through grants, procurement, prizes, indirect implementation, and provide for checks on the responsibility of financial actors. Rules adopted on the basis of Article 322 TFEU also concern the protection of the Union's budget in case of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States, as the respect for the rule of law is an essential precondition for sound financial management and effective EU funding. However, the protection of final beneficiaries is crucial to ensure the effectiveness of the investments supported by the Facility. Local and regional authorities cannot lose their funding as a consequence of generalised deficiencies as regards the rule of law in the Member States. If necessary, the Commission, in agreement with the European Parliament and the Council, should temporarily manage funds with the recipients without the involvement of national governments violating the rule of law.
Amendment 31 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Specific eligibility conditions and award criteria should be set out in the work programme and the call for proposals. Those eligibility conditions and award criteria should take into account the relevance of the project in the context of the development needs described in the territorial just transition plans, the overall objective of promoting regional and territorial convergence and the significance of the grant component for the viability of the projectt criteria established by Regulation (EU) … /... of the European Parliament and the Council [Regulation on establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment], the ability of the project to meet the objectives and development needs described in the territorial just transition plans, the contribution to the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, the overall objective of promoting regional and territorial convergence and the significance of the grant component for the viability of the project. The Commission should ensure that gender equality and the integration of gender perspective are taken into account and promoted in the work programme. Union Support established by this Regulation should thus only be made available to Member States with at least one territorial just transition plan adopted. The work programme and calls for proposals will also take into account the territorial just transition plans submitted by Member States to ensure that coherence and consistency across the different pillars of the mechanism is ensured.
Amendment 36 #
2020/0100(COD)
(16) Since the grant component should reflect the divergent development needs of regions across Member States, such support should be modulated. Taking into account that public sector entities in less developed regions, as defined in Article 102(2) of Regulation [new CPR], in the outermost regions, as defined in Article 349 TFEU, and in rural, sparsely populated and depopulated areas generally experience lower public investment capacity, the grant rates applied to loans provided to such entities should be comparatively higher.
Amendment 37 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) In order to speed up implementation and ensure that resources are used in a timely fashion, this Regulation should lay down specific safeguards to be included in the grant agreements. In view of that objective, the Commission, in line with the principle of proportionality, should be able to reduce or terminate any Union support in case of serious lack of progress in the implementation of the project. The Commission, after notifying the Member State of the reduction or termination of Union support, should communicate to the Council and the European Parliament the reasons for the reduction or termination. The Financial Regulation lays down rules on the implementation of the Union budget. In order to ensure coherence in the implementation of Union funding programmes, the Financial Regulation should apply to the grant component and to resources for advisory support provided under this Facility.
Amendment 40 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) In accordance with the Financial Regulation and Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulations (Euratom, EC) No 2988/95, (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 and (EU) 2017/1939, the financial interests of the Union are to be protected through proportionate measures, including the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities, including fraud, the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, and, where appropriate, the imposition of administrative penalties. Any irregularities identified should be communicated to the Council and the European Parliament. In particular, in accordance with Regulations (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 and (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013, the European Anti- Fraud Office (OLAF) may carry out administrative investigations, including on- the-spot checks and inspections, with a view to establishing whether there has been fraud, corruption or any other illegal activity affecting the financial interests of the Union. In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) may investigate and prosecute offences against the financial interests of the Union, as provided for in Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council. In accordance with the Financial Regulation, any person or entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the financial interests of the Union, grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the EPPO in respect of those Member States participating in enhanced cooperation pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, and the European Court of Auditors (ECA), and ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds grant equivalent rights.
Amendment 48 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 2
The Facility shall provide support benefitting Union territories facing serious social, environmental and economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards the Union's 2030 climate and energy targets, and a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050.
Amendment 52 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
5. 'territorial just transition plan' means a plan established in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation [JTF Regulation], together with the relevant local and regional authorities of the territories concerned and in accordance with the partnership principle laid down in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) … /… [new CPR], and approved by the Commission;
Amendment 54 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Facility is to address serious socio- economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy for the benefit of the Union territories identified in the territorial just transition plans prepared by the Member States in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation [JTF Regulation] and to contribute to achieve the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, in line with Paris Agreement objectives.
Amendment 66 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a Access to the resources 1. Access to the Facility shall be conditional on the adoption of a national objective towards the achievement of climate neutrality by 2050. For those Member States, which have not yet committed to a national target for climate neutrality, only 50% of their national allocation shall be released, while the remaining 50% shall be made available once they have adopted that target. 2. Access to the Facility shall be conditional to the respect for the rule of law, which is an essential precondition for sound financial management and effective EU funding, as well as the respect for human rights, including the rights of the minorities such as LGBTI rights, which are undermined in several Member States as a consequence of the creation of LGBTI free zones. The Commission shall reject applications from local authorities that have adopted "LGBT-free" declarations.
Amendment 76 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 4
Article 6 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall adopt a decision by means of an implementing actbe empowered to adopt a delegated act in accordance with Article 17 setting out the respective shares for each Member State resulting from the application of the methodology set out in Annex I of Regulation [JTF Regulation] in the form of percentages of the total available resources.
Amendment 79 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the projects achieve measurable impact in addressing serious social, economic or environmental challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy, contribute to achieve the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, and benefit territories identified in a territorial just transition plan, even if they are not located in those territories;
Amendment 91 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 a (new)
The Facility shall not support activities excluded under Article [5] of Regulation (EU) … /... [JTF Regulation].
Amendment 94 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. The amount of the grant shall not exceed 15% of the amount of the loan provided by the finance partner under this Facility. For projects located in territories in NUTS level 2 regions with a GDP per capita not exceeding 75% of the average GDP of the EU-27 as referred to in Article [102(2)] of Regulation [new CPR], the amount of the grant shall not exceed 20% of the amount of the loan provided by the finance partner. For projects located in the outermost regions, as defined in Article 349 TFEU, the amount of the grant shall not exceed 25% of the amount of the loan provided by the finance partner.
Amendment 102 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
The Facility shall be implemented by work programmes established in accordance with Article 110 of the Financial Regulation. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 17 adopting such work programmes. The work programmes shall specify the eligibility conditions and award criteria, taking into account the relevant criteria established by Regulation (EU) … /... of the European Parliament and the Council [Regulation on establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment], the ability of the project to meet the objectives and development needs described in the territorial just transition plans, the contribution to the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, the overall objective of promoting regional and territorial convergence and the significance of the grant component for the viability of the project. The Commission shall ensure that gender equality and the integration of gender perspective are taken into account and promoted in the work programme. The work programmes shall set out the national shares of resources, including any additional resources, for each Member State in accordance with Articles 4(1) and 6(2) of this Regulation.
Amendment 108 #
2020/0100(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Both the interim and final evaluation shall also assess the contribution to the achievement of the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets, and climate neutrality by 2050, as well as the social and economic impact of the support provided under the Facility, including the impact on gender equality.
Amendment 176 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 a (new)
Recital 23 a (new)
(23a) The climate footprint of the Union's consumption is an essential tool to develop to improve the overall consistency of the Union's climate objectives.
Amendment 178 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 b (new)
Recital 23 b (new)
(23b) A fully efficient Union's climate policy should address carbon leakage and develop the appropriate tools, such as a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, to cope with it and protect our standards and the frontrunners of our industries.
Amendment 221 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The Commission shall design by 30 June 2021 an indicator to monitor the evolution of the reduction of the Union’s climate footprint on the basis of data provided by the European Environment Agency. By 30 June 2023, the Commission shall assess the Union's climate footprint and bring forward proposals to reduce it such that by 2030 it is consistent with the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.
Amendment 348 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
(ja) the need to ensure environmental sustainability, including the need to tackle the biodiversity crisis and protect and restore natural carbon sinks;
Amendment 420 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Where the Commission approves a State aid request by a Member State in accordance with Article 108 TFEU, the Commission shall include provisions in its decision that beneficiaries are to demonstrate the alignment of their business model with the objectives set out in Article 2(1) and Article 2(3).
Amendment 421 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 4 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Where the Commission makes recommendations to the Council regarding the authorisation to open trade negotiations under Article 207 TFEU, the Commission shall include provisions to make the Paris Agreement an essential element of all future trade and investment agreements. The Commission shall demonstrate that the agreement with third parties does not conflict with the objectives set out in Article 2(1) and 2(3) before concluding it.
Amendment 441 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) alignment of national investment measures with Regulation (EU) 2020/…[Taxonomy Regulation];
Amendment 449 #
2020/0036(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. By 30 June 2021, Member States shall prepare national strategies to phase out support for fossil fuels, including indirect subsidies, capacity mechanism and decoupling addressing of energy poverty from subsidies to fossil fuels;
Amendment 18 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) As set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, a Just Transition Mechanism should complement the other actions under the next multi-annual financial framework for the period from 2021 to 2027. It should contribute to addressing the social and economic consequences of transitioning towards Union climate neutrality by 2050 by bringing together the Union budget’s spending on climate and social objectives at regional level.
Amendment 21 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) which is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism implemented under cohesion policy. The aim of the JTF is to mitigate the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned and to help achieve fair transition towards climate neutrality by 2050. In line with the JTF specific objective, actions supported by the JTF should directly contribute to alleviate the impact of the transition by financing the diversification and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment. This is reflected in the JTF specific objective, which is established at the same level and listed together with the policy objectives set out in Article [4] of Regulation EU [new CPR].
Amendment 33 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1
Citation 1
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 175, 192 (1), 194 (1) and 194 (2) thereof,
Amendment 39 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1
Citation 1
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 175, 192 (1), 194 (1) and 194 (2) thereof,
Amendment 44 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or, greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities or manufacturing of products incompatible with the climate neutrality objective which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towardsachieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Amendment 52 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) This Regulation identifies types of investments for which expenditure may be supported by the JTF. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect ofInvestments shall only be eligible if they are in line with the climate and environmental prioriobjectives of the Union and with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. The list of investments should include those that support local economies and are sustainable in the long- term, taking into account all the objectives of the Green Deal. The projects financed should contribute to a transition to a climate- neutral and circular economy and be in line with the do no harm principle. For declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, peat and oil shale or extraction activities for these solid fossil fuels, support should be linked to the phasing out of the activity and the corresponding reduction in the employment level. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levels, support should promote new activities through the deployment of new technologies, new processes or products, leading to significant emission reduction, in line with the EU 2030 climate objectives and EU climate neutrality by 205013 while maintaining and enhancing employment and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and connectivity, provided that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and circular economy. _________________ 13 As set out in “A Clean Planet for all European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy”, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - COM(2018) 773 final.
Amendment 52 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1
Citation 1
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 175, 192 (1), 194 (1) and 194 (2) thereof,
Amendment 55 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) The Just transition fund should support activities and deployment of technologies, which are viable in a long term and will not depend on subsidies to operate after initial scaling up. Supported activities should not hamper the development and deployment of low- carbon alternatives and lead to a lock-in in assets incompatible with the objective of climate neutrality, considering their lifecycle.
Amendment 63 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The transition, to a climate-neutral and non-toxic circular economy constitutes one of the most important policy objectives for the Union. On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will benefit all in the long term and provides opportunities and challenges for all in the medium term, not all regions and Member States start their transition from the same point or have the same capacity to respond. Some are more advanced than others, whereas the transition entails a wider social and economic impact for those regions that rely heavily on fossil fuels - especially coal, lignite, peat and oil shale - or greenhouse gas intensive industries. Such a situation not only creates the risk of a variable speed transition in the Union as regards climate action, but also of growing disparities between regions, detrimental to the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion.
Amendment 63 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The transition to a climate-neutral and circular economy constitutes one of the most important policy objectives for the Union. On 12 December 2019, the European Council endorsed the objective of achieving a climate-neutral Union by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. While fighting climate change and environmental degradation will benefit all in the long term and provides opportunities and challenges for all in the medium term, not all regions and Member States start their transition from the same point or have the same capacity to respond. Some are more advanced than others, whereas the transition entails a wider social and economic impact for those regions that rely heavily on fossil fuels - especially coal, lignite, peat and oil shale - or greenhouse gas intensive industries or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality. Such a situation not only creates the risk of a variable speed transition in the Union as regards climate action, but also of growing disparities between regions, detrimental to the objectives of social, economic and territorial cohesion.
Amendment 66 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fair and socially acceptable for all. Therefore, both the Union and the Member States must take into account its economic, environmental and social implications from the outset, and deploy all possible instruments to mitigate adverse consequences. TheWhat is more, they should ensure that investments are channelled towards economic activities that make the greatest positive environmental impact and provide local economies with a viable long-term vision and future-proof employment prospects. The conditionalities of Union budget hasve an important role in that regard.
Amendment 67 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In order to be successful, the transition has to be fair and socially acceptable for all. Therefore, both the Union and the Member States must take into account its economic, environmental, and social implications from the outset, and deploy all possible instruments to mitigate adverse consequences. TAdditionally, they should ensure that investments are channelled towards economic activities that make the greatest positive environmental impact and provide local economies with a viable long-term vision and future-proof employment prospects. The conditionalities of the Union budget hasve an important role in that regard.
Amendment 77 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) As set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, a Just Transition Mechanism should complement the other actions under the next multi-annual financial framework for the period from 2021 to 2027. It should contribute to addressing the social and economic consequences of transitioning towards Union climate neutrality by 2050 by bringing together the Union budget’s spending on climate and social objectives at regional level.
Amendment 82 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) which is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism implemented under cohesion policy. The aim of the JTF is to mitigate the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned, and by laying down the foundations for the transition towards climate neutrality and creating new employment opportunities for those affected by this transition. In line with the JTF specific objective, actions supported by the JTF should directly contribute to alleviate the impact of the transition by financing the diversification and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment. This is reflected in the JTF specific objective, which is established at the same level and listed together with the policy objectives set out in Article [4] of Regulation EU [new CPR].
Amendment 84 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) As set out in the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, a Just Transition Mechanism should complement the other actions under the next multi-annual financial framework for the period from 2021 to 2027. It should contribute to addressing the social and economic consequences of transitioning towards Union climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest bringing together the Union budget’s spending on climate and social objectives at regional level.
Amendment 87 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy. In that regard, Member States shouldwill prepare, in close cooperation with all the relevant stakeholders and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors.
Amendment 91 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
Recital 5 a (new)
(5a) The JTF cannot aggravate existing inequalities among Member States nor weaken the Single Market.
Amendment 94 #
2020/0006(COD)
(5) This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) which is one of the pillars of the Just Transition Mechanism implemented under cohesion policy. The aim of the JTF is to mitigate the adverse effects of the climate transition by supporting the most affected territories and workers concerned and to help achieve fair transition towards climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest. In line with the JTF specific objective, actions supported by the JTF should directly contribute to alleviate the impact of the transition by financing the diversification and modernisation of the local economy and by mitigating the negative repercussions on employment. This is reflected in the JTF specific objective, which is established at the same level and listed together with the policy objectives set out in Article [4] of Regulation EU [new CPR].
Amendment 104 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The resources from the JTF should complement the resources available under cohesion policy without cutting into the ERDF and ESF+ budget.
Amendment 109 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) Only those Member States shall be eligible for support from the JTF that committed to the Union's 2050 climate neutrality target.
Amendment 111 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States and certain regions within those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality, which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States, at the same time leading to an increased risk of energy poverty. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States committed to the Union's 2050 climate neutrality target, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity starting position of Member States in the energy transition process as well as their capacity to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards EU climate neutrality by 2050.
Amendment 119 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) With the aim for a fair and sustainable transition that ensures the achievement and effectiveness of the objectives set by this regulation, the allocation of the resources should also take into account the results achieved by Member States with regard to the 2020 targets for GHG emissions reductions, renewable energy and energy efficiency. In this way, the JTF should not penalize Member States that have already invested and are in line with reaching the established objectives.
Amendment 126 #
2020/0006(COD)
1a. Investments under JTF shall only be eligible if they are in line with the do no harm principle and the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. Activities which would hamper the development and deployment of low-carbon alternatives and lead to a lock-in in assets incompatible with the objective of climate neutrality, considering their lifecycle, shall not be eligible under JTF.
Amendment 127 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) This Regulation identifies types of investments for which expenditure may be supported by the JTF. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect of the climate and environmental prioriobjectives of the Union, including the Paris Agreement and should be in line with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. The list of investments should include those that support local economies and are sustainable in the long- term, taking into account all the objectives of the Green Deal. The projects financed should contribute to aprimarily focus on mitigating negative economic, environmental, and social impacts of the transition to a climate- neutral and circular economy, while taking into account economic, social, and energy characteristics of each Member State. For declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, peat and oil shale or extraction activities for these solid fossil fuels, support should be linked to the phasing out of the activity and the corresponding reduction in the employment level. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levels, support should promote new activities through the deployment of new technologies, new processes or products, leading to significant emission reduction, in line with the EU 2030 climate objectives and EU climate neutrality by 205013 as well as with the Paris Agreement, while maintaining and enhancing employment and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and, connectivity, and smart mobility, provided that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and circular economy. __________________ 13 As set out in “A Clean Planet for all European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy”, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - COM(2018) 773 final.
Amendment 132 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) investments in the creation of new firms, including through business incubators and consulting services;
Amendment 136 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Transitioning to a climate-neutral economy is a challenge for all Member States. It will be particularly demanding for those Member States that rely heavily on fossil fuels or, greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities or manufacturing of products incompatible with the climate neutrality objective which need to be phased out or which need to adapt due to the transition towards climate neutrality and that lack the financial means to do so. The JTF should therefore cover all Member States, but the distribution of its financial means should reflect the capacity of Member States to finance the necessary investments to cope with the transition towards climate neutralityachieve climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest.
Amendment 137 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) Many sectors other than the energy sector will undergo serious transformation with significant implications to their labour force. The automotive and vehicle production industries will be one of those hit hardest by the transition. In order to avoid significant work loss as a result of decreased or disrupted production, regions which depend heavily on the automotive industry should be eligible for JTF resources. While Europe is stepping up efforts to manufacture batteries locally as well as manufacturing low-pollution vehicles, the re-skilling and upskilling of automotive industry workers should go hand-in-hand with investment into transforming the automotive sector. As the share of automotive employment in the manufacturing sector is above 20%, in more than 14 regions across the EU, this would ensure that regions that are overdependent on the automotive industry are safeguarded in the increasingly likely event of a decline in the sector.
Amendment 142 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To protect citizens who are most vulnerable to the climate transition, the JTF should also cover the up-skilling and reskilling of the affected workers, focusing on skills and qualifications that are compatible with the transition to a sustainable and digital economy, with the aim of helping them to adapt to new employment opportunities, as well as providing job-search assistance to jobseekers and their active inclusion into the labour market.
Amendment 144 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
(g) investments in enhancing the circular economy, including through waste prevention, reduction, resource efficiency, reuse, repair and recycling;
Amendment 150 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In order to enhance the economic diversification and modernisation of territories impacted by the transition, the JTF should provide support to productive investment in SMEs. Productive investment should be understood as investment in fixed capital or immaterial assets of enterprises in view of producing goods and services thereby contributing to gross-capital formation and employment. In this regard, particular attention should be paid to SMEs operating in regions with higher unemployment rates. For enterprises other than SMEs, productive investments should only be supported if they are necessary for mitigating job losses resulting from the transition, by creating or protecting a significant number of jobs and they do not lead to or result from relocation. Investments in existing industrial facilities, including those covered by the Union Emissions Trading System, should be allowed if they contribute to the transition to a climate- neutral economy by 2050 and go substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council14 and if they result in the protection of a significant number of jobs. Any such investment should be justified accordingly in the relevant territorial just transition plan. In order to protect the integrity of the internal market and cohesion policy, support to undertakings should comply with Union State aid rules as set out in Articles 107 and 108 TFEU and, in particular, support to productive investments by enterprises other than SMEs should be limited to enterprises located in areas designated as assisted areas for the purposes of points (a) and (c) of Article 107(3) TFEU. All investments shall be made without prejudice to the energy efficiency first and polluter pays principles. __________________ 14Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 161 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) This Regulation identifies types of investments for which expenditure may be supported by the JTF. All supported activities should be pursued in full respect ofInvestments shall only be eligible if they are in line with the climate and environmental prioriobjectives of the Union and with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. The list of investments should includprioritise those that support people, local economies, job creation and are sustainable in the long- term, taking into account all the objectives of the Green Deal. The projects financed should contribute to a transition to a climate-neutral and non-toxic circular economy and be in line with the do no harm principle of the Green Deal. For declining sectors, such as energy production based on coal, lignite, peat and oil shale or extraction activities for these solid fossil fuels, support should be linked to the phasing out of the activity and the corresponding reduction in the employment level. As regards transforming sectors with high greenhouse gas emission levels, support should promote new activities through the deployment of new technologies, new processes or products, leading to significant emission reduction, in line with the EU 2030 climate objectives and EU climate neutrality by 205013 at the latest while maintaining and enhancing employment and avoiding environmental degradation. Particular attention should also be given to activities enhancing innovation and research in advanced and sustainable technologies, as well as in the fields of digitalisation and connectivity, provided that such measures help mitigate the negative side effects of a transition towards, and contribute to, a climate- neutral and non-toxic circular economy. _________________ 13 As set out in “A Clean Planet for all European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy”, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - COM(2018) 773 final.
Amendment 172 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy. In that regard, Member States should prepare, in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, and its implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors.
Amendment 173 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Activities or investments which would hamper the development and deployment of low-carbon alternatives and lead to a lock-in in assets incompatible with the objective of climate neutrality, considering their lifecycle.
Amendment 173 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)
Recital 10 a (new)
(10a) The Just transition fund should support activities and deployment of technologies, which are viable in a long term and will not depend on subsidies to operate after initial scaling up. Supported activities should not hamper the development and deployment of low- carbon alternatives and lead to a lock-in in assets harmful to the climate neutrality and environmental objectives, considering their lifetime;
Amendment 176 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Amendment 177 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Activities or investments which are at increased risk of long-term unviability and dependency on subsidies to operate after initial scaling up.
Amendment 177 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The territorial just transition plans should, after a thorough consultation process with local authorities and representatives, identify the territories most negatively affected, where JTF support should be concentrated and describe specific actions to be undertaken to reach aminimise the negative social impact while contributing to EU climate-neutral economy by 2050, notably as regards the conversion, modernisation, or closure of facilities involving fossil fuel production or other greenhouse gas intensive activities. or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality. Those territories should be precisely defined and correspond to NUTS level 3 regions or should be parts thereof. The plans should detail the challenges and needs of those territories and identify the type of operations needed in a manner that ensures the coherent development of climate-resilient economic activities that are also consistent with the transition to climate-neutrality and the objectives of the Green Deal. Only investments in accordance with the transition plans should receive financial support from the JTF. The territorial just transition plans should be part of the programmes (supported by the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund or the JTF, as the case may be) which are approved and monitored by the Commission.
Amendment 191 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In order to enhance the economic diversification of territories impacted by the transition, the JTF should provide support to productive investment in SMEs. Productive investment should be understood as investment in fixed capital or immaterial assets of enterprises in view of producing goods and services thereby contributing to gross-capital formation and employment. For enterprises other than SMEs, productive investments should only be supported if they are necessary for mitigating job losses resulting from the transition, by creating or protecting a significant number of jobs and they do not lead to or result from relocation. Investments in existing industrial facilities, including those covered by the Union Emissions Trading System, should be allowed if they contribute to the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050 and go substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council14 and if they result in the protection of a significant number of jobs. Any such investment should be justified accordingly in the relevant territorial just transition plan. In order to protect the integrity of the internal market and cohesion policy, support to undertakings should comply with Union State aid rules as set out in Articles 107 and 108 TFEU and, in particular, support to productive investments by enterprises other than SMEs should be limited to enterprises located in areas designated as assisted areas for the purposes of points (a) and (c) of Article 107(3) TFEU. All investments shall be without prejudice to the energy efficiency first and polluters pay principles. _________________ 14Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 201 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes the Just Transition Fund (‘JTF’) to provide support to territories or economic activities facing serious socio-economic challenges deriving from the transition process towards a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050 and the Union's 2030 target.
Amendment 212 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The JTF support should be conditional on the effective implementation of a transition process in a specific territory in order to achieve a climate-neutral economy. In that regard, Member States shouldwill prepare, in close cooperation with theall relevant stakeholders and supported by the Commission, territorial just transition plans, detailing the transition process, consistently with their National Energy and Climate Plans. To this end, the Commission should set up a Just Transition Platform, which would build on the existing platform for coal regions in transition to enable bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience on lessons learnt and best practices across all affected sectors.
Amendment 214 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1
In accordance with the second subparagraph of Article [4(1)] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR], the JTF shall contribute to the single specific objective ‘enabling regions, economic operators and people to address the social, economic and environmental impacts of the transition towards an EU climate- neutral economyand circular economy by 2050’.
Amendment 219 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The JTF shall support the Investment for jobs and growth goal in all Member States that are committed to the Union's 2050 climate neutrality target. The JTF should prioritise regions heavily dependent on solid fossil fuels, with greenhouse gas intensive industrial activities or industries with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality.
Amendment 229 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The resources for the JTF under the Investment for jobs and growth goal available for budgetary commitment for the period 2021-2027 shall be EUR 17.588 billion in 2018 prices, which may be increased, as the case may be, by additional resources allocated in the Union budget, and by other resources in accordance with the applicable basic act.
Amendment 243 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
In accordance with paragraph 1, the JTF shall exclusively support the following activities:
Amendment 260 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) investments in the creation of new firms, including through business incubators and consulting services;
Amendment 266 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructures for affordable clean energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy;charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, energy efficiency and renewable energy, including storage technologies to enable alternatives such as sustainable mobility, including freight transport in urban areas, or building renovation, among others.
Amendment 288 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) investments in district heating;
Amendment 294 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d b (new)
(db) ensuring security of energy supply;
Amendment 295 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d c (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d c (new)
(dc) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructure for affordable clean and smart mobility contributing to greenhouse gas emission reduction and to the diversification of mobility solutions;
Amendment 302 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) investments in digitalisation and digital connectivity; in particular investments facilitating the transition towards a circular economy and climate neutrality, including using digital technologies and data in agriculture, farming, forestry and food industries, in particular for the upgrade of broadband in rural and remote areas.
Amendment 304 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Investments under JTF shall only be eligible if they are in line with the climate and environmental objectives of the Union, the do no harm principle and with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. Activities which would hamper the development and deployment of low- carbon alternatives and lead to a lock-in in assets that are incompatible or undermine long-term environmental and climate goals, considering their lifetime, shall not be eligible under JTF.
Amendment 317 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) investments in nature-based climate mitigation and adaptation projects;
Amendment 321 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
(g) investments in enhancing the circular economy, including through waste prevention, reduction, resource efficiency, reuse, repair and recycling;
Amendment 327 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point h
(h) upskilling and reskilling of workers, focusing on skills and qualifications that are compatible with the transition to a sustainable and digital economy, and green economy;
Amendment 331 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) investments in the creation of new firms, including through business incubators and consulting services;
Amendment 339 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point j
(j) active inclusion of jobseekers, particularly women and vulnerable groups;
Amendment 340 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) investments in research and innovation activities and fostering the transfer of advanced technologies that do not rely on fossil fuels;
Amendment 353 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
The JTF may also support investments to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council provided that such investments have been approved as part of the territorial just transition plan based on the information required under point (i) of Article 7(2). Such investments shall only be eligible where they are necessary for the implementation of the territorial just transition plan, and do not, by virtue of windfall effects, merely add to the profits, which industrial facilities can obtain under the ETS.
Amendment 359 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) investments in the deployment of technology and infrastructures for affordable c, renewable and sustainable energy, in greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy;
Amendment 362 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) investments which hamper the development and deployment of low- carbon alternatives or which result in activities and operations that will later rely on subsidies to run in a stable and sustainable manner.
Amendment 363 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) activities or investments which are not in line with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance
Amendment 371 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) investment related to the production, processing, transport, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels;
Amendment 375 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) activities or investments which lead to the lock-in in assets harmful to the climate and environment objectives of the Union considering their lifetime.
Amendment 379 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e b (new)
(eb) productive investments in enterprises other than SMEs that imply the transfer of jobs, capital and production processes from one Member State to another.
Amendment 380 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e c (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e c (new)
(ec) investments which would lead to unsustainable use of biomass from all sources;
Amendment 389 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall only approve a programme where the identification of the territories most negatively affected by the transition process, contained within the relevant territorial just transition plan, is duly justified and the relevant territorial just transition plan is consistent with the National Energy and Climate Plan and the long term strategy of the Member State concerned and with the EU Climate Law [2020/…].
Amendment 399 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall prepare, together with the relevant authorities of the territories concerned, one or more territorial just transition plans covering one or more affected territories corresponding towhich can be part of or correspond to larger levels such as level 3 of the common classification of territorial units for statistics (‘NUTS level 3 regions’) as established by Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 868/201417 or parts thereof, in accordance with the template set out in Annex II. Those territories shall be those most negatively affected based on the economic and social impacts resulting from the transition, in particular with regard to expected job losses in fossil fuel production and use and the transformation needs of the production processes of industrial facilities with the highest greenhouse gas intensity or conversion to alternative industries in sectors with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality. __________________ 17 Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003 on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS) (OJ L 154 21.6.2003, p. 1).
Amendment 400 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) investments in nature-based climate mitigation and adaptation projects;
Amendment 409 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point g
(g) investments in enhancing the circular economy, including through waste prevention, reduction, resource efficiency, reuse, repair and recycling;
Amendment 409 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a detailed description of the transition process at national level towards a climate- neutral economy by 2050, including a timeline for fossil fuel phase- out and other key transition steps which are consistent with the latest version of the National Energy and Climate Plan (‘NECP’) and with the EU Climate Law [2020/…];
Amendment 415 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) a justification for identifying the territories or economic activities as most negatively affected by the transition process referred to in point (a) and to be supported by the JTF, in accordance with paragraph 1;
Amendment 419 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) an assessment of the transition challenges faced by the most negatively affected territories, including the social, economic, and environmental impact of the transition to an EU-level climate-neutral economy by 2050, identifying the potential number of affected jobs and job losses, the number of enterprises disrupted, the development needs and objectives, to be reached by 2030 linked to the transformation or closure of greenhouse gas-intensive activities and industrial activities with products that are impacted by the transition to EU climate neutrality in those territories;
Amendment 428 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) a description of the expected contribution of the JTF support to addressing the social, economic and environmental impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050;
Amendment 431 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) a description of the governance mechanisms consisting of the partnership arrangements, the monitoring and evaluation measures planned and the responsible bodies, including the possibility of evaluation by non- governmental bodies and institutions as well;
Amendment 434 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) a description of the type and timeline of operations envisaged and their expected contribution to alleviate the impact of the transitioneconomic, social, and environmental impact of the transition at local, regional, and (where relevant) national level;
Amendment 440 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point i
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point i
(i) where support is provided to investments to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC, an exhaustive list of operations to be supported and a justification that they contribute to a transition to an EU-level climate neutral economy by 2050 and lead to a substantial reduction in greenhouse- gas emissions going substantially below the relevant benchmarks established for free allocation under Directive 2003/87/EC and provided that they are necessary for the protection of a significant number of jobs;
Amendment 459 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Territorial just transition plans shall be publicly available.
Amendment 462 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3
Article 8 – paragraph 3
3. Where a JTF priority supports the activities referred to in points (h), (i) or (j) of Article 4(2), data on the indicators for participants shall only be transmitted where all the data relating to that participant, required in accordance with Annex III are available, while ensuring strict data protection rules.
Amendment 467 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Where the Commission concludes, based on the examination of the final performance report of the programme, that there is a failure to achieve at least 675% of the target established for one or more output or result indicators for the JTF resources, it may make financial corrections pursuant to Article [98] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR] by reducing the support from the JTF to the priority concerned in proportion to the achievements.
Amendment 472 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4
Article 10 – paragraph 4
4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State and conduct stakeholder consultation in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making.
Amendment 485 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) investment related to the production, processing, transport, distribution, storage or combustion of fossil fuels;
Amendment 490 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) investments which would prolong or maintain dependency on fossil fuels;
Amendment 499 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point b
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) the allocations resulting from the application of point (a) are adjusted to ensure that no Member State receives an amount exceeding EUR 2 billion. The amounts exceeding EUR 2 billion per Member State are redistributed proportionally to the allocations of all other Member States. The Member States shares are recalculated accordingly; taking into account the achievements regarding the 2020 targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, as referred respectively to in Article 1(1) of Directive 2012/27/EU and in Annex I of Directive 2009/28/EC;;
Amendment 507 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
activities or investments which would hamper the development and deployment of low-carbon alternatives and lead to a lock-in in assets harmful to the climate and environmental objectives, considering their lifetime;
Amendment 508 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 b (new)
activities or investments which are not in line with the climate and environmental objectives of the Union, the do no harm principle and with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance;
Amendment 509 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 c (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 c (new)
activities or investments which are at increased risk of long-term unviability and dependency on subsidies to operate after initial scaling up;
Amendment 514 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 3 – point 3.1 a (new)
Annex II – point 3 – point 3.1 a (new)
3.1a. description of how community representatives and civil society actors are consulted and engaged in the programming process, both before and after programming documents are developed.
Amendment 519 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall only approve a programme where the identification of the territories most negatively affected by the transition process, contained within the relevant territorial just transition plan, is duly justified and the relevant territorial just transition plan is consistent with the National Energy and Climate Plan of the Member State concerned and with the EU Climate Law [2020/...].
Amendment 552 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a detailed description of the transition process at national level towards a climate- neutral economy by 2050 and intermediate target of 2030, including a timeline for key transition steps which are consistent with the latest version of the National Energy and Climate Plan (‘NECP’) and with the EU Climate Law [2020/...];
Amendment 600 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. The preparation and implementation of territorial just transition plans shall involve theall relevant partners in accordance with Article [6] of Regulation (EU) [new CPR].
Amendment 623 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4
Article 10 – paragraph 4
4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State and conduct stakeholder consultation in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making.
Amendment 673 #
2020/0006(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 3 – point 3.1 a (new)
Annex II – point 3 – point 3.1 a (new)
3.1a. description of how community representatives and civil society actors are consulted and engaged in the programming process, both before and after programming documents are developed.
Amendment 2 #
2019/2213(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Regrets that the Member States have so far not managed to reach an agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 and the reform of the own resources system, which puts at risk the timely start of the new programmes and thus the Union’s ability to achieve its political priorities; notes that the MFF is the basis for the annual budget and that, in the absence of an MFF regulation, guidelines on the 2021 budget can only reflect Parliament’s general position on the MFF;
Amendment 14 #
2019/2213(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses the importance of maintaining Parliament's position regarding the amount of the European Defence Fund and the amount earmarked for military mobility.
Amendment 24 #
2019/2213(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that the new Heading 1 (‘Single Market, Innovation and Digital’) will be instrumental for boosting innovation-led, sustainable economic growth and contributing to the transition towards a climate-neutral society in line with the Paris Agreement; highlights furthermore the importance of the new Heading 5 (‘Security and Defence’), which includes the new European Defence Fund and essential funds for nuclear safety and decommissioning;
Amendment 38 #
2019/2213(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls Parliament’s position on the overall financial envelope for Horizon Europe of EUR 120 billion (in 2018 prices); calls on the Commission in this regard to present the 2021 draft budget accordingly to ensure that research and innovation activities will continuebe ambitiously funded without disruption, including in areas that are essential for the EU’s strategic autonomy and benefit its citizens and society, such as digital transformation, healthcare and space; recalls in this context the importance of fundamental research;
Amendment 58 #
2019/2213(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that all areas of the budget, including its revenue side, need to contribute to the overall goals of the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals; recalls in this context the importance of the introduction of a Just Transition Fund to address societal, socio-economic and environmental impacts on workers and communities adversely affected by the transition from coal and carbon dependence, and calls for solid financing of the fund in order to maximise the leverage effect, but not at the expense of other EU programmes;
Amendment 71 #
2019/2213(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the need for an ambitious draft budget, in particular forwhich needs to become operational as soon as possible in order to help make the EU more competitive; recognises in particular the important role of new programmes such as the Digital Europe Programme, which needaims to become operational oost investments in vital future areas soonuch as possible in order to help make the EU more competsupercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced digital skills, thereby maximising the benefits of digitalisation and strengthening the EU’s technological capacitives;
Amendment 78 #
2019/2213(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines the importance of SMEs as an essential part of the EU economy, as they provide a high number of jobs in the EU, account for a majority of new jobs created and play a vital role in research and innovation and in the uptake of R&I results; urges the Commission therefore to ensure a smooth transition from COSME to the new Single Market Programme and from the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) and other financial instruments to InvestEU; stresses the need to facilitate access to finance for SMEs and recalls in this context the role of the European Innovation Council (EIC) in supporting top class innovators, entrepreneurs and small companies;
Amendment 14 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
- having regard to Turkey's membership in the Council of Europe and in NATO;
Amendment 43 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas being a candidate country presumes a willingness to progressively approach in all aspects the values, interests, standards and policies of the EU and to respect and uphold the Copenhagen criteria and to align itself with EU policies and objectives;
Amendment 54 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas an analysis of the Commission’s reports on Turkey since 2014 and, in particular, the 2019 and 2020 reports, reveals that Turkey has increasingly and rapidly distanced itself from the EU’s values and its normative framework; not only by the domestic democratic backsliding but also by aggressive foreign policy moves, including illegal actions against EU member states; notes that these reports state that Turkey did not implement the recommendations of the previous reports, pointing to a lack of commitment from the Turkish side and calling into question Turkey’s wish for accession;
Amendment 67 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the European Parliament has substantially cut the Pre-Accession funding for Turkey, in light of the democratic backsliding and inability to adhere to the rule of law;
Amendment 71 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, in spite of this principled stance by Parliament and all of the current circumstances, the European Council, in its conclusions of 1 October 2020, offered Turkey a renewed and broad positive agenda, provided that constructive efforts are sustained, in a further attempt to restore our relations; whereas after the European Council meeting of October 2020, no such constructive efforts were made;
Amendment 102 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that Turkey’the Turkish government's continuous and growing distancing from European values and standards hasand the Turkish president’s threats and openly provocative, on occasions insulting, statements against the EU and its leaders have brought EU- Turkey relations to a historical low point, having deteriorated to such an extent that it requires both parties to profoundly reassess the current framework of relations;
Amendment 155 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that, since the Parliament’s last report, the situation, far from improving, has deteriorated even further; firmly insists, therefore, on therefore that, in line with the Negotiating Framework from October 2005, the Commission should recommend the formal suspension of accession negotiations with Turkey, in order for both sides to review in a realistic manner the appropriateness of the current framework and its ability to function, or, if necessary, to explore possible new models for future relations;
Amendment 177 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Regrets the current lack of understandingstate of play of relations between the EU and Turkey, but reaffirms its firm conviction that Turkey is a strategic neighbour, key for the stability of the wider region, and ally with which the EU wishes to have the best possible relations, including within NATO; is deeply concerned about Turkey's current destabilising role in the wider region through its involvement in several conflicts;
Amendment 209 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Expresses its will to strengthen and deepen mutual knowledge and understanding between Turkish and European societies, combating all manifestations of social, religious or cultural prejudice; expresses its full commitment to continue supporting Turkey’s independent civil society in whatever circumstances and framework of relations that the future may bring; believes, nevertheless, that the accession process would still be the mostis a powerful tool to exercise normative pressure on the Turkish government and the best framework to sustain the democratic and pro-European aspirations of Turkish society; stresses that a purely transactional relationship will hardly contribute to the advancement of Turkey towards a more democratic modrecognises however that the advancement of Turkey towards a more democratic model will require political will at the highest political level;
Amendment 232 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes with deep concern that, despite the formal lifting of the state of emergency in July 2018, its impact on democracy and fundamental rights continues to be strongly felt, most recently with the mass sentencing on November 26 of 337 people to life imprisonment for taking part in the failed coup in 2016;
Amendment 271 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Is deeply worried about the disregard by the Turkish judiciary of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings and the increasing non-compliance of lower courts with the judgments of the Constitutional Court; recognises that there have been instances where Turkey has requested the re-trial of its prisoners following a decision by the ECtHR however, notes with regret that these retrials often fail to meet internationally recognised standards for a fair trial, such as in the Ilhan Sami Comak case;
Amendment 308 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is deeply concerned about the constant attacks and pressure on the opposition parties and sentencing of members of the opposition, which undermines the proper functioning of a democratic system;
Amendment 325 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on Turkeythe Turkish government to release all imprisoned human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, academics and others who have been detained on unsubstantiated charges and to enable them to carry out their work without threat or impediment in all circumstances; strongly condemns the re-arrest and continued detention of Osman Kavala, a prominent civil society figure; is appalled by the tragic death of human rights lawyer Ebru Timtik after 238 days of hunger strike at protest of her unfair trial after being convicted of membership of a terrorist organisation;
Amendment 352 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Reaffirms its call expressed in its resolution of 15 April 2015 and once again encourages Turkey to recognise the Armenian Genocide, thus paving the way for a genuine reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian peoples; in this regard calls on Turkey to refrain from any anti-Armenian propaganda and hate- speech and to fully respect its obligations to protect Armenian and other cultural heritage;
Amendment 377 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Urges Turkeythe Turkish government to protect the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, including women, LGBTI people and ethnic and religious minorities and to take further measures to end violence against women and the deplorable practice of so called “honour killings”; calls on Turkey to fully implement and abide by the Istanbul Convention to which it has signed up;
Amendment 475 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. RecallAhead of the 10-year anniversary of the conflict in Syria, commends the laudable role played by Turkey in responding to the migration crisis resulting from the war in Syria; acknowledges that Turkey continues to host and provide social services for 3.6 million Syrian refugees; takes the view that the EU should continue to give the necessary support to Syrian refugees and host communities in Turkey; supports an objective assessment of the EU-Turkey Statement and underlines the importance of both parties’ compliance with their respective commitments; recognizes the migratory pressure Turkey is facing however, firmly objects to the Turkish government using migrants as blackmail against the EU;
Amendment 516 #
2019/2176(INI)
26. Stresses that a modernisation of the Customs Union cwould be beneficial for both parties and would keep Turkey economically and normatively anchored to the EU; reiterates that this would need to be based on strong conditionality related to human rights and fundamental freedoms; highlights that it seems unrealistic to envisage any modernisation of the Customs Union given the current circumstancebelieves that a door should be left open for a modernisation of the Customs Union but stresses that would require a change of attitude and constructive efforts by the Turkish government to improve overall relations and would need to be based on strong conditionality related to human rights and fundamental freedoms; recalls that the current Customs Union will not achieve its full potential until Turkey fully implements the Additional Protocol in relation to all Member States;
Amendment 542 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Is deeply concerned by the ongoing dispute in the Eastern Mediterranean and the related risk of a military escalation; condemns Turkey’s illegal activities in Greek and Cypriot waters, which violate both the sovereign rights of EU Member States and international law; expresses its full solidarity with Greece and the Republic of Cyprus; urges Turkey to engage in the peaceful settlement of disputes and to refrain from any unilateral and illegal action or threat; welcomes the proposal of the European Council for a Multilateral Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean and calls on the High Representative to launch it as soon as soon as possible;
Amendment 588 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Strongly condemns the Turkish military interventions in Syria, especially in the northeast and Idlib, which constitute grave violations of international law; reiterates its position as expressed in its resolution of 24 October 2019 on the Turkish military operation in northeast Syria and its consequences, including the call for an EU-wide arms embargo on Turkey;
Amendment 608 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls on Turkey to remain committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Libya under the auspices of the UN, and to fully adhere to the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council and to not obstruct EU and NATO missions mandated to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya;
Amendment 619 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Regrets that, rather than calling for an end to the violence and for a resumption of peaceful negotiations supporting the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Turkey instead decided to unconditionally sustain the military actions of one of the sides in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh; strongly condemns the transfer of foreign fighters by Turkey and Azerbaijan from Syria and elsewhere to the conflict zone, as confirmed by international actors, including the OSCE Minsk Group Co- Chair countries; is concerned by the destabilizing role of Turkey, which puts at risk the security of the whole South Caucasus region and calls on Turkey to refrain from any military interference in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict;
Amendment 621 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. RFirmly regrets that, rather than calling for an end to the violence and for a resumption of peaceful negotiations supporting the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Turkey instead decided to unconditionally sustain the military actions of one of the sides in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh thereby resorting to provocative rhetoric fuelling tensions instead of reducing them ; condemns the transfer of foreign fighters by Turkey from Syria and elsewhere to Nagorno-Karabakh, as confirmed by international actors, including the OSCE Minsk Group Co- Chair countries;
Amendment 640 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Recognizes the importance of a well-functioning NATO; deplores in this regard Turkey’s unilateral actions undermining NATO, obstructing its functioning and fuelling tensions within the alliance, including the purchase of Russian S-400missiles and provocative moves against allies operating under NATO command; calls on the Turkish government to overcome these tensions by halting actions that go against the interests of the alliance;
Amendment 648 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)
Paragraph 31 b (new)
31b. Calls on the EEAS StratCom division to document suspicions of Turkish disinformation directed at the EU, particularly in Africa and the MENA region and to report its findings to the European Parliament;
Amendment 650 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 c (new)
Paragraph 31 c (new)
31c. Calls for a transatlantic dialogue on relations with Turkey, as soon as the new US administration takes office, with the view of adopting a joint policy towards Turkey to assist in bringing Turkey back to compliance with values, interests and standards of the EU and of NATO;
Amendment 653 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Believes that it is high time to review the EU’s relations with Turkey and to define a comprehensive, unified and coherent strategy for the medium to long term, among all EU institutions and Member States; believes that the EU should not confuse Turkey with the policies of its current government, therefore underlines that the EU should remain committed to support Turkey’s civil society, human rights defenders and journalists and to increase opportunities for people-to-people contacts, academic dialogue, access for Turkish students to European universities, and media platforms for journalists with the objective of protecting and promoting democratic values and principles, human rights and the rule of law;
Amendment 684 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Takes the view that enhancing communication and dialogue at all levels are key to restoring mutual trust between the EU and Turkey; deplores the continuous and unjustified refusal of the Turkish side to reinstexpresses in this regard the hope thate the normal functioning of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee can be reinstated soon;
Amendment 691 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Calls on the European Council to take appropriate actions against Turkey, including restrictive measures, given the absence of progress, but underlines that these sanctions should not have an adverse impact on the Turkish people, its civil society or the refugees in Turkey;
Amendment 694 #
2019/2176(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 b (new)
Paragraph 33 b (new)
33b. calls for an EU-Turkey leaders meeting after a genuine process of de- escalation, in order to review the current framework of relations, or, to explore new, more effective models for the relations;
Amendment 13 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the EEAS, the Commission and the EU Member States to systematically integrate gender mainstreaming into the EU’s foreign and security policy, empowerment of women and girls and women's representation into the EU’s foreign and security policy and for gender-responsive leadership to be part of middle and senior management job descriptions; calls on the EU to lead by example and make the EU's commitment to gender equality visible in all policy areas, in particular at international level;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the EEAS, the Commission and the EU Member States to systematically integrate gender mainstreaming into the EU’s foreign and security policy; recalls that one of the primary strategic goals of EU foreign and security policy is to promote peace and development; underlines that more gender-equal societies are more resilient healthier, and more prosperous, therefore more secure and better suited for peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts;
Amendment 29 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the VP/HR to make substantial and highly visible progress on gender equality in terms of leadership and management, staffing and recruitment, training, financial resources and organisational hierarchy; calls in this regard for mandatory and recurrent training on gender equality;
Amendment 30 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the VP/HR to make substantial and highly visible progress on gender equality in terms of leadership and management, staffing, organisational hierarchy, training, financial resources and organisational hierarchypay gap, and work-life balance; calls in this regard for mandatory training on gender equality;
Amendment 31 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the VP/HR to make substantial and highly visible progress on gender equality in terms of leadership and management, staffing, training, financial resources and organisational hierarchy; calls in this regard for mandatory training on gender equality and gender mainstreaming;
Amendment 50 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the VP/HR to ensure that the Heads of EU Delegations abroad have a formal responsibility to ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed throughout all aspects of the Delegation’s work, including mandatory consultations with women’s rights defenders and activists as experts in third countries, and are required to report on it; further calls on the VP/HR to ensure that there is one full-time gender focal point in the EU Delegations;
Amendment 55 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Regrets that not a single one of the 12 civilian CSDP missions is headed by a woman and only two out of eight EU special representatives are women; calls on the VP/HR to draw up a gender strategy for CSDP missions with specific targets; believes that advancing women's rights and gender equality should be horizontal priorities for all EU special representatives and should therefore be a cornerstone of their mandate, in particular for the EU special representative on human rights;
Amendment 56 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Regrets that not a single one of the 12 civilian CSDP missions is headed by a woman; calls on the VP/HR to draw up a gender strategy for CSDP missions with specific targets; invites the Member States to pursue active recruitment strategies and to identify and address specific obstacles limiting women’s participation, through mission reports that include relevant statistics;
Amendment 65 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that efforts to increase the recruitment and participation of women in peace and security matters, including in the armed forces, and to remove gender stereotypes are indispensable to achieve gender equality in the EU's foreign affairs and security policy;
Amendment 74 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that developing and using gender analysis and the systematic integration of a gender perspective constitutes one of the foundations of effective and lasting conflict prevention and resolutionstrongly contributes to effective and lasting conflict prevention, management and resolution; notes in this regard the crucial role played by female human rights defenders and activists, civil society and community- based women’s organisations in peace building and the need for adequate capacity building and financial support to maintain and foster their work;
Amendment 77 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that developing and using gender analysis and the systematic integration of a gender perspective constitutes one of the foundations of effective and lasting conflict prevention and resolution; underlines that countries where women are empowered are more secure in terms of food security, combating violent extremism, and conflict resolution; recalls that states with higher levels of gender equality are less likely to resort to violent means to settle disputes and conflict;
Amendment 78 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that developing and using gender analysis and the systematic integration of a gender perspective constitutes one of the foundations of effective and lasting conflict prevention and resolution; insists on the importance of women’s full participation in the rebuilding of their countries in line with sustainable development goals, and highlights the unique contribution that women make to peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts;
Amendment 94 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the EU Strategic Approach to Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and the EU Action Plan on WPS adopted in 2019; insists on gender perspectives to be systematically addressed, together with gender balance and specific actions to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, throughout all relevant policy frameworks of foreign and security policy; regrets, however, that translating this policy commitment into action remains a challenge;
Amendment 95 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the EU Strategic Approach to Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and the EU Action Plan on WPS adopted in 2019; regrets, however, that translating this policy commitment into action remains a challenge; highlights that while inclusive peace processes are the most sustainable, women are generally underrepresented; calls for increased involvement of women in peace efforts and peacebuilding by closing the gender gap in workforce participation;
Amendment 96 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the EU Strategic Approach to Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and the EU Action Plan on WPS adopted in 2019; regrets, however, that despite clear objectives and indicators translating this policy commitment into action remains a challenge and calls for its robust implementation;
Amendment 103 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the work done by the EEAS Principal Advisor on Gender; regrets, however, the limited capacity of this role and calls for the advisor to’s role to be significantly strengthened as well as reporting directly to the VP/HR;
Amendment 125 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recognises that gender equality is a prerequisite for efficient management of climate challenges; highlights the vulnerability of women and girls living in poverty to climate change; calls for gender-responsive climate action, so that women’s and men’s specific needs and priorities are identified and addressed.
Amendment 129 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recognises that gender equality is a prerequisite for efficient management of climate challenges and for the sustainable development of our societies.
Amendment 134 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Notes that the UN has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic is exposing and exacerbating all kinds of inequalities, including gender inequality; calls on the EU to target specific actions and support for women and girls in all efforts to support third countries in addressing the socio-economic impact of COVID-19;
Amendment 135 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Regrets that women and girls around the world are still subjected to systematic discrimination and subordination; notes that women’s poverty is largely due to a lack of access to economic resources; calls for increased investment in women’s education, economic empowerment and visibility for women’s entrepreneurship;
Amendment 138 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Believes that education is key to realising gender equality and empowerment of women and girls; therefore calls on the EU to increase its commitment to promoting gender equality and combating gender stereotypes in and through education systems in its upcoming Gender Action Plan III; furthermore calls for increased efforts to prevent and combat all forms of sexual and gender-based violence and serious violations of human rights of women and girls, including the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child, early and forced marriages and violations of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls;
Amendment 141 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Calls for increased efforts to prevent and combat all forms of sexual and gender-based violence and serious violations of human rights of women and girls, including the practice of Female Genital Mutilation;
Amendment 144 #
2019/2167(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9c. Notes that as a consequence of the globally shrinking democratic space, women are often exposed in multiple ways; calls for increased support and protection for defenders of human rights, journalists, academics and artists;
Amendment 29 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Encourages the agencies to pursue the development of a real policy for the digitalization of its services
Amendment 36 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Encourages the Agencies to develop a long term Human Resources Policy Framework which addresses the work-life balance of its staff, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the non discrimination, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of disabled people;
Amendment 49 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Amendment 52 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes with concern from the Court’s report that shortcomings were found related to excessive dependency on contractors, external consultancy and interims, to the use of inadequate award criteria and the conclusion of contracts with abnormally low tenderers without reasonable justification; notes that several agencies have outsourced, extensively, regular activities and occasionally core business activities, which weakens the internal expertise and control over contract execution, with some weaknesses in the procurement process which may impair fair competition and the achievement of best value for money procurements; notes that for six agencies the framework contract terms for the provision of IT maintenance and equipment were weak, as they allowed the purchase of items not specifically mentioned therein and not subject to an initial competitive procedure, and it also allowed the contractor to charge uplifts on the prices of items purchased from other suppliers; notes that although agencies have no power to change the basic contractual arrangements, their related ex - ante controls did not check the accuracy of the up-lifts charged by the contractor; calls on all agencies and bodies of the Union to strictly abide by public procurement rules; underlines that digitalisation is a great opportunity for the agencies to increase efficiency and transparency, including in the field of procurement; calls, therefore, on all agencies and bodies to rapidly finalize and implement e-tendering, e- submission, e-invoicing and e-forms for public procurement;
Amendment 55 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Considers that agencies, bodies and institutions of the Union must set an example in terms of transparency; calls therefore on the publication of the full lists of contracts awarded through public procurement procedures, including those below the 15.000 EUR threshold legally required;
Amendment 58 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Notes with concern that not all agencies and bodies of the Union have published on their respective websites the declarations of interest for members of the management boards, executive leadership and seconded experts; regrets that some agencies still publish declarations of absence of conflict of interest; highlights that it is not up to the board members or executives to declare themselves out of conflict of interest; calls for a unified model of declarations of interest to be implemented by all agencies; stresses the importance of establishing an independent ethics body to assess conflict of interest and revolving doors situations throughout the institutions, agencies and other bodies of the Union; urges the Member States to ensure that all seconded experts publish their respective declarations of interest and CVs on the respective agency websites;
Amendment 61 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22 b. Notes that, in spite of whistle- blowing rules being in place in all agencies and other bodies of the Union, there are hardly any cases reported, raising concern of either staff not being aware of existing rules, or a lack of trust in the system; points out the necessity of an independent disclosure, advice and referral body, with sufficient budgetary resources, in order to support and ensure the proper implementation of whistle- blowing rules and procedures;
Amendment 63 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)
Paragraph 22 c (new)
22 c. Considers regrettable that there are still no clear guidelines and a consolidated policy on the revolving doors issue; stresses the fact that this issue is of key importance, particularly in the case of those agencies working with the industries; calls on the Commission to provide stronger rules, better controls and clear guidelines on cooling-off periods for out-going staff and other revolving-doors related measures;
Amendment 73 #
2019/2098(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Encourages strongly the agencies to implement the court's recommendations
Amendment 6 #
2019/2094(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. notes with concern from the Court’s report that on 4 May 2018, the Office signed a framework contract with one company for the provision of clerical and secretarial support services for a duration of 4 years for a maximum amount of 433 000 euros (2018 payments: 27 655 euros) and as from June 2018 on average four of that company’s staff were working at the Office in addition to its own 27 employees. stresses that the use of this service contract for the provision of labour is not in compliance with Union's social and employment rules and exposes the Office to legal and reputational risks; calls on the Office to redress the situation and report back to the discharge authority;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2094(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Encourages the Office to pursue the digitalization of its services;
Amendment 9 #
2019/2094(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Regrets the gender imbalance within the Office's management board members, with 24 out of 29 being male, 5 being female; asks in this regard the Commission and the Member States to take into account the importance of ensuring gender balance when presenting their nominations for members of the Board;
Amendment 10 #
2019/2094(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes with concern that in 2017 the average employment period in the Office was only 2,7 years which is reflected in a high staff turnover; understands that the Office struggles to attract professionals, inter alia because of the low salary correction coefficient of the host country (74,9%); stresses that the high staff turnover highlights possible problems with the Office’s revolving door policy; calls on the Agency to re-evaluate its revolving policy; expresses its concern that the reduction of the posts authorised under the Union budget in recent years together with the additional tasks acquired have increased the workload of the Office’s staff; points out that this situation may pose risks to the implementation of its work programmes; observes that the Office works towards improving the employment conditions for its staff, and that in 2018 the Office started the implementation of an action plan for social welfare; calls on the Office to find further possibilities for improving the working and living conditions for the staff with the Latvian authorities aiming at the conclusion of a new Headquarters Agreement;
Amendment 14 #
2019/2094(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Recognises that the Office has finally adopted its guidelines on whistleblowing on 7 December 2018;
Amendment 5 #
2019/2093(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalization of its services;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2093(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Reiterates its concern on the gender balance within the Agency's senior and middle management members (5 out of 6 members being male, 1 being female); raises concerns about the geographic imbalance as well; asks the Agency to take measures ensuring better gender and geographic balance within its senior and middle management;
Amendment 10 #
2019/2093(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Asks the Agency to report back to the discharge authority on the figures of harassment cases in total and report back on results of closed harassment cases;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2089(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Encourages the Institute to implement the Court's recommendations
Amendment 8 #
2019/2089(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Encourages the Institute to pursue the digitalization of its services
Amendment 2 #
2019/2088(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) discharge in respect of the implementation of Europol’s budget for the financial year 2018/ Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 6 #
2019/2088(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with satisfaction that the Agency monitored its performance by means of 38 key performance indicators, 51 other performance indicators and the implementation of around 170 specific actions planned in its work programme, with the performance reporting framework in general aimed at assessing the added value the Agency’s activities and at enhancing its budget management;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2088(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalization of its services;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2088(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes with concern that, according to the Court’s report, the Agency irregularly prolonged the duration of a framework contract for the provision of business travel services by signing amendment number 2 after the contract had expired and that, with the same amendment, the Agency also introduced new price aspects not covered by the competitive procurement procedure, making amendment number 2 and related 2018 payments irregular; notes the Agency’s reply that the framework contract extension had been initiated well in advance of its expiry and that the delay for the extension of the contract was due to the application of the principle of sound financial management; calls on the Agency to strengthen contract management and ex- ante controls;
Amendment 18 #
2019/2088(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. NoAppreciates the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevention and management of conflicts of interest and whistle-blower protection; notes the potential conflict of interest case identified concerning a recruitment procedure in 2018; notes that no follow-up action was needed as the adviser recused himself; welcomes the publication on the Agency's website of CVs and declarations of interests for management board members and directorate;
Amendment 4 #
Amendment 5 #
2019/2087(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Raises concerns that the cancellation rate of budget appropriations carried over from 2017 to 2018 is high, at 21 %, demonstrating unjustified commitments in the previous year; calls on the Agency to carry over budget appropriations only when justified;
Amendment 6 #
2019/2087(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalization of its services;
Amendment 11 #
2019/2086(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the Agency has revenues coming from both fees and charges payable by industry and a balancing subsidy from the Union budget; notes with concern that, according to the Court’s report, as the third registration deadline under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 expired in May 2018, income from fees and charges is expected to drop significantly from 2019 onwards; points out that there is a risk that relatively stable expenditure and much less predictable revenue may have a negative effect on the Agency’s operations and budget implementation; takes note, however, that according to the Agency’s reply, it haswelcomes the fact that the Agency has already initiated discussions with the Commission on a new, viable financing model; calls on the Agency and the Commission to keep the discharge authority updated on developments in this regard;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2086(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalisation of its services;
Amendment 17 #
2019/2086(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Welcomes the fact that the Agency publishes on its website the CVs of all members of the Management Board and its Committees, including those of its chairs who are ECHA members of staff, the Executive Director and all members of the Board of Appeal;
Amendment 19 #
2019/2086(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Welcomes the fact that the Agency collects annually updated declarations of interest from all staff and external experts, each of which is published on the website of the Agency;
Amendment 4 #
Amendment 5 #
2019/2084(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes the fact that the cancellation of carry-overs from 2017 to 2018 represents 3,25% of the total amount carried over after a decrease of 2,05% in comparison to 2017;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2084(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalisation of its services;
Amendment 8 #
2019/2084(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Acknowledges the efforts of the Agency to improve gender balance in that from 7% of female representatives in senior management positions in 2017, an increase to 14% and to 28% was registered in 2018 and 2019 respectively; asks however the Agency to take additional measures with a view to ensuring a better gender balance among its senior management;
Amendment 10 #
2019/2084(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. RecallsWelcomes that the Agency adopted the suggestion of the Court toand it finally publishes the vacancy notices also on the website of the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) in order to increase publicity; notes from the Agency’s reply that it intends to publish all vacancy notices on the Inter-Agencies portal, which is considered equivalent to EPSO from the Agencies’ perspective, and that additionally, the Agency publishes its vacancy notices in the specialised space sector;
Amendment 11 #
2019/2084(DEC)
12 a. Regrets that the CVs of the Administrative board members have still not been published on the Agency's website; calls on the Agency to report to the discharge authority on the actions taken in that regard;
Amendment 1 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2018 / Postpones its decision on granting the Executive Director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Agency for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 5 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for the financial year 2018 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 18 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that in the context of the European integrated border management, the largest operational activities were the 12 joint operations at the external land, air and sea borders while the main operational focus in 2018 was on the Central, Eastern and Western Mediterranean areas which experienced the most significant migratory pressure; furthermore, notes thwelcomes the close interagency cooperation, especially in the field of coastguard function but also in the field of customs and law enforcement cooperation; notes that the Agency is working towards setting proper quantitative objectives and specific target values for the joint operations expected to be included in the Single Programming Document 2021-2023;
Amendment 21 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes furthermore from the Court’s report that although the Agency continued further recruitment efforts and increased the number of staff from 526 to 630 in 2018, it still did not achieve the number of 760 staff authorised set out in its 2018 establishment plan; notes the Agency’s reply that a total of 187 vacant posts were filled, but that due to a high internal and external turnover, the net staff increase in 2018 as compared to 2017 was 117 since many posts had become vacant during the year; notes furthermore that the Agency faces challenges in attracting a large number of suitable external candidates and achieving a sound geographical balance mainly due to the low correction coefficient, which is the lowest among all the Union agencies; stresses that agencies located in countries where a low correction coefficient is applied should receive further support from the Commission in implementing complementary measures in order to make them more attractive to current and prospective staff; calls on the Commission to assess the impact and viability of applying salary correction coefficients in the future; notes that the Agency continues to have difficulties in maintaining a desirable sound geographical balance in staff deployed;
Amendment 28 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes with appreciation that the Agency participates actively in inter- institutional tenders led by other institutions, and that, in the procurement procedures of the maritime surveillance domain, the Agency seeks cooperation with Union agencies with similar activities and prepares the terms of reference accordingly; notes furthermore that in 2018 the Agency has handled its first Agency’s led inter-institutional tender procedure with the European Fisheries Control Agency;
Amendment 30 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Acknowledgppreciates the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevention and management of conflicts of interest, and whistle-blower protection; notes that the whistleblowing policy was adopted on 18 July 2019; welcomes the fact that the Agency provides staff with access to confidential counsellors and trainings concerning whistle-blowing procedures; furthermore, notes that with the aim of being more transparent, the Agency launched a multilingual version of its website in all 24 official languages of the Union and that the communication strategy will be adopted by the end of 2019; regrets however that the Agency publishes statements of commitment, declaring the absence of conflict of interest for the members of the management board, the executive director, and the deputy executive director, and not declarations of interest; recalls that it is not for the members of the management board, the executive director, and the deputy executive director to declare themselves in absence of conflict of interest; calls on the Agency, with the aim to increase transparency, to publish the CVs and declarations of interest for all members of its management board, the executive director, and the deputy executive director, by June 2020;
Amendment 32 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes with concern from the Court’s report that the Agency does not have a sensitive post policy that would identify sensitive functions, keep them updated and define appropriate measures to mitigate the risks of vested interests; calls on the Agency to adopt and implement such a policy to be in line with the Agency’s internal control standards; acknowledges from the Agency's reply that at the end of 2019 the Agency was finalising the process of adopting a sensitive post policy;
Amendment 34 #
2019/2083(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. ObservesWelcomes that, in light of comments and observations from the discharge authority related to the construction of the new headquarters building and the establishment of a European school in Warsaw, that in 2019 an adequate plot of land was attributed to the Agency by the Polish authorities and planning is ongoing to build a purpose- designed premises of the Agency’s headquarters by the end of 2024, and that the board of governors of European schools is to be proposed by Polish authorities in Autumn 2019 to consider accreditation of a Warsaw associate European school of type II, which would be operational partly as from the 2020- 2021 academic year;
Amendment 11 #
2019/2081(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Encourages the Agency to implement the Court's recommendations
Amendment 15 #
2019/2081(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalization of its services
Amendment 5 #
2019/2080(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalisation of its services;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2080(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the handover process to new members of staff is currently being reviewed in order to better transfer knowledge to new staff in the future and that this process is considered to be included in the sensitive posts policy, currently being drafted with a view to its adoption in late 2019invites the Agency to inform the discharge authority of the adoption of the above document; ;
Amendment 8 #
2019/2080(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Raises concern about the gender balance among the Agency's senior management, in that 7 out of 8 senior managers are male and only 1 is female; asks the Agency to take measures to ensure a better gender balance among its senior management;
Amendment 10 #
2019/2080(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes the Agency’s existing measures on and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevention and management of conflicts of interests and notes that the CVs of the members of the management board and their declaration of conflicts of interests have now been published on the Agency’s website; recalls that the Agency does not publish the senior management members’ declaration of conflicts of interests on its website; reiterates its calls on the Agency to publish the CVs of all the members of the management board and the declarations of conflicts of interests of its senior management and to report to the discharge authority on the measures taken in this regard;
Amendment 11 #
2019/2080(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Regrets that the Agency has not yet formalised a strategy to ensure an environment-friendly working place; notes, however, the Agency’s internal initiatives implemented with a view to reducing its impact on the environmentcalls on the Agency to do so as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 5 #
2019/2077(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue its digitalization policy
Amendment 8 #
2019/2077(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. notes that the Agency joined the Commissions imitative ‘Women in Transport’ aiming to strengthen women’s employment opportunities at all levels; welcomes that the Agency has established a Gender Balance Task Force to make recommendations on redressing the important existing imbalance
Amendment 9 #
2019/2077(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Encourages the Agency to develop a long term Human Resources Policy Framework which addresses the work-life balance of its staff, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the non discrimination, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of disabled people;
Amendment 4 #
2019/2076(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Encourages the Agency to implement the Court's recommendations
Amendment 7 #
2019/2076(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the Agency cooperates withclosely with other Union agencies such as the European Fisheries Control Agency and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency for what concerns the European coastguard function;
Amendment 8 #
2019/2076(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalisation of its services
Amendment 12 #
2019/2076(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Regrets the lack of information and details regarding the ‘Action Plan for Gender Balance at EMSA’;
Amendment 2 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Administrative Director of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) discharge in respect of the implementation of Eurojust’s budget for the financial year 2018/ Postpones its decision on granting the Administrative Director of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) discharge in respect of the implementation of the Eurojust’s budget for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 5 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of Eurojust for the financial year 2018/ Postpones the closure of the accounts of the Eurojust for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 6 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with satisfaction that Eurojust uses quantitative and qualitative key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the achievements of its objectives for its annual activities and impact, outcome indicators, its activity/output indicators and its business/ technical/ operational indicators, as well as for its support/ management/ governance indicators in order to improve its budget management; notes that Eurojust was able to measure and assess the achievement of 98 of the 119 KPIs (82 %) set for 2018, of which 72 % of the initial targets were achieved or exceeded; notes that Eurojust has introduced a number of new indicators in the 2018 Annual Work Programme for which a baseline figure does not exist, and that consequently 15 % of KPIs could not be assessed; calls on Eurojust to address this issue and ensure that all indicators can be properly assessed, and to report to the discharge authority on the progress achieved by June 2020;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Encourages Eurojust to pursue the digitalisation of its services;
Amendment 8 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. NotesWelcomes the fact that Eurojust continues to develop strong operational cooperation with the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and with other justice and home affairs partners as well as with third countries; notes that in 2018 it started negotiations for a cooperation agreement with the European Borders and Coast Guard Agency; notes that Eurojust also cooperated with the European Anti-Fraud Office, and encourages national authorities to consider involving both bodies aswhere appropriate,; and furthermore encourages Eurojust to participate on joint procurement procedures with Europol and the European Medicines Agency;
Amendment 10 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. NotesAppreciates the fact that on 31 December 2018, the establishment plan was 99.04 % executed, with 207 temporary agents appointed out of 209 temporary agents authorised under the Union budget (compared with 208 authorised posts in 2017); notes that in addition, 15 contract agents and 16 seconded national experts worked for Eurojust in 2018;
Amendment 13 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with appreciation that, following the Court’s suggestion of previous years, Eurojust has, since June 2019, been advertising vacancies on the website of the European Personnel Selection Office, making use of the capability to publish the titles of such vacancies in all the Union’s official languages with a link to the full text in the English language only;
Amendment 14 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes with satisfaction that, in light of the observations from the discharge authority, Eurojust will consider adopting a fundamental rights strategy, including a reference to fundamental rights in a code of conduct that could define the duties of its staff and training for staff, and that it shall do so in consultation with the Commission and other Union’s agencies in order to ensure a coordinated approach;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, Eurojust signed an IT framework contract with a company which provided the same service under a previous framework contract, without prior publication of a contract notice during the negotiated procurement procedure; notes that all payments made under that framework contract and all related specific contracts are irregular and that a simplified procedure is only acceptable under specific circumstances which were not substantiated by Eurojust; notesacknowledges from Eurojust’s reply that the negotiated procedure was done on the basis of Article 134 (f) of the Rules of Application of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/246216 , which allow this procedure to be used where a change of supplier would result in incompatibility or disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance, and that, therefore, this solution was considered to be the most cost-effective; calls on Eurojust to ensure compliance with public procurement rules; _________________ 16Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2462 of 30 October 2015 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 on the rules of application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (OJ L 342, 29 12 2015, p 7)
Amendment 16 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Acknowledgppreciates Eurojust’s existing measures and its ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevention and management of conflicts of interest; notes that Eurojust adopted College Decision 2019-02 on the Eurojust’s guidelines on whistleblowing applicable to all staff; notes that, according to Eurojust, training on such rules was provided during 2019, as required;
Amendment 17 #
2019/2074(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. NotesWelcomes the fact that, in light of the observations from the discharge authority, the publication of declarations of interest in the draft Code of Ethics for the College of Eurojust are at present being addressed by the project team on Rules of Procedure in t; notes that for the time being Eurojust has published draft Code of Ethics for the College of Eurojusteclarations of absence of conflict of interest; calls on Eurojust to also publish the CVs of the management board members and of its executive leadership; notes that Eurojust adopted the updated anti-fraud strategy through College Decision 2018-19 of 6 November 2018;
Amendment 4 #
2019/2073(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2018 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 89,14 %, representing a decrease of 1,91 % compared to 2017; notes furthermore that the payment appropriations execution rate was 73,64 %, representing a decrease of 2,98 % compared to 2017; calls on the Agency to improve its budget implementation and payment appropriation execution rate;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2073(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalisation of its services;
Amendment 12 #
2019/2073(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Acknowledges the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevent and manage conflicts of interest, and provide whistleblower protection; notes withis highly concerned that, in 2018, the Agency received 21 reports on cases of whistleblowing from an external source raising the problem of maladministration at the Agency, 5 of which were closed in 2017 and 17 cases are still ongoing; calls on the Agency to address the cases and the problems with the matter of urgency and report to the discharge authority on any developments in that regard; welcomes that the Agency has in place declaration of conflict of interest for management board members, for senior management and for experts and makes it available online;
Amendment 20 #
2019/2073(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that the Court issued an emphasis of matter paragraph in relation to the two London-based agencies, concerning the United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the European Union; notes that the seat of the Agency moved to Amsterdam in March 2019 and that the Agency’s accounts at 31 December 2018, included provisions for related costs amounting to EUR 17 800 000; regrets that the lease agreement for the London based premises sets a rental period until 2039 with no exit clause; also regrets that on 20 February 2019, the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled against EMA’s request to cancel the lease; notes, however, that the lease agreement allows reassignment or subletting of the premises to third parties, subject to the landlord’s consent; deeply regrets that the notes to the accounts at 31 December 2018 disclosed an amount of EUR 468 000 000 remaining rent until 2039, of which an amount of EUR 465 000 000 for the lease period after the Agency’s planned move to Amsterdam is disclosed as a contingent liability; urges the Agency to do its utmost to minimise the financial, administrative and operational impact of the unfavourable lease agreement and to report to the discharge authority on the developments in this regardhighlights that although the Agency’s sublease was concluded with effect from 1 July 2019 the future net cost of the uncancellable lease agreement was unknown; urges the Agency to do its utmost to minimise the financial, administrative and operational impact of the unfavourable lease agreement; calls on the Agency to involve the Commission’s legal service and the negotiating team for the United Kingdom's decision to withdraw from the European Union into the legal problem as it raises the legal and financial responsibility of the government of the United Kingdom for invoking Article 50 of the TEU as the High Court did not recognise the situation as a force majeure; calls on the Agency to report back to the discharge authority on the matter;
Amendment 22 #
2019/2073(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Is concerned that the Agency, being a Union public health agency, will have to manage commercial property in a third country and will remain liable for paying rent until June 2039; requests that solutions to release the Agency from its contractual and financial liabilities in respect of its former UK premises are sought in the ongoing negotiations between the Union and the UK if responsibility cannot be established;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2072(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Encourages the Centre to implement the Court's recommendations;
Amendment 10 #
2019/2072(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Encourages the Centre to develop a long term Human Resources Policy Framework which addresses the work-life balance of its staff, the lifelong guidance and career development, the gender balance, the teleworking, the non discrimination, the geographical balance and the recruitment and integration of disabled people;
Amendment 13 #
2019/2072(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Encourages the Centre to pursue the digitalization of its services;
Amendment 4 #
2019/2070(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that, according to the Agency, substantial progress was made in the sharing of resources on overlapping tasks among other agencies with similar activities; also notes that the Agency shared efforts with other science-based agencies including the European Chemicals Agency and the European Food Safety Authority on issues around human health; welcomes the fact that there is a growing interest for EEA information and data; is of the opinion that dissemination of environmental information is of key importance in light of dangers of climate change and the new Commission’s policies;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2070(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalization of its services;
Amendment 11 #
2019/2070(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes from the Court’s reportDeplores that, following the termination of a 1,4 million euro contract due to a contractor’s unsatisfactory performance, the Agency signed, a few months later, a new 2 million euro contract “in cascade” for the same type of service with the same contractor without inserting in the technical specifications elements to neutralise the risk of similar problems arising again under the new contract; calls on the Agency to award contracts only if satisfactory performance can be expectedis of the opinion that such contracting behaviour raises serious concerns on the agency’s sound financial management calls on the Agency to award contracts only if satisfactory performance can be expected; and asks EEA to report back to the ECA and the discharge authority on the performance of the contractor;
Amendment 12 #
2019/2070(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes from the Court’s report that for the provision of Copernicus local land monitoring services, the Agency contracted services for an amount above the ceiling of the governing framework contract but did not formalise it through a contract amendment; notes from the Agency’s reply that it considers that the increase of the budget ceiling was made in accordance with the guidance from the Commission; despite of that calls the agency to formalise contract modifications only in line with public procurement provisions;
Amendment 14 #
2019/2070(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Acknowledges the Agency’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevent and manage conflicts of interests, and provide whistleblower protection; raises concerns that the Agency does not put in place declarations of conflict of interest for in house experts;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2070(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Stresses that the publication of CVs and Declarations of interest of Management Board members should be obligatory and not done on a voluntary basis;
Amendment 2 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction discharge in respect of the implementation of the Centre’s budget for the financial year 2018 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction discharge in respect of the implementation of the budget of the Centre for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 4 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2018 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 6 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with appreciationWelcomes that the budget monitoring efforts during the financial year 2018 resulted in a budget implementation rate of 100 %, the same rate as in 2017; notes that the payment appropriations execution rate was 98;02 %, representing an increase of 3,31 % compared to the previous year;
Amendment 9 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Encourages the Centre to pursue the digitalization of its services;
Amendment 13 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with satisfaction that the Centre has general provisions in place on building and sustaining a working culture based on dignity and respect to prevent and fight against harassment; acknowledges that it makes confidential counselling available;
Amendment 14 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes with appreciationWelcomes the fact that the Centre put in place a procurement plan in line with the Centre’s management plan, which was successfully executed in close collaboration with all units;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, the Centre did not attract a reasonable number of tenderers in low- value procurement procedures and that in five of these procedures only one candidate submitted a tender and two tenders were submitted in one procedure; notes that, according to the Centre’s reply, it duly invited the number of tenderers required by the applicable financial rules to ensure the necessary level of competition; calls on the Centre to pursue its ongoing efforts to ensure that all public procurement procedures are compliant with the principle of competition and to facilitate the participation in its procurement procedures for low-value contracts;
Amendment 16 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Acknowledges the Centre’s existing measures and ongoing efforts to secure transparency, prevent and manage conflicts of interest, and provide whistleblower protection; notes that the CVswith satisfaction that the CVs and declarations of interest of the Director and the members of the scientific committee are published on its website;
Amendment 18 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes with concern that, according to the Centre, several recommendations included in the 2015 IAS audit on IT project management have been only partly implemented and that, at the end of 2018, two recommendations were still outstanding; notes, however, that these two recommendations were expected to be implemented by mid-2019; calls on the Centre to report to the discharge authority on the progress achieved by June 2020;
Amendment 19 #
2019/2069(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that, according to the Court’s report, pursuant to Directive 2008/104/EC17 and Portuguese labour law, interim workers should work under the same working conditions as workers employed directly by the user undertaking; notes, however, that the contracts did not require the temporary work agencies explicitly to respect those conditions and that there is no evidence that the Centre itself carried out any comparison between the working conditions for its own and interim staff, which causes litigation and reputational risks; notes that, according to the Centre’s reply, ithat the contract between the Centre and the temporary work agency refers to the obligation of the Centre to comply with all aspects of the applicable legislation and that, pursuant to that contract, the temporary work agency is the one exposed to the risks of litigation; highlights however that this type of situation still carries high reputational risks for the Centre; welcomes the fact that the EMCDDA is reassessing its policy for the use of temporary workers to further nationalise the latter in line with its operating needs and the legal framework; calls on the Centre to analyse the working conditions of its interim workers and ensure that they are in line with Union and national labour law; calls on the Centre to report to the discharge authority on the progress achieved by June 2020; _________________ 17Directive 2008/104/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on temporary agency work (OJ L 327, 5.12.2008, p. 9).
Amendment 2 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 1
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Grants the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2018 / Postpones its decision on granting the Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights discharge in respect of the implementation of the Agency’s budget for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 4 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Proposal for a decision 2
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2018 / Postpones the closure of the accounts of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for the financial year 2018;
Amendment 7 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that, according to the Court’s report carry-overs of committed appropriations were high for operating expenditure, mainly due to the nature of the activities which include financing studies that span several months and often beyond year-end; notes that the Agency has introduced planning procedures to monitor the inevitable delays between the signing of contracts, deliveries and payments; notes that, according to the Agency’s reply, the deviation between the initial planned amount and the final amount carried over was of around 10 %, within the margin of tolerance and that the old application for the monitoring of the budget consumption has been replaced by a new one; calls on the Agency to improve its budget planning;
Amendment 9 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. NotWelcomes the Agency’s cooperation with other agencies, in particular the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, the European Institute for Gender Equality, the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, and the European Asylum Support Office, in order to achieve common policy objectives; welcomes the fact that, in addition, the Agency regularly supports other Union agencies to reflect obligations stemming from the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’) in their work;
Amendment 11 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Encourages the Agency to pursue the digitalisation of its services;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes, in light of the related comments made by the discharge authority, that e-procurement tools have been compulsory only as of 2019 and that the Agency has introduced all e-procurement tools with the exception of e-submission, which iwas expected to be implemented in the fourth quarter of 2019; calls on the Agency to report to the discharge authority on the progress made in this regard by June 2020;
Amendment 16 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. AcknowledgWelcomes the Agency’s existing measures, and its ongoing efforts in relation to securing transparency, in relation to prevention and management of conflicts of interest, and in relation to whistle-blower protection; notes that there were a number of cases of potential and perceived conflicts of interest that were assessed and mitigated and none reported in 2018; notes with appreciation that the CVs and declarations of interest for members of the management board and executives are published on the Agency's website;
Amendment 20 #
2019/2068(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes with satisfaction that, following the successful implementation of the anti-fraud strategy adopted in December 2014 and the completion of the action plan over the course of 2015 and 2016, the Agency completed the revision of the anti-fraud strategy which was adopted at the Management Board meeting in December 2018 and complemented by a specific action plan;
Amendment 4 #
2019/2067(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Encourages the Foundation to pursue the digitalisation of its services;
Amendment 8 #
2019/2067(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Encourages the Foundation to implement the Court's recommendations as, for instance, the e-submission process;
Amendment 5 #
2019/2066(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. welcomes the Centre to develop synergies and sharing resources with the other agencies;
Amendment 8 #
2019/2066(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on the CEDEFOP to pursue the digitalization of the institution;
Amendment 10 #
2019/2066(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Encourages the Cedefop to implement the Court's recommendations;
Amendment 13 #
2019/2066(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. welcomes the Cedefop for its overall gender balance :59% female to 41% male but regrets the lack of details regarding the management levels occupied by the women;
Amendment 15 #
2019/2066(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. regrets the lack of clarity regarding the geographical balance of the staff;
Amendment 5 #
2019/2028(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Rejects the cuts by Council of a total of EUR 747,4 million in Heading 1a, including EUR 424,9 million for the Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation, EUR 28 million for the ICT strand of the Connecting Europe Facility and EUR 20 million for COSME, which risk undermining the Union’s efforts to creating growth and jobs; recalls that Horizon 2020 and the CEF have already suffered cuts to finance the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI);
Amendment 20 #
2019/2028(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Recalls that Horizon 2020 and COSME play a critical role in boosting the Union’s competitiveness and its capacity to create a sustainable future;
Amendment 43 #
2019/2028(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for additional funds to accelerate the development and deployment of cleaner technologies to help meet the commitments undertaken by the Union under the Paris Agreement; stresses that research and innovation are key drivers for sustainable development and recalls the commitment made by the Union and its Member States to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals;
Amendment 4 #
2018/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the decision of the Office’s Management Board of 6 June 2018 to release the Executive Director from his duties with immediate effect; emphasises, however, that the budget for the 2017 financial year was implemented under the supervision of the Office’s previous management; highlights that this report concerns the discharge procedure for the 2017 financial year; welcomes the designation of an ad interim Executive Director on 6 June 2018 and the appointment of a new Executive Director on 16 June 2019; recognises the commitment of the new Executive Director to deliver significant reforms ensuring solid governance; appreciates the positive message and intention for future close cooperation expressed by the new Executive Director in the public hearing of 4 September 2019 ;
Amendment 6 #
2018/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the follow-up report by the Office on the observations of Parliament for the 2017 financial year, in particular corrective measures taken by the Office’s Management Board, the ad interim Executive Director and the new Executive Director in order to improve the governance structure of the Office, restore transparency and build trust; supports and appreciates the measures outlined by the 2019 EASO Governance Action Plan; urges the Office to regularly report to the discharge authority on the implementation of that Action Plan;
Amendment 9 #
2018/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Acknowledges the efforts and appreciates the progress made on the implementation of internal control systems, including controls on procurement and expenditure operations; supports the decision to reduce and rapidly end outsourcing legal counselling by the establishment of an internal legal service; supports the Court’s observations on the need for further corrective actions;
Amendment 10 #
2018/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. RecognisesNotes with satisfaction the implementation of two thirds of the corrective actions implemented by the Office regarding procurement procedures, in particular regarding the payments under irregular procurement processes, and the completion of new open procedures, which were audited by the Court without raising any comments;
Amendment 12 #
2018/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the ambitious recruitment plan put in place and its positive impact on the filling of vacant managerial and other positions; urges the Office to quickly finalise the recruitmentsnotes with satisfaction the implementation of new measures aimed at preventing harassment, increasing staff well-being and reducing turnover; urges the Office to quickly finalise the recruitments in full compliance with the relevant legal procedures and to provide a regular follow up on the results achieved;
Amendment 15 #
2018/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Notes with satisfaction that most members of the Management Board have published their declarations of interest and curricula vitae on the Office website; welcomes the commitment of the new leadership to raise awareness, prevent, identify and address any potential situations of conflict of interest; calls on the office to develop and implement in this sense a comprehensive strategy outlining it in their next Governance Action Plan and to report to the discharge authority on the results achieved;
Amendment 16 #
2018/2208(DEC)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10c. Notes with appreciation the measures intended by the new Office leadership to encourage and protect whistle-blowers; recalls that a safe environment for whistle-blowers is a key element for preventing, exposing and addressing irregular and unlawful practices; expects a rapid adoption of internal rules and guidelines concerning whistle-blowing and revolving doors and calls on the Office to further report on the results achieved;