Activities of Francesca DONATO related to 2020/2039(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on reversing demographic trends in EU regions using cohesion policy instruments
Amendments (17)
Amendment 42 #
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 and that health infrastructures have to be accessible to the population in the whole territory;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas insular and mountainous regions suffer from a structural on the geographic, social and economic point of view and therefore they are particularly affected by the depopulation trend;
Amendment 64 #
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 ruraland in comparison with rural, insular and mountainous areas;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that in general rural, post- industrial, insular, mountainous and remote areas are facing a number of specific situations: a considerable decline in population numbers, lower than national or EU average levels of income and difficulties of territorial integration with other regions, making them more exposed to the risk of depopulation; points out that rural regions currently account for 28 % of Europe’s population but this is predicted to fall significantly in the future;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Draws attention to some of the drivers of demographic change, forcing inhabitants from the abovementioned areas to leave and discouraging others from moving there: offshoring and the absence of genuine national reshoring policies, failure to implement pro-birth policies, poor infrastructure, including a lack of fast broadband internet and missing transport networks, fewer job opportunities, lack of public services and difficult access to health services, fewer education opportunities, making it more difficult to adapt to technological change, and a lack of cultural venues and leisure activities;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that this lack of diversification in the regional economic structure of certain regions, with particular regard to insular regions, risks creating a negative ‘label’, also among their inhabitants, manifesting dissatisfaction with the quality of life and the facilities and services at their disposal; highlights in this context the brain drain effect, leading to the emigration of highly trained and qualified people from a particular region or country to another; points out, in particular, that the ‘exodus’ of medical staff such as doctors and nurses and teaching staff has led to a deterioration in the quality of medical care and education, making it difficult, especially in rural areas, to access high-quality care and education;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is of the view that urban areas are also exposed to depopulation, with one in five cities in Europe facing population losses since 1990; notes, however, that urban shrinkage is not always a continuous linear process and can be episodic or temporary, depending on the territorial and economic context;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Underlines a pattern of ‘inner peripheralisation’, in the sense that eastern and southern European regions report a substantially negative net population migration rate, while northern and western European regions report a substantially positive rate, receiving constantly large numbers of international economic migrants in addition to influxes of Europeans;
Amendment 165 #
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;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Recalls that the Recovery and Resilience Facility will provide large-scconditionale 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 depopulationto improve mobility of people and goods in rural, insular and mountainous areas;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reiterates the need for further simplification of cohesion policy instruments in order to allow for an easier, but at the same time sound management of financial resources and for maximising synergies among the various EU funds; emphasises the need to reduce red tape and ensure coherent legislation throughout the project implementation process and a focused technical assistance at all stages;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Member State to include demographic challenges in their national development policies and long- term strategies for sustainable development correlated with the European Semester, thus ensuring proper financing for demographic issues;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Member State to include demographic challenges in their national development policies and long- term strategies for sustainable development correlated with the European Semester, thus ensuring proper financing for demographic issues;
Amendment 217 #
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 micro and SMEs;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Insists that investments should be focused on information and communication technologymobility infrastructures and local health , 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 technologielabour skills among companies and schools in rural, insular, mountainous and isolated regions and regions in industrial transition;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Considers that municipalities should promote ‘open innovation’ initiativsocial, cultural and business initiatives, besides "open innovation" ones, making use of the knowledge to accelerate the innovation process and to develop a collaborative approach with relevant partners and stakeholders with a view to creating innovationcultural and business friendly ecosystems;
Amendment 280 #
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, insular and mountainous 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;