5 Amendments of Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS related to 2022/2032(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the key role of cohesion policy in fostering economic, social and territorial convergence across the EU; expresses concern, however, about persistent inequalities, socio-economic disparities and uneven demographic decline, with many less developed regions falling behind and getting caught in a ‘development trap’ in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; underlines that several middle-income and less developed regions, especially in the southern EU, have suffered from economic stagnation or decline, suggesting that they are in a development trap, also given that many were hit by the economic and financial crisis in 2008 and have struggled to recover since;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that cohesion policy, with a budget of EUR 392 billion between 2021 and 2027, remains the EU’s primary investment tool and notes that its share of public investment in Member States increased considerably over the 2014-2020 period, given the contraction of national public investments due to the economic and financial crisis;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Welcomes the principle of “do no harm to cohesion”, meaning no action should hamper the convergence process or contribute to regional disparities, highlighted in the 8th Cohesion Report; supports its further development and its integration in policy making; stresses that territorial impact assessments and rural proofing should be strengthened in order for the needs and specificities of different EU territories to be better taken into account;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Calls for a fair distribution of cohesion funding to support entrepreneurship, employment, education, training and innovation and for an end to its over-concentration in the more developed regions, especially in capital regions, in order to avoid any development trap, especially in the less developed regions;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Notes that, following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the EU’s growth outlook has been revised downwards and the forecast for inflation upwards, as depicted in the Spring 2022 Economic Forecast; underlines that the invasion of Ukraine has posed new challenges and has increased uncertainty; stresses, in this context, the need to maintain a supportive fiscal stance and expects the general escape clause to remain activated as long as necessary; considers that returning to the existing fiscal rules in the current circumstances is not a viable solution and calls, therefore, for their thorough revision before the deactivation of the general escape clause;