BETA


2013/2178(INI) Optimise the potential of outermost regions by creating synergies between the EU structural funds and other EU programmes

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead REGI TEIXEIRA Nuno (icon: PPE PPE), ALVES Luís Paulo (icon: S&D S&D), GODMANIS Ivars (icon: ALDE ALDE), BICEP Jean-Jacob (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), VLASÁK Oldřich (icon: ECR ECR)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2014/07/22
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2014/02/26
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2014/02/26
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 446 votes to 73, with 47 abstentions, a resolution on optimising the potential of outermost regions (ORs) by creating synergies between the Structural Funds and other European Union programmes.

Members are convinced that the assets, resources and potential of the ORs highlighted by the European Commission, which lie in areas of key importance to EU research, innovation and growth, attract too little support and financing under EU funds and programmes . They deplored the approach advocated at European level whereby the cohesion policy alone should be used to finance virtually all OR development projects.

Stressing the importance of encouraging long-term investments and promoting innovation in the ORs, Parliament considered that the volume of structural and investment funding being provided to the ORs must be adjusted or supplemented in order to enable them to address the major challenges facing the EU.

With regards to meeting the objectives the EU has set as part of the Europe 2020 growth strategy, the Horizon 2020 strategy, the Energy 2020 strategy, the LIFE+ and Natura 2000 programmes and the trans-European telecommunications, transport and energy networks, the ORs are regions of excellence making a significant contribution towards the realisation of the objectives.

It is for this reason that the resolution foresees the creation of the closest possible synergies between all EU instruments, funds and programmes in the following areas :

Research and innovation : the Commission should make the necessary adjustments and guarantee OR access to the Horizon 2020 programme by setting up dedicated programmes that can help to foster greater OR inclusion in European and international research and innovation networks. Members supported the further development of universities in the Ors.

Internal market : the Commission is called upon to look into the issue of the additional costs and high cost of living in the ORs and to take this issue into account when shaping European policies and to enforce the competition rules more strictly in order to guard against monopolies and cartels in the Ors.

Environment and energy : Members believed that the ORs’ potential in the areas of biodiversity management, conservation and rehabilitation, adaptation to climate change and renewable energy development can be maximised through the establishment of synergies and cross-funding arrangements between cohesion policy, the LIFE+ programme and the Energy 2020 strategy.

Youth : Parliament highlighted the need for greater synergies to be achieved between the Erasmus programme and the ESF in the ORs, in order to maximise local human capital and expertise. It called for further action on the employment front in the form of an urgent pilot plan to combat unemployment in the ORs. The resolution called for special youth employment action teams to be set up in the Commission, with a view to implementing the Youth Guarantee scheme and mobilising the ESF and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI).

Trans-European network (transport, telecommunications, energy) : Members recalled that accessibility plays a key role where the development of the ORs is concerned and that the digital divide between the ORs and mainland Europe is hampering the ORs’ development and competitiveness. They stressed therefore the need for synergies to be created in the ORs between the trans-European networks, the Connecting Europe Facility, the Civitas and Horizon 2020 programmes and ERDF and Cohesion Fund funding for transport, telecommunications and energy projects.

EU Maritime policy : recalling that the ORs contribute towards the EU’s status as a world maritime power, the resolution stated that the lack of synergies between cohesion policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, which still takes too little account of conditions in the ORs. Parliament stressed the importance of maintaining a POSEI scheme for fisheries , and proposed that research and innovation should be stepped up in the maritime economy, as they are a potential source of growth.

Agriculture : Members pointed to the need to ensure that POSEI has the necessary resources to help OR producers to cope with the impact of the liberalisation of a number of sectors resulting from EU policies and international agreements concluded in the milk, sugar, rum, meat and banana sectors in particular. They believed that synergies should be created between cohesion policy and the EAFRD with a view to modernising and extending irrigation networks and for the purposes of spatial planning, training and capitalising on the tourism potential of sustainable agriculture and rural communities;

Combat against poverty and social exclusion : Members drew attention to the fact that a number of fundamental problems exist in the ORs, one of them being social exclusion. They advocated the establishment of a social housing investment scheme and the introduction of special measures under which aid in support of investment in social housing is not considered to be State aid.

External policy : Members deplored the continued lack of a proper linkage between the European funds EDF, ERDF and ETC, in particular in cross-border cooperation projects, despite the fact that this is essential if the funds’ objectives are to be met.

The Commission is called upon to take greater account of the impact that trade agreements concluded with non-EU countries have on OR economies , with impact studies being conducted in advance of each agreement in order to ensure that any 'sensitive' products are protected and fair compensation is provided for any losses incurred in specific sectors. A procedure for consulting OR regional authorities should also be introduced.

Documents
2014/02/26
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2014/02/17
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Regional Development adopted the own-initiative report by Younous OMARJEE (GUE/NGL, FR) on optimising the potential of outermost regions (ORs) by creating synergies between the Structural Funds and other European Union programmes.

Members are convinced that the assets, resources and potential of the ORs highlighted by the European Commission, which lie in areas of key importance to EU research, innovation and growth, attract too little support and financing under EU funds and programmes . They considered that the volume of structural and investment funding being provided to the ORs must be adjusted or supplemented in order to enable them to address the major challenges facing the EU.

It is for this reason that the report foresees the creation of the closest possible synergies between all EU instruments, funds and programmes in the following areas :

Research and innovation : the Commission should make the necessary adjustments and guarantee OR access to the Horizon 2020 programme by setting up dedicated programmes that can help to foster greater OR inclusion in European and international research and innovation networks.

Internal market : the Commission is called upon to look into the issue of the additional costs and high cost of living in the ORs and to take this issue into account when shaping European policies.

Environment and energy : Members believed that the ORs’ potential in the areas of biodiversity management, conservation and rehabilitation, adaptation to climate change and renewable energy development can be maximised through the establishment of synergies and cross-funding arrangements between cohesion policy, the LIFE+ programme and the Energy 2020 strategy.

Youth : Members highlighted the need for greater synergies to be achieved between the Erasmus programme and the ESF in the ORs, in order to maximise local human capital and expertise. They called for further action on the employment front in the form of an urgent pilot plan to combat unemployment in the ORs.

Trans-European network (transport, telecommunications, energy) : Members recalled that accessibility plays a key role where the development of the ORs is concerned and that the digital divide between the ORs and mainland Europe is hampering the ORs’ development and competitiveness.

Members stressed therefore the need for synergies to be created in the ORs between the trans-European networks, the Connecting Europe Facility, the Civitas and Horizon 2020 programmes and ERDF and Cohesion Fund funding for transport, telecommunications and energy projects.

EU Maritime policy : Members stated that the lack of synergies between cohesion policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, which still takes too little account of conditions in the ORs. The report stressed the importance of maintaining a POSEI scheme for fisheries , and proposed that research and innovation should be stepped up in the maritime economy, as they are a potential source of growth.

Agriculture : Members pointed to the need to ensure that POSEI has the necessary resources to help OR producers to cope with the impact of the liberalisation of a number of sectors resulting from EU policies and international agreements concluded in the milk, sugar, rum, meat and banana sectors in particular. They believed that synergies should be created between cohesion policy and the EAFRD.

Combat against poverty and social exclusion : Members drew attention to the fact that a number of fundamental problems exist in the ORs, one of them being social exclusion. They advocated the establishment of a social housing investment scheme.

External policy : the Commission is called upon to take greater account of the impact that trade agreements concluded with non-EU countries have on OR economies , with impact studies being conducted in advance of each agreement in order to ensure that any 'sensitive' products are protected and fair compensation is provided for any losses incurred in specific sectors. The report also called for a procedure for consulting OR regional authorities to be introduced.

Documents
2014/02/11
   EP - Vote in committee
2014/01/08
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2013/12/02
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2013/09/12
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament

Documents

Votes

A7-0121/2014 - Younous Omarjee - Vote unique #

2014/02/26 Outcome: +: 446, -: 73, 0: 47
DE IT FR ES RO PL BG PT HU EL BE IE SK HR LT LV FI CZ AT SI EE LU MT NL CY DK SE GB
Total
84
53
52
38
22
37
18
14
16
13
17
10
11
10
9
8
9
12
15
5
4
5
4
21
2
7
19
51
icon: PPE PPE
210

Belgium PPE

3

Czechia PPE

For (1)

1

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

3

Malta PPE

For (1)

1

Cyprus PPE

1
icon: S&D S&D
136

Hungary S&D

For (1)

1

Ireland S&D

1

Finland S&D

2

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Netherlands S&D

2

Denmark S&D

Against (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
66

Slovakia ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

For (1)

1

Finland ALDE

2

Austria ALDE

Abstain (1)

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

1

Denmark ALDE

2
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
26

Portugal GUE/NGL

2

Greece GUE/NGL

2

Ireland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Croatia GUE/NGL

1

Latvia GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Czechia GUE/NGL

2

Netherlands GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

1

Denmark GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
43

Spain Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

2

Portugal Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Finland Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

3

Denmark Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

1

Sweden Verts/ALE

Abstain (1)

3

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

4
icon: EFD EFD
23

France EFD

Against (1)

1

Poland EFD

Against (1)

3

Bulgaria EFD

For (1)

1

Greece EFD

2

Belgium EFD

Against (1)

1

Slovakia EFD

Against (1)

1

Lithuania EFD

Abstain (1)

1

Finland EFD

Against (1)

1

Netherlands EFD

Against (1)

1

Denmark EFD

Against (1)

1
4
icon: NI NI
26

Italy NI

For (1)

1

Spain NI

1
2

Bulgaria NI

1

Hungary NI

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Belgium NI

Against (1)

1

Ireland NI

For (1)

1
5
icon: ECR ECR
36

Italy ECR

Against (1)

2

Hungary ECR

Against (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

Against (1)

1

Latvia ECR

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

Against (1)

1

Denmark ECR

Against (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
158 2013/2178(INI)
2014/01/08 REGI 158 amendments...
source: PE-526.234

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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  • name: OMARJEE Younous date: 2013-06-20T00:00:00 group: European United Left - Nordic Green Left abbr: GUE/NGL
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  • date: 2013-09-12T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: PPE name: TEIXEIRA Nuno group: S&D name: ALVES Luís Paulo group: ALDE name: GODMANIS Ivars group: Verts/ALE name: BICEP Jean-Jacob group: ECR name: VLASÁK Oldřich responsible: True committee: REGI date: 2013-06-20T00:00:00 committee_full: Regional Development rapporteur: group: GUE/NGL name: OMARJEE Younous
  • date: 2014-02-11T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: PPE name: TEIXEIRA Nuno group: S&D name: ALVES Luís Paulo group: ALDE name: GODMANIS Ivars group: Verts/ALE name: BICEP Jean-Jacob group: ECR name: VLASÁK Oldřich responsible: True committee: REGI date: 2013-06-20T00:00:00 committee_full: Regional Development rapporteur: group: GUE/NGL name: OMARJEE Younous
  • date: 2014-02-17T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2014-0121&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A7-0121/2014 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2014-02-26T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=24238&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0133 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0133/2014 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
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  • body: EC dg: Regional and Urban Policy commissioner: HAHN Johannes
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  • date: 2013-12-02T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE524.718 title: PE524.718 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2014-01-08T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE526.234 title: PE526.234 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2014-07-22T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=24238&j=0&l=en title: SP(2014)447 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
events
  • date: 2013-09-12T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2014-02-11T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2014-02-17T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2014-0121&language=EN title: A7-0121/2014 summary: The Committee on Regional Development adopted the own-initiative report by Younous OMARJEE (GUE/NGL, FR) on optimising the potential of outermost regions (ORs) by creating synergies between the Structural Funds and other European Union programmes. Members are convinced that the assets, resources and potential of the ORs highlighted by the European Commission, which lie in areas of key importance to EU research, innovation and growth, attract too little support and financing under EU funds and programmes . They considered that the volume of structural and investment funding being provided to the ORs must be adjusted or supplemented in order to enable them to address the major challenges facing the EU. It is for this reason that the report foresees the creation of the closest possible synergies between all EU instruments, funds and programmes in the following areas : Research and innovation : the Commission should make the necessary adjustments and guarantee OR access to the Horizon 2020 programme by setting up dedicated programmes that can help to foster greater OR inclusion in European and international research and innovation networks. Internal market : the Commission is called upon to look into the issue of the additional costs and high cost of living in the ORs and to take this issue into account when shaping European policies. Environment and energy : Members believed that the ORs’ potential in the areas of biodiversity management, conservation and rehabilitation, adaptation to climate change and renewable energy development can be maximised through the establishment of synergies and cross-funding arrangements between cohesion policy, the LIFE+ programme and the Energy 2020 strategy. Youth : Members highlighted the need for greater synergies to be achieved between the Erasmus programme and the ESF in the ORs, in order to maximise local human capital and expertise. They called for further action on the employment front in the form of an urgent pilot plan to combat unemployment in the ORs. Trans-European network (transport, telecommunications, energy) : Members recalled that accessibility plays a key role where the development of the ORs is concerned and that the digital divide between the ORs and mainland Europe is hampering the ORs’ development and competitiveness. Members stressed therefore the need for synergies to be created in the ORs between the trans-European networks, the Connecting Europe Facility, the Civitas and Horizon 2020 programmes and ERDF and Cohesion Fund funding for transport, telecommunications and energy projects. EU Maritime policy : Members stated that the lack of synergies between cohesion policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, which still takes too little account of conditions in the ORs. The report stressed the importance of maintaining a POSEI scheme for fisheries , and proposed that research and innovation should be stepped up in the maritime economy, as they are a potential source of growth. Agriculture : Members pointed to the need to ensure that POSEI has the necessary resources to help OR producers to cope with the impact of the liberalisation of a number of sectors resulting from EU policies and international agreements concluded in the milk, sugar, rum, meat and banana sectors in particular. They believed that synergies should be created between cohesion policy and the EAFRD. Combat against poverty and social exclusion : Members drew attention to the fact that a number of fundamental problems exist in the ORs, one of them being social exclusion. They advocated the establishment of a social housing investment scheme. External policy : the Commission is called upon to take greater account of the impact that trade agreements concluded with non-EU countries have on OR economies , with impact studies being conducted in advance of each agreement in order to ensure that any 'sensitive' products are protected and fair compensation is provided for any losses incurred in specific sectors. The report also called for a procedure for consulting OR regional authorities to be introduced.
  • date: 2014-02-26T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=24238&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2014-02-26T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0133 title: T7-0133/2014 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 446 votes to 73, with 47 abstentions, a resolution on optimising the potential of outermost regions (ORs) by creating synergies between the Structural Funds and other European Union programmes. Members are convinced that the assets, resources and potential of the ORs highlighted by the European Commission, which lie in areas of key importance to EU research, innovation and growth, attract too little support and financing under EU funds and programmes . They deplored the approach advocated at European level whereby the cohesion policy alone should be used to finance virtually all OR development projects. Stressing the importance of encouraging long-term investments and promoting innovation in the ORs, Parliament considered that the volume of structural and investment funding being provided to the ORs must be adjusted or supplemented in order to enable them to address the major challenges facing the EU. With regards to meeting the objectives the EU has set as part of the Europe 2020 growth strategy, the Horizon 2020 strategy, the Energy 2020 strategy, the LIFE+ and Natura 2000 programmes and the trans-European telecommunications, transport and energy networks, the ORs are regions of excellence making a significant contribution towards the realisation of the objectives. It is for this reason that the resolution foresees the creation of the closest possible synergies between all EU instruments, funds and programmes in the following areas : Research and innovation : the Commission should make the necessary adjustments and guarantee OR access to the Horizon 2020 programme by setting up dedicated programmes that can help to foster greater OR inclusion in European and international research and innovation networks. Members supported the further development of universities in the Ors. Internal market : the Commission is called upon to look into the issue of the additional costs and high cost of living in the ORs and to take this issue into account when shaping European policies and to enforce the competition rules more strictly in order to guard against monopolies and cartels in the Ors. Environment and energy : Members believed that the ORs’ potential in the areas of biodiversity management, conservation and rehabilitation, adaptation to climate change and renewable energy development can be maximised through the establishment of synergies and cross-funding arrangements between cohesion policy, the LIFE+ programme and the Energy 2020 strategy. Youth : Parliament highlighted the need for greater synergies to be achieved between the Erasmus programme and the ESF in the ORs, in order to maximise local human capital and expertise. It called for further action on the employment front in the form of an urgent pilot plan to combat unemployment in the ORs. The resolution called for special youth employment action teams to be set up in the Commission, with a view to implementing the Youth Guarantee scheme and mobilising the ESF and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). Trans-European network (transport, telecommunications, energy) : Members recalled that accessibility plays a key role where the development of the ORs is concerned and that the digital divide between the ORs and mainland Europe is hampering the ORs’ development and competitiveness. They stressed therefore the need for synergies to be created in the ORs between the trans-European networks, the Connecting Europe Facility, the Civitas and Horizon 2020 programmes and ERDF and Cohesion Fund funding for transport, telecommunications and energy projects. EU Maritime policy : recalling that the ORs contribute towards the EU’s status as a world maritime power, the resolution stated that the lack of synergies between cohesion policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, which still takes too little account of conditions in the ORs. Parliament stressed the importance of maintaining a POSEI scheme for fisheries , and proposed that research and innovation should be stepped up in the maritime economy, as they are a potential source of growth. Agriculture : Members pointed to the need to ensure that POSEI has the necessary resources to help OR producers to cope with the impact of the liberalisation of a number of sectors resulting from EU policies and international agreements concluded in the milk, sugar, rum, meat and banana sectors in particular. They believed that synergies should be created between cohesion policy and the EAFRD with a view to modernising and extending irrigation networks and for the purposes of spatial planning, training and capitalising on the tourism potential of sustainable agriculture and rural communities; Combat against poverty and social exclusion : Members drew attention to the fact that a number of fundamental problems exist in the ORs, one of them being social exclusion. They advocated the establishment of a social housing investment scheme and the introduction of special measures under which aid in support of investment in social housing is not considered to be State aid. External policy : Members deplored the continued lack of a proper linkage between the European funds EDF, ERDF and ETC, in particular in cross-border cooperation projects, despite the fact that this is essential if the funds’ objectives are to be met. The Commission is called upon to take greater account of the impact that trade agreements concluded with non-EU countries have on OR economies , with impact studies being conducted in advance of each agreement in order to ensure that any 'sensitive' products are protected and fair compensation is provided for any losses incurred in specific sectors. A procedure for consulting OR regional authorities should also be introduced.
  • date: 2014-02-26T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/regional_policy/index_en.htm title: Regional and Urban Policy commissioner: HAHN Johannes
procedure/Modified legal basis
Old
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
New
Rules of Procedure EP 150
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
Old
REGI/7/13726
New
  • REGI/7/13726
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 052
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
procedure/subject
Old
  • 4.70.01 Structural funds, investment funds in general
  • 4.70.06 Outlying and outermost regions, overseas countries and territories
New
4.70.01
Structural funds, investment funds in general, programmes
4.70.06
Outlying and outermost regions, overseas countries and territories
procedure/title
Old
Optimise the potential of outermost regions by creating synergies between the EU structural funds and other EU programmes
New
Optimise the potential of outermost regions by creating synergies between the EU structural funds and other EU programmes
other/0/dg/title
Old
Regional Policy
New
Regional and Urban Policy
procedure/subject/0
Old
4.70.01 Structural funds, structural and investment funds in general
New
4.70.01 Structural funds, investment funds in general
procedure/subject/0
Old
4.70.01 Structural funds in general
New
4.70.01 Structural funds, structural and investment funds in general
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activities/0/date
Old
2014-02-26T00:00:00
New
2013-09-12T00:00:00
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  • type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0133/2014
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2013-09-12T00:00:00
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2014-02-26T00:00:00
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  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=24238&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament
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Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
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Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 048
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Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
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  • type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0133/2014
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  • The Committee on Regional Development adopted the own-initiative report by Younous OMARJEE (GUE/NGL, FR) on optimising the potential of outermost regions (ORs) by creating synergies between the Structural Funds and other European Union programmes.

    Members are convinced that the assets, resources and potential of the ORs highlighted by the European Commission, which lie in areas of key importance to EU research, innovation and growth, attract too little support and financing under EU funds and programmes. They considered that the volume of structural and investment funding being provided to the ORs must be adjusted or supplemented in order to enable them to address the major challenges facing the EU.

    It is for this reason that the report foresees the creation of the closest possible synergies between all EU instruments, funds and programmes in the following areas:

    Research and innovation: the Commission should make the necessary adjustments and guarantee OR access to the Horizon 2020 programme by setting up dedicated programmes that can help to foster greater OR inclusion in European and international research and innovation networks.

    Internal market: the Commission is called upon to look into the issue of the additional costs and high cost of living in the ORs and to take this issue into account when shaping European policies.

    Environment and energy: Members believed that the ORs’ potential in the areas of biodiversity management, conservation and rehabilitation, adaptation to climate change and renewable energy development can be maximised through the establishment of synergies and cross-funding arrangements between cohesion policy, the LIFE+ programme and the Energy 2020 strategy.

    Youth: Members highlighted the need for greater synergies to be achieved between the Erasmus programme and the ESF in the ORs, in order to maximise local human capital and expertise. They called for further action on the employment front in the form of an urgent pilot plan to combat unemployment in the ORs.

    Trans-European network (transport, telecommunications, energy): Members recalled that accessibility plays a key role where the development of the ORs is concerned and that the digital divide between the ORs and mainland Europe is hampering the ORs’ development and competitiveness.

    Members stressed therefore the need for synergies to be created in the ORs between the trans-European networks, the Connecting Europe Facility, the Civitas and Horizon 2020 programmes and ERDF and Cohesion Fund funding for transport, telecommunications and energy projects.

    EU Maritime policy: Members stated that the lack of synergies between cohesion policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, which still takes too little account of conditions in the ORs. The report stressed the importance of maintaining a POSEI scheme for fisheries, and proposed that research and innovation should be stepped up in the maritime economy, as they are a potential source of growth.

    Agriculture: Members pointed to the need to ensure that POSEI has the necessary resources to help OR producers to cope with the impact of the liberalisation of a number of sectors resulting from EU policies and international agreements concluded in the milk, sugar, rum, meat and banana sectors in particular. They believed that synergies should be created between cohesion policy and the EAFRD.

    Combat against poverty and social exclusion: Members drew attention to the fact that a number of fundamental problems exist in the ORs, one of them being social exclusion. They advocated the establishment of a social housing investment scheme.

    External policy: the Commission is called upon to take greater account of the impact that trade agreements concluded with non-EU countries have on OR economies, with impact studies being conducted in advance of each agreement in order to ensure that any 'sensitive' products are protected and fair compensation is provided for any losses incurred in specific sectors. The report also called for a procedure for consulting OR regional authorities to be introduced.

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  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/regional_policy/index_en.htm title: Regional Policy commissioner: HAHN Johannes
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
REGI/7/13726
reference
2013/2178(INI)
title
Optimise the potential of outermost regions by creating synergies between the EU structural funds and other EU programmes
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Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 048
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Awaiting committee decision
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Initiative
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INI - Own-initiative procedure
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