32 Amendments of Bronis ROPĖ related to 2017/2279(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
– having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 14 February 2018 on A new, modern Multiannual Financial Framework for a European Union that delivers efficiently on its priorities post-2020 (COM(2018)98),
Amendment 13 #
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 cooperation and with the aim of promoting growth, and reducing the backwardness of the least favourdeveloped regions;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the 7th Cohesion Report contains worrying information about unemployment rates, which in many regions have not reverted to the levels seen before the crisis, and about competitiveness and social inclusion;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas one of the key pieces of new information provided by the 7th Cohesion Report concerns the identification of certain areas described as being caught in the ‘middle-income trap’, which risk a long-term stagnation if being left behind;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas the 7th Cohesion Report entails a chapter on the review of the application of measures linking effectiveness of ESI Funds to sound economic governance, deriving from the Commission's obligation as set out in Article 23 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013,
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Underlines that budgetary appropriations for cohesion policy post- 2020 for the EU-27 have to be ensured at least at the level of the 2014-2020 budget at constant prices;
Amendment 60 #
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 priorities and to the Treaty objective of reducing regional disparities;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its commitment to shared management and the principles of partnership, multi-level governance and subsidiarity, which contribute to the added value generated by cohesion policy; stresses that the added value of this policy stems primarily from its ability to take account of the needs and specificities of each territory and to bring the European Union closer to its citizens;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Considers that the partnership principle should be strengthened by establishing binding minimum standards for partnership involvement from the outset of programming;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that European added value is also reflected in European territorial cooperation, in all its dimensions; calls for an increase in its share of the budget allocated to cohesion policy, while improving coordination between different programmes to avoid overlaps and enhancing possibilities to adapt support measures in view of addressing particular challenges of regions;
Amendment 87 #
6. Emphasises that efforts to consolidate the territorial dimension of cohesion policy require greater attention to be paid to peri-urban and rural problems, with a particular focus on to medium-sized towns of each Member State;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses the importance of supporting rural areas in all their diversity, by valuing their potential, improving transport connectivity with particular emphasis on public transport and very high-speed broadband and providing support to help them meet the challenges they face: rural desertificpopulation, the destruction of city- centre communities, adecreas without health caree in accessibility and quality of public services, such as health care and education, lack of employment and entrepreneurship incentives, etc.;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Underlines the importance of local development and its ability to involve local actors in strategies for an integrated and place-based approach; considers that Community-led local development should be made obligatory underpinned by support for empowerment of local stakeholders and its scope of application extended;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Considers that more attention should be given to an early identification of vulnerabilities and to increase the ability of regions to adapt to new circumstances; takes the view that the impacts of the recent crises, such as the financial, social and climate crisis, have to be analysed and conclusions to be drawn for the role of cohesion policy in supporting regions' resilience without jeopardising the long-term nature of cohesion policy;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes the Commission’s launch of a pilot project to provide tailored support geared to the specific challenges facing regions in industrial transition; calls on the Commission to draw lessons from the pilot project as soon as possible, and believes that smart specialisation strategies have the potential to offer better support to these regions in their development strategies and, more generally, promote differentiated implementation at regional level; believes that tailor-made support for regions in industrial transition should take a holistic approach and focus on managing the transition process including strategy building, public participation, capacity building and networking;
Amendment 174 #
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 to 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; takes the view that, in order to successfully address current challenges, the ESF-share should be increased to at least 30%;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Emphasises that future cohesion policy should focus more on protecting and supporting marginalized 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;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that vulnerability to climate change varies widely from one region to another; considers that the ESI Funds should be used as effectively as possible to help the EU meet its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement and climate-related spending should be significantly increased compared to the current MFF and reach 30% as soon as possible; insists that funding under the solidarity instruments for use in the event of natural disasters should be made available as rapidly as possible;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for ESI funds to be usmore actively targeted to address demographic challenges (ageing, population loss and demographic pressure) which affect European regions in a variety of specific ways;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Stresses that greater consideration should be given to respect for fundamental rights in the implementation of ESIF programmes; believes that fundamental rights can only be guaranteed when appropriate principles are established and underpinned by effective follow-up action, such as ex-ante conditionality;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Emphasises that financial instruments can be an effective lever and that they shcould 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 free to determine the most appropriate method of financing; opposes any binding targets for the use of financial instruments;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Takes note of the review of the Commission of Article 23 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013; regrets that only descriptive information has been provided not allowing for in-depth analysis including impact assessment or assessment of alternatives that might have been helpful for clarifying the specificities of the relation between cohesion policy and economic governance;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Is concerned that the quality of governance in some Member States has decreased with government leaders drifting away from good governance which can also have impacts on the sound implementation of EU funded programmes; calls on all Member States to take due action in order to remove any shadow of doubt on transparency, independence and professionalism of public administrations;
Amendment 270 #
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 invest into maintenance and increase of administrative capacities as well as to promote financial sustainability of local and regional authorities;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Supports a shift in cohesion policy towards a greater focus on results, moving away from an accounting-based approach towards one which focuses on performance and allowing managing authorities more flexibility as to how to achieve targets while fully respecting horizontal principles, in particular on partnership and transparency;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Considers imperative to keep-up the fight against fraud, and urges to exert zero-tolerance for corruption;
Amendment 285 #
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 all modifications to be developed in close cooperation with national authorities and partners, 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 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Stresses, at the same time, the need to make operational programmes genuine strategic documents which are more concise and more flexible, establishing a simplified procedure for their targeted modification during programmingimplementation;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Calls for a genuine single set of rules to be maintroducained and further harmonized for the variousESI funds; supports consistent treatment of European funds under direct management and cohesion funds where State aid is concerned and, more generally, harmonised rules for European instruments aimed at the same beneficiaries; stresses the importance of greater complementarity between cohesion policy and the future EU research programme, in order to cover the full cycle from basic research to commercial applications;
Amendment 331 #
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-term financing needs outside its scope;
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. WelcomesTakes note of the positive results of the Juncker investment plan; stresses that cohesion policy and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) are complementary, but that one cannot be a substitute for the other, irrespective of the level of development of the regions; is concerned that the combination of EFSI with ESI Funds can put the funds in a junior position, thus covering the first- loss-piece;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Notes that some European regions as well as cohesion policy as such are particularly exposed to the impact of Brexit; stresses that the future cohesion policy must minimise the negative impact of Brexit on the other European regions, and calls for detailed consideration to be given to the possibility of continuing partnerships in the context of territorial cooperation;