Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 84 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point b

(b) 2022: ~~0.5~~2 %;

2018/11/15
Committee: REGI

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

As of 1 January 2024, 50% of the resources transferred to the CEF which have not been committed to a transport infrastructure project shall be made available to all Member States eligible for funding from the Cohesion Fund to finance transport infrastructure projects in accordance with Regulation (EU) [the new CEF Regulation].

2018/11/15
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 105 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

1. The Commission may accept a proposal by a Member State in its submission of the Partnership Agreement or in the context of the mid-term review, for a transfer: of not more than 15% of the total allocations.

2018/11/15
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 105 – paragraph 1 – point a

~~(a) of not more than 15 % of the total allocations for less developed regions to transition regions or more developed regions and from transition regions to more developed regions;~~deleted

2018/11/15
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 105 – paragraph 1 – point b

~~(b) from the allocations for more developed regions or transition regions to less developed regions.~~deleted

2018/11/15
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a

(a) 7085 % for the less developed regions;

2018/11/15
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point b

(b) 5570 % for the transition regions;

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c

(c) 450 % for the more developed regions; where a less developed region adjoins a more developed region and, as a result, there is a considerable funding differential, the EU co-financing rate for the more developed region may be raised to 55 %.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c

(c) 450 % for the more developed regions.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 106 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 3

The co-financing rate for the Cohesion Fund at the level of each priority shall not be higher than 7085 %.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 112 a (new)

Article 112a Cohesion report The Commission report in accordance with Article 175 TFEU shall contain: (a) an account of the progress made towards achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion, including consideration of the socio-economic situation, development of the regions, and the extent to which account has been taken of the Union’s priorities; (b) an account - in connection with the progress achieved - of the role of the Funds, EIB support and other instruments, as well as the impact of other Union and national policy strategies; (c) where appropriate, an indication of any future Union action and strategies needed to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion and to comply with Union priorities.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 5 – paragraph 3

*Policy objectives according to Article 4(1), CPR. For ERDF, CF and ESF+ years 2021-2025; for EMFF for 2021- 2027.deleted

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – point 6 – paragraph 3

*Policy objectives according to Article 4(1), CPR. For ERDF, CF and ESF+ years 2021-2025; for EMFF for 2021- 2027.deleted

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – point 2 – paragraph 3 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – point 2.1.1.2 – introductory part

2.1.1.2 Indicators~~55 _________________ 55 Prior to the mid-term review in 2025 for the ERDF, the ESF+ and the CF, breakdown for the years 2021 to 2025 only.~~

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – point 2 – paragraph 3 – point 2.1 – point 2.1.1 – point 2.1.1.3 – introductory part

2.1.1.3 Indicative breakdown of the programme resources (EU) by type of intervention56 (not applicable to the EMFF) ~~_________________ 56 Prior to the mid-term review in 2025 for the ERDF, the ESF+ and the CF, breakdown for the years 2021 to 2025 only.~~

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex V – point 3 – point 3.2 – introductory part

3.2 Total financial appropriations by fund and national co-financing~~59 _________________ 59 the ERDF, the ESF+ and the CF, financial appropriations for the years 2021 to~~ Prior to the mid-term review in 2025 ~~only.~~for

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex XXIV – point 6

6. To the amounts by NUTS level 2 region obtained in accordance with point (5) is added, an amount resulting from the allocation of a premium of EUR 41 000 per person per year, applied to the population share of the region of net migration from outside the EU to the Member State since 1 January 2013.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex XXIV – point 6 a (new)

6a. To the amounts obtained in accordance with point (5) for NUTS level 2 regions containing coal-mining areas is added an amount of EUR 1 000 per person for each job lost or restructured as a result of structural change intended to achieve a CO2-free energy supply.

2018/10/24
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 001 – column 1

001 Investment in fixed assets in micro enterprises ~~directly linked to research and innovation activiti~~to increase the growth potential and competitiveness of SMEs or to secure and create jobs and training places, to secure skilled workers and to tackle skills shortages

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 001 a (new)

001a Investment in fixed assets in micro 0% 0% enterprises

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 002 – column 1

002 Investment in fixed assets in small and medium-sized enterprises (including private research centres) ~~directly linked to research and innovation activiti~~to increase the growth and competitiveness of SMEs or to secure and create jobs and training places, to secure skilled workers and to tackle skills shortages

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 002 a (new)

002a Investment in fixed assets in small and 0% 0% medium-sized enterprises

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 004 – column 1

004 Investment in intangible assets in micro enterprises ~~directly linked~~(including vocational training and technology centres) to increase~~arch and innovation activiti~~ the growth and competitiveness of SMEs or to secure and create jobs and training places, to secure skilled workers and to tackle skills shortages

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 004 a (new)

004a Investment in intangible assets in 0% 0% micro enterprises

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 005 – column 1

005 Investment in intangible assets in small and medium-sized enterprises (including private research centres~~) directly linked~~ and vocational training and technology centres) to increase~~arch and innovation activiti~~ the growth and competitiveness of SMEs or to secure and create jobs and training places, to secure skilled workers and to tackle skills shortages

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 005 a (new)

005a Investment in intangible assets in 0% 0% small and medium-sized enterprises

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 016 column 1

016 Supply of skilled labour for SMEs and skills development for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship, in particular through the promotion of vocational education and training (including vocational training and technology centres)

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 1 – row 017 column 1

017 Advanced support services for SMEs and groups of SMEs (including services for management, marketing and design services and for vocational and training services and vocational training and technology centres)

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 2 – row 027 a (new)

027a Support to enterprises that undergo 100% 40% structural changes to foster a low carbon economy and low carbon energy generation

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 2 – row 046 a (new)

046a Rehabilitation of coal regions 0% 100%

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 3 – row 056 – column 1

056 Newly built motorways, bridges and roads – TEN-T core network

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 3 – row 057 – column 1

057 Newly built motorways, bridges and roads – TEN-T comprehensive network

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 3 – row 060 – column 1

060 Reconstructed or improved motorways, bridges and roads – TEN-T core network

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Table 1 – Policy objective 3 – row 061 – column 1

061 Reconstructed or improved motorways, bridges and roads – TEN-T comprehensive network

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Specific objective – row 2 – column 2

ERDF: All specific objectives under this policy objectives, except for the specific objective in Article 2 (1) (a) (iii) of the Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2018/0196(COD)

Markus PIEPER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex IV – Policy objective 2 – row 4 – column 2

ERDF and Cohesion Fund: 2.4 Promoting climate and structural change adaptation, risk prevention and disaster resilience

2018/10/30
Committee: REGI

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas human rights treaties recognise the right of indigenous peoples to their ancestral lands and resources and provide that states must consult indigenous peoples in good faith in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent pertaining to projects that can have a ~~negative~~n impact on their ways of life or that can lead to the displacement of their populations;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas increasing demand and growing competition over natural resources is driving a ‘global land rush’ that in several countries is putting the territories traditionally inhabited and used by indigenous peoples and local communities under unsustainable pressure; whereas the exploitation of those natural resources by the agribusiness, energy, timber and mining sectors, among other extractive industries, as well as by illegal logging and large infrastructure and development projects as well as governments and the local population, constitutes one of the main causes of enduring conflict over land tenure and the main cause for water and soil contamination;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas ~~a great number of~~ EU- based investors and companies among many others are involved in hundreds of land acquisition operations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, which sometimes leads to violations of the rights of indigenous and local communities; whereas in many cases, given the multiple foreign ramifications of those actors, it can prove difficult to trace their roots directly to the EU and its Member States;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on all states, including the EU and its Member States, to ~~legally recognise~~accept and respect the territorial autonomy of the traditional lands of indigenous people;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Urges the EU and its Member States to ~~redouble~~strengthen their efforts in order to ensure the physical integrity and the legal assistance of indigenous, environmental and land rights defenders, taking particular account of the protection of women, children and people with disabilities;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Calls on all states, including the EU and its Member States, to ensure that their ~~environmental conservation polic~~political strategies fully respect the rights of indigenous peoples and rural communities so that when protected areas are created or extended, compliance with these rights has already been established;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Urges ~~the EU and its Member S~~all states to monitor and publicly report ~~the~~ land acquisitions, particularly those involving EU-based corporations and actors or EU-funded development projects, in countries where such deals could result in the violation of human rights, instructing and capacitating EU Delegations and embassies for that purpose ;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Calls on all states, especially the EU and its Member States, to adopt and give their support to the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests of the Committee on World Food Security and to sign forest law enforcement, governance and trade voluntary partnership agreements with as many relevant countries as possible; calls on the Commission to ensure strict compliance with and implementation of the Timber Regulation and to sanction Member States that fail to comply with the Directive;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Calls on the EU to set up a grievance mechanism whereby indigenous and local communities can lodge complaints regarding violations and abuses of their rights resulting from EU-based business activities or EU development or investment projects, ~~regardless of the country where the violations and abuses occurred,~~ in order to ensure that the victims have effective access to justice, as well as to technical and legal assistance; calls on the EU and the Member States to engage in the negotiations to adopt a legally binding international human rights instrument for transnational corporations and other companies;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls on the EU to fulfil its extraterritorial duties related to human rights, and resolves to request legislative proposals from the Commission and to work together with the European Council to create legislation, in the framework of development cooperation, to prevent and sanction extraterritorial violations of the rights of indigenous peoples and of local communities;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4

Sustainable and economic development tofor indigenous people

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Invites the EU to urge its partner states ~~to draw up inclusive social policies for indigenous peoples i~~, in the framework of their development cooperation with third countries, to take particular account of the situation ain the urban environment and, in ~~order to reduc~~the context of poverty reduction measures, to mitigate the effects of uprooting and of the mismatch between their traditional capabilities and cultural specificities of indigenous peoples and contemporary metropolitan dynamics;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on all states to commit themselves to ensuring that indigenous peoples have genuine access to health ~~and~~, education and economic opportunities, to promoting intercultural public policies, to incorporating indigenous languages and cultures into their school programs and to developing initiatives to raise awareness among civil society of the rights of indigenous peoples and the importance of respecting their beliefs and values in order to tackle prejudice and misinformation;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Recommends that greater prominence be given to th~~is issue~~e situation of indigenous peoples in the EU’s foreign policy, including in its human rights dialogues with third countries, EU policy documents as well as in trade, cooperation and development agreements negotiated or concluded with other countries; calls on the EU and its Member States to take into account the result of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in the annual monitoring report in order to ascertain the conformity of their policies with the rights of indigenous peoples;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, László TŐKÉS, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Calls on the EU to ensure that all EU-funded development projects that could in any way ~~negatively~~ affect the livelihoods, lands and resources of indigenous peoples rigorously comply with the principle of free, prior and informed consent;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2206(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Andrzej GRZYB, Ádám KÓSA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls on the EU to inc~~rease the degree of ambition and endowment of its programmes of support to indigenous peoples;~~ lude support to indigenous peoples in its development cooperation programmes and for this also to be expressed through an increased financial endowment;

2018/02/07
Committee: AFET

2017/2146(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Supports~~Is aware of the use of budget support but urges the Commission to better define the development outcomes to be achieved in each case and above all to enhance control mechanisms concerning recipient States’ conduct in the fields of corruption, respect of human rights, rule of law and democracy; notes the Court’s Special Report 35/2016 on the use of budget support for domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) in sub-Saharan Africa, which finds that the Commission’s ex- ante analyses of DRM are not sufficiently detailed and do not follow its own guidelines, that the Commission often fails to assess tax exemptions and illicit capital outflows and does not properly consider extraction dividends and whether royalties for access to natural resources have been paid; is concerned about the Commission’s low and sometimes not relevant use of DRM conditions in budget support contracts;

2017/12/13
Committee: DEVE

2017/2146(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that given the funding gap required to reach the ambitious development goals, the private sector ~~might~~should play a crucial role; notes that blending ~~might~~can be a useful vehicle for leveraging additional resources, provided that its use is duly justified, its added value is demonstrated and it meets development effectiveness principles.

2017/12/13
Committee: DEVE

2017/2136(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Support~~Notes the use of budget support but urges the Commission to better define the development outcomes to be achieved in each case and above all to enhance control mechanisms concerning recipient states' conduct in the fields of corruption, respect of human rights, rule of law and democracy; notes the Court’s Special Report 35/2016 on the use of budget support for domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) in sub-Saharan Africa, which finds that the Commission's ex-ante analyses of DRM are not sufficiently detailed and do not follow its own guidelines, that the Commission often fails to assess tax exemptions and illicit capital outflows and does not properly consider extraction dividends and whether royalties for access to natural resources have been paid; is concerned about the Commission’s low and sometimes not relevant use of DRM conditions in budget support contracts;

2017/12/13
Committee: DEVE

2017/2136(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 250 a (new)

250a. Insists that teaching and training programmes that are financed from Union funds such as PEGASE should be commensurate with common values such as freedom, tolerance and non- discrimination within education, as was decided upon by Union education ministers in Paris on 17 March 2015;

2018/03/01
Committee: CONT

2017/2136(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 254 a (new)

254a. Asks the Commission to ensure that EU funding is disbursed in accordance with the UNESCO standards of peace and tolerance;

2018/03/01
Committee: CONT

2017/2052(INI)

Christian EHLER, Pervenche BERÈS, Martina DLABAJOVÁ, Pascal ARIMONT, Joachim ZELLER, Axel VOSS, Marc JOULAUD, Silvia COSTA, Luigi MORGANO, Helga TRÜPEL, Patrizia TOIA, Sabine VERHEYEN, Soledad CABEZÓN RUIZ, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Marian-Jean MARINESCU, Heinz K. BECKER, Krišjānis KARIŅŠ, Eva KAILI, Lieve WIERINCK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Considers that to increase the impact of the next MFF, further links should be established between EU funds such as the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Structural Funds, the European social fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and Creative Europe.

2017/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2017/2052(INI)

Christian EHLER, Martina DLABAJOVÁ, Pascal ARIMONT, Joachim ZELLER, Axel VOSS, Marc JOULAUD, Silvia COSTA, Luigi MORGANO, Helga TRÜPEL, Patrizia TOIA, Sabine VERHEYEN, Pervenche BERÈS, Heinz K. BECKER, Françoise GROSSETÊTE, Krišjānis KARIŅŠ, Eva KAILI, Lieve WIERINCK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Stresses that appropriate recognition and full support of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) would strengthen the impact of the next MFF; recalls the dual nature of the cultural and creative sector: economic (wealth and job creation)and cultural (creating values, meaning and identity);recalls that CCIs are one of Europe’s fastest growing sector, generating 509 billion Euros in value added to GDP per year and representing more than 12 million full time jobs ;calls for additional links between the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the Creative Europe programme, as this would help to address the increased industrial dependency on design and creativity; reminds that Creative Europe has consistently boasted excellent performance with full implementation at year-end since the start of this MFF; calls on the Commission to comply with Article 167(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and establish the CCIs as a horizontal priority within EU funding schemes and programmes, particularly in the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the EaSI and the ESIFs.

2017/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2017/2052(INI)

Christian EHLER, Martina DLABAJOVÁ, Pascal ARIMONT, Joachim ZELLER, Axel VOSS, Marc JOULAUD, Silvia COSTA, Luigi MORGANO, Helga TRÜPEL, Sabine VERHEYEN, Pervenche BERÈS, Patrizia TOIA, Heinz K. BECKER, Eva KAILI, Lieve WIERINCK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Calls on the Commission to develop , through the MFF, a comprehensive, coherent and long-term industrial policy framework for the cultural and creative industries, with adequate funding to CCIs in order to boost their competitiveness and enable them to fulfil their potential in terms of creating quality jobs and growth for the benefit of the Union;

2017/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2017/2052(INI)

Christian EHLER, Pervenche BERÈS, Martina DLABAJOVÁ, Joachim ZELLER, Axel VOSS, Marc JOULAUD, Silvia COSTA, Luigi MORGANO, Helga TRÜPEL, Patrizia TOIA, Sabine VERHEYEN, Pascal ARIMONT, Heinz K. BECKER, Eva KAILI, Lieve WIERINCK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 c (new)

9c. Calls on the Commission to facilitate funding to the sector, based on the following definition of CCIs: ‘Cultural and Creative Industries are those industries that are based on cultural values, cultural diversity, individual and/or collective creativity, skills and talent with the potential to generate innovation, wealth and jobs through the creation of social and economic value, in particular from intellectual property; they include the following sectors relying on cultural and creative inputs: architecture, archives and libraries, artistic crafts, audio-visual (including film, television, software and video games, and multimedia and recorded music), cultural heritage, design, creativity-driven high- end industries and fashion, festivals, live music, performing arts, books and publishing (newspapers and magazines), radio and visual arts, and advertising’, as adopted in its own resolution on “a coherent EU policy for cultural and creative industry” of 13 December 2016;

2017/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2017/2044(BUD)

Georgi PIRINSKI, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Subheading 1

Programme Statements of operational expenditure accompanying the budget 2018

2017/07/13
Committee: CONT

2017/2044(BUD)

Georgi PIRINSKI, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Points out that the statements corresponds in parts to the request made by the Parliament concerning the performance-based budget1 but notes that those statements complement the usual activity-based budgeting method with some performance data ~~instead of basing the budget activities on firstly defined political objectives~~; _________________ 1 In its report on the Integrated Internal Control adopted on 3 June 2013 the Parliament calls for the establishment of a performance-based public budgeting model in which each budget line is accompanied by objectives and outputs to be measured by performance indicators.

2017/07/13
Committee: CONT

2017/2044(BUD)

Georgi PIRINSKI, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 – indent 1

- to align the performance framework used in the Article 318 TFEU evaluation report (Annual Management and Performance Report) and in its management tools (management plan and Directorate General annual activity reports) with the performance framework of the programme statements ~~programme~~;

2017/07/13
Committee: CONT

2017/2044(BUD)

Georgi PIRINSKI, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 – indent 2

- to take ~~thi~~programme statements framework as basis for its evaluation of the implementation of the EU 2020 Strategy and the 10 Commission priorities for 2015- 2019; and

2017/07/13
Committee: CONT

2017/2044(BUD)

Georgi PIRINSKI, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 – indent 3

- to include updated data on results for all the indicators established by programme statements;

2017/07/13
Committee: CONT

2017/2044(BUD)

Georgi PIRINSKI, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 16

16. Points out that the 2018 programme statements contain paragraphs referring to financial instruments financed by specific programme ~~but~~and notes that the Commission considers that such information does not constitute the official reporting on the financial instruments financed by the Union budget as provided for under Article140(8) of the Financial Regulation" as the Commission presents a separate annual report on financial instruments supported by the general budget according to Art.140.8 of the Financial Regulation and the latest report for 2015 was published on 24 October 2016;

2017/07/13
Committee: CONT

2017/2044(BUD)

Georgi PIRINSKI, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 17

17. Urges once again the Commission to improve transparency in the use of financial ~~engineering~~ instruments (FEI), to regularly report on leverage, losses and risks and to present a cost-benefit analysis of FEIs compared with more direct forms of project funding;

2017/07/13
Committee: CONT

2016/2202(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Recital Z

Z. whereas budget support, while ~~being~~it can be a key-driver for change and to address main developments challenges, carries a considerable fiduciary risk and should be granted only if it provides sufficient transparency, traceability, accountability and effectiveness alongside to proven commitment in policy reforms; whereas budget support is particularly adapted for small and isolated territories, such as ACP islands,

2017/03/07
Committee: CONT

2016/2202(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65

65. ~~Welcomes, in principle,~~Acknowledges the setting- up of the Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTFT) but regrets that no prior consultation of Parliament took place although Parliament enjoys reinforced oversight of EDF programming based on a political commitment made by the Commission; observes that 57 % of the initial amount pledged by Member States and other donors (Switzerland and Norway) were paid for the EUTF (i.e. EUR 47,142 million); notes that EUR 1,4 billion from the EDF reserve will be used for the EUTF and that the total financial pledges made by Member States represent only EUR 81,492 million (i.e. 4,3 % of the projected EUR 1,8 billion); notes the Bekou Trust Fund of the amount pledged and paid of EUR 34,925 million;

2017/03/07
Committee: CONT

2016/2151(DEC)

Petri SARVAMAA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. ~~Points ou~~Notes with concern the fact that five Member States (Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Poland and Romania) account for more than half of the unused commitments of Structural Funds that have not led to payment;

2017/03/10
Committee: CONT

2016/2151(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Regrets that only 75 %77 of the contributions to the financial engineering instruments for the programming period 2007-2013 were paid out to the final recipients by the end of 2015 in shared management (57 % paid out at the end of 2014 and 37 % paid out at the end of 2012) and that cash held in financial instruments under indirect management remain high (EUR ~~0,9~~1,3 billion in 2015 EUR 1,3 billion in 2014; EUR 1,4 billion in 2013); _________________ 77 European Commission DG REGIO Summary of data on the progress made in financing and implementing financial engineering instruments reported by the managing authorities in accordance with Article 67(2)(j) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006, Programming period 2007- 2013 Situation as at 31 December 2015 20.09.2016, P 61.

2017/03/10
Committee: CONT

2016/2151(DEC)

Petri SARVAMAA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. ~~Points ou~~Notes with concern the fact that unused amounts of financial instruments remain relatively high, 80% of which were at the end of 2014 concentrated in five Member States (of which Italy constituted 45% of the total);

2017/03/10
Committee: CONT

2016/2148(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines, in particular, that consideration should be given to the circumstances of the distinctively urban or rural regions, the so-called ‘lagging regions’ and regions with permanent natural or geographical handicaps (northernmost regions with very low population density, and cross-border, insular, mountainous or outermost regions); calls on the Commission to pursue and expand strategies to implement an urban agenda together with local authorities and metropolitan regions as EU growth centres; recalls in this context that it is important to support new policy challenges, such as immigration, as well as the broadly understood digital dimension of cohesion policy (including ICT and broadband access issues, which are linked to the completion of the Digital Single Market); points to the Energy Union Strategy, as the ESI Funds have an important role to play in its delivery;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that a separate agenda is being pursued with the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) ~~is presented as a success story when it comes to fast implementation, and against this background asks the Commission~~, and asks the Commission to present the EFSI and the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) as two ~~come forward with learning points for the ESI Funds for the new programming period~~parallel paths for creating growth, competitiveness and employment;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Highlights the European added value of ETC, which should be reflected in an increased level of appropriations for this cohesion policy objective, to be introduced as soon as practicable; calls at the same time on Member States to provide the necessary cofunding;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28a. Recommends that more intensive use be made of the modified and expanded EGTC legal instrument as the legal basis for territorial cooperation;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Is of the opinion that GDP ~~might not be the only~~is the legitimate indicator for ensuring a fair distribution of money that takes account of specific territorial needs; ~~is of the opinion that many regions in Europe are facing a situation of demographic change, as well as shrinking population numbers in rural areas;~~

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Welcomes the code of conduct agreed during the negotiations, which outlines the minimum standards for a well- functioning partnership; observes, however, that ~~while~~ the code has improved the implementation of the partnership principle in most Member States, but regrets the fact that many Member States have centralised large parts of the negotiation and implementation of the PAs and OPs;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2148(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Recalls that the ETC, which serves the broader principle of territorial cohesion, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, is not yet properly applied; therefore encourages all stakeholders involved in negotiations on the future policy to strengthen territorial cohesion; calls on the Commission to give ETC, the opportunities it provides and its legal instruments the focus they deserve in the 7th Cohesion Report;

2016/09/19
Committee: REGI

2016/2047(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls for the Commission to fully reflect in its Budget proposals the Union’s commitment to working with the private sector and financial institutions in development cooperation; highlights therefore the potential to leverage new resources for development through public- private partnerships, blending and other innovative ways; looks forward to the detailed proposals on the setting up of an investment plan for Africa, which should focus on capacity building ~~and~~, technical assistance, industrialisation, trade and investment opportunities, access to energy and infrastructure requirements; stresses the important role that Parliament must play in supporting and monitoring such an investment plan;

2016/08/16
Committee: DEVE

2016/2047(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that the alarming gravity of the humanitarian needs triggered by the Syrian crisis and other unprecedented conflicts necessitates using the Emergency Aid Reserve (over and above the MFF ceilings) and the Flexibility Instrument to the fullest extent possible, while also using the margin under heading IV to address the humanitarian crisis; calls on the EU to strengthen its capacity to link security and development in the implementation of the EU´s development policy;

2016/08/16
Committee: DEVE

2016/2047(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Considers it of paramount importance to address protracted humanitarian crises, and to focus on prevention, building resilience, and cooperation with the private sector, in order to help bridge the global funding gap in humanitarian action;

2016/08/16
Committee: DEVE

2016/2047(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 16

16. Notes that the financial engineering instruments (FEI), if implemented in a targeted manner, for appropriate project typology and reasonable purpose armight be tools for the effective allocation of Union funds with the potential to form part of mainstream best practice in budget expenditure allocation in the future; urges the Commission to improve transparency in the use of FEI, to regularly report on leverage, losses and risks and to present a cost-benefit analysis of FEIs compared with more direct forms of project funding; calls on the Commission to implement effective monitoring systems to analyse the demand for financial instruments in the Member States, ~~which would lower the risk of undercapitalisation~~in order to avoid overcapitalisation, which commits funds without contributing to the implementation of EU policies, as identified by the Court of Auditors in its Special Report 5/2015.

2016/09/06
Committee: CONT

2016/2047(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Insists that the development budget for 2017 must reflect more consistently the Union’s focus on fragile states, Least Developed Countries, security- development nexus, youth unemployment and women in conflict situations;

2016/08/16
Committee: DEVE

Joachim ZELLER, Daniel BUDA, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 265 – paragraph 1 – point 60

Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
Article 152 – paragraph 3a

“~~Where a call for proposal is launched prior to the entry into force of Regulation XXX/YYY amending the present Regulation t~~The managing authority (or monitoring committee for the programmes under the European territorial cooperation goal) may decide not to apply the obligation set out in Article 67(2a) for a maximum of 6 months starting from the date of entry into force of Regulation XXX/YYY. ~~Where the document setting out the c~~The managing authority or mondit~~ions for support is provided to the beneficiary within a period of 6 mon~~oring committee for the programmes under the European territorial cooperation goal may decide to extend thse s~~tarting from the date of entry into force of Regulation XXX/YYY the managing authority may decide not to apply those amended provisions~~ix-moth transitional period until programme closure. It shall notify the Commission of such decision before the expiration of the six-month transitional period.”

2017/03/13
Committee: REGI

2015/2275(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the aim of clarifying EU engagement boundaries on Peace Support Operations (PSOs) with the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU); recalls that the EU budget cannot be used to directly finance military or defence operations (Article 41(2) TEU); underlines the importance of EU operational and financial support for AU peacekeeping operations approved by the UN, notably through the African Peace Facility instrument;

2016/02/25
Committee: DEVE

2015/2275(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes concern over the possible lack of transparency in EU PSOs; stresses that full investigations should be carried out if grievances arise; recalls the need to improve current EU funding for PSOs; ~~underlines that African security should, in the future, be monitored by the AU, supported by the international community~~considers that the EU's existing financing instruments and regional programmes must be use in a coherent manner, with a more systematic joint programming, in order to ensure effectiveness of the EU's external action;

2016/02/25
Committee: DEVE

2015/2275(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Underlines that African security should primarily be monitored by the AU, supported by the international community; insists on the need for African partners to take greater ownership and responsibility for the stability of the continent; in this regard, welcomes the decision of the AU, on 15 June 2015, to allocate 25% of its resources to the AU's peace support operations budget;

2016/02/25
Committee: DEVE

2015/2275(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Calls for a comprehensive plan to reinforce~~Believes that peace and security are necessary preconditions for development; calls on the Commission to create an innovating EU instrument to reinforce the link between peace, security and sustainable development ~~policies~~ in peacekeeping operations in order to ensure ~~long-term~~greater flexibility, as well as long-term results of development efforts; recalls the need to provide tools to achieve clear steps towards democracy and democratic values such as good governance, the rule of law and ~~freedom of speech~~the respect for fundamental rights, along with a sustainable economy and stable society; underlines the need for a comprehensive plan regarding conflict areas and their surroundings with a view to preventing the emergence of new conflicts; calls, in this regard, for an early warning system;

2016/02/25
Committee: DEVE

2015/2275(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses the need to see PSOs in terms of a continuum between conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict development; ~~underlines the need for a holistic approach to peacekeeping operations by the UN, the AU and the EU~~considers that EU's external action in fragile and conflict-affected countries should focus on conflict prevention and capacity building in support of security and development, thus tackling root causes of instability;

2016/02/25
Committee: DEVE

2015/2275(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Insists on a continuous political dialogue between the EU and the AU on peace and security challenges and on how to consolidate recent APF gains over the longer-term;

2016/02/25
Committee: DEVE

2015/2275(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses that political, humanitarian and development policy efforts should be used initially, supported by civilian peacekeeping operations, and should be ~~transf~~suppormted ~~into~~by military ~~operation~~actors and capabilities only when necessary; demands that military peacekeeping should be supported by humanitarian and development policy both during operations, to aid peaceful resolution of the conflict, and afterwards, so as to make the settlement sustainable.

2016/02/25
Committee: DEVE

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Notes the 13 transfers between budget lines during the financial year 2014; is of the opinion that the transfers concerning the political groups communication budget and printing in the Official Journal of the European Union could have been foreseen in the initially approved budget;

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Notes ~~nevertheless~~ that a total of EUR 8 277 556 was spent in 2014 only on travel and meeting allowances for Members and alternate members of the Committee plus EUR 409 100 on missions and travel costs of staff; ~~considers the number of missions extremely high (787), as is the expenditure generated by members for travel and meeting allowances;~~ considers that missions undertaken by Members should be clearly described in the annual activity report (AAR), with detailed expenses and a cost benefit analysis; ~~stresses that the reference to Members' missions is vague, imprecise and does not provide clear figures; urges the Committee always to include data on Members' missions in its AAR;~~

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Considers the total amount of EUR 9 594 089 paid by the Committee for 2014 lease expenses (external lessors) to be too high; recalls that even after withdrawing the contribution from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) of EUR 1 181 382, the net amount paid by the Committee remained higher than the accounting share of those lease payments, the difference being recorded as building expenses (EUR 852 464); stresses that most of the liabilities of the Committee result from transactions generated by the leased buildings (95,6 % in 2014) and that at the end of 2014 the financial lease debt amounted to EUR 65 051 695; calls on the Committee to identify solutions jointly with Parliament and the Commission (e.g. extensive joint use of buildings /meeting rooms/ conference rooms) to reduce costs;deleted

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Notes the increased use of videoconferencing by the Committee; regrets however the delay in ~~developing~~the use of portable videoconferencing facilities and asks ~~for such facilities to be further developed; calls on the Committee to update the discharge authority in this regard by the end of June 2016~~to be informed about developments in the AAR;

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ, Tamás DEUTSCH, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Notes with satisfaction that a cooperation agreement between the Committee~~, the EESC~~ and Parliament was signed on 5 February 2014 with the objective of developing political ~~and administrative cooperation;~~cooperation; notes that an appendix on administrative cooperation was signed between the Committee, the EESC and Parliament

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Finds that there is still room for improvement in the collaboration between the three parties to the cooperation agreement, particularly in the political side; ~~believes that~~invites the three institutions ~~are capable of developing~~to examine whether further synergies that will enhance productivity in the domains covered by the cooperation agreement can be found and asks to be kept informed of its follow-up;

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Takes note that ~~the~~a new administrative bilateral cooperation agreement between the Committee and the EESC was ~~extended for one year till the end of 2015 in order to identify areas for improvement and further efficiencies; requests an update and detailed~~signed in 2015; requests to be kept inform~~ation~~ed on this bilateral cooperation in the context of the mid-term assessment;

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Notes the continued shortage of women holding senior Committee posts; calls for an equal opportunities plan to be set with respect to management positions, with the aim of correcting this imbalance as quickly as possibleat 33% senior Committee posts are held by women; acknowledges the increase in the share of female managers and calls for continuing this trend through the adoption of a new pluriannual Equal Opportunities Strategy for coming years;

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH, Petri SARVAMAA, Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Notes that only 12 staff members were recruited following an EPSO competition, whereas 32 staff members, including a Secretary General, were recruited without passing any competition in 2014; urges the Committee to adopt transparent and competitive recruitment procedures and selection criteria for all staff, including at senior level;deleted

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Regrets that the number of derogations from procurement rules / contract management increased from 1 in 2013 to 4 in 2014; requests further explanation of how these derogations occurred; asks the Committee to address without delay the ongoing issue of all exception reports due to non-compliance with the provisions of the Financial Regulation or the internal rules of procedure; notes that the number of exceptions represents, however, 0,4 % of the operations concerned;

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Welcomes the adoption by the Committee of a decision laying down rules on whistleblowing6 , which entered into force on 1 January 2016; considers that it took too long to implement those rules; calls on the Committee to publish and enforce them without further delay and to inform the discharge authority of its progress on the implementation byin the ~~end of June 2016~~Annual Activity Report; __________________ 6 Decision No 508/2015 of the Committee of the Regions, of 17 December 2015, laying down rules on whistleblowing.

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. ~~Stresses~~Is confident that the risks identified during the audits and risk analyses that have been performed, particularly in the areas of financial management and operational / organisational matters, ~~need to~~will be addressed without delay~~; requests a detailed presentation of the mitigation measures the Committee proposes and a clear calendar for their implementation, by the end of June 2016~~ as appropriate; requests to be kept informed in the context of the Annual Activity Report;

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Is of opinion that there is still little correlation between strategic and budgetary planning within the Committee and requests a report on the correlation between actions defined in the management plan and the corresponding budgetary lines by the end of June 2016;deleted

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Considers that insufficient action is being taken to fulfil the Committee’s main mandate, to "engage participation" from Union citizens; requires examples of situations where mutual exchanges with citizens and their involvement have occurred and where direct results - measurable, focused, and with a visible impact - have been obtained through such participation;deleted

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2160(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37

37. Concludes that, ~~while~~ the 2014 list of Committee activities in support of Union policies is quite comprehensive, their practical outcome is vaguely and imprecisely addressed; calls for a thorough SWAT analysis of the outcomes and SMART indicators for the Committee's objectives, along with an outline of a number of direct benefits for Un; calls for further efforts to increase its practical impact, in cooperation cwit~~izens to be obtained as a result of its mandate and activities~~h the European Parliament.

2016/03/04
Committee: CONT

2015/2155(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69

69. Encourages the travel agency to an intensify comparison of prices. Calls on the travel agency to actively seek less expensive tickets when booking and, in general, to offer more competitive prices; ~~notes with concern that the staff in the travel agency have partly gained a reputation for their lack of cooperation and professionalism;~~ calls for an improved service;

2016/03/14
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 a (new)

45a. Endorses the reservations issued by the Director-General of DG REGIO in its annual activity report concerning the ERDF/Cohesion Fund management and control systems for the 2007-2013 programming period in 12 Member States (77 programmes) and ETC programmes; is of the opinion that those reservations demonstrate that the control procedures put in place in the Commission and the Member States cannot give the necessary guarantees concerning the legality and regularity of all the underlying transactions in the corresponding policy areas;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 b (new)

45b. Endorses the reservations issued by the Director-General of DG AGRI in its annual activity report; ABB02 – Expenditure on Market Measures: EUR 77,7 million at risk; 4 aid schemes in 7 Member States (8 elements of reservation): Austria, France (for two aid measures), Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Romania and the United Kingdom; ABB03 – Direct payments: EUR 831,6 million at risk; 15 paying agencies, comprising 6 Member States: Spain (10 paying agencies), France, UK (RPA- England), Greece, Hungary and Portugal; ABB04 – Rural development expenditure: EUR 532,5 million at risk; 28 paying agencies, comprising 16 Member States: Bulgaria, Germany (3 paying agencies), Denmark, Spain (6 paying agencies), France (2 paying agencies), UK (2 paying agencies), Hungary, Greece, Italy (4 paying agencies), Lithuania, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden; ABB05 – IPARD expenditure for Turkey: EUR 5,07 million at risk; is of the opinion that those reservations demonstrate that the control procedures put in place in the Commission and the Member States cannot give the necessary guarantees concerning the legality and regularity of all the underlying transactions in the corresponding policy areas;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 c (new)

45c. Endorses the reservations issued by the Director-General of DG EMPL in its annual activity report; notes that its annual activity report contains a reservation relating to payments made for the 2007-2013 programming period for an amount at risk of EUR 169,4 million in 2014; Management and control systems for 36 specific ESF Operational Programmes in Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom for the programming period 2007-2013; is of the opinion that those reservations demonstrate that the control procedures put in place in the Commission and the Member States cannot give the necessary guarantees concerning the legality and regularity of all the underlying transactions in the corresponding policy areas;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 d (new)

45d. Requests the director general of DG DEVCO to provide a more risk differentiated assurance in his annual activity report and to subsequently direct more of their control resources towards areas covered by specific reservations;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 e (new)

45e. Calls on the Council to adopt a more vigilant position on the discharge and welcomes the critical stance taken by Sweden and the United Kingdom asking the Commission and the Court to: - focus on areas and recipients with high risk of errors instead of adding more controls for all; - focus on ex-ante controls rather than ex- post controls; - urging Member States authorities to make better use of the available information to prevent, detect and correct errors before declaring expenditure to the Commission; - preserve the unanimously agreed payment ceilings, in particular by maintaining fiscal discipline in relation to commitments, effectively de-committing unused appropriations in order to make room for new priorities and programmes, increasing transparency by providing long-term forecasts, ensuring a balance between commitments and payments and reducing excessive cash balances in financial instruments, given that more than €14 bn in unutilised funds remains locked within such instruments, which could be used for more urgent needs and priorities.

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 a (new)

66a. Endorses the inclusion of Country- Specific Recommendations (CSRs) in partnership agreements;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
New subheading after paragraph 66 and paragraph 66 a (new)

66a. Financial corrections and recoveries Is concerned that for the financial corrections implemented in 2014 (as compared to Union payments received) some Member States laid three times above the average percentage of 2,3 % (Slovakia 8,7%, Czech Republic 8,1%, Greece 4,7%); Notes that for the 2007 - 2013 programming period, EUR 209 million of financial corrections under ESF has been confirmed and EUR 156 million implemented, out of which EUR 95 million were confirmed in 2014; remarks that Member States with the highest level of corrections are Spain (EUR 56 million), Romania (EUR 43 million); Poland (EUR 32 million) and France (EUR 20 million); States that the cumulative amounts corrected for cohesion policy in 2007 - 2013 represent 0,9% of the budget allocations; shares the Commission´s view that financial corrections for the 2007- 2013 period are expected to continue to increase in the coming years as its programmes start to close; Notes that for ERDF/CF programmes, the Commission has imposed around EUR 2 billion of financial corrections cumulatively since the beginning of the 2007-2013 programming period, which includes EUR 782 million of financial corrections applied by the Member States before or at the same time of declaring the expenditure to the Commission; observes with concern that the main Member States concerned are Czech Republic (EUR 719 million), Hungary (EUR 298 million), Greece (EUR 257 million), Spain (EUR 237 million), Slovakia (EUR 152 million), Romania (EUR 146 million) and Italy (EUR 105 million); Notes that for ESF, the Member States with the highest level of cumulative financial correction figures are Romania (EUR 355 million), Spain (EUR 213 million) and Poland (EUR 152 million);

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 b (new)

66b. Considers financial corrections and recoveries effective means to protect the Union´s budget; regrets however that due to the legal framework for protecting Union financial interests, the complexity of the related procedures and the number of control layers involved in many areas, errors can only be corrected several years after they have occurred;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87

87. Points out in particular that by the end of 2014, payments to Member States for the multiannual ESIFs for 2007-2013 had reached EUR 309,5 billion; i.e. 77% of the EUR 403 billion for all the operational programmes, where five Member States, namely Czech Republic, Spain, Italy, Poland and Romania account for more than the half of the unused commitments of multiannual ESIFs;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 95

95. Points out that the VAT gap and the estimated losses on VAT collection amounted to EUR 168 billion in 2013; is concerned that the new system of accountability for VAT as an own resource could not totally achieve its goal of simplification and stresses the need to improve EUROFISC to facilitate the exchange of information and help combat irregularities and fraudsConsiders that VAT fraud, and in particular the so-called carousel or missing trader fraud, distorts competition and deprives national budgets from significant resources and is detrimental to the Union budget; points out that the VAT gap and the estimated losses on VAT collection amounted to EUR 168 billion in 2013; notes, that the current VAT system remains fragmented and creates significant administrative burdens, especially for SMEs and online companies; is concerned that the new system of accountability for VAT as an own resource could not totally achieve its goal of simplification and stresses the responsibility of Member States to address the weaknesses in EUROFISC and better coordinate their policies on reverse charges, to facilitate the exchange of information and help combat irregularities and frauds; asks the Commission to propose legislative amendments enabling effective cross-checks between customs and tax data and to focus its monitoring of Member States on improving the timeliness of their replies to information requests and the reliability of the VAT Information Exchange System;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109

109. Is pleased that the Commission was able to meet most targets of the key performance indicators (KPI); doubts however, that the target of investing, by 2020, 3% of the Union GDP in research and development can be met; calls on all Member States to rise to the challenge; the situation seems to be particularly difficult for Croatia, Finland, Luxembourg Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 117 a (new)

117a. Reiterates its concern about the systematic delays in the ITER programme which questions its efficiency and effectiveness; is deeply worried by the over costs, which have impacted upon the cost-effectiveness of the programme and put other Union programmes in jeopardy, mainly in the research policy area; recalls with much regret the meeting organised in the Parliament on 11 November during which merely a future action plan was announced but not presented; is troubled by the Commission replies of 3 December 2015 pointing out that the ITER Council of November 2015decided that the "(...) assumptions underlying the proposed project's schedule cannot be considered to be fully realistic and that the associated IO costs appear excessive, in particular in relation to staffing requests. Further iterations are needed with the Domestic Agencies (in particular F4E) to ensure the reliability, stability and cost sustainability of the schedule proposal over the long term. (...) For this reason, the ITER Council decided at this last meeting to carry out a high level independent assessment on the result of the work presented by the ITER Organization, covering both technical and resource matters. This assessment should be available before the ITER Council of June 2016, (...)"; considers progress to be highly unsatisfactory;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 121 a (new)

121a. Takes note that the director general of Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, as in previous years, has issued a horizontal reservation concerning the rate of the residual error within cost claims in the FP7, implemented directly by DG RTD, and in the payments to the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking, as the estimated residual risk is 3%; the estimated impact is EUR 111,39 million;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 121 b (new)

121b. Acknowledges that certain parts of FP7 expenditure were not covered by a reserve where there was evidence that the risks (and so the residual error rates) are significantly lower than for all expenditure; within RTD this applies to expenditure given to Fusion for Energy Joint Undertaking, Clean Sky and Fusion Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking; outside DG RTD this also applies to expenditure by the Research Executive Agency under the Marie Curie programme, and all expenditure from the European Research Council Executive Agency;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 121 c (new)

121c. Concludes that, whereas the horizontal reservation may be legally necessary, such a reservation sheds a negative light on the Commission's financial management, in particular as the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation can give full assurance of 97% of this expenditure;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 140

140. Notes that by the end of 2015, on average 89% of funds were used ~~with some Member States~~(absorption rate) with Italy (79%), Romania (70%) and Croatia (59%) trailing behind;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 144

144. Shares the Commission's opinion that unemployment rates (especially long-term unemployment) and the percentage of young persons not in employment, education or training (NEETs), are indications of mismatch in the labour market. The five countries with the highest level of long-term unemployment (as share of active population) in the Union are Greece (19,5%), Spain (12,9%), Croatia (10,1%), Slovakia (9,3%) and Portugal (8,4%) against the Union average of 5,1%. The countries with the highest rate of NEETs are Cyprus (33,7%), Bulgaria (30,9%), Hungary (30,3%), Greece (30,0%) and Romania (26,9%) compared to an Union average of 16,37%;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 152

152. Welcomes the fact that the Commission has set up, in November 2014, a task force for better implementation for Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy (South), Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia in order to avoid de- commitment of funds;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 153

153. Recalls that the legal framework for ESIFs 2014-2020 has also introduced ex ante conditionalities for the effective and efficient use of Union funds, which cover inter alia Member States’ public procurement systems; and that in that context, actions plans have been adopted for 12 countries (Bulgaria, Czech republic, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia) and will be assessed by 2016; stresses that fulfilling the ex-ante conditionalities is a precondition for funding; remarks the fundamental role of the ex-ante assessments is to guarantee the better use of resources and asks for the necessary full transparency on the financing of infrastructural projects;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 161

161. Regrets that Member States have not yet fully embraced the simplified cost option (SCO) under the ESF; whereas the Commission expects the that under the programming period 2014-2020 on average 35% of cost will be claimed under the SCO, some Member States (Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden) will be significantly above, other Member States (Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia and Slovakia) will be significantly below;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 168 – point b

(b) in the employment and social affairs policy area (Employment): claiming ineligible cost, ineligible project or beneficiary, as well as cases of non- compliance with the rules on public procurement; the most common types of eligibility issues detected are the following: expenditure declared outside the eligibility period (CZ, DE), overcharged salaries (DE, FI, PL, PT), costs not related to the project (NL, PL, PT), non-compliance with national eligibility rules (PL) and revenue not deducted (AT); the most common examples of failures to comply with public procurement rules are the following: unjustified direct award (DE, IT), unjustified direct award of additional works/services, unlawful exclusion of bidders, conflict of interest and discriminatory selection criteria (FI);

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 168 a (new)

168a. Deplores that, for years, errors of the same kind continue to be identified often in the same Member States; acknowledges that suspension and interruptions of payments by the Commission ensures that corrective actions are carried out in cases where deficiencies were identified; calls on the Commission to step up monitoring of national and regional management and control systems in the light of this finding, and to ease monitoring in countries where management and control systems have proved reliable;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 176 a (new)

176a. Recalls that the implementation of 51 priority projects in Greece needed to be accelerated; furthermore, 14 projects - concerning, among other issues, the cadastre and the national registry - have been identified as "bottleneck" projects and run the risk of de-commitment; expects the Commission to update Parliament on the situation in the 2014 Commission discharge follow-up report;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 176 b (new)

176b. Recalls that the Czech Audit Office report OPTP/2014/SM/01 on the procurement procedure for the monitoring system for 2014-2020, which was filed with the Commission in April 2015, refers to unwarranted expenditure of over EUR 9 million; welcomes that the Commission has issued a letter of warning of possible interruption of payments and called on the Czech authorities to apply the adequate financial corrections; wishes to know how the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) assessed the situation;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 176 c (new)

176c. Is concerned by infringements of public procurement rules during the tendering procedure for IT monitoring systems during the financing periods 2007-2013 and 2014-2020 which also gave rise to suspicion of fraud; notes that these errors were discovered by the Czech audit authorities; fully supports the Commission's position that no payments should be made until the respective corrective measures were taken and the police investigation was completed;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 176 d (new)

176d. Considers that a former employee of the Czech Ministry of Regional Development and current staff member of Commissioner Crețu's private office should not follow Czech regional policy affairs, as such an assignment constitutes a potential conflict of interest;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 178

178. ~~Notes that the a~~Is concerned by the Court's opinion - referring to the situation by end of September 2014 - that the overagell disbursement rate ~~to final recipients of FEI was 47%~~as reported by the Commission is still too low to expect that all funds available will be used at least once; particular problems were noted for financial instruments in five Member States (Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, Romania, and Slovakia);

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 204 a (new)

204a. Notes with satisfaction that the weaknesses in the LPIS had been addressed in all the Member States audited but deplores that some important weaknesses still persist in Greece, Spain and Italy; asks the Commission to use the reinforced instruments it has under the new CAP legislation where there are significant and persistent deficiencies in national systems;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 205 a (new)

205a. Deeply regrets that the Greek certifying body significantly underestimated the level of error reported for financial year 2014 in the framework of the "reinforcement of assurance procedure" and stresses that overall for the 6 Member States which had opted for the voluntary application of this procedure(Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Luxemburg, United Kingdom), the Court found that with the exception of Luxembourg the weaknesses in its implementation render the reported levels of error unreliable;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 206

206. Regrets that the Court detected weaknesses in the control systems related to transactions in rural development of the five paying agencies it visited in 2014: Ireland, Italy (Campania) Portugal, Romania and Sweden and, in particular, in the checks related to eligibility conditions for environmental conditions, to the maximum size of companies and to public procurement procedure;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 210 a (new)

210a. Deplores the Courts´ findings that EU support for rural infrastructure has achieved only limited value for money; regrets that the need for Union rural development funding was not always clearly justified and coordination with other funds weak and that the selection procedure did not systematically direct funding towards the most cost-effective projects; asks the Commission and the Member States to collect relevant and reliable data on the effectiveness and efficiency of the measures funded, in order to manage the spending by results;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 217

217. Stresses that while in 2014 the certification bodies gave a positive assessment on all EAGF-IACS statistics, the Commission has to correct upwards the error rates communicated by 17 out of 69 paying agencies with a residual error rate above 2%, of which five were above 5%92 - Spain (Andalucía, Cantabria, Extremadura and La Rioja) as well as Hungary -; points out that overall, the reported error rate for CAP direct payments increased from 0,55% to 2,54% as a result of adjustments made by DG AGRI; __________________ 92 See Table: Annex 10- 3.2.8 on the DG AGRI annual activity report 2014.

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 218

218. Stresses that while in 2014 the certification bodies gave a positive assessment on 88% of the EAFRD statistics, the Commission has to correct upwards the error rates communicated by out 43 out of 72 paying agencies with an adjusted error rate above 2% (of which 14 were above 5%): - Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain (Andalucía and Valencia), France (ODARC and ASP), UK (England), Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Netherlands, Portugal and Romania -; points out that overall, the reported error rate for rural development payments increased from 1,52% to 5,09% as a result of adjustments made by DG AGRI;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 232 a (new)

232a. Notes that the Commission has launched a conformity clearance procedure to get detailed and precise information on the risk of a conflict of interest concerning the State Agricultural Intervention Fund in the Czech Republic and stressed that failure to take the necessary measures to prevent a conflict of interest could ultimately require the Czech competent authority to withdraw the accreditation of the paying agency and/or could lead to the application of financial correction by the Commission; asks the Commission to proceed rapidly and to report to the Parliament on this issue by June 2016; asks Olaf to report without delay to the Parliament on its decision to open or not a case;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Petri SARVAMAA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 241

241. Regrets that the external assistance management reports (EAMR) issued by the heads of Union delegations are not annexed to the annual activity reports of DG DEVCO and NEAR as is foreseen by Article 67.3 of the Financial Reguldeleted (Duplication;)

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 241 a (new)

241a. Notes with concern that the overall performance of the EU delegation as measured by the key performance indicators utilised in the EAMR of 2014 has worsened compared to 2013;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 241 b (new)

241b. Notes with surprise that the delegations with the highest amount at risk as measured by key performance indicator 5: "timely implementation" and 6: "objective reached" differ from those listed as the worst performers and considers that it raises questions on the quality and seriousness of reporting of some delegations;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 241 c (new)

241c. Notes with deep concern that according to the EAMR on 2598 projects led by the EU delegations; – 805 projects worth EUR 13,7 Billion (45,53% of the total amount) are delayed, – 610 projects worth EUR 9,9 Billion (32,96%) will not reach the initially set objectives, – 500 projects worth EUR 8,6 Billion (29%) are both delayed and will not reach their initially set objectives, – 915 projects worth EUR 15 billion (50%) are either delayed or will not reach the initially set objectives, – budget support actions account for almost one fifth of the projects with the worst problems;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 241 d (new)

241d. Regrets that project with implementation problems are less often visited by delegation staff than projects without problem;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 241 e (new)

241e. Recalls that its requested the Commission to present the measures taken in order to improve the performance of Union delegations as regards financial planning and resource allocations, financial administration and auditing and to provide the conclusions it has drawn from the EAMR with the EAMRs to Parliament;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 241 f (new)

241f. Insists that the Commission should in no way utilise the adversarial procedure as foreseen by article 163 of the financial regulation applicable to the general budget of the Union in order to delay or to block the adoption of a special report of the Court of auditors;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Joachim ZELLER, Petri SARVAMAA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 243

243. Considers the EAMR issued by the heads of Union delegations to be a useful internal management instrument to enable the Commission to identify early problems with projects and to address them even during the implementation; regrets that these reports are not annexed to the annual activity reports of DG DEVCO and NEAR as is foreseen by Article 67.3 of the Financial Regulation; regrets that they are systematically considered as confidential whilst in accordance with Article 67 paragraph3 of the Financial Regulation , "they shall be made available to the Parliament and the Council having due regard, where appropriate to their confidentiality";

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Petri SARVAMAA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 244

244. ~~Note~~Regrets that the overall performance of Union delegations in implementation of external assistance programs as measured by the KPI utilised in the EAMR of 2014 has worsened compared to 2013; notes however that these reports present an assessment of ongoing projects and that the performance is influenced by factors outside the control of the Union delegations, including quality of governance in beneficiary countries, security situation, political crises, commitment of implementing partners, etc.;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Petri SARVAMAA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 278

278. ~~Is of the opinion~~Emphasises that the SC should, as a matter of consistency with its mandate, have autonomous staff who are detached from the OLAF administration and enjoy financial autonomy; ~~calls on OLAF to grant the SC access to documents that the SC deems necessary to fulfil its task in accordance with its remit within the legislative mandate~~welcomes the Commission's ongoing efforts towards this end;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2154(DEC)

Petri SARVAMAA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 278 a (new)

278a. Urges OLAF to grant the SC access to documents that the SC deems necessary to fulfil its task in accordance with its remit within the legislative mandate;

2016/03/07
Committee: CONT

2015/2132(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes the growth of the number of refugees and IDPs in the world to an unprecedented level of 60 million and the consequent growth in the need for humanitarian aid; welcomes the Council's maintenance of the humanitarian aid amounts in the Commission's Draft Budget; considers, however, that €26 million should be added to line 23 02 01 and used for education in refugee camps as well as in emergencies and crisis situations, as this can provide life-saving skills, help children build a future and shield them from radicalisation;

2015/09/02
Committee: DEVE

2015/2132(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Holds that given the current refugee crisis, the Draft Budget amounts on line 21 02 07 05 for migration and asylum must not be reduced, but should rather be increased; stresses that this line should be used for measures to address ~~push factor~~root causes of migration and support for proper management of migratory flows in developing countries;

2015/09/02
Committee: DEVE

2015/2074(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER, Paul RÜBIG

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls the EU Member States’ collective and individual commitments to raise, by 2015, the level of their Official Development Assistance (ODA) to 0.7 % of Gross National Income (GNI), including at least 0.20 % of GNI to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), or, in the case of states which joined the EU in 2004 or later, to strive to increase their ODA to 0.33 % of GNI; notes that EU ~~development assistance counts towards these targets and therefore helps reduce the big ODA deficits of most Member Stat~~collective ODA currently amounts to 0,42% of its GNI and that EU development assistance counts towards these; calls for allocation of at least 50 % of EU ODA to LDCs;

2015/05/11
Committee: DEVE

2015/2074(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER, Paul RÜBIG

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Recalls the commitment of developed countries to provide new and additional climate finance from different sources to developing countries, reaching USD 100 billion per year by 2020; emphasises that the additionality requirement should be respected and points out that the increasing use of EU development assistance for the pursuit of closely climate-related objectives implies that the total volume of the development assistance must increase at least as much; affirms that ~~the room for climate-unrelated health, education an~~EU development assistance should be spent more effectively and that ODA should be targeted to sectors where it is needed othe~~r action to reduce poverty cannot be allowed to shrink, but must grow~~ most, namely capacity building, good governance, health, education, agriculture, water supply and energy;

2015/05/11
Committee: DEVE

2015/2074(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER, Paul RÜBIG

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses the need for more coherence of the EDF with the general budget of the European Union; considers that the EDF should be submitted to parliamentary scrutiny and common budget rules;

2015/05/11
Committee: DEVE

2015/2074(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER, Paul RÜBIG

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Draws attention to the humanitarian emergencies in Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Ukraine, and to the situations in the countries worst affected by the Ebola virus; underlines that the complexity of crises has increased the challenges faced by the EU as a global actor; warns of the political consequences of far-reaching budgetary cuts and insists that the extraordinary scale of the current global humanitarian needs must be reflected in the funding for the Directorate- General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO);

2015/05/11
Committee: DEVE

2015/2074(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER, Paul RÜBIG

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Is concerned about the various estimates on outstanding payments in the humanitarian aid field, while commitments keep growing; stresses the need for an appropriate budget allowing the EU to pursue its humanitarian aid actions; therefore urges for an increase of the financial means for humanitarian aid and disaster risk reduction; firmly objects any reallocation of money allocated for development and humanitarian aid;

2015/05/11
Committee: DEVE

2015/2074(BUD)

Joachim ZELLER, Paul RÜBIG

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Emphasises that it is important that the Council honour its commitment to allocate and earmark money for each measure it undertakes; insists that the money that has not been spent in the 2014 and 2015 budgets should be automatically transferred to the financial year 2016;

2015/05/11
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas taxation can be a reliable and sustainable source of ~~development finance~~revenue in developing countries if there is a pgro~~gressive~~wth- oriented and well-balanced taxation regime, an effective and efficient tax administration ~~to promote tax compliance, and transparent~~, and a transparent, responsible and accountable use of public revenue;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas ~~fair~~growth-oriented and well- balanced tax regimes provide vital finance to governments to cover citizens’ ~~rights to~~needs for basic services, such as healthcare and education for all~~, and whereas effective redistributive fiscal policies are essential in decreasing the effect of growing inequalities~~;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas tax regimes in developing countries should encourage the creation of jobs by attracting necessary foreign investments as well as by supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)

Db. whereas effective fiscal policies are essential in strengthening the social contract between government and citizens, in order to increase low taxpayer morale and to create a reciprocal link between tax, public and social services;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the potential benefits of taxation go beyond the increase in available resources to foster development, but have a direct positive ~~side-~~effect on good governance and state-building by strengthening the rule of law and democratic institutions, promoting long- term independence from foreign assistance and allowing developing countries to assume ownership of their policy choices;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas developing countries face major political and administrative constraints in raising tax revenues as a result of insufficient human and financial resources to collect taxes, weak administrative capacity to deal with the complexity of ~~impos~~collecting taxes on certain activities of transnational companies, lack of tax collection ~~infrastructure~~capacities, a drain of skilled personnel away from tax administrations, corruption, lack of legitimacy of the political system, an ~~uneven~~inadequate distribution of revenues and poor tax governance;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the gradual removal of trade barriers over the past decades has increased the amount of cross-border- traded goods and services, and hence has led to a widening of the tax base in developing countries;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas, comparatively speaking, developing countries raise substantially less revenue than advanced economies and are characterised by extremely narrow tax bases, and there is considerable potential for increasing the ~~tax-to-GDP ratio~~amount of tax revenues in order to provide the necessary means for essential governmental responsibilities, especially in the least industrialised countries (LICs);

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas developing countries have been offering various tax incentives and exemptions, leading to ~~harmful tax competition and a ‘race to the bottom’ that brings greater benefit to multinational corporations (MNCs) than to developing countrie~~unsatisfactory outcomes in terms of effective and efficient tax systems;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas many developing countries ~~cannot attain even the minimum tax level necessary to finance their basic functioning, their public services and their efforts to reduce poverty~~often do not collect sufficient means to finance necessary governmental responsibilities;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas developing countries ~~are heavily underrepresen~~should be better supported in the existing structures and procedures of international tax cooperation, ~~and do not~~in order to participate on an equal footing in the current global processes seeking to ~~redefin~~further improve international tax rules, such as the OECD base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) process;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas ~~revenue raising can have an important role to play in rebalancing gender inequalitie~~collecting sufficient levels of public finances can have an important role to play in having more equitable societies without discrimination between men and women and special support in particular for children and vulnerable groups;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Commission to put forward an action plan, in the form of a communication, on supporting developing countries in fighting ~~tax dodging~~illicit capital flows and setting up ~~fairer~~better-balanced tax systems, taking into account the work undertaken by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD in advance of the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to be held from 13 to 16 July 2015, and the impact of international tax treaties on developing countries;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Underlines the necessity of having a well-balanced tax mixture with a significant share of the tax revenue in developing countries originating from value added tax (VAT); recalls that in contrary to income taxes, VAT equally puts the burden on imported goods and hence supports domestic economic activities in developing countries; however, takes into account the need for reduced rates for basic and necessary goods of daily consumption as well as the possibility of additional sin taxes in particular on tobacco or alcohol products;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Stresses the importance of efficient and growth-oriented tax regimes in developing countries in order to attract necessary foreign investments as well as to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Urges the Commission to support developing countries and regional tax administration frameworks in the fight against ~~tax dodging~~illegal capital flows, in developing ~~fairer~~better-balanced tax policies, in promoting administrative reforms and in order to increase the share, in terms of aid and development, of financial and technical assistance to the national tax administrations of developing countries;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Regrets that only an estimated 0.1 percent (USD 118.4 million) of ODA was dedicated to capacity building in tax matters in 2012; calls for a significant increase of respective technical assistance programmes to 0.5 percent of provided ODA in order to strengthen tax administration and statistical capacities in developing countries;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Encourages the development of Twinning initiatives, beyond countries in enlargement negotiations or in the framework of the EU Neighbourhood Policy; calls for bringing together public sector expertise from EU Member States and beneficiary countries, aiming to enhance cooperative activities while yielding at preliminarily agreed and concrete operational results for beneficiary countries; supports workshops, training sessions, expert missions, study visits and counselling in order to bring about changes both in the structure of beneficiary institutions, as well as in the respective regulatory tax frameworks in developing countries;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Asks the Commission to give good governance in tax matters and ~~fair~~effective tax collection a high place on the agenda in its policy dialogue (political, development and trade) and in all development cooperation agreements with partner countries;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Urges that information on beneficial ownership of companies, trusts and other institutions be made publicly available in open-data formats, in order to prevent anonymous shell companies and ~~similar legal structur~~comparable legal entities from being used to finance illegal activities;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the EU and the Member States to ~~enforce the principle that multinational companies must adopt country-by-country reporting (CBCR) as standard, requiring them to publish as part of their annual report~~adopt country-by-country reporting (CBCR) as a common practice, requiring large multinational companies onf all countr~~y-by-country basis for each territory in which they operate the names of all subsidiaries, their financial performance, relevant tax~~ies and sectors to publish required information, as~~sets and number of employees, and to ensure that this information is publicly available~~ part of their annual report on a country-by-country basis;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Welcomes the adoption of an Automatic Exchange of Information mechanism, a fundamental tool for enhancing global transparency and cooperation in the fight against tax avoidance and tax evasion; acknowledges, however, that support in terms of expertise and time is needed for developing countries to build the required capacity to send and process information;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Urges the Commission and all the Member States, following the example of some Member States and in conformity with Art. 5 (3) TEU, to conduct impact assessments of ~~European~~ tax policies on developing countries, in order to strengthen policy coherence for development and ~~remove practices that have negative spillover~~improve current practices to take better into account the special needs onf developing countries;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Stresses than when negotiating tax treaties with developing countries, ~~source- country taxation rights should be preserved, and the UN Model Tax Convention~~income or profits resulting from cross-border activities should be ~~preferr~~taxed toin the ~~OECD Model Tax Convention~~source country, in order to avoid a bias towards developed countries’ interests and to ensure a ~~fair distribu~~n effective collection of tax~~ing right~~ revenues;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Urges the EU and the Member States to ensure that the UN taxation committee is ~~transformed into a genuine intergovernmental body equipped with additional resources~~better equipped with additional resources inside the framework of the UN Economic and Social Council, ensuring that developing countries can participate ~~equally in the global reform~~more effectively in the further global development of existing international tax rules;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Stresses that ~~gender analysis should be made central to tax justice~~sufficient levels of public finance can contribute to an environment with less discrimination between men and women and with better support in particular for children and vulnerable groups in society;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2058(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Joachim ZELLER, Brian HAYES

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Calls on the EIB to ensure that companies or other legal entities that receive EIB support do not ~~participate in tax evasion via offshore centres and tax haven~~interact with financial intermediaries established in offshore centres and tax havens in terms of illicit capital flows;

2015/05/06
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA, Bogdan Brunon WENTA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)

- having regard to the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 12 December 2014 on a stronger role of the private sector in development cooperation,

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 b (new)

- having regard to the European Court of Auditors' Special Report No. 16/2014 on "The effectiveness of blending regional investment facility grants with financial institution loans to support EU external policies",

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas the magnitude of the SDGs financing challenge demands a strong and global partnership and the use of all forms - including innovative sources - of financing (domestic, international, public and private);

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas domestic resource mobilisation and Official Development Assistance (ODA) are non-substitutable anchors of development finance which must be strengthened in order that developing countries can reach their full potential;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas three-quarters of the world's poorest people - an estimated 960 million - currently live in middle-income countries; whereas developing countries’ potentials for domestic resource mobilisation are significant~~, but there are limits to what countries can accomplish on their own~~;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas the nature and impacts of private capital flows affects developing countries in many different ways, positive as well as negative; ~~whereas financial flows to developing countries from private sources are significant but unevenly distributed and are often associated with outflows such as profit repatriation;~~

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas the EU and its Member States, as the largest donors of development aid, must lead the FfD process and help bring about a credible response to the development finance challenges; whereas other developed and emerging countries should follow its example;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the UN Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report and its transformative, holistic and integrated approach ~~to an ambitious global partnership~~as a negotiation basis for achieving an ambitious global partnership on new development goals and the associated financial framework;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Urges the EU to ~~lead~~affirm its political leadership all throughout the preparatory process towards the definition of a sustainable development framework and its means of implementation along the commitments and values stated in its founding Treaties;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Welcomes the recent Commission communication entitled ‘A Global Partnership for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development after 2015’, for its comprehensiveness, for its policy coherence focus and for confirming that the EU is committed to playing its full part in this global partnership; however, ~~regrets a certain lack of~~encourages further commitments as regard~~ing the timeline for~~s future financial targets;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Urges the EU and its Member States to ~~re-commit without delay or negotiation~~gradually increase their level of ODA and re-commit to the 0.7 % of GNI target, with at least 0.2 % of GNI reserved for LDCs~~, and to present multiannual budget timetables for the scale-up to thes~~; these efforts should be done in a joint effort and in close cooperation with all other donor countries around the world in order to ensure the best possible outcome in view of the implementation of the Sustainable lDevel~~s by 2020~~opment Goals;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU and other developed countries must honour their commitment to provide scaled-up, new and additional climate finance to ~~developing countries reaching USD 100 billion per year by 2020~~reach the goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion annually, from a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries; calls on countries with emerging economies to increasingly follow this example by financially contributing to these goals;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Supports innovative sources of additional development and climate finance, including financial transaction taxes ~~and carbon taxes on international aviation and maritime transport~~; welcomes further European and international efforts to identify other additional sources;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Emphasises that ODA should remain the standard measure of financial efforts made; supports the inclusion of concessional loans based on calculation of their grant equivalents, despite due consideration of total official support for development; stresses the role of ODA as a catalyst to attract private investment;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls for the EU and its Member States to promote an aid effectiveness agenda building on the commitments in the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, in particular by reducing aid fragmentation through greater coordination between different aid delivery mechanisms and ~~dono~~stakeholders;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Stresses the importance of a clear priority-setting in the spending of aid with a special focus on sectorial areas such as health, education, energy and water supply, agriculture as well as infrastructure;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Recalls that development efforts need to be undertaken in a joint effort following the principles of shared responsibility and mutual accountability between local, regional and national authorities on the one side and donors on the other side;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. SFully encourages developing countries' efforts to increasingly finance their own development; to this end, stresses that domestic resource mobilisation must be a key source of financing for all developed and developing countries; emphasises the need for ~~robust, far and progressive~~effective and well-balanced tax systems;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Encourages the Commission to further help strengthening the ~~areas of~~tax collection capacity of developing countries by improving tax administration, financial governance and public financial management through enhanced cooperation and capacity building in developing countries;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for the EU and its Member States to actively crack down on tax havens, tax evasion and illicit financial flows; supports the ~~setting-up of~~idea of having an intergovernmental body for tax cooperation under the auspices of the UN, in particular with the Economic and Social Council of the UN and UNCTAD being in charge; recalls that illicit capital flows coming out of developing countries amount to USD 1 trillion and correspond ten times the total ODA;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Stresses the decisive importance of good governance, the rule of law and democracy, institutional framework and regulatory instruments in particular of public registers such as land and commercial registers; especially supports investment in capacity-building, education, health, public services, social protection, the protection of human rights and the fight against poverty and inequality, including ~~in terms of~~with regard to gender; recognises the need for infrastructures and selective public investments, as well as the sustainable use and management of natural resources, including by the extractive industries;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Calls for greater financing of research and development in science, technology and innovation in developing countries in order to improve their position in global value chains and to support the domestic production of sophisticated goods and services; emphasises in this context the important role of micro, small and medium enterprises;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the importance of favourable conditions for private enterprise and entrepreneurship in developing countries; calls for ~~alignment~~the active participation of the private sector with the aim of contributing to the sustainable development goals through appropriate partnerships, financial instruments, incentives and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); such efforts should be accompanied by a commitment to strengthening domestic legal frameworks;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Insists that the EU’s support and cooperation with the private sector can and must contribute to reducing poverty and inequality and promote human rights, environmental standards and social dialogue; recalls that the private sector generates 90 percent of jobs in developing countries and therefore insists on its fundamental role as engine of job creation and inclusive growth;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Calls for the EU to setupport developing countries in setting up a regulatory business framework that stimulates responsible, transparent and accountable investment which contributes to the development of the private sector in developing countries;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Welcomes the Cotonou Agreement Investment Facility as a tool for increasing developing countries’ ownership while promoting the private sector, in particular in fragile states or least developed countries, where the development impact is potentially greater;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the Commission to support increased access to finance for micro, small and medium enterprises in developing countries as this constitutes an effective path out of poverty for the local communities; underlines the importance of micro-finance loan systems and guarantees in particular for the creation phase of such companies;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Insists on the necessity of further developing local and regional banks and credit unions in order to significantly decrease excessive interest rates for market loans in order to better support community development at a local level 1 a ; stresses in this context the specific needs of micro, small and medium enterprises as well as NGOs and calls for the development of targeted programmes and instruments in order to address their respective situations; __________________ 1a http://www.eib.org/attachments/dalberg_s me-briefing-paper.pdf

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. CRecalls ~~for the adoption of an ‘SDG partner’ framework for~~that public aid alone is far from sufficient to cover all investment needs in developing countries; therefore, insists on the leverage role of blending ~~projects~~ and public-private partnerships (PPPs) ~~that will ensure that such projects respect the best international practices and the internationally agreed~~as means to enhance the impact of development assistance, to attract private finance and to support local businesses; however, stresses that blended finance must not replace state responsibility for delivering on social needs and should be guided by development effectiveness principles;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Supports increased market access for developing countries, especially LDCs, as it can strengthen the private sector and create incentives for reform; urges the Commission to ensure that trade and investment agreements, especially with developing countries, LDCs and fragile states, are aligned with the SDGs; emphasises ~~that such agreements should be subjected to SDG impact assessments~~on measures that strengthen competition authorities in the respective countries, bring more transparency into public procurement procedures and focus on trade facilitation; supports the Commission’s suggestion of updating its Aid for Trade Strategy in light of the outcomes of the post-2015 negotiations;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Recalls the role of local authorities and civil society, including NGOs, ~~as an essential development partner; calls for an increased~~philanthropic foundations and the private sector, as an essential development partner; supports an effective participation of the representatives of civil society ~~voice~~ in the discussions of development priorities and the set-up of operations on the ground; underlines the role of EU delegations in the respective countries as a facilitator of such dialogues;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Recalls the UN’s central role, in complementarity with other existing institutions and forums such as the OECD, in global economic governance and development; supports efforts to further enhance the voice and representation of developing countries in multilateral institutions and other norm- and standard- setting bodies;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Insists that sustainable debt solutions must be facilitated through a multilateral legal framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes with a view to alleviating the debt burden; takes in particular into consideration the recent contributions of the IMF as well as of the Paris Club on this matter; urges the EU to push for the implementation of the UNCTAD principles of responsible sovereign debt transactions for both borrowers and lenders;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2015/2044(INI)

Paul RÜBIG, Bogdan Brunon WENTA, Cristian Dan PREDA, Joachim ZELLER, Davor Ivo STIER, Maurice PONGA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for a review of international organisations’ programmes and instruments of financial assistance for development in order to align them with the new SDGs~~; urges,~~ and to allow notably, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to increase low- income countries’ levels of access to their concessional facilities and to gear their resources more closely to the needs of developing countries, including through mutually effective pro-poor lending facilities;

2015/03/26
Committee: DEVE

2014/2247(INI)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Stresses that the partnership principle must lead to involvement at all levels and needs to be applied by Member States on an obligatory basis; stresses the importance of the implementation of the code of conduct on partnership to ensure equal participation and representation of marginalised communities; is concerned about the poor compliance with the obligatory involvement of partners in accordance with Article 5 of the CPR; calls on the Commission ~~not to authorise payments for programmes that disregard the~~to implement the system of incentives and to support those managing authorities and beneficiaries who have particularly good results in involvement of partners, in~~cludi~~ their programmes; and to exchange th~~ose most concerned~~e best practices in this area;

2015/07/24
Committee: REGI

2014/2247(INI)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Notes that cross-financing is currently used in a limited way, which could be caused by complex rules described in Article 98(2) of the CPR; is of the opinion that increasing the flexibility of rules for cross-financing, particularly in reference to marginalised communities, could increase the effectiveness of the projects and bring an important added value to their impact; calls therefore the Commission to conduct an analysis of the application and level of use of cross-financing;

2015/07/24
Committee: REGI

2014/2143(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines the fact that the new development framework must be universal in its nature, while also taking into account different national circumstances, capacities, policies and priorities; In this respect calls for the EU to indicate which concrete actions and commitments it can suggest to respond domestically and internationally to the principle of universality;

2014/10/22
Committee: DEVE

2014/2143(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Recognises that the Post 2015 agenda should address the interconnected economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, as well as issues of governance, and should promote inter-linkages across all goals and targets. Therefore calls the EU to strongly support this comprehensive approach and indicate how inter-linkages can be effectively achieved;

2014/10/22
Committee: DEVE

2014/2143(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Believes that Policy Coherence for sustainable Development is a key tool for the implementation of the Post 2015 framework, and calls the EU to promote it with all partners as to improve the monitoring and review of their policies and ensure they are coherent with global poverty reduction and sustainable development objectives. To this end calls the EU to ensure that the necessary guidelines, impact assessments and monitoring and reporting mechanisms to make PCD a reality are included as commitments in the post-2015 framework;

2014/10/22
Committee: DEVE

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Pascal ARIMONT

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8

(8) The interregional, transnational and cross-border co- operation and the support to all organisations operating for EURES in Member States would be facilitated by a structure at Union level ('the European Coordination Office') that should provide common information, training activities, tools and guidance. That structure should also be responsible for the development of the 'European Job Mobility portal' (EURES portal), the common IT platform. To guide its work, multiannual work programmes should be developed in consultation with Member States.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10 a (new)

(10a) In cross-border regions, permanent structures like working communities, euroregions and in particular the EGTC can be the basis for cross-border partnerships

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12

(12) A broader membership of the EURES network has social, economic and financial benefits. It improves efficiency in service delivery by facilitating partnerships, enhancing complementarity and quality improvements. It increases the market share of the EURES network insofar as new members make available job vacancies, job applications and curriculum vitae ('CV’s'). TInterregional, transnational and cross- border co-operation, which is a key feature of the operation of the EURES network, could generate innovative forms of learning and co-operation between employment services, including on quality standards for job vacancies and support services. The EURES network would therefore enhance its relevance as one of the key Union tools available to Member States and the European Commission for supporting concrete measures towards a high level of employment within the Union.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24

(24) A profound understanding of labour demand in terms of occupations, sectors and needs of employers would benefit the right of free movement of workers within the Union and therefore support services should include good quality assistance to employers, small and medium sized enterprises in particular. Close working relationships between employment services and employers will increase the pool of job vacancies and job matching of suitable candidates, ensure decreasing of labour shortages, secure pathways for job seekers in particular those in vulnerable groups and improve labour market intelligence.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

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

(b) ‘employment services’ means any legal or natural person, lawfully operating in a Member State, whether of a public or private nature and, in the latter case, whether for profit or non-profit, which provides services for job seekers to get employed and for employers to recruit workers;

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) The EURES Partners which are the organisations authorised by Member States to provide at national, regional and/or local level support with clearance and/or support services to workers and employers and EURES cross-border partnerships.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2

2. In accordance with their respective roles and responsibilities, all organisations participating in the EURES network promote actively, in close cooperation, the opportunities labour mobility in the Union offers and seek to enhance ways and means for workers and employers to seize these opportunities at ~~local, regional, national and European~~European, national and, in particular regional and/or local level.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Pascal ARIMONT, Joachim ZELLER

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

(c) the better functioning and integration of the labour markets in the Union;, including cross-border labour markets,

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) the analysis of geographic and occupational mobility, endeavouring to reflect regional and/or local characteristics;

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d

(d) the monitoring and evaluation of EURES activity and its employment performance, in co-operation with EURES Members;, with particular attention to the regional and/or local dimension and, where appropriate, drawing up any proposals for improvement that it sees fit.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Krzysztof HETMAN, Pascal ARIMONT

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) organisation of the work for EURES in the Member State, including organisation of the delivery of support services, with particular attention to the regional and/or local dimension, in accordance with Chapter IV;

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 6

6. Each Member State ensures that its National Coordination Office gets the staff and other resources necessary to carry out its tasks as defined under this Regulation. and properly represents the regional and/or local interests that exist within its territory;

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1

1. Each Member State shall set up a system to authorise EURES Partners to participate in the EURES network, monitor their activities and their compliance with national and Union law when applying this Regulation. This system shall be transparent, proportionate and respect the principles of equal treatment for applicant organisations and due process of law. The EURES cross-border partnerships proposed by the services territorially responsible for border regions shall be exempted from this national authorisation procedure and, once established, shall be considered EURES Partners as of right.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 6

6. EURES Partners may involve other EURES Partners or other organisations in order to comply together with the criteria in the Annex. In such cases, the continued existence of an appropriate partnership, particularly designed to resolve the specific problems of EU regions and/or municipalities, is an additional condition for participation in the EURES network.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Pascal ARIMONT, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

1. Applicant organisations ~~can choose to~~ participate in the EURES network ~~according to~~through the following ~~optio~~means:

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Pascal ARIMONT, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) to contributeing to the pool of job applications and CV’s in accordance with Article 14(1), paragraph (b);

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Pascal ARIMONT, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point d

~~(d) a combination of points (a) to (c).~~deleted

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 2

2. Member States shall support the development of a coordinated approach at national level to such services, designed to address the specific needs of regions and/or municipalities.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 1

The Commission and the Member States monitor labour mobility flows and patterns in the Union on the basis of Eurostat statistics and the available national and regional data.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Pascal ARIMONT, Krzysztof HETMAN

Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 3

3. Taking into account the exchange of information and the joint analysis, Member States shall endeavour to develop mobility policies as an integral part of their employment policies. These mobility policies provide the framework on the basis of which Member States carry out the programming referred to in Article 28.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. The Commission, through cooperation between the European Coordination office and DG REGIO, ensures synergy with funding available from INTERREG 2014-2020 and the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2014/0002(COD)

Krzysztof HETMAN, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 37 – paragraph 1

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Article 14(1) to (7) shall apply two years following the date of entry into force referred to in paragraph 1.

2015/02/04
Committee: REGI

2013/2175(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Notes that some countries face serious obstacles to, or are even denied, access to capital markets; notes, further, that SMEs in many Member States are having great difficulty accessing capital because commercial banks are only prepared to grant loans subject to unduly tough conditions;

2013/12/05
Committee: ECON

2013/2175(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Notes that some investors from the banking and insurance sector are reluctant to invest on account of tightened regulatory requirements adopted in response to the business practices employed by market operators before the financial crisis;

2013/12/05
Committee: ECON

2013/2175(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the need to improve access to capital markets through new sources of funding such as initial public offerings and (covered) bonds or through new market segments, but without crowding out the provision of financing by local banks with which firms have longstanding relationships and decentralised regional financial institutions, which have been a reliable source of funding for local economies, even during the crisis in the financial markets;

2013/12/05
Committee: ECON

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)

(9a) The principle of reciprocity is an important means of counteracting distortion of competition; this principle should apply to companies from third countries that wish to participate in procurement procedures within the Union.

2013/09/17
Committee: REGI

2013/0028(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15

(15) Preparing railway undertakings for ~~mandatory~~ competitive tendering for public service contracts requires some extra time to allow effective and sustainable internal restructuring of companies to which such contracts were directly awarded in the past. Transitional measures are therefore necessary for contracts directly awarded between the date of entry into force of this Regulation and 3 December 2019.

2013/09/17
Committee: REGI

Joachim ZELLER, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)

(9a) The principle of reciprocity is an important means of counteracting distortion of competition; this principle should apply to undertakings from third countries that wish to participate in procurement procedures in the Union.

2013/09/23
Committee: TRAN

2013/0028(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15

(15) Preparing railway undertakings for ~~mandatory~~ competitive tendering for public service contracts requires some extra time to allow effective and sustainable internal restructuring of companies to which such contracts were directly awarded in the past. Transitional measures are therefore necessary for contracts directly awarded between the date of entry into force of this Regulation and 3 December 2019.

2013/09/23
Committee: TRAN

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – point b

(b) networks that are ~~functionally separate from the rest of the rail system and~~ intended only for the operation of local, urban or suburban passenger services, as well as railway undertakings operating solely on these networks.

2013/09/17
Committee: REGI

2013/0015(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – point b

(b) networks ~~that are functionally separate from the rest of the rail system and~~ intended only for the operation of local, urban or suburban passenger services, as well as railway undertakings operating solely on these networks.

2013/10/01
Committee: TRAN

2013/0000(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Highlights that the State aid rules, as well as the Cohesion Policy objectives, should lead to improving the situation of the ~~less-developed~~ regions, and that the SAM process must reflect the objectives of cohesion throughout the EU; believes that the modernisation of competition rules must be based on understanding the impact of these rules at sub-national level;

2013/05/03
Committee: REGI

2013/0000(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Takes the view that the geographical zoning of the new Guidelines on Regional State Aid 2014-2020 (RSAG) should not be reduced, and that decreasing the aid intensity should be reconsidered, taking into account the political, economic and social situation in the Member States; points out that, in the global context, the EU economy could be placed at a disadvantage relative to third countries benefitting from looser employment schemes or lower costs; is therefore of the opinion that the geographical zoning shoud not fall below 45.5% in order not to jeopardize the economic development of the regions;

2013/05/03
Committee: REGI

2013/0000(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Points out to the restrictive impact of new rules on investment and growth of regions as they move from the less developed to the more developed category; is aware that certain regions eligible for State aid under the current system will not meet the zoning criteria of the RSAG in the future period; believes that these regions should have a special safety regime, similar to that for transition regions under the Cohesion Policy, allowing them to cope with their new situation; highlights the need to prolong the transitional period for those regions until 2020;

2013/05/03
Committee: REGI

2013/0000(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Underlines the specific situation of border regions with highly differing aid rates and the potential of competition distortion which these differences can have; welcomes the Commission's ambition to limit the distorting effects of State aid for competition; stresses the damaging economic impact that differing aid rates between regions of the less developed and the more developed category can have; underlines therefore the need to limit the difference between the less developed and the more developed category to 10%;

2013/05/03
Committee: REGI

2013/0000(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Believes that the application of State aid rules within Cohesion Policy programmes could be better achieved by focussing on large-scale aid, simplifying rules, increasing the de minimis ceiling to EUR 500.000, and extending the horizontal categories in the Enabling Regulation and the scope of the block exemption rules in the General Block Exemption Regulation;

2013/05/03
Committee: REGI

2013/0000(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Is of the opinion that excluding large enterprises companies from State aid rules in areas covered by Article 107(3)(c) TFEU is not justified given their contribution to employment, the supply- chains that they create with SMEs, their common involvement in research and development, and the role they play in the economic crisis; takes the view that the presence of large undertakings is often key to the success of SMEs that benefit from clusters led by large companies and from their sub-contracting activities; underlines that such a decision may lead to job losses and reduced economic activity in the regions and to the relocation of companies to other regions either within and outside the EU; takes therefore the view that those companies need to remain eligible for State aid;

2013/05/03
Committee: REGI

2013/0000(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17 a. Welcomes the obligation for companies to leave investments and jobs throughout 10 years in the region where the State aid was granted in order to impede relocations to regions with higher aid rates;

2013/05/03
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses the ~~crucial~~ role played by the European Parliament, and in particular its Committee on Regional Development, in ensuring social housing was eligible for funding ~~under past and current European programme~~, both in the past and under the new regulations on the Structural Funds;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Welcomes~~Draws attention to the Commission’s proposals for a regulation laying down common provisions (COM(2012)0496), a regulation on specific provisions concerning the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (COM(2011)0614) and a regulation on the European Social Fund (ESF) (COM(2011)0607 final/2), which make ~~full~~ provision for ~~priority~~ investment in energy- efficiency improvements, the promotion of renewable energy sources, integrated sustainable urban development measures and action to combat exclusion by providing ~~marginalised~~financially less affluent communities with access to ~~high-quality~~publicly subsidised housing and social services at affordable prices; points out that publicly subsidised housing construction must go hand in hand with the development of public and social infrastructure;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls on the Member States and regional and local authorities to devise ways of bringing about low-cost housing construction, for example by making publicly owned land available free of charge for public and cooperative housing promoters;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that investment in social housing plays a part in ~~more far-reaching~~ policies ~~and~~which hasve a beneficial impact on the local economy in terms of job creation, social inclusion, and support for local SMEs~~, public health and environmental protection~~; notes that healthy housing promotes public health;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Considers that investment in ~~social~~publicly subsidised housing can play a concrete and effective role in improving Europe’s economic governance by, in particular, ~~counter~~tackling property price bubbles and their disruptive effect on society and macroeconomic stability.

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the Member States to tackle speculative tendencies in housing construction by means of statutory regulation;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Notes that housing is a valuable social good, for which Member States bear special responsibility;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Calls on the Commission to compile information on the extent to which Member States implement or promote housing construction measures using their own resources;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2293(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)

5d. Proposes an exchange of experience and opinions between the Member States and promoters of publicly subsidised housing construction measures in Europe;

2013/02/25
Committee: REGI

2012/2259(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Points out that increased renewable energy production will pose challenges to the serviceability of the existing energy infrastructure; points to the importance of both public and private funding where energy infrastructure investment is concerned; urges the need for progress in the development and expansion of an EU internal energy market; believes that, for example, ELENA assistance should support large- scale renewable energy investment projects to more useful effect and that the Intelligent Energy – Europe programme could be used to foster acceptance of renewable energy;

2013/01/29
Committee: REGI

2012/2259(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Maintains that effective renewable energy projects should not stop at the EU's internal borders, to say nothing of its external borders; draws attention to the importance of cross-border energy projects and takes the view that European regional cooperation programmes, as well as the IPA and the ENI, should ~~be exploited to the full to help~~promote the introduction of renewable energy ~~to take off~~production; also stresses that best practice should be shared and turned to account under those programmes;

2013/01/29
Committee: REGI

2012/2259(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Points out that coherence and perseverance are key elements of EU climate and energy policy; notes that the targets set and the requirements imposed on production may not all be consistent in every respect; points out that legislation which limits the exploitation of renewable energy will at worst make the targets more difficult to reach, and that this could adversely affect regional economies; points out that energy production from renewable energy sources is closely linked to the development and expansion of energy infrastructure, and that the necessary planning procedures often require the interaction of various planning levels; points out that national legislation must ensure the simplification and acceleration of planning procedures in the development of energy infrastructure;

2013/01/29
Committee: REGI

2012/2050(INI)

Elisabeth JEGGLE, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40

40. Supports the EU's promotion of a regional approach in Central Asia, which is essential to tackling the regional dimension of issues including organised crime, trafficking in drugs, radioactive materials and human beings, terrorism, natural and manmade environmental disasters and management of water and energy resources; calls for such engagement to be differentiated and conditional upon progress in democratisation, human rights, good governance, sustainable socio- economic development, the rule of law and the fight against corruption; notes that the EU cooperation Strategy for Central Asia identifies seven priorities, but provides resources too limited to have an impact in all policy areas; calls therefore for the EU to define priorities better according to the resources available, whilst ensuring that development cooperation is not subordinated to economic, energy or security interests;

2012/06/26
Committee: AFET

2012/2050(INI)

Elisabeth JEGGLE, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41

41. Notes that the overall situation in human rights, labour rights, lack of support for civil society and the status of the rule of law ~~remain worrying~~need to be improved; calls for the human rights dialogues to be strengthened and made more effective and result- oriented, with the close cooperation and involvement of civil society organisations in the preparation, monitoring and implementation of such dialogues; calls on the EU and HR/VP to ~~raise publicl~~clarify the cases of political prisoners and imprisoned human rights defenders and journalists ~~and to call for their immediate release~~; calls for the Rule of Law Initiative to improve transparency towards civil-society organisations and to include clear objectives to make possible a transparent assessment of its implementation and results;

2012/06/26
Committee: AFET

2011/2196(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses the importance of regional airports in the context of air transport and their role in ensuring territorial, economic and social cohesion in the Union by connecting regions; points out that existing public service obligations should be maintained in order to guarantee the accessibility of regions, such as peripheral and island regions, that face geographical handicaps; notes the importance of airports, ~~especially of regional airports,~~ which are sometimes the only effective link between a region and the rest of Europe;

2011/12/21
Committee: REGI

2011/2196(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission, Member States and regional authorities to take ~~greater~~ account of the fact that good air transport connections are often decisive for the development of tourism and fundamental to the rapid transportation of passengers and goods;

2011/12/21
Committee: REGI

2011/2196(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Emphasises the economic importance of regional airports for job creation, particularly in less-developed or disadvantaged regions; ~~stresses, in that connection, the need to exploit the potential for green jobs more effectively;~~

2011/12/21
Committee: REGI

2011/2196(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Considers it particularly important to employ intermodal solutions where possible; takes the view that ~~rail links between airports should be developed~~airports need rail links, as they offer an ideal way of easing the capacity problems of the airports concerned;

2011/12/21
Committee: REGI

2011/2196(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Takes the view that the preservation, building and expansion of regional airports and related infrastructure ~~should be properly supported by national and regional authorities and receive appropriate financing under the TEN-T Networks, the Cohesion Fund and the ERDF~~must be considered primarily from an economic perspective;

2011/12/21
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Petru Constantin LUHAN, Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas European structural policy contributes greatly to overcoming the economic and financial crisis, as it tends to be oriented towards innovation and removing disparities, strongly encouraging the European regions to upgrade infrastructure, increase regional innovation potential and boost sustainable ecological development,

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Petru Constantin LUHAN, Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)

Bb. whereas Europe’s regions together face the challenges of globalisation, demographic change and conserving resources, and whereas the intrinsic potential of all regions should be exploited to boost growth and regional and social cohesion,

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the completely free movement of goods, services and workers is the most effective regional policy and tends in itself to help smooth out regional disparities in development,

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Seán KELLY, Alain CADEC, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises, too, that European funding adds value where projects supported at regional level contribute to the achievement of pan-European objectives in the fields of economic growth, research, environmental protection, resource management, sport, demographic change, energy supply sustainability, social cohesion or cross-border development and this would not have been realised without the European stimulus;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses that larger urban centres face specific challenges because of the complexity of their social, economic and environmental tasks;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Emphasises that the Union will be able to hold its own in the face of global competition only if its cohesion policy can tap the development potential of all the regions in response to the challenges of the EU 2020 strategy; underlines in this connection that targeting Structural Fund resources in a broad territorial approach must also serve to compensate for structural weaknesses in the stronger regions too, as well as to counteract potential weaknesses;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Jan OLBRYCHT, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Emphasises that the Union will be able to hold its own in the face of global competition only if its cohesion policy can tap the development potential of all the regions and cities in response to the challenges of the EU 2020 strategy;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Sees macroregional strategies as affording a major opportunity to harness forms of trans-regional potential and adopt a joint approach to challenges stemming from the natural environment, e.g. in relation to environmental protection; considers that better coordination of existing support mechanisms can create scope for more targeted use of the EU structural funds; nevertheless, no new instruments, financial resources or implementation structures should be created for these strategies;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Jan OLBRYCHT, Joachim ZELLER, Lena KOLARSKA-BOBIŃSKA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Doubts whether specific operational programmes for functional geographical entities such as ~~metropolitan regions or~~ sea or river basins will yield additional benefits; is particularly aware, in relation to such programmes, of the absence of political bodies (including democratically elected bodies) with a sufficiently wide- ranging remit to implement them; calls instead for closer coordination of macroregional or natural- environment strategies at inter- governmental levels;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Joachim ZELLER, Seán KELLY

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Stresses the key role ~~of towns and citie~~cities and regions in achieving the economic, environmental and social EU 2020 objectives; calls for support for ideas and projects which can serve as models, on the basis of integrated place-based development plans, and for the upgrading of urban-rural links; underlines that the greatest socioeconomic differences often exist within cities and that cities with deprived areas and pockets of poverty can also be found in wealthy regions;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Calls on the Commission to oblige the Member States to involve the relevant actors in key urban areas as well as local and regional authorities in all phases of cohesion policy decisions (strategic planning, drawing up and negotiating development and investment partnership agreements, and operational programmes);

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER, Petru Constantin LUHAN, Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Also considers that cohesion policy has a responsibility to do what is needed to fill gaps and remove bottlenecks in a core TEN network of main routes of European significance, particularly in the border regions which have until now been badly neglected in this regard;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Alain CADEC, Marie-Thérèse SANCHEZ-SCHMID, Maurice PONGA, Tamás DEUTSCH, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Emphasises that the trans-European transport networks play a decisive role in European regional cohesion and that development of TEN infrastructure, Motorways of the Sea and designated E- roads must therefore be stepped up and access to them improved, especially in border regions~~; suggests that ‘infrastructure’ be accorded more importance as a category of project eligible for support in connec~~ and outermost regions,; suggests that certain crossborder ‘infrastructure’ shall be considered as priority projects eligible to funds of the objective 1, 2 and 3 calls for a obligatory right to make the first proposal of the regional level for this type of action and equal participation ~~with~~of the ~~third objective of European Territorial Cooperation;~~ border regions and local authorities in the planning;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Takes the view that the development of basic infrastructure and support for conventional forms of energy should also be regarded as compatible with EU 2020, because only when they have competitive transport, energy and communications networks and waste-disposal infrastructure will the convergence regions be in a position to contribute to achieving the EU 2020 objectives – and that is precisely why the weaker and neediest regions must be given some leeway to interpret those objectives; in this connection, welcomes the greater use of innovative funding solutions such as EU project loans or public-private partnerships and other services offered by the EIB/EIF group;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Calls for a dependable and appropriate phasing-out arrangement under the Convergence objective for areas ~~former~~currently eligible for ~~maximum~~ support under the Convergence objective ~~(con~~with a GDP per inhabitant that is more than 75% of the EU average~~nce regions)~~; without such phasing out, existing successful approaches to further regional development would be greatly jeopardised;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. In addition, calls for a time-limited safety net for cases where the loss of support in a Member State affects a large proportion of its population and also a significant part of the support within the previous programming period; sees a particular justification for an appropriate phasing out system for regions leaving the convergence support system, which despite having exceeded the 75% threshold face growing disadvantages (demographic change, migratory deficit, monolithic structure, unemployment, etc.)

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Erminia MAZZONI, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Richard SEEBER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Calls for a strengthening of Objective 2 (Regional Competitiveness and Employment), which is based on a cross- cutting approach~~, to be upgraded; stresses that the proven system of innovation clusters and competition for funding needs to be developed further~~; stresses for Objective 2 regions that the proven system of ensuring that more developed regions are able to remove regional structural weaknesses; reduce territorial disparities; contribute to common European objectives; and to meet future challenges, when using structures that can respond flexible to changing circumstance, including, inter alia, innovation clusters and competition for funding, must be retained and developed further; calls for additional instruments for areas highly affected by structural change, which can contribute to the socio-economic and infrastructural improvement;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Petru Constantin LUHAN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Fears that the transitional category proposed by the Commission will become a permanent feature and will act to the detriment of other regions; calls, therefore, for the transitional rules to be degressive, subject to a time limit and restricted to regions currently eligible for support under the 'convergence' objective;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Takes the unequivocal view that efforts under Objective 3 (European Territorial Cooperation) need to be stepped up at all EU internal borders and at all three levels of such cooperation (cross-border, inter- regional and trans-national) and calls for the relevant share of the structural funds to be increased to 710%; stresses the importance of the border regions in terms of achievement of the EU 2020 objectives; considers there is a need for closer linkage with the TEN networks – in line with European priorities – and with cross-border infrastructure, and calls for a corresponding increase in funding for all border regions;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)

27a. Calls for the sake of increasing synergies for a greater integration of sectoral policies (transport, energy, research, environment, education) in the cohesion and structural policy creating more effectiveness and better coordination between the Structural Funds, the CIP and the Framework Programmes for Research and Development, suggests that multi-fund programming could contribute to work in a more integrated manner and would increase the effectiveness between these different funds; considers the national / regional development partnerships as an appropriate instrument to bring together the various policies; in this respect underlines the need to set clear objectives and to assess whether the goals were achieved in the Member States;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Sophie AUCONIE, Marie-Thérèse SANCHEZ-SCHMID, Joachim ZELLER, Tamás DEUTSCH, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Calls for the mandatory involvement of ~~federal Länder and regions~~regional and local authorities, in accordance with constitutional and institutional set up of Member States, in drawing up development partnerships and operational programmes; considers it essential to make appropriate provision for this in the regulations governing the Structural Funds;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Calls for delays in launching programmes to be avoided and for decision-making and evaluation processes to be expedited as a matter of course; stresses that this is extremely important for small and medium-sized undertakings in particular; calls, too, for the technical equipment available to the relevant administrative authorities to be improved and for them to be more closely networked, for disclosure requirements to be reduced, and for a significant shortening of deadlines for putting the necessary expert reports out to tender and for their delivery;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)

37a. Supports the Commission's call for the macroeconomic conditionality linked to budgetary discipline to apply not only to the Cohesion Fund but to be extended to other structural and agricultural funds as well;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 b (new)

37b. Considers the Commission to be responsible for formulating conditionalities and overseeing their implementation, and proposes corresponding action plans for the Member States and regions;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER, Petru Constantin LUHAN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)

40a. Calls on the Member States and regions to look ahead when programming co-financing appropriations and to boost them by means of financial engineering;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42

42. Calls, in the case of direct subsidies to undertakings, for it to be recognised that Cohesion Policy funding, rather than influencing decisions by companies – and particularly bigger companies – to open a plant in a given location, tends to be pocketed by companies which have already taken such decisions (deadweight effect), and calls, therefore, for support for large undertakings to focus on investment in research and development or for it to be provided, in more cases, indirectly through infrastructure financing; also calls for clear provisions to be included in the general regulation governing the Structural Funds ruling out EU support for the relocation of undertakings within the Union, and for a substantial lowering of the threshold for review of relocation investments;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Jan OLBRYCHT, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43

43. Recognises the leverage effect of new financial instruments and their potential to mobilise investment, supports increased financing from credit in principle, and calls for the use of revolving financial instruments to be extended to more areas eligible for funding (including research and infrastructure); calls for procedures to be simplified to that end and for a greater degree of legal certainty throughout the entire funding period; takes the view that at the end of a funding period, at the latest, responsibility for how the funds are spent should transfer to national level or project level; under the current period, not all member states adopted a decentralised approach to dealing with financial instruments such as JESSICA; emphasises the need for direct access for cities.

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Jan OLBRYCHT, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46

46. Sees global grants at subregional level as an appropriate tool for developing independent innovation strategies in line with European structural-policy objectives; ~~proposes that the tried and tested approach of competitive procedures should also be applied in respect of global grants;~~

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53

53. Envisages that the Commission will, in future, have a greater responsibility for the improvement of national administrative procedures; considers in this connection that simplification and clarification in the administration of support programmes, in particular in the area of financial implementation and financial control, are urgently necessary; takes the view, therefore, that it will be incumbent on the Commission to implement accreditation procedures for national or federal-state administrative and auditing bodies; envisages linkage between, on the one hand, successful accreditation and a reduction in the error rate and, on the other, entitlement to simplified and less frequent reporting;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53 b (new)

53b. Calls for significantly stricter standards for budgetary control and proof of compliance with funding rules to be applied to Member States whose auditing bodies do not pass the accreditation procedures;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Ingeborg GRÄSSLE, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Markus PIEPER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 a (new)

54a. Calls on the Commission to maintain an annual public 'failure scoreboard' of inadequate and/or late execution of reporting and disclosure requirements and of irregularities, abuse and fraud in the use of monies from the cohesion fund; calls for this information to be broken down by Member State and Fund;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Ingeborg GRÄSSLE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 c (new)

54c. Calls for annual clearance of accounts procedures to be established for the new programming period that also cover multiannual programmes;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Ingeborg GRÄSSLE, Petru Constantin LUHAN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 d (new)

54d. Considers more efficient e- government solutions (harmonised forms) to be necessary for the entire implementation and monitoring system; calls for exchange of experience between the Member States coordinated by the Commission and for coordinated implementation through groupings of administrative authorities and auditing bodies;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54 e (new)

54e. Considers that the transparency provisions (obligation to disclose the final beneficiary) are a necessary instrument for experts, the public and policy-makers to evaluate the conformity with objectives and the legality with which the structural funds have been used; Calls for the description to be supplied not only in the relevant national language but also in one of the three working languages (English, French or German) and recommends further harmonisation of the information required;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55 a (new)

55a. Regards the Commission’s call for payments to be more closely geared to results as illogical in that results will only be achieved by financing the projects in the first place, is concerned that the monitoring is likely to be highly bureaucratic, but regards as conceivable requirements which make payments contingent on proven consistency between the projects and, say, EU 2020 strategies;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55 b (new)

55b. Considers the offsetting of improperly received monies that have not been paid back against current funding pledges to be an effective instrument for disciplining Member States with a poor record;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER, Jan OLBRYCHT, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ, Markus PIEPER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55 c (new)

55c. Calls for diversification of the penalty mechanisms, including among other aspects a bonus system for those Member States which comply with the implementation requirements, in particular through administrative concessions;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2035(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56

56. Supports the Commission’s proposal that the N+2 rule should be applied systematically except in the first year of funding and except for cross-border programmes and that derogations from it should be abolished; supports, indeed, the application of an N+3 rule in the case of cross-border programmes, in order to take account of the slower administrative processes resulting from the linguistic and cultural challenges they face; considers this will guarantee that a balance is struck between high- quality investment and smooth and speedy programme implementation;

2011/04/20
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that the upgrading and renewal of energy infrastructure are essential factors for achieving the 20/20/20 as well as the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy; emphasises that not only crossborder infrastructure needs to be improved but also infrastructure that allows the transmission to and from transmission highways and the distribution on national level; notes that regional and local authorities play the most important role in the authorisation processes as well as in promoting ~~EIP~~energy infrastructure projects to the general population;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Emphasises that the greatest challenge lies in securing local public acceptance for energy infrastructure projects; is convinced that the acceptance and trust of members of the public and decision-makers can only be won by holding open and transparent debates in the run-up to decisions on energy infrastructure projects;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Calls for authorisation procedures to be speeded up (maximum five years) and simplified (one-stop shop); emphasises, however, that planning rights lie with the Member States and regions and that any EU-wide approximation of authorisation procedures must be consistent with the subsidiarity principle;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Welcomes the decision to focus on a small number of infrastructure priorities over the period to 2020 by concentrating on ‘projects of European interest’; calls on the Commission to develop precise criteria to be used in selecting these projects, in close coordination with the Member States and regional and local stakeholders;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. CSupports the prompt launch of the ‘Intelligent cities’ partnership for innovation and calls on relevant partners to better promote and profit from the benefits JESSICA can provide for urban energy infrastructure; points out the potential of cross-border funding with neighbouring countries in the framework of the ENPI;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Lena KOLARSKA-BOBIŃSKA, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Asks the Commission to evaluate if the modernisation and upgrading of existing energy corridors is preferable to new corridors as to cost-efficiency and public acceptance; asks furthermore for the interconnector capabilities of the regions to be assessed;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Lena KOLARSKA-BOBIŃSKA, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Recalls that the 3rd energy package creates an obligation for regulators, in setting tariffs, not only to evaluate investments on the basis of benefits in their Member State, but on the basis of EU-wide benefits; urges the ACER to ensure their members heed this obligation and asks the Commission to consider compensatory mechanisms where costs and benefits cannot be fairly allocated through tariff-setting and for this compensation to be shared with the towns and regions effected;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission to ensure that financing of infrastructure investments is market-based, in order to prevent distortions of competition and the creation of false incentives for investment, provided, however, that public interest – especially at local and regional level – is also safeguarded.

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Lena KOLARSKA-BOBIŃSKA, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a.Notes the problems in those regions dominated by a limited number of market actors which leads to slow infrastructure development and renewal; regrets that this prevents the 'user pays' principle from being applied universally and therefore believes that in such cases, public financing may still be needed in order to build the infrastructure required to develop these national and regional energy markets as part of the European energy market; asks the Commission to review state-aid rules in this regard and if needed, to bring forward proposals to amend these rules to allow Member States to encourage the modernisation of infrastructure;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Lena KOLARSKA-BOBIŃSKA, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Calls on the Commission to issue a new guideline document on public financing of projects and current state aid legislation which presents clear criteria for public funding of energy infrastructure; stresses that this document must be developed jointly by DG Energy, DG Competition and DG Regional Policy in order to prevent Commission rules contradicting each other;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/2034(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls for steps to be taken to ensure compliance with international agreements, such as the Espoo Convention, before cross-border projects are undertaken or further developed, and draws attention, in the context of the expansion of energy networks, to the need to foster closer cooperation, in particular between Russia and Belarus and the Baltic States, and, in that connection, to develop the EU-Russia energy dialogue, in particular with a view to achieving the objective of energy security for the EU Member States and regions;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2011/0405(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8

(8) ~~Support under this Instrument and the European Regional Development Fund should be provided for~~In order to guarantee a clear, flexible and efficient application of the Cross- Border Cooperation ~~programmes~~ along ~~the~~ external borders ~~of the European Union between partner countries and Member States to promote integrated and sustainabl~~a separate inclusive rleg~~ional development between neighbouring border regions and harmonious territorial integration across the Union and with neighbouring countries~~al package on this issue should be adopted.

2012/06/15
Committee: AFET

2011/0405(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Cross-border cooperation shall be implemented in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2, with the assistance of appropriate instruments. Those instruments shall specifically include the European grouping of territorial cooperation in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1082/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on European grouping of territorial cooperation (EGTC).

2012/06/15
Committee: AFET

2011/0405(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1

1. The financial envelope available for implementing this Regulation over the period 2014 to 2020 shall be EUR 18 182 300 000 (current prices). Up to 57% of the financial envelope shall be allocated to the Cross-Border Cooperation programmes referred to in Article 6(1) (c).

2012/06/15
Committee: AFET

2011/0302(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH, Hubert PIRKER, Paul RÜBIG

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47 a (new)

(47a) In order to guarantee broad and fair competition for projects funded under the CEF, the form of the contract must be consistent with the aims and circumstances of the project. The terms of the contract must be drafted in such a way as to spread the risks associated with the work to be carried out fairly, in order to maximise cost-effectiveness and ensure that the work is performed as efficiently as possible. This principle shall apply irrespective of whether a national or international contract model is employed.

2012/10/10
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0302(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH, Hubert PIRKER, Paul RÜBIG

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 a (new)

Article 13a In order to guarantee broad and fair competition for projects funded under the CEF, the form of the contract must be consistent with the aims and circumstances of the project. The terms of the contract must be drafted in such a way as to spread the risks associated with the work to be carried out fairly, in order to maximise cost-effectiveness and ensure that the work is performed as efficiently as possible. This principle shall apply irrespective of whether a national or international contract model is employed.

2012/10/10
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0302(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH, Hubert PIRKER, Paul RÜBIG

Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. If a large-scale project fails to comply with the general principles laid down in Article 13a, it may not be supported using CEF funds. The Commission shall give the Member State concerned the opportunity to bring the project into line with the general principles in question.

2012/10/10
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0302(COD)

Michael CRAMER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex – Part 1 – point 5 – introductory part

Helsinki – Turku – Stockholm – Malmö – København – ~~Fehmarn – Hamburg – Hannover Bremen – Hannover~~Gedser Rostock – Berlin – Nürnberg – München – Brenner – Verona – Bologna – Roma – Napoli – Bari Napoli – Palermo – Valletta

2012/10/17
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0302(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex – Part 1 – point 5 – introductory part

Helsinki – Turku – Stockholm – Malmö – København – Fehmarn – Hamburg – Hannover Bremen – Hannover – Nürnberg – Øresund/Copenhagen – Rostock - Berlin - Nürnberg -München – Brenner – Verona – Bologna – Roma – Napoli – Bari Napoli – Palermo – Valletta

2012/10/17
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0302(COD)

Joachim ZELLER, Michael CRAMER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex – Part I – point 5 – rows 7-9

~~Fehmarn~~ Nykøbing - Gedser Rail studies ~~ongoing,~~ and upgrading Gedser - Rostock Ports, MoS ~~constru~~interconnection ws Porkts Fehmarn Belt fixed link between 2014 and 2020 København - Hamburg Rail access routes DK to be via Fehmarn: access completed by 2020, routes access routes Germany to be completed in 2 steps (2020 - 2027) Hamburg/Bremewith rail; low-emission ferries; ice-breaking capacity Rostock - Berlin - Rail ~~works to be started before Hannover 2020~~studies; upgrading Nürnberg

2012/10/17
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0302(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex – Part 1 – point 7 – introductory part

Gran Canaria / Tenerife – Sines / Lisboa – Madrid – Valladolid Lisboa – Aveiro – Oporto Aveiro – Valladolid – Vitoria – Bordeaux – Paris – Mannheim/Strasbourg

2012/10/17
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0302(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex – Part I – point 7 – row 1 a (new)

Gran Canaria/Tenerife – Ports, Airports, MoS port and airport studies Sines / Lisboa – Madrid and works, links between the Canaries and Sines / Lisboa

2012/10/17
Committee: TRAN ITRE

2011/0294(COD)

Bogusław LIBERADZKI, Norbert GLANTE, Christian EHLER, Helmut SCHOLZ, Marek Józef GRÓBARCZYK, Joachim ZELLER, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Volume 14/33

to add the connection Berlin - Szczecin as rail and road core network section

2012/10/11
Committee: TRAN

2011/0294(COD)

Bogusław LIBERADZKI, Norbert GLANTE, Christian EHLER, Helmut SCHOLZ, Marek Józef GRÓBARCZYK, Joachim ZELLER, Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Volume 15/33

to add the connection Berlin - Szczecin as rail and road core network section

2012/10/11
Committee: TRAN

2011/0294(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – Volume 17/33

to add Gran Canaria and Tenerife Airports to the core network

2012/10/11
Committee: TRAN

Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 175 ~~in conjunction with Articles 209(1) and 212(1) thereof~~,

2013/07/02
Committee: REGI

2011/0272(COD)

Joachim ZELLER

Dieter-Lebrecht KOCH, Christian EHLER, Peter JAHR, Werner KUHN, Horst SCHNELLHARDT, Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2

Regulation (EC) No 561/2006
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – points d, f und p

The distance of ‘50 km’ referred to in points (d), (f) and (p) of Article 13(1) is replaced by ‘1200 km’.

2012/03/29
Committee: TRAN

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Considers that full tailor-made broadband coverage at affordable prices must be made a universal service, as it is essential to helping create equal living conditions in Europe;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that State aid for broadband, that is to say, the use of EU funding expressly for that purpose, is an appropriate option when broadband development cannot be shown to be economically worthwhile; given that the cost in administrative and planning terms of implementing national and European broadband support programmes is considerable;, calls~~, therefore,~~ on the Commission and the Member States to simplify conditions for support as well as procedures as far as possible, in order to step up the flow of funds and, help accelerate broadband roll-out;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Calls on the Commission to apply more investment incentivised elements within the regulatory framework and provide stimulus to use synergies from infrastructure projects;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that European law on aid, as it currently stands, frequently leads in practice to legal uncertainty, hampering planned investment; calls, therefore, on the Commission to examine to what extent the rules could be simplified and made more investment-friendly and departures should be permitted from standard broadband support measures; considers that the broadband guidelines should, in addition, serve to clarify the application of the law on aid for the purposes of setting up public broadband companies or of cooperation between municipalities or PPP models;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Supports rapid expansion of broadband infrastructure and calls on the Member States to give effect without delay to the NGA recommendation aimed at improving legal certainty, investment, and competition; considers that regulators must ensure that all market players at any one time have sufficient incentives to enter into competition and invest;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Points out that the definition of basic provision will have to be adjusted in future in line with changed requirements resulting from the ever increasing transmission rates being recorded by innovative Internet services such as eGovernment, eHealth, or eLearning; calls, therefore, on the Commission, in view of the likely failure of the market to supply rural areas with NGA networks, to incorporate new organisational models, providing in particular for the involvement of local authorities, for the provision and financing of high-speed and ultra-high-speed networks as an option into the broadband guidelines;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Points to the goal of establishing a predictable regulatory environment for investment and competition to promote investment in high-speed networks and technically and economically sound non- discriminatory access and cooperation opportunities;

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Considers that, even at the current level of basic provision, the use of ‘digital dividend’ frequencies based on LTE technology will not solve the problem of gaps in NGA networks in rural areas in the long term; believes, therefore, that it would be appropriate to enable funding to be provided for ducts for NGA networks in these areas, giving priority to fibre optic- based broadband development, where this would be the most economical and sustainable solution in the long term.

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2304(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Maintains that satellite-based systems and other complementary technologies must be used to the best possible effect so as to enable rural areas to benefit from economically sustainable broadband provision at affordable prices.

2011/03/24
Committee: REGI

2010/2276(INI)

Iosif MATULA, Andrey KOVATCHEV, Joachim ZELLER, Sophie AUCONIE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recognises that Roma ~~continue to be victims of persistent~~population faces discrimination in many Member States and that this situation is exacerbated by the current economic and financial crisis; calls on those Member States ~~which the EU Fundamental Rights Agency identified as having severe problems~~ to fully exploit the EUfinancial resources available under the ~~Structural~~EU Funds, and in particular the ERDF, ESF and E~~SF;~~AFRD.

2010/12/10
Committee: DEVE

2010/2276(INI)

Andrey KOVATCHEV, Iosif MATULA, Petru Constantin LUHAN, Joachim ZELLER, Sophie AUCONIE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Encourages the use of EU funds for building of new houses or renovation of existing ones, improving of engineering infrastructure, local utilities, communication systems, education, measurements for access to the job market etc., which should lead to social and economic inclusion marginalised communities

2010/12/10
Committee: DEVE

2010/2276(INI)

Andrey KOVATCHEV, Iosif MATULA, Petru Constantin LUHAN, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Sophie AUCONIE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Recommends Member States to consider making the allocation of new housing to marginalised communities conditional on social commitments on their part, such as appropriate participation in the process of building the new establishments, obligatory school attendance for children (pre- schooling and for the whole period of schooling), and the acceptance of jobs offered by job mediators, in order to ensure their real, effective and sustainable integration.

2010/12/10
Committee: DEVE

2010/2235(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Calls for the introduction of mandatory registration for bicycles and bicycles with ancillary electric motors (pedelecs);

2011/03/17
Committee: TRAN

2010/2235(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Calls on the Member States to monitor imported motor vehicle and motorcycle and bicycle accessories and spare parts more closely in order to ensure that they are suitable and meet stringent European consumer protection standards;

2011/03/17
Committee: TRAN

2010/2235(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38

38. Calls for the carrying of warning jackets for all vehicle occupants and the wearing of warning jackets ~~by cyclists, as a means of improving their visibility,~~and crash helmets by cyclists to be made compulsory;

2011/03/17
Committee: TRAN

2010/2206(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Points out that Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 on the European Regional Development Fund numbers among its priorities the protection and enhancement of natural and cultural heritage as offering potential for the development of sustainable tourism; calls in this context for a clear commitment to increasing the promotion of tourism through the cohesion policy in the next programming period;

2011/02/11
Committee: REGI

2010/2206(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Emphasises that tourism has a tangible impact on the economic, social and territorial cohesion of all the Member States; stresses also that tourism represents the main resource of some EU regions that are lagging behind economically, and that it has a direct impact on growth in other sectors; stresses in this context that tourism is becoming an ever more important factor in regional economies, in rural areas in particular, especially in the light of demographic trends;

2011/02/11
Committee: REGI

2010/2158(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph A

A. recalling that ~~a lack of access to transport is often one~~mobility and transport are vital factors in ~~multiple deprivation areas~~urban development and underlining the important impact transport can have on ~~regional develop~~the economy, environment and prosperity of an urban area,

2010/11/11
Committee: TRAN

2010/2158(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Highlights the importance of an efficient, affordable and ~~sustainable~~environment- friendly transport network ~~in achiev~~for implementing lasustaingable urban regeneration;

2010/11/11
Committee: TRAN

2010/2158(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses the importance of public transport for ~~deprived neighbourhood~~mobility and communication in urban areas and calls on the Commission and Member States to promote the exchange of best practice in this area;

2010/11/11
Committee: TRAN

2010/2156(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers culture and creative-based projects capable not only of improving the structural conditions of lagging regions, but also of contributing directly to competitiveness and employment creation in all regions; stresses that the creative industry displays far higher growth rates than other sectors; observes that as long ago as 2007 no other sector of the economy was displaying greater growth in Europe, in Germany and in the cities than the creative industry; considers, furthermore, that cultural and creative projects can play an enormous role as a factor creating ties between young people and their regions, the importance of which is not to be underestimated in view of demographic trends in many regions; hence calls on the Commission, Member States, regions and local authorities to use, and make the most of, existing EU support programmes such as the Cohesion and Structural Policy, rural development within the Common Agricultural Policy, the Research Framework Programme, CIP, etc. to foster culture and creativity;

2011/02/07
Committee: REGI

2010/2156(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Stresses that, although IT-based components do not fall within the core area of the cultural and creative industries, technology is a vital driving force behind these industries; considers, therefore, that the interaction between the two industries should be taken into account in all policy approaches; underlines that the possibility of comprehensive use of high-speed Internet connections is also a binding precondition for the further development of the creative industry;

2011/02/07
Committee: REGI

2010/2139(INI)

Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Underlines that the point on legal certainty in interpreting the legal bases needs to be revised, particularly the question of loan financing. In future the legal bases must be established so that, inter alia, the leeway allowed for financial intermediaries and promotional banks to make decisions is fixed right at the start for the whole programming period. The possibility of resolving the question of the establishment of the legal bases through cooperation with the European Court of Auditors providing should be addressed.

2011/02/07
Committee: REGI

2010/2087(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Believes that in order to launch an effective Strategy for the Black Sea, it is vital to involve fully all the countries concerned, with no distinction between EU and non-EU countries; calls for cooperation between all the relevant regions, through the involvement of existing organisations, such as the BSEC, the PABSEC and the Commission on the Black Sea, ~~but also through the creation of new ones where necessary, with the aim of~~in order to identify~~ing~~ common challenges and available resources, as well as areas where coordinated action can bring significant added value;

2010/11/10
Committee: REGI

2010/2087(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Encourages the development, in the context of the Strategy, of an integrated approach and the use of the well- established principles of the E~~U’s Cohesion Policy; in particular, believes that cross-border cooperation between regions should be promoted, in order to tackle common problems through coordinated action~~uropean Neighbourhood Policy as well as the promotion of cross-border cooperation between regions;

2010/11/10
Committee: REGI

2010/2087(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Having regard to the importance of the Black Sea region for Europe’s energy supply, considers a thorough evaluation of all the benefits and environmental implications of currently planned and future energy projects essential; ~~believes that all possible measures should be taken to facilitate a prompt and effectiv~~in this regard, considers it crucial that, in order to be pre~~sponse to~~pared for all potential environmental disasters orand technical accidents~~; in this regard, regards it as crucial that~~, all the countries and regions concerned agree well in advance on how to deal with these events from an environmental, economic and technical point of view;

2010/11/10
Committee: REGI

2010/2087(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Given the overfishing in the Black Sea, calls for immediate and agreed measures to protect the diversity of species there.

2010/11/10
Committee: REGI

2010/2053(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Acknowledges the potential of the Services Directive for the further integration of the EU economy and the re- launch of the single market, by fostering economic growth and competitiveness and contributing to employment and job creation, as services account for a significant share of GDP and employment in the EU; takes the view that~~, in this sense, the~~ the correct and speedy implementation of the directive in all the Member States is an important condition for the objective of regional competitiveness and employment and that it can enhance the mutually reinforcing relationship between the internal market and cohesion policy;

2010/11/11
Committee: REGI

2010/2053(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Hopes that the ~~aims of the directive may start to be achieved in the near future and that the~~ whole of the EU and all its regions ~~may~~will benefit from the achievement of the aims of the directive, thus contributing to real economic, social and territorial cohesion; underlines the role of the structural funds and other funding instruments in providing access to and ensuring the availability of infrastructure such as transport, telecommunications and research and innovation, in granting access to public goods and services in the regions, particularly in areas unattractive to investors, and in helping to encourage exchanges of good practice in the provision of key services; demands, in this context, greater coherence and coordination between all policies;

2010/11/11
Committee: REGI

2010/2053(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Takes the view that, in order to make administrative procedures more efficient, public authorities should be obliged to adhere to the principle of multilingualism by using, in addition to their own language, one of the EU’s official working languages and, if possible, a selected language of the country that is their closest partner in terms of economic or – if this is impossible to ascertain – territorial cooperation;deleted

2010/11/11
Committee: REGI

2010/2053(INI)

Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to monitor effectively, and assess from the outset, the impact of the directive on the regions, and to ensure effective coordination of all policies~~, especially cohesion policy instruments, by identifying needs for infrastructure, training, research and innovation, and to make any necessary adjustments at regional and local le~~ connected with the implementation of this directivel;

2010/11/11
Committee: REGI

2010/2004(BUD)

Markus PIEPER, Reimer BÖGE, Manfred WEBER, Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER, Lambert van NISTELROOIJ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Recalls that the financing of these priorities through the reallocation of funds must not be detrimental to traditional EU policies such as the cohesion or structural policies, since cohesion policy, by its unique multilevel governance structure and horizontal character, is predestined to play an important role in the implementation of the EU2020 strategy, furthering subsidiarity by means of a bottom-up approach and enhancing acceptance and mobilizing support by the citizens of the Union; points out that these policies fulfil the founding principle of the EU, namely social inclusion and solidarity amongst Member States and regions;

2010/02/26
Committee: BUDG

2010/2004(BUD)

Markus PIEPER, Manfred WEBER, Hermann WINKLER, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Expects the fight against climate change to remain ~~high~~ on the EU’s ‘post- Copenhagen’ political agenda in 2010 and 2011, and recalls that~~, as part of a broader approach,~~ sustainable development is an ongoing responsibility to the next generations; asks the Commission to provide a clear action plan and timetable for the implementation of appropriations under the EU action programme to combat climate change; recalls that the release of the reserve on this line will depend upon the Commission’s proposals;

2010/02/26
Committee: BUDG

2009/2235(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Considers weak multi-level governance one of the main limits of the Lisbon Strategy, with the insufficient involvement of regional and local authorities and civil society in the design, implementation, communication and evaluation of the strategy; ~~recommends~~calls, in accordance with the subsidiarity principle enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty and with due regard for the importance of municipal self-governance, for their stronger integration in the future at all stages;

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2235(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Points out that the regional and local level in particular has a crucial role to play as the vehicle to reach the countless economic and social actors living and producing in Europe, especially SMEs, and to foster education and vocational training, research, innovation and development;

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2235(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Welcomes the call for more sustainable, smart jobs, but acknowledges that a new economic model might lead to an uneven distribution of costs and benefits among individual Member States and regions, and thus may require action at Union level to prevent this happening;deleted

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2235(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Sophie AUCONIE, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses that education, training, research and innovation are key instruments to foster the development of the EU and make it more competitive in the face of global challenges; is of the opinion that there must be regular investment in these fields and that innovation in particular should be measured by its results; calls in this regard for a better coordination of the structural funds and the Framework program to maximise the benefits of the funding for research and innovation in the future;

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2235(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)

16a. Acknowledges that the established structure of objectives in the structural policies has proven a success during its first years; calls for the sake of planning reliability for the perpetuation of this structure as well as for the perpetuation of the principle of shared management; acknowledges that an adjustment of the objective contents might be necessary for an adaption to the 2020 goals;

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2235(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Notes that, particularly with regard to access to broadband, major deficits exist in rural areas, which must be overcome, in accordance with the objective stated in the Digital Agenda, in order to support the sustainable economic development of these regions;

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2235(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Points out the key role of cities in achieving the EU2020 goals; urges that their experience and contribution be taken into account in implementing the EU2020 priorities, especially as regards climate and demographic change and ~~green~~ investments in sustainable economic developments;

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2235(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Hermann WINKLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Recommends the adoption of a simplified approach to the use of the Structural Funds in the future regulatory framework; ~~highlights that the harmonisation of rules and procedures may lead to simplified~~recommends taking account of best practice models for the development of new delivery systems ~~and~~in order to encourage participation by potential beneficiaries in EU co-funded programmes more effectively than hitherto;

2010/03/29
Committee: REGI

2009/2234(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sophie AUCONIE, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. stressing the fact that, based on the National Strategic Reports for 2009, the Member States appear to have made rather different uses of the instruments, means and methods for facilitating cohesion policy proposed by the Commission to combat the crisis and increase actual expenditure (such as ~~use of 100% financing,~~ changes to the strategic guidelines and the axes and financing for the operational programmes and the response to the simplification of implementing procedures);

2010/03/26
Committee: REGI

2009/2234(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sophie AUCONIE, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Acknowledges the significant problem posed by the reduction in the contribution of national co-financing to programmes, which affects Objective 2, due to the major financial problems of many Member States, and supports Commission policy ~~regarding a ‘100% compensation’ option, following a request by Member States concerning their public expenditure share in co-financed projects~~, and therefore considers it necessary for the amendment of Regulation 1083/2006 in its present form accepted by the Council to be adopted and implemented quickly in Parliament;

2010/03/26
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. having regard to the fact that the Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region is a pilot for future macro-regional strategies, ~~such as the Danube Basin, the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps and the Atlantic Arc,~~ and that the Strategy’s success will directly influence the way in which future strategies arcan be implemented,

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Emphasises the need for an environmental impact assessment of ~~the Northern Gas Pipeline and other similar~~energy infrastructure projects as well as the need to ensure that ~~the construction of the pipelin~~such infrastructure does not affect shipping conditions adversely;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Draws attention to the strategic significance of the Baltic Sea Region for the development of renewable energy projects such as wind farms (onshore or offshore) or biogas plants for biofuels available in the region;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Draws attention to the positive cooperation already achieved in the energy and climate sector between the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the Nordic Council in the context of the Northern Dimension;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Draws attention to the significant economic disproportion that exists in the Baltic Sea Region and in terms of innovation, and the necessity to increase the potential of highly developed areas and ~~eliminate inequality~~open up new areas with development and innovation potential in order to create a permanent area of common prosperity with a high level of competitiveness, which is crucial in the face of an aging population;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Emphasises that the efficient and consistent implementation of existing EU legal acts for strengthening the internal market, such as the Services Directive, is necessary to increase the attractiveness of the Baltic Sea Region as an economic area;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for the renewal and deepening of relations as part of the Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region between the European Union and neighbouring countries not belonging to the Union whose territories are part of the functional spaces of a given macro-region or affect those spaces directly, in particular Russia and Belarus;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Draws attention to the need to seek greater cooperation particularly between Russia and Belarus and the Baltic States when constructing the energy network, and to take greater advantage of the energy dialogue between the EU and Russia for this purpose, which would at the same time open up opportunities for involving Russia in the Baltic Sea Strategy;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Considers that all actions regarding sector policies with a territorial dimension are of key importance to the Strategy’s success and the achievement of the ambitious goals of further micro-regional strategies, including the common agricultural policy, fisheries policy and industrial policy and a coherent infrastructure policy, as well as combining available funds intended for jointly defined goals in a given area; in this context a policy review should be carried out with regard to these new challenges ~~and appropriate organisational structures put in place at EU level~~;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. ~~Awaits with great interest the~~Calls on the European Commission to analys~~is of~~e the first results and experiences in connection with the implementation of the Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, ~~which will lead to the development of new sources of payment and a method for financing macro-regional strategies and be an inspiration and example for fur~~in order to use the example of the pilot project for other macro-regional strategies and demonstrate their ~~macro-regions~~functionality;

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2230(INI)

Joachim ZELLER, Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

~~19. For the benefit of future macro- regional strategies, draws attention to the need for the European Commission to resolve the issue of its own appropriate human and financial resources;~~deleted

2010/03/30
Committee: REGI

2009/2167(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Takes note of the European Court of Auditor's report on the implementation of the 2008 budget and deplores the estimated 11 % reimbursement failure rate for cohesion policy; opines that this is partly due to the burdensome administrative procedures, particularly the conditions governing invitations to tender, and stresses that a simplification of the national and Community legislative framework governing the Structural Funds, especially as regards management and monitoring procedures, is imperative in the process of improving performances;

2009/12/11
Committee: REGI

2009/2167(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Criticises the fact that the small number of Member States that are particularly concerned are not named at an earlier stage and penalised more heavily; considers that, in the case of Member States that have come to notice on several occasions, there is an urgent need for the Commission, the Court of Auditors, OLAF and Parliament to have special inspection and control mechanisms tailored to individual countries;

2009/12/11
Committee: REGI

2009/2167(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Calls on the Commission and the Court of Auditors to monitor national obligations to publicise support from the EU Structural Funds more closely; calls on the Commission in this connection to carry out more intensive checks on the legality of support under the Structural Regulations as well;

2009/12/11
Committee: REGI

2009/2152(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Takes the view that climate change is a crucial challenge of our time. It is now clear that it has implications for the environment, human health and spatial planning, and is making it more difficult for ~~all~~some countries to progress towards sustainable development;

2009/12/14
Committee: REGI

2009/2152(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Is firmly convinced of the need for the European Union to retain ~~and develop~~ its leadership role in the international fight against global warming, and believes that any delay in taking such action will heighten the risk of adverse environmental, economic and social effects and be likely to generate higher costs;

2009/12/14
Committee: REGI

2009/2152(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Recognises, therefore, the need to ensure that the adaptation strategy is integrated into, and coherent with, ~~all~~ European Union policies; emphasises the key role played by local and regional authorities and the need for a bottom-up approach taking account of the differences between natural habitats in Europe, in full accordance with the subsidiarity principle, since it is convinced that local authorities will be better- equipped to find political solutions to their own needs;

2009/12/14
Committee: REGI

2009/2152(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Considers it essential to pursue policies that make both public and private investment and certain administrative acts (such as planning permission and development plans) subject to a climate impact assessment, so as to block investment in unsustainable infrastructure;deleted

2009/12/14
Committee: REGI

2009/2152(INI)

Sabine VERHEYEN, Markus PIEPER, Manfred WEBER, Joachim ZELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Welcomes the Commission’s decision to set up an Impact and Adaptation Steering Group (IASG), and ~~hopes that~~calls for local and regional authorities ~~will~~to be fully and actively involved in this group and its procedures, in accordance with the subsidiarity principle;

2009/12/14
Committee: REGI

2009/2152(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Reiterates that ~~the fight against~~measures to mitigate climate change may serve as an opportunity to arrive at a sustainable growth model;

2009/12/14
Committee: REGI

2009/2152(INI)

Markus PIEPER, Sabine VERHEYEN, Joachim ZELLER, Manfred WEBER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Stresses that the objectives of climate and global protection should be integrated into the EU cohesion policy's convergence and growth objectives, without replacing structural policy's traditional tasks;

2009/12/14
Committee: REGI

Activities of Joachim ZELLER

Plenary speeches (103)

Reports (5)

Shadow reports (8)

Opinions (9)

Shadow opinions (10)

Institutional motions (132)