Activities of Rachel BLOM
Individual motions (1)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the cost of the European Parliament’s seat in Strasbourg
Amendments (68)
Amendment 1 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023, together with the institutions’ replies , and to the Court of Auditors’ special reports,
Amendment 2 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its satisfaction that the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has declared the transactions underlying the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), the European Training Foundation (ETF), and the European Labour Authority (ELA) annual accounts for the financial year 2023 to be overall legal and regular, and that their financial position as at 31 December 2023 is fairly representedDenounces that the multiplication of EU agencies, including those in the fields of employment and social affairs, goes against the principle of proportionality established in the Treaty on European Union;
Amendment 4 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Emphasises that even a 2% materiality threshold can represent a significant financial amount, given the size of the General budget and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including in headings related to employment and social matters; therefore, requests an analysis of the feasibility of applying a lower materiality threshold; warns that maintaining the 2% threshold without significant reduction undermines accountability and transparency; recommends that the report be signed by a physical person, in accordance with sound auditing practices, to ensure personal accountability and to enable European Parliament committees, including the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, to properly hold individuals accountable for the findings presented;
Amendment 10 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the five agencies’ continued and growing cooperation and sharing of resources amoCalls for big spending cuts, including in the agencies dealing with em and with other institutions, including other EU agencies, the Commission and the Parliamployment and social affairs, in order to make the system of decentralised agencies efficient;
Amendment 12 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Recalls that according to the Court of Auditors’ annual report on the implementation of the budget for the financial year 2023, the question of the size of the management board of the agencies dealing with employment is of particular relevance in their cross-cutting evaluation;
Amendment 18 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Highlights the necessity for the Agency to report on the specific impacts and significant improvements achieved through its work;
Amendment 20 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Recommends that, in the absence of demonstrable improvements, a thorough evaluation of the EU Agencies necessity and efficiency is to be conducted;
Amendment 21 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3 c. Underlines the need for concrete, tangible and measurable outcomes and that complete transparency about the improvements resulting from the Agencies activities is essential to enhance citizens trust in the European Union;
Amendment 22 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3 d. Recalls that from the year 2000 onwards, thirty-two out of forty-three agencies have been set up, including one on employment and social affairs;
Amendment 23 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Acknowledges that the high inflation rate in 2023, and the related increase in various costs and utilities, affects significantly the agencies’ budget dedicated to operational expenditure, in particular for agencies located in Member States experiencing the highest inflation rateRecalls the warning issued by the European Court of Auditors’ Annual report that there is a high operational expenditure risk in EU agencies, including those relating to employment and social affairs;
Amendment 28 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Acknowledges that the total budget of the agencies, including those in the fields of employment and social affairs, amounts to 12% of the EU’s general budget;
Amendment 30 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Appreciates the Foundation’s work on enhancing and disseminating knowledge, and providing evidence-based expertise to support the development of better informed social, employment and work-related policies in Europe, to analyse policy options to improve working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living, and to produce expertise on right to disconnect, telework, hybrid work and related impacts on work– life balance and quality of working conditionsNotes that Eurofound’s budget has increased from EUR 26 million in 2022 to EUR 30 million in 2023 (16% increase), more than double the inflation rate (6.3%);
Amendment 38 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Foundation’s accounts and invites the Foundation to address the ECA’s remarksrelief that Eurofound’s staff has not increased from 2022 to 2023;
Amendment 41 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes the 16,8 % of carryover rate, above the 15 % benchmark, and the Foundation’s reply making a distinction between planned and unplanned carry- overs, the latest being assessed at 4 % by the Foundationat Eurofound has made a payment of EUR 38.6 thousand to a contract provider for quality assessment of survey data without collecting some key supporting documents relating to the contractual deliverables;
Amendment 44 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Appreciates the Agency’s activities to develop, gather and provide reliable and relevant information, analysis and tools on national and EU priorities in the field of occupational safety and healthat EU-OSHA’s budget has not been increased from 2022 to 2023, despite the fact that inflation has been 6.3%;
Amendment 48 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Appreciates that EU-OSHA’s staff has decreased from 65 employees in 2022 to 63 in 2023;
Amendment 50 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes that EU-OSHA split two contracts of €14.7 thousand and €15 thousand, respectively, in order to avoid a tender competition and award them directly;
Amendment 53 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. AppreciaNotes theat Cedefop’s activities to provide research, analyses and technical advice and expertise in vocational education and training (VET), qualifications and skills policies, to compile and disseminate research on skills mismatches, and to ensure digital skills are integrated into VET across the Union, as well as, the Cedefop involvement in the 2023 European Year of Skillsbudget has increased from EUR 26 million in 2022 to EUR 28 million in 2023 (9% increase), fifty per cent higher than the inflation rate (6%);
Amendment 56 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Agency’s accounts and invNotes that Cedefop’s staff has increased from 108 employees in 2022 to 109 employees in 2023, despites the Agency to address the ECA’s observationsfact that its functions remain the same;
Amendment 61 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes the Cedefop’s corrective action taken regarding the daily subsistence allowances paid to Greek seconded national experts, but regrets that the corrective action does not include the monthly subsistence allowances;
Amendment 64 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. AppreciaNotes theat ETF’s activities in helping the Union, Member States and its partner countries to harness the potential of their human capital and to improve the employment prospects through the reform of education, vocational training, skills and labour market systems, as well as, the ETF role in the 2023 European Year of Skillsbudget has increased from EUR 25 million in 2022 to EUR 31 million in 2023 (22% increase), more than triple the inflation rate (6.3%);
Amendment 65 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Expresses its satisfaction for the positive ECA’s opinion on the Agency’s acNotes that ETF illegally awarded an in-country support services counts and invract for €4 million, despites the Agency to address the ECA’s remarks, especially concerning open procurement procedurefact that the economic and financial capacity of the awarded tenderer had not been demonstrated;
Amendment 67 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes theat ETF’s confirmation that it has reviewed its methodologies on financial solvency in the tendering evaluation process and on financial assessment illegally awarded a EUR 1 million framework contract for content support services to a provider that did not reach the financial turnover required in the tender;
Amendment 68 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes the Commission’s recommendation to improve the geographical and gender balance among its staff, and to further cooperate with the ELA and the European Institute for Gender EqualityUnder the foregoing circumstances, manifests an impossibility to discharge the implementation of ETF’s budget for the financial year 2023;
Amendment 69 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Appreciates the Authority’s work to assist Member States and the Commission in ensuring a fair and effective enforcement of Union rules on labour mobility and coordination of social security systems, in facilitating effective labour mobility in Europe through European Employment Services (EURES) activities, and to raising awareness, through training and information campaigns, about the rights and obligations of workers and employersNotes that ELA’s budget has increased from EUR 35 million in 2022 to EUR 39 million in 2023 (13% increase), more than double the inflation rate (6.3%);
Amendment 76 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Expresses its satisfaction for the overall positive ECA’s opinion on the Authority’s accounts; notes, however, the ECA’s remarks on a basis for qualified opinion on the legality and regularity of payments underlying the accountsNotes that ELA’s staff has increased from 117 employees in 2022 to 141 employees in 2023 (21% increase), despite the fact that its functions have not been legally increased;
Amendment 78 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. In this regards, notes the ECA’s opinion on an irregular contract awarding and the Authority’s reply that the concerned contract was not renewed and ran until the end to avoid disruption in the Authority’s activitiesNotes that ELA illegally awarded a contract for EUR 12.9 million, despite the fact that the tender specifications had established a maximum value of EUR 6 million, thereby allowing for the irregular allocation of public funds at an amount of EUR 6.9 million;
Amendment 82 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes theat ECLA’s opinion on shortcomings in ELA’s ex-ante checks and the 3,8 % of irregular expenditure above the materiality threshold; takes note of the Authority’s commitment to enhance its ex-ante checks by reviewing and formalising the process for assessing key parameterspaid EUR 261.5 thousand to a training contractor that had already been paid via a monthly flat rate and that were not included in his financial offer, thereby allowing for the irregular allocation of public funds that have not been recovered;
Amendment 84 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes the 26 % of carryover rate, way above the 15 % benchmark, and the 19 % of Title II appropriations cancelled, and takes note of the Agency’s reply committing to make efforts to enhance budget implementationat ELA overpaid EUR 37.6 thousand in favour of a communication services contractor who exceeded the contractual limit in his invoice, thereby allowing for the irregular allocation of public funds that have not been recovered;
Amendment 89 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Expects the Authority to deliver on its commitments and address allUnder the foregoing circumstances, manifests an impossibility to discharge the implementation of ECLA’s remarks without delaybudget for the financial year 2023;
Amendment 90 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Asks the Agencies and the CommissionCouncil to reduce the number of decentralised agencies related to iempleoyment as sond social affairs from five to one as possible all outstanding ECA's recommendnd their staff to a total of one hundred employees, reducing in the same number the staff dedicated in the European Commission to employment and social affairs in order to avoid duplications;
Amendment 92 #
2024/2030(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Recommends, based on the facts available, that discharge will not be granted to the Executive Directors of the Eurofound, EU- OSHA, the CEDEFOP, the ETF, and the ELA in respect of the implementation of the Authorities’ budget for the financial year 2023.
Amendment 1 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its dissatisfaction that the Court of Auditors has declared that the budget expenditure in the consolidated accounts of the Union for the year 2023 present fairly, in all material respects, the Union’s financial position at this dateillegal and/or irregular and/or not in line with the principles of sound financial management, with a special incidence in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) expenditure heading 2 'Cohesion, resilience and values', including energy efficiency in buildings;
Amendment 2 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Observes that the level of error in MFF heading 2 ‘Cohesion, resilience and values’ is 9.3% out of a total expenditure of €67 billion, that is, €6.2 billion, more than four times the materiality threshold, where the Court of Auditors has found 49 errors out of 238 transactions, numerous weaknesses and irregularities declared by beneficiaries;
Amendment 3 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Emphasises that a 2% materiality threshold can represent a significant financial amount, given the size of the General budget and the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), including in headings related to employment and social matters; therefore, requests an analysis of the feasibility of applying a lower materiality threshold; warns that maintaining the 2% threshold without significant reduction undermines accountability and transparency; recommends that the report be signed by a physical person, in accordance with sound auditing practices, to ensure personal accountability and to enable European Parliament committees, including the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, to properly hold individuals accountable for the findings presented;
Amendment 7 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Observes that the total outstanding commitments reached a record high of EUR 543 billion by the end of 2023, mainly due to an increased commitment of shared management funds, as well as NextGenerationEU (NGEU), but notwarns that the European Commission has not addressed research and development (R&D) policies that the total outstanding commitments are expected to decrease in the 2024-2026 periodin the European Semester, despite the NGEU opportunity to boost investments in research and development to 3% of GDP in each Member State;
Amendment 9 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Warns that the European Commission has not provided assurance that Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) expenditure complies with EU and national rules; observes that seven out of the 23 RRF payments to member states are affected by quantitative findings, as well as payments for which no essential documentation was provided in MFF heading 2 ‘Cohesion, resilience and values’, to a level which is more than double than in 2022; warns that the European Commission has not provided assurance that Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) expenditure complies with EU and national rules; observes that seven out of the 23 RRF payments to member states are affected by quantitative findings, as well as payments for which no essential documentation was provided in MFF heading 2 ‘Cohesion, resilience and values’, to a level which is more than double than in 2022;
Amendment 12 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Warns that the European Commission’s estimate of error for expenditure is significantly outside the range of the Court of Auditors’ confidence interval, particularly in MFF heading 2 ‘Cohesion, resilience and values’;
Amendment 14 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Expresses concerns that the Commission forecast decommitments forabout the limitations of the Commission's and Member States' ex post cohesion policy funds, includcks withing the European Social Fund Plus, at EUR 2,2 billion for the 2024-2027 period, five times higher its 2022 forecast, mainly due to persistent low absorption;Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), particularly under Heading 2, 'Cohesion, Resilience and Values.'
Amendment 17 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Warns that competition in public procurement has decreased, due to the fact that procurement procedures have not been simplified and shortened;
Amendment 19 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that high inflation (6,4 %) continued to affect the Union budget; warns that, based on the Commission’s inflation forecast, the Union budget could lose about 13 % of its purchasing power by end of 2025; warns that EU debt from borrowing increased in 2023, particularly for funding for NGEU, while the bulk of repayment is deferred to future MFFs;
Amendment 20 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Notes the limitation in the European Commission’s annual activity report, which lacks conclusions on the effectiveness of Member State controls over RRF funds; calls for a comprehensive reliability statement from the Commission, based on a thorough assessment of control mechanisms at both EU and national levels, to provide European taxpayers with full assurance that RRF expenditures including in social affairs are in compliance with EU rules; demands enhanced transparency from the Commission and improvements in control systems to safeguard the financial integrity of EU recovery funds;
Amendment 22 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Warns that EU debt repayment from higher borrowing in 2023 relies on higher taxes on company profits;
Amendment 23 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Recalls that the estimate of error in MFF expenditure has increased from 2022 to 2023 by 33%, mainly due to the increase in MFF heading 2 ‘Cohesion, resilience and values’;
Amendment 24 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Concludes that the European Commission merely correlates spending in MFF heading 2 ‘Cohesion, resilience and values’ to a reduction of unemployment in Central and Eastern Europe, but fails to do it in the rest of the Union; warns that the European Commission completely fails to justify how the expenditure on the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) contributes effectively to a reduction of employment in the youth;
Amendment 25 #
2024/2019(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6 c. Emphasizes the importance of a rigorous planning and control cycle for EU agencies, whereby the outcomes and evaluations of expenditures are carefully considered in the budgeting process; aims to ensure a realistic and accountable budget based on demonstrated results and performance; therefore urges the European Commission to use the annual report of the European Court of Auditors as input for establishing the budget of the EU agencies, and requests that the available budget not be increased until identified shortcomings are fully addressed;
Amendment 8 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 4
(4) In order to enhance economic and social progress and upward convergence, support the green and digital transitionnational productive sectors, strengthen the Union industrial base and achieve inclusive, competitive and resilient labour markets in the Union, Member States should address labour and skills shortages and promote quality and inclusive education and training, with a particular focus on improving basic skills, especially among disadvantaged students, and on STEM (science, technology, enginerering and mathematiscs) in school and higher education, future-oriented vocational education and training, and lifelong upskilling and reskilling, as well as effective active labour market policies and improved working conditions and career opportunities. This is of particular relevance for the less developed, remote and outermost regions of the EU, where the needs are the greatest. Shortages can be further addressed by improving fair intra- EU mobility for workers and learners and attracting talent from outside the EU. In addition, the links between the education and training systems and the labour market should be strengthened and skills, knowledge and competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning recognised.
Amendment 12 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 5
(5) The Guidelines are consistent with the new EU economic governance framework, which entered into force on 30 April 2024, existing Union legislation and various Union initiatives, including Council Recommendations of 14 June 2021 (5 ), 29 November 2021 (6 ), 5 April 2022 (7 ), 16 June 2022 (8 ), 28 November 2022 (9 ), 8 December 2022 (10 ), 30 January 2023 (11 ), 12 June 2023 (12 ) and 27 November 2023 (13 ), Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/402) (14 ), Council Resolution of 26 February 2021(15 ), Commission Communications on building an economy that works for people: an action plan for the social economy (16 ), on the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 (17 ), on the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (18 ), on the Disability Employment Package (19 ), on a European Care Strategy (20 ), on A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age (21 ), on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union (22 ), on Better assessing the distributional impact of Member States’ policies (23 ),and on labour and skills shortages in the EU: an action plan (24 ), Decisions (EU) 2021/2316 (25 ) and (EU) 2023/936 (26 ) of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives (EU) 2022/2041 (27 ), (EU) 2022/2381 (28 ) and EU 2023/970 (29 ) of the European Parliament and of the Council, and the Commission proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 December 2021 on improving working conditions in platform work (30 ) __________________ 5 Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee (OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14). 6 Council Recommendation of 29 November 2021 on blended learning approaches for high-quality and inclusive primary and secondary education (OJ C 504, 14.12.2021, p. 21). 7 Council Recommendation of 5 April 2022 on building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation (OJ C 160, 13.4.2022, p.1).) 8 Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro- credentials for lifelong learning and employability (OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, p. 10), Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on individual learning accounts (OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, p. 26), Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality (OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, p. 35) and Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on learning for the green transition and sustainable development (OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, p. 1). 9 Council Recommendation of 28 November 2022 on Pathways to School Success and replacing the Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011 on policies to reduce early school leaving (OJ C 469, 9.12.2022, p. 1). 10 Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on access to affordable high-quality long-term care (OJ C 476, 15.12.2022, p. 1) and Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on early childhood education and care: the Barcelona targets for 2030 (OJ C 484, 20.12.2022, p. 1). 11 Council Recommendation of 30 January 2023 on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion (OJ C 41, 3.2.2023, p.1). 12 Council Recommendation of 12 June 2023 on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union (OJ C/2023/1389, 6.12.2023). 13 Council recommendation of 27 November 2023 on developing social economy framework conditions (OJ C/2023/1344, 29.11.2023). 14 Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/402 of 4 March 2021 on an effective active support to employment following the COVID-19 crisis (EASE) (OJ L 80, 8.3.2021, p. 1). 15 Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030) (OJ C 66, 26.2.2021, p. 1). 16 COM(2021) 778 final. 17 COM(2020) 624 final. 18 COM(2021) 101 final. 19 Disability Employment Package to improve labour market outcomes for persons with disabilities - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission (europa.eu) 20 COM(2022) 440 final. 21 COM(2023) 62 final. 22 COM(2023) 38 and 40 final. 23 COM(2022) 494 final. 24 COM(2024) 131 final. 25 Decision (EU) 2021/2316 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 2021 on a European Year of Youth (2022) (OJ L 462, 28.12.2021, p. 1). 26 Decision (EU) 2023/936 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on a European Year of Skills (OJ L 125, 11.5.2023, p. 1). 27 Directive (EU) 2022/2041 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on adequate minimum wages in the European Union (OJ L 275, 25.10.2022, p. 33). 28 Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2022/2381 of 23 November 2022 on improving the gender balance among directors of listed companies and related measures (OJ L 315, 7.12.2022, p. 44). 29 Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms (OJ L 132, 17.5.2023, p. 21). 30 COM (2021) 762 final
Amendment 15 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 6
(6) The European Semester combines different instruments in an overarching framework for integrated multilateral coordination and surveillance of economic and employment policies within the Union. While pursuing environmental sustainability, productivity, fairness and macroeconomic stability, the European Semester integrates the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and its monitoring tool, the Social Scoreboard, also allowing an analysis of risks and challenges to upward social convergence in the Union, and provides for strong engagement with social partners, civil society and other stakeholders. It also supports the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. The economic and employment policies of the Union and the Member States should go hand in hand with the Union’s fair transition to a climate-neutral, environmentally sustainable and digital economy,reinforcement of the Union’s Member States' national economies, as well as to improve competitiveness, ensure adequate working conditions, foster innovation, promote social justice, equal opportunities and upward socio-economic convergence, and tackle inequalities and regional disparities.
Amendment 19 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 7 – paragraph 1
Amendment 22 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 7 – paragraph 2
As shown in the Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on learning for the green transition and sustainable development, integrating the education and training dimension systematically into other policies related to the green transition and sustainable development in a lifelong perspective can support the implementation of those policies. Support should be provided from existing Union funding programmes, and in particular the Recovery and Resilience Facility established by Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council (31 ) and the cohesion policy funds, including the European Social Fund Plus established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council (32 ) and the European Regional Development Fund governed by Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council (33 ), as well as the Just Transition Fund established by Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 of the European Parliament and of the Council (34 ). Policy action should combine supply-side and demand-side measures, while taking into account the economic, environmental, employment and social impact of such measures. __________________ 31 Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 17). 32 Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 21). 33 Regulation (EU) 2021/1058 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on the European Regional Development Fund and on the Cohesion Fund (OJ L 231 30.6.2021, p. 60). 34 Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the Just Transition Fund (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 1).
Amendment 24 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 8
(8) The European Pillar of Social Rights, proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission in November 2017 (35 ), sets out twenty principles and rights to support well-functioning and fair labour markets and welfare systems, structured around three categories: equal opportunities and access to the labour market, fair working conditions, and social protection and inclusion. Those principles and rights give strategic direction to the Union, ensuring that the transitions to climate-neutrality, environmental sustainability, digitalisation and the impact of demographic change are socially fair and just and preserve territorial cohesion. The European Pillar of Social Rights, with its accompanying Social Scoreboard, constitutes a referenon-binding reference guidance framework to monitor the employment and social performance of Member States and upward social convergence in the Union, to doriventate reforms and investments at national, regional and local levels and to reconcile the ‘social’ and the ‘market’ in today’s modern economy, including by promoting the social economy. On 4 March 2021, the Commission put forward an Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (the ‘Action Plan’), including ambitious yet realistic Union headline targets on employment, skills and poverty reduction and complementary sub- targets for 2030, as well as the revised Social Scoreboard. __________________ 35 Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights (OJ C 428, 13.12.2017, p. 10).
Amendment 25 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 9
(9) As recognised by the Heads of State or Government at the 8 May 2021 Porto Social Summit, the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights will strengthen the Union’s drive towards a digital, green and fair transition and contribute to achieving upward social and economic convergence and addressing demographic challenges. They stressed that the social dimension, social dialogue and the active involvement of social partners are at the core of a highly competitive social market economy and welcomed the new Union headline targets. They affirmed their determination, as established by the European Council’s Strategic Agenda 2019-2024, to continue deepening the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights at Union and national levels, with due regard for respective competences and the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. Lastly, they stressed the importance of closely following, including at the highest level, progress achieved towards the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Union headline targets for 2030.
Amendment 32 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 12 – paragraph 2
The Recovery and Resilience Facility and other Union funds are supporting Member States in implementing reforms and investments that are in line with the Union’s priorities, making Union economies and societies more sustainable and resilient and better prepared for the green and digital transitionowth of national productive sectors in the changing context following the COVID-19 pandemic. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has further aggravated pre- existing socio-economic challenges, as higher energy prices particularly affected low-income households. Member States and the Union should continue to ensure that the social, employment and economic impacts are mitigated and that transitions are socially fair and just, also in light of the fact that increased open strategic autonomy and an accelerated green transition will help reduce the dependence on imports of energy and other strategic products and technologies, in particular from Russia. Strengthening resilience and pursuing an inclusive and resilient society in which people are protected and empowered to anticipate and manage change, and in which they can actively participate in society and the economy, are essential.
Amendment 36 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 12 – paragraph 3
A coherent set of active labour market policies, consisting ofincluding a balanced mix of both fixed and temporary and targeted hiring and transition incentives, skills policies including learning for the green transition and sustainable development, skills policies and targeted, effective and adaptable employment services, is needed to support labour market transitionemployers and employees and make full use of untapped labour market potential, also in line with the active inclusion approach and in light of the green and digital transformationsas highlighted inter alia in the La Hulpe Declaration on the Future of the European Pillar of Social Rights (38 ). Adequate working conditions, including occupational health and safety, and both the physical and mental health of workers should be ensured. __________________ 38 La Hulpe Declaration on the Future of the European Pillar of Social Rights. La Hulpe, Belgium, 16 April 2024.
Amendment 44 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 13 – paragraph 2
The potential of persons with disabilities to contribute to economic growth and social development should be further realised, in line with the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (40 ) which invited Member States to set up employment and adult learning targets for persons with disabilities. The EU Roma Strategic Framework highlights the capacity within the marginalised Roma communities to reduce labour and skills shortages and aims to cut the employment gap between Roma and general population by at least half (41 ). New technologies and evolving workplaces throughout the Union allow for more flexible working arrangements as well as improved productivity and work-life balance, whilst contributing to the Union’s green commitments. Those developments also bring new challenges to labour markets, affecting the working conditions, health and safety at work and effective access to adequate social protection for workers and the self- employed. Member States should ensure that new forms of work organisation translate into quality jobs and adequates healthy and safe workplaces and working conditions as well as work-life balance, maintaining established labour and social rights and strengthenrespecting Europe’s social model. __________________ 40 COM(2021) 101 final. 41 EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation for 2020-2030, COM(2020) 620 final.
Amendment 48 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 14 – paragraph 2
In addition, for the 2021-2027 programming period, Member States should make full use of the European Social Fund Plus, the European Regional Development Fund, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other Union funds, including the Just Transition Fund as well as InvestEU established by Regulation (EU) 2021/523 of the European Parliament and of the Council (46 ), as well as the Technical Support Instrument (TSI), to foster quality employment and social investments, to fight poverty and social exclusion, to combat discrimination, to ensure accessibility and inclusion, and to promote upskilling and reskilling opportunities of the workforce, lifelong learning and high-quality education and training for all, including digital literacy and skills in order to empower citizens with the knowledge and qualifications required for a digital and greenstrong economy. Member States are also to make full use of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers established by Regulation (EU) 2021/691 of the European Parliament and of the Council (47 ) to support workers made redundant as a result of major restructuring events, such as socioeconomic transformations that are the result of global trends and, technological andchanges and radical environmental changpolicies. While the Integrated Guidelines are addressed to Member States and the Union, they should be implemented in partnership with all national, regional and local authorities, closely involving parliaments, as well as the social partners and representatives of civil society. __________________ 46 Regulation (EU) 2021/523 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 March 2021 establishing the InvestEU Programme and amending Regulation (EU) 2015/1017 (OJ L 107, 26.3.2021, p. 30). 47 Regulation (EU) 2021/691 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013 (OJ L 153, 3.5.2021, p. 48).
Amendment 54 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 1
Member States should actively promote a sustainable social market economy and facilitate and support investment in the creation of quality jobs, also taking advantage of the potential linked to the digital and green transitions, in light of the Union and national headline targets for 2030 on employment. To that end, they should reduce the barriers that businesses face in hiring people, foster responsible entrepreneurship and genuine self- employment and, in particular, support the creation and growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to finance. Member States should actively promote the development of the social economy, including social enterprises, and tap into its full potential. They should develop relevant measures and strategies for the social economy, foster social innovation and encourage business models that create quality job opportunities and generate social welfare, notably at local level, including in the circular economy and in territories most affected by the transition to a green economy, including through targeted financial and technical support.
Amendment 60 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 3
Taxation should be shifted away from labour to other sources more supportive of employment and inclusive growth and in line with climate and environmental objectives, taking account of the redistributive effect of the tax system, while protecting revenue for adequate social protection and growth- enhancing expenditure.
Amendment 70 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 5
In the context of the digital and green transitions, demographic change and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Member States should promote sustainability, productivity, competitiveness, employability and human capital development, fostering acquisition of skills and competences throughout people’s lives and responding to current and future labour market needs, also in light of the Union and national headline targets for 2030 on skills. Member States should also modernise and invest in their education and training systems to provide high quality and inclusive education and training including vocational education and training, improve educational outcomes and the provision of skills and competences needed for the green and digital transitions, and ensure access to digital learning, language training (e.g. in the case of refugees including from Ukraine or in facilitating labour market access in cross- border regions) and the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills. Member States should work together with the social partners, education and training providers, enterprises and other stakeholders, also in the context of the action plan to tackle labour and skills shortages put forward by the Commission in March 2024, to address structural weaknesses in education and training systems and improve their quality and labour-market relevance, including through targeted financial and technical support. This would also contribute to enabling the green and digital transitions, addressing skills mismatches and labour shortages, including for activities related to net-zero and digital industries, including those relevant for the EU’s economic security, and those related to the green transition, such as renewable energy deployment or buildings’ renovation.
Amendment 79 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 7
Member States should foster equal opportunities for all by addressing inequalities in education and training systems, including in terms of regional coverage. In particular, children should be provided with access to affordable and high-quality early childhood education and care, in line with the new “Barcelona targets” and the European Child Guarantee. Member States should raise overall qualification levels, reduce the number of early leavers from education and training, support equal access to education of children from disadvantaged groups and remote areas, increase the attractiveness of vocational education and training (VET), support access to and completion of tertiary education, and increase the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates both in VET and in tertiary education, especially women. Top performance and excellence in educational outcomes should also be supported, given their role in fostering the future innovation potential of the EU. Mermber States should facilitate the transition from education to employment for young people through quality traineeships and apprenticeships, as well as increase adult participation in continuing learning, particularly among learners from disadvantaged backgrounds and the least qualified. Taking into account the new requirements of digital, green and ageing societies, Member States should upgrade and increase the supply and uptake of flexible initial and continuing VET, strengthen work-based learning in their VET systems, including through accessible, quality and effective apprenticeships, and support low-skilled adults maintain their employability. Furthermore, Member States should enhance the labour-market relevance of tertiary education and, where appropriate, research; improve skills monitoring and forecasting; make skills and qualifications more visible and comparable, including those acquired abroad, and ensure a more consistent use of EU-wide classifications (i.e. ESCO); and increase opportunities for recognising and validating skills and competences acquired outside formal education and training, including for refugees and persons under a temporary protection status. Beyond using the untapped potential of the EU domestic workforce, attracting talent and skills from outside the EU via managed migration and preventing exploitative working conditions can also contribute to addressing skills and labour shortages, including those linked to the green and digital transitions such as in STEM sectors and in healthcare and long- term care.
Amendment 83 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 8
Member States should provide unemployed and inactive people with effective, timely, coordinated and tailor-made assistance based on support for job searches, training, up- and reskilling and access to other enabling services, paying particular attention to vulnerable groups and people affected by the green and digital transitions or labour market shocks. Comprehensive strategies that include in-depth individual assessments of unemployed people should be pursued as soon as possible, at the latest after 18 months of unemployment, with a view to significantly reducing and preventing long-term and structural unemployment. Youth unemployment and the issue of young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) should continue to be addressed through prevention of early leaving from education and training and structural improvement of the school-to-work transition, including through the full implementation of the reinforced Youth Guarantee, which should also support quality youth employment opportunities. In addition, Member States should boost efforts notably at highlighting how the green and digital transitions offers a renewed perspective for the future and opportunities for young people in the labour market.
Amendment 88 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 9
Member States should aim to remove barriers and disincentives to, and provide incentives for, participation in the labour market, in particular for low-income earners, second earners (often women) and those furthest from the labour market, including people with a legal migrant backgroundcess to the Union and marginalised Roma people. In view of high labour shortages in certain occupations and sectors (notably in STEM sectors, healthcare and long-term care, education, transport and construction), Member States should contribute to fostering labour supply, notably through promoting adequate wages and working conditions, ensuring that the design of tax and benefit systems encourages labour market participation, and that active labour market policies are effective and accessible, respecting the role of social partners. Member States should also support a work environment adapted for persons with disabilities, including through targeted financial and technical support, information and awareness raising, and services that enable them to participate in the labour market and in society. The gender employment and pay gaps as well as gender stereotypes should be tackled. Member States should ensure gender equality and increased labour market participation of wof opportunity for men and women and the free choice for women that wish to work outside of their homen, including through ensuring equal opportunities and career progression and eliminating barriers to leadership access at all levels of decision making, as well as by tackling violence and harassment at work which is a problem that mainly affects women. Equal pay for equal work, or work of equal value, and pay transparency should be ensured. The reconciliation of work, family and private life for both women and men should be promoted, in particular through access to affordable, quality long-term care and early childhood education and care services, as well as through adequate policies catering to the changes brought to the world of work by digitalisation. Member States should ensure that parents and other people with caring responsibilities have access to suitable family-related leave and flexible working arrangements in order to balance work, family and private life, and promote a balanced use of those entitlements between parents.
Amendment 110 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 16
Member States should ensure an enabling environment for bipartite and tripartite social dialogue at all levels, including collective bargaining, in the public and private sectors in accordance with national law and/or practice, after consultation and in close cooperation with social partners, while respecting their autonomy. Member States should involve social partners in a systematic, meaningful and timely manner in the design and implementation of employment, social and, where relevant, economic and other public policies including in the setting and updating of statutory minimum wages. Member States should promote a higher level of covergage of collective bargaining, including by promoting the building and strengthening of capacity of the social partners, enable effective collective bargaining at all appropriate levels and encourage coordination between and across those levels. The social partners should be encouraged to negotiate and conclude collective agreements in matters relevant to them, fully respecting their autonomy and the right to collective action.
Amendment 113 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 18
Member States should promote inclusive labour markets, open to all legal residents, by putting in place effective measures to fight all forms of discrimination and promote equal opportunities for all, and in particular for groups that are under- represented in the labour market, also with due attention to the regional and territorial dimension. They should ensure equal treatment with regard to employment, and social protection, healthcare, early childhood education and care, long-term care, education and access to goods and services, including housing, regardless of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientationas provided for in national law.
Amendment 115 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 19
Member States should modernise social protection systems to provide adequate, effective, efficient and sustainable social protection for all legal residents, throughout all stages of life, fostering social inclusion and upward social mobility, incentivising labour market participation, supporting social investment, fighting poverty and social exclusion and addressing inequalities, including through the design of their tax and benefit systems and by assessing the distributional impact of policies. Denial of access of illegal immigration is neither considered as social exclusion or inequality. Complementing universal approaches with targeted ones will improve the effectiveness of social protection systems. The modernisation of social protection systems should also aim to improve their resilience to multi-faceted challenges. Particular attention should be paid to vulnerable households that are most affected by the green and digital transitions and by high cost of living, including energy costs. Member States should further address gaps in access to social protection for workers and the self-employed in light of the rise of atypical forms of work.
Amendment 122 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 20
Member States should develop and integrate the three strands of active inclusion: adequate income support, inclusive labour markets and access to quality enabling services, to meet individual needs. Social protection systems should ensure adequate minimum income benefits for everyonelegal citizens lacking sufficient resources and promote social inclusion by supporting and encouraging people to actively participate in the labour market and society, including through targeted provision of social services. The availability of affordable, accessible and quality services such as early childhood education and care, out-of-school care, education, training, housing, and health and long-term care is a necessary condition for ensuring equal opportunities. Particular attention should be given to fighting poverty and social exclusion, including in- work poverty, in line with the Union headline and national targets for 2030 on poverty reduction. Child poverty and social exclusion should be especially addressed by comprehensive and integrated measures, including through the full implementation of the European Child Guarantee. Member States should ensure that everyone, including children, has access to essential services of good quality. For those in need or in a vulnerable situation, they should also ensure access to adequate affordable and social housing or housing assistance. They should ensure a clean and fair energy transition and address energy poverty as an increasingly significant form of poverty, including, where appropriate, via targeted support measures aimed at households in vulnerable situations. Member States should make effective use of EU funding and technical support to invest in social housing, housing renovation and accompanying services and address the urgent need for affordable and decent housing. The specific needs of persons with disabilities, including accessibility, should be taken into account in relation to those services. Homelessness should be tackled specifically by promoting access to permanent housing and the provision of enabling support services.
Amendment 125 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 22
In light of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and in line with the activation of Council Directive 2001/55/EC1 , Member States should continue offering an adequate level of protection to displaced persons from Ukraine. For unaccompanied minors, they should also implement the necessary measures according to national law. Displaced children should be ensured access to childhood education and care and essential services in line with the European Child Guaranteenational law. __________________ 1 Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001 on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons and on measures promoting a balance of efforts between Member States in receiving such persons and bearing the consequences thereof (OJ L 212, 7.8.2001, p. 12).