23 Amendments of Younous OMARJEE related to 2011/0273(COD)
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Article 176 of the Treaty provides that the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is intended to help to redress the main regional imbalances in the Union. In accordance with Article 174 of the Treaty, the ERDF contributes to reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions, among which particular attention should be paid to rural areas, areas affected by industrial transition, and regions which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps such as the regions covered by Article 349 of the TFEU, the northernmost regions with very low population density and island, cross- border and mountain regions.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) To increase the value added of the Union' s cohesion policy, the specific provisions should lead to considerable simplification on all levels involved: beneficiaries, programme authorities, participating Member States, elected regional and local authorities and third countries, as well as the Commission.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Cross-border cooperation should aim to tackle common challenges identified jointly in the border regions (such as poor accessibility, inappropriate business environment, lack of networks among local and regional administrations, research and innovation and take-up of information and communication technologies, environmental pollution, risk prevention, negative attitudes towards neighbouring country citizens) and exploit the untapped potentials in the border area (development of cross-border research and innovation facilities and clusters, cross-border labour market integration, cooperation among universities or health centres), while enhancing the cooperation process for the purpose of the overall harmonious development of the Union. In the case of any cross-border programme between Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland in support of peace and reconciliation, the ERDF shall also contribute to promoting social and economic stability in the regions concerned, notably by actions to promote social inclusion and cohesion between communities.
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) It is necessary to fix the resources allocated to each of the different components of the European territorial cooperation goal, while maintaining a significant concentration on cross-border cooperation and to give Member States and elected regional and local authorites a degree of flexibility between the components, securing sufficient funding levels for outermost regions' cooperation.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The rules on flexibility concerning the location of operations out side the programme area should be simplified. In addition, it is necessary to support and facilitate, through specific arrangements, effective cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation with the Union's neighbouring third countries where this is necessary to ensure that the regions of the Member States which border third countries or which are in the same sea- basin as the EU regions covered by Article 349 of the TFEU, can be effectively assisted in their development. Accordingly, it is appropriate to authorise on an exceptional basis and under certain conditions the financing of assistance from the ERDF for operations located on the territory of third countries where the operations are for the benefit of the regions of the Union.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Member States, in agreement with elected regional and local authorities, should be encouraged to confer the task of th e managing authority on an EGTC or to make such a grouping re sponsible for managing the part of a cooperation programme covering the territory concerned by the EGTC.
Amendment 97 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) A single audit authority should be responsible for carrying out all functions listed in Article 116 of Regulation (EU) No […]/2012 [CPR] in order to ensure uniform standards across the whole programme area. Where this is not possible, a group of auditors or specific arrangements in the event of cooperation between the regions covered by Article 349 of the TFEU and third countries, should be able to assist the programme audit authority.
Amendment 99 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 35
Recital 35
(35) It is necessary to clarify the applicable rules concerning financial management, programming, monitoring, evaluation and control regarding the participation of third countries in cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation programmes, particulary when regions covered by Article 349 of the TFEU are involved. Those rules should be established in the relevant cooperation programme and/or the relevant financing agreement between the Commission, each of the third countries and the Member State hosting the managing authority of the relevant cooperation programme.
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
For cross-border cooperation, the regions to be supported shall be the NUTS level 3 regions of the Union along all internal and external land borders other than those covered by programmes under the external financial instruments of the Union, and all NUTS level 3 regions of the Union along maritime borders separated by a maximum of 150 km, excluding outermost regions and island regions to which this restriction does not apply, without prejudice to potential adjustments needed to ensure the coherence and continuity of cooperation programme areas established for the 2007- 2013 programming period.
Amendment 152 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Cooperation programmes involving the outermost regions shall receive not less than 150% of the ERDF support for territorial cooperation they received in the 2007-2013 period. In addition, EUR 50 000 000 from the allocation for interregional cooperation shall be set aside for outermost regions' cooperation. Concerning thematic concentration, Article 5 (b) applies to this additional allocation.
Amendment 166 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
a) up to 46 thematic objectives shall be selected for each cross-border cooperation programme;
Amendment 177 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
a) up to 46 thematic objectives shall be selected for each cross-border cooperation programme;
Amendment 189 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a – point i
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a – point i
i) integrating cross-border labour markets, including cross-border mobility, joint local employment initiatives and joint training (within the thematic objective of promoting employment and supporting labour mobility);
Amendment 201 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
ii) promoting gender equality and equal opportunities across borders, as well as promoting social inclusionsocial inclusion, cultural exchanges, promoting culture, upholding the rights of minorities as well as the inclusion of minorities across borders (within the thematic objective of promoting social inclusion and combating poverty);
Amendment 218 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iv a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point a – point iv a (new)
iv a) investment in health and social infrastructures as well as the cooperation systems of emergency services which contribute to an effective use resources in cross-border regions (within the thematic objective of promoting social inclusion and combatting poverty).
Amendment 288 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point e – point ii
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point e – point ii
Amendment 303 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 5
Article 7 – paragraph 5
5. The participating Member States and third countries or territories, where applicablen invited to participate in cooperation programmes, shall confirm in writing their agreement to the contents of a cooperation programme prior to its submission to the Commission. This agreement shall also include a commitment of all participating Member States and, if possible, third countries or territories, to provide the co-financing necessary to implement the cooperation programme.
Amendment 304 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 6
Article 7 – paragraph 6
6. Member States shall draft the cooperation programmes according to the model adopted by the Commission. Participating Member States and third countries or territories, when invited to participate in cooperation programmes shall draft the cooperation programmes according to the model adopted by the Commission. By way of derogation from paragraph 5, when cooperation programmes involve outermost regions and third countries, the Member State will have to consult the third country before submitting programmes to the Commission. In this event, an agreement on the content of the cooperation programmes and the possible contributions from third countries can be included in the minutes of the consultation meetings with the approved third countries or on the decision of the regional cooperation bodies.
Amendment 310 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Operations selected under cross-border and transnational cooperation shall involve beneficiaries from at least two participating countries, at least one of which shall be from a Member State. An operation may be implemented in a single country, provided that it is for the benefit of the programme area
Amendment 316 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Operations concerning interregional cooperation under Article 2(3)(a) and (b) shall involve beneficiaries from at least three countries, at least two of which shall be Member States.
Amendment 324 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 4
Article 11 – paragraph 4
4. Beneficiaries shall cooperate in the development, implementation, staffing and financing of operations. For programmes involving regions covered by Article 349 TFEU, only two of these four conditions may be verified.
Amendment 360 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Where the managing authority cannot carry out verifications under Article 114(4)(a) of Regulation (EU) No […]/2012 [CPR] throughout the whole programme area, each Member State or third country, in agreement with the elected regional and local authorities, shall designate the body or person responsible for carrying out such verifications in relation to beneficiaries on its territory ('controller(s)').
Amendment 363 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24
Article 24