8 Amendments of Pernando BARRENA ARZA related to 2020/1998(BUD)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Regrets that the proposed commitment appropriations for the “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme” at EUR 90 600 000 are much lower than initially requested by the Parliament; requests, in line with the first reading position of the Parliament adopted on 17 April 2019, that commitment appropriations are increased to EUR 265 000 000 and that a new budget line to “promote and protect Union values“ (EUR 120 000 000 in commitment appropriations) is created; calls, in line with the partial agreement reached with Council, to increase the commitment appropriations under the “Daphne” budget line to EUR 37 100 000 and to earmark EUR 27 300 000 of this amount for the fight against gender-based violence by creating a subline “Combating all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls and domestic violence”; calls further for an increase of the commitment appropriations of the budget line “Promote citizens engagement and participation in the democratic life of the Union” to EUR 70 600 000, to rename the budget line “Promote equality and rights” to “Promote equality, rights and gender equality” and to earmark EUR 10 300 000 to “Promote gender equality and gender mainstreaming” by creating a new subline;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Calls, in line with the European Parliament first reading position of 13 March 2019 on the proposal for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, to create separate budget lines for each specific objective of this fund to increase transparency, ensure adequate financing of each separate objective and guarantee a better budgetary scrutiny;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Regrets the proposal to disproportionately increase the Border Management and Visa Instrument Fund while other budget lines such as rights and values are being cut and in light of increased evidence of fundamental rights violations; calls, therefore, for this appropriation to be restored to its level of 2020 and for the Commission to use its powers to ensure that EU funding is being used in full respect of fundamental rights;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the proposal to increase the appropriations of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) by 11.5% while leaving the number of statutory staff unchanged; remind; notes that the Agency is requested to provide increased operational support to Member States and, upon request, has recently launched new initiatives such as the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre and the Innovation Lab which require additional funding; expects Agency’s tasks to be further extended in 2021 with; believes however that an increase to the Europol budget should not be the priority and proposes to keep Europol budget at the same level as 2020; considers that a decision on additional funding and posts with a view on the upcoming revision of the AgencyEuropol mandate; considers, therefore, that EUR 184 900 000 should be provided to the Agency in line with its request; requests to add further 63 posts to the Agency establishment planan be taken only at the end of the legislative process; reminds that extended tasks would entail additional work for the EDPS;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. StExpresses the importance of integrated border management to ensure the functioning of the Schengen area; highlights the important role of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in this regard and calls for a significant budget increase for 2021 to EUR 838 000 000 to allow the Agency to build and train its standing corps as well as to purchase own equipment,concerns regarding the increased violations of fundamental rights at the EU's external borders; believes that the considerable budget FRONTEX has been allocated over the years should rather be spent to providing safe and legal ways to access the European Union as well as in the short thereby allowing a successful deployment and operational support to the Member States at the external bordersm a pan-European Search and Rescue operation in order to save people's lives at sea;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls for a new budget line to support Search and Rescue operations to guarantee access to international protection in accordance with the obligations contracted by the Member States in the field of human rights and maritime law, including the right to life and the principle of non-refoulement;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Regrets the reduction of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights’ budget by 0.4%; requests instead to increase Agency’s commitment and payment appropriations to EUR 246 60079 000; calls for adding twosix AD6 and two contractual agent function group IV posts to the Agency establishment plan; highlights that without adequate financial and staff resources, the Agency may not be able to implement projects that respond to identified needs and monitor adequately fundamental rights in the EU;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the proposed increase of the European Asylum Support Office’s commitment and payment appropriations by 16.5% but regrets that the number of posts in its establishment plan have not been increased accordingly; requests therefore to reinforce the establishment plan of the Office by an additional 50 posts; recalls that Office plans to keep the same level of staff as requested for 2021 throughout the new programming period but stresses that additional staff will be needed if the new Regulation on the European Union Agency for Asylum is adopted; highlights that the additional staff will reinforce field operations, development and delivery of trainings, information and analysis, practical tools, governance activities and administrative functions. ; notes however concerns expressed by NGOs over interviews practices carried out by EASO staff and proposes to create a reserve to ensure EASO puts in place safeguards to ensure their staff is not involved in fundamental rights violations in the course of the operational support it provides to Member States;