27 Amendments of Carla TAVARES related to 2024/0258(COD)
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8 a) Recognizing that Moldova’s integration into the EU single market can deliver immediate and tangible socio- economic benefits, the use of grants and loans under this regulation should prioritize measures to support the country’s export growth. These include permanent liberalization of tariff-rate quotas for key Moldovan exports, facilitation of trade through infrastructure and regulatory alignment, and strengthening Moldova’s integration into EU-led social and economic initiatives and programs.
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) The Facility should be supported with resources from the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe amounting to EUR 420 million and a maximum amount of EUR 1 500 million in loans for the period from 2025-2027. The amount should cover the 9% provisioning required for the loans corresponding to EUR 135 million, support provided by the Union for projects approved under the NIP, as referred to in Article 18(2), and complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance. The non-repayable support should be financed from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. All provisions under Regulation (EU) 2021/947 should apply unless otherwise mentioned in this RegulationIn order to maximise EU financial support, the 9 % provisioning required for the loans corresponding to EUR 135 million should be covered from the NDICI- Global Europe Emerging challenges and priorities cushion, in line with Articles 6(3) and 17 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. All provisions under Regulation (EU) 2021/947 should apply unless otherwise mentioned in this Regulation. In particular, Moldova should remain eligible for NDICI regional, thematic and rapid response programmes. The proposed Facility is closely modelled on the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28 a (new)
Recital 28 a (new)
(28 a) In order to better contribute to Moldova’s socio-economic dimension and ensure that funding under the Facility aligns with Moldova’s fiscal capacity and reform objectives, the balance between non-repayable support and concessional loans should be yearly assessed.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 42
Recital 42
(42) The Facility Agreement should also include indicators for assessing progress towards the achievement of general and specific objectives of the Facility set out in this Regulation. Those indicators should be based on internationally agreed indicators. Indicators should also, to the extent possible, be coherent with the key performance indicators included in Commission Implementing Decisionproposal of Delegated Act for the approvingal of the Reform Agendas for the Western Balkans under Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 and in the EFSD+ Results Measurement Framework. The indicators should be relevant, accepted, credible, easy, and robust.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 43
Recital 43
(43) The Commission should assess the Reform Agenda based on the list of criteria set out in this Regulation. In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission to approve the Reform Agendathe Commission should be empowered to adopt a delegated act. The Commission will duly take into account Council decision 2010/427/EU (11) and the role of the European External Action Service (EEAS), where appropriate.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 44
Recital 44
(44) The work programme approved by delegated act within the meaning of Article 110(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 adopted in accordance with the relevant provisions of Regulation (EU) 2021/947 should cover the amounts funded from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.
Amendment 70 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 45
Recital 45
(45) Given the need for flexibility in the implementation of the Facility, it should be possible for Moldova to make a reasoned request to the Commission to amend the implementing decisionpropose to amend the delegated act, where the Reform Agenda, including relevant payment conditions, is no longer achievable, either partially or totally, because of objective circumstances. Moldova should be able to make a reasoned request to amend the Reform Agenda, including by proposing addenda, where relevant. The Commission should be able to amend the implementing decisionpropose to amend the delegated act.
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 48
Recital 48
(48) Considering that the financial risks associated with the support to Moldova in the form of loans under the Facility is comparable to the financial risks associated with lending operations under Regulation (EU) 2021/947, provisioning for the financial liability from loans under this Regulation should be constituted at the rate of 9 %, in line with Article 214 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/2509 and the funding of the provisioning should be sourced from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programmeemerging challenges and priorities cushion under Article 6(2)(a3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 49
Recital 49
(49) In order to ensure that Moldova disposes of start-up funding for the implementation of the first reforms, it should have access to up to 720 % of the total amount provided for in this Facility, after deduction of complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance, and provisioning for loans, in the form of a pre- financing, subject to availability of funding and to the respect of the preconditions for support under the Facility.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 50
Recital 50
(50) It is important to guarantee both flexibility and programmability in providing Union support to Moldova. Moldova should submit on a six-monthly basis a duly justified request for the release of funds at the latest two months after the timeline for the planned fulfilment of steps, set in the Commission Implementing DecisionDelegated Act approving the Reform Agenda. For that purpose, funds under the Facility should be released according to a fixed semi-annual schedule, subject to availability of funding, on the basis of a request for the release of funds submitted by Moldova and following verification by the Commission of the satisfactory fulfilment of both the general conditions related to macro-financial stability, sound public financial management, transparency and oversight of the budget and the relevant payment conditions. Where a payment condition is not fulfilled as per the indicative timeline set in the decision approving the Reform Agenda, the Commission could withhold in whole or in part the release of funds corresponding to that condition, following a methodology on partial payments. The release of the corresponding withheld funds could take place during the next window for the release of funds and up to twelve months after the original deadline set out in the indicative timeline, provided that the payment conditions have been fulfilled. In the first year of implementation, that deadline should be extended to 24 months from the initial negative assessment.
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52
Recital 52
(52) The Commission should provide, upon request of the European Parliament in the framework of the discharge procedure, with detailed information about the implementation of the Union budget under the Facility, in particular as regards audits carried out, including weaknesses identified and corrective measures taken, and as regards projects approved under NIP, including where applicable the amount of Moldova’s co-financing as well as other sources of contributions including from other Union financing instruments.
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The non-repayable financial support shall be financed for the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2027 from the envelope allocated to the Neighbourhood geographic programme under Article 6(2), point (a) of Regulation (EU) 2021/947. It shall cover provisioning for loans amounting to EUR 135 million, support provided by the Union for projects approved under the NIP, as referred to in Article 18(2)and complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance. That funding shall be implemented in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/947. The provisioning for loans amounting to EUR 135 million shall be covered from the NDICI-Global Europe Emerging challenges and priorities cushion in accordance with Articles 6(3) and 17 of Regulation (EU) 2021/947.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3
Article 6 – paragraph 3
3. The release of the Union’s assistance shall be managed by the Commission in a manner consistent with the key principles and objectives of reforms set out in the Reform Agenda. All funds, with the exception of complementary support referred to in paragraph 2, and resources referred to in paragraph 5, shall be provided in twice- yearly instalments based on the completion of the necessary reforms in the specified timelines as agreed in the reform agenda and agreed in the Commission Implementing DecisionDelegated Act.
Amendment 102 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 5
Article 6 – paragraph 5
5. An amount of up to 12% of the non- repayable support referred to in paragraph 2 may be used for technical and administrative assistance for the implementation of the Facility, such as preparatory actions, monitoring, control, audit and evaluation activities, which are required for the management of the Facility and the achievement of its objectives, in particular studies, meetings of experts, training consultations with Moldova’s authorities, namely the Court of Auditors of Moldova, conferences, consultation of stakeholders, including local and regional authorities and civil society organisations, information and communication activities, including inclusive outreach actions, and the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union, insofar as they are related to the objectives of this Regulation, expenses linked to IT networks focusing on information processing and exchange, corporate information technology tools, as well as all other expenditure at headquarters and Union delegation for the administrative and coordination support required for the Facility. Expenses may also cover the costs of activities supporting transparency and of other activities such as quality control and monitoring of projects or programmes on the ground and the costs of peer counselling and experts for the assessment and implementation of reforms and investments.
Amendment 105 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 2
2. The Reform Agenda shall be results-based and include indicators for assessing progress towards the achievement of the general and specific objectives set out in Article 3. Those indicators shall be based, where appropriate and relevant, on internationally agreed indicators and those already available related to the Moldova’s policies. Indicators shall also be coherent, to the extent possible, with the key performance indicators included in Commission Implementing DecisionDelegated Act approving the Reform Agendas for the Western Balkans under Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 and in the EFSD+ Results Measurement Framework.
Amendment 106 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – title
Article 13 – title
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
1. 1. In case of positive assessment, the Commission shall approve by means of an implementing decisionpropose to approve by delegated act the Reform Agenda submitted by Moldova, in accordance with Article 12 or, where applicable, of the amended Agenda submitted in accordance with Article 14. The provisions of Article 25(2) shall apply to the adoption of that implementing decisiondelegated act.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2
Article 13 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission implementing decisionproposal for delegated act, referred to in paragraph 1, shall set out the reforms to be implemented by Moldova concerned, the investment areas to be supported and the payment conditions stemming from the Reform Agenda, including the timetable.
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts to supplement this Regulation in order to set out the common indicators to be used for reporting on the progress and for the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of the Framework towards the achievement of the general and specific objectives;
Amendment 110 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 13 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The Commission implementing decisionproposal for a delegated act, referred to in paragraph 1, shall also lay down:
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. Where the Reform Agenda, including relevant payment conditions, is no longer achievable by Moldova, either partially or totally, because of objective circumstances, Moldova may propose an amended Reform Agenda. In that case, Moldova may make a reasoned request to the Commission to amend its implementing decisionpropose amendements to the delegated act referred to in Article 13(1).
Amendment 113 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission may amend the implementing decisionpropose amendements to the delegated act, in particular to take into account a change of the amounts available in line with the principles under Article 19.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3
Article 14 – paragraph 3
3. Where the Commission considers that the reasons put forward by Moldova justify an amendment to its Reform Agenda, the Commission shall assess the amended Agenda in accordance with Article 12 and may amend the implementing decisionpropose amendements to the delegated act referred to in Article 13(1) without undue delay.
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
1. Following the submission of the Reform Agenda to the Commission, Moldova may request the release of a pre- financing of up to 720 % of the total amount foreseen under this Facility in accordance with Article 6(1), after deduction of complementary support, including support to civil society organisations and technical assistance, and provisioning for loans.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 2
Article 17 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission may release the requested pre-financing after the adoption of its implementing decisionthe delegated act referred to in Article 13 and the entry into force of the Facility Agreement and of the loan agreement referred to in Articles 8 and 15 respectively. The funds shall be released in accordance with Article 19(3), first sentence, and subject to the respect of the preconditions set out in Article 5.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1
Article 19 – paragraph 1
1. Twice per year, Moldova shall submit a duly justified request for the release of funds at the latest two months after the timeline set in the Commission Implementing DecisionDelegated Act in respect of fulfilled payment conditions related to the quantitative and qualitative steps as set out in the Reform Agenda.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2
Article 19 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall assess without undue delay whether Moldova has met the preconditions set out in Article 5 and the principles for financing set out in Article 10(3) and achieved satisfactory fulfilment of the payment conditions set out in the Commission implementing decisionDelegated Act referred to in Article 13. In case the Commission finds that payment conditions for which it had previously paid have been reversed by Moldova, the Commission will reduce future disbursements by an equivalent amount. The Commission may be assisted by experts, including experts from Member States. In the event that a request for the release of funds or a request for payment includes a step related to Chapter 32, referred to in Article 19(2), the Commission may not adopt a decision authorizing the release of funds unless it assesses such step positively.