Activities of Vlad GHEORGHE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Stresses the importance of the Undertaking in achieving the Digital European Sky, resulting in 48 selected projects with a total investment of EUR 350 million;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2181(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Notes that, when determining the error rate, SESAR 3 JU considered the outcomes of the remaining three participations that were being finalised; this resulted in a detected error rate of 2.39 %, with a systematic error of 1.69 % and a residual error rate of 1.75 %; The error rates reported for 2022, annual and cumulative, stayed within the materiality threshold;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2181(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Welcomes that corrective action has been take in response to the the ECA’s observation of 2021; Particularly, notes that SESAR 3 has duly paid the relevant employer's contributions to the EU pension scheme for the year 2022, in accordance with the invoices issued by the Commission;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Commends the responsibility role of EU-Rail for the coordination of the Back Office Arrangement (BOA)- Accounting Services, according to Article 13 of the Single Basic Act;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2 b. Notes that the implementation of the 2022 budget payments for Horizon 2020 activities experienced challenges, with beneficiaries encountering increased costs and delivery issues; stresses that the JU’s implementation rate for operational payment appropriations, including operational unused and reallocated appropriations, declined to 47% (compared to 61% in 2021); acknowledge that the duration of most Horizon 2020 projects had to be extended, and final payments were postponed to 2023 to address the difficulties faced by beneficiaries;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2 c. Acknowledge that for Horizon 2020 expenditure (clearings and final payments), the JU reported a representative error rate of 2.2 % and a residual error rate of 1.3%;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Commends the pivotal milestones achieved by the S2R Programme by the end of 2022, with full commitment of resources and about 86% of the Programme realized (and 91% in term of financial Programme execution for 2023), in view of reaching the TRL6/7 operational demonstrations planned for conclusion during 2023;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Notes the JU’s final annual budget for 2022 was EUR 171.4 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 180.8 million in payment appropriations; notes that the implementation rate was 100 % for the former and 79.1 % for the latter; acknowledges that in 2022, a significant portion of payment appropriations was allocated towards the pre-financing of grants resulting from the first 2022 call for proposal;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Welcomes the JU’s commitment to facilitate research and innovation activities for ~~an integrated~~the establishment of the Single European rRailway ~~network~~Area (SERA), ensuring interoperability sustainability, and resilience in the railway sector;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Commends EU-Rail for aligning its employer's pension contributions with the Commission's calculation; welcomes the cooperative approach to solve discrepancies and the commitment to adhere to clarified legal provisions and acknowledges EU-Rail's prompt payment of contributions in 2023 and ongoing commitment to future payments, contributing to the stability of the Union pension scheme; encourages continued collaboration for effective resolution of any outstanding issues;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8 b. Commends the maintenance of close collaboration with key stakeholders, namely ERRAC, ERA, and other programs/partnerships, signifies a proactive effort to foster synergies and explore opportunities for joint projects within the European rail sector; welcomes EU-Rail's engagement with associations and third-country programs, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the industry;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2176(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)

8 c. In the 2022 annual accounts of the Undertaking, the amounts of contributions recognized per member category (EU and private members) exhibit a significant disparity, attributable to the fact that EU cash contributions are validated and recognized at the beginning of project implementation, while members' in-kind contributions are acknowledged only after validation of the costs incurred and declared for project implementation; calls for improved transparency in the JU's contribution recording, specifically distinguishing between cash and in-kind contributions for accurate representation;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2173(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Notes that according to the Annual report of the European Court of Auditors on EU Joint Undertakings for the financial year 2022, the Undertaking’s final budget for 2022 was € 411.2 million in commitment appropriations and €415.3 million in payment appropriations (Title V unused included);

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2173(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Applauds that the JU has had a 100% rate of implementation for the commitment appropriations in 2022 and 89% for the payment appropriations;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2173(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3 c. Notes that implementation rate for the JU’s administrative payment budget (Title 2) stood at a low 54%; As outlined in the JU's report on budgetary and financial management, this was primarily attributed to the provision of IT and communication services in the last quarter of 2022 and to be paid in 2023, and reduced costs for services provided by the Commission; calls a and strategic planning to address the challenge identified and enhance the efficiency of administrative payment budget use;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2173(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Welcomes the first open Call for Proposals by the JU, resulting in 19 Grant Agreements by year-end, totalling EUR 654 million around three core thrusts: Hybrid Electric Regional aircraft, Hydrogen-powered aircraft and Ultra- Efficient Short and Medium Range aircraft; the call comprehended 14 topics covering 13 Innovation Actions and one Coordination Support Action; in total 244 participants were selected across 24 different countries;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2173(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Welcomes that the ex-post audit results in 2022 had a representative error rate of 1.56% and that the corresponding residual error rate of 0.43%, staying well below the targeted threshold of 2%;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2173(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8 b. Acknowledges the efforts undertaken by the JU to enhance gender balance within its operations; recognizing the specific challenges presented by the technical nature of its focus areas, stresses the importance of continuous improvement in promoting diversity and gender equality;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2173(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 c (new)

8 c. Acknowledges that the follow-up on the Court of Auditors' 2021 recommendation concerning the use of interim staff remains pending; Urges the Undertaking to promptly resolve this matter;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2160(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the finding of the Court of Auditors that the accounts of the European Union Agency for Railways ('the Agency') for the 2022 financial year are legal and regular in all material aspects; notes that some of the Court’s observations from previous years remain open at the end of 2022;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2160(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Remarks that ERA has driven several initiatives, taken at EU level, aimed at boosting rail traffic (both passenger and freight), including measures to better manage and coordinate international rail traffic or the development of new technologies, such as train automation, contributing to the European Green Deal;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2160(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Acknowledges the Agency’s commendable performance in 2022, fulfilling its role as the EU authority responsible for issuing authorizations for placing railway vehicles on the market, single safety certificates for railway undertakings, and ERTMS trackside approvals; Salutes the increase in Agency’s delivery of authorisations for placing 1861 railway vehicles on the market, 66 single safety certificates for railway undertakings and 2 ERTMS trackside approvals despite the increase in the number of applications received; recalls the importance of completion of ERTMS by 2030; Commends that these accomplishments represent record- breaking figures since the full implementation of the Technical Pillar of the 4th Railway Package by the Agency;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2160(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Recalls that the Agency has the smallest budget among the transport agencies despite the outstanding environmental benefits of rail prioritized by Commission; Commends the rise in the fiscal year 2022 budget, accompanied by various efforts aimed at enhancing competitiveness, improving safety, and promoting cross-border interoperability; Nevertheless, calls for an increase of the budget of the Agency in order to ensure it has the essential resources to function as an efficient authority and effectively fulfil its tasks;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2160(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Acknowledges the Agency's efforts towards gender parity; notes that there is significant room for improvement. Currently, the overall staff distribution stands at 65% men and 35% women and this gender gap is even more pronounced in management roles. Urges the Agency to intensify its commitment to achieving a truly balanced gender representation, given the findings of the 2022 gender audit;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2160(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8 b. Commends the Agency’s proactive response to the recommendations put forth in the previous year's observation, urging the Agency to introduce effective checks for verifying SME status of applicants. Welcomes the implementation of enhanced controls for verifying the SMEs status for Single Safety Certificates and Vehicle Authorizations applications;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2158(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Applauds the commitment of the Agency to enhance its multilingual communication ensuring greater accessibility for all European citizens; Notes that EMSA’s five year strategy, the European Maritime Environmental and the European Maritime Safety Report are now accessible in all 24 EU languages;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2158(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Salutes the Agency’s continued strengthening of its surveillance activities, including satellite and RPAS capacities; welcomes the achievement that the Agency RPAS services have collectively accumulated 1305 operational days (828 days dedicated to multipurpose surveillance and 477 days for environmental surveillance);

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2158(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Stresses that the EU's fleet growth (in terms of both ships and tonnage) is slower compared to the global fleet. In the last five years, the EU fleet experienced a growth of 3.4%, in contrast to the global fleet, which exhibited a more substantial growth rate of 7%;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2158(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6 b. Welcomes that the Agency support the Commission at IMO, particularly in forums such as MEPC, PPR and CCC. This supports spans crucial areas of pollution prevention and sustainability including the IMO Strategy on reducing GHG emissions, carbon intensity of shipping, safety, evaluation, deployment and use of sustainable alternative fuels and technologies, marine litter and underwater noise;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2145(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the finding of the Court of Auditors that the accounts of the European Aviation Safety Agency ('the Agency') for the 2022 financial year are legal and regular in all material respects despite certain identified shortcomings and vulnerabilities in public procurement practices; acknowledges weaknesses in the systems governing management and control and as of the conclusion of 2022, a number of observations raised by the Court in preceding years continue to remain unresolved;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2145(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that appropriations authorised in the Agency’s budget for 2022 totalled EUR 224 million and welcomes the budget implementation rate for year 2022 at 97.1%, above the Commission’s target of 95%;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2145(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Commends the Agency's proficiency in execution, maintaining a favourable trajectory with 77% of KPIs deemed on-track; acknowledges that 17% of KPIs have experienced delays, and a 5% necessitate additional attention;

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2145(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Commends the response of the Agency to Russian invasion to Ukraine publishing a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) within two hours for aircraft safety. Understands concerns about Russian passenger fleets; highlights Agency’s role in European military mobility; in particular, welcomes the involvement of the Agency in the Civil- Military Airspace Safety Team Ukraine, especially in relation to the increasing demands for airspace to facilitate State and NATO military exercises; acknowledges the successful implementation of the work programme with the European Defence Agency (EDA), which has significantly bolstered collaboration in the emerging frontier of innovation.

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2145(DEC)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Welcomes the contribution of the Agency in shaping standardized rules for drones' safe integration and its effort in supporting U-Space regulations and contributing to the EU's Drones Strategy 2.0, fostering a competitive and sustainable European drone industry.

2023/11/21
Committee: TRAN

2023/2058(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission and the Council to explore the possibility of using the EU budget’s expenditure and revenue mechanisms as response instruments and for redistribution purposes during symmetrical and asymmetrical crises, such as through a permanent fiscal capacity for the euro area, and a solidarity mechanism for Member States outside of the euro area.

2023/09/05
Committee: BUDG

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas petitioners tend to be citizens engaged in safeguarding fundamental rights and in the improvement and future well-being of our societies; whereas the experience of these citizens in regard to the processing of their petitions is very influential in determining their perception of the EU institutions, knowledge about the actions taken at EU level and respect for the right to petition as enshrined in EU law;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas the right to petition the European Parliament is one of the fundamental rights of EU citizens; whereas the right to petition provides EU citizens and residents with an open, democratic and transparent mechanism to address their elected representatives directly and is therefore essential to enable citizens to participate actively and effectively in the life of the Union; whereas ~~the processing of petitions is very influential in determining the petitioners’ perception of the EU institutions and~~effective address by the Commission and the Member States to the issues presented in the petitions, as well as the compensation and redress provided to the petitioners who became victims of the EU legislation breach, increases the trust they put in the Union and its policies; whereas, therefore, it is essential to maintain high standards when implementing this right and processing petitions; whereas, through petitions, EU citizens can complain about failures to implement EU law and help detect breaches of EU law;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas the right to petition offers Parliament the opportunity to address and respond to complaints and concerns relating to issues in the EU’s fields of activity; whereas the right to petition enables Parliament and the other EU institutions, in particular the Commission as guardian of the Treaties, to enhance their responsiveness to alleged non- compliance with EU legislation in the Member States; whereas petitions are therefore a useful source of information on instances of misapplication or breaches of EU law and, thus, enable Parliament and the other EU institutions to assess the transposition and application of EU law and its impact on the rights of EU citizens and residents; petitions represent a basis for the Member States to provide compensation and redress to the petitioners who became victims or incurred losses due to the breach of the legislation by the relevant Member States;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital R

R. whereas when adopting its meeting agenda, the Committee on Petitions should pay attention to petitions and topics with significant relevance for discussion at EU level and to the need to maintain an equitable geographical coverage of topics according to the petitions received; whereas, in this regard there is a need to raise awareness on the right to petition the European Parliament in the Member States and areas from which originate statistically less petitions;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital U

U. whereas, in 2022, the Committee on Petitions held seven fact-finding visits; whereas this represents a large increase compared to the single fact-finding visit organised in 2021; whereas this can be explained by the need in 2021 to minimise health risks for Parliament’s Members and staff in the context of the spread of COVID-19 and therefore by the consecutive postponement of two fact- finding visits in 2022; whereas there is a need of increased communication on national level about the fact-finding visits, in order to allow the citizens to see that the EP delegation is present on the ground and is looking into the issues which affect their lives;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Reiterates the importance of a continuous public debate on the Union’s fields of activity in order to ensure that citizens are correctly informed about the scope of the Union’s competences and the different levels of decision-making; reiterates its call, in this regard, for broader awareness raising campaigns in all the official languages of the EU, through the active involvement of communications services, to help increase citizens’ knowledge about their right to petition, as well as the scope of the Union’s responsibilities and the competences of the Committee on Petitions, with a view to reducing the number of inadmissible petitions and better responding to citizens’ concerns;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Points out that petitions constitute a unique opportunity for Parliament and the other EU institutions to directly connect with EU citizens and maintain a regular dialogue with them, particularly in cases where they are affected by the misapplication or breach of EU law; stresses the need for enhanced cooperation between the EU institutions and national, regional and local authorities on inquiries regarding the implementation of and compliance with EU law; believes that such cooperation is crucial to address and resolve citizens’ concerns over the application of EU law and that it contributes to strengthening the democratic legitimacy and accountability of the Union , as well as the participation of citizens and residents in the democratic processes; calls, therefore, for the participation of Member States’ representatives in committee meetings and for timely and detailed responses to requests for clarification or information sent by the Committee on Petitions to national authorities;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls the European dimension of the Committee on Petitions, which can be addressed by citizens from all 27 Member States on issues that fall within the scope of the EU Treaties and EU law; believes that the Committee has a special responsibility to uphold this European dimension and to demonstrate the added value of European unity and integration to citizens; is of the opinion that the treatment of petitions, as well as the organisation of fact-finding visits based on those petitions, should be geographically balanced and proportionate to the size of each Member State; believes, in this respect, that the European Parliament should increase its efforts to promote the role and work of its Committee on Petitions and raise awareness among all EU citizens of the ~~possibility to address a~~right to petition to the European Parliament; urges the political groups represented in the Committee on Petitions to seek consensus and balance with regard to selecting and treating petitions;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls the European dimension of the Committee on Petitions, which can be addressed by citizens from all 27 Member States on issues that fall within the scope of the EU Treaties and EU law; believes that the Committee has a special responsibility to uphold this European dimension and to demonstrate the added value of European unity and integration to citizens; is of the opinion that the treatment of petitions should be geographically balanced and proportionate to the ~~size~~population of each Member State; believes, in this respect, that the European Parliament should increase its efforts to promote the role and work of its Committee on Petitions and raise awareness among all EU citizens of the possibility to address a petition to the European Parliament; urges the political groups represented in the Committee on Petitions to seek consensus and balance with regard to selecting and treating petitions;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Finds it worrying that the Commission does not provide updated information on petitions related to infringement procedures and on their state of play; deplores, in this regard, the lack of systematic follow-up in the communication with the Committee on Petitions; reiterates its call on the Commission to regularly update the Committee on Petitions on developments in infringement proceedings and to ensure that the Committee on Petitions gets access to the relevant Commission documents on infringement procedures and legislative initiatives which were launched based on the petitions received, and on EU Pilot procedures; is of the opinion that increased transparency and regular feedback on the handling of ongoing infringement procedures by the Commission would be beneficial for the Committee’s follow-up of open petitions;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission to assess whether national authorities are taking the necessary measures to respond to citizens’ concerns as expressed in their petitions where cases of failure to comply with EU law occur, and to launch infringement procedures where necessary; believes that early action by the Commission in cases of breaches of EU law is crucial to prevent such breaches from becoming systemic in nature; believes that it is essential for the national authorities to be aware of the consequences where there is no redress to the breach to the Union law demonstrated by the petition after its presentation in the committee on Petitions;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Stresses the huge increase in the number of petitions submitted on external relations issues compared to previous years; notes that this could be explained by the geopolitical context in 2022 and in particular the Russian aggression against Ukraine; notes that the Committee on Petitions took account of citizen’s concerns about security, humanitarian aid, sanctions, security of food supply, military and financial support to Ukraine, conflict resolution, visa policy, energy supply and the integration of Ukraine in the EU, among other issues, putting a number of petitions dealing in particular with questions related to the situation of refugees, children’s rights and food supply on the agenda; underlines that particularly the committee on Foreign Affairs and the committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, should take note of those petitions for their deliberations concerning Ukraine;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Notes that environmental issues remained an area of serious concern for petitioners in 2022, with more than 20% of petitions dedicated to environmental issues; regrets that environmental rules are not always correctly implemented in the Member States, ~~as described in numerous petitions raising complaints about~~with some of them being under infringement procedures for the breach of the EU environmental legislation, as described in numerous petitions raising complaints about conservation of big carnivores, protection of forest areas, air quality, noise pollution, waste management and the deterioration of natural ecosystems, among other things; points to the work the Committee on Petitions continued to carry out in 2022 on the impact of mining activities on the environment, putting a number of petitions received on this topic on the agenda; draws attention to citizens’ concerns about the environmental impacts of renewable energy, especially relating to wind farms, and to the public hearing of 15 June 2022 on the social and environmental impacts of renewable energy;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Draws attention to the public hearing of the Committee on Petitions of 25 March 2022 on an EU Green Prosecutor which assessed the shortcomings and challenges in the enforcement of EU environmental criminal law on the basis of petitions received, as well as new tools to tackle environmental crime, including the possible creation of a European Green Prosecutor’s Office, and paved the way for the adoption of an opinion by the committee; points out in this regard the opinion of the Committee on Petitions on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the environment through criminal law and replacing Directive 2008/99/EC;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Stresses the importance of delivering on EU citizens’ expectations regarding the protection of the environment, and in particular of taking action in the field of illegal logging; underlines, in this regard, the follow-up actions by Parliament of Petitions Nos 0289/2015, 0625/2018, 1248/2019, 0408/2020, 0722/2020 and 1056/2021, raising concerns over increasing illegal logging and specific cases of practices that are in breach of EU environmental legislation in ~~some~~number of Member States; points, in this regard, to the European Parliament resolution of 23 June 2022 on illegal logging in the EU7 adopted on the basis of a motion for a resolution by the Committee on Petitions in addition to its question for oral answer and to a fact- finding visit concerning alleged breaches of EU environmental law; _________________ 7 OJ C 32, 27.1.2023, p. 20.

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Emphasizes that the petitions related to environment once again in 2022 made up the largest share of petitions received by the European Parliament expressing clear citizens' demands in the strict protection of unique ecosystems and species, including Europe's last old- growth and primary forests and invaluable wetlands and peatlands, as well as pointing out to the breaches of the EU legislation including the Water Framework Directive and the Birds and Habitats Directives and its provisions on protection of unique ecosystems and species including on the strict protection of large carnivores;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)

21b. Stresses moreover the importance of reflecting on EU citizens' demands with regards to significant number of petitions received in 2022 calling for improvement of animal welfare standards including in live animal transports, restrictions to fast-growth broilers, negative impact of cages and other welfare conditions of farmed animals and reminds the Commission in this regard to implement without delay its commitment in line with its Communication in response to the ECI 'End the Cage Age' and propose a legislative proposal on animal welfare;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Urges the Commission, again, together with the Member States, to ensure the correct implementation of EU legislation in the environmental field; calls on the Commission to apply effective measures in cases where the infringement of the EU environmental legislation persists;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Calls on the Commission to launch an infringement procedure without delay when the failure to implement EU environmental legislation has been detected and calls on the Commission to proceed with the ongoing infringements in reasonable timeframe in order to prevent further deterioration of the environment;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Stresses the important contribution made by the Committee on Petitions to the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, as revealed by its treatment of a number of petitions on this sensitive topic; points, in this regard, to the opinion of the Committee on Petitions entitled ‘Towards equal rights for people with disabilities’ adopted on 13 July 20228 ; recalls the annual workshop of 30 November 2022 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the Committee on Petitions held to focus on disability assessment, mutual recognition and the EU Disability Card which shed light on the obstacles reported in petitions by persons with disabilities when they move across the EU; recalls that the Commission should address the cases where the national authorities refuse to recognise the rights for social security benefits for disabled people, thus leaving them without necessary means to cover their basic needs ; _________________ 8 Opinion adopted as part of procedure 2022/2026(INI), concluding with the adoption of the European Parliament resolution of 13 December 2022 towards equal rights for persons with disabilities. OJ C 177, 17.5.2023, p. 13.

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Stresses that the ECI is an important instrument for active citizenship and public participation; underlines the Commission's commitments in its responses to valid ECIs in order not to undermine citizens' trust in the institute of ECI as the most significant instrument of participatory democracy; welcomes the discussion in several meetings of some unsuccessful ECIs as petitions, which gave citizens the opportunity to present their ideas and hold a constructive debate, as well as facilitating the participation of EU citizens in the democratic process of the Union; takes note of the significant number of new ECIs registered by the Commission in 2022, which shows that citizens are seizing the opportunity to use participatory instruments to have a say in policy and law-making processes; calls on the Commission to better engage with citizens and give adequate follow-up to successful ECIs;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/2047(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30a. Recalls that the petitioners should be able not only to take part in the deliberations on petitions which they have submitted, but also in the fact-finding visits which are based on those petitions; recalls in this regard the need to implement the possibility for petitioners to have their travel expenses reimbursed when they take part in a fact-finding visit of the Petitions committee;

2023/10/02
Committee: PETI

2023/0297(BUD)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Highlights the increasing number of severe and destructive natural disasters in Europe; underlines that due to climate change extreme weather events such as those observed in Romania and Italy resulting in emergencies are going to further intensify and multiply; urges the Union therefore to strengthen its efforts to tackle climate change both in the Union and globally; calls in this regard for the increase of the EUSF ceilings in the framework of the revision of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 2020/2093 and Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund;

2023/09/08
Committee: BUDG

2023/0297(BUD)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls for the increase of the maximum annual budget of the EUSF from €500 million to €1 billion, so that it can adequately respond to the intensification of natural disasters within the Union and provide tangible support to the Member States affected by it;

2023/09/08
Committee: BUDG

2023/0297(BUD)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Calls furthermore to introduce provisions during the revision of Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021-2027, allowing to decouple the EUSF allocations dedicated to the Member States from those dedicated to the third countries, so as to avoid the moral issue of the need to prioritise ones or the others due to the limited amount of Fund resources;

2023/09/08
Committee: BUDG

2023/0297(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the Commission to considerably reduce the time necessary for the treatment of the applications for the mobilisation of this Fund, so as to allow the relevant authorities to address the restauration needs as soon as possible, and consequently reduce the continuation of the damage spread.

2023/09/08
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Regrets the gradual decrease of the EU budget as a percentage of EU gross national income (GNI) and the excessive focus on capping overall spending at roughly 1 % of EU GNI; considers that this has made it difficult for the Union to deliver on its agreed ambitions and deprived it of the ability to respond to crises and emerging needs while ensuring democratic accountability; regrets that the Commission has been forced to resort to double counting methods and the re-use of existing funds, disguising the current situation of the EU budget;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Recalls its long-standing position that new policy priorities or tasks should be accompanied by fresh money; regrets for instance the redeployments made on CEF Digital to finance the Digital Europe Programme, as well as the planned earmarking and redeployment made on several lines of the Horizon Europe and Single Market Programmes in order to finance the creation of the European Net Zero Industry Academies to bring the necessary skills to workers and deploy learning programmes on net-zero technologies as part of the Net Zero Industry Act proposal;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. In the context of the European electoral year, reiterates the importance for direct funding for cities to implement EU programmes locally, as it will allow increased support for project applications, and gain higher visibility on EU priorities and EU programmes such as forthe fight against climate change, or to promote the Rule of Law;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Recalls the essential work carried out by decentralised agencies; considers that agencies must be properly staffed and adequately resourced so that they can perform their tasks; recalls that the tasks of agencies evolve in line with policy priorities and stresses that new responsibilities must be accompanied by corresponding levels of fresh resources;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Underlines that, as part of the STEP proposal designed to secure the open strategic autonomy of the Union, reduce dependence on non-EU countries and boost investment in key strategic sectors, additional appropriations are to be allocated to InvestEU and to the European Innovation Council (EIC); proposes, therefore, to increase appropriations for the InvestEU guarantee by EUR 1,05 billion and for the EIC by EUR 125 million in 2024 in line with its MFF interim report; proposes, furthermore, to make available again EUR 500 million in research decommitments under Article 15(3) of the Financial Regulation for the EIC under Horizon Europe, in addition to the EUR 95 million included in the DB; underlines that the STEP instrument will not be enough to ensure a common European response through the EU budget and to strengthen the Union’s open strategic autonomy, reducing dependencies in strategic sectors and financing investment in key related sectors; therefore, calls on the Commission to rapidly build upon the STEP instrument in order to create in the near future a robust Sovereignty Fund with a real financial capacity to achieve the objective of the Union’s open strategic autonomy;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Recalls that the recently agreed Chips Act has a significant impact on the budget under Heading 1, in particular for Horizon Europe and for Digital Europe; underlines that, in accordance with the political agreement on the Chips Act, an additional EUR 50 million is required to meet funding needs over the period 2024 to 2027; proposes, therefore, to cover 25 % of that shortfall by allocating EUR 12,5 million to the Chips Joint Undertaking in 2024; Moreover, underlines that financing for the Chips Act has just been agreed, making the Council cut especially difficult to understand as it goes against a clear Union priority.

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Underlines the ~~important~~essential role played by the decentralised agencies active under this heading; proposes to increase appropriations and staffing for the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity and the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators in line with their identified needs and expanding mandates;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Points, in this regard, to the flagship Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programmes, which play a vital role in supporting learning mobility opportunities, improving people’s skills and employability and promoting social inclusion; emphasises that both programmes aim to boost participation rates among people with fewer opportunities - an objective that is challenged by soaring inflation and the increased cost of living; calls also on Member States to reassess scholarship amounts in the light of the high inflation; is committed to ensuring that Erasmus+ does not become a de facto selective programme open only to those who can afford to participate and recalls that the Commission is required to put in place financial support measures for people with fewer opportunities; proposes, therefore, an increase of EUR 100 million for Erasmus+ and EUR 2 million for the ESC above DB specifically to ensure the programmes are accessible for all;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Underlines the importance of a stronger Health Union and enhanced preparedness in post-pandemic Europe, as well as the need to better understand and treat long COVID; highlights the vital role that the EU4Health programme plays in this respect, as well as in supporting actions to achieve universal health coverage across the Union, encompassing quality access to sexual and reproductive health services; proposes, therefore, to increase the programme’s appropriations by EUR 20 million above DB, including to help offset redeployments towards the European Health Emergency and Response Authority;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Is alarmed by the growing impact of natural disasters in Europe and its neighbourhood ~~and concerned about the EU’s ability to respond effectively~~; underlines that these disasters are often linked to climate change and are therefore likely to occur with greater frequency and intensity in the future; is concerned about the EU’s ability to respond effectively; increases, therefore, appropriations for the Union Civil Protection Mechanism by EUR 20 million above DB in order to ensure an effective response and protect human lives, to enhance the Union’s response capacity and better protect its citizens, including capacities for the mobilisation of medical units in emergencies, and underlines the need to invest in climate mitigation and adaptation for particularly vulnerable regions; ;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Underscores that soaring energy prices and inflation, following on from the COVID-19 pandemic, have had a significant impact on the cultural and creative sectors, which are often made up of small organisations and individual artists; emphasises the key role that Creative Europe plays in supporting European creations and Union values as well as the recovery of the cultural and creative sectors, fostering media literacy and combatting disinformation; recalls that free press and media pluralism have been under attack in the European Union and that the digital shift creates additional hurdles for a diverse field of media to flourish, which leads the Union to significantly strengthen its support for pluralistic media as the essential basis for a functioning democracy; proposes, therefore, to increase financing for the Creative Europe programme by EUR 25 million above DB, with EUR 15 million for the Culture strand and EUR 10 million for the Cross-Sectoral strand, which plays a vital role in tackling disinformation and promoting media literacy;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Takes note that, in 2024, EUR 4.8 billion of the ESF+ budget under shared management would be allocated on food aid and basic material assistance for the most deprived persons, thus going beyond the actual objective of 4% and highlighting the worrying increase in the number of deprived persons; calls on Member States to allocate more of their ESF+ funds to organisations providing the most vulnerable and deprived persons with assistance and food aid, especially in context where the inflation is high and they face increasing demands;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Recalls the ~~important~~essential role played by the decentralised agencies under Heading 2b; increases funding and staffing levels for the European Institute for Gender Equality, the European Labour Authority and the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation in line with the agencies’ identified needs; ~~proposes, furthermore, to reinforce the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in terms of financing and staff to allow the body to fulfil its duties and~~Underlines the importance of protecting the Union budget against fraud, corruption and other prohibited conduct, which adversely affect the Union and national budgets; stresses, in this regard, the central role that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) plays in protecting the Union’s financial interests, including with respect to the use of NextGenerationEU funds, and ensuring compliance with the rule of law; decides, therefore, to apply targeted reinforcements to the EPPO and increase its staffing levels to allow the body to fulfil its mandate, thereby reinforcing efforts against fraud, corruption, money laundering and organised crime; calls on all the Member States to join the EPPO and ensure a better protection of the Union’s financial interests; recalls the importance of compliance with the general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Underlines that the STEP proposal includes additional commitment appropriations in 2024 for the Innovation Fund under Heading 3 and a commensurate increase in the ceiling; considers that the proposed allocation for the Innovation Fund is not to the level of ambition needed but marks important progress towards its full budgetisation; proposes, therefore, to create a new budget line for the Innovation Fund, with appropriations of EUR 1,25 billion in line with its MFF interim report;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41

41. Stresses that the war has vastly increased pressure on asylum systems in the Member States and that the Union must provide longer-term support to the host Member States to address the ever increasing pressure on national asylum and migration systems, including at the external borders, due to a rise of applications for international protection in the Member States and the exceptional support of the EU to host refugees from Ukraine; stresses moreover that a strong budget is necessary for the reception of asylum seekers and the integration of refugees in their host societies, as well as for strengthening the effective returns of migrants with no right to stay in the EU, and other actions that need a coordinated response, such as resettlement or legal pathways; further stresses that a stronger AMIF budget is a key determinant for the successful implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum the adoption of which is expected before the end of this mandate; reiterates the need to facilitate the reception and integration of refugees from Ukraine, and to help face the recent migration trends via the Mediterranean route and anticipate the financial implications of a timely agreement on the Pact on Asylum and Migration (AMIF); decides, therefore, to reinforce the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund by EUR 110 million above DB in 2024 given AMIF’s positive contribution in providing immediate support to refugees;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 58

58. Reiterates its commitment to the international dimension of Erasmus+, ~~which~~in line with the need identified by the Commission to provide support to Ukrainian students and teaching staff, as well as to all students to cope with high inflation; recalls that Erasmus + enables learning mobility exchanges with partner countries around the world; increases, therefore, appropriations for the international dimension of Erasmus+ by EUR 10 million above DB, split evenly between the NDICI and IPA III; underlines that these appropriations will also help to flatten the heavily back loaded financial profile of Erasmus+, providing more consistent annual financing for a programme with stable year-on-year demand; calls also on Member States to reassess scholarship amounts in the light of the high inflation;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69

69. ~~Condemns~~Disagrees with the Commission’s horizontal approach to reduce the estimates of the institutions in order to adhere to the principle of stable staffing, and to a maximum increase of 2 % for non-salary related expenditure, despite the inflationary pressures for a second year in a row and irrespective of new tasks given to the institutions by the Commission and the co- legislators;

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0264(BUD)

Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Vlad GHEORGHE, Valérie HAYER, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 72 – point c

(c) increase the establishment plans above the DB with the corresponding appropriations in line with the institutions’ requests for the European Data Protection Supervisor and European Data Protection Board to enable them to face new responsibilities and partially in line with the institutions’ requests for the European Committee of the Regions to enhance cybersecurity capabilities and the European External Action Service to enhance primarily cybersecurity and the fight against disinformation, and also to implement the Strategic Compass, and strengthen the crisis response centre~~r and enhance cybersecurity and the fight against disinformation~~.

2023/09/29
Committee: BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Valérie HAYER, Vlad GHEORGHE, Moritz KÖRNER

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2

(2) Since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the Union, its Member States and European financial institutions have mobilised unprecedented support to Ukraine’s economic, social and financial resilience, combining support from the Union budget, including the exceptional macro-financial assistance and support from the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, fully or partially guaranteed by the Union budget, as well as further financial support by Member States. In addition to this comes the continuous support provided by the authorities, communities and volunteers’ groups within the Member States in relation to Ukrainian war refugees.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10) Given that as long as the Russian war in Ukraine lasts, tax revenues collected by the Ukrainian government will continue to be largely allocated to the war effort, and that a residual gap remains in Ukraine’s financing needs for at least until 2027, significant and flexible support to the Ukrainian government to maintain its functions as well as to support the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of the country has to be mobilised quickly.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10) Given that a residual gap remains in Ukraine’s financing needs for at least until 2027, flexible support to the Ukrainian government to maintain its functions and guarantee basic public services, as well as to support the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of the country has to be mobilised.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Valérie HAYER, Vlad GHEORGHE, Moritz KÖRNER

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11

(11) Given the damage from Russia’s war of aggression to the Ukrainian economy, society and infrastructure, the support to the country to maintain its functions, as well as short relief, fast recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of Ukraine will require comprehensive support to rebuild the economy, to create the foundations of a free and prosperous country with a strong market economy, anchored in European values, well integrated into the European and global economy, and progressing well on its path of accession to the European Union.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11

(11) Given the damage from Russia’s war of aggression to the Ukrainian economy, society and infrastructure, the support to the country to maintain its functions, as well as short relief, fast recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of Ukraine will require comprehensive support to rebuild the economy, to create the foundations of a free and prosperous country, anchored in European values, well integrated into the European and global economy, and progressing wactivelly on its path of accession to the European Union.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Olivier CHASTEL

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13

(13) The Ukraine Facility should be underpinned by a coherent and prioritised plan for reconstruction (the ‘Ukraine Plan’), prepared by the Government of Ukraine, with the consultation of Verkhovna Rada and representatives of civil society organisations, providing a structured and predictable framework for the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of Ukraine, clearly articulated with Union accession requirements.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17

(17) The Facility should contribute to closing the funding gap of Ukraine until 2027, by providing grants and highly concessional financial relief in a predictable, continuous, orderly and timely manner. ~~The assistance should support macro-financial stability in Ukraine, and ease Ukraine’s external financing constraints.~~ Such support should be provided based on concrete reforms and reconstruction projects with clear milestones and timetables. The assistance should support macro-financial stability in Ukraine, and ease Ukraine’s external financing constraints. In the interest of ensuring Ukraine’s debt sustainability, preference should be given, to the extent possible, to grants. Further, the development and the outlook of the debt situation needs to be closely monitored to adapt and optimise the ratio between loans and grants, to guarantee the availability of the resources under this Facility until 2027.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Valérie HAYER, Vlad GHEORGHE, Moritz KÖRNER

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19

(19) The Facility should tie the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation closely to the Union perspective, by linking financial support to the fulfilment of reforms and investments in view of accession without unduly restricting access to essential financial aid in times of war.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

2023/0200(COD)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20

(20) The medium-term perspective provided by the Ukraine Plan through a single instrument should also encourage Ukraine to channel investments and reforms toward the transition to a green, digital and inclusive economy, and help mobilise like-minded donors for multiannual contributions to support Ukraine, as well as to mobilise private investments.

2023/09/07
Committee: AFET BUDG

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Stresses that citizens have identified at the Conference that the technological revolution and geopolitical upheaval pose new transnational challenges which are to be addressed; points out that for citizens to understand the added value of the Union, the European institutions need to be empowered to act more effectively;

2022/10/26
Committee: PETI

29. Stresses that, while crisis response measures are necessary and useful, cohesion policy is not a crisis response tool; is concerned that cohesion policy is increasingly being used to reinforce other policies and to make up for shortcomings in budgetary flexibility or crisis response mechanisms in the MFF; emphasises that cohesion policy is one of the priorities of the Union, has long-term investment objectives linked to the EU’s strategic agenda, in particular the European Green Deal and the Digital Agenda, and should not be used to replenish funding for other policies; calls, therefore, for cohesion funding levels to be preserved in the budget along with common agricultural policy;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

31. Considers that the special instruments are constrained both by scarcity of resources and rigidity of design, hampering their ability to serve as effective crisis response tools; stresses, therefore, that the revision is imperative in broadening the potential of the existing flexibility provisions; c~~riticises in particular the Council’s decision, despite Parliament’s warnings, to merge~~onsiders that the merging of the Emergency Aid Reserve (EAR) and the EUSF in the current MFF has led to shortcomings, while reducing the overall funding available;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Eva Maria POPTCHEVA, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Calls for annual appropriations for the Flexibility Instrument to be increased from EUR 915 million to EUR 2 billion; calls, in addition, for the SEAR to be split into two strands – the EAR and the EUSF – and for annual appropriations to be increased from EUR 1.2 billion for the SEAR overall to EUR 1 billion for each strand in 2018 prices; considers that this will provide vital additional resources to respond to current and emerging needs;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Eva Maria POPTCHEVA, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Insists that, beyond a reinforcement of the existing special instruments, it is necessary to establish a permanent fiscal capacity for the Euro Area and common crisis instrument as an additional permanent special instrument over and above the MFF ceilings so that the EU budget can better adapt and quickly react to crises and their social and economic effects;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Eva Maria POPTCHEVA, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Insists that decommitted appropriations ~~should remain in the budge~~, fines not used for EU programmes top-ups in 2021-2027 and penalties should accrue to the crisis instrument so as to provide additional budgetary flexibility; underlines the need for corresponding changes to the Financial Regulation;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37

37. Underlines that many of the shortcomings and inadequacies in the current MFF are inherent in its logic and design, where predictability of spending drives decisions on structure and amounts and curbs flexibility; regrets the high tensions the MFF negotiations trigger due to its nature;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Eva Maria POPTCHEVA, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)

37 a. Regrets the decrease of the EU budget in terms of percentage to the EU GDP over the last decades; considers that capping the EU budget at roughly 1% of the EU GDP as a rule impedes the EU from fulfilling its increasing tasks; calls on the Member States to take decisions based on needs instead of dogmas;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Eva Maria POPTCHEVA, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39

39. Deplores, however, the repeated use of off-budget instruments, in particular under Article 122 TFEU, which runs counter to citizens’ interests, as this frustrates oversight, accountability and the transparency of public spending; considers, in that regard, than an annual plenary debate in Parliament on all EU finances, including off-budget instruments, will be an important step towards enhancing transparency and accountability;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Eva Maria POPTCHEVA, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40

40. Stresses, in this context, that the trend towards increased use of external assigned revenue is not a satisfactory solution as it weakens the role of the budgetary authority (Parliament and the Council), thereby negatively impacting democratic scrutiny and reducing the transparency of the EU’s finances; demands legally sound solutions that allow for targeted, one-off or needs-based top- ups that display the same advantages as e~~armark~~xternal assigned revenue (i.e. not counted against the ceilings), but that are at the same time subject to full control of the budgetary authority; reminds its strong commitment to the universality principle;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2046(INI)

Valérie HAYER, Fabienne KELLER, Martin HOJSÍK, Olivier CHASTEL, Vlad GHEORGHE, Eva Maria POPTCHEVA, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Charles GOERENS, Moritz KÖRNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42

42. Calls on the Commission, furthermore, to begin a longer-term reflection on the EU budget post-2027 in the light of evolving spending needs and building on the work of the Conference on the Future of Europe with respect to own resources and the budget; insists that the successor to the current MFF be equipped to deal fully and flexibly with a range of policy priorities and spending needs and to ensure resilience in the event of crises; asks the Commission to review the whole architecture of the MFF, including through an assessment of the suitability of a long-term programming framework for all EU programmes and of the duration of programming periods of seven years;

2022/10/14
Committee: BUDG

2022/2032(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Fabienne KELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses the key role of cohesion policy in fostering economic, social and territorial convergence across the EU; expresses concern, however, about persistent inequalities, socio-economic disparities and uneven demographic decline, with many less developed regions falling behind and getting caught in a ‘development trap’ in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; highlights that the current influx of Ukrainian refugees disproportionately affects the bordering Member States, leading to the risk of further deepening the divide in socio- economic disparities among Member States;

2022/05/25
Committee: BUDG

2022/2032(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Fabienne KELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Regrets that the time-limited nature of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) has prompted Member States to prioritise the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plans; highlights the need to ensure complementarities and synergies between cohesion policy, the RRF and other policy instruments, to ensure maximum impact; underlines that technical assistance remains crucial for the implementation of cohesion funds; calls therefore on the Commission to increase its presence on the ground and prioritise technical assistance in cases where the project implementation is delayed;

2022/05/25
Committee: BUDG

2022/2032(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Fabienne KELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Highlights that cohesion policy spending is still subject to irregular activities, linked to corruption and fraud; calls on the Commission to reinforce financial and personnel resources of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), in order to complete the investigations and the recovery of misused funds;

2022/05/25
Committee: BUDG

2022/2032(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Olivier CHASTEL, Martin HOJSÍK, Fabienne KELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes the flexibility introduced through the Cohesion’s Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE) proposals to help Member States deal with the impact of the war in Ukraine, following the model of the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiatives, CRII and CRII+; underlines, however, that cohesion policy funding must primarily serve its long-term policy objectives and not become a source of financing to make up for shortcomings in budgetary flexibility or crisis response mechanisms within the MFF.; calls therefore on the Commission to establish, as a matter of urgency, a dedicated new fund for the financial assistance to the responsible authorities and NGOs dealing with Ukrainian refugees in the EU Member States, with a specific focus on the Member States absorbing the biggest part of the refugees flow, such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia; highlights that a co- financing rate of 100% should be maintained for the support to the hosting entities and families, so as to alleviate the burden for the households hosting the refugees;

2022/05/25
Committee: BUDG

2022/2026(INI)

Ulrike MÜLLER, Jordi CAÑAS, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Vlad GHEORGHE, Jana TOOM

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. urges the Commission, especially in view of the next European elections in 2024, to work with Member States in the European Cooperation Network on Elections to guarantee the democratic rights of people with disabilities, including people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, by ensuring that voting procedures, materials and facilities are easy to access and participation in public and political life are actively promoted;

2022/06/02
Committee: PETI

2022/2026(INI)

Ulrike MÜLLER, Jordi CAÑAS, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Vlad GHEORGHE, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls, in this respect, that the COVID-19 crisis has fostered remote work, which could provide for wider access to employment for PwD, and urges the Member States to take serious measures to tackle unemployment and the payment gap in particular for women with disabilities11 ; _________________ 11 Petitions Nos 0608/2020, 1139/2021, 0226/21 and 0070/2022.

2022/06/02
Committee: PETI

2022/2026(INI)

Ulrike MÜLLER, Jordi CAÑAS, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Vlad GHEORGHE, Jana TOOM, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. calls on those Member States which still segregate students to provide sufficient financial and specialized support for inclusive education in schools, third level education and in programmes (including Erasmus+, Discover EU & European Solidarity Corps);

2022/06/02
Committee: PETI

2022/2026(INI)

Ulrike MÜLLER, Jordi CAÑAS, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Vlad GHEORGHE, Jana TOOM, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Highlights that PwD are exposed to discrimination most frequently, in particular those with intellectual, psychosocial and mental disabilities, and women and girls, migrants and members of the LGBTIQ community with disabilities; calls, in this respect, for anti-discrimination legislation to protect the rights of PwD and for the horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive to be unblocked in the Council14 and ensure adequate follow-up of the European Framework for Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing and improve the EU Compass for Action on Mental wellbeing; _________________ 14 Petitions Nos 0164/2020 and 0226/2021.

2022/06/02
Committee: PETI

2022/2026(INI)

Ulrike MÜLLER, Jordi CAÑAS, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Vlad GHEORGHE, Jana TOOM, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Stresses the need to harmonise the recognition of disability status among the Member States; calls on the Commission to extend the scope of the EU disability card to secure freedom of movement for people with disabilities;

2022/06/02
Committee: PETI

2022/2026(INI)

Ulrike MÜLLER, Jordi CAÑAS, Maite PAGAZAURTUNDÚA, Vlad GHEORGHE, Jana TOOM, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Recalls that the obligations under the CRPD and the recommendations of the CRPD Committee are also binding on all EU institutions, which are responsible for ensuring accessibility and non- discrimination, including for EU staff with disabilities and carers of PwD.; furthermore urges EU institutions to take the necessary measures to guarantee that people with disabilities can follow interpretation and easily access all online documents and underlines that in particular the Petitions Portal should be more accessible;

2022/06/02
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas in 2021, the number of users supporting one or more petitions on Parliament’s Petitions Web Portal was 209 272, which represents a very considerable increase from the 48 882 users recorded in 2020; whereas the number of clicks in support of petitions also increased in 2021, reaching a total of 217 876 (up from 55 129 in 2020); whereas petition No 0549/2021 by Adriana Muresan, bearing 22735signatures, on the alleged poor safety conditions in car parks for trucks and commercial vehicles on the European road network represents a record number of co-signatures for a petition in 2021;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas, however, the overall number of petitions remains modest in relation to the total population of the EU, revealing that efforts still need to be stepped up to increase citizens’ awareness about their right to petition; and increase the geographical representation of petitions submitted per Member State; whereas, in exercising the right to petition, citizens expect that the EU institutions will provide added value in finding a solution to their problems;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas the right to petition offers Parliament the opportunity to enhance its responsiveness to complaints and concerns relating to the respect for EU fundamental rights and compliance with EU legislation in the Member States; whereas petitions are therefore a useful source of information on instances of misapplication or breaches of EU law and, thus, enable Parliament and other EU institutions to assess the transposition and application of EU law and its impact on the rights of EU citizens and residents; whereas the submitted petitions should indicate to the EU institutions the areas where major effort and action on the EU level is needed for the transposition and application of the EU law;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas Parliament has long been at the forefront of the development of the petitions process internationally and has the most open and transparent petitions process in Europe, allowing petitioners to participate fully in its activities; whereas participation of petitioners in the official missions organised by the Parliament remains restricted due to financing constraints;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital N

N. whereas the main subjects of concern raised in petitions submitted in 2021 related to fundamental rights (in particular the impact of COVID-19 emergency measures on the rule of law and democracy, as well on the freedom of movement and the right to work), health (notably questions on the public health crisis resulting from the persistence of the pandemic, ranging from the protection of citizens’ health, including vaccination policy, to the use, implementation and application of the EU Digital COVID Certificate in the Member States and the alleged discrimination between vaccinated and non-vaccinated persons), the environment (mostly concerning mining activities and their impact on the environment, illegal logging, violence against environmental whistle-blowers, conservation of bears and wolves as legally protected species, illicit waste disposal, nuclear safety, air pollution and the deterioration of natural ecosystems), minority rights and discrimination (including the rights of national or linguistic minorities), education (in particular questions related to discriminatory access to education or contested national reforms of the law on education), lack of safety in truck parking areas, the situation of EU students in the UK after the UK’s withdrawal from Erasmus+, and employment (in particular questions relating to national treatment of work contracts), in addition to many other areas of activity;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Emphasises the fundamental role of the Committee on Petitions in protecting and promoting the rights of EU citizens and residents by ensuring that petitioners’ concerns and complaints are examined in a timely and effective manner, that the petitioners are informed about the actions and progress done on their petitions, and that they are resolved, wherever possible, through an open, democratic and transparent petitions process;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Reiterates the importance of a continuous public debate on the Union’s field of activity in order to ensure that citizens are correctly informed about the scope of the Union’s competences and the different levels of decision-making; calls, in this regard, for broader awareness raising campaigns, through the active involvement of communications services, to help increase citizens’ knowledge about their right to petition, as well as the scope of the Union’s responsibilities, with a view to reducing the number of inadmissible petitions and better responding to citizens’ concerns; underlines that additional efforts need to be done to raise awareness on the right to petitions in those EU Member States from where proportionately less petitions are sent;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Takes note that, along with fundamental rights and environment, health was one of the main areas of concern for petitioners in 2021, while recognising that health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic were at the centre of the Committee on Petitions’ work; emphasises the attention paid by the Committee on Petitions to the consequences of COVID-19 in terms of internal market policy (in particular questions relating to national travel restrictions and their impact on the freedom of movement of persons within and outside the EU); points, in this regard, to the public hearing held by the Committee on Petitions jointly with the Committee on Transport and Tourism on 14 July 2021 entitled ‘How to improve air passenger rights during the COVID-19 crisis?’ Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 on 14 July 2021, in order to assess how effectively the Flight Compensation Regulation6 has been applied during the COVID-19 pandemic and if the EU legal framework on passenger rights was adequate to deal with such a crisis; _________________ 6 Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights. OJ L 46, 17.2.2004, p. 1.

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Notes that environmental issues remained an area of serious concern for petitioners in 2021; regrets that environmental rules are not always correctly implemented in the Member States, as described in numerous petitions raising complaints about air pollution, conservation status of large carnivores, illegal logging, attacks on environmental activists, illicit plastic waste disposal, the deterioration of natural ecosystems, nuclear safety and the alteration of biodiversity; points to the important work carried out by the Committee on Petitions to highlight the impact of mining activities on the environment, as demonstrated by the number of petitions received on this topic; draws attention to the public hearing of 2 December 2021 on the environmental and social impacts of mining activity in the EU, held by the Committee on Petitions in association with the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, in order to acquire scientific knowledge on various aspects including mining legislation, safety standards, the social and environmental impacts of mines, environmental citizenship, public participation and transparency in the mining sector; stresses that the Commission should investigate as a matter of priority the cases of incorrect transposition and implementation of EU environmental legislation in order to efficiently address the concerns of the petitioners;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13 a. Stresses that illicit practices denounced in the petitions such as disposing the waste in illegal landfills, illegal logging and illegal timber trade, destruction of ecosystems, or illicit killing and trafficking of species protected under EU Habitats Directive constitute serious breaches of the EU law and amount to environmental crimes; highlights in this regard that the Commission should strengthen the tools to fight the environmental crime on the EU level to efficiently investigate and prosecute such crimes and bring the offenders to justice;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Underlines the work of the Committee on Petitions in connection with petitions relating to alleged poor safety conditions in parking facilities for trucks and commercial vehicles on the European road network, in relation to attacks on carriers in truck parking areas; points, in this regard, to the motion for a resolution adopted by the Committee on Petitions on 6 October 2021 on the safety of truck parking lots in the EU (2021/2918(RSP))9 ; expects the Commission to follow-up on this resolution with concrete actions and strengthen the monitoring of safety conditions in truck parking areas; _________________ 9 Adopted by Parliament as a resolution on 25 November 2021. OJ C 224, 8.6.2022, p. 95.

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2024(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22 a. Underlines that additional communication efforts should be guaranteed to increase the visibility of the activities of the Committee on Petitions in all the Member States of the EU, especially of its official missions;

2022/09/30
Committee: PETI

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the rules and requirements regarding active mobility, new forms of mobility and micro-mobility are still underdeveloped or vary between Member States; ; whereas active mobility does not only represent transport of people or goods based on human physical activity but also includes transport of people or goods that is powered by a combination of an electric motor and human power, such as e-bikes;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

Ha. whereas the road safety objectives have only got limited improvements in the EU over the past years; whereas additional efforts on the level of the EU and on the national level are needed to achieve the EU’s goal enshrined in Vision Zero objectives;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Ondřej KOVAŘÍK

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

Ja. whereas there is an urgent investment need to support safe infrastructure for cycling and micro- mobility to further promote clean mobility modes;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for better accessibility and connectivity between urban, peri-urban and rural areas, as well as multimodal passenger hubs, and further calls for unhindered access to smart, sustainable and affordable transport to be guaranteed for all;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Ondřej KOVAŘÍK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Urges the Commission to propose a multimodal package in order to ensure an integrated approach of transport services, which includes an integrated door-to-door mobility modes for passengers and freight; stresses that such package should include safety control measures and training requirements for transport operators;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Ondřej KOVAŘÍK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses its concern at the shortcomings in the regulation of micro- mobility in many Member States, as it does not facilitate this type of transportation and poses risks for people’s safety; invites the Commission, in this context, to collaborate with the Member States to draw up common road-safety guidelines and recommendations for micro-mobility such as speed limits, helmet requirements, safety standards for cycling infrastructure or training; encourages the Member States to proceed with the adaptation of their national legislation and to launch information campaigns and integrated mobility solutions including integrated ticketing;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls further on the Commission to harmonise technical standards and requirements regarding types of micro- mobility transport and its infrastructure; highlights in this regard that such standards should serve accessibility for the first and last mile, enabling citizens to reach or travel from destinations that are underserved by public transport;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Ondřej KOVAŘÍK

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2 a (new)

Highlights that urban infrastructure planning should be developed in accordance with EU standards on road safety, including standards for safety of cycling infrastructure and other active mobility modes (pedestrian and cycling tracks, lanes, bridges, tunnels, parking areas and fast recharging points for light means of transport batteries);

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Considers that border cities should have the capacity to provide efficient and seamless cross-border daily transport while addressing missing links and bottlenecks, and ensuring better and more sustainable connectivity between European capitals and major cities; highlights, in this regard, that high-speed train services should be better deployed, particularly in the areas where such services are currently lacking;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Ondřej KOVAŘÍK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14a. Stresses the need for a continuous monitoring by the Commission of various factors determining the quality of urban transport services so as to evaluate the implementation of the current relevant legislation and address its shortcomings; underlines in this regard that national local authorities need to regularly share with the Commission statistical information on public transport provision, air quality, urban mobility accidents, passenger flows, commuting patterns, data about cycling, car sharing and other developing mobility modes;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Highlights that AI and digitalisation improve efficiency, safety and affordability, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions; stresses that AI applied to urban transport should serve the goals of traffic congestion relief, major service predictability and customer satisfaction;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Calls on the Commission to support regional and local authorities in providing secure bicycle parking at train stations, airports, maritime ports. Stresses that bicycle parking areas should have spaces dedicated to e-bikes including e- cargo bikes, and provide charging point and where possible repair points;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Highlights that UVARs should be accompanied by impact assessments, as well as consultation, information and notification of the involved economic factors; stresses that local authorities should notify the Commission before introducing UVARs;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Vlad GHEORGHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Ondřej KOVAŘÍK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Highlights the increasing potential of air mobility in urban areas, particularly for the potential use of drones by wide public; underlines that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have to be considered as a part of mobility framework and therefore their safety and security should be regulated, including a.o. to avoid noise and reduce privacy concerns;

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/2023(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)

22b. Urges the Commission and the Member States to increase research and investments in smart mobility, upskilling and reskilling, in order to contribute to the development of innovative transport solutions, low-emissions mobility solutions, modal shift and alternative fuels.

2022/10/18
Committee: TRAN

2022/0398(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point h – point i

(i) concealing funds, including moving, transfering, altering, using, accessing, dealing with, selling, hiring or mortgaging funds or economic resources owned, held, or controlled by a designated person, entity or body, which should be frozen in accordance with a Union restrictive measure, ~~by the transfer of those funds, or economic resources to a third~~in any way that would result in any change in their volume, amount, location, ownership, possession, character, destination or any other change that would enable the funds to be used, including paortyfolio management;

2023/05/16
Committee: BUDG

2022/0398(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 3 a (new)

Article3a Definition of public official For the purposes of this Directive, ‘public official’ means: (a) a Union official or a national official, including any national official of another Member State and any national official of a third country: (i) ‘Union official’ means a person who is: — an official or other servant engaged under contract by the Union within the meaning of the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union laid down in Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (16) (the ‘Staff Regulations’), or — seconded to the Union by a Member State or by any public or private body, who carries out functions equivalent to those performed by Union officials or other servants; (ii) ‘national official’ shall be understood by reference to the definition of ‘official’ or ‘public official’ in the national law of the Member State or third country in which the person in question carries out his or her functions. The term ‘national official’ shall include any person holding an executive, administrative or judicial office at national, regional or local level. Any person holding a legislative office at national, regional or local level shall be assimilated to a national official; (b) any other person assigned and exercising a public service function involving the execution of Union restrictive measures in Member States or third countries.’

2023/05/16
Committee: BUDG

2022/0398(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 5

(5) Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that natural persons who have committed the offences referred to in Articles 3 and 4 may be subject to additional penalties. Those additional penalties shall include ~~fines~~maximum fines of at least EUR 10 000 000 when these offences involve funds or economic resources of a value of at least EUR 100 000.

2023/05/16
Committee: BUDG

2022/0347(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 4

(4) The Zero Pollution Action Plan also sets out a vision for the year 2050, where air pollution is reduced to levels no longer considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems. To this end, a staged approach towards setting current and future EU air quality standards should be pursued, establishing intermediate air quality standards for the year 2030 and beyond, and ~~developing a perspective for~~ensuring alignment with the WHO Air Quality Guidelines as soon as possible and at the latest by the year 2050 at the latest based on a regular review mechanism to take into account the latest scientific understanding. Given the links between pollution reduction and decarbonisation, the long- term objective to achieve the zero pollution ambition should be pursued hand in hand with reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as set by Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council42 . __________________ 42 Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1–17).

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Recital 7

(7) The Commission should regularly review the scientific evidence related to pollutants, their effects on human health and the environment and technological development. Based on the review, the Commission should assess whether applicable air quality standards are still appropriate to achieve the objectives of this Directive. The first review should be carried out by 31/12/2028 to assess whether air quality standards need to be updated based on the latest scientific information. The assessment should take into account the latest scientific knowledge on pollutants of emerging concerns and assess the opportunity to include air quality standards on those pollutants in the regulation.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Recital 15

(15) In order to protect human health and the environment as a whole, it is particularly important to combat emissions of pollutants at source and to identify and implement the most effective emission reduction measures at local, national and Union level , in particular when it comes to emissions from agriculture, industries, transport and energy generation . Therefore, emissions of harmful air pollutants should be avoided, prevented or reduced and appropriate standards set for ambient air quality taking into account relevant World Health Organization standards, guidelines and programmes. Member States should collect data on measures and technologies to combat emissions of harmful air pollutants and make available information on best practices.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Recital 15 a (new)

(15a) The Commission should assist Member States in carrying out regular transport infrastructure quality checks to identify the areas in need of decongestion and infrastructure optimisation, and take appropriate measures in these areas i.e. with the use of available EU funding opportunities;

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Recital 25 a (new)

(25a) Air quality plans should include provisions for the reduction of voluntary idling of vehicles in order to reduce the emissions related to such idling.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 33

(33) Action plans should be drawn up indicating the measures to be taken in the short term where there is a risk of an exceedance of one or more alert thresholds in order to reduce that risk and to limit its duration. ~~When the risk applies to one or more limit values or target values, Member States may, where appropriate, draw up such short-term action plans~~Short-term action plans should take into account best practice recommendations from the Commission as referred to in Article 20.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 35

(35) It is necessary for the Member States and the Commission to collect, exchange and disseminate air quality information in order to understand better the impacts of air pollution and develop appropriate policies. Up-to-date information on concentrations of all regulated pollutants in ambient air as well as air quality plans and short-term action plans should also be readily available to the public. In order for such information to be consistent and reliable, it is essential that Member States have sufficient air quality monitoring infrastructure deployed across the cities and towns. Where such infrastructure is lacking, it should be put in place at the earliest possibility, including with the use of the EU funding opportunities.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Recital 35

(35) It is necessary for the Member States and the Commission to collect, exchange and disseminate air quality information in order to understand better the impacts of air pollution and develop appropriate policies. Up-to-date information on concentrations of all regulated pollutants in ambient air as well as air quality plans and short-term action plans should also be readily available to the public. In order for such information to be consistent and reliable, it is essential that Member States have sufficient air quality monitoring infrastructure deployed across the cities and towns.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 3

3. Furthermore, this Directive contributes to achieving: a) the Union’s pollution-reduction, biodiversity and ecosystem objectives in accordance with the 8th Environment Action Programme, as set out in Decision (EU) 2022/591 of the European Parliament and of the Council55 . b) enhanced synergies between the Union's air quality policy and other relevant Union policies, in particular climate and energy policies. __________________ 55 Decision (EU) 2022/591 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 April 2022 on a General Union Environment Action Programme to 2030 (OJ L 114, 12.4.2022, p. 22).

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4

4. measures ensuring that the information on ambient air quality ~~is made available to the public~~and the sources of air pollutants is made available to the public, as well as relevant mitigation measures taken to reduce air pollution;

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE

Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point 3

(3) ‘level’ means the measured or modelled concentration of a pollutant in ambient air or the deposition thereof on surfaces in a given time;

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)

(aa) provision of hourly updated air quality index and other related and relevant health information;

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d

(d) ensuring the accuracy of air quality modelling applications;

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 2

2. In zones in which ozone levels are below the ozone target value Member States shall take necessary measures to maintain those levels below the ozone target value and ~~endeavo~~make sure to attain the long-term objectives specified in Section 2 of Annex I , in so far as factors including the transboundary nature of ozone pollution and meteorological conditions so permit, and provided that any necessary measures do not entail a disproportionate cost.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2

Member States shall consider including measures referred to in Article 20(2) and shall include specific measures aiming at the protection of sensitive population and vulnerable groups , including children in their air quality plans .

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2 a (new)

Member States shall consider adopting measures to address and reduce voluntary engine idling, so as to reduce the impact of idling-related emissions which is particularly damaging in the areas of schools, hospitals and densely populated areas.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 2

When preparing air quality plans, Member States shall ensure that stakeholders whose activities contribute to the exceedance situation are encouraged to propose measures they are able to take to help end the exceedances and that non- governmental organisations, such as environmental organisations, consumer organisations, organisations representing the interests of sensitive population and vulnerable groups, other relevant health- care bodies and the relevant industrial federations are allowed to take part in those consultations. Member States shall make sure that relevant stakeholders and citizens are duly informed about the specific sources and air pollutants affecting air quality and the relevant air pollution mitigation measures that exist and are available on the market.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 20 – paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Within one year after the entry into force of this directive, the Commission shall publish examples of best practice actions to take within transport, residential and industrial sectors for the drawing-up of short-term action plans.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)

(da) air pollution sources and air pollutants affecting air quality

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – point d b (new)

(db) best practice mitigation measures and technologies available to reduce pollutant emissions

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Article 22 – paragraph 2

2. Member States shall establish an air quality index covering sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and ozone, and make itdata available in a coherent and easily understandable manner through a public source providing an hourly update. TIn order to ensure harmonized and comparable data across Europe, the air quality index shall ~~consider the~~be aligned with the latest recommendations by the WHO and build on the air quality indices at European scale provided by the European Environmental Agency.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE

Proposal for a directive
Annex IV – Part C – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) in general, the sampling point inlet shall be between 0,5 m (the breathing zone) and 4 m above the ground. Higher siting ~~(up to 8m)~~ may be appropriate if the sampling point is representative of a large area (a background location) or in other specific circumstances and any derogations shall be fully documented;

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Annex VIII – Part B – point 2 – point e

(e) measures to encourage a shift towards less polluting forms of transport and to support changes in mobility behaviour;

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0347(COD)

Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN, Vlad GHEORGHE, Nicola DANTI

Proposal for a directive
Annex VIII – Part B – point 2 – point i a (new)

(ia) measures by health authorities to encourage behavioural changes.

2023/03/28
Committee: TRAN

2022/0212(BUD)

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. Whereas the Union transport sector is essential for the Union’s economic, social and environmental development and its sustainability, and it ensures the territorial accessibility and connectivity of all regions of the Union, with particular attention for peripheral, rural, insular and outermost regions and other disadvantaged areas;

2022/07/20
Committee: TRAN

2022/0212(BUD)

Dominique RIQUET, Vlad GHEORGHE

Draft opinion
Recital B

B. Whereas transport is key to achieving climate neutrality by 2050; whereas more investment is needed to accelerate the shift to sustainable and smart mobility in line with the Green Deal, including the initiatives under the ‘Fit- for-55’ package and the REPowerEU Plan;

2022/07/20
Committee: TRAN

2022/0212(BUD)

Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)

D a. Whereas high inflation rates might hamper the financial soundness of infrastructure projects for project promoters and transport operators due to unexpected increases of costs;

2022/07/20
Committee: TRAN

2022/0212(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Calls on the Commission and Member States to use the available financial tools in a comprehensive~~Highlights that appropriate funding for transport projects will be instrumental in boosting EU recovery and advancing towards the green and digital transition; calls on the Commission and Member States to use the available financial tools - CEF, RRF, Cohesion Fund, InvestEU, ERDF - in an articulate and complementary way to maximise their effect on recovery while ensuring adequate long-term funding of Union transport projects;

2022/07/20
Committee: TRAN

2022/0212(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Reiterates the crucial role of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in fostering the development and timely completion of a high performance trans- European network that is sustainable and interconnected; acknowledges the slight increase in the CEF-transport budget for 2023 compared to 2022 although notes that the increase is impaired by the current economic situation; underlines that the CEF should also support actions related to safe and secure infrastructure ~~and~~, including truck parking areas, and sustainable mobility;

2022/07/20
Committee: TRAN

2022/0212(BUD)