31 Amendments of María IRIGOYEN PÉREZ related to 2011/0276(COD)
Amendment 170 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Article 174 of the Treaty provides that, in order to strengthen its economic, social and territorial cohesion, the Union shall aim at reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions or islands, particularly rural areas, areas affected by industrial transition, and regions which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps, such as the northernmost regions with low population density as well as island, border and mountain regions. Also, for the purpose of maximising the effectiveness of the funds, where applicable, disadvantaged urban areas and remote border cities should be taken into account. Article 175 of the Treaty requires that the Union would support the achievement of these objectives by action it takes through the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, Guidance Section, the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Investment Bank and other instruments.
Amendment 178 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The outermost regions should benefit from specific measures and sufficient additional funding to take into consideration the social and economic structural circumstances and to offset the handicaps resulting from the factors referred to in Article 349 of the Treaty.
Amendment 195 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) In the context of its effort to increase economic, territorial and social cohesion, the Union should, at all stages of preparation and implementation of the CSF Funds covered by the CPR, aim at eliminating inequalities and promotingensuring genuine and effective equality between men and women, as well as combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.
Amendment 223 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Member States should concentrate support to ensure a significant contribution to the achievement of Union objectives in line with their specific national and, regional and local development needs. Ex ante conditionalities should be defined to ensure that the necessary framework conditions for the effective use of Union support are in place. The fulfilment of those ex ante conditionalities should be assesswill be monitored by the Commission in the framework of its assessment of the Partnership Contract and programmes. In cases where there is a failure to fulfil an ex ante conditionality, the Commission should have the power to suspend payments to the programme, for the purpose of ensuring the necessary framework setting for the effective use of Union funds.
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) A performance framework based on positive incentives should be defined for each programme with a view to monitoring progress towards the objectives and targets set for each programme over the course of the programming period. The Commission should undertake a performance review in cooperation with the Member States that require it, in 2017 and 2019. A performance reserve should be foreseen and allocated in 2019 where milestones set in the performance framework have been attained. Due to their diversity and multi- country character, there should be no performance reserve for 'European Territorial Cooperation' programmes. In cases where the shortfall in the achievement of milestones or targets is significant, the Commission should be able to suspend payments to the programme or, at the end of the programming period, apply financial corrections, in order to ensure that the Union budget is not used in a wasteful or inefficient way.
Amendment 240 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) Establishing a closer link between cohesion policy and the economic governance of the Union will ensure that the effectiveness of expenditure under the CSF Funds is underpinned by sound economic policies and that the CSF Funds can, if necessary, be redirected to addressing the economic problems a country is facing. This process has to be gradual, starting with amendments to the Partnership Contract and to the programmes in support of Council recommendations to address macroeconomic imbalances and social and economic difficulties. Where, despite the enhanced use of CSF Funds, a Member State fails to take effective action in the context of the economic governance process, the Commission should have the right to suspend all or part of the payments and commitments. Decisions on suspensions should be proportionate and effective, taking into account the impact of the individual programmes for addressing the economic and social situation in the relevant Member State and previous amendments to the Partnership Contract. When deciding on suspensions, the Commission should also respect equality of treatment between Member States, taking into account in particular the impact of the suspension on the economy of the Member State concerned. The suspensions should be lifted and funds be made available again to the Member State concerned as soon as the Member State takes the necessary action.
Amendment 290 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 54
Recital 54
(54) In order to promote the Treaty objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion, the 'Investment for growth and jobs' goal should support all regions. To provide balanced and gradual support and reflect the real level of economic and social development, resources under that goal should be allocated from the ERDF and the ESF among the less developed regions, the transition regions and the more developed regions according to their gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in relation to the EU average. In order to ensure the long- term sustainability of investment from the Structural Funds, and to encourage the economic growth and social cohesion of the European regions, regions whose GDP per capita for the 2007-–2013 period was less than 75 % of the average of the EU-25 for the reference period but whose GDP per capita has grown to more than 75 % of the EU-27 average should receive at least two thirds of their 2007-–2013 allocation for the purpose of consolidating the development achieved. Member States whose per capita gross national income (GNI) is less than 90 % of that of the Union average should benefit under the 'Investment for growth and jobs' goal from the CF. In the aim of reflecting the real impact of the crisis, it is necessary to revise the economic data used and introduce new criteria such as the rate of unemployment to allocate cohesion policy funds, and to introduce an adjustment clause that allows for revising the category of the regions during the period, depending on substantial changes in circumstances, so that greater support may be given to a region for any deterioration.
Amendment 298 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 57 a (new)
Recital 57 a (new)
(57a) The Cohesion Fund should support the infrastructure projects planned by Regulation (EU) No [...]/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of [...], establish the Connecting Europe Facility, with a total amount of EUR XX that must be exclusively used for the benefit of eligible Member States for funding payable by the Cohesion Fund, and the cofinancing rates planned for the latter should be applied. The procedure for selecting projects should be completed in accordance with the objectives and the criteria established under Article [11] of Regulation (EU) No [...]/2012 establishing the Connecting Europe Facility; however, until 31 December 2016, the selection of eligible projects for financing must be completed by respecting the national contributions transfered from the Cohesion fund to the Connecting Europe Facility.
Amendment 323 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 72
Recital 72
(72) With a view to strengthening accessibility and transparency of information about funding opportunities and project beneficiaries, in each Member State a single website or website portal providing comprehensible and easily accessible information on all the operational programmes, including the lists of operations supported under each operational programme, should be made available.
Amendment 354 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 93
Recital 93
(93) Since the objective of this Regulation, namely to reduce disparities between levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions or islands, particular rural areas, areas affected by industrial transition, and regions which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps, such as the northernmost regions with low population density as well as island, border and mountain regions, and the outermost regions, disadvantaged urban areas and remote border cities, cannot be sufficiently achieved by Member States but can be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective,
Amendment 386 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – article 4 – paragraph 4
Part 2 – article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Member States and the bodies designated by them for that purpose shall be responsible for preparing and implementing programmes and carrying out their tasks under this Regulation and the Fund- specific rules at the appropriate territorial level, in accordance with the institutional, legal and financial framework of the Member State and subject to compliance with this Regulation and the Fund-specific rules.
Amendment 418 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
Part 2 – article 5 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) bodies representing civil society, including environmental partners, non- governmental organisations, and bodies responsible for promoting equality andensuring genuine and effective gender equality between men and women and for fighting against non- discrimination.
Amendment 449 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – article 7 – paragraph 1
Part 2 – article 7 – paragraph 1
The Member States and the Commission shall ensure that effective and genuine equality between men and women and the integration of gender perspective is promotguaranteed in the preparation and implementation of programmes, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
Amendment 453 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – article 7 – paragraph 2
Part 2 – article 7 – paragraph 2
The Member States and the Commission shall take appropriate steps to preventeliminate any discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation during the preparation and implementation of programmes, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
Amendment 652 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – article 16 – paragraph 1
Part 2 – article 16 – paragraph 1
Member States shall concentrate support, in accordance with the Fund-specific rules, on actions bringing the greatest added value in relation to the Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, addressing the challenges identified in the country-specific recommendations under Article 121(2) of the Treaty and the relevant Council recommendations adopted under 148(4) of the Treaty, and taking into account national and regional needs. Nevertheless, the thematic concentration should be flexible enough to allow ESF interventions to be adapted to the needs and specific characteristics of each Member State and each region.
Amendment 683 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – article 17 – paragraph 5
Part 2 – article 17 – paragraph 5
5. The Commission shall assess the information provided on the fulfilment of ex ante conditionalities in the framework of its assessment of the Partnership Contract and programmes. It may decide, wWhen adopting a programme, to suspend all or part of interim payments to the programme pendinghe Commission shall ensure the satisfactory completion of actions to fulfil an ex ante conditionality. The failure to complete actions to fulfil an ex ante conditionality by the deadline set out in the programme shall constitute a basis for suspending payments by the Commission.
Amendment 1022 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 2 – article 48 – paragraph 3 – point l
Part 2 – article 48 – paragraph 3 – point l
l) the adequacy of planned measures to promote equal opportunitiesguarantee real and effective equality between men and women and to prevencombat discrimination;
Amendment 1197 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 82 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Part 3 – article 82 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
The three categories of regions are determined on the basis of how their GDP per capita, measured in purchasing power parities and calculated on the basis of Union figures for the period 2006 to 2008the latest available Union figures, relates to the average GDP of the EU-27 for the same reference period.
Amendment 1202 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 82 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Part 3 – article 82 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
The Cohesion Fund shall support those Member States whose gross national income (GNI) per capita, measured in purchasing power parities and calculated on the basis of Union figures for the period 2007 to 2009the latest available Union figures, is less than 90 % of the average GNI per capita of the EU-27 for the same reference period.
Amendment 1238 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 84 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Part 3 – article 84 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
All regions whose GDP per capita for the 2007-–2013 period was less than 75 % of the average of the EU-25 for the reference period but whose GDP per capita is above 75 % of the GDP average of the EU-27 shall receive an allocation under the Structural Funds equal to at least two thirds of their 2007-–2013 allocation with the goal of consolidating the development achieved.
Amendment 1262 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 84 – paragraph 2 – point b
Part 3 – article 84 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) eligible population, regional prosperity, unemployment rate, employment rate, educational level and school dropout rate, and population density for more developed regions;
Amendment 1300 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 84 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 4
Part 3 – article 84 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 4
Support from the Cohesion Fund under the Connecting Europe Facility shall be implemented in accordance with Article [131] of Regulation (EU) […]/2012 on establishing the Connecting Europe Facility35 in respect of projects listed in Annex 1 to that Regulation, giving greatest possible priority to projects respecting the national allocations under the Cohesion Fund. However, until 31 December 2016, the process of selecting eligible projects will respect strictly the allocations transferred from the Cohesion Fund to the ‘Connecting Europe’ Facility.
Amendment 1614 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 110 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Part 3 – article 110 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
The co-financing rate at the level of each priority axis of operational programmes under the European territorial cooperation goal shall be no higher than 75% %, except for less-developed regions as referred to in Article 82.2(a) and the outermost regions as referred to in Article 349 of the Treaty, for which a maximum rate of 85 % is set.
Amendment 1635 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 111 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point c bis (new)
Part 3 – article 111 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point c bis (new)
c a) remote border towns;
Amendment 1638 #
Proposal for a regulation
Part 3 – article 111 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point c ter (new)
Part 3 – article 111 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point c ter (new)
cb) other areas affected by severe demographic challenges.
Amendment 1897 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.2 – Paragraph 1.2.3
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.2 – Paragraph 1.2.3
Amendment 1915 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.3 – Paragraph 1.3.3
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.3 – Paragraph 1.3.3
1.3.3 Higher participation of women on an equal footing with men in the labour market, both as employers and employees, would invigorate the Union's economy. Unblocking the potential for such an increase in activity, by increasing the female employment rate is crucial for reaching the Europe 2020 employment targets. Barriers to women's labour market participation, must, therefore, be fully addressed. Member States and regions must ensure that in addition to the ESF, the ERDF, the CF, the EMFF and the EAFRD also finance activities that promote women's economic independence, contribute to attaining an appropriate balance between work and personal life and family life, and that advance women's opportunities as entrepreneurs. (Takes over paragraph 1.3.3 of the Rapporteurs' amendment on the CSF, but adds a reference to the fact that participation of women in the labour market must be accomplished on an equal footing with men.)
Amendment 1921 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.4 – Paragraph 1.4.2 a (new)
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.4 – Paragraph 1.4.2 a (new)
1.4.2a With a view to achieving these goals, it is important to take appropriate measures to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities during the preparation and implementation of programmes and operations co-financed by the by the Funds covered by the CPR.
Amendment 1925 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.5 – Paragraph 1.5.1
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.5 – Paragraph 1.5.1
1.5.1 Adapting to demographic change is one of the core challenges facing Member States and regions in the decades to come. The combination of a smaller working population and a higher share of retired people as well as the problems of population dispersion will place additional strains on Member States' welfare systems and thus on the Union's economic competiveness. (Takes over paragraph 1.5.1 of the Rapporteurs' amendment on the CSF, but adds a reference to the fact that the problems of population dispersion concrete.)
Amendment 1929 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.5 – Paragraph 1.5.4
Annex -I (new) – Part 1 – Section 1.5 – Paragraph 1.5.4
1.5.4 In drawing up their programmes, Member States and regions must take account of the long-term challenges of demographic change. In those regions most affected by demographic change, they must identify measures to: a) support demographic renewal through better conditions for families and an improved balance between working and family life; b) boost employment; raise productivity and economic performance through investing in education, research and innovation; c) focus on the adequacy and quality of education, social protection and social support structures; and d) ensure cost-effective provision of health care, social services and long-term care including investment in infrastructure. (Takes over paragraph 1.5.4 of the Rapporteurs' amendment on the CSF, but adds a reference to investing in innovation and on social protection.)
Amendment 1991 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex -I (new) – Part 2 – Section 2.5 – Paragraph 2.5.4
Annex -I (new) – Part 2 – Section 2.5 – Paragraph 2.5.4
2.5.4 The Commission's White Paper on Transport sets out a vision for a competitive and resource-efficient transport system, highlighting that a significant reduction in greenhouse gases is required in the transport sector. For the Funds covered by the CPR, this means focusing on sustainable forms of transport and investing in areas that offer the greatest European added value, for example Trans-European Networks. Once identified, investments must be prioritised according to their contribution to accessibility and mobility, sustainability, to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and to the Single European Transport Area. (Takes over paragraph 2.5.4 of the Rapporteurs' amendment on the CSF, but adds a reference to accessibility.)