2017/2044(BUD) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Considers that a well-functioning ~~internal market~~, highly integrated and unified internal market with a fair environment for consumers and SMEs is a cornerstone for stronger competitiveness of the Union and stresses the need to take into account the transformation to the digital era with an adequate budgetary allocation;

Amendment 1 #

Maria GRAPINI, Liisa JAAKONSAARI, Lucy ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Deeply regrets that the draft budget does not include any of the additional 50 million EUR earmarked for Erasmus+ in the MFF revision for the period 2018- 2020; calls for ~~a proportionate tranche of that money~~the full 50 million EUR to be made available in 2018 so that Erasmus+ can fully deliver as a strategic investment in Europe’s young people;

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Welcomes the allocation of funds for the modernisation of the customs union, which supports the implementation of the Union Customs Code (Code) and the development of the electronic customs systems as this constitutes one of the priority areas for a better functioning of the internal market; emphasises that the full and uniform implementation of the Code is essential to protect citizens and the financial interests of the Union and calls on the Commission and the Member States to meet the deadline of 31 December 2020 for the transitional measures laid down in Article 278 of the Code to ensure a full implementation of the Code;

Amendment 10 #

Maria GRAPINI, Liisa JAAKONSAARI, Lucy ANDERSON

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

31. Highlights the chronic under- funding of both the Culture sub- programme under Creative Europe and the Europe for Citizens programme; calls for ~~more funds for both in~~an additional 14 million EUR to be committed to the former for 2018; and deplores the 740 000 EUR reduction in the latter's 2018 budget vis-à-vis the financial programming figure; recalls that this represents around 3% of the EfC budget and will impact its already low project success rates; calls for an additional 9.3 million EUR to be directed to action grants under the EfC budget for 2018;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Asks for the financing of ~~the~~all pilot projects ~~proposed by IMCO on key areas related to the development of the Digital Single Market, consumer interests and innovation and competitiveness~~and in particular, new pilot projects entitled ‘Digital skills for EU start-ups’ to contribute to the innovation and cross-border trade, and “Assessing alleged differences in the quality of products sold on the Single Market” which aims to respond to the consumers’ concerns about possible differences in the quality of products with the same brand and packaging in the internal market. Also asks for the extension of the PP- ‘Algorithm Awareness Building Initiative’ to deliver on a series of targeted in-depth prototyping of approaches and policy solutions fit for addressing the complexity of the challenges raised by algorithmic decision-making in the near- and longer- term.

Amendment 11 #

Silvia COSTA, Luigi MORGANO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Highlights the chronic under- funding of ~~both the Culture sub- programme under Creative Europe and the Europe for Citizens programme; calls for more funds for both in 2018~~the Europe for Citizens programme; deplores the 740 000 EUR reduction in the ~~latter's~~ 2018 budget vis-à-vis the financial programming figure; recalls that this represents around 3% of the EfC budget and will impact its already low project success rates;

Amendment 12 #

Bogdan Andrzej ZDROJEWSKI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Highlights the ~~chronic~~ under- funding of ~~both~~ the Culture sub- programme under Creative Europe and the Europe for Citizens programme; calls for more funds for both in 2018; deplores the 740 000 EUR reduction in the latter's 2018 budget vis-à-vis the financial programming figure; recalls that this represents around 3% of the EfC budget and will impact its already low project success ratits importance for supporting the growth of the EU’s cultural and creative industries; underlines the need to ensure that funding for the most effective culture and education programmes is prioritised, particularly where they contribute to the Europe 2020 objectives;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Highlights the chronic under- funding of both the Culture sub- programme under Creative Europe and the Europe for Citizens programme; calls for more funds for both in 2018; deplores the 740 000 EUR reduction in the latter's 2018 budget vis-à-vis the financial programming figure; recalls that this represents around 3% of the EfC budget and will impact its already low project success rates; welcomes the efforts made by the EU institutions in recent years to address the payments backlog; points out that delays in finalising contracts between the relevant bodies and beneficiaries, as well as late payments, jeopardise full implementation of the programmes by the Commission;

Amendment 14 #

Silvia COSTA, Luigi MORGANO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Urges Member States to increase the Creative Europe budget to match the expectations of European citizens and applicants, as well as the ambitions of the respective sub-programmes; expresses concern that particularly the Culture sub- programme is severely underfinanced, and consequently struggles to achieve satisfactory success rates; highlights that the MEDIA sub-programme and the Guarantee Facility would also benefit, in terms of improved success rates, from a stable and consistent budget allocation;

Amendment 15 #

Helga TRÜPEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Underlines the importance of cultural and educational work for the successful integration of refugees in European host societies and therefore calls for the more permanent introduction of refugee integration projects as one of the objectives in the Erasmus+ and Creative Europe programmes on the basis of the work that has started under the special calls 2016;

Amendment 16 #

Helga TRÜPEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Underscores the need to further strengthen the international dimension of Erasmus+, Creative Europe, Europe for Citizens and Horizon 2020 under the EEAS budget section as a central element in developing further the people-to-people approach in the EU's external cultural relations;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Calls on Member States and the EIB to fully use the potential of EFSI to support the cultural and creative sector, and thereby drive growth, by allocating a greater share of EFSI funding to cultural and creative industries; urges, furthermore, the Commission and the EIB to promote the interaction between the Cultural and Creative Sector Guarantee Facility and EFSI in order to provide fit-for-purpose loans for cultural and creative industries;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Welcomes the additional 4 million EUR on the Creative Europe budget line to fund the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018; ~~deplores, however, the absence of a stand-alone budget line~~however, in accordance with the Parliament and Council commitment to make 7 million EUR for the EYCH “visible in a budget line”, calls for a seperate budget line to be created for this purpose;

Amendment 19 #

Maria GRAPINI, Liisa JAAKONSAARI, Lucy ANDERSON, Marlene MIZZI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Welcom~~Notes the additional 4 million EUR on the Creative Europe budget line to fund the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018; ~~deplores, however, the absence of a stand-alone budget line in accordance with the Parliament and Council commitment to make 7 million EUR for the EYCH “visible in a budget line”;~~

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Considers that a well-functioning internal market is a cornerstone for stronger competitiveness of the Union and stresses the need to take into account the transformation to the digital era with an adequate budgetary allocation, in particular for SMEs;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Deeply regrets that the draft budget does not include any of the additional 50 million EUR earmarked for Erasmus+ in the MFF revision for the period 2018- 2020; calls for ~~a proportionate tranche of that money to be made available in 2018 so~~the full amount to be made available in 2018 and distributed between the budget lines of Erasmus+ so as to bring them into line with the amounts established in the financial programming figures, to ensure that Erasmus+ can fully deliver as a strategic investment in Europe’s young people;

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to review initiatives under the ‘multimedia actions’ budget line to ensure that the budget effectively supports high-quality independent coverage of EU affairs; reiterates its support for a sustainable multiannual funding arrangement for Euranet+; expresses its concern over the relatively small allocation to Euranet+ for 2018; calls on the European Commission to secure a sustainable long-term solution whereby Euranet+ becomes an integral part of the EU’s annual budget, ensuring a level of funding whereby its reach and number of listeners can be expanded over the coming years;

Amendment 21 #

Santiago FISAS AYXELÀ, Javi LÓPEZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Underscores the value of pilot projects and preparatory actions in shaping future EU policy initiatives; points to the success of the New Narrative for Europe PA, which has effectively fostered debate and fresh thinking among young people on the EU's challenges; calls for the initiative to be continued through the Youth strand of Erasmus+.; welcomes the inclusion of the Special Events budget line in the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2018, which will allow the development of a sense of European belonging among citizens;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Underscores the value of pilot projects and preparatory actions in shaping future EU policy initiatives; points to the success of the New Narrative for Europe PA, which has effectively fostered debate and fresh thinking among young people on the EU's challenges; recalls ~~for~~that the ~~initiative to be continued through the Youth strand of Erasmus+.~~continuation of Preparatory Actions is best ensured through the establishment of a legal base and the provision of dedicated funds;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Underscores the potential value of pilot projects and preparatory actions in shaping future EU policy initiatives; points, for example, to the New Narrative for Europe PA, which ~~has effectively~~aims to fostered debate and fresh thinking among young people on the EU's challenges~~; calls for the initiative to be continued through the Youth strand of Erasmus+~~.

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Welcomes the decision to include in the EU budget for 2017 funds for Special Annual Events; underlines the need to continue supporting such unique events of a pan-European character financially from this budget line in 2018 and beyond; calls for the allocation of 1.5 million. EUR for a Special Annual Event, ‘NowWeMove’ 2018, aimed at raising the importance of grassroots sport and physical activity among European citizens by organising some 3000 events delivered across all EU Member States, with more than 1,500,000 participants;

Amendment 26 #

Silvia COSTA, Luigi MORGANO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Stresses that in order to address the chronically low success rates of some EU programmes that are caused by underfunding and to provide for a counter-cyclical function of the EU budget, a system of genuine and consistent own resources must be put in place for the post-2020 MFF;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Highlights the importance of creating the best conditions for ensuring that citizens can understand and participate in the functioning of the Union, its policies and processes; emphasises, in that respect, the need for the European Union to improve its communication policy;

Amendment 28 #

Bogdan Andrzej ZDROJEWSKI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Highlights the importance of statistical research and access to comparable data resources allowing for the effective monitoring and analysis of the cultural, economic and societal impact of policies in the field of culture and education; in this respect, recalls the need to allocate sufficient resources for that purpose;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Is convinced that consumer policy is one of the main horizontal priorities for the Union and that the budget for that policy area should reflect this; asks the Commission to do its utmost to increase education and awareness on consumer policy, as well as on product safety and market surveillance, in particular in the Digital Single Market and to mainstream consumer interests across different Union policies;

Amendment 3 #

Maria GRAPINI, Liisa JAAKONSAARI, Lucy ANDERSON, Marlene MIZZI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Deeply regrets~~Is concerned that the draft budget does not appear to include any of the additional 50 million EUR earmarked for Erasmus+ in the MFF revision for the period 2018- 2020; calls for a proportionate tranche of that money to be made available in 2018 so that Erasmus+ can fully deliver as a strategic investment in Europe’s young people;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Is convinced that consumer policy is one of the main horizontal priorities for the Union and that the budget for that policy area should reflect this; asks the Commission to do its utmost to increase education and awareness on consumer policy in particular in the Digital Single Market and to mainstream consumer interests across ~~different~~all Union policies;

Amendment 4 #

Maria GRAPINI, Liisa JAAKONSAARI, Lucy ANDERSON, Marlene MIZZI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Underscores that common European challenges need a common European response; stresses, in this respect, the need to support large-scale innovation projects in the field of education, training and youth carried out by European Civil Society networks; calls, once again, for allocating part of the overall Erasmus+ funding of KA2 'Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices' to centralised actions; notes, furthermore, the need to increase the operational support to European networks under KA3 ‘Support for policy reform’ in order to maximise the promotion and dissemination of the opportunities offered by Erasmus+;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Welcomes appropriations for the competitiveness of enterprises and SMEs as it is one of the priorities to support entrepreneurship and boost ~~growth and~~sustainable growth and the creation of jobs;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Recalls that the Youth Guarantee scheme and the Youth Employment Initiative are key tools to address the persistent problem of high levels of youth unemployment and calls for their continued improvement, as well as a substantial budget increase; points out that policies supporting demand and investments, growth-enhancing structural reforms and coordination in social policies are needed to support quality transitions of young people into the labour market in a sustainable way;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Welcomes appropriations for the competitiveness of enterprises and SMEs as it is one of the priorities to support entrepreneurship and boost growth and jobs; stresses the necessity of efficient financing for innovation, scale-up, internationalisation and access to third countries' markets in order to increase the international competitiveness of Union enterprises;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Expresses concern that funding for the Solidarity Corps draws heavily on Erasmus+; c~~onsiders that greater clarity is required, particul~~alls for the Commission to elaborate on the detalied budgetarly ~~on the~~ links between the new Corps and the EVS; welcomes the fact that 18.4 million EUR set aside for the Corps in 2018 is fresh money; insists that this money must not come from the Erasmus+ top-up under the MFF revision; insists, that no other funds than those committed to the EU part of EVS be transferred from Erasmus+ to the Corps;

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Is nevertheless concerned at the reduction~~ Welcomes the increase in commitment appropriations concerning the budget line 02 02 01 ‘Promoting entrepreneurship and improving the competitiveness and access to markets of Union enterprises’ asbut is nevertheless concerned at the reduction in payment appropriations in that budget line since SMEs still encounter problems in those areas of the real economy;

Amendment 7 #

Maria GRAPINI, Liisa JAAKONSAARI, Lucy ANDERSON, Marlene MIZZI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Expresses concern that funding for the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) draws heavily on Erasmus+; considers that greater clarity is required, particularly on the link between the new Corps and the EVS; ~~welcomes the fact that 18.4 million EUR set aside for the Corps in 2018 is fresh money; insists that this money must not come from the Erasmus+ top up under the MFF revision~~insists that funding for new initiatives does not put further pressure on Erasmus+ programme resources;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Is nevertheless concerned at the reduction in the budget line 02 02 01 ‘Promoting entrepreneurship and improving the competitiveness and access to markets of Union enterprises’ as SMEs still encounter problems in those areas of the real economy; stresses that sufficient financial support for microenterprises, entrepreneurs and SMEs should be the key priority for the Union; emphasises that securing good access to finance is essential for keeping SMEs competitive and for helping them to overcome challenges related to access to the internal market as well as to the global market;

Amendment 8 #