24 Amendments of Rasmus ANDRESEN related to 2023/0201R(APP)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the fact that, following its review of the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework (MFF), the Commission has drawn the same conclusion as Parliament did in December 2022, namely that the MFF has been overtaken by events in a world that has changed beyond recognition since it was agreed in 2020, that budgetary flexibility has been depleted and more is necessary in order to respond to unforeseen circumstances, that the MFF contains structural problems laid bare by economic developmentthe multiple crisis and their social and economic consequences and that, as a result, an urgent revision of the MFF regulation and its annex is essential;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the fact that the revision must focus on addressing the manifold consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, on safeguarding the Union’s strategic autonomy and sovereignty and on endowing the Union with adequate flexibility to respond to crises; welcomes, therefore, the Commission’s proposal for a targeted revision as a first step in the right direction to ensure that the MFF can better address those challenges as well as any possible future challenges;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that the proposed revision targets only the most pressing areas of concern in the existing framework; welcomes the fact that, in line with Parliament’s position, the proposal for revision does not lead to any downward revision of the pre-allocated national envelopes or programmes;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that, unlike in national budgets, where inflation affects the nominal value of both revenue and expenditure, the MFF spending ceilings are adjusted on the basis of a 2 % deflator applied to 2018 prices, whereas the own resources ceiling adjusts to inflation; underlines, therefore, that, as a result of unexpectedly high inflation, revenue called from Member States for MFF spending has decreased as a percentage of gross national income (GNI); notes, furthermore, that rebates for the five beneficiary Member States are inflation-linked; regrets that, according to the Commission and have also therefore increased at a higher rate than the MFF ceilings; calls for the rebates to use the 2% deflator also on the basies of the 2023 amount; regrets that, inflation maywill reduce the real-terms value of the MFF by at least EUR 74 billion over the seven- year period and will have a particularly detrimental effect on programmes directly addressing people, like Erasmus or ESF+ in a context of growing poverty across the Union;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that, in addition to reducing the real-terms value of the MFF, inflation has also triggered a substantial increase in interest rates, driving up EU borrowing costs, in particular in relation to the repayment ofcluding also the European Union Recovery Instrument (EURI) debt, and therefore further squeezing the budget;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights that, even taking account of the Commission’s proposal to revise the MFF, total commitment appropriations would amount to only 1.03 % of GNI and total payment appropriations would amount to only 1.02 % of GNI; recalls that, originally, payment appropriations in the current MFF were planned to amount to 1.10 % of GNI; stresses that despite the reinforcements proposed by the Commission are not projected to cover the impact of inflationthe GNI share of the revised MFF will be 0.7 percentage point lower including two new programmes and without mitigating the impact of inflation and the cost of living crisis even in the most affected programmes;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Reaffirms the importance of the horizontal principles concerningcalls that the targets related to climate, and biodiversity and gender equality thats well as the obligation to respect do no significant harm and the promotion of gender equality are laid down in the IIA; reminds the Commission of its obligation underpin the MFFIIA and all related EU policiesinsists that these provisions must also underpin the updated MFF; calls on the Commission to take concrete action to ensure that the agreed targets and policy objectives are met;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that the Union and its people have been at the forefront in supporting Ukraine from the very beginning of the warRussia’s full scale invasion in 2022, showing solidarity with Ukrainians in their fight to defend democracy against authoritarianism; stresses that the EU budget has provided financial assistance in excess of EUR 30 billion to date; reiterates its view that the Union must be at the heart of continued efforts to support Ukraine financially and help it on its path to EU membership;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes, therefore, the 14. Welcomes, therefore, the Commission’s proposal for a longer-term Commission’s proposal for a longer-term structural solution to Ukraine’s funding structural solution to Ukraine’s funding needs anchored in the EU budget, which needs anchored in the EU budget, which covers support for macro-financial stability covers support for macro-financial an investment framework and funds for stability, for immediate reconstruction accession-related reforms and for building needs, as well as an investment framework administrative capacity; considers that such and funds for accession-related reforms a longer-term instrument is the only viable and for building administrative capacity; way to engage other donors and to ensure considers that such a longer-term effective and targeted spending that meets instrument is the only viable way to engage the needs of Ukraine and its people; insists other donors and to ensure effective and that the Ukraine Facility should be agreed targeted spending that meets the needs of as soon as possible, following adoption of Ukraine and its people; insists that the the revised MFF Regulation, given that Ukraine Facility should be agreed as soon financing under the MFA+ Regulation1a is as possible, following adoption of the provided for 2023 only; revised MFF Regulation, given that financing under the MFA+ Regulation1a is provided for 2023 only; _________________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2022/2463 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 establishing an instrument for providing support to Ukraine for 2023 (macro-financial assistance +), OJ L 322, 16.12.2022, p. 1.
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the need to protect the rule of law and the financial interests of the Union and to prevent, detect and correct fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest and irregularities in the use of Union funds in Ukraine; coinsidersts that the Facility should contain stringent provisions to attain those objectives with both strong ex-ante and ex-post oversight; highlights the need for the Facility to be based on appropriate conditionality, effective transparency and accountability, and alignment with Union policies and in particular the European Green Deal and the pathway to a climate neutral economy by 2050; furthermore, insist on the involvement of local and regional authorities as well as civil society organisations throughout the entire life- cycle of the facility;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)
Paragraph 16a (new)
16a. Insists that humanitarian aid and support to Member States providing protection for Ukrainian refugees fleeing should be continued to be provided outside the Facility with appropriate financial resources and targeted at the main actors on the ground which are often local authorities and civil society organisations; reminds that both in Ukraine and in the EU, civil society organisations have proven to be instrumental in the ongoing provision of rapid and flexible support to, respectively, internally displaced persons and refugees fleeing Russia’s aggression and their role should be maintained and adequately financed; stresses that while many were welcomed in ad hoc settings, they are now facing longer term displacement requiring further support from actors on the ground;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16a (new)
Paragraph 16a (new)
16a. Requests that appropriations currently set aside for Ukraine in the NDICI’s Emerging Challenges Cushion, namely the interest rate subsidy for MFA loans and the provisioning of the EIB repurposed loans, to be covered from the Ukraine Facility from 2024 onwards;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Deplores the fact that, even prior to the war againstRussia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine, funds available under Heading 6 (neighbourhood and the world) were woefully inadequate and that the MFF did not factor in continued funding for the needs of refugees from Syria, Iraq and other countries which were known in 2020 already, leaving almost no scope to cope with additional challenges;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes, therefore, the Commission’s proposal to increase the ceiling for Heading 6 in line with Parliament’s call, though regrets the fact that the extra resources do not fully cover real needs already visible (let alone any future unforeseen development); underlines that a further reinforcement of EUR 1 billion in current prices over and above the Commission proposal is vital to replenish the NDICI- Global Europe cushion and thereby create capacity to respond to crises and emerging needs and to manage increased humanitarian aid needs in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, such as Moldova, and worldwide; is concerned about any potential misuse of funds by third countries beneficiary authorities; calls on the Commission to conclude ex-ante human right impact assessments and calls on the Commission to ensure proper implementation of those funds including respect for human rights; stresses that the internal balance and distribution between the budget lines as provided for in the NDICI Regulation must be respected;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Underlines that the war against Ukraine, together with increased global hunger and poverty and more intense and frequent natural disasters, are forcing millions of people to flee their homes and seek protection in the EU; stresses the need for the Union to continue to provide support to the host Member States for the reception, settlement and integration of refugees , for the resettlement of refugees from third countries to the EU and, where appropriate and necessary, the relocation of asylum-seekers within the EU;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses that effective andthe preservation of free movement within the Union, the fair management and protection of the EU’s external borders, ensuring the security of the Union, together with the smooth and efficient implementation of the Union’s migration and asylum policy, are key priorities and essential to preserve the free movement of people within the Union andlso to ensure the proper functioning of the Schengen area; stresses the need to implement a migration and asylum policy that is based on solidarity, responsibility and respect for human rights, providing certainty, clarity and decent and dignified conditions for people arriving in the EU;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes the Commission’s assessment that implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum will require an additional EUR 1 billion between 2025 and 2027 under Heading 4 (migration and border management); considers that the additional demands on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Border Management and Visa Instrument and the decentralised agencies in Heading 4 require a further reinforcement over and above the Commission proposal of EUR 1 billion in current prices and that the additional resources should be from 2024available once the relevant legislative proposals enter into force;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Points, furthermore, to the increased needs since the beginning of the MFF for humanitarian aid and emergency response inside and outside the Union and for support in relation to natural disasters, in particular those driven by climate change, and considers that these needs are likely to grow; stresses are at an all-time high, increasing at an unprecedented speed and likely to grow; regrets that the EC proposal did not include a substantial increase in the humanitarian aid budget line, to match with the new humanitarian landscape; stresses with concern that the annual allocation for the SEAR was exhausted in 2021 and 2022 and is expected to be fully used in 2023; points out that beneficiaries of aid under the EU Solidarity Fund have, in some instances, received less than 50 % of the aid they would ordinarily have received and have had to wait a long time for disbursement owing to the limitations of the SEAR;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Notes that demands on the SEAR are unlikely to lessen; considers, therefore, that reinforcing the SEAR is crucial to enable the Union to act in emergency situations caused by major natural disasters or public health crises in Member States and accession countries and also to support non-EU countries suffering from conflicts, refugee crises or natural disasters; insists the SEAR remains additional to the humanitarian aid budget line in Heading 6; calls for the SEAR to be mobilised for sudden onset crises outside the EU throughout the whole financial year, in line with its initial purpose and the relevant regulations; insists, therefore, that the SEAR be increased by EUR 2 billion in current prices over and above the Commission proposal for the MFF period;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 point i
Paragraph 43 point i
(i) increase the ceiling of (i) increase the ceiling of Heading 1 by EUR 2 billion in Heading 1 by EUR 4.75 billion current prices over and above in current prices over and the Commission proposal; above the Commission proposal;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 point ii
Paragraph 43 point ii
(ii) increase the ceiling of Heading 4 by EUR 1 billion in Heading 4 by EUR 0.5 billion current prices over and above in current prices over and the Commission proposal and above the Commission apply the increase to the proposal and apply the increase heading from 2024; to the heading from 2024;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 point iii
Paragraph 43 point iii
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 point v
Paragraph 43 point v
(v) increase the Flexibility (v) increase the Flexibility Instrument by EUR 3 billion in Instrument by EUR current prices over and above 3.25 billion in current prices the Commission proposal; over and above the Commission proposal;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43 point vi
Paragraph 43 point vi
(vi) increase the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve by Emergency Aid Reserve by EUR 2 billion in current prices EUR 3 billion in current prices over and above the over and above the Commission proposal; Commission proposal;