Activities of Helga TRÜPEL related to 2018/0230(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
European Solidarity Corps programme (debate) DE
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Solidarity Corps programme and repealing [European Solidarity Corps Regulation] and Regulation (EU) No 375/2014 PDF (606 KB) DOC (281 KB)
Amendments (42)
Amendment 39 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The European Union is built on solidarity, among its citizens and among its Member States. This common value, enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union, guides its actions and provides the necessary unity to cope with current and future societal challenges, which young Europeans are willing to help address by expressing their solidarity in practice, through a complementary bottom-up approach.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Young people should be provided with easily accessible and inclusive opportunities to engage in solidarity activities, which could enable them to express their commitment to the benefit of communities while acquiring useful experience, skills and competences for their personal, educational, social, civic and professional development, thereby improving their employability. Those activities should also support the mobility of young volunteers, trainees and workers.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The solidarity activities offered to young people should be of high quality, in the sense that they should respond to unmet societal needs, contribute to strengthening communities,; they should aim to tackle unmet societal needs, enhance solidarity and contribute to strengthening communities and democratic participation. They should offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and competences, and contribute to the personal development of participants. They should be financially accessible to young people, and be implemented in safe and healthy conditions, and shall not include activities that are potentially harmful or inappropriate for participants, such as volunteering in residential institutions for children.
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The solidarity activities offered to young people should be of high quality, in the sense that they should respond to unmet societal needs, contribute to strengthening communities, offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and competences, be financially accessible to young people, and be implemented in safe and healthy conditions. Dialogue with local and regional authorities and stakeholders should be encouraged in order to best determine unmet societal needs and ensure a needs-oriented programme.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The solidarity activities offered to young people should be of high quality, in the sense that they should respond to unmet societal needs, contribute to strengthening communities,; they should aim to tackle unmet societal needs, enhance solidarity and contribute to strengthening communities and democratic participation. They should offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and competences, and contribute to the personal development of participants. They should be financially accessible to young people, and be implemented in safe and healthy conditions.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The European Solidarity Corps provides a single entry point for solidarity activities throughout the Union and beyond. Consistency and complementarity should be ensured with other relevant Union policies and programmes. The European Solidarity Corps is built on the strengths and synergies of predecessor and existing programmes, notably the European Voluntary Service19 and the EU Aid Volunteers20. It also complements the efforts made by Member States to support young people and ease their school-to- work transition under the Youth Guarantee by providing them with additional opportunities to make a start on the labour market in the form of traineeships or jobs in solidarity-related areas within their respective Member State or across borders. Complementarity with existing Union level networks pertinent to the activities under the European Solidarity Corps, such as the European Network of Public Employment Services, EURES and the Eurodesk network, and other relevant civil society organisations, including social partners and networks representing young people and volunteers are also ensured. Furthermore, complementarity between existing related schemes, in particular national solidarity schemes and mobility schemes for young people, and the European Solidarity Corps should be ensured, building on good practices where appropriate. _________________ 19 Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50–73). 20 Regulation (EU) No 375/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 establishing the European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps (‘EU Aid Volunteers initiative’) (OJ L 122, 24.4.2014, p. 1-17).
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Volunteering activities (both within and beyond the Union) constitute a rich experience in a non-formal and informal learning context which enhances young people’s personal, socio-educational and professional development, active citizenship and demployabilitocracy. Volunteering activities should not have an adverse effect on potential or existing paid employment, nor should they be seen as a substitute for it. The Commission and the Member States should cooperate regarding volunteering policies in the youth field via the open method of coordination.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Particular attention should be given to ensuring the quality of the activities and other opportunities offered under the European Solidarity Corps, in particular by offering training, language support, insurance, administrative and post-activity support to participants as well as the validation of the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through their European Solidarity Corps experience. Security and safety of the volunteers remain of paramount importance and volunteers should not be deployed to operations conducted in the theatre of international and non-international armed conflicts. Due consideration should also be given to the safety and interests of beneficiaries. Activities involving direct contact with children should be guided by the “best interests of the child” principle and should be subject, where appropriate, to background checks or other measures with a view to ensure child safeguarding.
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Any entity willing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps should receive a quality label provided that the appropriate conditions are fulfilled. The process that leads to the attribution of a quality label should be carried out on a continuous basis by the implementing bodies of the European Solidarity Corps. The attributed quality label should be reassessed periodically and could be revoked if, in the context of the checks to be performed, the conditions that led to its attribution were found to be no longer fulfilled, taking account of the main fields where solidarity is developing in the Member States.
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19 a (new)
Recital 19 a (new)
(19a) As a general rule, the grant request will be submitted to the national agency of the country where the organisation is based. Grant requests for activities organised by Europe-wide or international organisations; activities of volunteering teams in priority fields identified at European level; and activities in support of humanitarian aid operations in third countries; will be submitted to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission.
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20 a (new)
Recital 20 a (new)
(20a) In order to support solidarity activities among young people, participating organisations should be non-profit or profit organisations, and may include non-governmental organisations or civil society organisations, youth organisations, religious associations or communities. The Programme should only provide funding to cover the non-profit part of activities of participating organisations.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) The European Solidarity Corps Portal should be continuously developed in order to ensure easy access to the European Solidarity Corps and to, in accordance with the standards established by Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies. The European Solidarity Corps Portal provides a one-stop shop for both interested individuals and organisations as regards, inter alia, registration, identification and matching of profiles and opportunities, networking and virtual exchanges, online training, language and post-activity support as well as other useful functionalities, which may arise in the future. While a one-stop shop provides the advantage of integrated access to diverse activities, individuals may encounter physical, social and other obstacles in acceding the European Solidarity Corps Portal. In order to overcome such obstacles, participating organisations should provide participants with registration support.
Amendment 128 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) In compliance with the Financial Regulation, the Commission should adopt work programmes and inform the European Parliament and the Council thereofGiven that the Programme is implemented over a seven-year period, it is necessary to provide for adequate flexibility to enable adaptation to changing realities and political priorities for the implementation of solidarity activities under the strands of the Programme. As such, the Regulation does not define in detail how the actions will be designed, nor does it prejudge political priorities or respective budgetary priorities for the next seven years. Instead, the secondary policy choices and priorities, including details of specific actions, to be implemented through the different activities, should be determined through an annual work programme in compliance with the Financial Regulation. The work programme should also set out the measures needed for their implementation in line with the general and specific objectives of the Programme, the selection and award criteria for grants, as well as all other elements required. Work programmes and any amendments to them should be adopted by implementing acts in accordance with the examination procedure. means of a delegated act. To ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the Commission, when preparing and drawing up delegated acts, should carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level and ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and to the Council.
Amendment 136 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 45
Recital 45
Amendment 148 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) ‘solidarity activity’ means an easily accessible, high- quality temporary, inclusive and adequately funded activity contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the European Solidarity Corps, which may take the form of volunteering, traineeships, jobs, solidarity projects and networking activities in various fields, including those referred to in paragraph 13, ensuring the European added value and compliance with health and safety regulations;
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) ‘young people with fewer opportunities’ means young people facing some obstacles that prevent them from having effective access to opportunities under the Programme forindividuals who require additional, targeted support due to discrimination, based on any of the grounds enshrined in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and are at a heightened risk of social exclusion as a result of various factors, either individually or in combination with each other; such factors may include disability, health status, educational difficulties, cultural differences, economic, social, cultural, and geographical or health reasons or for reasons such as disabilities and educational difficultiesbstacles. Young people facing some obstacles that prevent them from having effective access to opportunities under the Programme;
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) ‘young people with fewer opportunities’ means young people facing some obstacles that prevent them from having effective access to opportunities under the Programme for economic, social, cultural, geographical or health reasons or for reasons such as disabilities and educational difficultieindividuals who require additional, targeted support due to discrimination and a heightened risk of social exclusion as a result of various factors, either individually or in combination with each other. Such factors may include, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, health status, geographical obstacles, legal barriers or other status;
Amendment 157 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) ‘young people with fewer opportunities’ means young people facing some obstacles that preventhinder them from having effective access to opportunities under the Programme for economic, social, cultural, geographical or health reasons or for reasons such as disabilities and educational difficulties;
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
(7) ‘traineeship’ means a paid solidarity activity for a period from two to six months, renewable once and for a maximum duration of 12 months, that is offered and paid by the participating organisation hosting the European Solidarity Corps participant and that involves a learning component;
Amendment 172 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8
(8) ‘job’ means adecently paid solidarity activity for a period from 2 to 12 months, paid by the participating organisation employing the European Solidarity Corps participant including a specific learning component;
Amendment 193 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The general objective of the Programme is to promote solidarity; it shall enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high-quality solidarity activities as a means to contribute to strengthening cohesion, solidarity and democracy in the Union and abroad, addressing societal and humanitarian challenges on the ground, with particular effort to promote social inclusion and democratic participation.
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The specific objective of the Programme is to provide young people, including those with fewer opportunities, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities in Europe and abroad while improving and properly validating their competenceprofessional and civic competences, promoting their continuous engagement as active citizens as well as facilitating their employability and transition into the labour market.
Amendment 208 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The operational objectives and corresponding policy priorities of the actions to be implemented through the activities under the strands shall be specified in detail in the annual work programme to be adopted pursuant to Article 18.
Amendment 214 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The Annual Work Programme adopted pursuant to Article 18 shall include a list of activities that are potentially harmful to participants, beneficiaries and society, or inappropriate for participants, which shall not be carried out in the framework of the Programme or which shall be subject to special training, background checks or other measures.
Amendment 217 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) reinforcing the capacities of the participating organisations to offer good quality, easily accessible and adequately funded projects to an increasing number of European Solidarity Corps participants;
Amendment 228 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) the establishment, maintenance and updating of than accessible European Solidarity Corps Portal and other relevant online services as well as the necessary IT support systems and web-based tools in line with the accessibility requirements of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies.
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) the establishment, maintenance and updating of the multilingual European Solidarity Corps Portal and other relevant online services as well as the necessary IT support systems and web-based tools.
Amendment 257 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. To allow for flexibility and adaptation of the indicative budgetary breakdown by activities under Article 12a the Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 29. The delegated acts adopted under this article shall reflect the new political priorities by readjusting the breakdown respecting a maximum margin of 20%.
Amendment 284 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3
Article 16 – paragraph 3
3. As a result of the assessment the entity may be attributed the European Solidarity Corps quality label. The obtained label shall be re-assessed periodically or upon request from participants and may be revoked.
Amendment 290 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Any public or private entity established in a participating country as well as international organisations may apply for funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the activities referred to in Articles 7, 8 and 11, a quality label shall be obtained by the participating organisation as a pre-condition for receiving funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the solidarity projects referred to Article 9, natural persons may also apply for funding on behalf of informal groups of European Solidarity Corps participants. As a general rule, the grant request will be submitted to the national agency of the country where the organisation is based. Grant requests for activities organised by Europe-wide or international organisations; activities of volunteering teams in priority fields identified at European level; activities in support of humanitarian aid operations in third countries; will be submitted to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission.
Amendment 293 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Grant requests shall be submitted to the national agency of the country where the organisation is based. Grant requests for activities organised by Europe-wide or international organisations, activities of volunteering teams in priority fields identified at European level and activities in support of humanitarian aid operations in third countries shall be submitted to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission.
Amendment 294 #
1. The secondary policy choices and priorities, including details of specific actions outlined in Articles 4 to 11, shall be determined on an annual basis through a work programme as referred to in Article [110] of the Financial Regulation. The work programme shall also set out the Programme’s implementation. In addition, the work programme shall give an indication of the amount allocated to each action and of the distribution of funds between the Member States and third countries associated to the Programme for the actions to be managed through the national agency. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt the work programme by means of a delegated act in accordance with Article 29. 2. The Programme shall be implemented by work programmes referred to in [Article 110] of the Financial Regulation. In addition, the work programme shall give an indication of the amount allocated to each action and of the distribution of funds between the Member States and third countries associated to the Programme for the actions to be managed through the national agency. The work programme shall be adopted by the Commission by means of an implementing act. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 30.
Amendment 298 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 2
Article 20 – paragraph 2
2. The inmid-terim revaluationiew of the Programme shall be performed once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the Programme, but no later than four years after the start of the programme implementation30 June 2024. It shall also be accompanied by a final evaluation of the predecessor programme.
Amendment 300 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 20 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. The Commission shall, if necessary and on the basis of the mid- term review and implementation reports submitted by Member States, propose a revision of the Regulation to be adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure. The Commission shall appear before the competent committee of the European Parliament to report on the mid-term review, including with respect to its decision on whether a revision of the Regulation is required.
Amendment 308 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) The Commission shall organise regular meetings and trainings with and for the network of national agencies in order to ensure coherent implementation of the European Solidarity Corps across all participating countries. The Commission shall regularly consult key stakeholders, including participating organisations, on the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 310 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. The Commission shall organise regular meetings with the network of national agencies in order to ensure coherent implementation of the European Solidarity Corps across all participating countries. The Commission shall also invite existing Union level networks, pertinent to the activities under the Programme, social partners and networks representing young people and volunteers.
Amendment 312 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 5 b (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. In the event that the Commission cannot accept the yearly management declaration or the independent audit opinion thereon, or in the event of unsatisfactory implementation by the national agency of the Commission’s observations, the Commission may implement any precautionary and corrective measures necessary to safeguard the Union’s financial interests in accordance with point (c) of Article 131(3) of Regulation (EU Euratom) 2018/1046.
Amendment 313 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 a (new)
Article 24 a (new)
Amendment 319 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 2
Article 29 – paragraph 2
2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Articles 12, 18 and 19 shall be conferred on the Commission for the duration of the Programme.;
Amendment 320 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 3
Article 29 – paragraph 3
3. The delegation of power referred to in Articles 12, 18 and 19 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.
Amendment 321 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 6
Article 29 – paragraph 6
6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Articles 12, 18 and 19 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.
Amendment 322 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. As part of the committee referred in point 1 of this article, relevant civil society organisations including networks representing social partners, young people and volunteers should be included as permanent observers without voting rights in the Programme Committee and their presence laid out in the rules of procedures of the relevant Committee.