29 Amendments of Philippe LAMBERTS related to 2015/0263(COD)
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Several Member States have been undergoing and continue to undergo adjustment processes to correct macroeconomic imbalances accumulated in the past and many are facing the challenge of low potential growth. The Union has identified the implementation of structural reforms, high unemployment, increased risk of poverty, shrinking social protection and widening disparities. The Union has identified the implementation of socially balanced structural reforms, including reforms to tackle climate change, among its policy priorities, to set the recovery oncreate the conditions in the medium-term to achieve a sustainable growth path, unlock the growth potential to strengthen the adjustment capacity, and support the process of convergence.
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Reforms are by their very nature complex processes that require careful analyses underpinned by a wide debate among different stakeholders, to assess and choose among different policy strategies which may potentially attain the same outcome. Once a specific policy strategy is agreed upon, it is crucial that reforms are underpinned by 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 and since structural reforms entail different trade-off and distributional effects. 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 in supporting the economic adjustment of Greece and Cyprus or economies following growth patterns which are non- sustainable both for the domestic economy and for the Union as a whole. In this context, the provision of support by the Union in the form of technical assistance for Greece and Cyprus over recent years, permits the effectiveness of the structural reform support programme to be enhanced by relying on the know-how developed, including the last yearsessons learned and shortcomings observed.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) Whereas the special report of the European Court of Auditors on the technical assistance to Greece emphasises that shortcomings related to the activities of the task force for Greece, such as lack of strategic approach and low effectiveness in certain fields, needs to improve monitoring; whereas recommendations made by the Court in its report should be fully addressed.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The Union has a long-lasting experience on providing specific support to national administrations and other authorities of Member States as regards capacity building 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 and integrated action is indeed necessary in order to provide support to those Member States that are undertaking growth- enhancing and socially balanced reforms and request assistance from the Union in this respect.
Amendment 67 #
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 and regional authorities to prepare and implement growth-enhancing and socially balanced 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, quality job creation, reduction of inequality and improving social cohesion, fighting climate change, boosting Europe's competitiveness and stimulating sustainable investment in the real economy.
Amendment 72 #
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, tradesocial welfare and social inclusion, access to finance and lending to the real economy, investment, trade, environmental protection, Union climate action, renewable energy and energy efficiency, sustainable development, innovation, education and training, labour policies, reduction of inequalities, public health, asylum, migration policies, agriculture and rural development and financial sector policies.
Amendment 79 #
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 the EU 2020 strategy, 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 creationsustainable growth, social cohesion and quality job creation. Member States should involve their national parliament and their partners from regional and local authorities, economic and social partners and representatives of civil society before submitting a request and agreeing on the policy strategy underlying the relevant reforms.
Amendment 86 #
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, with the purpose of agreeing upon the broad policy strategy underpinning the relevant reforms, and not least to assure democratic legitimacy and increase national ownership, the Commission should analyse the request, taking into account the principles of transparency, equal treatment and sound financial management and determine the support to be provided based on urgency, breadth and depth of the problems as identified, the principle of subsidiarity, 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, in close cooperation agree with the Member State concerned, identify on the priority areas,ctions for effective support, in line with the agreed policy guidelines, the type and 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.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) This Regulation should be implemented in compliance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council18 on the financial rules applicable to the annual budget of the European Union. The Commission should adoptbe empowered to adopt delegated acts providing for multi-annual work programmes that set out the political objectives pursued, the expected results of the support and the funding priorities in the respective policy areas. Those elements should be further specified in annual work programmes adopted by implementing acts. _________________ 18 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1).
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) To facilitate the evaluation of the Programme, a proper framework for monitoring the results achieved by the Programme should be put in place from the very beginning. A mid-term evaluation looking at the achievement of the objectives of the Programme, including the ability of reforms carried out under the Programme to deliver on the ex-ante identified policy objectives, its efficiency and its added value at the European level should be carried out. A final evaluation should, in addition, deal with the long– term impact and the sustainability effects of the Programme. Those evaluations should be based on the indicators, including social and environmental indicators, measuring the effects of the Programme.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
2 a. 'structural reforms' means wide- ranging governmental actions aimed at strengthening regional, national and Union recovery, improving social conditions, fostering sustainable development, upward convergence and widely shared prosperity;
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 b (new)
2 b. Union added value' means, in the pursuit of the general interest, the additional benefit resulting from a Union action or budget in comparison with what the intervention of one or more Member States would have delivered alone and which may result from different factors, inter alia coordination gains, legal certainty, greater effectiveness or complementarities;
Amendment 119 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 c (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 c (new)
2 c. 'sustainable investment' means investment discipline that considers environmental, social and corporate governance criteria to generate long-term competitive financial returns and positive societal impact;
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) the promotion of Union values, in particular solidarity and respect for fundamental rights;
Amendment 125 #
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 and regional authorities for 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, jobs, and investmentsocial welfare and social inclusion, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable growth, quality jobs creation, sustainable investment, reducing inequalities and fighting climate change, in particular in the context of economic governance processes, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds.
Amendment 132 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
The technical support shall be provided within the framework of a set of policy guidelines agreed upfront by national authorities and the Commission in order to define the broad policy strategy underpinning the relevant reforms;
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to assist the initiatives of national authorities to design their reforms according to priorities and the principle of subsidiarity, taking into account initial conditions and expected socio- economic impacts;
Amendment 137 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) to support the efforts of national authorities to identify, define and implement appropriate processes and methodologies by taking into account good practices and lessons learned by other countries in addressing similar situations, while considering the specificities of the domestic context and avoiding a one-size- fits-all approach;
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) to assist the national authorities to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of social dialogue, human resources management, where appropriate, through definition of clear responsibilities and increase of professional knowledge and skills., respecting national preferences with regard to: i. the size and power of the government sector; ii. the provision of public goods; iii. practices and traditions for social dialogue and collective agreements;
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
The Programme shall also be used for the purpose of fostering a structured policy dialogue with national authorities to enhance their capacity to formulate, develop and implement reform policies and strategies and pursue an integrated approach ensuring cross-sector consistency between goals and means;
Amendment 150 #
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 environment and climate change, social cohesion, competitiveness, innovation, growth, jobs and investment, in particular to the following:
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) institutional reform and efficient and service-oriented functioning of public administration, provision of high quality public goods, fighting tax evasion, effective rule of law, reform of the justice system and reinforcement of anti-fraud, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering;
Amendment 162 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) policies for implementing the Union climate action programme, reducing emission, promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, for the agricultural sector and the sustainable development of rural areas;
Amendment 164 #
(f) financial sector policies and access to finance., financial stability, access to finance and lending to the real economy;
Amendment 175 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. National authorities, with the involvement of national parliaments and other domestic stakeholders, shall agree with the Commission on a set of policy guidelines steering the design and the content of the reform; the broad scope of the reform shall be democratically discussed upfront in order to avoid bad surprise afterwards;
Amendment 177 #
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 cooperation with the Member State concerned shall identify the priority areactions for support, theeffective support, in line with the agreed policy guidelines, the type and scope of the support measures to be provided within the eligible actions, and the global financial contribution for such support.
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) the implementation of economic adjustment programmes for Member States that receive Union financial assistance under existing instruments, in particular in accordance withwithin the specific framework of Regulation (EU) No 472/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council23 for the euro area Member States and Council Regulation (EC) No 332/200224 for non-euro area Member States; _________________ 23 Regulation (EU) No 472/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on the strengthening of economic and budgetary surveillance of Member States in the euro area experiencing or threatened with serious difficulties with respect to their financial stability (OJ L 140, 27.5.2013, p. 1). 24 Council Regulation (EC) No 332/2002 of 18 February 2002 establishing a facility providing medium-term financial assistance for Member States' balances of payments (OJ L 53, 23.2.2002, p. 1).
Amendment 186 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point c a (new)
(c a) A request for support under points (a) and (c) does not affect the right of Member States' authorities to take the final decision about the design, the adoption and the implementation of the reforms, taking into account the Treaties and the economic governance framework of the Union;