BETA

Activities of Richard ASHWORTH related to 2012/2092(BUD)

Plenary speeches (1)

General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013 - all sections (debate)
2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2012/2092(BUD)

Shadow opinions (1)

OPINION on the General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2013 - all sections
2016/11/22
Committee: AGRI
Dossiers: 2012/2092(BUD)
Documents: PDF(112 KB) DOC(84 KB)

Amendments (58)

Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
2. Notes, however, that, given the budgetary difficulties and painful savings made in many Member States, the Union's budget should also show realism and constraintfinancial responsibility is of the utmost importance; believes, therefore, that resources must be concentrated on those areas where the EU budget can deliver added value, whilst they could be reduced in sectors which are experiencing unjustified delays and low absorption, with a view to making savings on lines where problems have arisen in implementation and considers that real savings can be made by identifying overlaps and inefficiencies across budget lines, while respecting existing legal commitments;
2012/09/04
Committee: AGRI
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that savings can for example be made by phasing out export refunds, which currently constitute only a small part of the agriculture budget, but remain controversial and potentially harmful to the Common Agricultural Policy's (CAP) reputation;deleted
2012/09/04
Committee: AGRI
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Asks the Commission to provide both arms of the budgetary authority with prompt, regular and complete information on the implementation - on the basis of performance target indicators - of the various programmes and initiatives under Heading 2, and to weigh them against the EU's political commitments
2012/09/04
Committee: AGRI
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
4. However, strongly criticises the Council for its arbitrary and often unfounded way of proposing cuts to the Draft Budget, which gives the impression of window- dressing, rather than realistic budgeting;deleted
2012/09/04
Committee: AGRI
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
2. Is fully aware of the severe difficulties arising from the state of the nationongoing smart fiscal economiessolidation and of the need for a responsible and realistic reading; cannot accept, however, theany approach according toby which the EU budget is made the source for possible savings with the same proportion and logic applied to the national budgets, given their substantial difference in nature, objectives and structure; highlights that decreasing EU resources will surely result in a lack of investments and liquidity in the Member States, thus aggravatout corresponding evidence backing such decisions being provided; highlights that decreasing EU resources in areas where spending is proven to add value must not lead to corresponding losses in competitivity given the huge structural challenges facing the problems they are facingMember States;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Expresses its willingness, in line with paragraph 4 of the Parliament's report on the Mandate for Trilogue on the 2013 Draft Budget, to look for, where possible, negative priorities and possible savings;
2012/09/04
Committee: AGRI
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that improvements can be made in the clearance of accounts of previous years and calls ondemands that the Commission to urgeand Member States to improve their administrative performance in this area; believes, however, that this involves a long-term effort and therefore considersexpresses concern regarding the Council's estimates of income in 2013 from the clearance of accounts to be highly unrealistic; insists on partly reinstating the Commission's estimates contained in the 2013 Draft Budget; additionally, rejects the Council's proposed cuts in the School Fruit Scheme, coupled direct aid and international agricultural agreements;
2012/09/04
Committee: AGRI
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that the EU budget is to be seen insteadmust, in areas where it adds value, be seen as a complementary instrument of support for the Member States' economies, capable of concentrating initiatives and investments in areas strategic for growth and jobs and of bringing an actual added value in sectors overcoming national boundaries; highlights that such a role is legitimised by the same Member States, who, together with Parliament, are responsible for the decisions from which most of the EU law stems;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that the CAP is expectedmust continue to be reformed in the near future and therefore proposes an increase in the budget line aimed at raising awareness of the CAP; furthermore proposes to increase the budgets available for promotion measures and producer organisations, which is also in line with the current CAP reform;
2012/09/04
Committee: AGRI
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that 2013 is the last year of the current multiannual financial framework (MFF), which makes it of the utmost importance to reach a balance between commitments undertaken so far and payments deriving from them that need to be honoured, the institutional credibility of the EU being at stake as well as possible legal consequences for the Commission in case of missing reimbursement of legitimate payment claim; considers that in this regard an urgent assessment of possible legal consequences of a failure to honour previous commitments should be drawn by the Parliament's Legal Service for the consideration of the Committee on Budgets;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores, therefore,Notes the decision of the Council to proceed again this year with the usual approach of horizontal cutscut to the DB, aimed at artificially reducing the level of the EU resources for 2013 all in all by EUR 1 155 million (-0,8%) in commitment appropriations (CA) and by EUR 5 228 million (- 3,8%) in payment appropriations (PA) as compared to the DB, leading thereby to a very modest increase compared to the 2012 budget both in commitments (+1,27% vs. 2% of the DB) and in payments (+2,79% vs. 6,8% of the DB);
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
6. Is surprisedConsiders that, in this exercise, the Council has not taken imight not have taken sufficiento account of the latest Commission's forecasts for programmes' implementation, based on estimates of the same Member States, which on the one hand clearly highlight areas of over- performances where reinforcements armight be needed already in 2012 and on the other hand warn about the severe risk ofthat there might be a possible shortages of payments, in particular under Headings 1a, 1b and 2; recalls in this context the letter that President Barroso addressed to the 27 Member States in July 2012 expressing his concern about the cuts made to the DB by the Council's readingby the Council to the DB increase of 6,8% suggested by the Commission, as a result of which there is a risk that sufficient funds aremight not madbe available to enable the EU to honour its debprevious commitments;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that Council's cuts are spread over all the headings, but that Headings 1a and 1b aresult particularly affected as regards payments (-EUR 1,9 billion and -EUR 1,6 billion respectively as compared to DB), i.e.s concerned that the headings where most of the programmes and initiatives responsible for the delivery of the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy are concentrated; warns that such an approach puts atmay risk the respect of commitments previously undertaken and consequently the delivery of jointly decided EU priorities;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
8. Highlights that these cuts are fully at odds withto the Commission proposal could conflict with some of the June European Council's conclusions, which identified the EU budget as «"a catalyst for growth and jobs across Europe»" and decided to concentrate resources, including EUR 55 billion coming from the Structural Funds, on much needed growth-enhancing measures; considers that such a decision, taken at the highest political level of the EU, needs to be translated into a sufficientn appropriate and targeted level of payments for 2013 in favour of programmes and actions underpinning this prioritythe most effective areas of spending across all Member States;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
9. RejectsAsks that Council's arguments that these cuts correspond to under- implemented or low-performing programmes, since they affect also programmes showing excellent implemenare suitably substantion ratesd (e.g. Lifelong learning Programme and the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) under Heading 1a and the Competitiveness and Employment objective under Heading 1b), whilsand that they do not touch areas experiencing under-implementation; highlights that such criteria completely with proven added value; highlights that any unsubstantiated savings in areas experiencing problems with uptake might disregard the multiannual character of the EU policies, and of cohesion policy in particular, characterised by a rising profile of payments towards the end of the MFF;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
10. Points out that the substantial reduction in the level of payments as compared to commitments set by Council would logically bring as a consequence thea further increase of the RAL at the end of the year, by increasing the gap between CA and PA by EUR 4,1 billion, especially considering that the largest shares of RAL relate to cohesion policy (65,6%) and to R&D sectors (10,5%), which are the two areas mainly suffering from the cuts;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
11. On the basis of the data presented by Commission in the inter-institutional meeting on payments of 26 September 2012, doubtconsiders that the increase in payments by 6,8% proposed in the DB will beis more than sufficient to cover reimbursements of payment claims awaitedgiven previous uptake by Member States under the various headings – and in particular for Headings 1a and 1b; notes that in the absence of an amending budget covering payment needs for 2012; will therefore reject any attempt to reduce the leve the EU might struggle to implement all of the payment appropriations as compared to the DB proposalrequests of the Member States;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
12. Due to the recent years' experience, does not deemmust be sure that the declaration of payments proposed by the Council in its reading as a sufficient guarantee that an adequate level of payments will eventually be made available for all headings; takes the general approach, therefore, of restorcorresponds to the actual needs presented in the Autumn 2012; therefore believes that a general approach of looking, at the level of DB payments cut by Council setting all headings and to increase payment appropriations over DB on a selected number of lines characterised by high levels of implementation within each headingn adequate amount of payments in areas where expenditure is substantially proven to add value, in particular in Headings 1a and 4, to cover the actual needs of the corresponding programmes, as identified by the Commission, should be adopted;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
13. RegretNotes that the Council has departed substantially from certain areas of the budget (all in all by EUR 2,15 billion), as regards commitments, from the financial programming figures, which result from a joint decision with Parliament at the beginning of the programming period, as well as that Council completely disregarded Parliacorrespond to the stated requests of all the Member States; expects in this regard that the Member States must, as a matter of best practice, improve the accuracy of their forecasts for payment's priorities, as expressed in Parliament's mandate for the trilogue; recalls that Parliament's reading is based instead upon, and coherent with, these benchmarkssubmitted to the Commission across not only financial year but across the Multi-annual Financial Framework so as to facilitate the budgetary authority's continuing efforts towards effective and realistic budgeting;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
14. Is of the opinion that the answer to the crisis must not reflexively be more Europe and not less Europe, in order to restart investments and help rebuild confidence in the economy; having already criticised the proposed freezing in commitment appropriations at the level of the expected inflation rate in the DB, cannot accepbut rather a considered approach should be adopted based on sound evidential and objective policy making in order to restart investments and help rebuild confidence in the economy, building on areas of known added value where pooling of expenditure is known to be of clear mutual benefit; believes that Council's decision to reduce them furthercommitments down to 1,27% compared to budget 2012 must be substantiated with clear, factual and objective evidence, backed where possible by appropriate impact assessment; recalls that commitments reflect EU political priorities and should as such be set having in mind a long term perspective wheren the economic downturn might be over; therefore takes the view that, as a general principle, commitments should be resset at a level that reflects the need to red at the DB level-establish growth at a European level, whilst respecting principles of budgetary rigour; intends, however, to increase commitment appropriations above the DB on a selected number of budget lines directly related to the delivery of the Europe 2020 priorities and in line with traditional Parliament's priorities;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
16. DeploreRegards that, although this is the key heading for the delivery of the Europe 2020 objectives, Heading 1a bears practically the totality of the Council's cuts in commitments (-2,9% compared to DB) in Heading 1 and is the most affected as regards decreases in payments (-EUR 1,9 billion or -14% compared to DB); decides to undo almost allhat, given the proven added value of spending in this area to undo cuts by Council and to reinforce above DB in commitment and payments tonly a selected number of lines directly linked to the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy and characterised by high levels of implementation and strong absorption capacity could prove providential;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
17. In particular, highlights that the strong cuts to the Commission's proposal affecting Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) programmes are in clear contradictionmust not conflict with the recent European Council's decision to create a «"Compact for growth»" supporting, among others, research and development, innovation and employment; recalls whilst recalling the importance of sound public finances, structural reform and targeted investment for sustainable growth; points to the very good performances of these programmes, for which Commission reports accelerated implementation in 2012 compared to last year;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
21. DeplorNotes the substantial cuts in payments (-EUR 1,6 billion or -3,3 % as compared to DB) made by the Council affecting the Regional Competitiveness and Employment objective (- 12,9%), the European Territorial Cooperation objective (-18,7%) and the Cohesion Fund (-4,7%); notes instead that the Convergence objective is left practically untouched;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
22. Recalls that the high level of payments in the DB for this heading (+8,1%) results from commitments undertaken in the past, which need to be honoured at the end of the programming period in line with the natural life cycle of the Structural Funds; stresses that a more realistic approach from the Council as to the actual payment needs under this heading in the recent EU budgetary procedures wouldmay have allowed a much lower percentage of increase in payments;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Notes, that forecasts of spending needs in this area are highly uncertain and can fluctuate considerably as implementation rates for major programmes change;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
24. Rejects the cuts introduced by the Council on Heading 1b, which would lead to a much more serious shortage in payments than already expected and would impede the correct execution of projects during the last year of the programming period; points out again that this heading is responsible for two thirds of the current outstanding commitments and that cutting the level of payments for 2013 would also lead to a strong increase in the level of RAL by the end of next yearPoints out that heading 1b is responsible for two thirds of the current outstanding commitments; believes that such outstanding commitments can be met by identifying inefficiencies in other spending areas;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
25. Does not considerNotes the Council's declaration asking the Commission to submit a draft amending budget in case of insufficient payments under Heading 1b as a sufficient guarantee that an adequate level of payments will be made available in 2013, given that similar commitments have been already undertaken and disregarded by the Council in the past two years;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
26. Decides, therefore, to restore the DB in commitments and in payments for all budget lines cut by Council under this heading and to increase commitment and payment appropriations above DB for the technical assistance to the Baltic Sea Strategy;deleted
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Believes that payment appropriations should be set at the minimum necessary to fund programme implementation and be based on realistic implementation rates and estimates of Member States' absorption capacity;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
28. Considers thatQuestions whether the Commission's estimates of budgetary needs are more realistic than the Council's proposals, in particular in the light of forthcoming payments and considering the current economic uncertainty; restores therefore Council's cuts under this Heading to a level of EUR 60 307,51 million, which is 0,6% above the 2012 budgetconsistent with the trend of actual spending in recent years and believes that the Council's proposals are more realistic;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
32. Provides for an increasedDoes not consider increased additional support for the school milk programme andnecessary nor the continued support for programme concerning school fruit; considers that both programmes could be more effectively managed and financed at Member State level;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
33. Maintains the budget allocation dedicated to the Food Distribution Programme for the Most Deprived Persons in the EU that supports 18 million people with problems of malnutrition within the Union; welcomes the effort made by the Commission in finding a political and legal solution to continue with the programme in for 2013;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Notes that the financing of the Food Distribution Programme under CAP expenditure was initially justified because of the use of intervention stocks; however, given that intervention stocks have been reduced to almost zero in recent years and taking into account the Court of Auditors ruling1on the scheme - believes that the link of the programme with agricultural expenditure is unjustified; 1 ECA/09/51.
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
36. Stresses that the common fisheries policy remains a crucial political priority for the EU and maintains its financing at the proposed DB levels, in view of its upcoming reform; believes that the funding of the integrated maritime policy should not come at the expense of other fisheries actions or programmes under Heading 2; considers effective fisheries' management of crucial importance in order to preserve fish stocks and prevent overfishing;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
37. Notes that the overall cuts in funding proposed by the Council compared to DB 2013 is -EUR 15 million in commitment appropriations and -EUR 51 million in payment appropriations; notes that these cuts correspond to -1,07% compared to the DB and to -15,5% compared to the initial financial programming of the Commission based on the requests of the Member States;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
38. RejectNotes the cuts performed by the Council in payment appropriations in the following areas: European Return Fund (- EUR 18 million), European Refugee Fund (-EUR 1,8 million), European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals (- EUR 3,2 million) and Fundamental Rights and Citizenship (-EUR 1 million); decides, therefore, to restore the level of the DB on the corresponding lines;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
39. RejectNotes the Council's unilateral decisionlegally permissible decision under the Treaty to change the legal basis of the proposal on the «"Schengen evaluation mechanism»" from ordinary legislative procedure to Article 70 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; supportnotes the Conference of Presidents' decision to block cooperation with the Council on the 2013 budget as regards internal security aspects; endorseconsiders, therefore, the position taken by its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs to put into the reserve some budgetary lines in Title 18 which relate to internal security (in commitment and payment appropriations) until a satisfactoryn outcome is achieved on the Schengen governance package; is of the opinion that this reserve should not be applied to the agencies working under Heading 3a in order not to jeopardise their work;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
40. Stresses that measures aimed at combating gender violence must be sufficiently funded; emphasises the important role that the programme for preventing and combating all forms of violence (DAPHNE) has played in eliminating violence against women and girls in the , and therefore increases its payment appropriations above the level of the DBchildren, young people and women;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
42. RegretNotes that, despite the cuts already proposed in the DB, Council makes further cuts in appropriations for Heading 3b, both in commitments and in payments, by approximately EUR 9,5 million; takes the general approach of undoing all Council's cuts so as to ensure a proper implementation of the running programmes and actions under this heading;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
43. Reiterates that fostering youth employment and activity are essential for Europe to be able to exploit the talents of the best-educated generation in history; has therefore decided to increase funding for the Youth in Action programme compared to DB, especially considering the sound implementation of the programme for many years runningregain its competitiveness; believes however, that savings can be made by reducing inefficiencies in administrative expenditure and focusing on spending less more efficiently;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
44. Considers that the information campaign on the European Year of Citizens 2013 together with communication activities require adequate appropriations to properly involve citizens in the European projectshould be an area where appropriate reductions in appropriations will still effectively involve citizens and promote dialogue on thecommon EU issues; deplorrecognises that the budget proposed by the Commission on this budget line is the smallest ever allocated to a European Year and decides to reinforce appropriations for the corresponding budget lineis one which reflects the ongoing smart fiscal consolidation among the Member States;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
48. Underlines, on the contrary, the need for additionalppropriate financing on a selected number of lines cut by Commission in comparison with the 2012 budget and corresponding to the areas of geographical development cooperation, as well as for the Electoral Observation Mission and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria; therefore proposes an increase in the level of commitment and payment appropriations above the DB for these budget lines;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
50. Also deemsDoes not consider it necessary to increase appropriations for the support to the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot Community in order to ensure the continuation of the EU financial support to the work of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus and of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
52. Takes note of Council's position, which decreased Commission's proposal on Heading 5 – All sections by EUR 146 million overall, despitein addition to the institutions' efforts, as reflected in their estimates and the DB, towards budget consolidation of administrative expenditure, at a time of economic and budgetary constraints and fiscal rigour at national level;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
53. Stresses in particular that most institutions, including Parliament and the Commission, complied with and even overstepped their commitmen Commission's request to restrict their administrative budgets to an increase below the expected inflation rate; welcomes these efforts and sets Heading 5 appropriations at an overall level of EUR XXX million, of which EUR XXX million for the Commission;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
54. WellImportantly notes that the cuts brought by Council stem from the non-budgeting of the 1,7% 2011 salary adjustment, the increase of the standard abatement rate for various institutions and services and other specific cuts to some items of administrative expenditure, but considers such cuts to be ill-founded and simply aimed at artificially freezing administrative expenditure in nominal terms, despitethat savings must, as a general rule, be systemic in nature and not circumstantial one offs if possible, and certainly not in contradiction to statutory and contractual obligations and the EU's new competences and tasks;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
56. Decides, for all the institutions apart from Council, as well as for European Schools, to restore (or in the case of the Court of Justice, add) in reserve the amounts corresponding to the 1.7% 2011 salary adjustment for budget year 2013, pending the Court's ruling; underlines that this is sound budgeting, given the likelihood of a ruling in favour of the Commission, and warnsmust not prejudice any future Court decision regarding sound budgeting, and points out to the Council that, in such event, the budgetary authority will need to accommodate the retroactive effect of such ruling also for years 2011 and 2012, including late interest;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
59. While restoring or maintaining Commission's and, partly, other institutions' requests for posts on the basis of a case-by-case approach, calls for an in- depth impact assessment to be carried out on the planned staff reductions by 2018 to be delivered to the budgetary authority by 31st June 2012, taking full account of, inter alia, the Union's legal obligations and the institutions' new competences and increased tasks arising from the Treaties;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60
60. Although welcoming the information given in the DB on those areas which were reinforced in staff, such as European economic governance, the single market and security and justice, notes with concern that staff cuts were made within the Commission to some other Directorates-General such as Enterprise and Industry, Competition, Mobility and Transport, Research and Innovation Eurostat which however make a substantial contribution to the achievement of EU's priorities; is also concerned by the adverse impact fewer posts in the areas of administrative support, budgetary management and anti-fraud may have on the swift, regular and effective implementation of EU actions and programmes, especially at a time when the EU's competences continue to increase and a new Member State joins the Union;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
64. Endorses, as a general rule a report to be delivered to the standing Rapporteur responsible for agencies by 31st of June each year, the Commission's estimates of agencies' budgetary and staff needs andbacked by objective fact based evidence; notes that the Commission had already considerably reduced the agencies' initial requests and applied also to them the 1% staff reduction in the DB;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
68. Is concerned byNotes the Council's position of a nominal freeze across all EU institutions; believes that each institution should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the needs and specific situation of each institution;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78
78. Welcomes the establishment of a joint Working group on the Parliament's budget between the Committee on Budgets and the Bureau; in particular, recalls that such group must reflect the plurality and democratic balance of all political groups in the Parliament, thus ensuring full democratic legitimacy, regrets that up until this point this has not been the case; strongly supports its work on the launch of a comparative study Parliament's budget with the budgets of the US Congress and a sample of Member States' parliaments; recalls that this study is scheduled for completion by the end of 2012; expects this study to create long- term savings in the European Parliament's budget and present ideas for improving its efficiency in 2013 and the following years;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 92
92. Partially restores remunerations and allowances, to apply a 5,5% standard abatement rate, which will still mean a reduction of the current occupancy rate; partstrongly uendorses other arbitrary cuts made by Council, such as expenditure linked to the Official Journal and operating expenditure such as interpretation, already reduced in 2012 to its 2009 outturn level;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94
94. Partially restores appropriations for the Committee of Regions to meet its existing statutory and legal obligations in the field of annual lease payments and staff salaries; notes thatendorses Council's drastic cut on remunerations and allowances which would amount to applying twice the 1% staff cut (already included in the DB) to this institution;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 98
98. Welcomes the factNotes that, for 2013, the EEAS has frozen appropriations in nominal terms on a number of budget lines and made targeted reductions on other lines, savings which could reach 1,3% of its 2012 budget;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 100
100. Highlights that the proposed increases in the EEAS budget are required to meet statutory staff costs and other legal obligations, as well as to respond to the political expectations for the EEAS to be present in priority countries;deleted
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 101
101. Rejects, therefore,Welcomes the Council's decision to freeze the EEAS budget in nominal terms at the 2012 level, and proposes an adequate increase in view of its overall financial context;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102
102. UndoNotes the cuts made by Council that would entail a reduction in the number of officials and would contradict the efforts made since the creation of the EEAS to recruit and to redeploy staff to meet increased operational requirements;
2012/10/08
Committee: BUDG