2024/0258(COD) | [ParlTrack]

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13

(13) In addition to boosting socio- economic convergence, the Facility should also help accelerate reforms related to the fundamentals of the enlargement process including rule of law, fundamental rights, inter alia, the rights of refugees, of persons belonging to minorities, including national minorities and Roma, as well as the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons as well as of vulnerable groups. It should also improve the functioning of democratic institutions and public administrations; public procurement, state aid control and public finance management; the fight against all forms of corruption and organised crime; quality education and training as well as employment policies; the country’s green transition, climate and environmental objectives and shifting towards a climate neutral, biodiverse and sustainable economy.

Amendment 12 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)

(13a) Activities under the Facility should support the ongoing efforts of reducing income inequalities in order to foster social inclusion and sustainable long-term growth.

Amendment 13 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 b (new)

(13b) The implementation of this Regulation should be guided by, and advance, the respect for labour rights, such as minimum standards for labour laws, equality, health and safety at work and non-discrimination as well as the promotion of social protection and social dialogue, in order to further align them with Union rules and standards.

Amendment 14 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 c (new)

(13c) The Facility should not require the implementation of structural economic reforms such as privatization of public companies which would impede the access to essential services and therefore would be highly detrimental to Moldova’s population and its resilience.

Amendment 15 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23

(23) Activities under the Facility should support progress towards Union social, climate and environmental standards, and support progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reducing inequalities while decoupling economic growth from resource use, the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and should not contribute to environmental degradation or cause harm to the environment or climate. Measures funded under the Facility should be in line with Moldova’ Energy and Climate Plans, their Nationally Determined Contribution and ambition to reach climate neutrality by 2050. The Facility should contribute to the mitigation of climate change and to the ability to adapt to its adverse effects, and foster climate resilience. In particular, funding under the Facility should promote the transition towards a decarbonised, climate-neutral, climate-resilient and circular economy. The Facility should support boosting innovation for SMEs and social economy actors, as well as technology transfer in support of green and digital transitions. Activities under the Facility should inlclude policies to reduce youth unemployment and brain drain. Activities under the Facility should foresee environmental impact assessment and public consultation projects affecting protected areas, biodiversity and environmental protection, taking into acount local community views.

Amendment 16 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 38

(38) The Reform Agenda should include targeted reform measures and priority investment areas, along with payment conditions in the form of measurable qualitative and quantitative steps that indicate satisfactory progress or completion of those measures, and a timetable for the implementation of those measures. The Reform Agenda should also include a preliminary list of planned investment projects intended for implementation under NIP. Those steps should be planned to be implemented for no later than 31 December 2027, although it should be possible for the overall completion of the measures, to which such steps refer, to extend beyond 2027 but not later than 31 December 2028. The Reform Agenda should include an explanation of Moldova’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, corruption, including high-level corruption, fraud and conflicts of interest, when using the funds provided under the Facility, and the arrangements to avoid double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes as well as other donors. The Reform Agenda should be designed and implemented with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders in the country.

Amendment 17 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 43

(43) The Commission should assess the Reform Agenda based on the list of criteria set out in this Regulation. In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to approve the Reform Agenda. The Commission will duly take into account Council decision 2010/427/EU (11) and the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS), where appropriate. The assesment of the Reform Agenda should be carried out by the Commission, assisted by independent experts, including from civil society.

Amendment 18 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2

2. The Regulation shall provide assistance to Moldova for the delivery of EU-related reforms, in particular inclusive and sustainable socio-economic reforms and reforms concerning fundamentals of the enlargement process, aligned with Union values, as well as investments to implement Moldova’s Reform Agenda aiming to contribute to fighting poverty, tackling unemployment and leading to quality job creation.

Amendment 19 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b

(b) support social and territorial cohesion as well as progressive integration of Moldova into the Union single market;

Amendment 20 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) accelerate the socio-economic convergence of Moldova’s economy with the Union without requiring the implementation of structural economic reforms such as privatization of public companies;

Amendment 21 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) accelerate the socio-economic convergence of Moldova’s economy with the Union and in particular the decarbonisation of its economy;

Amendment 22 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a

Amendment 23 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a

(a) further strengthen the fundamentals of the enlargement process, including the rule of law and fundamental rights, the functioning of democratic institutions, including de-polarisation, public administration and fulfil the economic criteria; this includes promoting an independent judiciary, reinforcing security and stability, strengthening the fight against fraud and all forms of corruption, including high-level corruption and ~~nepotism~~oligarchic structures and any sorts of nepotism and favouritism and conflicts of interests, organised crime, cross-border crime and money laundering as well as terrorism financing, tax evasion and tax fraud, tax avoidance; increasing compliance with international law; strengthening freedom and independence of media and academic freedom; combating hate speech; enabling an environment for civil society, fostering social dialogue; guaranteeing fundamental labour rights as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the relevant International Labour Organization’s conventions; promoting gender equality, gender mainstreaming and the empowerment of women and girls, non- discrimination and tolerance, to ensure and strengthen respect for the rights of refugees and persons belonging to minorities, including national minorities and Roma, as well as rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and different vulnerable groups. enhancing inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities, and in particular transition from institutional care to community-based support and independent living; and building a functioning market economy capable of coping with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union; and accelerating the shift towards a climate neutral, biodiverse and sustainable economy;

Amendment 24 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point f

(f) accelerate the transition of Moldova to sustainable, equitable, climate-neutral and inclusive economy, that is capable of withstanding competitive market pressures of the Union single market, and to a stable investment environment and reduce its strategic dependency;

Amendment 25 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point g

(g) foster economic integration of Moldova with the Union single market, in particular through ~~increased~~ trade and investment flows, improved connectivity, and resilient value chains;

Amendment 26 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point i

(i) accelerate the inclusive and sustainable green transition to climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest, in accordance with the Paris Agreement and the Green Deal and covering all economic sectors, particularly energy efficiency and renewable energy, including the transition towards a de-carbonised, climate-neutral, climate- resilient and circular economy, with emphasis on decentralised renewable energy networks, while ensuring that investments respect the Union climate acquis and ‘do no significant harm’ principle;

Amendment 27 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point j

(j) promote the digital transformation and digital skills as an enabler of sustainable development and inclusive growth by investing in building specific public competencies and avoiding handing over the implementation of digitally intensive sectors to private companies from outside the Union;

Amendment 28 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point k

(k) boost innovation, research, and cooperation between academic institutions and industry in support of the green and digital transitions, by providing technical assistance and technology transfer and promoting local industries with a particular emphasis on locally based micro, small and medium- sized enterprises and start-ups;

Amendment 29 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point l

(l) boost quality education, training, reskilling and upskilling at all levels, with a particular focus on youth, including tackling youth unemployment, preventing brain drain and supporting vulnerable communities, including refugees, and support employment policies, including tackling gender pay gap and labour rights, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights, and fighting poverty.

Amendment 30 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2

2. Cooperation under the Facility shall be needs-based and shall promote the development effectiveness principles, namely ownership of development priorities by Moldova a focus on clear conditionality and tangible results, inclusive partnerships and participatory policy-making that includes civil society and local authorities, transparency and mutual accountability. That cooperation shall be based on an effective and efficient allocation and use of resources.

Amendment 31 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6

6. Activities under the Facility shall mainstream and promote democracy, human and labour rights and gender equality, progressively align with the social, climate and environmental standards of the Union, mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation, where relevant, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, including through, where appropriate, environmental impact assessments, and shall support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting integrated actions that can create co-benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way. Those activities shall avoid stranded assets, and shall be guided by the principles of ‘do no significant harm’ and of ‘leaving no one behind’, as well as by the sustainability mainstreaming approach underpinning the European Green Deal. At least 37 % of the non-repayable financial support, including provisioning, provided to investment projects approved under the Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) should account to climate objectives.

Amendment 32 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2

2. The Reform Agenda shall provide an overarching framework to achieve the general and specific objectives set out in Article 3 and general principles set out in Article 4, setting out the reforms to be undertaken by Moldova, as well as investment areas. The Reform Agenda shall comprise measures for the implementation of reforms through a comprehensive and coherent package, including ensuring adherence to the ‘do no significant harm’ principle. In the areas of the fundamentals of the enlargement process, including the rule of law, the fight against corruption, including high-level corruption, fundamental rights and the freedom of expression, and shifting towards a climate neutral, biodiverse and sustainable economy, the Reform Agendas shall reflect the assessments in the enlargement policy framework.

Amendment 33 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5

5. The Reform Agenda shall respect the general principles set out in Article 4 and shall be drafted in open and transparent manner in consultation with all stakeholders.

Amendment 34 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point c

(c) an explanation of how the measures are expected to further strengthen the fundamentals of the enlargement process as referred to in Article 3(2), point (n), including the rule of law, fundamental rights, a~~nd the fight against corruption~~s well as the fight against fraud, any types of corruption including high level corruption and oligarchic structures, nepotism and favouritism and conflicts of interests, organised crime and money laundering and terrorism financing, tax evasion, tax avoidance and tax fraud and to ensure compliance with international law;

Amendment 35 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point g

(g) an explanation of the extent to which the measures are expected to contribute to education, training and employment ~~and~~, social objectives and social cohesion;

source: 766.791

2024/12/19 CONT 88 amendments...

Amendment 100 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3

3. The release of the Union’s assistance shall be managed by the Commission in a manner consistent with the key principles and objectives of reforms set out in the Reform Agenda. All funds, with the exception of complementary support referred to in paragraph 2, and resources referred to in paragraph 5, shall be provided in twice- yearly instalments based on the completion of the necessary reforms in the specified timelines as agreed in the reform agenda and agreed in the Commission ~~Implementing Decision~~Delegated Act.

Amendment 101 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 5

5. An amount of up to 1% of the non- repayable support referred to in paragraph 2 may be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the Facility, such as preparatory actions, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, which are required for the management of the Facility and the achievement of its objectives, in particular studies, meetings of experts, training consultations with Moldova’s authorities, conferences, consultation of stakeholders, including local and regional authorities and civil society organisations, information and communication activities, including inclusive outreach actions, and the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, insofar as they are related to the objectives of this Regulation, expenses linked to IT networks focusing on information processing and exchange, corporate information technology tools, as well as all other expenditure at headquarters and Union delegation for the administrative and coordination support required for the Facility. Expenses may also cover the costs of activities supporting transparency and of other activities such as quality control and monitoring of projects or programmes on the ground and the costs of peer counselling and experts for the assessment and implementation of reforms and investments.deleted

Amendment 102 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 5

5. An amount of up to 12% of the non- repayable support referred to in paragraph 2 may be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the Facility, such as preparatory actions, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, which are required for the management of the Facility and the achievement of its objectives, in particular studies, meetings of experts, training consultations with Moldova’s authorities, namely the Court of Auditors of Moldova, conferences, consultation of stakeholders, including local and regional authorities and civil society organisations, information and communication activities, including inclusive outreach actions, and the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, insofar as they are related to the objectives of this Regulation, expenses linked to IT networks focusing on information processing and exchange, corporate information technology tools, as well as all other expenditure at headquarters and Union delegation for the administrative and coordination support required for the Facility. Expenses may also cover the costs of activities supporting transparency and of other activities such as quality control and monitoring of projects or programmes on the ground and the costs of peer counselling and experts for the assessment and implementation of reforms and investments.

Amendment 103 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 5 – point a

(a) the commitment of Moldova to ~~make decisive progress towards~~strictly prioritise the establishment of a robust legal framework to fight fraud, and establish more efficient and effective control systems, including appropriate mechanisms for the protection of whistleblowers as well as appropriate mechanisms and measures to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest as well as to strengthen the fight against money laundering, organised crime, misuse of public funds, terrorism financing, tax avoidance, tax fraud or tax evasion, and other illegal activities affecting the funds provided under the Facility;

Amendment 104 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point l

(l) an explanation of Moldova’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, fraud, corruption, including high-level corruption, and conflicts of interest, to fight the informal economy, and to enforce State aid control rules, and the proposed measures to address existing deficiencies in the first years of the implementation of the Reform Agenda;

Amendment 105 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2

2. The Reform Agenda shall be results-based and include indicators for assessing progress towards the achievement of the general and specific objectives set out in Article 3. Those indicators shall be based, where appropriate and relevant, on internationally agreed indicators and those already available related to the Moldova’s policies. Indicators shall also be coherent, to the extent possible, with the key performance indicators included in Commission ~~Implementing Decision~~Delegated Act approving the Reform Agendas for the Western Balkans under Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 and in the EFSD+ Results Measurement Framework.

Amendment 106 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – title

~~Commission Implementing Decision~~Delegated Act

Amendment 107 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1

1. 1. In case of positive assessment, the Commission shall ~~approve by means of an implementing decision~~propose to approve by delegated act the Reform Agenda submitted by Moldova, in accordance with Article 12 or, where applicable, of the amended Agenda submitted in accordance with Article 14. The provisions of Article 25(2) shall apply to the adoption of that ~~implementing decision~~delegated act.

Amendment 108 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2

2. The Commission ~~implementing decision~~proposal for delegated act, referred to in paragraph 1, shall set out the reforms to be implemented by Moldova concerned, the investment areas to be supported and the payment conditions stemming from the Reform Agenda, including the timetable.

Amendment 109 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts to supplement this Regulation in order to set out the common indicators to be used for reporting on the progress and for the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of the Framework towards the achievement of the general and specific objectives;

Amendment 110 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 3 – introductory part

3. The Commission ~~implementing decision~~proposal for a delegated act, referred to in paragraph 1, shall also lay down:

Amendment 111 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 3 – point b

(b) the breakdown by instalment of financing ~~between loan support and non- repayable~~of loan support;

Amendment 112 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1

1. Where the Reform Agenda, including relevant payment conditions, is no longer achievable by Moldova, either partially or totally, because of objective circumstances, Moldova may propose an amended Reform Agenda. In that case, Moldova may make a reasoned request to the Commission to ~~amend its implementing decision~~propose amendements to the delegated act referred to in Article 13(1).

Amendment 113 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2

2. The Commission may ~~amend the implementing decision~~propose amendements to the delegated act, in particular to take into account a change of the amounts available in line with the principles under Article 19.

Amendment 114 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3

3. Where the Commission considers that the reasons put forward by Moldova justify an amendment to its Reform Agenda, the Commission shall assess the amended Agenda in accordance with Article 12 and may ~~amend the implementing decision~~propose amendements to the delegated act referred to in Article 13(1) without undue delay.

Amendment 115 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1

1. In order to finance the support under the Facility in the form of loans, the Commission shall be empowered on behalf of the Union to borrow the necessary funds on the capital markets or from financial institutions in accordance with Article 224 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509.deleted

Amendment 116 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1

1. Provisioning for the loans shall be constituted at the rate of 9 % from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947 and shall be used as part of provisions supporting similar risks.deleted

Amendment 117 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1

1. Following the submission of the Reform Agenda to the Commission, Moldova may request the release of a pre- financing of up to 720 % of the total amount foreseen under this Facility in accordance with Article 6(1), after deduction of complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance, and provisioning for loans.

Amendment 118 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1

Amendment 119 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1

Amendment 120 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 2

2. The Commission may release the requested pre-financing after the adoption of ~~its implementing decision~~the delegated act referred to in Article 13 and the entry into force of the Facility Agreement and of the loan agreement referred to in Articles 8 and 15 respectively. The funds shall be released in accordance with Article 19(3), first sentence, and subject to the respect of the preconditions set out in Article 5.

Amendment 121 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 2

2. Following satisfactory fulfilment of payment conditions, the Commission will adopt a decision authorising a release of funds, as referred to in Article 19(3). This decision shall, in accordance with Article 6(1), set the amount of funds to be made available in the form of non-repayable support provided by the Union for projects approved under the NIP, and the amount of financial assistance in the form of loan support to be released to Moldova. This decision shall also set out, in accordance with the ratio set in the Facility Agreement as referred to in Article 8(5)(c), the share of this loan support to be made available by Moldova as co-financing for projects approved under the NIP.

Amendment 122 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1

1. Twice per year, Moldova shall submit a duly justified request for the release of funds at the latest two months after the timeline set in the ~~Commission Implementing Decision~~Delegated Act in respect of fulfilled payment conditions related to the quantitative and qualitative steps as set out in the Reform Agenda.

Amendment 123 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2

2. The Commission shall assess without undue delay whether Moldova has met the preconditions set out in Article 5 and the principles for financing set out in Article 10(3) and achieved satisfactory fulfilment of the payment conditions set out in the ~~Commission implementing decision~~Delegated Act referred to in Article 13. In case the Commission finds that payment conditions for which it had previously paid have been reversed by Moldova, the Commission will reduce future disbursements by an equivalent amount. The Commission may be assisted by experts, including experts from Member States. In the event that a request for the release of funds or a request for payment includes a step related to Chapter 32, referred to in Article 19(2), the Commission may not adopt a decision authorizing the release of funds unless it assesses such step positively.

Amendment 124 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 5

5. Where the Commission concludes that Moldova has not taken the necessary measures within a period of 12 months from the initial negative assessment referred to in paragraph 4, the Commission shall reduce the amount of the ~~non- repayable financial support and of the~~ loan proportionately to the part corresponding to the relevant payment conditions. During the first year of implementation, a deadline of 24 months shall apply, calculated from the initial negative assessment referred to in paragraph 4. Moldova may present its observations within two months from the communication to them of the Commission’s conclusions.

Amendment 125 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 7

7. The Commission may reduce the amount of the ~~non-repayable financial support and recover from Moldova, including by offsetting, any amount spent to achieve the objectives of the Facility, or to reduce the amount of the~~ loan to be disbursed to Moldova or request early repayment of the loan in accordance with the loan agreement, in the event of funds unduly paid, identified cases of, or serious concerns in relation to, irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest affecting the financial interests of the Union that have not been corrected by Moldova, or of a reversal of qualitative or quantitative steps or in cases it is found, after the payment has taken place, that steps were not satisfactorily fulfilled, or of a serious breach of an obligation resulting from the Facility Agreements or from the loan agreements-, including on the basis of information provided by OLAF or of the Court of Auditors’ reports. The Commission shall inform the European Parliament and the Council prior to taking any decision of such reductions.

Amendment 126 #

Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 7

7. The Commission may reduce the amount of the non-repayable financial support and recover from Moldova, including by offsetting, any amount spent to achieve the objectives of the Facility, or to reduce the amount of the loan to be disbursed to Moldova or request early repayment of the loan in accordance with the loan agreement, in the event of funds unduly paid, identified cases of, or serious concerns in relation to, irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest affecting the financial interests of the Union that have not been corrected by Moldova, or of a reversal of qualitative or quantitative steps or in cases it is found, after the payment has taken place, that steps were not satisfactorily fulfilled, or of a serious breach of an obligation resulting from the Facility Agreements or from the loan agreements-, including failure to meet preconditions related to transparency and financial integrity on the basis of information provided by OLAF or of the Court of Auditors’ reports. The Commission shall inform the European Parliament and the Council prior to taking any decision of such reductions.

Amendment 127 #

Julien SANCHEZ, Virginie JORON, Ondřej KNOTEK

Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 10

10. ~~Payments of the non-repayable financial support and of t~~The loans under this Article shall be made in accordance with the budget appropriations, as set in the annual budgetary procedure, and subject to the available funding, respectively. Funds shall be paid in instalments. An instalment may be paid in one or more tranches.

Amendment 128 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 1

1. Moldova shall publish up-to-date data on final recipients receiving amounts of funding exceeding the equivalent of EUR 510 000 cumulatively over the period of three years for the implementation of reforms and investments under this Facility.

Amendment 129 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 2 – introductory part

2. For final recipients referred to in paragraph 1, the following information shall be published in an open, interoperable and machine- readable format, which allows data to be sorted, searched, extracted, compared and reused, on a webpage, in order of total funds received, having due regard to the requirements of confidentiality and security, in particular the protection of personal data:

Amendment 130 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 3

3. The information referred to in paragraph 2 shall not be published where disclosure risks threatening the rights and freedoms of the final recipients concerned or seriously harming their commercial interests. Such information shall be made available to the Commission and to the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control, upon request.

Amendment 131 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1

1. In implementing the Facility, the Commission and Moldova shall take all ~~the appropriate~~necessary and robust measures to protect the financial interests of the Union, taking into account the principle of proportionality and the specific conditions under which the Facility will operate, the preconditions set out in Article 5(1) and conditions set out in the specific Facility Agreements, in particular regarding the prevention, detection and correction of fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and irregularities as well as the investigation and prosecution of offences affecting the funds provided under the Facility. Moldova shall commit to ~~progressing towards~~establishing and advancing effective and efficient management and control systems ~~and~~to ensure that amounts wrongly paid or incorrectly used can be recovered.

Amendment 132 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 2 – point a

(a) to ~~regularly check~~conduct regular and rigourous checks to ensure that the financing provided has been used in accordance with the applicable rules, in particular regarding the prevention, detection and correction of fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and irregularities;

Amendment 133 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 2 – point b

(b) to establish and enforce mechanisms to protect whistleblowers;

Amendment 134 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 3

3. The Facility Agreement shall also provide for the right of the Commission to reduce proportionately the amount of the non-repayable financial support provided under the Facility and to recover from Moldova, including by offsetting, any amount spent to achieve the objectives of the Facility and to reduce the amount of the loan to be disbursed to the Beneficiary or request early repayment of the loan in accordance with the loan agreement, in the event of funds unduly paid, identified cases of, or serious concerns in relation to, irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest affecting the financial interests of the Union that have not been corrected by Moldova, or in cases it is found, after the payment has taken place, that steps were not satisfactorily fulfilled, or of a serious breach of an obligation resulting from the Facility Agreement or from the loan agreement. When deciding on the amount of the recovery and reduction, or the amount to be repaid early, the Commission shall respect the principle of proportionality and shall take into account the seriousness of the irregularity, fraud, corruption or conflict of interest affecting the financial interests of the Union, or of a breach of an obligation. Moldova shall be given the opportunity to present its observations before the reduction is made or early repayment is requested.

Amendment 135 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 4

4. Persons and entities implementing funds under the Facility shall be required to immediately report any suspected cases of fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and irregularities affecting financial interests of the Union without delay, to the Commission and to OLAF. A regular report on fraud and irregularities shall be transmitted to the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control.

Amendment 136 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. The Commission shall set out specific arrangements for the management, control, supervision, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and audit of funds under the Facility.

Amendment 137 #

Julien SANCHEZ, Virginie JORON, Ondřej KNOTEK

Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. A dedicated, independent Audit Board, composed of members appointed by the Commission, shall support the Commission by providing regular reports on the utilization of funds allocated for achieving the objectives of the Facility. The Audit Board shall also issue formal recommendations to Moldova to enhance compliance and effectiveness in the implementation of the Facility's objectives.

Amendment 138 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1

1. The Commission shall monitor the implementation of the Facility and assess the achievement of the objectives set out in Article 3. The monitoring of implementation shall be targeted and proportionate to the activities carried out under the Facility Agreement, and shall be without prejudice to the reporting requirements set out under Regulation (EU) 2021/947. The indicators referred to in Article 11(2) shall ~~be expected to~~ contribute to the Commission’s monitoring of the Facility.

Amendment 51 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)

(8 a) Recognizing that Moldova’s integration into the EU single market can deliver immediate and tangible socio- economic benefits, the use of grants and loans under this regulation should prioritize measures to support the country’s export growth. These include permanent liberalization of tariff-rate quotas for key Moldovan exports, facilitation of trade through infrastructure and regulatory alignment, and strengthening Moldova’s integration into EU-led social and economic initiatives and programs.

Amendment 52 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25

(25) Reflecting the European Green Deal as Europe’s sustainable growth strategy and the importance of tackling climate and biodiversity objectives in line with the commitments of the Interinstitutional Agreement, the Facility should contribute to the achievement of an overall target of 30 % of Union budget expenditure supporting climate objectives and 7,5 % in 2024 and 10 % in 2026 and 2027 to biodiversity objectives. At least 37 % of the non-repayable financial support, including provisioning, provided to investment projects approved under the Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP), one of the regional investment platforms referred to in Article 32 of Regulation (EU) 2021/9472, should account to climate objectives. That amount should be calculated using the Rio markers following the obligation to report the EU’s international climate finance to the OECD, as well as other international agreements or frameworks. As early as June 2025, the EU climate coefficients, applicable across all programmes under the 2021-2027 Multi- annual Financing Framework (MFF) and set out in the Commission Staff Working Document entitled ‘Climate Mainstreaming Architecture in the 2021- 2027 Multiannual Financial Framework’ (SWD(2022) 225), will also be applied to climate expenditure under the MFF’s Heading 6 (‘Neighbourhood and the world’). The Facility will align with the approach of other Heading 6 instruments, in order to ensure consistent climate reporting in the region. The Facility should support activities that fully respect the climate and environmental standards and priorities of the Union and the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6). _________________ 2 Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2024 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, OJ L 239, 26.9.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/2509/oj.deleted

Amendment 53 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27

(27) The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and Moldova, ~~should~~must ensure the compliance, coherence, consistency and complementarity, increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of assistance, including by implementing appropriate internal control systems and anti-fraud policies. The support under the Facility should be made available under the preconditions that Moldova upholds and respects effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi- party parliamentary system, free and fair elections, pluralistic media, an independent judiciary and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for all human rights obligations, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.

Amendment 54 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28

Amendment 55 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28

(28) The Facility should be supported with resources from the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe amounting to EUR 420 million and a maximum amount of EUR 1 500 million in loans for the period from 2025-2027. The amount should cover the 9% provisioning required for the loans corresponding to EUR 135 million, support provided by the Union for projects approved under the NIP, as referred to in Article 18(2), and complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance. The non-repayable support should be financed from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. ~~All provisions under Regulation (EU) 2021/947 should apply unless otherwise mentioned in this Regulation~~In order to maximise EU financial support, the 9 % provisioning required for the loans corresponding to EUR 135 million should be covered from the NDICI- Global Europe Emerging challenges and priorities cushion, in line with Articles 6(3) and 17 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. All provisions under Regulation (EU) 2021/947 should apply unless otherwise mentioned in this Regulation. In particular, Moldova should remain eligible for NDICI regional, thematic and rapid response programmes. The proposed Facility is closely modelled on the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.

Amendment 56 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28 a (new)

(28 a) In order to better contribute to Moldova’s socio-economic dimension and ensure that funding under the Facility aligns with Moldova’s fiscal capacity and reform objectives, the balance between non-repayable support and concessional loans should be yearly assessed.

Amendment 57 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29

(29) Decisions on the release referred to in Article 19(3) for the support in the form of loans ~~should~~must be adopted in the period from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2029. This final date includes the time necessary for the Commission to evaluate the successful fulfilment of the payment conditions concerned and to adopt the subsequent release decision.

Amendment 58 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30

(30) In order to maximise the leverage of Union financial support to attract additional investment, and to ensure Union control over the expenditure, the investments supporting the Reform Agenda should be implemented through the NIP. At least 25% of the loan amount released to Moldova should be made available by Moldova to investment projects approved under the NIP. ~~This is in addition to the non-repayable support provided by the Union for these projects.~~

Amendment 59 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 35

(35) A Facility Agreement should be concluded with Moldova to set up the principles of the financial cooperation between the Union and Moldova, and to specify the necessary mechanisms related to the control, supervision, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and audit of Union funding under the Facility, rules on taxes, duties and charges and measures to prevent, detect, investigate and correct irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest. Consequently, a loan agreement should also be concluded with Moldova setting out specific provisions for the management and implementation of funding provided in the forms of loans. Both the Facility Agreement and the loan agreement ~~should~~must be transmitted to the European Parliament and to the Council, upon request.

Amendment 60 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37

(37) The implementation of the Facility ~~should~~must be underpinned by a coherent and prioritised set of targeted reforms and investment-related priorities in Moldova (the ‘Reform Agenda’), providing a framework for boosting inclusive sustainable socio-economic growth, clearly articulated and aligned with Union accession requirements and the fundamentals of the enlargement process. The Reform Agenda will serve as an overarching framework to achieve the objectives of the Facility. The Reform Agenda ~~should~~must be prepared in close consultation with relevant stakeholders, including social partners and civil society organisations and their input should be reflected. Disbursement of Union support ~~should~~must be conditional on compliance with the payment conditions and on measurable progress in the implementation of reforms set out in the Reform Agenda assessed and formally approved by the Commission. The release of funds should be structured accordingly, reflecting the objectives of the Facility.

Amendment 61 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 38

(38) The Reform Agenda ~~should~~must include targeted reform measures and priority investment areas, along with payment conditions in the form of measurable qualitative and quantitative steps that indicate satisfactory progress or completion of those measures, and a timetable for the implementation of those measures. The Reform Agenda should also include a preliminary list of planned investment projects intended for implementation under NIP. Those steps should be planned to be implemented for no later than 31 December 2027, although it should be possible for the overall completion of the measures, to which such steps refer, to extend beyond 2027 but not later than 31 December 2028. The Reform Agenda ~~should~~must include an explanation of Moldova’s system to effectively prevent, detect and correct irregularities, corruption, including high-level corruption, fraud and conflicts of interest, when using the funds provided under the Facility, and the arrangements to avoid double funding from the Facility and other Union programmes as well as other donors.

Amendment 62 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 40

(40) Measures under the Reform Agenda ~~should~~must contribute to improving an efficient public financial management and control system, money laundering, tax avoidance, tax evasion, fraud and organised crime and to an effective system of State aid control, with the aim of ensuring fair conditions for all undertakings.

Amendment 63 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 41

(41) The Reform Agenda ~~should~~must contain a description of such systems as well as specific steps related to Chapter 32 in order to support Moldova in bringing its audit and controls requirements in line with Union standards. In the event that a request for the release of funds includes a step related to Chapter 32, referred to in Article 19(2), the Commission may not adopt a decision authorizing the release of funds unless it assesses such step positively.

Amendment 64 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 42

(42) The Facility Agreement should also include indicators for assessing progress towards the achievement of general and specific objectives of the Facility set out in this Regulation. Those indicators should be based on internationally agreed indicators. Indicators should also, to the extent possible, be coherent with the key performance indicators included in Commission ~~Implementing Decision~~proposal of Delegated Act for the approv~~ing~~al of the Reform Agendas for the Western Balkans under Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 and in the EFSD+ Results Measurement Framework. The indicators should be relevant, accepted, credible, easy, and robust.

Amendment 65 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 42

(42) The Facility Agreement ~~should~~must also include indicators for assessing progress towards the achievement of general and specific objectives of the Facility set out in this Regulation. Those indicators ~~should~~must be based on internationally agreed indicators. Indicators ~~should~~must also, to the extent possible, be coherent with the key performance indicators included in Commission Implementing Decision approving the Reform Agendas for the Western Balkans under Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 and in the EFSD+ Results Measurement Framework. The indicators ~~should~~must be relevant, accepted, credible, easy, and robust.

Amendment 66 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 43

(43) The Commission ~~should~~must assess the Reform Agenda based on the list of criteria set out in this Regulation. In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to approve the Reform Agenda. The Commission will duly take into account Council decision 2010/427/EU (11) and the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS), where appropriate.

Amendment 67 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 43

(43) The Commission should assess the Reform Agenda based on the list of criteria set out in this Regulation. In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, ~~implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to approve the Reform Agenda~~the Commission should be empowered to adopt a delegated act. The Commission will duly take into account Council decision 2010/427/EU (11) and the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS), where appropriate.

Amendment 68 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 44

(44) The work programme within the meaning of Article 110(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 adopted in accordance with the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/947 should cover the amounts funded from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.deleted

Amendment 69 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 44

(44) The work programme approved by delegated act within the meaning of Article 110(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 adopted in accordance with the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/947 should cover the amounts funded from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.

Amendment 70 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 45

(45) Given the need for flexibility in the implementation of the Facility, it should be possible for Moldova to make a reasoned request to the Commission to ~~amend the implementing decision~~propose to amend the delegated act, where the Reform Agenda, including relevant payment conditions, is no longer achievable, either partially or totally, because of objective circumstances. Moldova should be able to make a reasoned request to amend the Reform Agenda, including by proposing addenda, where relevant. The Commission should be able to ~~amend the implementing decision~~propose to amend the delegated act.

Amendment 71 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46

(46) The Facility Agreement should provide the obligation for Moldova to ensure the collection of, and access to data in compliance with Union data protection principles and with applicable data protection rules, adequate data on persons and entities receiving funding, including beneficial ownership information, for the implementation of the Reform Agenda. Financial support for the Reform Agenda ~~should be possible in~~may only take the form of a loan. In the context of Moldova’s financing needs, it is appropriate to organise the financial assistance under the diversified funding strategy provided for in Article 224of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 and established as a single funding method therein, which is expected to enhance the liquidity of Union bonds and the attractiveness and cost-effectiveness of Union issuance.

Amendment 72 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 48

(48) Considering that the financial risks associated with the support to Moldova in the form of loans under the Facility is comparable to the financial risks associated with lending operations under Regulation (EU) 2021/947, provisioning for the financial liability from loans under this Regulation should be constituted at the rate of 9 %, in line with Article 214 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 and the funding of the provisioning should be sourced from the envelope allocated to ~~the Neighbourhood geographic programme~~emerging challenges and priorities cushion under Article 6(~~2)(a~~3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.

Amendment 73 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 49

(49) In order to ensure that Moldova disposes of start-up funding for the implementation of the first reforms, it should have access to up to 720 % of the total amount provided for in this Facility, after deduction of complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance, and provisioning for loans, in the form of a pre- financing, subject to availability of funding and to the respect of the preconditions for support under the Facility.

Amendment 74 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 49

Amendment 75 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 50

(50) It is important to guarantee both flexibility and programmability in providing Union support to Moldova. Moldova should submit on a six-monthly basis a duly justified request for the release of funds at the latest two months after the timeline for the planned fulfilment of steps, set in the Commission ~~Implementing Decision~~Delegated Act approving the Reform Agenda. For that purpose, funds under the Facility should be released according to a fixed semi-annual schedule, subject to availability of funding, on the basis of a request for the release of funds submitted by Moldova and following verification by the Commission of the satisfactory fulfilment of both the general conditions related to macro-financial stability, sound public financial management, transparency and oversight of the budget and the relevant payment conditions. Where a payment condition is not fulfilled as per the indicative timeline set in the decision approving the Reform Agenda, the Commission could withhold in whole or in part the release of funds corresponding to that condition, following a methodology on partial payments. The release of the corresponding withheld funds could take place during the next window for the release of funds and up to twelve months after the original deadline set out in the indicative timeline, provided that the payment conditions have been fulfilled. In the first year of implementation, that deadline should be extended to 24 months from the initial negative assessment.

Amendment 76 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52

(52) The Commission ~~should~~must provide, upon request of the European Parliament in the framework of the discharge procedure, detailed information about the implementation of the Union budget under the Facility, in particular as regards audits carried out, including weaknesses identified and corrective measures taken, and as regards projects approved under NIP, including where applicable the amount of Moldova’s co-financing as well as other sources of contributions including from other Union financing instruments.

Amendment 77 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52

(52) The Commission should provide~~, upon request of~~ the European Parliament in the framework of the discharge procedure, with detailed information about the implementation of the Union budget under the Facility, in particular as regards audits carried out, including weaknesses identified and corrective measures taken, and as regards projects approved under NIP, including where applicable the amount of Moldova’s co-financing as well as other sources of contributions including from other Union financing instruments.

Amendment 78 #

Julien SANCHEZ, Virginie JORON, Ondřej KNOTEK

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52

(52) The Commission should provide~~, upon request of~~ the European Parliament in the framework of the discharge procedure, detailed information about the implementation of the Union budget under the Facility, in particular as regards audits carried out, including weaknesses identified and corrective measures taken, and as regards projects approved under NIP, including where applicable the amount of Moldova’s co-financing as well as other sources of contributions including from other Union financing instruments.

Amendment 79 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 54

(54) In the interest of transparency and accountability, Moldova ~~should~~must publish data on final recipients receiving amounts of funding exceeding the equivalent of EUR 510 000 cumulatively during the implementation of reforms and investments under this Facility.

Amendment 80 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 58

(58) The Commission should ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected under the Facility. Considering the long track record of financial assistance provided to Moldova also under indirect management and taking into account its gradual alignment with the Unions internal control standards and practices, the Commission should rely to a great extent on the operation of Moldova’s internal control and fraud prevention systems. In particular, the Commission and OLAF and, where applicable, the EPPO should be informed of all suspected cases of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest affecting the implementation of funds under the Facility without delay. A regular report on fraud and irregularities should be transmitted to the the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control.

Amendment 81 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 58

(58) The Commission ~~should~~must ensure that the financial interests of the Union are effectively protected under the Facility. Considering the long track record of financial assistance provided to Moldova also under indirect management and taking into account its gradual alignment with the Unions internal control standards and practices, the Commission should rely to a great extent on the operation of Moldova’s internal control and fraud prevention systems. In particular, the Commission and OLAF and, where applicable, the EPPO should be informed of all suspected cases of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest affecting the implementation of funds under the Facility without delay.

Amendment 82 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 58 a (new)

(58 a) The Commission should set out specific arrangements for the management, control, supervision, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and audit of funds under the Facility.

Amendment 83 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 59

(59) Furthermore, Moldova ~~should~~must report the irregularities including fraud which have been the subject of a primary administrative or judicial finding, without delay, to the Commission, and to competent entities such as the European Parliament, and keep it informed of the progress of administrative and legal proceedings. With the objective of alignment to good practices in Member States, this reporting should be done by electronic means, using the Irregularity Management System, established by the Commission.

Amendment 84 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 60

(60) Moldova ~~should~~must establish a monitoring system feeding into a semi- annual report on the fulfilment of its Reform Agenda’s payment conditions accompanying the semi-annual request for the release of funds. Moldova ~~should~~must collect and provide access to data and information allowing the prevention, detection and correction of irregularities, fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest, in relation to the measures supported by the Facility.

Amendment 85 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 61

(61) The Commission ~~should~~must ensure that clear monitoring and independent evaluation mechanisms are in place in order to provide effective accountability and transparency in implementing the Union budget, and to ensure effective assessment of progress towards the achievement of the objectives of this Regulation.

Amendment 86 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 62

(62) The Commission ~~should~~must provide an annual report to the European Parliament and the Council on progress towards the achievement of the objectives of this Regulation.

Amendment 87 #

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 63

(63) The Commission ~~should~~must carry out an evaluation of the Facility upon its completion.

Amendment 88 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8

(8) ‘blending operation’ means an operation supported by the Union budget that combines non-repayable forms of support from the Union budget with repayable forms of support from development or other public financial institutions, including export credit agencies, or from commercial finance institutions and investors;deleted

Amendment 89 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a

(a) further strengthen the fundamentals of the enlargement process, including the rule of law and fundamental rights, the functioning of democratic institutions, including de-polarisation, public administration and fulfil the economic criteria; this includes promoting an independent judiciary, with sufficient capacity and protection of human rights, reinforcing security and stability, strengthening the fight against fraud and all forms of corruption, including high-level corruption and ~~nepotism~~oligarchic structures as well as any sorts of nepotism, favouritism and conflicts of interests, organised crime, cross-border crime and money laundering as well as terrorism financing, tax evasion and tax fraud, tax avoidance; supporting the fight against the informal economy, increasing compliance with international law; strengthening freedom and independence of media and academic freedom; combating hate speech; enabling an environment for civil society, fostering social dialogue; empowering future generations with access to significant political and socio-economic opportunities, including leadership; promoting gender equality, gender mainstreaming and the empowerment of women and girls, non- discrimination and tolerance, to ensure and strengthen respect for the rights of refugees and persons belonging to minorities, including national minorities and Roma, as well as rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons as well as other vulnerable groups; it will also enhance inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities, and in particular transition from institutional care to community-based support and independent living;

Amendment 90 #

Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e

(e) reinforce the effectiveness of public administration, build capacities and invest in administrative staff in Moldova; ensure access to information, public scrutiny and the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes; support transparency, accountability, structural reforms and good governance at all levels, including as regards their powers of oversight and inquiry over the distribution of and access to public funds as well as in the areas of public financial management ~~and~~, fraud prevention, public procurement and State aid control; support initiatives and bodies involved in supporting and enforcing international justice in Moldova, with emphasis on anti corruption measures;

Amendment 91 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6

6. Activities under the Facility shall mainstream and promote democracy, human rights and gender equality, progressively align with the social, climate and environmental standards of the Union, mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation, where relevant, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, including through, where appropriate, environmental impact assessments, and shall support progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, promoting integrated actions that can create co-benefits and meet multiple objectives in a coherent way. Those activities shall avoid stranded assets, and shall be guided by the principles of ‘do no significant harm’ and of ‘leaving no one behind’, as well as by the sustainability mainstreaming approach underpinning the European Green Deal. At least 37 % of the non-repayable financial support, including provisioning, provided to investment projects approved under the Neighbourhood Investment Platform (NIP) should account to climate objectives.

Amendment 92 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. The Commission shall ensure that the Parliament of Moldova as well as civil society is meaningfully consulted on the entirety of the Reform Agenda before the submission to the European Commission and is able to fully fulfil sufficient inquiry and monitoring duties during and after the duration of the Facility.

Amendment 93 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 9

9. In line with the principle of inclusive partnership, the Commission shall strive to ensure, as appropriate, democratic scrutiny in the form of consultation by Moldova’s government of ~~its p~~the Parliament of Moldova as well as of relevant stakeholders, including local and regional authorities, social partners and civil society, including vulnerable groups, refugees, and all minorities and communities, as relevant, so as to allow them to participate in shaping the design and the implementation of activities eligible for funding under the Facility and in the related monitoring, scrutiny and evaluation processes, as relevant. That consultation shall seek to represent the pluralism of Moldova’s society. In addition, the Commission shall ensure that civil society in Moldova, including non-governmental organisations, is able to directly report any irregularities concerning funding or final beneficiaries to the Commission via appropriate standing channels, as well as to send to the Commission opinions on the implementation of the Reform Agenda and the evaluation of its measures by the Moldovan government.

Amendment 94 #

Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 10

10. The Commission, in close cooperation with the Member States and Moldova, shall ensure the implementation of Union commitments to increased transparency and accountability in the delivery of support, including by promoting the implementation and reinforcement of internal control systems, independent auditing mechanisms, and anti-fraud policies. The Commission shall make information on the volume and allocation of support publicly available through the Scoreboard referred to in Article 24. Moldova shall publish up-to- date data on final recipients receiving Union funds for the implementation of reforms and investments under this Facility, as described in Article 20.

Amendment 95 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3

3. The Commission may adopt a decision concluding that some of the preconditions set out in paragraph 1 of this Article are not met~~, and in particular,~~. In such case, the Commission shall withhold the release of funds referred to in Article 19, irrespective of whether the payment conditions referred to in Article 10 are fulfilled. . In case of persistent lack of progress, serious deficiencies and/or regression in the area of the “fundamentals”, the Commission, after consulting the European Parliament and the Council, shall suspend the funding to Moldova. The Commission’s assessment shall be transmitted simultaneously to the European Parliament and the Council.

Amendment 96 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1

1. The Facility shall be supported with ~~resources from the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe amounting to EUR 420 million and~~ a maximum amount of EUR 1 500 million in loans. The amount for loans shall not constitute part of the amount of the External Action Guarantee within the meaning of Article 31(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.

Amendment 97 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1

~~The~~No non-repayable financial support shall be financed for the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2027 from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. It shall cover provisioning for loans amounting to EUR 135 million, support provided by the Union for projects approved under the NIP, as referred to in Article 18(2)and complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance. That funding shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/947granted.

Amendment 98 #

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1

The non-repayable financial support shall be financed for the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2027 from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. It shall cover provisioning for loans amounting to EUR 135 million, support provided by the Union for projects approved under the NIP, as referred to in Article 18(2)and complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance. That funding shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/947. The provisioning for loans amounting to EUR 135 million shall be covered from the NDICI-Global Europe Emerging challenges and priorities cushion in accordance with Articles 6(3) and 17 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.

Amendment 99 #