Activities of Maria Gabriela ZOANĂ related to 2017/2279(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU (short presentation) RO
Amendments (16)
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas cohesion policy aims to promote harmonious development of the wholall regions of the entire 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 the backwardness of the least favoured regions;
Amendment 48 #
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; 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 regions that are falling behind or are the most vulnerable to globalisation; considers that cohesion policy could contribute to the promotion of social and fiscal convergence by providing incentives; calls on the Commission to take better account of this aspect in the European Semester;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its commitment tofirm support for shared management and the principles of partnership 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 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Is convinced that a major challenge for future cohesion policy will be to provide appropriate support to these regions, and that cohesion policy must both reduce disparities and prevent vulnerable regions from falling behind, by taking account of the different characteristics, trends and dynamics;
Amendment 139 #
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 that cohesion policy could contribute to the promotion of social and fiscal convergence by providing incentives; calls on the Commission to take better account of this aspect in the European Semestercohesion policy is vital to implement policies that ensure the functioning of the single market, backed by appropriate structural reforms that ensure a healthy investment environment;
Amendment 153 #
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 and the achievement of fundamental European objectives under the Treaties, leaving national managing authorities the task of tailoring their growth strategies to regional requirements, as well as ensuring that cohesion policy can offer integrated and differentiated solutions at local level; stresses that employment, innovation, support for SMEs, climate change and the circular economy should constitute priority areas for cohesion policy in future, while infrastructural development remains a priority for Eastern and Central European countries;
Amendment 186 #
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; insists on the need for greater local and regional involvement in measures to combat climate change, accurate information for citizens regarding measures to be taken and exchanges of good practice between municipalities and regions in different parts of the Union; insists that funding under the solidarity instruments for use in the event of natural disasters should be made available as rapidly as possible;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses that the 7th Cohesion Report highlights the need to take account of indicators complementary to per capita GDP for the purpose of allocating funds, in line with the challenges and needs identified, including at sub-regional level, while continuing to give priority to GDP per capita indicators, taking into account the need to reduce existing disparities at European level; notes the importance of taking as a basis data which are of high quality, reliable and available; supports the use of social criteria, in particular the long- term unemployment rate and the youth unemployment rate, as well as life expectancy;
Amendment 226 #
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; notes, however, that the use of financial instruments must not become an end in itself or a substitute for grants; 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 236 #
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/non-reimbursable resources to be facilitated and the provisions of future regulations to be sufficiently flexible and to establish operational procedures allowing combination with grants for the same project; 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, however they are managed;
Amendment 256 #
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 reduce the number of ex ante conditionalities and, in this field, to improve compliance with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity, making maximum use of existing strategic documents; notes at the same time that the conditionalities must be well defined, geared towards the investments most closely tailored to the growth and jobs agenda and accompanied by clear performance evaluation indicators to ensure equal treatment for all Member States.
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on the Commission to take account of the recommendations of the High-Level Group on Simplification in its future legislative proposals, so as to ensure a balance between performance, simplification and safety objectives for management authorities and the beneficiaries;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Calls for requirements in respect of the programming, implementation and monitoring of ESI Funds in future to be based on the principle of differentiationproportionality, in accordance with the amounts allocated to programmes, the risk profile, the quality of administration and the level of financing by recipients;
Amendment 326 #
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, which relates to medium and long-term social end economic development in the European Union;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Calls for every effort to be made to avoid delays in programming for the new period; stresses the importance of submitting all documents relating to the future legal framework on time in all the official languages, so as to ensure information that is as timely and accurate as possible for all concerned;
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Calls for measures to raise the public profile of cohesion policy; calls on the Commission to enhance the role of the managing authorities and of project promoters who employ innovative local communication methods to inform people about the use of the funds in the territories; emphasises the need to improve information and communication not only downstream (ESI Funds achievements), but also upstream (financing possibilities), particularly in relation to small project organisers;