43 Amendments of Joachim STREIT
Amendment 1 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (Common Provisions Regulation),
Amendment 6 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) supports, complements and adds value to the policies of the Member States in order to ensure equal opportunities, equal access to the labour market, fair and high-quality working conditions, social cohesion, protection and inclusion and to develop a skilled and resilient workforce across all regions that is prepared for the green and digital transition; Whereas the ESF+ is and shall continue to be a key pillar of the Cohesion Policy;
Amendment 14 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the ESF+ is the only EU structural and investment fund primarily focused on social policies, and is therefore unique in itself and is strongly effective in achieving social inclusion, together with the cohesion policyensuring that cohesion policy contributes to social inclusion, convergence, and fairness;
Amendment 20 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas different vulnerable groups have different needs,- such as women in poverty, labour migrants, children, people with disabilities and elderly people; whereas the digital and green transition is much needed but also brings challenges for all people and all workers, and w - and different regions have specific needs,; whereas the Union shall complete the digital and green transition by leaving no one behind; Whereas to succeed in this endeavour, the EU must ensure a just and harmonious transition, that does not lose sight of workers and vulnerable people in regions lagging behind, in regions in or at risk at falling into development traps, in rural areas and in outermost regions;
Amendment 53 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Insists that the ESF+ must continue to be thea key and primary instrument for supporting the Member States, people and regions in strengthening the social dimension and cohesion of the Union;
Amendment 79 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that a differentthe ESF+ governance wshould lead to the loss of priority given to social aspects, including employment and social inclusion projects, and to the funding not reaching local levels and those most in need, while increasing the risk of reallocation of funds for other purposesbe streamlined to facilitate access by regions and by local authorities to structural funds, with a view to boost tailor-made and place-based investment favouring employment and social inclusion projects, affordable housing and future-proof training of the European workforce;
Amendment 88 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the participation of social partners, civil society organisations (CSOs) and representatives of theregional and local authorities and target groups in allthe design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation stages of the ESF+, to allocate adequate funding for this purpose and to prevent the exclusion of smaller actors;
Amendment 91 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that the current ESF+ programme was adopted before the emergence of crises that have caused high inflation and increased costs of living, and therefore require higher public and social investment such that the existing ESF+ cannot meet current needs; calls on the Commission to ensure that a comprehensive, stable and large-scale needs- and rights-based budget and which is targeted to the needs on the ground is guaranteed for the ESF+ in the next multiannual financial framework;
Amendment 98 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that the ESF+ post-2027 should invest in tackling enduring social challenges and stay close to the general and specific objectives set out in the current ESF+; emphasises the importance of the fund’s principles of shared management, partnership, multilevel governance, place- based approach, clear objectives and thematic concentrations, and that most of the fund should be spent as close as possible to those using the fund;
Amendment 103 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that the ESF+, and more broadly the Cohesion Policy funds, should focus on long-term investments in European regions and should not be regularly used to respond to emergencies or crises; insists that a social rescue facility capable of reacting to social emergencies and crisis situations should supplement the ESF+; calls on the Commission to build on the success of the temporary EU instrument launched in 2020, entitled ‘Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE)’, in fighting temporary unemployment, and to put forward an EU unemployment reinsurance scheme without further delay;
Amendment 115 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Insists that the ESF+ should targetreach all regions but concentrate on the most disadvantaged territories and people in our societies, regardless of their sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or belief, or racial or ethnic origin – in particular marginalised communities such as Roma people, people with disabilities or chronic diseases, homeless people, children and elderly people; underlines that the ESF+ must be inclusive, with special attention given to all kinds of families, including single-parent families, families with more than two parents and rainbow families;
Amendment 134 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that reaching the EPSR’s targets on poverty becomes challenging, unless specific support is dedicated to alleviating the pressure on social protection systems and mitigating the social impact of crises; insists on dedicating support to ensure decent living conditions for all, with access to high-quality essential services; calls for the EU anti-poverty strategy, outlined in Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s political guidelines for the 2024-2029 term, to be implemented via thean adequately financed ESF+, with its binding poverty-reduction targets, national living wage indices and reference budgets used as benchmarks, applying a multidimensional approach;
Amendment 153 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Emphasises the need to ensure sufficient financing of the ESF+ post-2027 for access to high-quality and public education for all, skills development, upskilling, reskilling, training, and lifelong learning, and for the addressing of skills shortages, ensuring that individuals can successfully navigate labour market transitions;
Amendment 164 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines the importance of the ESF+ in focusing on different groups and regions with different needs; stresses, therefore, the importance of allocating support to projects on the socio-economic position of migrants, including labour migrants, the social inclusion of people with disabilities, the ageing population in society, women and children, and female- headed households; insists that the ESF+ post- 2027 incorporate other aspects of social inclusion, such as housing, health and family circumstances and the support of community-based services;
Amendment 195 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the Member States to ensure that regional and local authorities and organisations have a say inmeaningful role in the definition of projects co-financed from national budgets;
Amendment 202 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Insists that the rules governing the use of the ESF+ must ensure and enhance compliance with the rule of law, the EU acquis, the highest EU social standards, social rights and democratic principles, and be aligned with the EPSR, the UN’s sustainable development goals and fundamental human and workers’ rights;
Amendment 217 #
2024/2077(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Warns that not all people are prepared for digitalisation, and that certain groups of people, especially the most vulnerable, could miss ovulnerable groups, rural regions, and outermost regions have limited access to high-quality digital infrastructure; Reiterates its call for a place-based approach to Cohesion policy, aimed at ensuring harmonious and just digital transition in regions lagging behind; Underlines the importance of Cohesion Policy in enhancing institut ion funding opportunities as a resultal quality in all regions, to allow local authorities to properly absorb and invest Structural and Investment Funds;
Amendment 11 #
2024/0252(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes the increase in appropriations for European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) to cover rising costs and is concerned about the corresponding decrease in appropriations for the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA); recalls that the EUAA was reinforced as part of the mid- term revision of the MFF in order to enable it to carry out new tasks in accordance with the implementation of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum; calls on the Commission to work closely with bothe agencyies to ensure that it isthey are equipped to perform those new tasks and absorb the additional appropriations from 2025;
Amendment 14 #
2024/0252(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the additional appropriations for the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) in 2024 in the wake of the June 2024 cyber-attack on the agency; insists on the need for lessons to be learnt and for further technical support to be provided to other agencies by the Cybersecurity Service for the Union entities (CERT-EU), in view of the high cybersecurity threat and to ensure another attack does not compromise any Union agencies or institutions;
Amendment 7 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 2
2. Takes note of the conditions and obligations of Ukraine to receive and use the non-repayable financial support provided by the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, particularly the obligation for the repayment of the principal, interest and any other costs of the MFA Loan or eligible bilateral loans. Insists on stringent conditions to ensure transparency and accountability.
Amendment 13 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the macro-financial assistance does not provide the possibility for Ukraine to request interest rate subsidies covered by Member States, unlike previous instruments. It is a positive step toward ensuring that the financial burden does not fall disproportionately on Member States and promotes fiscal responsibility in loan management.
Amendment 18 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 8
8. Takes note on the derogation of Article 31(3), second sentence, of Regulation (EU) 2021/947, which implies that the External Action Guarantee will note be used to guarantee the borrowing of the amounts to be lent in the framework of this MFA, and consequently provisioning of guarantees for this MFA from the headroom. Calls for caution in extending borrowing without a clear guarantee mechanism, ensuring that any additional borrowing does not jeopardize the Union's financial stability.
Amendment 21 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 9
9. Takes note of the derogation of Article 211(1) of the Regulation (EU) 2021/947, preventing the establishment of a provisioning rate, due to the use of the headroom for the provisioning of guarantees; stresses the importance of ensuring adequate financial safeguards and clear provisioning for guarantees to prevent risks to the Union’s budget and avoid over-reliance on headroom, which could endanger future financial stability.
Amendment 22 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 10
10. Takes note of all theSupports the inclusion of mandatory provisions to be included in the MFA Loan Agreement, particularly those related to ththat ensure early repayment oif there amounts borrowed should it be recognised that Ukraine has engaged in any actre serious cases of fraud, corruption, or any other illegal activityies detrimental to the financial interests of the Union; insists that strict monitoring and enforcement mechanisms be in place to ensure full compliance.
Amendment 24 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 11
11. Takes note of the modalities of repayment, particularly of the waterfall structure to be established in the MFA Loan Agreement. Calls for thorough scrutiny of these repayment modalities to ensure financial sustainability and minimize potential risks.
Amendment 28 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 12
12. Takes note of the provisions on theEmphasizes the need for transparent and timely transmission of information to the European Parliament and Council, specifically within the framework of the annual budgetary procedure, ensuring full accountability and oversight of how funds are managed and disbursed.
Amendment 32 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 13
13. RegretsExpresses concern over the lack of clarity of the proposal onregarding the final liability of the Union’s budget particularly in the frameworkin the case of a loans guaranteed solely by the headroom, independently of the Ukraine Loan Mechanism support, or lack of thereof; stresses the need for clear and transparent liability structures to prevent undue financial risk to the Union and ensure that future financial liabilities are carefully managed.
Amendment 35 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 14
14. Requests the European Commission to clarify theand prevent potential overlaps in the complementary funding provided bybetween the Ukraine Facility and the MFA, ensuring that all funds are used efficiently and that duplication of financial commitments is avoided, protecting the Union’s budget from unnecessary strain.
Amendment 41 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 16
16. Recalls that a newny amendment of the MFF wshould be required in order to excarefully evaluatend the ability of the Union to treato ensure theat financial assistance to Ukraine in the same manner as financial assistance to Member States until the end of the current Multiannual Financial Frameworkaligns with the Union’s long-term financial capacity; stresses that assistance must be conditional on reforms and accountability mechanisms.
Amendment 45 #
2024/0234(COD)
Paragraph 18
18. Concludes that the Committee on Budgets calls on the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the proposal for a Regulation establishing the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism and providing exceptional macro-financial assistance to Ukraine, subject to stringent oversight, conditionality, and full accountability of funds, ensuring that the Union’s financial assistance is used effectively and in a manner that safeguards its long-term financial stability.
Amendment 10 #
2024/0185(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that, with Draft amending budget No 4/2024, GNI lump- sum reductions for the five beneficiary Member States amount to just under EUR 5,4 billion net; stresses that these rebates are inflation-linked and have therefore increased at a higher rate than the MFF ceilings, which are adjusted annually on the basis of the 2 % deflator; underlines that this anomaly increases the burden on the other Member States;
Amendment 34 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with concern that while inflation has begun to subside compared to previous years’ peaks, its prolonger termd impact on the cost of living, energy, and food prices continues to be a burden on households’ purchasing power and companies’ competitiveness and productivityremains a significant challenge for households and a threat to companies’ competitiveness and productivity, necessitating a cautious and responsible fiscal approach; stresses that, against this background, a balanced combination of policy responses comprising, including targeted regulatory, fiscal, and budgetary measures will have to be deploy, must be carefully considered to adequately address the broad range of challenges while ensuring economic stability and sustainability; reminds that the Union budget, in complementarity with the national budgets of the Member States and private finance should play a central role in this regard; recalls that the EU budget is an investment budget in lineshould be focused on strategic investments that align with the Union’s politicalcore priorities and programmes which generates a return on investment and growth possibilities; emphasises that the 2024 European Parliament elections have sent a clear message for more solidarity between Member States and more investm, providing measurable returns and fostering sustainable economic growth; stresses the importance of prioritizing spending that delivers tangible benefits for citizents in policies and programmand businesses, which improve people’s lives; highlights that this call must not be answered by ever more budgetary cuts and by a reduction in badly needed resources to help people go through these difficult timle ensuring fiscal discipline and accountability in the use of public funds, while avoiding unnecessary cuts that could harm essential services ;
Amendment 61 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is adamant that, in times of geopolitical and institutional change, financial pressure, climate change, migration and societal challenges, a reliable, robust, flexible, and investment- oriented EU budget remains instrumental for the implementation ofing the Union’s policies and central in responding to people’s increasing needs, leaving no-one behind through the green and digital transitions, in delivering prosperity and security for people and in boosting the competitiveness of the Union economy; to defend the social dimension of Union spending in all policy areas, in other words, we will work to r. However, it is crucial to emphasize fiscal responsibility and ensure a balanced approach to budget priorities, allowing for effective responses to diverse challenges while contributing to the overall prosperity and security of the Union. Reinforceing budgetary lines that have a direct impact on improving people's’ lives;, ensuring that funding is allocated efficiently and transparently, with measurable outcomes.
Amendment 82 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. RegretsTakes note of the Council’s approach to adopt for what it calls “a prudent” budgeting, creating artificial margins under the MFF ceilings; notes that the Council, in its position on the 2025 budget, and similar to 2024, reduces strategy, ensuring fiscal discipline and creating necessary margins under the MFF ceilings to accommodate future uncertainties; recognizes the need to carefully manage appropriations dedicated for EURI borrowing costs; points out that the Council’s and encourages a responsition to cover only around 35% of the overrun costs by the EURI Special Instrument runs counter to the 50:50 benchmark that the Council itself insisted on during the MFF negotiationble approach that minimizes long-term debt burdens on Member States and taxpayers; alerts that in order to finance the difference and create additional unallocated margin (mostly in H2b but also in other headings, presumably in view of using it in future years through the SMI), sizeable reductions to a number of flagship programme envelopes have been proposed that have repercussions in 2025 as well as in 2026 and 2027; recalls that the most affected programmes, Horizon Europe, CEF digital and Erasmus, are well- established priorities for the European Parliament and flagship programmes of the Union; highlights that the Council targets for reductions are across several headings and even touch some programmes that were already subject to the MFF redeployments, such as Horizon, reduced by 400 million; or lines that were topped up in previous years, such as Erasmus+, reduced by 295 million, EU4Health or LIFE;
Amendment 87 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Recalls the Interinstitutional Agreement adopted as part of the 2020 MFF agreement, whereby expenditure to cover NGEU financing costs “shall aim at not reducing programmes and funds”; questions whether the Council’s approach is in line with the MFF agreement on the cascadecalls for a balanced approach that safeguards essential programmes while adhering to fiscal responsibility, and questions whether all aspects of the MFF agreement, including flexibility and prioritization, are being appropriately considered by the Council in its approach;
Amendment 90 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Intends, therefore, to restore the cuts proposed by Council; to ensure that programmes are properly resourced and thatAims to ensure that essential programmes are adequately resourced while maintaining budgetary discipline and prioritizing spending that delivers tangible results; emphasizes the need to safeguard the budget’s flexibility and response capacity are maintained throughout the annual budgetary procedure by focusing on efficient and effective allocation of resources; insists on the need for the Commission to provide reliable, timely and accurate information on NGEU borrowing costs and on expected Recovery and Resilience Facility disbursements throughout the budgetary procedure; recalls that Parliament is deeply concerned about the impact of the inherent uncertainty for the EURI interest line and questions the forecast from the Commission on NGEU borrowing costs and expected Recovery and Resilience Facility disbursements throughout the budgetary procedure, ensuring that financial risks are minimized and the Union’s fiscal stability is not compromised;
Amendment 94 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Underlines, once again, that repayment of the EURI borrowing costs is a legal obligation for the Union and a non- discretionary expenditure item in the EU budget; is adamant, therefore to cater fully and timely for the NGEU repayment costs that will fall due in 2025emphasizes the need for careful planning and fiscal discipline to ensure that the NGEU repayment costs due in 2025 are fully and timely met without compromising other essential budgetary commitments; agrees to apply, in this regard, the newly established EURI cascade mechanism, in the letter and the spirit of the recently revised MFF Regulation; proposes to finance 65% of the overrun costs by the de-commitment compartment of the EURI Special Instrument; deemconsiders the margin of EUR 46.2 million, which was programmed before the DB was submitted, to beprior to the submission of the DB, as available for reinforcing critical programmes under the ceiling of Heading 2b, provided that these funds are used efficiently and align with the Union’s strategic priorities of economic growth, and stability ; intends to revisit the amendments linked to the cascade mechanism once the Amending Letter provides updated estimations of the actual needs for the EURI line in 2025;
Amendment 129 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Underlines the key role cohesion policy can plays in delivering on Union policy priorities and boosting the Union economy by contributing to fair and sustainable growth and development, promoting economicsupporting balanced economic development across the Union, provided it respects the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, and sfocial convergence between countries and regions, supporting the green anduses on fostering economic growth, innovation, digital transitions, and fostering innovation and employmentemployment through targeted investments, while ensuring efficient use of resources and avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy; calls on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate the implementation of cohesion policy; with a strong emphasis on accountability, measurable outcomes, ensuring that funds are directed towards projects that deliver tangible benefits and respect the unique needs and conditions of each Member State and region;"
Amendment 195 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
Amendment 228 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Recalls that programmes under Heading 4 play a key role inare essential for reinforceing funding for migration and effective border management in light of theand addressing migratoryion challenges resulting from, particularly in response to the current geopolitical context, and to ensure necessary funding for the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area;; emphasizes the importance of ensuring adequate resources for securing the Union’s external borders, combating illegal immigration, and enhancing the capacity for swift and efficient asylum processing, while prioritizing the security and safety of Member States and their citizens.
Amendment 230 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Underlines that instability in neighbouring regions, as well as poverty and underlying trends in economic underdevelopment, and demographic changes, globalisati con tin transport and communications continue to createue to drive irregular migration flows towards the Union, placing significant pressure on programmes and agencies under Heading 4; calls for enhanced measures to secure external borders, address the root causes of migration, and ensure that the Union’s resources are used effectively to protect its citizens and maintain social cohesion
Amendment 244 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Underlines the important role that the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) plays in managing the Union’s external borders and in particular in supporting Member States with reinforced border protection capabilities including physical infrastructure, buildings, equipment, systems and services required at border crossing points; underlines that the instrument should also support the acceleration of Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area, ensuring that any increase in funding is directly linked to measurable improvements in border security and management; proposes therefore to increase appropriations for the BMVI by EUR 35 million above DB;
Amendment 10 #
2024/0089(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the calculation of the adjusted annual GNI lump-sum reductions for the five beneficiary Member States, which amount to around EUR 5,4 billion net; highlights the fact that these rebates are inflation-linked and have therefore increased at a higher rate than the MFF ceilings, which are adjusted annually on the basis of the 2 % deflator; stresses that this anomaly increases the burden on the other Member States;