Activities of Rosa D'AMATO related to 2023/2044(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on harnessing talent in Europe’s regions
Amendments (41)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)
Citation 9 a (new)
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1059 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on specific provisions for the European territorial cooperation goal (Interreg) supported by the European Regional Development Fund and external financing instruments1a, __________________ 1a OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 94–158
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 14 June 2023 with recommendations to the Commission on quality traineeships in the Union,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
– having regard to the Council recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability (2022/C 243/02); as well as to the Council recommendation of 16 June 2022 on individual learning accounts (2022/C 243/03),
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 b (new)
Citation 18 b (new)
– having regard to the briefing paper of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training and the Lifelong Learning Platform entitled 'Implementing a holistic approach to lifelong learning: Community Lifelong Learning Centres as a gateway to multidisciplinary support teams', published in 2019,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas population loss is a sustained trend over time, particularly affecting rural areas with older populations on average than those found in cities and suburbs 14 ; whereas young people are on average more likely to leave rural areas; whereas the loss of population in rural areas and less developed regions due to the lack of paid traineeships, career prospects and quality jobs; whereas the loss of population in rural areas and other territories listed under art. 174 TFEU is deeply linked to the lack of connectivity,essential public services and employment; whereas the posting of young workers poses significant challenges to demographic structure, their proximity and their accessibility; educational, social and cultural facilities, attractive employment opportunities, connectivity, whereas the combined impact of youth unemployment rates and underinvestment of public services poses significant challenges to demographic structures of society and the overall quality of life of EU citizens; whereas mountainous, isolated and outermost regions are particularly affected by these phenomena; __________________ 14 See the Commission Staff Working Document entitled ‘The impact of demographic change – in a changing environment’ of 17 January 2023 (SWD(2023)0021).
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas in spite of its temporary impact on the labour market, the COVID- 19 pandemic has resulted in a boost to teleworkingfragmented regime of teleworking opportunities, offering great potential to connect jobs from urban centres to smaller cities, suburbs and towns15 ; for white-collar jobs, and less flexibility for blue-collar jobs; whereas according to the European Working Conditions Survey, people regularly working from home are twice as likely to work 48 hours or more a week than those working at their employer’s premises and six times more likely to work in their free time; whereas these negative effects are caused by long range managerial monitoring and demand for constant availability, and produce further psychosocial challenges caused by isolation; whereas the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was not experienced in a similar manner by all population, with the elderly, people from disadvantaged backgrounds or living in regions lacking connectivity being further left behind; __________________ 15 See the Draft Council conclusions on telework in the context of remote work, paragraph 17.
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the positivemobility and migration of workers with or without tertiary education is one of the solutions to address the challenges faced by Member States and their regions with the highest percentage of population loss; whereas further improvement is required across the EU concerning the recognition of qualifications and prior learning, especially achieved in informal and non- formal learning contexts;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas labour shortages are the direct consequence of a short-sighted approach of private and public actors and their lack of a clear strategy for continuous employee training and skills development during worktime, but also of unattractive salaries and poor working conditions in some sectors;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the talent drain isguaranteeing access to quality education and training are closely related to the need to improve the working and living conditions of people living in regions with low incomes across sectors and positions, social gaps and other socio- economic disparities; whereas reducing such disparities is a commitment which has been reiterated through the European Pillar of Social Rights but is far from being implemented;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas regional and local authorities are best placed to create the socio-economic conditions for attracting talent; whereas these administrations need economic reinforcementand administrative capacity reinforcement; whereas these administrations need to be supported in ensuring cross-border regional cooperation but also for a meaningful engagement with a diverse range of regional stakeholders to ensure that the aforementioned gaps and disparities can be adequately, swiftly, and equitably closed;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas talent retention does not refer exclusively to stopping the emigration of highly qualified persons from one country to another, or from one region to another, but also to attracting peopulationsle whose professional background is related to jobs that are still in high demand in less developed regions, rural and sparsely populated areas as well as in other territories listed in art 174 TFEU; whereas attracting these talents in disadvantaged regions can help set up new activities, create new sustainable jobs and diversify the local economy while making it more resilient;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the outermost regions are particularly vulnerable to talentbrain drain and have higher levels of unemployment and lower education rates, while their share of young people who are either unemployed or not in education is above the EU average16 ; __________________ 16 Commission communication of 3 May 2022 entitled on “Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions” (COM(2022)0198).
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas retention strategies should encompass not only professions requiring highly educated workers but all occupations, as it is essential to safeguard the well-being of all workers and reinforce the social and industrial fabric of EU regions;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas Annex XXVI of the Common Provisions Regulation laying down the methodology on the allocation of global resources per Member State for the political objective of the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund (ERDF-CF)17 of investment in jobs and growth, and, in particular, for the regions classified as ‘less developed’, goes beyond GDP and the percentage of the unemployed; whereas the methodology of these allocations could be revised and enhanced in view of the particular challenges faced by regions in a development trap; __________________ 17 Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of 24 June 2021on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund, OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p.60.
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission communication on ‘Harnessing talent in Europe’s regions’; appreciates the strategies presented as a mechanism to avoid economic, social and gender disparities between citizens affected bywhile ensuring the green and digital transitions; considers it fundamental that the concept of ‘rurterritorial proofing’ include assessing the demographic impact, the issue ofproximity and accessibility of public services, the issue of quality job creation, the impact on the educational and training framework and the gender impact;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Reiterates the importance of the conclusions of the 2021 Porto Social Summit, calling on the Commission and Member States to come up with a Social Resilience Package as a set of measures to strengthen social welfare and social protection systems in the EU; highlights the importance of the EPSR as a guiding compass to a more social Europe and its action plan as concrete tools to improve the quality of life of EU citizens;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that policy objective four (PO 4) of ERDF-CF18 already envisages the achievement of a more social and inclusive Europe through the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights; is of the belief that improving equal access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through the development of accessible infrastructure is crucial to achieving these objectives, as well as social cohesion and upward convergence; __________________ 18 Article 3(1)(d)
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Welcomes the introduction of the "do no harm to cohesion" principle (hereafter "DNHC") in the 8th Cohesion Report, where it is defined as "no action should hamper the convergence process or contribute to regional disparities"; calls on the Commission to strengthen and develop this principle as part of the European Semester, in particular through the annex on economic and social performance at regional level of country reports;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Calls on the Commission to include in CSRs a state-of-play of cohesion at NUTS2 level in Member States to monitor the level of convergence of lagging regions towards the EU average and an analysis of existing policies that could explain the situation and possible measures in order to solve regional disparities; believes that CSRs should establish measurable and binding targets on social objectives at territorial level, aiming at the reduction of inequalities and social economic exclusion in line with the Pillar of Social Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2c. Highlights the importance of reviewing EU fiscal rules to support green and social investments in those regions and territories where it is most needed; calls on the Commission to facilitate social and territorial investments by excluding the national co-financing of cohesion funds in deficit and debt calculations for the regions in a ‘development trap’ in order to address the social investment gap and growing territorial divergence among EU regions;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the creation of the Talent Booster Mechanism aimed at boosting talent in regions facing, or at risk of facing, what the Commission calls a talent development trap; calls for clear and objective criteria regarding the definition of regions in, or at risk of, a talent development trap; highlights the potential of the Technical Support Instrument which should be bound to social partners’ involvement when supporting Member States in implementing policies and reforms that are relevant to the economic and social development of the target country; calls for stronger technical assistance to Member States when implementing this Mechanism while ensuring that it is not externalised to private consulting companies, encourages the involvement of regional stakeholders, such as learning providers, in the development of initiatives under the Talent Booster Mechanism and the Technical Support Instrument, to ensure that the solutions are well-tailored to the needs of the population;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the launch of a new initiative on ‘Smart adaptation of regions to demographic transition’ and a new call under the ‘European Urban initiative’; invites the Commission to ensure that when selecting benefiting regions and territories, particular attention should be paid to the geographical balance, the level of development of the regions concerned, and the urban-rural divide across the EU; recalls in this respect that southern and eastern European regions, lagging regions, including regions in a development trap and rural areas are less advantaged when participating in EU open calls awarding innovative ideas and disruptive projects;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Notes that the lack of a binding legal framework for quality traineeships has resulted in higher social exclusion rates of young people from the labour market, especially those from vulnerable backgrounds and people with disabilities; calls on the Commission to propose a directive to ensure minimum quality standards, including rules on duration, fair remuneration and access to social protection for traineeships in the open labour market to ensure decent standards of living;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Encourages the Talent Booster Mechanism to include specific support on gender related challenges that currently prevent half of the regions’ young generation from tapping into its full potential from education to employment;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Underlines the central role of Member States and regional authorities in fighting against gender inequalities from education to employment, and therefore calls for further financial support for regions with lower rates of women participation in the labour market in order to promote equal opportunities; recalls that measures to strengthen welfare policies, such as parental leave and affordability of early child childhood education have a spillover effect on women participation in the labour market, especially in less developed regions;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Bears in mind that less developed regions have the same particularities as those considered as being ‘in a talent development trap’, such as low population density, low economic resources, low employability, ageing of the population and a reduction in the population of working age; points out the need to include in the categorisation of such regions those deemed ‘less developed’, as defined in Article 108(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages the financing of specific measures through the multiannual financial framework to address the demographic challenges, with a specific budget for regions with severe and permanent demographic difficulties; in this context, considers it necessary to reformulate the specific instruments of the cohesion policy by assigning greater weight to depopulation and number of NEETs for the allocation of funds;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers it essential to improve the executive and managerialadministrative capacity of local administrations and to reduce bureaucracytic burden, as well as to promote closer cooperation between the different institutionregional authorities and local civil society; recalls the importance of promoting cross-border regional cooperation, including through the Interreg programme, in order to develop joint policy initiatives and share good practices;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Notes that, in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, with the introduction of austerity measures, privatisation and de-regulation of labour market institutions, public services have been massively underfunded; highlights that less developed regions, rural and sparsely populated areas have been disproportionately affected by these policies, exacerbating the growing economic, social and territorial disparities across EU regions; urges the Commission to review the rules for the services of general and economic interest and ensure that these services are accessible to all;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to finance and promote specific projects for the development of initiatives to ensure young people’s access to quality education and work-related training, with a particular focus on deficit or high-demand occupations, to stimulate the creation of quality jobs and tovia guarantee paid quality and paid apprenticeships and traineeships;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to implement the Council Recommendations on Individual Learning Accounts and on a European approach to micro-credentials in order to develop tools for tailored learning aimed at most disadvantaged people; underlines the importance of recognising prior learning and previously obtained qualifications in order to facilitate participation in further learning activities;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Encourages the Member States to ensure that active labour market policies and cohesion funds drive public investments in sustainable quality jobs, while shifting the functioning of the current educational system and labour market towards a continuous life-long learning and training environment;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Stresses that a reinforced social dialogue and collective bargaining between trade unions and representatives of employers are key aspects of the European social model and essential tools for territorial development and the creation of quality jobs;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9c. Highlights the disproportionate impact that climate change related phenomena have on less developed regions, their economies, especially economic sectors particularly exposed and workers’ working conditions; believes that “green collective bargaining” is a concrete tool for workers to address the impact of the green transition on employment, on territorial and social cohesion, health and safety at work, transitions between different sectors of activity and the training and reskilling of workers;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Paragraph 9 d (new)
9d. Deplores the state of pollution of the Mediterranean basin and the increasing economic, environmental, demographic and social challenges faced by coastal and local areas; underlines that innovative teaching processes and skills in maritime education can make maritime professions more attractive and strengthen a competitive and sustainable blue economy, particularly in the less developed regions across the different sea basins of the EU; believes that macro- regions play a key role in strengthening the economic, social, and territorial cohesion of the European Union and its close neighbourhood by empowering cross-border areas to address specific, shared challenges collectively; considers that a macro-regional strategy for the Mediterranean, with the active involvement of the regional and local authorities concerned, has considerable potential for supporting the diversification of fishers’ and aquaculture producers’ activities, including retraining and conversion, thus creating quality and sustainable jobs in the blue economy;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Acknowledges that direct financial support to regions in or at risk of a talent development trap will be provided under existing instruments; regrets nonetheless that no specific and dedicated financial support has been established for this purpose; suggests that the new programming period should include the launch of a European roadmap to reduce the number of NEETs and the creation of a dedicated fund addressing the brain drain;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Advocates ensuring regions’ access to quality public services such as health, education and social protection, as well as to essential transport infrastructure and digital connectivity; calls on Member states to launch and implement national strategies aimed at reinforcing Public services in rural areas and regions affected by negative migration rates as a concrete measure to reverse depopulation;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers it essentialalls on Member States to prioritise policies and measures tohat facilitate work-life balance, guaranteeingprovide access to childcare, working time flexibility and, parental leave, decent wages and better working conditions to untap the potential of millions of workers in their respective professional domains;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. To enhance the benefits of migration, underlines the importance of facilitating the recognition of qualifications and supporting language learning of third country nationals to better match their skills to local development needs; emphasises the essential role of regional and local authorities in providing accompanying measures to ensure the successful social inclusion of migrant workers in the host communities;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Recalls the need to link the Talent Booster Mechanism with other EU initiatives under the Pact on Migration and Asylum, such as the Talent Partnerships and the Talent Pool designed to match and attract skilled foreign workers to the EU;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Advocates the promotion of a supranational cooperation networks aimed at promoting the exchange and circulation of talentof ideas and skills for a sustainable growth and, thereby acting as a driver for the dissemination of knowledge, experience and training across the EU and beyond;