Activities of Silvia COSTA related to 2017/0102(COD)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the legal framework of the European Solidarity Corps and amending Regulations (EU) No 1288/2013, (EU) No 1293/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1305/2013, (EU) No 1306/2013 and Decision No 1313/2013/EU PDF (1 MB) DOC (335 KB)
Amendments (51)
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to the Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union,
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a regulation
Citation 1 b (new)
Citation 1 b (new)
– having regard to the preamble of the Charter on Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The European Union is built on sSolidarity, among itsEU citizens and among itsEU Member States, is one of the universal values on which the European Union is built. This common value guides its actions and provides the necessary unity to cope with current and future societal challenges, which young Europeans are willing to help address by expressing their solidarity in practice.
Amendment 141 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In its Communication “A European Solidarity Corps” of 7 December 201618, the Commission emphasised the need to strengthen the foundations for solidarity work across Europe, to provide young people with more and better opportunities for solidarity activities covering a broad range of areas, and to support national and local actors, in their efforts to cope with different challenges and crises. The Communication launched a first phase of the European Solidarity Corps whereby different Union programmes have been mobilised to offer volunteering, traineeship or job opportunities to young people across the EU. These activities, whether implemented before or after the entry into force of this Regulation, should continue to apply the rules and conditions set by the respective Union programmes that have financed them under the first phase of the European Solidarity Corps. __________________ 18 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions A European Solidarity Corps, COM(2016) 942 final of 7.12.2016.
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The solidarity activities offered to young people should be of high quality, in the sense that they should respond to unmet societalsuitably contribute to tackle significant societal challenges and needs, contribute to strengthening communities, enhancing active citizenship, offer young people the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge, skills and competences, be financially accessible to young people, and be implemented in safe and healthy conditions; solidarity activities should guarantee a geographical balance and the effective inclusion and accessibility, in particular of disadvantaged people.
Amendment 166 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The European Solidarity Corps would provide a single entry point for solidarity activities throughout the Union. Consistency and complementarity of that framework should be ensured with other relevant Union policies and programmes. The European Solidarity Corps should build on the strengths and synergies of existing programmes, notably the European Voluntary Service. It should also complement the efforts made by Member States to support young people and ease their school-to-work transition under the Youth Guarantee19 by providing them with additional opportunities to make a start on the labour market in the form of traineeships or jobs in solidarity-related areas within their respective Member State or across borders. Complementarity with existing Union level networks pertinent to the activities under and Youth in Action. Complementarity between existing related schemes, in particular national solidarity, volunteering and civil service schemes and mobility schemes for young people, and the European Solidarity Corps, such as the European Network of Public Employment Services, EURES and the Eurodesk network, should also be ensured. Furthermore, complementarity between existing related schemes, in particular national solidarity schemes and mobility schemehould be ensured, building on good practices where appropriate. The European Solidarity Corps shouldn't substitute national schemes. Access for yall Young people, and the European S to national solidarity Corpactivities should be ensured, building on good practices where appropriate. __________________ 19Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee (2013/C 120/01)guaranteed in all Member States with adequate legal Framework and national resources.
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Young people’s spirit of initiative is an important asset for society and for the labour market. The European Solidarity Corps should contribute to fostering this aspect by offering young people the opportunity to devise and implement their own projects aimed at addressing specific challenges to the benefit of their local communities. Those projects should be an opportunity to try out ideas and support young people to be themselves drivers of solidarity actions. They could also serve as a springboard for further engagement in solidarity activities and could be a first step towards encouraging European Solidarity Corps participants to engage in self- employment or setting up associations, NGOs or other bodies active in the solidarity, non-profit and youth sectors.
Amendment 199 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Young people and organisations participating in the European Solidarity Corps should feel that they belong to a community of individuals and entities committed to enhancing solidarity across Europe. At the same time, participating organisations need support to strengthen their capacities to offer good quality placements to an increasing number of participants. The European Solidarity Corps should support networking activities aimed at strengthening young people and participating organisations’ engagement in this community, at fostering a European Solidarity Corps spirit, as well as at encouraging the exchange of useful practices and experience. Those activities should also contribute to raising awareness about the European Solidarity Corps among public and privatenot for profit entities with a social aim actors as well as to collect feedback from participants and participating organisations on the implementation of the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 206 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Particular attention should be paid to ensuring the quality of the placements and other opportunities offered under the European Solidarity Corps, in particular by offering on-line and off-line training, language support, insurance, simplified administrative procedures and pre and post- placement support to participants also in cooperation with youth and civil society organizations as well as the validation of the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through their European Solidarity Corps experience.
Amendment 209 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) To ensure the impact of European Solidarity Corps placements on the personal, educational, social, civic and professional development of the participants, the knowledge, skills and competences that are the learning outcomes of the placement should be properly identified and, documented and recognised, in accordance with national circumstances and specificities, as recommended in the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning22. As a recognition tool, a Youthpass certificate should be used in order to describe and validate the non- formal and informal learning outcomes acquired through their European Solidarity Corps experience. This European tool will improve the recognition of the learning outcomes of young people. __________________ 22 Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non- formal and informal learning, OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1.
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) A European Solidarity Corps Portal should continuously be developed in order to ensure easy access to the European Solidarity Corps and to provide a one-stop shopn interactive tool for both interested individuals and organisations as regards, inter alia, registration, identification and matching of profiles and opportunities, networking and virtual exchanges, online training, language, part of the pre and post-placement support, feedback and evaluation mechanisms as well as other useful functionalities, which may arise in the future.
Amendment 275 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) Effective performance management, including monitoring and evaluation, requires the development of specific, measurable and realistic qualitative and quantitative indicators which can be measured over time and which reflect the logic of the intervention.
Amendment 280 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28 a (new)
Recital 28 a (new)
(28a) In order to better reach the objectives of European Solidarity Corps, the European Commission, Member States and National Agencies should work closely together in partnership with NGOs, youth organisations and local stakeholders with expertise in solidarity actions.
Amendment 283 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) In order to ensure efficient and effective implementation of this Regulation, the European Solidarity Corps should make maximum use of existing management arrangements already in place. The implementation of the European Solidarity Corps should therefore be entrusted to existing structures, i.e. the Commission, the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency and the National Agencies designated for the management of the actions referred to in Chapter III of Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013. A consultative body involving European solidarity and volunteering NGO networks should be established.
Amendment 296 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37
Recital 37
(37) For reasons of efficiency and effectiveness, a dedicated sub-committee of the committee established under Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 should also assist the Commission in the implementation of this Regulation. With respect to the European Solidarity Corps, that committee should convene in a specific configuration and its mandate should be aligned in order to fulfil this new role. It should be for the participating countries to appoint the relevant representatives for those meetings, taking into account the volunteering and occupational dimensions of the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 310 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point -1 (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point -1 (new)
(-1) “solidarity” means a sense of responsibility on the part of everyone with regard to everyone to commit oneself to the common good to the benefit of a vulnerable person, a community in need or the society as a whole, which is expressed in concrete actions without consideration of return service;
Amendment 313 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) “solidarity activity” means an activity aimed at addressing unmewith a European added value and a transnational dimension aimed at tackling significant societal needchallenges to the benefit of a community and the society as a whole while also fostering the individual’s personal, educational, social, civic and professional development, which may take the form of placements, projects or networking activities, developed in relation to different areas, such as formal, non-formal and informal education and training, employment, gender equality, entrepreneurship, in particular social entrepreneurship, citizenship and democratic participation, intercultural dialogue, social inclusion, inclusion of people with disabilities, environment and nature protection, climate action, disaster prevention, preparedness and recovery, agriculture and rural development, provision of food and non- food items, health and wellbeing, creativity and culture, physical education and sport, social assistance and welfare, reception and integration of third-country nationals, in particular asylum seekers and refugees, territorial cooperation and cohesion;
Amendment 331 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
(3) “disadvantaged young people” means individuals who need additional support because of disability, educational difficulties, economic obstacles, cultural differences, health problems, social obstacles, geographical obstacles or other exclusion factors;
Amendment 339 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) “participating organisation” means any public or private entitynot for profit entity with a social aim that has been attributed the European Solidarity Corps quality label, which offers a placement to a participant in the European Solidarity Corps or implements and supports other activities in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps;
Amendment 341 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 a (new)
(4a) "intermediary organisation" means a not-for-profit entity that plays a fundamental role in encouraging, promoting and facilitating accessibility to and partnership in the volunteering sector such as organizations with a concrete experience as sending organizations in the EVS, youth organizations, Churches, religious and charity associations, communities, NGOs or other actors from civil society;
Amendment 345 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
(5) “solidarity placement” means a volunteering activity, traineeship or job in a solidarity-related area, that shall have a European added value and not to substitute nor replace national volunteering schemes and which is organised by a participating organisation and which contributes to addressing key societal challenges while enhancing the personal, educational, social, civic and professional development and the employability of the European Solidarity Corps participant who undertakes it, either in a country other than the country of residence (cross-border) or only in some exceptional circumstances such activity may be performed in the country of residence of the participant (in-country);
Amendment 351 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
(6) “volunteering” means a full-time32n unpaid voluntary serviceplacement undertaken for a period of uptwo to twelve months, either on a full-time basis or on a flexible basis of at least 10 hours per week which provides young people with the opportunity to contribute to the daily work of not-for- profit organisations active in solidarity- related fields, to the ultimate benefit of the communities within which the activities are carried outy in general and, in particular, for the good of the most vulnerable, including a solid learning and training dimension in order to enable the young volunteer(s) to gain skills and competences, which will be useful for their personal, educational, social and professional development, and which will also contribute to improving their employability; __________________ 32As a general principle, an activity carried out continuously, 5 days a week for 7 hours a day.for young disadvantaged people, adapted resources and formats, such as short-term placements of less than two months and in-country placements, shall be provided;
Amendment 374 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10
(10) “solidarity project” means a local initiative for a period from two to twelve months, which is set up and carried out by groups of at least five European Solidarity Corps participants, with a view to addressing key challenges within their local community taking into account local initiatives while linking them to a broader European perspective;
Amendment 380 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
(11) “quality label” means the certification attributed to a public or private entityny participating or an internationalmediary organisation willing to provide placements or to implement and to support other activities under the European Solidarity Corps following a procedure aimed at ensuring compliance with the principles and requirements of the European Solidarity Corps Charter;
Amendment 394 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 14
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 14
(14) "European Solidarity Corps Portal" means a web-based toolmultilingual and interactive tool, accessible to people with disabilities, that provides relevant online services to the European Solidarity Corps participants and participating and intermediary organisations, including providing information about the European Solidarity Corps, registering participants, searching for participants for placements, advertising and searching for placements, searching for potential project partners, managing contacts and offers for placements and projects, training, communication and networking activities, informing and notifying about opportunities, mechanisms of evaluation of the placement and results of projects as well as other relevant developments related to the European Solidarity Corps.
Amendment 403 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
The objective of the European Solidarity Corps is to promote European Solidarity; it shall enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high quality solidarity activities as a means to contribute to strengthening cohesion and solidarity in Europe, supporting communitiescitizenship in Europe, as well as existing actions and structures of organizations in this regard, supporting communities and individuals, in particular the most vulnerable, and responding to societal challenges.
Amendment 418 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to provide young people, with the support of participating organisations, with easily accessible opportunities for engagement in solidarity activities while improving their skills and competences for personal, educational, social, civic and professional development, as well as their employability and facilitating transition into the labour market, including by supporting the mobility of young volunteers, trainees and workers;
Amendment 426 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) to ensure that the solidarity activities that are offered to the European Solidarity Corps participants contribute to addressing concrete, unmet societal challenges and needs and to strengthening communities, are of high quality and properly validated.
Amendment 430 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission and the participating countries shall cooperate to achieve efficiency and effectiveness, by ensuring coherence between national programmes and schemes related to solidarity, volunteering, civil service, education, vocational training and youth on the one hand and actions under the European Solidarity Corps on the other hand. Those actions shall build on relevant good practices and existing programmes.
Amendment 459 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) solidarity placements in the form of volunteering, traineeships or jobs, including individual cross- border and in- country placements as well as volunteering teams’ placements;
Amendment 475 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) measures aimed at ensuring the quality of solidarity placements, including on-line and off-line training, language support, administrative support for participants and participating organisations, insurance, post-placement support as well as the development of a certificate that identifies and documents the knowledge, skills and competences acquired during the placemenre and post- placement support;
Amendment 483 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) the development of a European framework for volunteering actions which identifies rights and responsibilities and facilitates mobility and recognition of skills;
Amendment 484 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
(ab) the development of a clear and detailed procedure addressed to participants and organisations, establishing steps and timings of all the phases of the placements;
Amendment 485 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a c (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a c (new)
(ac) activities and measures performed by participating organisations that support young people in accessing and developing solidarity placements and projects;
Amendment 486 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a d (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point a d (new)
(ad) measures to encourages social enterprises to support European solidarity corps activities and or to allow employees to engage themselves in volunteering activities in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps;
Amendment 490 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(ba) The use of Youthpass, European tool for the recognition of learning outcomes;
Amendment 538 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
1. Young people aged 17 to 30 years willing to participate in the European Solidarity Corps shall register in the European Solidarity Corps Portal or gain access via application processes provided by intermediary organisations. However, at the moment of commencing a placement or a project a registered young person shall be at least 18 years of age and not older than 30.
Amendment 553 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
1. The European Solidarity Corps shall be open to the participation of public or privatenot for profit entities with a social aim, including social enterprises, entities, or international organisations, provided that they have received a European Solidarity Corps quality label.
Amendment 558 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. The participating organization in its capacity as hosting organization shall ensure safe decent living conditions for the participants throughout the entire activity period. It shall guarantee adequate personal, linguistic and task- related support and training, and the identifications of a mentor for each participant.
Amendment 561 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. The participating organisation in its capacity of hosting organization shall have the responsibility to guarantee the preparation and support of the participant before and after the solidarity placement, also with the support and in accordance with participating or intermediary organizations of the Member State of origin of the participant.
Amendment 581 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Any public or private entitynot for profit entity with a social aim established in a participating country as well as international organisations carrying out solidarity activities in the participating countries may apply for funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the activities referred to in point (a) of Article 7(1), a quality label shall be obtained by the participating organisation as a pre- condition for receiving funding under the European Solidarity Corps. In the case of the solidarity projects referred to in point (b) of Article 7(1), natural persons may also apply for funding on behalf of informal groups of European Solidarity Corps participants.
Amendment 584 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission, in cooperation with the participating countries, the executive agencies and the participating and intermediary organisations, shall regularly monitor the performance of the European Solidarity Corps towards achieving its objectives. To this end, an accompanying programme committee shall be established at EU level with the players mentioned here.
Amendment 591 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Progress on the specific objectives shall be measured by using a set of qualitative and quantitative indicators, such as:
Amendment 615 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) number of Youthpass certificates obtained by the participants;
Amendment 616 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e a (new)
(ea) quality of the placements;
Amendment 621 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e b (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e b (new)
(eb) quality and effectiveness of the whole procedure;
Amendment 624 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e c (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – point e c (new)
(ec) quality of results and impact of the solidarity activities;
Amendment 657 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) specify annual priorities
Amendment 658 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a b (new)
(ab) consult national agencies for the establishment of procedures, instruments and tools, ensuring adequate resources for management fees;
Amendment 666 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 7
Article 21 – paragraph 7
7. The Commission shall organise regular meetings with the network of national agencies and the participating and intermediary organisations in order to ensure coherent implementation of the European Solidarity Corps across all participating countries.
Amendment 679 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 1
Article 25 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall be assisted by a dedicated sub-committee of the committee established by Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.