Activities of José GUSMÃO related to 2021/2251(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility
Amendments (20)
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is an unprecedented instrument of solidarity and a cornerstone of the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) instrument, ending in 2026, as the main tool in the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare the economies of the EU to face the new challenges;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the fact that even if the economic effects of the RRF cannot be fully disentangled from other developments, it seems fair to conclude that, so far, the RRF has had positive effects on gross domestic product (GDP) and that its effective implementation will be key for the EU’s economic growth; rRecognises that the RRF has helped to cushion EU economies and citizens from the most acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and is positively contributing to the EU’s recovery and resilience; notes, however, that there have been significant differences in the recovery path of core and periphery economies;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that, according to the Commission, the real GDP of the EU-27 could be around 1.5 % higher in 2024 than without NGEU investments19 , when implemented effectively; notes, furthermore, that the Commission forecasts that RRF grants will fund 24 % of total recovery support measures in 2022; regrets he fact that the Facility’s final amount was significantly lower than initially proposed, which undermined its macroeconomic impact in the EU; __________________ 19 European Commission discussion paper 144, Quantifying Spillovers of Next Generation EU Investment, July 2021. https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/ economy-finance/dp144_en.pdf
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Notes that the approval of the RRF has led to the abandonment of previous Commission’s proposals for a Euro Area common budget (such as the Budgetary Instrument for Convergence and Competitiveness, BICC); notes, however, that the RRF is only a temporary instrument and should not be seen as a substitute for permanent instruments; calls on the Commission to put forward a proposal for permanent budgetary instruments at Euro Area level in order to promote sustainable growth and convergence;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that the packages of reforms and investments, particularly growth-enhancing ones under the RRF, should also generate EU added value and foster the development of domestic industries while also promoting convergence between Member States; emphasises that the packages of reforms and investments under the RRF should also contribute to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the EU Green Deal;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Deplores the fact that women20 , children21 , young people, the elderly and vulnerable groups have been the most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis; recalls the need to ensure that the EU leaves no one behind, and that it tackles gender- specific socio-economic impacts on its path to recovery; __________________ 20 European Parliament, Directorate- General for Internal Policies, Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, COVID-19 and its economic impact on women and women’s poverty – Insights from 5 European Countries, May 2021. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/et udes/STUD/2021/693183/IPOL_STU(202 1)693183_EN.pdf 21 Eurochild, Growing up in lockdown: Europe’s children in the age of COVID-19, 17 November 2020. https://www.eurochild.org/resource/growin g-up-in-lockdown-europes-children-in-the- age-of-covid-19/
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates the importance of the six pillars in providing the Member States with a structure to propose and implement reforms and investments that tackle the green and digital transitions, the economy, productivity and competitiveness, social and territorial cohesion, health and institutional resilience, and measures for children and young people; notes that the current debate on energy sovereignty should lead Member States to prioritize the energy transition, so as to significantly reduce (and eventually eliminate) the fossil fuel dependency and promote socially and environmentally sustainable growth;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is concernedNotes, however, that only seven Member States have requested loans amounting to a total of EUR 166 billion out of the EUR 385.8 billion available for loans, leaving a considerable amount available should Member States require loans at a later stage; is preoccupied, given the fact that these are not desirable by Member States which already had high levels of public debt; notes that the limited interest for the loan component may lead to lost opportunities and prevent the RRF from reaching its full potential;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Tasks the Commission with analysing the reasons why the Member States have not requested loans to the full extent of their allocationNotes that Member States with high levels of public debt do not have incentives for requesting loans since they remain constrained by current SGP rules (even if they are suspended); notes that a reform of SGP, in order to do away with its pro-cyclical bias and its arbitrary targets for debt and deficit, is of crucial importance;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Is concerned with the possibility of financing the RRF through cuts in future EU budgets; notes that such a scenario would undermine the nature of current grants conceded to the Member States, since these would eventually have to be paid for;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14 b. Calls on the Commission to present financing alternatives based on new own-resources, particularly regarding the taxation of financial transactions and digital multinationals; as an alternative, calls on the Commission to assess the role the ECB could play in financing the Fund;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Stresses that the European Parliament should play a relevant role in assessing compliance with the Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principle; notes that the involvement of the Parliament is crucial to avoid greenwashing;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. Regrets the fact that local and regional authorities, social partners and other relevant stakeholders have not been adequately involved in the preparation of the NRRPs; stresses that this may also be the case during the implementation phase; calls on Member States to promote a meaningful involvement of these groups
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that the Commission estimates social spending in the NRRPs to account for around 20 % of the grants and loans requested; observes that this expenditure focuses on employment incentives for specific disadvantaged groups, reforms of employment protection legislation and labour contract regulation; notes that the Commission should not impose deregulatory measures on Member States, as happened in the past; regrets that social investment measures have been rather limited to social infrastructure and that only some NRRPs contain measures for the development of proper care services and temporary support measures; supports the Commission’s aim, through the RRF, of building a more resilient and inclusive labour market, while contributing to promote real wage growth and tackle income inequalities;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that approved NRRPs envisage expenditure on healthcare-related measures of EUR 37 billion, which corresponds to 8 % of total NRRP expenditure; expects these healthcare- related measures to contribute to increasing the resilience of universal public healthcare systems and their preparedness for future crises;hallenges, such as ageing populations; acknowledges the importance of public healthcare expenditure and calls on the Commission to abandon the pre-pandemic recommendations for further cuts to this expenditure
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Emphasises that the RRF should not be used to substitute recurring national budgetary expenditure, unless duly justified; notes that the Commission has only approved NRRPs to cover the initial costs of setting up and launching reform; notes, however, that current SGP rules encourage periphery countries to substitute national expenditures so as to ensure compliance with restrictive deficit targets;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Points out that the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ was evaluated for each measure by the Commission in accordance with its technical guidance; notes that in order to comply with the principle, some Member States had to improve certain measures; stresses that the compliance with the DNSH principle needs to be carefully assessed in order to avoid greenwashing;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Observes that a large majority of NRRPs include a specific section explaining how the plan addresses gender- related concerns and challenges; regrets the fact that not all NRRPs have presented such an explanation;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Believes that NRRPs would benefit from further cross-border projects in order to enhance spill-over effects and contribute to EU added value; notes, in particular, the importance of cross-border projects related with energy transmission across Member States; notes that adequate infrastructure is crucial to promote the use of renewable energy produced in Southern Member States and transported to others; stresses that these investments are crucial for achieving energy sovereignty and the green transition;
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Reaffirms Parliament’s role in scrutinising the implementation of the RRF, in particular through five plenary debates held in 2021, two adopted resolutions, four Recovery and Resilience Dialogues held with the Commission in 2021, 20 meetings of the dedicated working group on the scrutiny of the RRF, parliamentary questions, and the regular flow of information and ad hoc requests for information from the Commission; calls on the RRF Working Group to play a more meaningful role in the scrutiny of the implementation phase;