25 Amendments of José Manuel FERNANDES related to 2018/0213(COD)
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) At Union level, the European Semester of economic policy coordination is the framework to identify national reform priorities and monitor their implementation. Member States develop their own national multiannual investment strategies in support of those reform priorities. Those strategies should be presented alongside the yearly National Reform Programmes as a way to outline and coordinate priority investment projects to be supported by national and/or Union funding. They should also serve to use Union funding in a coherent manner and to maximise the added value of the financial support to be received notably from the programmes supported by the Union under the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion fund, the European Social Fund, the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the European Investment Stabilisation Function and InvestEU, where relevant. Member States and the Commission shall ensure the coordination, complementarity and coherence between the Programme and other Union instruments, in particular by avoiding duplication throughout the process.
Amendment 34 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The economic and financial crisis has shown that developing sound and resilient economies and financial systems built on strong economic and social structures helps Member States to respond more efficiently to shocks and recover more swiftly from them. The implementation of structural reforms is among the Union’s policy priorities because such reforms seek to set the recovery on a sustainable path, unlock the growth potential, strengthen the adjustment capacity and support the process of upward convergence. Pursuing structural reforms can also contribute to strengthening economic and social cohesion, boosting productivity and investment and, creating good conditions for sustainable growth and employment in the Unionand fostering demographic policies in the Union. Moreover, reforms should help remove bottlenecks and create a favourable environment for investment and SMEs, including for innovative and sustainable re-industrialisation. More specifically, reforms to education and training systems should contribute to boosting economic activity and, at the same time, set conditions for medium- and long-term growth.
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Regulation (EU) 2017/825 of the European Parliament and the Council19 established the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) for the period 2017 to 2020, with a budget of EUR 142 800 000. The SRSP was established to strengthen the capacity of Member States to prepare and implement growth-sustaining administrative and structural reforms, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds. Technical support under that programme is provided by the Commission, upon request from a Member State, and can cover a wide range of policy areas. Initial experience with the SRSP has shown a demand for technical support in the order of four times (in 2017) and five times (in 2018) its annual available budget, which led the Commission to propose an increase in its budget for 2019 and 2020. __________________ 19Regulation (EU) 2017/825 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 on the establishment of the Structural Reform Support Programme for the period 2017 to 2020 and amending Regulations (EU) No 1303/2013 and (EU) No 1305/2013 (OJ L 129, 19.5.2017, p. 1)
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Against that background, it is necessary to strengthen the current framework for the provision of support to Member States by offering direct financial support, alongside technical support. To that end, a new Reform Support Programme (‘the Programme’) should be established to provide effective incentives to step up the implementation of structural reforms in the Member States. The Programme should be comprehensive and should also benefit from the experience gained by the Commission and the Member States from the use of the other instruments and programmes. The Programme should also continue the actions and the mode of operation of the SRSP, since they have been proven very useful, and have been appreciated by Member States, for strengthening the administrative capacity of national authorities in various policy domains as well as being underpinned by the principles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The Programme should also include targeted support for reforms in Member States whose currency is not the euro and which have taken demonstrable steps towards adopting the single currency within a given time-frame.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The Programme’s overall objective is the enhancement of cohesion, competitiveness, productivity, growth, and employment. For that purpose, it should provide financial incentives for addressing challenges of a structural nature, and should help to strengthen the administrative capacity of the Member States insofar as their institutions and economic and social sectors are concerned. It is also necessary to provide for an appropriate level of involvement of regional and local authorities in the preparation and implementation of structural reform.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) With regard to the reform delivery tool, it is necessary to identify the types of reforms that should be eligible for financial support. To ensure their contribution to the objectives of the Programme, the eligible reforms should be those addressing the challenges identified in the context of the European Semester of economic policy coordination, including those proposed to address the country-specific recommendations, taking into account each Member State’s economic, social and territorial indicators.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) In order to ensure a meaningful incentive for Member States to complete structural reforms, it is appropriate to establish a maximum financial contribution available for them under the instrument for each stage of allocation and under each call. That maximum contribution should be calculated, clearly and transparently, on the basis of the population of each Member States, following a principle of degressive proportionality, on the basis of both its per capita GDP – using an inversely proportional logic – and its unemployment rate. To ensure that the financial incentives are spread throughout the whole period of application of the Programme, the allocation of funds to the Member States should be made in stages. In the first stage lasting twenty20 months, half75% (EUR 11 06 500 000 000) of the overall financial envelope of the reform delivery tool should be made available to Member States, during which they could receive up to their maximum allocation by submitting proposals for reform commitments.
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In the interest of transparency and efficiency, in the subsequent stage lasting until the end of the Programme, a system of periodic calls should be set out by the Commission to allocate the remaining half25% (EUR 11 05 500 000 000) of the overall financial envelope of the instrument, plus the amounts unused from the previous stage. Simple procedures should be organised to that effect. Under each call, all Member States should be invited to submit reform proposals concurrently, and could be awarded their maximum financial contribution on the basis of their reform proposals. In the interest of transparency, the first call organised by the Commission during the second stage should be for an amount corresponding to the remaining part (EUR 115 000 000 000) of the overall financial envelope of the instrument. Further calls should be organised by the Commission only where the overall financial envelope has not been fully used. The Commission should adopt and publish an indicative calendar of the further calls to be organised, and should indicate, at each call, the remaining amount of the overall envelope, which is available under that call.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) It is necessary to establish a clear and straightforward process for the submission of proposals for reform commitments by the Member States, and the content thereof. With a view to ensuring the expediency of procedures, a Member State should submit the proposal for reform commitments together with its national reform programme, but in the form of a separate annex, which may also be submitted at a different point in time. While participation in the Programme is voluntary, Member States experiencing excessive imbalances should be particularly encouraged to come forward with reform proposals under the reform delivery tool, which address the problems that led to such excessive imbalances.
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The Commission should assess the nature and the importance of the reform commitments proposed by the Member States and should determine the amount to be allocated on the basis of transparent criteria. To that effect, it should take into account the substantive elements provided by the Member States and assess whether the reform commitments proposed by the Member States are expected to effectively address challenges identified in the context of the European Semester, whether they represent a comprehensive reform package, whether they are expected to strengthen the performance and resilience of the national economy and whether their implementation is expected to have a lasting impact in the Member State where relevant by strengthening the institutional and administrative capacity of the Member State concerned. In addition, the Commission should assess whether the internal arrangements proposed by the Member States, including the proposed milestones and targets, and the related indicators, are expected to ensure effective implementation of the reform commitments during a maximum period of three years. Furthermore, proposed reforms to the financing arrangements should be strictly monitored by means of the European Semester process.
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) For the purposes of transparency, the reform commitments adopted by the Commission should be communicated to the European Parliament and the Council and communication activities should be carried out periodically by the Commission as appropriate.
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) For the purpose of sound financial management, specific rules should be laid down for budget commitments, pre- payments, payments, suspension, cancellation and recovery of funds. Payments should be based on a positive assessment by the Commission of the implementation of the reform commitments by the Member State. Suspension and cancellation of the financial contribution should be possible when the reform commitments have not been implemented in a satisfactory manner by the Member State. To ensure a sustainable impact of the reforms after they are implemented, a reasonable period defining the durability of the reforms after the payment of the financial contribution should be established. A period of five years should be considered to be a reasonable minimum to be applied. Appropriate contradictory procedures should be established to ensure that the decision by the Commission in relation to suspension, cancellation and recovery of amounts paid respects the right of Member States to provide observations.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) With regard to the technical support instrument, Member States have increasingly taken up technical support under the SRSP, beyond initial expectations, leading to a proposal to increase its budget for 2019 and 2020. Almost all Member States have requested support under the SRSP and requests are distributed across all policy areas covered by that programme. For that reason, the main features of the SRSP should be maintained, including the actions eligible for financing under the technical support instrument.
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to contribute to addressing national reform challenges of a structural nature aimed at improving the performance of the national economies and at promoting resilient economic and social structures in the Member States, thereby contributing tosupporting companies, especially SMEs and fostering entrepreneurship and employment, cohesion, competitiveness, productivity, growth, and employmentsupporting demographic policies in accordance with the principles set out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; and
Amendment 106 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) business environment, includingespecially for small and medium-sized enterprises, re- industrialisation, private sector development, product and service markets, investment, public participation in enterprises, privatisation processes, trade and foreign direct investment, competition and public procurement, sustainable sectoral development and support for research and innovation and digitisation;
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) education and training, labour market policies, including social dialogue, for the creation of jobs, digital skills, the fight against poverty, the promotion of social inclusion, pension schemes, social security and social welfare systems, public health and healthcare systems, as well as cohesion, asylum, migration and border policies;
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. The financial envelope for the Programme may also cover expenses pertaining to preparatory, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, which are required for the management of the Programme and the achievement of its objectives, in particular studies, meetings of experts, information and communication actions at national, as well as at regional and local level where appropriate, including corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, in so far as they are related to the objectives of this Regulation, expenses linked to IT networks, focusing on information processing and exchange, including corporate information technology tools, and all other technical and administrative assistance expenses incurred by the Commission for the management of the Programme. Expenses may also cover, under each of the three instruments referred to in Article 3, the costs of other supporting activities such as quality control and monitoring of technical support projects on the ground and the costs of peer counselling and experts for the assessment and implementation of structural reforms.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4
Article 7 – paragraph 4
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9.º – paragraph 1
Article 9.º – paragraph 1
Annex I lays down a maximum financial contribution available for each Member State out of the overall envelope of the reform delivery tool referred to in point (a) of Article 7(2). Such a maximum financial contribution is calculated, clearly and transparently, for each Member State using the criteria and methodology set out in that Annex, based on the population of each Member State, following a principle of degressive proportionality, on the basis of both its per capita GDP – using an inversely proportional logic – and its unemployment rate. Such a maximum financial contribution shall be available for allocation to each Member State, in part or in full, at each stage and call of the allocation process set out in Article 10.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. For a period of twenty months from the date of application of this Regulation, the Commission shall make available for allocation EUR 11 06 500 000 000, which represents 750% of the overall envelope referred to in point (a) of Article 7(2). Each Member State may propose to receive up to the full amount of the maximum financial contribution, referred to in Article 9, to fulfil reform commitments proposed in accordance with Article 11.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3
Article 10 – paragraph 3
3. For the period starting after the end of the period referred to in paragraph 2, the Commission shall make available for allocation EUR 11 05 500 000 000, which represent the remaining 250% of the overall envelope for the reform delivery tool referred to in point (a) of Article 7(2), plus the amount that has not been allocated in accordance with paragraph 2, on the basis of calls organised and published under the reform delivery tool. The first call shall be for allocating EUR 11 05 500 000 000.
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 4
Article 12 – paragraph 4
4. Where the Commission gives a negative assessment to a proposal for reform commitments submitted by a Member State, it shall communicate that assessment within fourthree months of the official submission of the proposal for reform commitments by the Member State.
Amendment 139 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the implementation of reforms by Member States, undertaken on their own initiative, in particular to achieve sustainable economic growth and job creation and preservation;
Amendment 141 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
(e-A) actions which can contribute to the implementation of the principles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.