Activities of Matthijs van MILTENBURG related to 2017/2279(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union: the 7th report of the European Commission PDF (619 KB) DOC (101 KB)
Amendments (18)
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas cohesion policy aims to promote harmonious development of the whole Union, leading to a strengthening of its economic, social and territorial cohesion, in a spirit of solidarity and with the aim of promoting growth, and reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the 7th Cohesion Report draws attention to the diversity of regions and territories, including within current categories of regions, owing to their specific circumstances (ultraperipherality, sparse population, low income, low growth, etc.), making a tailored approach essential;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that cohesion policy investments provide European added value by contributing to European public goods and to the Treaty objective of reducing disparities;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that European added value is alsostrongly reflected in European territorial cooperation,; in all its dimensions (cross-border, transnational, interregional co-operation); calls for an increase in its share of the budget allocated to cohesion policy, while improving coordination between different programmes to avoid overlaps;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that the particular structural social and economic situation of the outermost regions justifies specific measures, in accordance with Article 349 TFEU, and stresses the need to improve the specific measures for these regions by adjusting them whenever necessary; calls on the Commission to take the judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU of 15 December 2015 as the basis for ensuring that Article 349 TFEU is properly applied as regards the conditions governing access to the Structural Funds; suggests in particular extending the specific allocation for the outermost regions to the social component and better tailoring the thematic concentration;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers that the introduction of integrated strategies for sustainable urban development has been a success and should be replicated in other sub-regional territories, for example by setting an integrated territorial objective alongside the thematic objectives;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that social and fiscal convergence help to foster cohesion while improving the functioning of the single market; takes the view that divergent practices in this area may run counter to the objective of cohesion and are liable to cause further problems for territories which are lagging behind or are the most vulnerable to globalisation; considers thatInvites the Commission to further explore in the European Semester how cohesion policy couldan contribute to the promotion of socialeconomic and fiscsocial convergence by providing incentives; calls on the Commission to take better account of this aspect in the European Semester;building on investments and structural reforms
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Supports a strong thematic concentration on a limited number of priorities linked to major European political objectives, leaving managing authorities the task of drawing up their territorial strategies on the basis of their needs; stresses that employment, innovation, support for SMEs, climate change and, the circular economy and digital and transport infrastructure should constitute priority areas for cohesion policy in future;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Welcomes the adoption of the European Pillar for Social Rights, which represents a step forward in building a social Europe; reiterates its commitment toAcknowledges steps taken towards more social Europe; welcomes instruments such as the ESF, the Youth Guarantee and the Youth Employment Initiative in view of their role in meeting the challenges of employment, social inclusion, learning and vocational training;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Emphasises that future cohesion policy should focus more on protecting and supporting communities and territories adversely affected by globalisation (plant relocations, job losses); calls for the scope for coordination between the Structural Funds and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to be explored;Commission to explore the mainstreaming and integration of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund in the future European Structural and Investment Funds
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Advocates stepping up integrated approaches, and stresses that the ESF must remain an integral component of European regional policy, by virtue of its essential territorial dimension;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Emphasises that financial instruments can be an effective lever and that they should be promoted if they generate added value; stresses, however, that their effectiveness hinges on many factors (nature of the project, of the territory or of the risk) and that all regions, regardless of their level of development, must be freeincited to determine the most appropriate method of financing; opposes any binding targets for the use of financial instruments;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls for the conditions governing the use of financial instruments to be simplified and for the coordination of these instruments with grants to be facilitated; emphasises the importance of the complementary role played by national development banks and institutions in implementing financial instruments tailored to local needs; regards it as essential to harmonise the rules on financial instruments as much as possible, however they are managed;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Believes that it is both legitimate and necessary to establish a link between cohesion policy and the guarantee of an environment conducive to investment, effectiveness and the proper use of funds, while stressing that cohesion policy is not meant to be reduced to an instrument for serving priorities without reference to its objectives; expresses its support for a balanced link with economic governance where this helps to maximise the impact of ESI Funds; calls on the Commission to overhaul the European Semester to strengthen its territorial dimension and take account of other factors which contribute to the achievement of cohesion objectives, such as real convergence;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls for the smart specialisation strategies to be continued, and acknowledges the importance of ex-ante conditionalities, which have proved their worth, but stresses that they have been a source of complexity and delays in the development and launching of programming; calls on the Commission to reduceand the nuMember of ex ante conditionalities and, in this field, to improve compliance with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity, makingStates to make use to a maximum useextent of existing strategic documents which could fulfil future ex ante conditionalities;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes that the quality of public administration is a decisive factor in regional growth and the effectiveness of ESI funds; emphasises the need to increase administrative capacitiesmprove the quality of governance;
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses the need to provide a framework which guarantees legal stability through simple, clear and predictable rules, particularly as regards management and checks; calls, in the next programming period, for a reduction in the volume of legislation and guidelines, for the relevant documents to be translated into all the EU languages and for any retrospective application and interpretation of rules to be banned;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Considers that cohesion policy can help to meet new challenges, such as security or the integration of refugees under international protection, with due regard for the sovereignty of the Member States; stresses, however, that cohesion policy cannot be the solution to all crises, and opposes the use of cohesion policy funds to cover short-termthe use of ESIF should be based on the principles of cohesion policy and not to financinge needs outside its scope;.