27 Amendments of Pierfrancesco MAJORINO related to 2019/2028(BUD)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines the need for the EU budget to adequately contribute to the delivery of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the objective of eradicating poverty as stipulated in Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU); stresses that the SDGs must be a strategic priority and that its implementation has to cut across the EU internal and external policies, in all policy areas and phases; stresses that in order to be a credible global actor, the Union must take on a leading role in achieving the SDGs and step up its Policy Coherence for Development (PCD); stresses the importance of dialogue, inclusive local involvement and ownership, and for the Union's aid reaching the people; underlines that the SDGs are interlinked and indivisible, but highlights that SDG 3 on health, SDG 4 on education, SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 13 on climate action, and SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions must be more clearly reflected in the EU 2020 budget;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that effective and carefully considered social and employment policy enhancements reflectingies, reflecting socio-economic, demographic and automation challenges and macro-economic imbalances among Member States, accompanied by well- targeted investment strategies and responsible fiscal policies, continue to be an important precondition for sustainable growth which is the key factor leading to quality employment and boosting upward social convergence;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that the Union and its Member States must honour their collective commitment, reconfirmed in 2015, to raise their official development assistance (ODA) to 0,7% of their GNI by 2030; calls on the Commission and the Member States to present binding timelines for progressive increases towards this level; recalls the Union’s collective commitment to provide the least developed countries (LDCs) with 0,20% of GNI allocated to ODA; reiterates the commitment made by the Commission to dedicate at least 20% of its total ODA to human development and social inclusion; highlights the need to promote and protect sexual and reproductive health and rights;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates its concerns as regards the use of development funds for non- development objectives and underlines that funding which does not fulfil ODA criteria must be sourced from other instruments than the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI); underlines the importance of ensuring human rights standards in all cooperation under the DCI and insists that in order to successfully combat poverty in the long- term, the Union must address the causes of poverty and inequalities; reaffirms its support for budgetisation of the EDF and insists on sufficient parliamentary scrutiny over the Union’s development funding; is concerned by recent allocations under the DCI (21 02 04 Cooperation with the Middle East) to develop a dialogue and cooperation with Iran; recalls that Iran is an upper middle income country and should therefore receive funding from the Partnership Instrument;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Expresses serious concern at the way in which the EUTF for Africa is being used. Notes in particular that the priority awarded to funding migration and border management is often removed from the objectives of reducing poverty and tackling the root causes of migration, and that this can have adverse effects. Considers it inappropriate, for example, to use this instrument to fund the Libyan Coast Guard without showing consideration for the very serious human rights violations being committed in Libya;
Amendment 11 #
3a. Underlines the rights-based approach in development and the principle of leaving no one behind; insists that Union policies and programmes must ensure human rights standards and help combatting the persisting global inequalities and discrimination based on factors such as income, ethnicity, sex, age, disabilities, religion or beliefs, sexual orientation and gender identity; stresses the need of support to non-discrimination and protection of human rights defenders;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights that the 2020 budget should contribute towards achieving the Europe 2020 targets in the social and employment area, which seem to be within reach as regards the employment rate target but remain far from being achieved as regards the target of reducing the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion; stresses, in this regard, the need for comprehensive policy reforms and integrated approaches that combat youth and long-term unemployment and the often neglected issue of elderly employability; highlights the need to progressively align the strategic orientation of EU policies and programmes with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the social agenda outlined by the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), which should be fully integrated into the programming provisions of the EU Funds and the European Semester;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Deplores the limited role the European Parliament has in the supervision and governance of the EUTF. Considers it especially vital that the European Parliament be able to monitor the activities of the Operational Committee and calls on the Commission to provide detailed information on the decisions taken in that Committee and ensure that the European Parliament is represented at its meetings;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Insists on the need of advancing SDG 5 on gender equality and calls for more concrete action in the Union’s external policy, including targeted actions and measures for gender equality; insists on the need to combat violence against women and girls and to promote access to sexual and reproductive health and rights;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Stresses that an active, diverse and independent civil society is central for inclusive and empowered societies, and in order to adhere to the principle of leaving no one behind; remains highly concerned about the shrinking space for civil society; calls for improved dialogue and cooperation with a diversity of civil society groups and organisations, including organisations for more vulnerable groups such as the LGBTI community, people with disabilities, and children;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3d. Underlines SDG 16 and support for democracy, good governance and the rule of law; draws attention to the importance of supporting dialogue, inclusive local ownership, and for creating a supportive environment for citizen participation; underlines the importance of young people and women as key agents of change; stresses the importance of including women in peace- making and conflict resolution;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
3e. Stresses the importance of supporting civilians in conflict areas and re-building societies emerging from conflict situations; draws attention to the situation of groups of Kurdish, Yazidi, Christian and other ethnic and religious minorities in the Middle East; stresses the importance of UNRWA being functional and receiving sufficient support in times of reduced support from other global actors;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Underlines the urgent need of addressing climate change and SDG 13, and points out that climate change may affect the already vulnerable more severely and could lead to a backtrack of the progress of today with combatting poverty and hunger; is concerned that climate change may have multiplying negative effects leading to more humanitarian crises, e.g. through increasing conflicts and wars;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recognises the crucial role of the European Social Fund (ESF), the Youth Guarantee (YG), the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF), the Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) and the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD); stresses the need for these programmes to receive an adequate level of funding in 2020 and until the entry into force of the next MFF programming phase, ensuring that no gap in the financing of such important instruments is ever to take place; highlights, in this regard, that the activities implemented in these areas should always result in strategic measures with clearly defined objectives and targets and that efficient and effective spending is equally as important as the total budget ceilings;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Stresses the importance of promoting the creation of more, decent and green jobs in line with SDG 8; draws attention to the links between trade and development, calls for the Union to better support countries to participate in, and fully benefit from, international trade; stresses the importance of promoting dialogue between the social partners, in this respect, highlights initiatives like the Global Deal for Decent Work and Inclusive Growth; underlines the importance of ensuring labour rights in global value chains and of promoting decent work on the basis of the ILO labour standards;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Highlights that the programming funds in the social and employment area should create synergies to help reduce social divergences and inequalities that have been exacerbated by the crisis; warns that any reductions in the budget for these areas will only create difficulties for these policies to be effective and reach their targets;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Insists on a significant funding increase forincrease in the funding allocation for the humanitarian aid budget lines in order to be prepared for new disasters and catastrophes instead of only covering ongoing crises; recalls that the state of emergency can, while at the same time ensuring sufficient funding for more long-term development cooperation for strong, resilient and inclusive somcietimes last for several years; points out that crises are not likely to decrease, and that they are becoming more protracted; stresses the importance of good linkages between humanitarian aid and development cooperation;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses in particular the role of the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) as an essential tool to fight youth unemployment, which remains unacceptably high and with significant disparities across the Member States; welcomes the commitment by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her Political Guidelines to strengthen the Youth Guarantee by turning it into a permanent instrument with an increased budget and regular reporting; with regard to this, takes note of the Commission proposal to increase YEI allocations in 2020 by EUR 116 million, but considers such a figure insufficient; calls therefore for an increase of YEI payment appropriations by EUR 600 million;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the importance of maintaining payment appropriations in the humanitarian aid chapter at least at the same level as commitment appropriations., in order to avoid delayed payments that may have substantial negative effects on people and on implementing partners;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Insists that the Union cannot backtrack as a force for multilateralism and global cooperation, and calls for a sufficient funding allocation for development cooperation and humanitarian aid within the frame of the new MFF;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges the forthcoming rationalisintegration of the current ESF, the YEI, the FEAD, the EaSI and the European Health Programme underwithin the ESF+ as of 2021; calls on the Commission to present financial information in a manner that makes it comparableand budgetary allocations in a manner that makes ESF+ figures and thematic concentrations comparable with the current envelopes of the above mentioned programmes, as well as with performance information; expresses concerns on the substantial decrease (by EUR 5 million) proposed by the Council on the PROGRESS axis of EaSI; stresses, in this regard, that all legislative and budgetary revisions should be based on evidence, understanding of their impacts and in line with the better regulation agenda, as well as related recommendations of the European Court of Auditors;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that, in the context of ongoing budgetary constraints, it will be critical to make the best use of the 2020 general budget, including future skillswhich should be overcome with an ambitious investment strategy to re-launch the European economy in the aftermath of the economic crisis, it will be critical to make the best use of the 2020 general budget, especially when it comes to policies capable of supporting sustainable economic growth and quality employment creation, such as future skills policies, vocational and educational training (VET), upskilling and reskilling policies and measures to support labour market transitions and better adjustment to demographic change, particularly by improved integration of potentially vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in the labour market;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Awaits the publication of the feasibility study on the Child Guarantee; calls on the Commission to fully take into consideration the proposals for implementation of the Preparatory Actions on the Child Guarantee, adopted in the annual budgets 2017, 2018 and 2019, which go beyond the feasibility study and which have a level of funding which will allow the implementation of a proper experimental phase of the Child Guarantee in the next programming period 2021-2027; with regard to this, welcomes the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's commitment in her Political Guidelines to create the European Child Guarantee in order to help ensure that every child in Europe at risk of poverty or social exclusion has access to the most basic set of rights like healthcare and education;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Call for adequate funding for EURES operations to be ensured in 2020, in particular stresses that the entry into force of the European Labour Authority (ELA) should not result in a reduction of resources and capabilities for EURES, which plays a pivotal role in facilitating labour mobility of Union citizens and offers services and partnerships for jobseekers and employers, Public Employment Services (PES), the social partners and the local authorities; insists that the ELA, being a new body, requires fresh resources to run smoothly; highlights therefore the need for maintaining clear and separate budget lines for both ELA and EURES;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5d. Recalls that the EU is in a context of near-stagnation and insufficient wage growth and that both the Commission and the ECB recommend a general increase in wages and an improvement in the quality of employment; stresses, furthermore, that the budget lines supporting the European social dialogue and measures for the social partners are of prime importance when it comes to strengthening the social partners’ involvement, for example in the European Semester and in the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and therefore calls for increased appropriations as regards industrial relations and social dialogue; highlights that well-functioning industrial relations systems have a positive impact on productivity, employment creation and maintenance, jobs quality and decent wages;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates that pilot projects (PPs) and preparatory actions (PAs) are very valuable tools to initiate new activities and policies in the fields of employment and social inclusion and could be used for data and evidence collection in order to improve future Union employment policiesthat several ideas of the EMPL Committee have been implemented successfully in the past as PPs/PAs; encourages the full use of the margins available under each heading;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Deplores the limited role the European Parliament has in the supervision and governance of the EUTF; considers it fundamental that the European Parliament is able to monitor the activities of the Operational Committee and calls on the Commission to provide detailed information on the decisions taken in that Committee and ensure that the European Parliament is represented at its meetings;