Activities of Davor ŠKRLEC related to 2018/2046(BUD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2019
Amendments (11)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the increase of 3,9 % in commitment appropriations and 1,8 % in payment appropriations in the budget lines related to the remit of ITRE Committee under Heading 1a of the general budget of the Union compared to 2018; further welcomes the focus of the 2019 general budget on growth, innovation, competitivenesssustainability, climate change, and the transition to renewable energiesa highly energy efficient and fully renewables based economy and energy system in line with the Union´s commitments under the Paris Agreement and on the success of young and female researchers and entrepreneurs; calls on the Commission to provide increased and sufficient financial resources for those priorities;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomRejects Council cuts of 3,61 % in commitment appropriations and 0,22 % in payment appropriations in budget lines related to ITRE under Heading 1a of the Union budget 2019 compared to the Commission’s proposal; notes the increase of 3,9 % in commitment appropriations and 1,8 % in payment appropriations in the budget lines related to the remit of ITRE Committee under Heading 1a of the general budget of the Union compared to 2018; furtherUnion budget compared to 2018 in the Commission’s proposal; welcomes the focus of the 2019 general budget on growth, innovation, competitiveness, climate change, the transition to renewable energies and on the success of young and female researchers and entrepreneurs; calls on the Commission to provide increased and sufficient financial resources for those priorities;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the necessity to develop leadership in innovation, in particular eco- innovation, and in disruptive technologies; requests, therefore, that the Commission respects the breakdown of Horizon 2020 budget as described in Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council and welcomes the proposed increase of 8,5 % in commitment appropriations for the 2019 general budget; notes with deep concern the strong underfunding of Horizon 2020 under the MFF 2014-2020 resulting in a lower success rate for applications than in the previous MFF period which means that fewer high-quality projects in the field of research and innovation are receiving Union funding; reiterates its concern about the results of the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 showing that the programme is currently below target with regards to climate and sustainability spending; reiterates, therefore, its deep concerns about the unambitious level of funding for Horizon Europe as proposed by the Commission for the next MFF and intends to secure a bare minimum of EUR 120 billion in 2018 prices for this programme during the upcoming MFF 2021-2027 negotiations and underlines its position that, following the Paris Agreement, climate-related spending should be significantly increased compared to the current MFF;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Uunderlines the necessity to develop leadership in innovation and in disruptive technologies; requesgrets, therefore, that the Commission respect the breakdown of Horizon 2020 budget as described in Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council and welcome significant Council cuts in commitment appropriations of EUR 0,3 billion and of EUR 18 million in payment appropriations in the Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation with an overwhelmingly negative impact on Horizon 2020 and especially regrets cuts in relevant budget lines such as Strengthening research in future and emerging technologies and Strengthening European research infrastructure; notes the proposed increase of 8,5 % for Horizon 2020 in commitment appropriations for the 2019 general budget; notes with deep concern in the Commission’s proposal; reminds the strong underfunding of Horizon 2020 under the MFF 2014-2020 resulting in a lower success rate for applications than in the previous MFF period which means that fewer high-quality projects in the field of research and innovation are receiving Union funding; reiterates, therefore, its deep concerns about the unambitious level of funding for Horizon Europe as proposed by the Commission for the next MFF and intends to secure a bare minimum of EUR 120 billion in 2018 prices for this programme during the upcoming MFF 2021-2027 negotiations;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recognises the importance of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI); recalls that, in order to secure additional funding for EFSI, Horizon 2020 and CEF had to be reduced; stresses that the general budget of the Union should not be financing new initiatives to the detriment of existing Union programmes and policies; intends to deliver on the commitment made by Parliament during the EFSI negotiations to reduce insofar as possible the impact on thoseis programmes and to increase appropriations for the affected lines for 2019;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the importance of finalising the Energy Union while achieving the European climate goals by fulfilling the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainability Goals; urges the Commission to provide the necessary funding for investments in these fields, as well as to tackle energy poverty and just transition; In this respects welcomes the Commission’s estimates that climate spending will reachand insists on greater coherence between the Union´s commitment under the Paris Agreement and its funding policies for the five mutually supportive dimensions of the Energy Union as stipulated in the European Parliament’s report on Accelerating clean energy innovation (2017/2084(INI)); recalls in this context the adopted ‘energy efficiency first’ principle as well as the target for the Union to become number one in renewables as well as to tackle energy poverty and just transition; takes note of the fact that the Commission’s proposal would enable reaching the target of 20 % of the budget being dedicated to climate spending in the 2019 budget; regrets, however, that the Commission has not followed up on Parliament’s request regarding offsetting the lower allocations made during the first years of the MFF; considers this proposal to be insufficient since in total only 19,3 % of the Union budget 2014-2020 would be dedicated to climate-related measures, which would prevent the Union from meeting its target of climate mainstreaming of at least 20,1 % in the 2019 budgetduring 2014-2020, also if it again allocates only 20 % of the budget to climate protection in 2020;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the importance of finalising the Energy Union while achieving the European climate goals by fulfilling the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainability Goals; urges the Commission to provide the necessary funding for investments in these fields, as well as for sustainable development, as well as to tackle energy poverty and just transition; Iin this respects welcomes the Commission’s estimates that climate spending will reach 20,1 % in the 2019 budget; considers that to achieve these goals, necessary funds should be maintained in CEF; is deeply concerned about the significant Council cuts in commitments and payments of CEF- Energy;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Is aware of the high importance of the budget lines for societal challenges, and more specifically of the budget line for improving lifelong health and wellbeing to increase the standard of living in the Union; encourages the Commission to maintain sufficient funding for such purposes and deplores the proposed Council cuts;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Underlines the importance of achieving the goals of the Digital Single Market to enhance the Union’s digitalisation and the digital inclusion of the European economy, public sector and citizens; recognizes in this respect the importance of initiatives such as WIFI4EU; deplores Council cuts for this initiative;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls the importance of adequate financial and staff resources for all agencies under ITRE-remit to ensure that they can properly fulfil their tasks; stresses that the 5 % cut in staff and the redeployment pool are ended with this general budget and urges the Commission to refrain from similar actions in the future; insists that resources be increased in accordance with the increase of tasks of concerned agencies; in this respect, welcomes the increases in staff for ACER, ENISA and GSA, but notes with concern the insufficiency of those increases;