Activities of Fernando RUAS related to 2017/2208(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Lagging regions in the EU (short presentation) PT
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on lagging regions in the EU PDF (469 KB) DOC (88 KB)
Amendments (48)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
– having regard to its Resolution of 16 February 2017 on investing in jobs and growth – maximising the contribution of European Structural and Investment Funds: an evaluation of the report under Article 16(3) of the CPR,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
– having regard to its Resolution of 13 June 2017 on building blocks for a post-2020 EU cohesion policy,
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
– having regard to its Resolution of 24 October 2017 on the reflection paper on the Future of EU Finances,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas cohesion policy (European Regional Development Fund- ERDF, European Social Fund- ESF and Cohesion Fund- CF) is the EU’s main investment, growth and development policy aligned with the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and aimed at reducing economic, social and territorial disparities between regions and promoting convergence and, thus, improving the quality of life of European citizens;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas according to the European Commission's r‘Lagging Regions Report’, 47 regions are lagging behind in eight Member States; whereas, however, this difference is not reflected in the rleguislations; ;
Amendment 20 #
Ca. whereas cohesion policy plays an important role in all lagging regions and accounts for a very high share of their public investment in most of them;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the European Commission Report distinguishes two types of lagging regions: 'Low-growth regions', which cover less developed and transition regions that did not converge to the EU average between the years 2000 and 2013 in Member States with a GDP per head in PPS below the EU average in 2013- meaning almost all the less developed and transition regions in Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal and 'Low-income regions' covering all regions with a GDP per head in PPS below 50% of the EU average in 2013, which means several less developed regions in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas low growth regions suffer from economic stagnation particularly due to a drop in public and private investment, unlike low-income regions which maintain in general their development potential intact;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas lagging regions suffer more than others from the shortage of public and private investment, which is also due to public debt reduction requirements imposed by the Stability Pact;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the Commission hopes foris of the opinion that a closer relationship between cohesion policy and country-specific recommendations in the framework of the European Semester is needed;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas mass departures from lagging regions, especially on the partlagging regions and in particular low-income regions are confronted with mass departures of young people and skilled labour, are making them less attractive in terms of employment; conomic growth prospects;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas thegood governance and an efficient public servicesadministration contribute significantly to ensuring economic growth in lagging regions;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L a (new)
Recital L a (new)
La. whereas reliable, up-to-date and disaggregated figures and statistics are important for a well-informed, more transparent and impartial, fairer political decisions;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L b (new)
Recital L b (new)
Lb. whereas four out of five lagging regions have at least 25% of their population in a City and its Commuting Zone (FUA- functional urban area) and one out of five lagging regions has more than 50% of their population in a FUA;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. NotWelcomes the Commission's report on competitiveness in low-income and low- growth regions: the lagging regions (SWD (2017) 0132) and the solutions proposed to support growth and the economyeconomic growth, sustainable development and jobs creation in these regions;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Welcomes the implementation of the pilot initiatives for lagging regions in two regions in Romania and two regions in Poland (the latter carried out with the support of the World Bank), particularly through the definition of strategic priorities and concrete, quickly implementable actions, and looks forward to the publication of its results;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that cohesion policy plays a key role in ensuring investment in all EU regions, especially in laggingis the EU’s main investment growth and development policy ensuring investment in all EU regions and that the European Union as a whole, in order to promote its overall harmonious development, should develop and pursue actions leading to the strengthening of its economic, social and territorial cohesion and aiming at reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to create tailor-made strategies, programmes and actions for the different lagging regions, focused on their particularities and idiosyncrasies, using smart specialisation strategies, consequently accelerating their convergence and assuring the best solutions for job creation, economic growth and sustainable development of their territories; in this regard and given the fact that lagging regions are not purely rural, believes that these strategies, programmes or actions should be coordinated with the Urban Agenda;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the presence of a properlyn educated and trained workforce has a powerful impact on competitiveness, productivity and the attractiveness of the labour market; is of the opinion that, in this context, account should be taken of the existing situation of lagging regions, in particular the negative migration rate and their adverse impact on employment;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that, in lagging regions especially, it is necessary to strike thea correct balance between structural interventions, social policies and industrial policies in the programming and implementation of ESI funds to stimulate growtheconomic growth, sustainable development and jobs creation;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Underlines the importance of tackling the main issues affecting the promotion of entrepreneurship and businesses in low-growth countries, which are getting credit, enforcing contracts and protecting minority investors, while in low-income countries, the biggest issues are resolving insolvency, electricity supply and contract enforcement;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers that demographic and social development criteria, as set out insuch as, for example, the Regional Social Progress Index, shcould be considered in the context of cohesion policy and included alongside economic progress criteria in future Commission reports on lagging regions;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Highlights the adverse effects of austerity policiepublic and private high debt rates and the past economic crisis, especially infor low- growth regions, encouraging public investment cuts and giving priority to debt repayment over any other national budget itemwhich have reduced the margins of budgetary policies, producing public investment cuts;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers that growth and employment, especially in the most disadvantaged regions, can only be properly stimulated through cohesion policies if the necessary co-funding is unaffected by budgetary constraintthe commonly agreed position on the Stability and Growth Pact regarding flexibility for cyclical conditions, structural reforms uander the Stability Pact; reiterates in this regard the call for exemption of total national contributions to European structural and investment funding from Stability and Growth Pact constraints, given their objective of achieving Europe 2020 objectives and supporting competitiveness, growth and job creation, with particular regard to youth employment for government investments aiming at the implementation of major structural reforms, should be applied to the biggest extent possible, with a view to achieving Europe 2020 goals;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls for strengthened action to increase convergence between all regions also with a view to ensure their resiliency to sudden shocks;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that access to credit is harder in lagging regions, especially in those that are also low-income regions because of the higher interest rates charged by banks; stresses the importance of ensuring easier access to credit to assist businesses in difficulty and to promote new business models;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers it necessary to show greater flexibility than allowed under theThinks that more positive incentives within the existing framework of macroeconomic conditions imposed by the European Semester when it comes to funding lagging regionscould be more effective;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Takes into consideration the importance of sound economic governance for an effective increase of the overall performance of ESI Funds;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Believes that solidarity, stronger institutional capacity, and respect for the principle of good governance in these regions has a significant impact on their economic growth and on the more efficient and effective use of existing resources;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Underlines in this context the importance of the Partnership Principle and Multi Level Governance; believes that the involvement of all levels of government and interested stakeholders in designing and implementing strategies and specific programmes and actions aimed at these regions are fundamental to create effective European added value for citizens;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Believes that the measures linking the effectiveness of ESI Funds to sound economic governance as outlined in Regulation 1303/2013 should be carefully analysed, including through the involvement of all the stakeholders; furthermore, believes its rationale should be rethought, with a view to the next programming period and taking into account its 2014-2020 implementation; is of the opinion that the Commission should consider adjustments regarding the link of the European Semester to cohesion policy; in this regard, suggests a system of positive incentives, with margins to be created in the new MFF, that could serve as an envelope which can be used when member states comply with the Country Specific Recommendations (CSR) and other requirements under the European Semester;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Considers it particularly necessary to support productive and endogenous, specific business activities specific to lagging regions, including sustainable tourism and, agriculture, throughand manufactured products, through synergies arising from the increasingly effective combination of funding and support from regional and national bodies and from EU instruments.;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Stresses the importance of having reliable, up-to-date, disaggregated statistics for the purposes of well informed, more efficient and impartial political decisions; requests, therefore, for the Commission and Eurostat to provide the greatest detail and geographical disaggregation possible in statistics of relevance for devising suitable European Cohesion policies, including policies aimed at lagging regions; in this context welcomes the information provided in this Commission Report;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the Commission to consider reviewing the existing relationship between cohesion policy and macroeconomic governance, stressingrecalling that cohesion policy's legitimacy is based directly on the Treaties and is one of the most visible European policies and the most important expression of European solidarity and added value across all European regions; believes that the link between cohesion policy and economic governance processes in the framework of the European Semester must be balanced, reciprocal and non- punitive towards all stakeholderfocused on a system of positive incentives; supports a further recognition of the territorial dimension, which could be beneficial for the European Semester; notes that it is accordingly necessary to take a balanced approach to economic governance and economic, social and territorial cohesion objectives as laid down by the Treaties and to sustainable growth, employment and environmental protection;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. CRecalls on the Commissionneed for all political actors to recognise the role played by cohesion policy as an essentialthe main European economic policy instrument to promote investments that take into account the specific economic, social and territorial characteristics of the regions; stresses that such investment should therefore be exempt from the budgetary constraints of the Stability Pact, especially in lagging regions, where they promote growth, employment and improvement of the macro-economic framework throughout the EU;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Member States to adopt national and regional development strategies and programmes aimed ato improveing administrative capacities and governance and other key growth factors infor lagging regions, as proposed by the Commission report; in this regard, notes that it may be necessary to provide technical, professional and practical assistance to Member States, regions and municipalities in order to use the best practices;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls for cohesion policy to continue to be a priority for the Union and accordingly provided with adequatembitious funding, keeping in mind the review of the post-2020 multiannual programming framework.
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Recalls the importance of the involvement of the European Parliament in all discussions related to the design of innovative or new policy strategies related to cohesion policy and its future;
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22b. Reiterates the importance of the information contained in this report and strongly recommends making it publicly available in all European Union official languages;