30 Amendments of Olivier CHASTEL related to 2020/1998(BUD)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Regrets that the proposed commitment appropriations for the “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme” at EUR 90 600 000 are much lower than initially requested by the Parliament, and represents a decrease of - 9,9% on commitment appropriations and - 17,8% on payment appropriations compared to 2020; requests, in line with the first reading position of the Parliament adopted on 17 April 2019, that commitment appropriations are increased to EUR 265 000 000 and that a new budget line to “promote and protect Union values“ (EUR 120 000 000 in commitment appropriations) is created; calls, in line with the partial agreement reached with Council, to increase the commitment appropriations under the “Daphne” budget line to EUR 37 100 000 and to earmark EUR 27 300 000 of this amount for the fight against gender-based violence by creating a subline “Combating all forms of gender-based violence”; calls further for an increase of the commitment appropriations of the budget line “Promote citizens engagement and participation in the democratic life of the Union” to EUR 70 600 000, to rename the budget line “Promote equality and rights” to “Promote equality, rights and gender equality” and to earmark EUR 10 300 000 to “Promote gender equality and gender mainstreaming” by creating a new subline;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that in its resolution of 19 June 2020 on general guidelines for the preparation of the 2021 budget, Parliament stressed that the primary focus of the 2021 budget should be to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and support the recovery, built on the European Green Deal and digital transformation; notes that a lack of a significant top-up in the MFF negotiations could lead the budgetary authority to further prioritization amongst the 15 EU flagship programmes;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Recalls that independent and qualitative investigative journalism is an essential component of a well-functioning democracy, by bringing quality fact-based information, combating disinformation, raising awareness to citizens, and revealing wrongdoings or crimes; stresses that journalism across Europe faces strong challenges, in particular the lack of financial resources, hence threatening their independence or survival; calls for ambitious funding programmes in the European budget in this field;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes the small increase (+0.5%) of commitment and payment appropriations of the Justice programme; requests, in line with position of the Parliament on the financial envelope for the Justice programme included in the European Parliament resolution of 14 November 2018 on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, to further increase the funding of that programme in 2021 by a total of EUR 6 800 000 to EUR 50 500 000; stresses that Justice is a key component of a Security Union as defended by the President of the European Commission, and that judicial cooperation should be strengthened with the help of European JHA agencies, in particular to fight organised crime and terrorism;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the small funding increase (+1.8%) proposed for the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction will not be sufficient to comply with its legal obligations deriving from the Staff Regulations as well as its rental contracts; emphasises, moreover, that additional funding should be provided for the Centre to fully deploy its operational capacity and to effectively respond to the most recent developments of the drug phenomenon, including effects of Covid-19 outbreak; highlights that the drug retail value in Europe is estimated at 30 billion euros per year, and that 100 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the EU in 2019; requests, therefore, to increase the Centre’s budget to EUR 18 100 000;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the proposal to increase the appropriations of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) by 11.5% while leaving the number of statutory staff unchanged; reminds that the AgencyEuropol is requested to provide increased analysis and operational support to Member States and, upon request, has recently launched new initiatives such as the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre and the Innovation Lab which require additional funding, tools and innovation to Member States’ law enforcement authorities, in areas such as countering terrorism and its financing, radicalisation and extremism, migrant smuggling, drugs trafficking or cybercrime, and, upon request, has recently launched new initiatives such as the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre and the Innovation Lab which require additional funding; also stresses the increase of criminal activities during the pandemic, such as cyberattacks and cybercrimes, online child abuse and exploitation, goods counterfeiting, and the surge of new activities in the recent years like environmental crimes, showing the adaptability and flexibility of criminals and the need for Europol to adapt likewise; expects Agency’s tasks to be further extended in 2021 with the upcoming revision of the Agency mandate; considers, therefore, that EUR 184 900 000 should be provided to the Agency in line with its request; requests to add further 63 posts to the Agency establishment plan;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Decides to increase to the levels set up in the MFF interim report of November 2018 the fifteen flagship programmes identified in its resolution of 23 July 2020 (Horizon Europe, InvestEU, Erasmus+, the Child Guarantee, the Just Transition Fund, Digital Europe, the Connecting Europe Facility, LIFE+, EU4health, the Integrated Border Management Fund, Creative Europe, the Right and Values programme, the European Defence Fund, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) and humanitarian aid, as well as relevant EU agencies and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office); decides further to base its reading on the MFF ceilings proposed by the Commission in the DB; considers that any increase for the flagship programmes should be accompanied by the corresponding rise of the ceiling of the given MFF heading; decides to reinforce funding for Parliament’s priorities inter allia in the fields of security, migration, fundamental rights and external action; through reinforcement of both the funding and establishment plans of the EU agencies working in this field, such as European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA), European Asylum Support Office (EASO), European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL) and European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex);
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the importance of integrated border management to ensure the functioning of the Schengen area; highlights the important role of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in this regard andnotes that the Covid-19 outbreak showed to which extent borders management has implications in various areas, not only in security and migration, but also in mobility; highlights the important role of the European Border and Coast Guard (Frontex) in this regard; regrets that Commission’s proposal is below the anticipated budget in the financial statement of the Agency’s regulation, hence putting at risk the ability of Frontex to deliver the European standing corps of border by 2024, as requested by the President of the European Commission; underlines that the recruitment, training and deployment of 10,000 border and coats guards requires exceptional resources that cannot be reduced; calls for a significant budget increase for 2021 to EUR 838 000 000 to allow the Agency to build and train its standing corps as well as to purchase own equipment, thereby allowing a successful and timely deployment and operational support to the Member States at the external borders;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Considers that significant technical support is essential to strengthen the Members States’ administrative capacities in order to develop and implement the administrative and structural reforms necessary for resilience and recovery;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Takes note of the decrease in commitment appropriations (-5%) and the increase in payment appropriations (12%) for eu-LISA; highlights the important role of the Agency in the proper implementation and operational management of EU large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice (EES, ETIAS, ECRIS-TCN, EURODAC, VIS, SIS) and to provide interoperability between these systems for faster and more reliable data to border management and law enforcement authorities; regrets that Commission’s proposal does not meet eu-LISA’s request in terms of staff; requests 14 additional staff to support the securing information networks and databases, the project for the extension of the operational sites of the Agency and the activities of the management board;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Points to the importance of ensuring that sufficient financial resources and adequate human resources capacities are allocated to EUnion agencies enabling them to fulfil their mandate, execute their tasks and respond optimally to the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak; underlines the fact that proper coordination and synergies between agencies are needed to increase the effectiveness of their work, especially where there is convergence towards specific policy objectives, in order to allow for a fair and efficient use of public money; the European taxpayers money; insists that the Commission must ensure optimal allocation of personnel among its Directorates General reflecting urgent needs and long-term priorities related to the COVID19 response and the European Green Deal in particular;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Sets the overall level of appropriations for the 2021 budget (all Sections) at EUR 181 684 729 002 in commitment appropriations, representing an increase of EUR 14 938 547 026 compared to the DB; decides in addition to make available an amount of EUR 1 631 420 001 in commitment appropriations further to de-commitments under Article 15(3) of the Financial Regulation; however recalls that this level should be adjusted after the publication of the draft amending letter and as the negotiations and conciliation advances;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Stresses that the Recovery plan is a new opportunity for criminals to make profits and misappropriate funds intended to saving jobs and supporting the legal economy in Europe; considers that the fight against fraud to EU’s budget, corruption, money laundering, criminal financing should be strengthened in 2021; in this context, stresses the importance of adequate funding for European JHA agencies, in particular Europol, EPPO, CEPOL, OLAF and Eurojust;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Welcomes the new Security Union Strategy published by the Commission on 24 July, focusing on critical infrastructure protection, the fight against cybercrime, responding to hybrid threats and organised crime; also notes the three action plans presented on online sexual abuse against children, on firearms and on drugs; considers therefore that adequate funding is necessary in the Union’s budget and for the European JHA agencies to pursue these objectives;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. In order to finance this budget, reminds that, as expressed in its legislative resolution of 16 September 2020, the new categories of own resources should be introduced as of 2021 and that any amounts generated by new own resources beyond the level necessary to cover the repayment obligations of the NGEU in a given year should remain in the EUnion budget as general revenue notably to top-up the 15 EU flagship programmes as of 2021 accompanied by the corresponding rise of the MFF ceilings;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Regrets the reduction of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights’ budget by 0.4%; requests instead to increase Agency’s commitment and payment appropriations to EUR 24 600 000; calls for adding two AD6 and two contractual agent function group IV posts to the Agency establishment plan; highlights that without adequate financial and staff resources, the Agency may not be able to implement projects that respond to identified needs, in particular in countering discriminations and racism, defending individuals data protection and fundamental rights, including at the external borders, protecting migrants and refugees, supporting justice and victims’ rights;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers the proposed increase of appropriations for the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) insufficient in light of the challenges faced by the Agency with regard to digitalisation and the continuously growing caseload; requests to provide the Agency with 217 additional posts and to increase its budget accordingly to EUR 43 800 000;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the proposed increase of the European Asylum Support Office’s commitment and payment appropriations by 16.5% but regrets that the number of posts in its establishment plan have not been increased accordingly; requests therefore to reinforce the establishment plan of the Office by an additional 50 posts; recalls that Office plans to keep the same level of staff as requested for 2021 throughout the new programming period but stresses that additional staff will be needed if the new Regulation on the European Union Agency for Asylum is adopted; recalls that EASO’s operational activities have increased considerably in the recent years to address the challenge of the migration crisis and to assist Member States for the reception of asylum seekers and the processing of asylum procedures, in particular in EU hotspots; stresses that EASO has also been tasked with a number of new missions, in the fields of disembarkation or relocation; highlights that the additional staff will reinforce field operations, development and delivery of trainings, information and analysis, practical tools, governance activities and administrative functions, while the pressure on EU migration and asylum systems remains high.
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for the 2021 Union budget to ensure that the sufficiently funded InvestEU Programme delivers on both its long term objective by providing more investment capacity aimed at supporting sustainable infrastructure, research, SMEs, and social investments and its new short term mission to support the economic recovery via strategic investments;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses the crucial role of the Connecting Europe Facility in fostering the development of a high-performance trans- European network, supporting energy projects in the shift towards a climate- neutral economy with security of supply, and but stressing the need for a digital transition, including the up-skilling and re- skilling of UnioEuropean workers; proposes therefore major increases, in particular for the transport and energy strands;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses the need to go forwards with new own resources proposals asking for a clear and binding calendar for their introduction; recalls the importance of creating European sovereignty in digital, industrial, health and security fields;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Considers that it is also necessary to strengthen further important priorities in the heading; calls, inter alia, for a substantial increase in the amount dedicated to SME objectives; recalls the important role that EUnion agencies play in helping to achieve EUnion policy objectives; calls therefore for sufficient funding and staffing for all agencies in line with their tasks and responsibilities;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Emphasises the importance of Erasmus+ as a symbolic and one of the most successful EUnion programmes with added value and as a strategic investment in the UnioEU citizen's future; recalls that insufficient funding for the Erasmus+ programme would endanger its capacity to reach its new objectives and to uphold the challenges of becoming even more inclusive and ecological; decides therefore to substantially increase Erasmus+ in line with its position to triple its budget;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Decides to apply targeted reinforcements to EPPO; believuropean Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO); believes and underlines that its nature requires a stronger guarantee of independence, and its budget should therefore should be presented under Heading 7, as an independent organism rather than assimilated to an agency;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. In line with the overall priority to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, focuses substantial increases worth EUR 237 million in commitment appropriations on budget lines pertaining to LIFE+ programme; notes that this increase is intended to contribute to the main objectives such as preservation of nature and biodiversity, the circular economy and quality of life, climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as the clean energy transition; expects the Commission to warrant the necessary absorption capacity for an effective use of these additional means;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Recalls that the important role played by decentralised agencies operating in the field of security and border protection and proposes targeted increases to allow them to properly perform their tasks on the outer borders of the EU;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Points to the persistent challenges in the Union’s Eastern and Southern neighbourhood, as well as the importance of endowing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East with adequate financial resources; ris particularly concerned that school curriculum and textbooks authorised by the Palestinian Authority contain hate speech and violent depictions. Recalls that all teaching and training programmes that are financed from Union funds have to reflect common values and comply with UNESCO standards for peace and tolerance in school education.Recalls the importance of developing stable relations and strong cooperation between the EU and Africa and deems appropriate to dedicate sufficient financial resources to the development of this continent, which would contribute inter alia to mitigating the root causes of forced migration;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Following the recent worrying developments in Belarus, calls for the creation of a new Special Representative for Belarussupport of EU through the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HR/VP), to support the process for a peaceful transition of power in accordance with the will of the Belarusian people;