BETA

Activities of Louis MICHEL related to 2018/0230(COD)

Shadow opinions (1)

2016/11/22
Committee: DEVE
Dossiers: 2018/0230(COD)
Documents: PDF(281 KB) DOC(180 KB)

Amendments (31)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3

~~(3)~~3. In its Communication ‘A European Solidarity Corps’ of 7 December 201618, the Commission emphasised the need to strengthen the foundations for solidarity work across Europe and beyond its borders, to provide young people with more and better opportunities for solidarity activities covering a broad range of areas, and to support national and local actors, in their efforts to cope with different challenges and crises. The Communication launched a first phase of the European Solidarity Corps whereby different Union programmes were mobilised to offer volunteering, traineeship or job opportunities to young people across the Union. _________________ 18 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions A European Solidarity Corps (COM(2016) 942 final).

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5

~~(5)~~5. Young people should be provided with easily accessible 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, cultural, educational, social, civic and professional development, thereby improving their employability. Those activities should also support the mobility of young volunteers, trainees and workers.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7 a (new)

(7a) The EU Aid Volunteers (EUAV) initiative is not only for young people, as provided for in the European Solidarity Corps programme, but also for any EU citizen or long-term resident of 18 years or over with proven skills and experience in the field of humanitarian aid;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9

~~(9)~~9. The European Solidarity Corps opens up new opportunities for young people to carry out volunteering, traineeship or job activities in solidarity- related areas as well as to devise and develop solidarity projects based on their own initiative. These opportunities contribute to enhancing their personal, educational, social, cultural, civic and professional development. The European Solidarity Corps also supports networking activities for European Solidarity Corps participants and organisations as well as measures to ensure the quality of the supported activities and to enhance the validation of their learning outcomes. It will thus also contribute to European cooperation relevant to young people and raising awareness of its positive impact.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10

(10). These activities should be to the benefit of communities while also fostering the individual’s personal, educational, social, cultural, civic and professional development, which may take the form of volunteering, traineeships and jobs, projects or networking activities, developed in relation to different areas, such as education and training, employment, gender equality, entrepreneurship – in particular social entrepreneurship –, the circular economy, citizenship and democratic participation, environment and nature protection, climate action, ~~disaster~~the prevention~~, preparedness and recovery~~ of and recovery from natural or man-made disasters, agriculture and rural development, provision of food and non- food items, health and well-being, creativity and culture, physical education and sport, social assistance and welfare, reception and integration of third-country nationals, particularly non-accompanied children, territorial cooperation and cohesion, and cooperation across borders. Such solidarity activities should include a solid learning and training dimension through relevant activities that can be offered to participants before, during and after the solidarity activity.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
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~~programme candidates’ personal, socio- educational and professional development, active citizenship and employability. 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.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
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, cultural, socio- educational and professional development, active citizenship and employability. 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.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12). Traineeships and jobs in solidarity- related areas can offer additional opportunities for young people, including young people with disabilities, to make a start on the labour market while contributing to addressing key societal challenges. This can help foster the employability and productivity of young people while easing their transition from education to employment, which is key to enhancing their chances on the labour market. The traineeship activities offered under the European Solidarity Corps follow the quality principles outlined in Council Recommendation on establishing a Quality Framework for Traineeships21. The traineeships and jobs offered constitute a stepping stone for young people to enter the labour market and are accompanied by adequate post-activity support. The traineeship and job activities are facilitated by relevant labour market actors, in particular public and private employment services, social partners and Chambers of Commerce, and are remunerated by the participating organisation. As participating organisations, they should apply for funding via the competent implementing body of the European Solidarity Corps in view of intermediating between the young participants and employers offering traineeship and job activities in solidarity sectors. ~~_________________ 21 Council Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships (OJ C 153, 2.5.2018, p. 1).~~

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13

(13). Young people’s spirit of initiative is an important asset for society and for the labour market. The European Solidarity Corps contributes to fostering this aspect by offering young people the opportunity to devise and implement their own projects aimed at addressing specific challenges to the benefit of their local communities and also the most deprived in society. These projects are an opportunity to try out ideas and support young people to be themselves drivers of solidarity actions. They also serve as a springboard for further engagement in solidarity activities and are a first step towards encouraging European Solidarity Corps participants to engage in self-employment or setting up associations, non-governmental organisations or other bodies active in the solidarity, non-profit and youth sectors.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14

(14). Young people, participants in the EU Aid Volunteers initiative and organisations participating in the European Solidarity Corps should feel that they belong to a community of individuals and entities committed to enhancing solidarity across Europe and beyond. At the same time, participating organisations need support to strengthen their capacities to offer good quality activities to an increasing number of participants. The European Solidarity Corps supports networking activities aimed at strengthening the engagement of young people ~~and~~, participa~~ting~~nts in the EU Aid Volunteers initiative and organisations~~’ engagement~~ in this community, at fostering a European Solidarity Corps spirit, as well as at encouraging the exchange of useful practices and experience, including with local volunteers from third countries. These activities also contribute to raising awareness about the European Solidarity Corps among public and private actors as well as to collect feedback from participants and participating organisations on the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
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, and language support, online if required, 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.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16

(16). To ensure the impact of European Solidarity Corps activities on the personal, educational, social, cultural, civic and professional development of the participants, the knowledge, skills and competences that are the learning outcomes of the activity should be properly identified and documented, in accordance with national circumstances and specificities, as recommended in Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning22~~. _________________ 22 Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non- formal and informal learning (OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1–5)~~ .

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17

(17). A quality label should ensure compliance of the participating organisations with the principles and requirements of the European Solidarity Corps, as regards their rights, safety and responsibilities during all stages of the solidarity experience. Obtaining a quality label is a precondition for participation but should not automatically lead to funding under the European Solidarity Corps.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
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 process of acquiring a label should be simplified for organisations that already hold certification, in particular under the current EUAV and for parties to ECHO framework partnership agreements. 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.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
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 provide 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, and language support, online if required, and post- activity support as well as other useful functionalities, which may arise in the future.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27

(27). The European Solidarity Corps targets, in principle, young people aged 18-30 on a gender-equal basis, and participation in the activities offered by the European Solidarity Corps should require prior registration in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. The upper age limit (of 30 years) does not apply to candidates for the EU humanitarian aid initiative;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28

(28). Special attention should be given to ensuring that the activities supported by the European Solidarity Corps are accessible to all young people, notably ~~the~~ most disadvantaged ones., including candidates for volunteer work with disabilities Special measures should be in place to promote social inclusion, training, the participation of disadvantaged young people, as well as to take into account the constraints imposed by the remoteness of a number of rural areas and of the outermost regions of the Union and the Overseas Countries and Territories. Similarly, the participating countries should endeavour to adopt all appropriate measures to remove legal and administrative obstacles to the proper functioning of the European Solidarity Corps. This should resolve, where possible, and without prejudice to the Schengen acquis and Union law on the entry and residence of third-country nationals, administrative issues that create difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits, as well as the issuing of a European Health Insurance Card in the case of cross-border activities within the European Union.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2

~~(2)~~2. ‘registered candidate’ means an individual aged between 17 and 30 years and who has registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal to express the interest to engage in a solidarity activity but is not yet participating in such activity; the age limit shall not apply to candidates for the EUAV;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3

~~(3) ‘~~3. 'participant’' means an individual aged between 18 and 30 years, who has registered in the European Solidarity Corps Portal and takes part in a solidarity activity under the European Solidarity Corps. The upper age limit shall not apply to candidates for the EUAV;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1

1. The general objective of the Programme is to enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high-quality solidarity activities as a means to contribute to strengthening cohesion, solidarity, peace and democracy in the Union and abroad, addressing societal and humanitarian challenges on the ground, ~~with~~particularly in efforts to reduce risks related to natural and man-made disasters, and to deal with emergencies in fragile countries and post- conflict situations; particular efforts shall be made to promote social inclusion.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2

2. The specific objective of the Programme is to provide young people, including persons with disabilities and those with fewer opportunities, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities in Europe and abroad while improving and properly validating their competences as well as facilitating their employability and transition into the labour market.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b

(b) participation of young people and people with expertise in humanitarian aid related solidarity activities (European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps) as referred to in Article 10.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) attracting newcomers, both young people and those with some experience in the EUAV initiative and participating organisations;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1

1. Actions implemented under the 1. strand ‘European Voluntary Humanitarian Aid Corps’ shall in particular contribute to providing needs-based humanitarian aid aimed at preserving life, preventing and alleviating human suffering and maintaining human dignity and to strengthening the capacity and resilience of communities that are vulnerable to or ~~disaster-affected communities~~affected by natural or man-made disasters;.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2

2. The actions under this Chapter shall be carried out in compliance with the humanitarian aid principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence., as enshrined in the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1

1. Volunteering in support of humanitarian aid operations as referred to in Article 4.1, point (a) shall include a learning and training component, shall not substitute traineeships or jobs and shall be based on a written volunteering agreement. The training provided to young volunteers must be linked to projects in which they will be involved.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. The EUVA initiative should foster the participation of local volunteers from third countries;

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Communication campaigns on the European Solidarity Corps pertaining to the EUVA initiative should be carried out primarily on EU territory and should focus on work undertaken by volunteers and humanitarian aid workers under the humanitarian aid principles of humanity, independence, neutrality and impartiality that inform their action.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1

Young people aged 17 to 30 years willing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps shall register in the European Solidarity Corps Portal. However, at the moment of commencing volunteering, traineeship, job or a solidarity project a young person shall be at least 18 years of age and not older than 30, with the exception of work under the EUVA initiative for which there is no upper age limit.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1

1. The European Solidarity Corps shall be open to the participation of public or private entities and international organisations, provided that they have received a European Solidarity Corps quality label. Organisations already holding a label certified under the EUVA initiative and signatories to a framework partnership agreement (FPA) between NGOs and DG ECHO at the Commission may be eligible for a simplified procedure for obtaining the label required by the new programme

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE

Proposal for a regulation
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 and may be revoked. Particular attention will be paid to avoiding the duplication of work.

2018/12/12
Committee: DEVE