9 Amendments of Carla TAVARES related to 2024/2019(DEC)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is very concerned by the increasing number of crises worldwide, the rise in extreme poverty and hunger, rising inequalities, and the increasingly frequent and severe consequences of climate change, all of which have halted or even reverted progress regarding the sustainable development goals (SDGs), with the SDG financing gap increasing to currently more than 4 trillion USD; is concerned about the growing financial gap between the need for humanitarian aid and the funding available for it;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls that the current political instability worldwide is unlikely to diminish, underscoring the need for the EU to secure sufficient funding and maintain flexibility to adapt and respond to emerging crises; emphasizes that while Member States are increasingly reducing their allocations to development and humanitarian policies, this trend hampers effective responses to escalating humanitarian and development challenges; considers that although investments in infrastructure and digitalization will be essential, sustainable development cannot be achieved without adequately addressing the root causes of current global turbulences—such as poverty, climate change and inequality— through appropriate funding;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Against this background and worldwide tightening budgets for development, stresses that it is of utmost importance to use EU funds for development as transparently, effectively and efficiently as possible, strictly following established rules and procedures; erecalls that the EU can only effectively support developing countries in addressing their immediate needs and long-term structural challenges through a balanced and coherent set of policies, underpinned by ambitious and predictable funding. Expresses concern about the continuously high error rate found by the ECA for MFF heading 6 ‘Neighbourhood and the world‘ and the for the 9th, 10th and 11th EDF for the audit year 2023; urges the Commission to take further steps to reduce this error rate; suggests that the Commission adopt innovative measures, including increased reliance on third- party monitoring, result-oriented reviews, and digital tools, to enhance oversight; calls for strengthened collaboration with implementing partners, particularly international organizations, to ensure adherence to EU financial regulations and reporting standards; recommends the implementation of stricter preventive measures, such as robust ex-ante controls and targeted training for partners, and the establishment of feedback mechanisms to address risks promptly;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Is concerned over the lack of transparency and inconsistencies surrounding Global Gateway programmes, including their financing and objectives, which undermine the accountability of EU investments and hinder democratic oversight by citizens, parliaments, and civil society organizations (CSOs); calls for measures and actions to enhance transparency, democratic accountability and implement robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in Global Gateway and Team Europe initiatives, ensuring that all stakeholders have easy access to comprehensive information on programme goals, funding, involved partners, governance structures, and outcomes;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Calls for a centralized, publicly accessible platform to detail Global Gateway projects, including their objectives, funding sources, implementing partners, and expected outcomes; advocates for this platform to include regular updates to ensure transparency and accountability;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4 c. Is concerned about recent media reports that some EU-funded projects abroad, including Global Gateway, are implemented by Chinese companies and that in some years Chinese firms won a greater share of EIB-funded contract value than EU companies; calls on the Commission to ensure a level playing field by actively engaging with the EIB and intensifying efforts to enhance the participation of European companies in these initiatives; recommends the adoption of procurement practices that prioritize the best price/quality ratio over the lowest price as an award criterion, fostering fair competition and aligning with the EU’s strategic interests and values;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the positive examples provided by the ECA on effective controls implemented by the Commission; regrets, however, in that context, that the ECA found that EU Delegations do not always have enough budget to conduct sufficient field visits for monitoring the implementation of project activities and the achievement of intended results; calls for sufficient budgetary means to conduct such field visits; expresses deep concern over the potential financial cuts affecting EU Delegations in more than 30 countries, including key partner nations, as such a decision would significantly undermine these Delegations' ability to effectively oversee the implementation of development cooperation projects, while also diminishing the EU's presence, visibility, and collaborative engagement with key partners worldwide; is concerned that, if confirmed, this will leave space for rival powers to exploit the resulting gaps in diplomatic and developmental engagement, and that the proposed measures threaten to compromise not only the implementation of EU projects but also the Union's long-term credibility as a global leader in development and international cooperation;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Is concerned about the findings of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) Special Report 17/2024, “The EU Trust Fund for Africa: Despite New Approaches, Support Remained Unfocused.”; encourages the Commission to strengthen transparency and the involvement of the EP in all phases of programming of the EU Trust Fund (EUTF) and within the framework of ad hoc instruments and existing instruments and initiatives, such as the GG; calls for a further alignment of the EUTF with established EU initiatives such as the Global Gateway (GG), ensuring coherence between short-term crisis responses and long-term development strategies;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Recognizes the vital role of civil society and NGOs in shaping policies that benefit society and protect the environment; highlights the Commission's commitment, as outlined in its political guidelines, to enhancing engagement with civil society organizations that contribute significantly to defending societal issues and upholding human rights; calls on the Commission to revise its May 2024 guidelines to ensure the continued funding of NGO activities, including advocacy, under the LIFE programme; stresses that discontinuing funding for all NGO activities would significantly weaken civil society's voice in public debates and pose a substantial reputational risk for the Commission; insists that the notion of “reputational risk” as a guiding principle for funding NGOs and the legal implications and justifications for future EC contracts with NGOs be revised or revoked to ensure that they retain basic freedoms, including using EU funding for advocacy;