Activities of Eider GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL related to 2021/2251(INI)
Plenary speeches (3)
Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (debate)
Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (debate)
Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (A9-0171/2022 - Eider Gardiazabal Rubial, Siegfried Mureşan, Dragoş Pîslaru)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility
Amendments (87)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the main building block of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) stimulus package;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B (new)
Recital B (new)
B. whereas EUR 672.5 billion in grants and loans will be available to finance national measures designed to alleviate the economic and social consequences of the pandemic;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C (new)
Recital C (new)
C. whereas the RRF funding will support key policy areas such as green transition, digital transformation, economic, social and territorial cohesion, institutional resilience and crisis preparedness as well as children and youth, including education and skills;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D (new)
Recital D (new)
D. whereas, to be eligible for financing, the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) must include the reforms and investment related to the scope based on the six pillars, respect general and specific objectives, horizontal principles and the 11 assessment criteria set out in the RRF Regulation;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E (new)
Recital E (new)
E. whereas dialogue and transparency between the EU institutions and the Member States is crucial for the optimal implementation of the RRF;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F (new)
Recital F (new)
F. whereas the European Commission, which is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the RRF, must regularly inform Parliament of the status of the assessment of the NRRPs, and how the targets and milestones have been implemented by the Member States;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G (new)
Recital G (new)
G. whereas the Member States must set up robust control systems and ensure the protection of the financial interests of the Union;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H (new)
Recital H (new)
H. whereas democratic control and parliamentary scrutiny over the implementation of the RRF is only possible with the full involvement of Parliament and the consideration of all its recommendations in all stages, and whereas the European Parliament will continue to scrutinise the implementation of the RRF;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I (new)
Recital I (new)
I. whereas the Commission will present a review report on the implementation of the RRF to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 July 2022;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is an unprecedented instrument of solidarity and a cornerstone of the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) instrument, ending in 2026, as the main tool in the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare the economies of the EU to face the new challenges; recalls that the EU response was comprehensive and timely, leading to extensive use of existing instruments and deploying additional financing instruments;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Underlines that a determined, coordinated and solidarity-based European economic policy approach has been proven to be essential to foster EU economic integration, to limit the spreading of the crises and to mitigate its negative economic and social consequences;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Highlights that the RRF played an instrumental role in preventing the fragmentation of the internal market and the further deepening of macroeconomic divergence, and in fostering social and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1 c. Stresses that the conflict in Ukraine and the severe sanctions against the Russian Federation will unavoidably result in extremely negative and asymmetric effects on the EU economy and Member States; is concerned about the entailing social consequences and even further increasing social inequality; expects that EU will react with the same determination, unity and speediness and in solidarity in this new severe crisis;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the fact that even if the economic effects of the RRF cannot be fully disentangled from other developments, it seems fair to conclude that, so far, the RRF has had positive effects on gross domestic product (GDP) and that its effective implementation will be key for the EU’s economic growth; recognises that the RRF has helped to cushion EU economies and citizens from the most acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and is positively contributing to the EU’s recovery and resilience; including economic cohesion, jobs, productivity, competitiveness, research, development and innovation, and a well- functioning internal market with strong small and medium enterprises (SMEs);
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Points out that a successful implementation of the RRF would lay down the foundations for long term competitive, strategically autonomous, sustainable, inclusive and resilient economies and societies;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Points out that the successful rollout of the RRF will help to make EU economies and societies more sustainable, inclusive, resilient and better prepared for the just, green and digital transition; is convinced that enhancing the sustainable transition and putting the well-being of people first is a prerequisite for a resilient, more egalitarian and future-proof economy; is convinced that a successful implementation of the NRRPs will contribute to reduce cross-country divergences fostering convergence;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Underlines that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to increase strategic autonomy of the Union in key supply chains and critical infrastructures and services; notes that according to the Commission, the RRF is expected to give a major boost to the implementation of the EU Industrial strategy;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that the packages of reforms and investments, particularly growth-enhancing ones under the RRF, should also generate EU added value; notes that according to the Commission the EU-wide GDP effects are around one third larger when explicitly accounting for the spillover effects from individual country measures; emphasises that the packages of reforms and investments under the RRF should also contribute to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates the importance of the six pillars in providing the Member States with a structure to propose and implement reforms and investments that tackle the green and digital transitions, the economy, productivity and competitiveness, social and territorial cohesion, health and institutional resilience, and measures for children and young people; highlights that all Member States are required by the RRF Regulation to include in their national recovery and resilience plans measures that address all pillars; deplores that not all Member States chose to respect the pillar structure of the Regulation which would have allowed an easier monitoring;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Emphasizes the aim of the Regulation to comply with social objectives and the importance to have methodologies in place for displaying the progress on the implementation to contribute to the European Pillar of Social Rights; therefore, is concerned that the delegated act on social expenditure and on the resilience scoreboard will not be sufficient to track and to report on the social dimension and impacts of the RRF; calls on the Commission to come forward with complementary social indicators tracking notably the implementation of the 20 principles of the EPSR through the NRRPs;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is concerned, however, that only seven Member States have requested loans amounting to a total of EUR 166 billion out of the EUR 385.8 billion available for loans, leaving a considerable amount available should Member States require loans at a later stage; is preoccupied that the limited interest for the loan component may lead to lost opportunities and prevent the RRF from reaching its full potential; underlines that should Member States whose NRRPs have been already approved wish to request loans, it will require amending respective NRRP, where relevant with the additional set of reforms and investments, milestones and targets; encourages Member States to use full potential of the RRF;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Tasks the Commission with analysing the reasons why the Member States have not requested loans to the full extent of their allocation; reminds that a Member State may request loan support at the time of the submission of a recovery and resilience plan or at a different moment in time until 31 August 2023; calls on the Commission, where relevant, to come forward with targeted measures to incentive the optimal use of the resources available under the RRF;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Tasks the Commission with analysing the reasons why the Member States have not requested loans to the full extent of their allocation, which could prevent the RRF from reaching its full potential, and, where relevant, to come forward with a proposal of targeted amendment of the RRF Regulation to incentive the optimal use of the resources available under the RRF;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Recalls that, under Article 21 of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, objective circumstances allow a Member State to make a reasoned request to the Commission to make a proposal to amend or replace the approved plan; recalls that if the Commission considers that the reasons put forward by the Member State justify an amendment of the NRRP, it shall assess the amended NRRP in accordance with Article 19 and put forward a proposal for a Council implementing decision according to Article 20 of the Regulation; recalls that such a request for amendment entails an assessment and approval procedure identical to the first assessment and approval procedure of the plans; notes that, so far, no Member State requested to amend or replace the approved plan;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Calls for the spending financed by RRF loans to benefit from the same treatment in the EU fiscal framework as is the case for the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in the context of the Commission Communication on flexibility, so as to ensure an optimal effect for the EU recovery;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Looks forward to more granular and disaggregated data allowing for a better understanding of the additionality impacts of the RRF; urges the Member States to provide detailed information to the Commission in order to ensure effective reporting of the impact of the RRF; calls on Eurostat to provide the necessary guidance and framework to ensure a proper monitoring of the NRRPs;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Looks forward to more granular and disaggregated data allowing for a better understanding of the additionality impacts of the RRF; urges the Member States to provide detailed information to the Commission in order to ensure effective reporting of the impact of the RRF; reiterates the importance of the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard in providing a clear framework for the additionality impact, as well as ensuring a qualitative analysis of the reforms and investments proposed;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that only nine operational arrangements have been signed between the Commission and Member States so far; calls on the Commission and Member States to sign operational arrangements as soon as possible and urges the Commission and all Member States to publish their operational arrangements and financing arrangements voluntarily in a timely manner, in order to ensure better transparency and reinforce accountability;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Reiterates that delays in the implementation of the Facility and national recovery and resilience plans should not slow down the recovery process following the pandemic and diminish the level of resilience of the Union;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Recalls that the RRF Regulation provides for the possibility to include in the NRRPs measures started from 1 February 2020 onwards and that some Member States have made use of this possibility; welcomes that some Member States have taken a proactive attitude to tackle the negative effects of the crisis by starting the implementation of measures ahead of the adoption of their NRRPs;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Welcomes the early dialogue between the Commission and the Member States in the preparation of the payment requests and Commission readiness in assessing payment requests; encourages it to continue transparently assessing whether milestones and targets are complied with in a timely manner; urges the Commission to ensure a fast deployment of payments and to closely monitor the implementation of reforms and investments;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the fact that 22 NRRPs have been approved and observes that as of early February 2022, one Member State had not yet put forward its NRRP; further notes that four NRRPs are pending assessment by the Commission; urges the countries with NRRPs pending assessment to engage in constructive discussions with the Commission in order for the plans to become ready for approval without further delay; calls on the Commission to apply diligently the RRF Regulation when assessing the remaining plans;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Reminds the Commission that the rule of law conditionality mechanism is an essential component of the RRF; calls on it to refrain from approving the NRRPs of Poland and Hungary as long as concerns regarding the observance of the rule of law and the prevention and detection of and fight against fraud, conflicts of interest and corruption persist in those countries, and to ensure that all the measures set out in their plans comply with EU values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union; reminds Member States that the failure to fully comply with the provisions of the RRF Regulation and the subsequent delays in the approval of the NRRPs, seriously affect the capacity of local and regional authorities in adequately tackling the impact of the pandemic on their communities, businesses and citizens and can lead to a long term worsening of the local and regional economic situation;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Furthermore, recalls that the observance of rule of law and the sound financial management of EU funds are to be evaluated continuously throughout the lifecycle of the RRF and that the Commission shall refrain to disburse funding and, where applicable, recover funds, in case such conditions are no longer fulfilled;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Recognises the positive impact of necessary tax reforms in the Member States that are included in some national plans, while deploring that none of the Member States concerned with CSR on aggressive tax planning, tax avoidance, tax evasion and money laundering, have addressed those challenges in their NRRPs;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes that all approved NRRPs expect to reach the green target of at least 37 % set out in the RRF Regulation and that the overall climate expenditure of all approved NRRPs reaches almost 50 % or EUR 220 billion; underlines that the NRRPs should contribute to the green transition, including biodiversity; notes positively that several NRRPs contribute significantly to biodiversity but regrets that not all NRRPs contribute sufficiently to biodiversity;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes that all approved NRRPs expect to achieve the digital target of at least 20 % set out in the RRF Regulation, while some Member States have even allocated more than half of their RRF funds to measures qualifying for the digital target; and that the overall digital expenditure of all approved NRRPs reaches almost 29 % or EUR 130 billion; welcomes a strong focus in NRRPs on the digitalisation of public services, including the health sector, and digital skills, digitalisation of business, connectivity, digital R&D and advanced technologies; notes that two thirds of Member States included a security self-assessment for investments in digital capacities and connectivity in their RRPs;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines the importance that the NRRPs dedicate almost 50 % of total expenditure or EUR 203 billion to measures to benefit the well-functioning of the single market, improving the business environment and promoting private investments; reiterates the importance of private sector in the successful implementation of the RRF; calls on the Member States to lift all unnecessary obstacles that would prevent SMEs from accessing the relevant RRF funding, and to this end, asks the Commission to provide detailed analyses;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Points out that all approved NRPPs so far address social and employment challenges such as measures for improving labour market participation, promoting upskilling and reskilling, the modernisation of labour market institutions and services, as well as of social protection and healthcare systems;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Underlines the importance of reforms and investments in health, economic, social and institutional resilience to increase crisis preparedness and crisis response capacity, which account for more than 17 % of total NRRP allocations, representing EUR 76 billion; highlights that according to the Commission under this RRF pillar Member States have to implement 789 measures linked to 1 900 milestones and targets;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Notes that the crises has affected disproportionally the most vulnerable ones and regrets that some Member States are lacking behind in strengthening the social dimension of their plans;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)
Paragraph 23 b (new)
23 b. Underlines that the current situation in Ukraine impacts heavily the energy prices and exposes the risk of the EU dependency to imported fossil fuel energy; stresses the role of the RRF in the rollout of REPowerEU and, therefore, expects the RRF to contribute significantly to the EU energy sovereignty by energy diversification and the just green transition by developing clean energy;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that approved NRRPs envisage expenditure on healthcare-related measures of EUR 37 billion, which corresponds to 8 % of total NRRP expenditure; observes that the highest contribution is earmarked for renovating and expanding hospital infrastructure, followed by strengthening primary care and prevention, digital transition in health care and long-term care; expects these healthcare- related measures to contribute to increasing the resilience of healthcare systems and their preparedness for future crises; is concerned that many Member States did not include sufficient measures to make mental health care accessible and highlights that mental health should represent an integral part of the EU’s socio-economic recovery from the pandemic and an occupational health priority;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Observes that public administration modernisation features prominently in many NRRPs with approximately EUR 1.8 billion expected investment in the enhancement of the public administration; underlines that the benefits of reforms go beyond of their associated costs, which should lead to concrete positive impact on citizens;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that approved NRRPs envisage expenditure dedicated to children and young people, including early childhood education and care, youth unemployment and skills, of EUR 49 billion, which corresponds to approximately 11.5 % of total NRRP expenditure; notes that the amount represents a first step in ensuring that coordinated measures dedicated to next generation are being implemented in all 27 Member States; is concerned that many NRRPs do not properly reflect the ambitions set by the European Child Guarantee and that they reflect only partially those of the reinforced Youth Guarantee; deplores that two Member States chose not to include in their plans measures specifically dedicated to children and youth but preferred to present measures that foster skills and digital skills for all citizens;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Calls for the Commission to continue monitoring the implementation of the six pillars and ensuring granular data is made available in the RRF scoreboard; notes positively that several Member States provide data at regional level and invites the other Member States to provide data at regional level;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Observes that almost all approved NRRPs contain investment in digital education, making up about 30% of the total spending on education; welcomes the focus on the modernisation of education infrastructure and equipment in the Member States;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25 b. Calls for the Commission to continue monitoring the implementation of the six pillars and ensuring granular data is made available in the RRF scoreboard; asks the Commission to facilitate more regional methods of monitoring implementation through the Scoreboard and welcomes monitoring initiatives at EU and national level enhancing monitoring of RRF implementation;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Points out that the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ was evaluated for each measure by the Commission in accordance with its technical guidance; notes that in order to comply with the principle, some Member States had to improve certain measures; insists that the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ should be fully respected during the implementation of the NRRPs;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Points out that the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ was evaluated for each measure by the Commission in accordance with its technical guidance; notes that in order to comply with the principle, some Member States had to improve certain measures; notes that the compliance with the principle further entailed inconsistencies between the requirements of the Commission and those of EIB and EIF for the countries that provisioned their InvestEU envelopes with RRF funds and consequently delays in the implementation process;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Observes that a large majority of NRRPs include a specific section explaining how the plan addresses gender- related concerns and challenges; deeply regrets that some NRRPs do not include a specific section explaining how the plan addresses gender-related concerns and challenges and calls on the concerned Member States to provide without delay those elements;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Observes that a large majority of NRRPs include a specific section explaining how the plan addresses gender- related concerns and challenges; notes that NRRPs contain measures focusing on the participation of women in the labour market and the reduction of the gender pay gap;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28 a. Is concerned that the delegated act on social expenditure and on the resilience scoreboard will not be sufficient to track and to report on the gender dimension and impacts of the RRF; calls on the Commission to come forward with complementary gender indicators tracking notably the gender impacts of the NRRPs;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Believes that NRRPs would benefit from further cross-border projects in order to enhance spill-over effects and contribute to EU added value; underlines that the current situation of Ukraine shows how crucial is the diversification of the EU’s energy sources and calls for the improvement of the interconnection of European gas and electricity networks and to fully synchronise the power grids throughout the EU;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Believes that NRRPs would benefit from further cross-border projects in order to enhance spill-over effects and contribute to EU added valueNotes that twenty Member States foresee cross-border projects in their NRRPs mostly focusing on infrastructure, such as rail or electricity connections, hydrogen, quantum technology, 5G connectivity, cloud capabilities and innovation hubs; believes that NRRPs would benefit from further cross-border projects in order to enhance spill-over effects and contribute to EU added value; notes that twenty Member States foresee cross-border projects such as Important Projects of Common European Interest in their NRRPs mostly focusing on infrastructure; calls on the Member States to clarify the role for relevant stakeholders in the roll-out and implementation of the multi-country projects, where relevant;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Observes that one Member State proposed to transfer structural funds to its NRRP, that only two Member States plan to provision their InvestEU envelopes with RRF funds and that only three Member States foresee incorporating the costs of technical support in their NRRPs; regrets that the provision to transfer RRF funds to the InvestEU national compartments has not been used to its full potential; recalls that synergies among different EU funds is essential for a proper recovery and consolidated resilience of the Union and reminds Member States that the use of this provision contributes to enhancing synergies;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29 b. Reminds that according to the RRF Regulation the recovery and resilience plans shall also be consistent with the information included by the Member States in the partnership agreements and operational programmes under Union funds; reiterates that this provision is not only important to avoid double-funding or overlapping of objectives, but also to ensure a coordinated approach and maximise the benefits of EU funding; requests the Commission to provide an analysis how this coordination is ensured; calls on the Commission to avoid delays in the adoption of Partnership Agreements and calls on these delays to be addressed;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 c (new)
Paragraph 29 c (new)
29 c. Questions how the Commission has encouraged Member States to foster synergies with NRRPs of other Member States;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. NReminds Member States that the NRRPS are expected to contribute to effectively addressing all or a significant subset of challenges identified in the relevant country-specific recommendations, including fiscal aspects thereof and recommendations made pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 where appropriate, addressed to the Member State concerned or challenges identified in other relevant documents officially adopted by the Commission in the context of the European Semester; notes the Commission assessment that all NRRPs address at least a significant subset of challenges identified in the relevant European Semester recommendations but that not all challenges are addressed;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Calls on the Commission to adequately evaluate the fulfilment of all milestones and targets, including those related to CSRs in the NRRPs in the disbursement phase of the Facility and to reduce proportionally payments, based on the importance of the milestones and targets, whether agreed milestones and targets are not satisfactory met, including not rolling back on previously achieved milestones and targets; furthermore, calls on the Commission, if necessary, to make use of the provisions of the Regulation, allowing it to recover grants or ask for early repayment of loans in case of breach of the obligations of Member States under the financing agreements;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. RNotes that, according to the Commission assessment, all Member States received an A-rating for almost all criteria provisioned in the RRF Regulation; recalls that, according to the Commission assessment, all Member States received a B-rating for the criteria that evaluates whether the estimated total costs of the NRRPs are reasonable; calls on the Commission to ensure that costs are plausible and that proper cost analysis is being conducted in order to tackle fraud and corruption; urges the Commission to thoroughly assess the satisfactory fulfilment of milestones and targets before accepting payment requests, and also ensure that previously achieved milestones and targets have not been reversed;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31 a. Stresses the importance of promoting equality and fairness through the procurement processes and practices; calls, in this respect, the Member States to strive for ways to ensure equal and fair access to all, including the micro, small and medium size enterprises, in the procurement process;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31 a. Urges Member States to timely launch public procurement for the implementation of measures in order to ensure completion with the calendar of milestones and targets;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. UObserves, that by the nature of the instruments, the control focuses on the achievement of results and outputs instead of verifications of costs; notes that this approach can simplify the implementation and contribute to the achievement of the desired outcome; nevertheless, urges the Commission to take the appropriate measures to ensure early detection of abuse of EU funds; calls on it to monitor rigorously any possible occurrence of double funding and, if such occurrences are confirmed, to proceed with the recovery of funds without delay;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32 a. Urges the Member States to collect and record data on final recipients and beneficiaries of Union funding in an electronic standardised and interoperable format and to use the single data mining and risk scoring tool provided by the Commission; calls on the Commission to ensure that ARACHNE is interoperable with other relevant datasets;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 b (new)
Paragraph 32 b (new)
32 b. Recalls that Member States should collect and ensure access of data on beneficial owner(s) of the recipient of the funds and beneficiaries of the programme and reiterates the importance of ensuring the transparency of final beneficiaries, without providing an extra burden on the reporting; furthermore, reiterates the importance of digitalising all reporting, monitoring and audit;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 c (new)
Paragraph 32 c (new)
32 c. Reminds the Commission that in the evaluation of NRRPs and payment claims it can be assisted by experts and invites to make full use of this provision, where relevant, particularly if it lacks the in-house capacity to thoroughly scrutinise the plans or the fulfilment of milestones and targets; raises doubts about the Council’s sufficient capacity to analyse NRRPs properly or payment claims;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33 a. Calls on the Commission to cooperate with and to ensure that adequate control capacities are in place for OLAF, the Court of Auditors and where applicable the EPPO and that those bodies are granted full access by Member States to information to exert their rights according to the Financial Regulation and the RRF Regulation;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 b (new)
Paragraph 33 b (new)
33 b. Calls on the Court of Auditors, OLAF, EPPO and national authorities to make full use of their prerogatives under the RRF Regulation and other relevant legislation and scrutinise thoroughly all RRF spending;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 c (new)
Paragraph 33 c (new)
33 c. Reiterates the importance of the Commission undertaking a continuous, including ex-post, monitoring of the RRF expenditure ensuring full transparency together with the Member States, and addressing any weaknesses in this regard;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 d (new)
Paragraph 33 d (new)
33 d. Reminds that in the framework of the discharge procedure to the Commission, in accordance with Article 319 TFEU, the RRF shall be subject to reporting under the integrated financial and accountability reporting referred to in Article 247 of the Financial Regulation, and, in particular, separately in the Annual Management and Performance Report;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5 a (new)
Subheading 5 a (new)
Lessons learned
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Reaffirms Parliament’s role in scrutinising the implementation of the RRF, in particular through five plenary debates held in 2021, two adopted resolutions, four Recovery and Resilience Dialogues held with the Commission in 2021, 20 meetings of the dedicated working group on the scrutiny of the RRF, parliamentary questions, and the regular flow of information and ad hoc requests for information from the Commission; recalls that Article 25 of the RRF Regulation requests the Commission to transmit relevant documents and information simultaneously and on equal terms to the European Parliament and to the Council; notes that, despite the slow start of the proper process of a document flow, appropriate communication procedures were put in practice;
Amendment 344 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34 a. Invites the Commission to follow an open, transparent and constructive approach during the recovery and resilience dialogues and to observe the provision of Article 26(1) as regards regular interactions with the Parliament; recalls that the inter-institutional cooperation established through the RRF should become a minimum standard in all funding programmes;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 b (new)
Paragraph 34 b (new)
34 b. Regrets that in all Member States local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, social partners or other relevant stakeholders were not sufficiently involved, in the design and the implementation of the NRRPs and calls for their involvement in the implementation of the NRRPs to the maximum extent possible under the national legislation; recalls that local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, social partners and the other relevant stakeholders are at the forefront of NRRP local implementation and reminds the Commission and the Member States that proper involvement and coordination with local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, social partners, and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the plans is decisive for the success of the recovery in the Union;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 c (new)
Paragraph 34 c (new)
34 c. Calls on Member States to ensure adequate management systems of RRF funds take into consideration the specific needs of the citizens at regional and local levels, while respecting the principles of non-discrimination and equal treatment; reminds that implementation of NRRPs’ measures shall respect all relevant laws;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 d (new)
Paragraph 34 d (new)
34 d. Expects the review report on the implementation of the RRF prepared by the Commission to provide extensive data and analysis on the contributions of NRRPs to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, including the gender impact of NRRPs and the effective contribution of the NRRPs to gender equality, as well as the support to the SMEs and the strategic autonomy;
Amendment 364 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Welcomes the launch in December 2021 of the recovery and resilience scoreboard, which will allow every citizen to monitor the implementation of the RRF; notes that, in line with the Delegated Act on common indicators, Member States shall report on several indicators, including for the implementation of the EPSR and SMEs supported;
Amendment 365 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35 a. Reminds that according to the RRF regulation the Commission shall implement information and communication actions relating to the Facility; encourages the Commission, through its representation offices in the Member States and in cooperation with the European Parliament Liaison Offices in the Member States, to launch events in the Member States that promote the scoreboard and present the different analyses conducted by the Commission, including on the 6 pillars; encourages the Commission to publish detailed analysis on the positive effects of the RRF by highlighting good practices in the implementation of the national NRRPs and recommendations for overcoming implementation obstacles and improving the effective use of the funds;
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 b (new)
Paragraph 35 b (new)
35 b. Intends to make full use of the range of possibilities offered by the RRF Regulation to assess and promote the RRF, including through events including at local, regional and national level;
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Notes that Member States’ NRRPs report on their communication strategies; deplores however that, without a clear standard, such communication campaigns are envisaged to be very different, thus limiting the visibility of the RRF and EU funding overall; calls for further harmonisation of information available for citizens on national implementation and on national RRF-related communication strategies to foster transparency and accountability, thus reinforcing ownership of implementation; invites the Commission to recommend an harmonised approach and standard for displaying information on the implementation of the RRF at national/regional level, asking Member States to adhere to such standard or explain deviations;
Amendment 383 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37 a. Reiterates the Commission’s estimation of the need for additional annual public investment in the three digit billion rang to address the challenges of digital transformation, green and just transition and social recovery; points out that additional means are required in order to tackle the consequences of the Russian invasion in Ukraine; therefore stresses, that an increased level of investment must be stabilised and upward convergence in the EU enhanced for many years to come;
Amendment 386 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 b (new)
Paragraph 37 b (new)
37 b. Welcomes the Commission Communication on fiscal policy guidance for 2023 and its call to maintain a supportive fiscal stance to stand ready to react to the evolving economic situation; expects in this respect the general escape clause to remain activated as long as the underlying economic justifications persist;
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 c (new)
Paragraph 37 c (new)
37 c. Invites the Commission to take the principles of NGEU as a basis for a revamped common European fiscal architecture; considers NGEU to be a valuable and reliable blueprint for the European growth strategy for the next decade and calls for a common budgetary capacity dedicated to European strategic investment aligned with EU priorities with macroeconomic stabilisation function;
Amendment 388 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 d (new)
Paragraph 37 d (new)
37 d. Notes the RRF investments in the green transition and digital transformation should contribute to increase EU strategic autonomy and independency, notably to reducing its dependency on imported fossil fuels and, in respect of the current circumstances, calls in particular for accelerating investment to ensure strategic autonomy and independency and reinforcing the EU’s security of supply;
Amendment 389 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 e (new)
Paragraph 37 e (new)
37 e. Invites the Commission and the Member States to draw conclusions from the RRF exercise and improve the mechanisms driving the economic governance framework especially when it comes to establishing a more transparent and democratic coordination process, defining underlying political guidelines, cooperation between the European institutions as well as with the national governments and stakeholders and increased national ownership of policy design by providing positive incentives for productive investments and reforms, developing the national reform and investment programmes and implementing socially-balanced and sustainable structural reforms;