25 Amendments of Jens GEIER related to 2019/2213(BUD)
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Regrets that the Member States have so far not managed to reach an agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027, which puts at risk the timely start and functionality of the new programmes and thus the Union’s ability to achieve its political priorities; notes that the MFF is the basis for the annual budget and that, in the absence of an MFF regulation, guidelines on the 2021 budget can only reflect Parliament’s general position on the MFF;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
- having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015 entitled ‘Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, which entered into force on 1 January 2016,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)
Citation 10 b (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 19 January 2017 on a European Pillar of Social Rights,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 c (new)
Citation 10 c (new)
- having regard to the work carried out by the European Institute for Gender Equality,
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines that the new Heading 1 (‘Single Market, Innovation and Digital’) will be instrumental for boosting innovation-led economic growth, develop leadership in innovation and contributing to the transition towards a climate-neutral societyeconomy and society until 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement; highlights furthermore the importance of the new Heading 5 (‘Security and Defence’), which includes the new European Defence Fund and essential funds for nuclear safety and decommissioning by supporting e.g. the incremental and disruptive research in advanced and breakthrough technologies;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Highlights furthermore the importance of the new Heading 5 (‘Security and Defence’), which includes essential funds for nuclear safety and decommissioning;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls Parliament’s position on the overall financial envelope for Horizon Europe of EUR 120 billion (in 2018 prices) as well as the continuously low success rates for applications over the course of the last MFF, which means that much more high-quality projects in the field of research and innovation could be funded when sufficient Union funding could be provided; calls on the Commission in this regard to present the 2021 draft budget accordingly to ensure that research and innovation activities will continue in areas that are essential for the EU’s strategic autonomy, and benefit its cs well as the achievement of our climate goals, international competitizvensess, and benefit all parts of society, such as decarbonisation, digital transformation, healthcare and space; recalls in this context the importance of fundamental research; and applied research, demonstration, market integration, as well as of areas that suffer from market failure and therefore rely on public funding; emphasises in this respect that all financial instruments supporting research, development and innovation such as Horizon Europe and InvestEU should support the entire innovation cycle;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Insists that the EU budget is vital to respond to the challenges the Union is facing and reflects the degree of ambition of the Member States and the institutions; considers that the Union budgets primary goal is to create European public goods;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that all areas of the budget need to contribute to the overall goals of the European Green Deal and the full implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; recalls in this contextiterates the considerable financing needs and additional investments required for the implementation for the objectives of the Green Deal, which exceed the conservative figure of EUR 260 billion stated by the Commission; recalls in this context more specifically the need for additional funds to accelerate the development and deployment of cleaner technologies, including clean energy innovations, renewable energy, funds for sustainable development and tackling energy poverty; further recalls the importance of the introduction of a Just Transition Fund to address societal, socio- economic and environmental impacts on workers and communities adversely affected by the transition from coal and carbon dependence, and calls for solid financing of the fund; reiterates in this respect the Parliament’s position that new instruments should be financed with fresh money;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the need for an ambitious draft budget, in particular for new programmes such as the Digital Europe Programme, which need to become operational as soon as possible in order to help make the EU more competitive; ith specific regard to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and supercomputing, which will be crucial to make Europe fit for the digital age and achieve digital sovereignty, and which need to become operational as soon as possible in order to help make the EU more competitive by enhancing the Union's digitalisation and by the digital inclusion of the European economy, public sector and citizens; in this regard, stresses the importance of the actions enabling European citizens to develop advanced digital skills with the aim, among other things, to bridge the digital divide and to reduce the gender gap in the ICT sector;
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines the importance of SMEs as an essential part of the economy, as they provide a high number of jobs in the EU and play a vital role in research and innovation; sees the need to create an SME-friendly business environment, as well as to support SME clusters and networks; urges the Commission therefore to ensure a smooth transition from COSME to the new Single Market Programme and from the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) and other financial instruments to InvestEU;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recalls the important role that EU agencies play in helping to achieve policy objectives set by the legislator; calls therefore for sufficient funding and staffing for all agencies in line with their tasks and responsibilities; underlines in particular the need to substantially reinforce the European Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), which has been underfunded and understaffed for many years; further regrets the continuous underfunding of GSA and BEREC; insists that the Commission address this problem already in its draft budget.; notes that, even though in terms of budgetary management, decentralised agencies share a number of similarities, one-size-fits-all approaches have proven to be detrimental to the efficient and effective management of certain agencies; considers the 5% reduction target of staff and the redeployment pool among agencies a one-time exercise; reiterates its intention to oppose any such approach in the future;
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Underlines that new programmes and political priorities, including the Just Transition Fund, the European Defence Fund and all upcoming measures under the umbrella of the Green Deal need to be accompanied by fresh resources; stresses in this respect that a reduced MFF and reduced budget 2021 would represent a step backwards;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Notes that the Just Transition Fund is an important instrument to achieve the just transition towards a climate neutral economy; underlines that the effectiveness of the Just Transition Fund depends on its financial endowment and that it must be equipped with sufficient financial resources reflecting the ambition of the fund; Reminds that the transition is a societal task that requires all actors and stakeholders to be involved in it and that compensation funds alone do not guarantee a just transition; calls therefore for a comprehensive EU strategy for the development and modernisation of these regions along with the reconversion of sites, the creation of high quality and sustainable jobs, re-skilling and up- skilling;
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Underlines the need to reform the European mobility sector in order to achieve sustainable, clean and competitive transport in the Union, to make the EU’s car industry fit for the future and to achieve our climate goals; stresses therefore the need for sufficient funding for programmes supporting these goals like Horizon Europe of the Connecting Europe Facility;
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 d (new)
Paragraph 7 d (new)
7d. Calls for sufficient funding for the Connecting Europe Facility, in particular its energy and ICT strands to ensure the completion of the Energy Union;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 e (new)
Paragraph 7 e (new)
7e. Stresses that with the end of the transition period by the end of 2020, the UK remains welcome to continue its participation in EU programmes under ITRE-remit, such as Horizon Europe; notes however, that this participation should not entail net transfers from the EU budget to the UK; considers moreover that any further participation of the UK in EU programmes needs to ensure a fair balance as regards the contributions and benefits of the third country participating in the EU programme and participation should not confer to the third country any decisional power; calls on the Commission to ensure that there are sufficient binding provisions and guarantees with regard to the Protection of Union’s Financial Interests and Sound Financial Management for the programs in which the UK would participate, including control and audit, and investigation in case of fraud, respect of the right of access of Commission services, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the European Court of Auditors as well as the right of scrutiny of the European Parliament.
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Invites the Council to not only assess the burden of budgetary spending of the Union, but also the cost of non-EU; In this light, takes note that every gap of EUR 10billion in Horizon Europe results in a GDP loss of EUR 110 billion over the next 25 years, and that for every cut of EUR 3 billion of provisioning to InvestEU would cut around EUR 150 billion of investment;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Notes with sadness that the United Kingdom has terminated its Union membership and that 2021 will mark the first year in which it does not participate in the Union budget as a full member; expresses its intention for the United Kingdom to remain as close a partner in as many EU programmes as possible, notably Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe; stresses however that such a participation in EU programmes cannot entail net transfers from the Union budget to the UK and requires the UK to fully respect the procedures and institutions that safeguard EU spending;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Welcomes the fact that gender mainstreaming is included in the current negotiation box for the next MFF by President of the European Council Charles Michel; expects therefore the Commission to include in the 2021 draft budget an annex that draws together gender-specific information on objectives, inputs, outputs, results, and an annex presenting financing commitments for gender equality and the methodology for tracking and reporting gender equality expenditure as part of its draft budget;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Reminds that the long-lasting solution to the current migration phenomenon lies in the political, economic and social development of the countries from which migration flows originate and reiterates its full commitment to this objective; calls for the respective external policy programmes to be endowed with sufficient financial resources to support this priority; within this context, reaffirms the need to provide UNRWA with sufficient and constant financial support ;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11 c. Notes the important work carried out by Europe Direct Information Centres (EDICs) providing information on European politics across the continent; highlights that EDICs constitute an important addition to the Commission and Parliament representative offices in the EU member states, as they are able to reach citizens beyond Member State capitals;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11 d. Points out that the work carried out by the administration and decentralised agencies remains on a constantly high level or will increase in 2021 compared to 2020;rejects therefore any unjustified and arbitrary cuts to theses budgets in real terms as they threaten the functioning of the Union;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Is concerned by the delay of the European Council in finding an agreement on the next MFF and that, as a result, 2021 may end up as a lost year for the Union budget with funding gaps for stakeholders in priority areas of European policy; Reiterates its demand for a contingency plan to protect beneficiaries and ensure continuity of funding in the event that the current MFF needs to be extended beyond 2020; demands that the Commission present such a plan without delay, including the prolongation of the legal bases where relevant;