21 Amendments of Fernando RUAS related to 2017/2285(INI)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
– having regard to its Resolution of 6 July 2017 on promoting cohesion and development in the outermost regions of the EU: implementation of Article 349 of the TFEU,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 b (new)
Citation 9 b (new)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
Citation 13 a (new)
– having regard to the communication from the Commission of 24 October 2017 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank on “a stronger and renewed strategic partnership with the EU's outermost regions”,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
Citation 19 a (new)
– having regard to the Commission Staff Working document of 10 April 2017 on “Competitiveness in low-income and low-growth regions: the Lagging Regions report” SWD (2017) 132,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas in the 2007-2013 period, EUR 81 billion, or almost one third (31 %) of the ESIF was invested in transport infrastructure, which had a clear impact on GDP, business creation, industry, employment, exports and tourism; whereas the strongest impact of transport infrastructure investment was recorded in Eastern Europe and, more particularly, in the new Member States, to which 69 % of the total transport funding was allocated; whereas despite these investment efforts, road and rail infrastructure across the EU has been degrading because of too little maintenance, as maintenance budgets in several Member States have often experienced severe cuts since the economic crisis and have not evolved in line with the increasing extent of infrastructure and ageing of crucial links;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework is marked by increased ESIF and CEF budgets, along with the adverse effects of the economic and financial crisis- particularly in its first years, and, despite the delayed implementation of the programming period, there is no major impact on transport investments; whereas EU transport infrastructure investments are one of the policies that provide the highest EU added value due to the spill-over effects within the single market, which effectively make all Member States net beneficiaries of the investment;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas TEN-T and transport infrastructure such as road, and rail infrastructure, particularly high-speed rail, ports, waterways and airways are EU priorities, and if European investment were to lag behind, increased FDI could fill the gap while relocating profits, taxes and job opportunities outside of the EU, perhaps increasing the dependence and macroeconomic instability of the regions; whereas such a process would undermine the Union’s regional presence and policies in the long term and would lead to fragmentation and divergence;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas smart, sustainable and fully interconnected transport, communications, energy and digital networks are a necessary condition for the completion and smooth operation of the European single market and for linking Europe with the world market; whereas these are genuine arteries for European economic growth and the wellbeing of its citizens;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas efficient transport infrastructure and services, through servicing the other economic sectors, are a crucial stimulus to jobs creation, economic growth, sustainable development and competitiveness;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas a recent European Commission document demonstrates that in low-income regions of Europe, investments targeting improved accessibility are proving their worth as catalysts for growth;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Dc. whereas in European Regions – both in rural and urban areas, transport infrastructure is an important tool to effectively increase the size and broaden qualifications of a local labour market and therefore improve the productivity of local firms and organizations, contributing to the EU objectives of job creation and economic growth;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Dd. whereas further improvement of port services and port hinterland connections by rail is essential to the strengthening of EU’s economic, social and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D e (new)
Recital D e (new)
De. whereas improved transport mobility is vital for helping to reduce the outermost regions “accessibility gap” caused by remoteness from continental Europe-essentially insularity and difficult topography;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines that the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), the Cohesion Fund (CF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) should remain the core EU sources for transport infrastructure investments under the thematic objective of ‘promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures’', which through promoting more efficient and more sustainable transport services, will maximise the economic strengths of all EU regions, supporting the internal market, trade and reinforcing EU’s economic, social and territorial cohesion; proposes that, due to the high European added value and the extensive spill-over effects generated, these funding sources should remain available for all eligible EU regions;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the intervention logic behind EU transport infrastructure investment should remain a well-balanced construction of centrally managed and shared management sources in order to address policy and funding needs; recalls that the CEF aims to address centrally the EU-wide priority of TEN-T corridors, including safety, technological innovation and environmental aspects; recalls also that the ERDF and CF have a strong regional dimension that responds to local demand and they support the connectivity to TEN- T and mobility through secondary and tertiary nodes and multimodal terminals; underlines, in this context, that the relevant budgetary envelopes for the three funding sources need to be strengthened in an even manner in order to avoid asymmetric distribution of investment between the levels;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that infrastructure requires objective quantification of demand and future use, prior to setting the budget and the delivery methods; underlines that it should be possible for the ERDF and CF eligibility criteria to consider existing demand at NUTS 3 level;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses the view that the less developed regions with negative demographic trends or remote ones with low accessibility should be targeted more intensively by ERDF and CF transport infrastructure investments- emphasising in this context, that improving accessibility in these regions becomes a precondition for economic development, while additional sources and delivery methods should be expanded in the transition and more developed regions;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses that lagging regions (particularly low income regions), have considerable deficits in basic infrastructure; considers all investment in basic infrastructure to therefore be of strategic importance, particularly in transport infrastructure, as these investments are most likely to continue to contribute positively to economic development in the future;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for ERDF support to European Territorial Cooperation to be strengthened through additional resources, and for the establishment of a dedicated priority axis for transport infrastructure investments; understands that the focus should be on connectivity in cross-border regions, as well as advisory assistance and capacity building at project level; calls for barriers to be dismantled in order to facilitate investments, and notably cross- border investments, in transport; reminds in this context, the importance of building the missing links at borders between EU member-states and along the main European routes, removing bottlenecks and interconnecting transport modes in terminals;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Underlines that EU policies- particularly cohesion policy, have helped to reduce the accessibility gap (and its costs) to the outermost regions, due to the investments supported by EDRF and CF, which have been essential for improving transport infrastructure and facilities; in addition, CEF is supporting projects related to the Motorways of the Sea programme and to green shipping, among others;