45 Amendments of Nikola BARTŮŠEK related to 2024/2030(DEC)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023, together with the institutions’ replies , and to the Court of Auditors’ special reports,
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its satisfaction that the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has declared the transactions underlying the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), the European Training Foundation (ETF), and the European Labour Authority (ELA) annual accounts for the financial year 2023 to be overall legal and regular, and that their financial position as at 31 December 2023 is fairly representedDenounces that the multiplication of EU agencies, including those in the fields of employment and social affairs, goes against the principle of proportionality established in the Treaty on European Union;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Emphasises that even a 2% materiality threshold can represent a significant financial amount, given the size of the General budget and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including in headings related to employment and social matters; therefore, requests an analysis of the feasibility of applying a lower materiality threshold; warns that maintaining the 2% threshold without significant reduction undermines accountability and transparency; recommends that the report be signed by a physical person, in accordance with sound auditing practices, to ensure personal accountability and to enable European Parliament committees, including the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, to properly hold individuals accountable for the findings presented;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the five agencies’ continued and growing cooperation and sharing of resources amoCalls for big spending cuts, including in the agencies dealing with em and with other institutions, including other EU agencies, the Commission and the Parliamployment and social affairs, in order to make the system of decentralised agencies efficient;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with satisfaction the strongthe collaboration with the Justice and Home Affairs Agencies, notably the conclusion of a new working arrangement with European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the opening of 15 new cases where Eurojust supported European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) as well as the cooperation on 42 cases with European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) including on a pilot project for the systematic and structural exchange of data for link detection purposes;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Recalls that according to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023, the question of the size of the management board of the agencies dealing with employment is of particular relevance in their cross-cutting evaluation;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Highlights the necessity for the Agency to report on the specific impacts and significant improvements achieved through its work;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Recommends that, in the absence of demonstrable improvements, a thorough evaluation of the EU Agencies necessity and efficiency is to be conducted;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3 c. Underlines the need for concrete, tangible and measurable outcomes and that complete transparency about the improvements resulting from the Agencies activities is essential to enhance citizens trust in the European Union;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3 d. Recalls that from the year 2000 onwards, thirty-two out of forty-three agencies have been set up, including one on employment and social affairs;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges that the high inflation rate in 2023, and the related increase in various costs and utilities, affects significantly the agencies’ budget dedicated to operational expenditure, in particular for agencies located in Member States experiencing the highest inflation rateRecalls the warning issued by the European Court of Auditors’ Annual report that there is a high operational expenditure risk in EU agencies, including those relating to employment and social affairs;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Commends the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights’ (Acknowledges the FRA)’s assistance to policymakers implementing existing EU law and policies in the field of equality and anti-discrimination, such as EU law and policies combating racism and antisemitism, supporting the collection of equality data and the implementation of national Roma strategic frameworks, and providing input for to the mid-term review of the 2020–2025 LGBTIQ equality strategy, the protection of civil society and of human rights defenders at risk, as well as supporting the revision of the victims’ rights directive, and advising on the implementation of the horizontal enabling conditions related to fundamental right for the use of EU fund; emphasizes the importance of addressing all forms of discrimination, including anti-European discrimination, to ensure a balanced approach that reflects the diversity of challenges faced by EU citizens; regrets however that the FRA was not able to elaborate more precisely on the reasons triggering a skyrocketing rise of antisemitism in EU Member States;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Acknowledges that the total budget of the agencies, including those in the fields of employment and social affairs, amounts to 12% of the EU’s general budget;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises FRA’s guidance and engagement in the area of asylum and migration, including cooperatioUrges FRA to enhance transparency and accountability in with the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) to enhancing the understanding of guardians and legal representatives assisting unaccompanied children seeking international protection within the Union and the training provided to staff of Europol enhancing awareness and understanding of fundamental rights considerations in relevant operational contexts; welcomes FRA’s timely input on the temporary protection directive implementation in the context of refugees fleeing from Ukraine, as well as os reporting mechanisms, ensuring that its activities provide clear and measurable outcomes that directly benefit EU citizens; calls for an indentifying the challenges with regard to the implementation of Union law on long- term residence, and the list of actions the Union and its Member States can take to reduce fatalities at seapendent evaluation of FRA’s added value in areas where its mandate overlaps with other EU agencies or national bodies;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Appreciates the Foundation’s work on enhancing and disseminating knowledge, and providing evidence-based expertise to support the development of better informed social, employment and work-related policies in Europe, to analyse policy options to improve working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living, and to produce expertise on right to disconnect, telework, hybrid work and related impacts on work– life balance and quality of working conditionsNotes that Eurofound’s budget has increased from EUR 26 million in 2022 to EUR 30 million in 2023 (16% increase), more than double the inflation rate (6.3%);
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Foundation’s accounts and invites the Foundation to address the ECA’s remarksrelief that Eurofound’s staff has not increased from 2022 to 2023;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes FRA's contribution toQuestions the competence of FRA in the evaluation of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation (‘the EBCG Regulation’)3 , participation in European Border Coast Agency (Frontex) Management Board meetings and co- chairing the Frontex Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights, and cooperation with the Fundamental Rights Office at Frontex; _________________ 3 Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 November 2019 on the European Border and Coast Guard and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1052/2013 and (EU) 2016/1624 (OJ L, 2019/1896, 14.11.2019, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1896/oj ).considering that the agency already has Fundamental Rights monitoring;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes the 16,8 % of carryover rate, above the 15 % benchmark, and the Foundation’s reply making a distinction between planned and unplanned carry- overs, the latest being assessed at 4 % by the Foundationat Eurofound has made a payment of EUR 38.6 thousand to a contract provider for quality assessment of survey data without collecting some key supporting documents relating to the contractual deliverables;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Appreciates the Agency’s activities to develop, gather and provide reliable and relevant information, analysis and tools on national and EU priorities in the field of occupational safety and healthat EU-OSHA’s budget has not been increased from 2022 to 2023, despite the fact that inflation has been 6.3%;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with dismay that in 2023, over 1,1 million applications for international protection (+18 % compared to 2022) were submitted, and more than 1 million decisions granting temporary protection were issued in 29 EU+ countries; highlights the substantial support EUAA has provided tostresses the urgent need for the EUAA to assist Member States ion that context;4 _________________ 4 EU+ countries include the Member States of the European Union (EU) as well as Schengen associated countrmeasures to prevent illegal migration and processing returns efficiently, in line with their national policies.;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Appreciates that EU-OSHA’s staff has decreased from 65 employees in 2022 to 63 in 2023;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes that EU-OSHA split two contracts of €14.7 thousand and €15 thousand, respectively, in order to avoid a tender competition and award them directly;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. AppreciaNotes theat Cedefop’s activities to provide research, analyses and technical advice and expertise in vocational education and training (VET), qualifications and skills policies, to compile and disseminate research on skills mismatches, and to ensure digital skills are integrated into VET across the Union, as well as, the Cedefop involvement in the 2023 European Year of Skillsbudget has increased from EUR 26 million in 2022 to EUR 28 million in 2023 (9% increase), fifty per cent higher than the inflation rate (6%);
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Agency’s accounts and invNotes that Cedefop’s staff has increased from 108 employees in 2022 to 109 employees in 2023, despites the Agency to address the ECA’s observationsfact that its functions remain the same;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes the Cedefop’s corrective action taken regarding the daily subsistence allowances paid to Greek seconded national experts, but regrets that the corrective action does not include the monthly subsistence allowances;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with satisfaction that 1 000 training sessions were organised by EUAA, and that there is a constant increase in terms of the number of asylum and reception officials and civil society actors trained (+6 % compared to 2022); welcomes the further development of the European asylum curriculum, with training modules such as the ones addressing gender-based violence and the situation of children in the asylum process in an attempt to offset the constant increase in the unstoppable migratory influx encouraged by the European Commission for almost 10 years now;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. AppreciaNotes theat ETF’s activities in helping the Union, Member States and its partner countries to harness the potential of their human capital and to improve the employment prospects through the reform of education, vocational training, skills and labour market systems, as well as, the ETF role in the 2023 European Year of Skillsbudget has increased from EUR 25 million in 2022 to EUR 31 million in 2023 (22% increase), more than triple the inflation rate (6.3%);
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Agency’s acNotes that ETF illegally awarded an in-country support services counts and invract for €4 million, despites the Agency to address the ECA’s remarks, especially concerning open procurement procedurefact that the economic and financial capacity of the awarded tenderer had not been demonstrated;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes theat ETF’s confirmation that it has reviewed its methodologies on financial solvency in the tendering evaluation process and on financial assessment illegally awarded a EUR 1 million framework contract for content support services to a provider that did not reach the financial turnover required in the tender;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes the Commission’s recommendation to improve the geographical and gender balance among its staff, and to further cooperate with the ELA and the European Institute for Gender EqualityUnder the foregoing circumstances, manifests an impossibility to discharge the implementation of ETF’s budget for the financial year 2023;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Appreciates the Authority’s work to assist Member States and the Commission in ensuring a fair and effective enforcement of Union rules on labour mobility and coordination of social security systems, in facilitating effective labour mobility in Europe through European Employment Services (EURES) activities, and to raising awareness, through training and information campaigns, about the rights and obligations of workers and employersNotes that ELA’s budget has increased from EUR 35 million in 2022 to EUR 39 million in 2023 (13% increase), more than double the inflation rate (6.3%);
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the significantWelcomes the increase in returns, with Frontex exceeding its target of 20 000 by assisting 39 239 returns in total, including an impressive 87% increase in voluntary returns and a 20% rise in forced returns compared to 2022; welcomes the enhanced support provided to Member States in post-return and post- arrival assistance, with Frontex exceeding its target of 5 000 cases in the Joint Reintegration System, successfully managing 6 438 cases in 2023notes, however, that the overall return rate in the European Union remained below 30%, indicating that current initiatives remain insufficient in the light of scale of illegal migration flows; emphasizes the need for Frontex to further prioritize and expand its return operations as a central element of its mandate and to work closely with Member States to enhance the effectiveness of return and reintegration programs;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Expresses its satisfaction for the overall positive ECA’s opinion on the Authority’s accounts; notes, however, the ECA’s remarks on a basis for qualified opinion on the legality and regularity of payments underlying the accountsNotes that ELA’s staff has increased from 117 employees in 2022 to 141 employees in 2023 (21% increase), despite the fact that its functions have not been legally increased;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. In this regards, notes the ECA’s opinion on an irregular contract awarding and the Authority’s reply that the concerned contract was not renewed and ran until the end to avoid disruption in the Authority’s activitiesNotes that ELA illegally awarded a contract for EUR 12.9 million, despite the fact that the tender specifications had established a maximum value of EUR 6 million, thereby allowing for the irregular allocation of public funds at an amount of EUR 6.9 million;
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes theat ECLA’s opinion on shortcomings in ELA’s ex-ante checks and the 3,8 % of irregular expenditure above the materiality threshold; takes note of the Authority’s commitment to enhance its ex-ante checks by reviewing and formalising the process for assessing key parameterspaid EUR 261.5 thousand to a training contractor that had already been paid via a monthly flat rate and that were not included in his financial offer, thereby allowing for the irregular allocation of public funds that have not been recovered;
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges the essential role Frontex plays in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, with maritime and aerial assets deployed in joint operations responding to 785 incidents involving 43 508 migrants, underscoring the critical contribution of Frontex to humanitarian efforts; recalls that in line with expectations expressed by many Member States, a sustainable EU border management policy should effectively explore the possibilities for Frontex to disembark rescued migrants in coastal third countries of departure;
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes the 26 % of carryover rate, way above the 15 % benchmark, and the 19 % of Title II appropriations cancelled, and takes note of the Agency’s reply committing to make efforts to enhance budget implementationat ELA overpaid EUR 37.6 thousand in favour of a communication services contractor who exceeded the contractual limit in his invoice, thereby allowing for the irregular allocation of public funds that have not been recovered;
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Expects the Authority to deliver on its commitments and address allUnder the foregoing circumstances, manifests an impossibility to discharge the implementation of ECLA’s remarks without delaybudget for the financial year 2023;
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the positive progress in implementing Fundamental Rights targets, including the ongoing execuAcknowledges the implementation of the Fundamental Rights Action Plan and the independent evaluation of the Agency’s compliance with the Fundamental Rights Framework, in line with the EBCG Regulation; welcomes the proactive follow-up by Frontex on complaints related to fundamental rights, with the majority being dismissed for non- admissibility; welcomes Frontex's reinforced commitment to transparency and accountabilitynotes, however, that the emphasis on fundamental rights must not divert resources from Frontex’s core operational tasks, particularly its mandate to manage returns effectively; calls for a balanced approach where fundamental rights compliance supports, rather than hinders, the execution of operational priorities;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Asks the Agencies and the CommissionCouncil to reduce the number of decentralised agencies related to iempleoyment as sond social affairs from five to one as possible all outstanding ECA's recommendnd their staff to a total of one hundred employees, reducing in the same number the staff dedicated in the European Commission to employment and social affairs in order to avoid duplications;
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Recommends, based on the facts available, that discharge will not be granted to the Executive Directors of the Eurofound, EU- OSHA, the CEDEFOP, the ETF, and the ELA in respect of the implementation of the Authorities’ budget for the financial year 2023.
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. SupportNotes Frontex’s continued efforts to strengthen its FRO, notincluding the employment of 46 Fundamental Rights Monitors (FRM) in 2023; stresses the importance of ensuring that all FRMs are recruited in AD grade, to further enhance their capacity and independence; recognises that Frontex has taken significant steps in responding to the opinions of the FRO, particularly on issues such as gender mainstreaming and human trafficking, however, that these efforts must not detract from Frontex’s primary mission to safeguard Europe’s borders and increase the efficiency of its return operations; encourages Frontex to develop a clearer division of responsibilities between the FRO and operational units, ensuring that fundamental rights monitoring enhances, rather than impedes, the effectiveness of border management and return operations;
Amendment 119 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission, in light of the challenging migration crisis, to follow up on Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s statement of July 2024 declaring that Frontex is well-positioned to further increase its staff to up to 30 000 agents; underlines that this expansion would significantly enhance Frontex’s capacity to manageaddress migration flows and ensure security at the Union’s external borders, reinforcing its vital role in the Union’s broader migration strategy.
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes with regret that the training activities in the area of fundamental rights and data protection decreased in 2023 (when 19 activities were implemented with 2063 participants) in comparison to 2022 (30 activities with 4 014 participants); underlines that the core objective of CEPOL is to support, develop, implement and coordinate training for law enforcement officials, while putting particular emphasis on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the context of law enforcement; acknowledges at the same time that the total number of participants increased to 46 431.