15 Amendments of Marian HARKIN related to 2015/0263(COD)
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Reforms are by their very nature complex processes that require political will, the ability to engage in dialogue and multi-level cooperation, budgetary and administrative resources, and a complete chain of highly-specialised knowledge and skills. Addressing structural reforms in a variety of public policy areas is challenging since their benefits often take time to materialise. Therefore, early and efficient design and implementation is crucial, be it for crisis-struck or structurally-weak economies. In this context, the provision of support by the Union in the form of technical assistance has been crucial inmust take into account the lessons learned from the programmes that aimed to supporting the economic adjustment of Greece and Cyprus in the last years.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The Union has a long-lasting experience on providing specific support toexperience gained by the Union in assisting national and/or subnational authorities carrying out reforms related to capacity building in national administrations and other, local and regional authorities ofand other Member States as regards capacity buildinguthorities, and similar actions in certain sectors (e.g. taxation, customs, support to small- and medium-sized enterprises) and in relation to the implementation of cohesion policy. The experience gained by the Union in assisting national authorities carrying out reforms should be used in order to enhance the capacity of the Union to provide support to Member States. Comprehensive, should be used. Action to support those Member States that are undertaking reforms to enhance sustainable growth, social well-being, and the accessibility of healthcare and education, and that request assistance from the Union in this respect, might be necessary if these reforms are not already eligible for other technical assistance programmes. These support measures will be based on and integrated action is indeed necessary in order to provide support to those Member States that are undertaking growth-enhancing reforms and request assistance from the Union in this respectpproach, taking into account the links between the different areas of structural reforms, and the ability of all levels of government to work together as partners – while respecting each Member State's institutional framework and also involving all stakeholders.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Against this background, it is necessary to establish a Structural Reform Support Programme ('the Programme') with the objective of strengthening the capacity of Member States to prepare and implement growth-enhancing administrative and structural reforms, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds. The Programme is intended to contribute to the achievement of common goals towards obtaining economic recovery, sustainable job creation, boosting Europe's competitiveness and stimulating investment in the real economy.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Support under the Programme should be provided by the Commission upon request by a Member State, in areas such as budget and taxation, public function, institutional and administrative reforms, the justice system, anti-fraud, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering, business environment, private sector development, investment, competition, public procurement, privatization processes, access to finance, investment, trade, sustainable development, innovation, education and training, labour policies, the promotion of social inclusion, public health, asylum, migration policies, agriculture and rural development and financial sector policies. Member States wishing to benefit the Programme should bring local and regional authorities, as well as the social partners, civil society and other stakeholders, into the process of drawing up the application, based on the code of conduct on partnership in force with regard to Cohesion policy.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Member States should be able to request support from the Commission under the Programme in relation to the implementation of reforms in the context of economic governance processes, in particular of Country Specific Recommendations in the context of the European Semester, to actions related to the implementation of Union law, as well as in relation to the implementation of economic adjustment programmes. They should also be able to request support in relation to reforms undertaken at their own initiative, in order to achieve sustainable investment, growth and job creation and inclusive growth.
Amendment 130 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Further to a dialogue with the requesting Member State, including in the context of the European Semester, the Commission should analyse the request, taking into account the principles of subsidiarity, transparency, equal treatment, partnership and sound financial management and determine the support to be provided based on urgency, breadth and depth of the problems as identified, support needs in respect of the policy areas envisaged, analysis of socioeconomic indicators, and the general administrative capacity of the Member State. The Commission should also, With a view to the entry into force of the Programme, the Union should draw up a single strategic document to improve the institutional and administrative capacity of public authorities at all levels of government, transparently and fairly setting close cooperation with the Member State concerned, identify the priority areas, the scope of the support measures to be provided and the global financial contribution for such support, taking into account the existing actions and measures financed by Union funds or other Union programmes. riteria to be adopted so as to determine which measures under the Programme are to be prioritised and how available resources are to be allocated, as well as criteria and mechanisms to coordinate measures at Union, national, regional and local level. The Commission should also, in agreement with the Member State concerned, identify the priority areas, the scope of the support measures to be provided and the global financial contribution for such support, taking into account the existing actions and measures financed by Union funds or other Union programmes; in so doing, the Commission and the Member State concerned should take into account the current division of powers between the different levels of government – which often provides for an important role for local and regional authorities – as well as the fact that some Country Specific Recommendations are addressed to local and regional authorities.
Amendment 139 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Commission Communications ‘The EU Budget Review’13 and ‘A budget for Europe 2020’14 underline the importance of focusing funding on activities with clear European added value, i.e. where the Union intervention can bring additional value compared to action of Member States alone. Against this background, the support actions carried out under the Programme should ensure complementarity and synergy with other programmes and policies at national, regional, local, Union and international level. The actions under the Programme should allow elaborating and implementing solutions that address national challenges which have impact on cross-border or Union-wide challenges and achieve a consistent and coherent implementation of Union law. In addition, they should contribute to further develop trust and promote cooperation with the Commission and among Member States. Moreover, the Union is in a better position than Member States to provide a platform for the provision and sharing of good practices from peers as well as to mobilise expertise so as to develop solutions tailored to the specific situation in the requesting Member States. __________________ 13 COM(2010)700 of 19 October 2010. 14 COM(2011)500 final of 29 June 2011.
Amendment 150 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Member States that request support should be ablehave the option to contribute to the financial envelope of the Programme with additional funds. Currently, Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 limits the possibility of a transfer of resources dedicated to technical assistance at the initiative of a Member State to those Member States which face temporary budgetary difficulties. Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 should therefore be amended in order to allow all Member States to participate financially to the Programme. The resources transferred to the Union budget should be used for supporting actions contributing to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth or Fund- specific purposes in the Member States concerned.
Amendment 208 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
The general objective of the Programme shall be to contribute to institutional, administrative and structural reforms in the Member States by providing support to national authorities forthat bring European Added Value in policy areas relating to competences shared between the Union and the Member States and that are not already targeted by a technical assistance programme, by providing support to Member States' public authorities to attain the administrative capacity necessary to design and implement measures aimed at reforming institutions, governance, administration, economic and social sectors in response to economic and social challenges with a view to enhancing competitiveness, growth,inclusive growth, sustainable jobs, and investment, in particular in the context of economic governance processesand economic, social and territorial cohesion, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds.
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
These objectives shall be pursued in closefull cooperation with Beneficiary Member States
Amendment 224 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The specific objectives set out in paragraph 1 shall refer to policy areas related to competitiveness, growth,inclusive growth, sustainable jobs and investment, in particular to the following:
Amendment 232 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) education and training, labour market policies, social inclusion and the fight against poverty, social security and social welfare systems, public health and healthcare systems, asylum, migration and borders policies;
Amendment 242 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) collection of data and statistics; development of common methodologies and, where appropriate, indicators and/or benchmarks;
Amendment 250 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Taking into account the principles of transparency, equal treatment and sound financial management, further to a dialogue with the Member State, including in the context of the European Semester, the Commission shall analyse the request for support referred to in paragraph 1 based on the urgency, breadth and depth of the problems identified, support needs in respect of the policy areas concerned, analysis of socioeconomic indicators and general administrative capacity of the Member State. Taking into account the existing actions and measures financed by Union funds or other Union programmes, the Commission in close cooperationagreement with the Member State concerned shall identify the priority areas for support, the scope of the support measures to be provided and the global financial contribution for such support.
Amendment 257 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) the implementation of reforms by Member States, undertaken at their own initiative, notably to achieve inclusive growth and sustainable investment, growth and job creation.