29 Amendments of Eider GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL related to 2013/2145(BUD)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph - 1 (new)
Paragraph - 1 (new)
- 1. Points out that investments in transport are vital in order to sustain long-term growth and help create jobs, and that this is particularly important in a context of economic crisis with such high unemployment;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that its priorities for the 2014 budget are economic and sustainable growth, competitiveness, the creation of employment and the fight against youth unemployment as well as the EU's role in the world; reiterates, therefore, its support for policies contributing to the fight against youth unemployment, research, development and innovation, digital agenda, competitiveness, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), education, professional training and mobility and external aid;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Deplores therefore the Council's decision to proceed again this year with the usual approach of horizontal cuts to the draft budget (DB), aimed at artificially reducing the level of the Union's resources for 2014 by an overall total of EUR 240 million (-0,2%) in commitment appropriations (CA) and EUR 1 061 million (-0,8%) in payment appropriations (PA) as compared to the DB, thus leading to a significant decrease compared to the 2013 budget (including amending budgets No 1 to 5, and draft amending budgets No 6 to 8) both in commitments (-6%) and in payments (-6,6%);
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Recalls the problems related to the insufficient levels of payments regarding the Lifelong learning programmes, in particular Erasmus in the amending budget 2012 and the budget 2013; calls on the Council to ensure a proper implementation of the programme taking into account the high execution rates;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the Council has introduced cuts in both CA and PA in all headings; notes that the most affected ones are Heading 1a (-0,36% in CA and -3,6% in PA as compared to the DB), Heading 4 (- 0,21% in CA and -2,5% in PA as compared to the DB) and Heading 5 (-1,78% in CA and PA as compared to the DB); notes that these headings contain programmes and initiatives responsible for the delivery of the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy and are priority areas for Parliament or appropriations ensuring the successful administrative and operational support for the implementation of those programmesacross the board cuts will affect initiatives which are priority areas for the European Union delivering the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Rejects the Council's argument that the proposed cuts correspond to under- implemented or low-performing programmes, since they also affectCouncil's cuts in commitments affect mostly the implementation capacity of a new generation of multiannual programmes which have not yet started; furthermore, Council's cuts in payments affect mostly the completion of programmes that have showingn not only good implementation rates but even over- implementation (e.g. the Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation, Galileo, Customs and Fiscalis under Heading 1a, ESF, ERDF and the Cohesion Fund under Heading 1b); emphasises the fact that such criteria completely disregard the multiannual character of the Union's policies, and of cohesion policy in particular, and the structure of draft budget 2014, where 52% of the payment appropriations; underlines that 52% of the payment appropriations requested in the draft budget 2014 are devoted to the completion of 2007 - 2013 MFF programmes ;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Deplores the arbitrary cuts proposed by the Council on the administrative and support lines financing the implementation of key EU programmes; considers these cuts to be detrimental to the successful start-up of the new programmes as a lack of administrative capacity entails a serious risk of hampering implementation of EU policies; regrets Member States' tendency to care more about trivial, preposterous short term savings rather than long term results; restores therefore, the draft budget on all lines of support and administrative expenditure cut by the Council;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Welcomes the CEF and TEN-T agreements, which will enable investments to be made in key projects with high European added value for the creation of a more sustainable and integrated European transport network; points out that the headings and agreed amounts in budget lines 06 02 01 for the CEF should be adjusted in line with the outcome of CEF negotiations, particularly as regards interoperability, which should be removed from line 06 02 01 03 and included in line 06 02 01 01;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls, therefore, for the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument for an amount of EUR [XXX million] in commitment appropriations to reinforce the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived,pending final agreement of the legislative authority on how to implement the 27 June 2013 political agreement on the MFF 2014-2020, to provide further support for humanitarian aid in the Middle East and to grant additional assistance to Cyprus from the Structural Funds, as agreed by the Heads of States and Governments at their meeting of 27-28 June 2013;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Deplores the cuts in payments brought by the Council, which result in a decrease of EUR 9,5 billion (9 500 million) (-6,6%) in PA as compared to the adopted budget for 2013 (including amending budgets No 1 to 5); reiterates the fact that despite the adoption of a lower MFF for 2014-2020 and the absolute need to keep honouring past commitments, and draft amending budgets No 6 to 8); deplores theat Council kepteps following blindly its past strategy to artificially cut the level of payments, without taking into consideration the real needs and relatively sparing expend in order to leave an artificial margin under the payment ceiling 2014, despite the fact that the payment 2014 ceiling is EUR 8,5 billion lower than the 2013 payment ceiling; emphasises that Council's behaviour totally disregards real needs and legal obligations to honour past commitments; underlines once the more the schizophrenic attiturde under shared management to ensurof the Council given that around 80 % of the EU budget expenditure are spent for projects decided by public authorities in the Member Sstates' apparent « themselves, and therefore constitutes 'return on investment»;'
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights that innovation and research, particularly in the areas of behavioural change, modal shift, accessibility for all, integration (interconnectivity, intermodality, interoperability) and sustainability (climate protection, reduction of gas and noise emissions), are of crucial importance for the transport and tourism sectors, and R&D&I investment in transport should therefore be guaranteed as part of the Horizon 2020 instrument;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the fact that the Council position does not take account of the dramatic shortage of payments, notably in the field of the cohesion policy, with some estimates pointing tohile latest (September 2013) forecasts provided by Member States themselves on their payment claims to be submitted before the end of 2013 show a likely lack of payment appropriations and, accordingly, an implementation deficit of some EUR 20 billion at the end of 2013, even with the second tranche of the draft amending budget No. 2/2013 (draft amending budget No 8/2013) adopted in full; recalls that the outstandingvalid payment claims carried over from 2013 will have to be deducted from - and consequently reduce - the level of payment appropriations available for 2014; stresses that this will put 2014 budget under tight pressure, not the least, against the background of an the unprecedented level of unpaid claims and, more generally, of the outstanding commitments (RALs);
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Strongly rejects, therefore, the Council's approach on payments and amends its position on payments to ensure that the fall between 2013 and 2014 ceilings is not detrimental to the proper implementation and; is strongly convinced that the level of 2014 payments, needed to ensure a proper completion of 2007- 2013 MFF programmes, bearing in mind that, without jeopardizing the Commission's proposal, 52% of payment appropriations address outstanding commitments, nor to the start of new programmesimplementation of new MFF 2014-2020 programmes, should be higher than the 2014 payment ceiling;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Points out that it is vital to build infrastructure for the development of an alternative fuel network that will foster sustainable development and greater energy independence in the Union, and calls for the use of innovative financing instruments at European level to be promoted in order to achieve these objectives;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Takes note of the draft Council statement on payments adopted by the Council in its position on the draft budget 2014; is convinced, however, that unless substantially improved it cannot serve as a satisfactory political guarantee to ensure a sufficient and adequate level of payments in 2014; is determined to provide assurance and reverse the trend from the last years, where the outstanding payments at the end of the year are growing exponentially; calls therefore on the Council to agree on a joint political commitment to use all means available under the MFF regulation 2014-2020 including recourse to the contingency margin and/or revision of the payment ceiling in order not to jeopardize the new programmes and at the same time to decrease the amount of the outstanding year end payments;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Is confidenHopes in that respect that the interinstitutional meeting on payments held on 26 September 2013 will help both the European Parliament and the Council to agree on this joint political commitment and find a common position during the budgetary conciliation; reiterates its position that Parliament will not give its consent to the MFF regulation or will not adopt the 2014 budget until the new amending budget, covering the second tranche of draft amending budget No 2/2013, has been adopted by the Council;, paving the way to address any shortfall in payments during the execution of budget 2014:
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to introduce an initiative toRegrets that, even though tourism has been within the scope of the EU’s competence since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, it still does not have its own budget line; calls on the Commission to propose initiatives for 2014 that will follow up on the results of the preparatory actions on ‘sustainable tourism’ (soft mobility, cycling networks, eco-tourism and nature protection), focusing, at a later stage, on the aspects of cultural, natural, industrial and historical heritage, as well as to follow up on the preparatory action on accessibility for all, particularly for people with reduced mobility and for socially disadvantaged people.
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the adoption by the Commission of draft amending budget No 8/2013 (second tranche of draft amending budget No 2/2013), which provides for additional EUR 3,9 billion for 2013 outstanding payments; reiterates its position that Parliament will not give its consent to the MFF 2014 -2020 regulation or will not adopt the 2014 budget until amending budget No 8/2013 has been adopted in full by the Council;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. TReaffirms its support in favour of EU programmes in the field of research, competitiveness, entrepreneurship, innovation and social inclusion, which are at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy; takes the approach, therefore, to restore all lines cut by the Council in order not to further weaken this heading; takes the decision, furthermore, to increase a selected number of lines in certain priority areas, such as Horizon 2020, Erasmus +, the digital agenda, the transport policy, the Social Dialogue, EURES and the Microfinance and Social entrepreneurship, special annual events and the quality of European statistics;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Recalls that Heading 1b is responsible forbears the biggest part of the current outstanding commitments (around EUR 20 billion payment claims are to be rolled o; is deeply concerned that the amount of outstanding bills at the end of 2013 will amount to approximately EUR 20 billion within Cohesion policy, creating a large deficit that will haver to 2014); emphasises the fact that cutting the level of payments for 2014 would also lead to a strong increase in the level of RALs by the end of next year while, dependingbe deducted from and consequently reduce the level of payment appropriations available for the completion of current as well as the start onf the leftovers from the 2007-2013 period, both in terms of overall RALs and unpnew programmes in 2014; underlines that the recurrent shortages of payment appropriations have been the maidn claims, some extra payments will still need to be made available to clear pre-2014 commitmentsause of the unprecedentedly high level of RALs especially in the last years of the 2007 - 2013 MFF;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Decides to restore the DB in commitments and payments for all budget lines cut by the Council under this heading , and to go above DB in commitment appropriations for a number of lines, mostly in line with Letter of amendment No 1/2014 – providing allocation from the Structural Funds to Cyprus for a total amount of EUR 100 million in current prices for 2014, and to reinforce the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived , by allocating to the actions promoting social cohesion and alleviating the worst forms of poverty in the Union, a total commitment appropriation of EUR 500 million;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Recalls the poverty reduction target of at least 20 million of the number of persons at risk of poverty and social exclusion set through the Europe 2020 strategy; recalls furthermore the political agreement on the MFF 2014-2020, through which it was agreed that provision be made for an additional increase of up to EUR 1 billion (on top of the EUR 2.5 billion already agreed) for the whole period 2014-2020 for the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived; decides therefore to reinforce this fund, by allocating to the actions promoting social cohesion and alleviating the worst forms of poverty in the Union, a total commitment appropriation of EUR 500 million;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Welcomes the agreement on the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) reached in the framework of the MFF 2014-2020 negotiations; considers that an adequate level of funding is necessary to ensure its timely launchingmeet the unprecedented high levels of youth unemployment; underlines the importance of actions through this instrument to be launched as soon as possible; approves, therefore, the frontloading and the back-loading of appropriations for the YEI, as proposed by the Commission; reiterates, however, that additional appropriations will be needed as of 2016 to ensure its effectiveness and sustainability; approves at the same time the corresponding back- loading of the European Territorial Cooperation, as proposed by the European Commission;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Approves the creation of new dedicated budget lines for the technical assistance for all five Structural Funds with a token entry (p.m.) and corresponding budget remarks, alongside with the existing budget lines, in order to comply with the Member States' requests, as indicated in the Commission's Letter of amendment No 1/2014 to the draft general budget 2014; expects that this will improve the implementation of the new programmes at Member States level;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. NoteRegrets the cuts to this heading already proposed by the Commission in the draft budget; regrets the fact that the Council cuts further down its appropriations both in commitments by EUR 5,2 million (-0,24 % compared to the DB) and in payments by EUR 10 million (-0,60 % compared to the DB);
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Considers the cuts by Council to Parliament's priority lines unacceptable and proposes to restore DB on the lines decreased by the Council and to even go above DB in commitment appropriations for some lines of strategic importance for EU's external relations to a total of EUR 233 million (Humanitarian Aid, European Neighbourhood Instrument, Development Cooperation Instrument, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, Instrument for Stability and the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights); calls in this context for increasing the appropriations for geographic and thematic areas covered by the Development Cooperation Instrument, in view of getting closer to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Proposes the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for EUR 50 million in order to finance the real needs for the Union's contribution to the Middle East peace process; reiterates, therefore, its support for long term programming and sufficient funding for assistance to United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Palestine and the Peace process; suggests to put the EUR 50 million of additional appropriations in reserve pending an assessment from the Commission of the sound management of the aid by the Palestinian authorities and the measures takenhighlights the importance of endowing UNRWA with the necessary means to enable them to provide the essential services for which UNRWA has been mandated by the UN General Assembly, and to safeguard the safety and livelihood of refugees in the flight against corruptof the instability in the region;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 58
Paragraph 58