Activities of Dragoş PÎSLARU related to 2021/2251(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (debate)
Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility
Opinions (1)
OPINION on the implementation report on the Recovery and Resilience Facility
Amendments (120)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
— having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU)2021/2106 of 28 September 2021 on supplementing Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility by setting out the common indicators and the detailed elements of the recovery and resilience scoreboard2a, _________________ 2a OJ L 429, 1.12.2021, p. 83.
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Citation 1 b (new)
Citation 1 b (new)
— having regard to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU)2021/2105 of 28 September 2021 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility by defining a methodology for reporting social expenditure3a, _________________ 3a OJ L 429, 1.12.2021, p. 79.
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Citation 1 c (new)
Citation 1 c (new)
— having regard to the recovery and resilience scoreboard4a, _________________ 4a https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/rec overy-and-resilience-scoreboard/
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)
Citation 23 a (new)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Citation 1 d (new)
Citation 1 d (new)
— having regard to the European Commission’s Recoveryand Resilience Facility Annual Report of 01 March 20225a, _________________ 5a COM(2022) 75 final
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is the main building block of the Next Generation EU (NGEU) stimulus package;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas Russia’s aggression in Ukraine on February 24 2022 has led the European Union to impose unprecedented economic sanctions; whereas the conflict generated by Russia has led a high number of Ukrainian citizens to leave Ukraine and to travel and settle in the EU; whereas the military invasion will generate economic and social consequences on the European continent, in particular on Eastern Europe countries;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B (new)
Recital B (new)
B. whereas EUR 672.5 billion in grants and loans will be available to finance national measures designed to alleviate the economic and social consequences of the pandemic;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B (new)
Recital B (new)
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas, according to the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard, Member States have put forward 228 measures with a focus on supporting children and youth; whereas 74% of the measures focus on general, vocational and higher education and training capacity, as well as accessibility, affordability, quality and inclusiveness, including digitisation and infrastructure, the performance of education and increasing capacity in higher education; whereas 14% of the measures that Member States included are dealing with early childhood education and care, early school leaving and child poverty; whereas 12% of the measures focus on tackling youth unemployment through job creation, hiring, job transition incentives and support for self-employment;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C (new)
Recital C (new)
C. whereas the RRF funding will support key policy areas such as green transition, digital transformation, economic, social and territorial cohesion, institutional resilience and crisis preparedness as well as children and youth, including education and skills;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C (new)
Recital C (new)
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D (new)
Recital D (new)
D. whereas, to be eligible for financing, the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) must include the reforms and investment related to the scope based on the six pillars, respect general and specific objectives, horizontal principles and the 11 assessment criteria set out in the RRF Regulation;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the RRF created an unprecedented structure adapted to addressing the complex effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on economy, society and institutions; whereas the RRF will drive Member States' reforms and investments in line with the EU’s priorities as set out in the six pillars;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D (new)
Recital D (new)
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E (new)
Recital E (new)
E. whereas dialogue and transparency between the EU institutions and the Member States is crucial for the optimal implementation of the RRF;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas the release of funds under the RRF is contingent on the satisfactory fulfilment of relevant milestones and targets of reforms and investments by Member States as set out in their recovery and resilience plans (RRPs);
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F (new)
Recital F (new)
F. whereas the European Commission, which is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the RRF, must regularly inform Parliament of the status of the assessment of the NRRPs, and how the targets and milestones have been implemented by the Member States;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G (new)
Recital G (new)
G. whereas the Member States must set up robust control systems and ensure the protection of the financial interests of the Union;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas social and territorial cohesion is one of the six pillars of the RRF; whereas creating and fostering high- quality employment creation is one of the objectives included in the RRF Regulation; whereas this should be achieved through a comprehensive package of reforms and investments in order to promote social impact investments, as well as stable employments contracts, decent wages, collective bargaining and social protection coverage;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H (new)
Recital H (new)
H. whereas democratic control and parliamentary scrutiny over the implementation of the RRF is only possible with the full involvement of Parliament and the consideration of all its recommendations in all stages, and whereas the European Parliament will continue to scrutinise the implementation of the RRF;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas social and territorial cohesion is oneand policies for the next generation are two of the six pillars of the RRF; whereas creating and fostering high- quality employment creation is one ofmitigating the social and economic impact of the COVID crisis, in particular on women, and contributing to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights are among the objectives included in the RRF Regulation;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I (new)
Recital I (new)
I. whereas the Commission will present a review report on the implementation of the RRF to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 July 2022;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas Article 16 of the regulation requires the European Commission to present a review report on the implementation of the Facility to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 July 2022; whereas this report should assess the extent to which the implementation of the recovery and resilience plans is in line with the six pillars and contributes to the general objective of the Regulation;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is an unprecedented instrument of solidarity and a cornerstone of the NextGenerationEU (NGEU) instrument, ending in 2026, as the main tool in the EU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare the economies of the EU to face the new challenges; recalls that the EU response was comprehensive and timely, leading to extensive use of existing instruments and deploying additional financing instruments;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas the methodology for reporting on social expenditure in Member States’ recovery and resilience plans should ensure all reforms and investments with a primary social dimension are associated to one of nine social policy areas under the four broader social categories set out in the delegated act; whereas additionally all measures of a social nature that include a focus on children and the youth, or on gender equality, should be flagged in order to ensure specific reporting on expenditure under the RRF on these areas;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that the COVID-19 crisis has already left many young people jobless or in precarious employment; calls on the Commission and Member Sstates to fight against youth unemployment and to ensure that young people, especially those not in employment, education or training (NEETs), receive adequate, paid and quality first working experience; condemns the practice of unpaid internships as a form of exploitation of young workers, and a violation of their rights, and calls on the Commission and the Member States, in collaboration with Parliament, and respecting the principle of subsidiarity, to propose a common legal framework to ensure fair remuneration for traineeships and apprenticeships in order to avoid exploitative practices;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the fact that even if the economic effects of the RRF cannot be fully disentangled from other developments, it seems fair to conclude that, so far, the RRF has had positive effects on gross domestic product (GDP) and that its effective implementation will be key for the EU’s economic growth; recognises that the RRF has helped to cushion EU economies and citizens from the most acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and is positively contributing to the EU’s recovery and resilience; including economic cohesion, jobs, productivity, competitiveness, research, development and innovation, and a well- functioning internal market with strong small and medium enterprises (SMEs);
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. In this regard welcomes the early disbursement of EUR 56.6 billion in pre- financing by the Commission to 21 Member States in order to ensure the frontloading of financial support to address the crisis andit’s consequent impacts;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that Member States must adopt reforms and includeHighlights that, according to the Commission estimates provided to the European Parliament working group on the Recovery and Resilience Facility, Member States included in their plans measures dedicated to children and youth worth EUR 49.21 billion, representing approximately 11,5% of the total budget of the 22 recovery and resilience plans currently approved; stresses that Member States must include reforms and investments in the next generation, children and the youth in line with the objectives of the Child Guarantee and reinforced Youth Guarantee; recalls that there is RRF funding expressly available for the development of education, training and skills, particularly digital skills; stresses, further, the importance of the mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences in fostering labour mobility in order to access financing under the RRF and ensure complementarity between RRF, ESF+ and EU programmes; calls on the Commission to closely monitor Member States' investment in this area via the Semester cycle and the national reform programmes in line with the RRF, while involving social partners in the monitoring and evaluation of the national recovery and resilience plans;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that, according to the Commission, the real GDP of the EU-27 could be around 1.5 % higher in 2024 than without NGEU investments19 , when implemented effectively; notes, furthermore, that the Commission forecasts that RRF grants will fund 24 % of total recovery support measures in 2022; highlights that Russia’s aggression in Ukraine will have economic and social consequences over the continent, particularly in Eastern Europe, that might influence the forecasts; __________________ 19 European Commission discussion paper 144, Quantifying Spillovers of Next Generation EU Investment, July 2021. https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/ economy-finance/dp144_en.pdf
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that Member States must adopt reforms and include investments in access and opportunity for the next generation, children and youth related to education, health, nutrition, jobs and housing in line with the objectives of the Child Guarantee and reinforced Youth Guarantee; recalls that there is RRF funding expressly available for the development of education, training and skills, particularly digital skills and calls on the Member States to ensure such investment in human capital, in particular through up- and re-skilling and requalification of the workforce as well as for reintegration of the unemployed; stresses, further, the importance of the mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences in fostering labour mobility;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Points out that a successful implementation of the RRF would lay down the foundations for long term competitive, strategically autonomous, sustainable, inclusive and resilient economies and societies;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates the importance of the successful implementation by the Member States of national recovery and resilience plans (NRRPs) in order to ensure a long- term impact on the EU economy and society; recalls that the RRF is a performance-based mechanism, whereby funding is disbursed upon completion of milestones and targets related to measures; urges the Commission to use all lessons learned from the creation and implementation of the RRF to shape the new EU economic governance framework;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses the need to address skills gaps and skills obsolescence in the EU in order to address labour market shortages which are holding back productivity and economic growth; stresses the need to transform and modernise education and training in light of the digital and green transitions enhancing the acquisition of digital skills and education particularly and promoting VET and lifelong learning; recalls the RRF funding expressly available for the development of education, training and skills, particularly digital skills; further stresses the importance of the mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences in fostering labour mobility and addressing labour market; demands and welcomes in this regard the Commission proposals for Council Recommendations on individual learning accounts and micro-credentials and urges the Council to adopt and implement the proposals without delay;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Welcomes that reforms and investments proposed by many Member States exceed the requirement of at least 20% of total allocation in each RRP to support digital objectives amounting to EUR 117 billion or 26%; stresses in particular the importance of investments in digital skills development for workers and citizens, digitalisation of businesses including SMEs and improving connectivity infrastructure particularly for rural areas to reduce the digital divide;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Underlines that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to increase strategic autonomy of the Union in key supply chains and critical infrastructures and services; notes that according to the Commission, the RRF is expected to give a major boost to the implementation of the EU Industrial strategy;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Welcomes that measures supporting social and territorial cohesion amount to EUR 193 billion of estimated expenditure including EUR 17.4 billion for adult learning, employment support and modernisation of labour market institutions, EUR 45.6 billion for accessibility, affordability, quality and inclusiveness, including digitalisation and infrastructure of education and early childhood education and care and EUR 37 billion for healthcare resilience, sustainability, adequacy, availability, accessibility, affordability and quality, including digitalisation and infrastructure; calls on Member States to continue investing in social expenditure under pillar 4 of the regulation to, inter alia, support job creation and entrepreneurship, life-long learning and VET, labour market and social inclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, improved child and long-term care and resilient social protection systems;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Welcomes the fact that the Commission has already received first payment requests under the RRF; urges the Commission to ensure a fast deployment of payments and to closely monitor the implementation of reforms and investments;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that the packages of reforms and investments, particularly growth-enhancing ones under the RRF, should also generate EU added value; notes that according to the Commission the EU-wide GDP effects are around one third larger when explicitly accounting for the spillover effects from individual country measures; emphasises that the packages of reforms and investments under the RRF should also contribute to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)
Paragraph 2 c (new)
2 c. Notes measures related to the next generation pillar account for EUR 49 billion, representing approximately 11% of estimated expenditure covering early childhood education and care, general primary and secondary school education, initial vocational education and training, and higher education and youth employment support and youth job creation;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates the importance of the six pillars in providing the Member States with a structure to propose and implement reforms and investments that tackle the green and digital transitions, the economy, productivity and competitiveness, social and territorial cohesion, health and institutional resilience, and measures for children and young people; highlights that all Member States are required by the RRF Regulation to include in their national recovery and resilience plans measures that address all pillars; deplores that not all Member States chose to respect the pillar structure of the Regulation which would have allowed an easier monitoring;
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. CNotes that, according to the Commission estimates provided to the European Parliament working group on the Recovery and Resilience Facility, EUR 188 bln have been allocated for measures related to the social and territorial cohesion in the 22 approved plans; regrets that social investment measures were rather restricted towards social infrastructure and did not allow the development of proper care services and temporary relief measures; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support legislative and policy initiatives aimed at reducing inequalities and promoting decent working conditions for all, with a particular focus on telework, the right to disconnect, mental well-being at work, occupational health and safety, ensuring quality jobs for essential workers, and strengthening the role of the social partners and collective bargaining; calls in this regard for the swift adoption of the directives on improving working conditions in platform work and on adequate minimum wages in the European Union;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support legislative and policy initiatives aimed at reducing inequalities and promoting decent working conditions for all, with a particular focus on telework, the right to disconnect, mental well-being at work, occupational health and safety, ensuring quality jobs for essential workers, and strengthening the role of the social partners and collective bargaining; calls in this regard for the swift adoption of the directives on improving working conditions in platform work pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms and on adequate minimum wages in the European Union;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Notes that, according to the Commission estimates provided to the European Parliament working group on the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the total expenditure on healthcare-related measures is estimated at EUR 37 billion; welcomes the opportunity for investment in health and long-term care systems which are essential in the demographic change; regrets that Member States did not include measures to make mental health care accessible and affordable for all age groups, especially in early ages, and to address health inequalities through the provision of adequate support to vulnerable groups; recalls those living alone, those with lower socio-economic status, and those who were unemployed1a had higher rates of mental distress, while that the mental health of young people has worsened significantly or almost doubling in several Member States compared to the pre-crisis level; highlights that mental health should represent an integral part of the EU’s socio-economic recovery from the pandemic and an occupational health priority, in particular in educational and workplace environments; _________________ 1a OECD Tackling the mental health impact of the COVID-19 crisis: An integrated, whole-of-society response https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy- responses/tackling-the-mental-health- impact-of-the-covid-19-crisis-an- integrated-whole-of-society-response- 0ccafa0b/
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is concerned, however, that only seven Member States have requested loans amounting to a total of EUR 166 billion out of the EUR 385.8 billion available for loans, leaving a considerable amount available should Member States require loans at a later stage; is preoccupied that the limited interest for the loan component may lead to lost opportunities and prevent the RRF from reaching its full potential; underlines that should Member States whose NRRPs have been already approved wish to request loans, it will require amending respective NRRP, where relevant with the additional set of reforms and investments, milestones and targets; encourages Member States to use full potential of the RRF;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Reminds all Member States and the Commission that the current war in Ukraine poses a serious threat to the EU recovery and resilience strategy; urges the European Commission to explore ways in which unused loans could be requested to tackle the economic, social and energy consequences following Russia’s aggression in Ukraine on February 24 2022;
Amendment 125 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the creation and publication of the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard. steps taken by the Commission in order to ensure full transparency in implementing of the RRF, such as making the Operational Arrangements concluded with the Member States available of the dedicated RRF website as well as launching Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard, that contains data on the plans submitted by Member States, approved by the Commission and endorsed by the Council; Reiterates the importance of the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard in providing a clear framework for the additionality impact, as well as ensuring a qualitative analysis of the reforms and investments proposed; urges the Member States to provide detailed information to the Commission in order to ensure an effective reporting of the impact of the RRF;
Amendment 129 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Tasks the Commission with analysing the reasons why the Member States have not requested loans to the full extent of their allocation; calls on the Commission, where relevant, to come forward with targeted measures to incentive the optimal use of the resources available under the RRF, taking into account the new financial needs caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the side-effects of sanctions on Russia;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Tasks the Commission with analysing the reasons why the Member States have not requested loans to the full extent of their allocation; reminds that a Member State may request loan support at the time of the submission of a recovery and resilience plan or at a different moment in time until 31 August 2023; calls on the Commission, where relevant, to come forward with targeted measures to incentive the optimal use of the resources available under the RRF;
Amendment 132 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Welcomes the share of RRF social expenditure under the four social categories of employment and skills (20.4%), education and childcare (33%), health and long-term care (32%) and social policies (14.6%)for the RRPs endorsed thus far; calls on Member States to ensure ambitious social objectives in their investments and reforms;
Amendment 136 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Reiterates the importance of a successful implementation by the Member States in order to ensure a long-term impact on the EU economy and society; urges the Commission to use all lessons learned from the creation and implementation of the RRF in shaping the new EU economic governance framework;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Recalls that, under Article 21 of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, objective circumstances allow a Member State to make a reasoned request to the Commission to make a proposal to amend or replace the approved plan; recalls that if the Commission considers that the reasons put forward by the Member State justify an amendment of the NRRP, it shall assess the amended NRRP in accordance with Article 19 and put forward a proposal for a Council implementing decision according to Article 20 of the Regulation; recalls that such a request for amendment entails an assessment and approval procedure identical to the first assessment and approval procedure of the plans; notes that, so far, no Member State requested to amend or replace the approved plan;
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4 c. Recalls that EUR 220 billion in loans is still available under the RRF; highlights the opportunity that new loans under the Facility could provide to Member States in addressing the current Ukrainian refugee crisis and encourages Member States to make use of the potential funding available to support refugees' needs in particular their educational, care, social and labour market integration in advance of the request deadline for loan support in mid- 2023;
Amendment 142 #
4 d. Recalls that respect for the rule of law is an essential precondition for compliance with the principles of sound financial management and that RRF funds are subject to Regulation 2020/2092;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Recalls that, under Article 21 of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, objective circumstances allow a Member State to make a reasoned request to the Commission to make a proposal to amend or replace the approved plan; recalls that objective circumstances do not include political developments in Member States and insists that the Commission should apply a strict definition of the objective circumstances that justify such an amendment;
Amendment 143 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 e (new)
Paragraph 4 e (new)
4 e. Recalls the need to ensure complementarity and coordination of RRF funding with other EU funds in particular ESF+;
Amendment 144 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 f (new)
Paragraph 4 f (new)
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Looks forward to more granular and disaggregated data allowing for a better understanding of the additionality impacts of the RRF; urges the Member States to provide detailed information to the Commission in order to ensure effective reporting of the impact of the RRF; reiterates the importance of the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard in providing a clear framework for the additionality impact, as well as ensuring a qualitative analysis of the reforms and investments proposed;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Looks forward to more granular and disaggregated data allowing for a better understanding of the additionality impacts of the RRF; urges the Member States to provide detailed, transparent and timely information information to the Commission in order to ensure effective reporting of the impact of the RRF;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that only nine operational arrangements have been signed between the Commission and Member States so far; calls on the Commission and Member States to sign operational arrangements as soon as possible and urges the Commission and all Member States to publish their operational arrangements and financing arrangements voluntarily in a timely manner, in order to ensure better transparency and reinforce accountability;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Reiterates that delays in the implementation of the Facility and national recovery and resilience plans should not slow down the recovery process following the pandemic and diminish the level of resilience of the Union;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Welcomes the early dialogue between the Commission and the Member States in the preparation of the payment requests and Commission readiness in assessing payment requests; encourages it to continue transparently assessing whether milestones and targets are complied with in a timely manner; urges the Commission to ensure a fast deployment of payments and to closely monitor the implementation of reforms and investments;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the fact that 22 NRRPs have been approved and observes that as of early February 2022, one Member State had not yet put forward its NRRP; further notes that four NRRPs are pending assessment by the Commission; urges the countries with NRRPs pending assessment to engage in constructive discussions with the Commission in order for the plans to become ready for approval without further delay; calls on the Commission to apply diligently the RRF Regulation when assessing the remaining plans;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Reminds the Commission that the rule of law conditionality mechanism is an essential component of the RRF; calls on it to refrain from approving the NRRPs of Poland and Hungary as long as concerns regarding the observance of the rule of law and the prevention and detection of and fight against fraud, conflicts of interest and corruption persist in those countries, and to ensure that all the measures set out in their plans comply with EU values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union; reminds Member States that the failure to fully comply with the provisions of the RRF Regulation and the subsequent delays in the approval of the NRRPs, seriously affect the capacity of local and regional authorities in adequately tackling the impact of the pandemic on their communities, businesses and citizens and can lead to a long term worsening of the local and regional economic situation;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Furthermore, recalls that the observance of rule of law and the sound financial management of EU funds are to be evaluated continuously throughout the lifecycle of the RRF and that the Commission shall refrain to disburse funding and, where applicable, recover funds, in case such conditions are no longer fulfilled;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes that all approved NRRPs expect to achieve the digital target of at least 20 % set out in the RRF Regulation, while some Member States have even allocated more than half of their RRF funds to measures qualifying for the digital target; and that the overall digital expenditure of all approved NRRPs reaches almost 29 % or EUR 130 billion; welcomes a strong focus in NRRPs on the digitalisation of public services, including the health sector, and digital skills, digitalisation of business, connectivity, digital R&D and advanced technologies; notes that two thirds of Member States included a security self-assessment for investments in digital capacities and connectivity in their RRPs;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes that all approved NRRPs expect to achieve the digital target of at least 20 % set out in the RRF Regulation and that the overall digital expenditure of all approved NRRPs reaches almost 29 % or EUR 130 billion; notes that countries have taken different approaches to supporting SMEs and highlights different initiatives such as measures for tax relief, voucher schemes and R&D incentives, digitalisation and aggregators for available technologies and services to SMEs, or speeding of fund distribution to companies;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines the importance that the NRRPs dedicate almost 50 % of total expenditure or EUR 203 billion to measures to benefit the well-functioning of the single market, improving the business environment and promoting private investments; calls on the Member States to lift all unnecessary obstacles that would prevent SMEs from accessing the relevant RRF funding; asks Member States to implement the NRRPS according to a transparent schedule to allow the private sector to plan their activities and projects according to the relevant reforms and funding;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines the importance that the NRRPs dedicate almost 50 % of total expenditure or EUR 203 billion to measures to benefit the well-functioning of the single market, improving the business environment and promoting private investments; reiterates the importance of private sector in the successful implementation of the RRF; calls on the Member States to lift all unnecessary obstacles that would prevent SMEs from accessing the relevant RRF funding, and to this end, asks the Commission to provide detailed analyses;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Points out that all approved NRPPs so far address social and employment challenges such as measures for improving labour market participation, promoting upskilling and reskilling, the modernisation of labour market institutions and services, as well as of social protection and healthcare systems;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Underlines the importance of reforms and investments in health, economic, social and institutional resilience to increase crisis preparedness and crisis response capacity, which account for more than 17 % of total NRRP allocations, representing EUR 76 billion; highlights that according to the Commission under this RRF pillar Member States have to implement 789 measures linked to 1 900 milestones and targets;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that approved NRRPs envisage expenditure on healthcare-related measures of EUR 37 billion, which corresponds to 8 % of total NRRP expenditure; expects these healthcare- related measures to contribute to increasing the resilience of healthcare systems and their preparedness for future crises; is concerned that many Member States did not include sufficient measures to make mental health care accessible and affordable for all age groups, especially in early ages and highlights that mental health should represent an integral part of the EU’s socio-economic recovery from the pandemic and an occupational health priority, in particular in educational and workplace environments;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Notes that approved NRRPs envisage expenditure on healthcare-related measures of EUR 37 billion, which corresponds to 8 % of total NRRP expenditure; observes that the highest contribution is earmarked for renovating and expanding hospital infrastructure, followed by strengthening primary care and prevention, digital transition in health care and long-term care; expects these healthcare- related measures to contribute to increasing the resilience of healthcare systems and their preparedness for future crises; is concerned that many Member States did not include sufficient measures to make mental health care accessible and highlights that mental health should represent an integral part of the EU’s socio-economic recovery from the pandemic and an occupational health priority;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Observes that public administration modernisation features prominently in many NRRPs with approximately EUR 1.8 billion expected investment in the enhancement of the public administration; underlines that the benefits of reforms go beyond of their associated costs, which should lead to concrete positive impact on citizens;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Highlights that the pandemic led the Union to prioritize reforms and investments to improve the resilience of public institutions to shocks; stresses that plans also aim to increase the capacity of public administrations to manage European funds effectively at national, regional and local levels; regrets that progress in this area is too slow, especially at regional and local levels, risking the effective and timely use of the funds assigned to each Member State in the context of the RRF;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that approved NRRPs envisage expenditure dedicated to children and young people, including early childhood education and care, youth unemployment and skills, of EUR 49 billion, which corresponds to approximately 11.5 % of total NRRP expenditure; notes that the amount represents a first step in ensuring that coordinated measures dedicated to next generation are being implemented in all 27 Member States; is concerned that many NRRPs do not properly reflect the ambitions set by the European Child Guarantee and that they reflect only partially those of the reinforced Youth Guarantee; deplores that two Member States chose not to include in their plans measures specifically dedicated to children and youth but preferred to present measures that foster skills and digital skills for all citizens;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Observes that almost all approved NRRPs contain investment in digital education, making up about 30% of the total spending on education; welcomes the focus on the modernisation of education infrastructure and equipment in the Member States;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25 b. Calls for the Commission to continue monitoring the implementation of the six pillars and ensuring granular data is made available in the RRF scoreboard; asks the Commission to facilitate more regional methods of monitoring implementation through the Scoreboard and welcomes monitoring initiatives at EU and national level enhancing monitoring of RRF implementation;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25 c. Notes that in total so far, Member States have put forward 228 measures with a focus on supporting children and youth; notes that 74% of the measures focus on general, vocational and higher education and training capacity, as well as accessibility; affordability, quality and inclusiveness; including digitisation and infrastructure; further notes that 14% of the measures are dealing with early childhood education and care, early school leaving and child poverty; notes that 12% of the measures focus on tackling youth unemployment through job creation, hiring, job transition incentives and support for self-employment;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Points out that the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ was evaluated for each measure by the Commission in accordance with its technical guidance; notes that in order to comply with the principle, some Member States had to improve certain measures; notes that the compliance with the principle further entailed inconsistencies between the requirements of the Commission and those of EIB and EIF for the countries that provisioned their InvestEU envelopes with RRF funds and consequently delays in the implementation process;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Observes that a large majority of NRRPs include a specific section explaining how the plan addresses gender- related concerns and challenges; notes that NRRPs contain measures focusing on the participation of women in the labour market and the reduction of the gender pay gap;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Believes that NRRPs would benefit from further cross-border projects in order to enhance spill-over effects and contribute to EU added valueNotes that twenty Member States foresee cross-border projects in their NRRPs mostly focusing on infrastructure, such as rail or electricity connections, hydrogen, quantum technology, 5G connectivity, cloud capabilities and innovation hubs; believes that NRRPs would benefit from further cross-border projects in order to enhance spill-over effects and contribute to EU added value; notes that twenty Member States foresee cross-border projects such as Important Projects of Common European Interest in their NRRPs mostly focusing on infrastructure; calls on the Member States to clarify the role for relevant stakeholders in the roll-out and implementation of the multi-country projects, where relevant;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29 a. Observes that one Member State proposed to transfer structural funds to its NRRP, that only two Member States plan to provision their InvestEU envelopes with RRF funds and that only three Member States foresee incorporating the costs of technical support in their NRRPs; regrets that the provision to transfer RRF funds to the InvestEU national compartments has not been used to its full potential; recalls that synergies among different EU funds is essential for a proper recovery and consolidated resilience of the Union and reminds Member States that the use of this provision contributes to enhancing synergies;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29 b. Reminds that according to the RRF Regulation the recovery and resilience plans shall also be consistent with the information included by the Member States in the partnership agreements and operational programmes under Union funds; reiterates that this provision is not only important to avoid double-funding or overlapping of objectives, but also to ensure a coordinated approach and maximise the benefits of EU funding; requests the Commission to provide an analysis how this coordination is ensured; calls on the Commission to avoid delays in the adoption of Partnership Agreements and calls on these delays to be addressed;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 c (new)
Paragraph 29 c (new)
29 c. Questions how the Commission has encouraged Member States to foster synergies with NRRPs of other Member States;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 d (new)
Paragraph 29 d (new)
29 d. Recalls that the EU objective to have 5G connectivity in all populated areas of the EU by 2030 is of utmost importance but at the same time particularly challenging to achieve; recalls that scattered and inconsistent approaches between Member States risk countries being left behind and the digital gap between them being exacerbated; notes that several RRPs contain investment proposals in 5G connectivity and recalls that Member States should complement these investments with measures for mobile broadband and infrastructure expansion;
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 e (new)
Paragraph 29 e (new)
29 e. Highlights that synergies between RRF and other Union funding programmes are essential in order to ensure a proper recovery and consolidated resilience of the Union; regrets that some Member States have postponed the presentation of their Operational Programmes for the implementation of the EU structural funds for the period 2021-2027; calls on the Commission to assess the causes of these delays and to address them;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 f (new)
Paragraph 29 f (new)
29 f. Underlines the need for complementarity with other EU sources of finance to ensure synergies in EU spending efforts, in particular with cohesion policy funds which cover similar objectives to the RRF but with a focus on more long-term structural actions; calls on Member States and cohesion managing authorities to ensure that the Partnership Agreements are linked to and in complementarity with the RRPs.
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Notes the Commission assessment that all NRRPs address at least a significant subset of challenges identified in the relevant European Semester recommendations but that not all challenges are addressed, such as sustainability of public finances, tax evasion, tax administration and tax avoidance ensuring stability on the housing market and tackling homelessness, equal access to childcare, structural policies that consolidate competition, public administration red tape and malfunctions of state-owned enterprises, ensuring access to independent civil justice and tackling shadow economy and corruption;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. NReminds Member States that the NRRPS are expected to contribute to effectively addressing all or a significant subset of challenges identified in the relevant country-specific recommendations, including fiscal aspects thereof and recommendations made pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 where appropriate, addressed to the Member State concerned or challenges identified in other relevant documents officially adopted by the Commission in the context of the European Semester; notes the Commission assessment that all NRRPs address at least a significant subset of challenges identified in the relevant European Semester recommendations but that not all challenges are addressed;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30 a. Calls on the Commission to adequately evaluate the fulfilment of all milestones and targets, including those related to CSRs in the NRRPs in the disbursement phase of the Facility and to reduce proportionally payments, based on the importance of the milestones and targets, whether agreed milestones and targets are not satisfactory met, including not rolling back on previously achieved milestones and targets; furthermore, calls on the Commission, if necessary, to make use of the provisions of the Regulation, allowing it to recover grants or ask for early repayment of loans in case of breach of the obligations of Member States under the financing agreements;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. RNotes that, according to the Commission assessment, all Member States received an A-rating for almost all criteria provisioned in the RRF Regulation; recalls that, according to the Commission assessment, all Member States received a B-rating for the criteria that evaluates whether the estimated total costs of the NRRPs are reasonable; calls on the Commission to ensure that costs are plausible and that proper cost analysis is being conducted in order to tackle fraud and corruption; urges the Commission to thoroughly assess the satisfactory fulfilment of milestones and targets before accepting payment requests, and also ensure that previously achieved milestones and targets have not been reversed;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31 a. Urges Member States to timely launch public procurement for the implementation of measures in order to ensure completion with the calendar of milestones and targets;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. UObserves, that by the nature of the instruments, the control focuses on the achievement of results and outputs instead of verifications of costs; notes that this approach can simplify the implementation and contribute to the achievement of the desired outcome; nevertheless, urges the Commission to take the appropriate measures to ensure early detection of abuse of EU funds; calls on it to monitor rigorously any possible occurrence of double funding and, if such occurrences are confirmed, to proceed with the recovery of funds without delay;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32 a. Urges the Member States to collect and record data on final recipients and beneficiaries of Union funding in an electronic standardised and interoperable format and to use the single data mining and risk scoring tool provided by the Commission; calls on the Commission to ensure that ARACHNE is interoperable with other relevant datasets;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 b (new)
Paragraph 32 b (new)
32 b. Recalls that Member States should collect and ensure access of data on beneficial owner(s) of the recipient of the funds and beneficiaries of the programme and reiterates the importance of ensuring the transparency of final beneficiaries, without providing an extra burden on the reporting; furthermore, reiterates the importance of digitalising all reporting, monitoring and audit;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 c (new)
Paragraph 32 c (new)
32 c. Reminds the Commission that in the evaluation of NRRPs and payment claims it can be assisted by experts and invites to make full use of this provision, where relevant, particularly if it lacks the in-house capacity to thoroughly scrutinise the plans or the fulfilment of milestones and targets; raises doubts about the Council’s sufficient capacity to analyse NRRPs properly or payment claims;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 d (new)
Paragraph 32 d (new)
32 d. Urges the Commission to ensure that the evaluation of the milestones and targets achieved by the Member States as part of their NRRP will be based on rigurous quantitative and qualitative assessment; is concerned that a simple quantitative evaluation of the milestones and targets achieved would lead to a box ticking dynamic in Member States, which would then miss a historical opportunity for long-term structural reforms;
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 e (new)
Paragraph 32 e (new)
32 e. Urges Member States to publish periodically up-to-date data on the funds transfered to final recipients, thereby enabling the accurate monitoring of the NRRP implementation;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33 a. Calls on the Commission to cooperate with and to ensure that adequate control capacities are in place for OLAF, the Court of Auditors and where applicable the EPPO and that those bodies are granted full access by Member States to information to exert their rights according to the Financial Regulation and the RRF Regulation;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 b (new)
Paragraph 33 b (new)
33 b. Calls on the Court of Auditors, OLAF, EPPO and national authorities to make full use of their prerogatives under the RRF Regulation and other relevant legislation and scrutinise thoroughly all RRF spending;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 c (new)
Paragraph 33 c (new)
33 c. Reiterates the importance of the Commission undertaking a continuous, including ex-post, monitoring of the RRF expenditure ensuring full transparency together with the Member States, and addressing any weaknesses in this regard;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 d (new)
Paragraph 33 d (new)
33 d. Reminds that in the framework of the discharge procedure to the Commission, in accordance with Article 319 TFEU, the RRF shall be subject to reporting under the integrated financial and accountability reporting referred to in Article 247 of the Financial Regulation, and, in particular, separately in the Annual Management and Performance Report;
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Reaffirms Parliament’s role in scrutinising the implementation of the RRF, in particular through five plenary debates held in 2021, two adopted resolutions, four Recovery and Resilience Dialogues held with the Commission in 2021, 20 meetings of the dedicated working group on the scrutiny of the RRF, parliamentary questions, and the regular flow of information and ad hoc requests for information from the Commission; recalls that Article 25 of the RRF Regulation requests the Commission to transmit relevant documents and information simultaneously and on equal terms to the European Parliament and to the Council; notes that, despite the slow start of the proper process of a document flow, appropriate communication procedures were put in practice;
Amendment 344 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34 a. Invites the Commission to follow an open, transparent and constructive approach during the recovery and resilience dialogues and to observe the provision of Article 26(1) as regards regular interactions with the Parliament; recalls that the inter-institutional cooperation established through the RRF should become a minimum standard in all funding programmes;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 b (new)
Paragraph 34 b (new)
34 b. Regrets that in all Member States local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, social partners or other relevant stakeholders were not sufficiently involved, in the design and the implementation of the NRRPs and calls for their involvement in the implementation of the NRRPs to the maximum extent possible under the national legislation; recalls that local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, social partners and the other relevant stakeholders are at the forefront of NRRP local implementation and reminds the Commission and the Member States that proper involvement and coordination with local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, social partners, and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the plans is decisive for the success of the recovery in the Union;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 c (new)
Paragraph 34 c (new)
34 c. Calls on Member States to ensure adequate management systems of RRF funds take into consideration the specific needs of the citizens at regional and local levels, while respecting the principles of non-discrimination and equal treatment; reminds that implementation of NRRPs’ measures shall respect all relevant laws;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 d (new)
Paragraph 34 d (new)
34 d. Expects the review report on the implementation of the RRF prepared by the Commission to provide extensive data and analysis on the contributions of NRRPs to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, including the gender impact of NRRPs and the effective contribution of the NRRPs to gender equality, as well as the support to the SMEs and the strategic autonomy;
Amendment 358 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 e (new)
Paragraph 34 e (new)
34 e. Encourages the Commission to explore ways to include local and regional governments, as well as civil society organisations in the monitoring of the RRF implementation;
Amendment 364 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Welcomes the launch in December 2021 of the recovery and resilience scoreboard, which will allow every citizen to monitor the implementation of the RRF; notes that, in line with the Delegated Act on common indicators, Member States shall report on several indicators, including for the implementation of the EPSR and SMEs supported;
Amendment 365 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35 a. Reminds that according to the RRF regulation the Commission shall implement information and communication actions relating to the Facility; encourages the Commission, through its representation offices in the Member States and in cooperation with the European Parliament Liaison Offices in the Member States, to launch events in the Member States that promote the scoreboard and present the different analyses conducted by the Commission, including on the 6 pillars; encourages the Commission to publish detailed analysis on the positive effects of the RRF by highlighting good practices in the implementation of the national NRRPs and recommendations for overcoming implementation obstacles and improving the effective use of the funds;
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 b (new)
Paragraph 35 b (new)
35 b. Intends to make full use of the range of possibilities offered by the RRF Regulation to assess and promote the RRF, including through events including at local, regional and national level;
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Notes that Member States’ NRRPs report on their communication strategies; deplores however that, without a clear standard, such communication campaigns are envisaged to be very different, thus limiting the visibility of the RRF and EU funding overall; calls for further harmonisation of information available for citizens on national implementation and on national RRF-related communication strategies to foster transparency and accountability, thus reinforcing ownership of implementation; invites the Commission to recommend an harmonised approach and standard for displaying information on the implementation of the RRF at national/regional level, asking Member States to adhere to such standard or explain deviations;
Amendment 373 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36 a. Calls on the Commission to explore and present different scenarios on how to use the RRF experience to improve the EU economic governance framework; emphasises that, in order to ensure proper democratic legitimacy, such framework needs to overcome shortcomings in parliamentary accountability and lack of democratic oversight;
Amendment 375 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 b (new)
Paragraph 36 b (new)
36 b. Highlights that the revision of EU economic governance framework will be the opportunity to draw lessons from successes but also failures of the RFF; encourages the Commission to properly think about involvement of local and regional authorities and civil society organisations in any future economic coordination mechanism that will guide investments in EU Member States;