13 Amendments of Younous OMARJEE related to 2014/2246(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas cohesion policy for 2014-2020 is the EU's main investment policy aligned with the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, with a budget of EUR 350 billion until the end of 2020;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas regional policy is an indispensable tool for promoting economic and social cohesion, with the principal objectives of reducing disparities between regions - in particular the poorer and outermost regions - promoting real convergence, and encouraging growth and employment ; insists that cohesion policy must be pursued and strengthened and should always remain an independent policy providing for sustainable development (economic, social, environmental and territorial), and reductions in disparities between regions and in the backwardness of the poorer regions;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas the EU continues to struggle with the deepest economic and social crisis since its foundation, with stagnating economies, high unemployment, declining social and labour rights, and rising socio- economic inequalities, which presents the EU with unprecedented challenges;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
A c. whereas almost five years after the launch of the Europe2020 strategy, there is little progress towards the targets set at the country and EU level ; whereas the economic crisis and the drastic decline of public investments has taken a heavy toll on EU regions in terms of growth and employment and gaps between regions have widened dramatically;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the goals of cohesion policy have unquestionably evolved over the time, demonstrating their effectiveness; whereas the European Fund for Strategic Investments brings new elements to the overall EU strategy aimed at creating growth and jobs; whereas no investment program can replace a social, ecological and territorial balanced cohesion policy, which strengthens the region's potential and promotes sustainable structural changes;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the Europe 2020 strategy is an overarching, long-term ‘growth and jobs' strategy of the European Union, built around five ambitious objectives: employment, innovation, climate change and energy sustainability, education, and fighting poverty and social exclusion; Notes however that Europe 2020 thus far has failed to restore a sustainable and inclusive economy that can deliver decent jobs to the millions of unemployed or underemployed people in the European Union, as well as a high level of welfare services, while protecting the environment;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. rejects the Commission's approach of subordinating cohesion policy to European economic governance, as well as the use of macroeconomic conditionality in the Stability and Growth Pact as a requirement for access to cohesion policy and regional development funds; insists that cohesion policy should not be used as an instrument of financial punishment if a region or Member State rejects the policy of deregulation and privatisation;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Acknowledges, at the same time, the need to consider the evolution of the economic outlook, the use of new instruments, the progress made towards the strategy objectives and the consequent necessity of making operational adjustments; Calls on the Commission , for the scope of the mid-term review of the Europe 2020, strategy , to encompass a new set of indicators measuring well- being and regional disparities, in addition to GDP;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls therefore for the scope of the mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy to be limited, and focused on deepening, widening, adjusting and better interaddress the major challenges the EU is faced with today, such as stagnating economies, high unemployment, declinking the strategy's five objectives and its flagship initiasocial and labour rights, rising socio-economic inequalitives and on identifying methods as to how they could be better carried forward and evaluated without creating additional layers of complexity and excessive administrative burdenhigh public and external debts; insists that the economic, social, climate and political crisis can only be overcome by a radical new policy that puts people at the centre of all policies, instead of the interests of the financial markets;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reiterates its calls to enhance the responsibility and ownership dimensions of the strategy by involving local and regional authorities and other civil society stakeholders and interested parties; insists on the crucial importance of a strengthened governance structure based on multi-level governance, an effective mixed top-down / bottom-up approach and the partnership model of cohesion policy, with a view to ensuring effective capacity to deliver on the objectives; emphasises that greater transparency, openness and democratisation of the EU and its strategies , including stronger participation by citizens in shaping the future of the Union, are imperative for restoring citizens' trust in the EU and hence the long-term survival of the Union;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. HighlightNotes the importance of the new EU investment instrument, the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), and emphasises that it should bnot undermine the scomplementary and additional tope of the Cohesion policy and of the ESI Funds; points out that the EFSI is not clearly linked to the Europe 2020 strategy, but that through its objectives it contributes to the implementation of the strategy; stresses, moreover, the imperative of ensuring full coherence and synergies between all EU instruments, in order to avoid overlapping or contradictions among them or between the different levels of policy implementation and in order to stimulate qualitative and socially balanced growth based on a fairer distribution of wealth; appreciates that the review of the Europe 2020 strategy, as the EU's long-term strategic framework for growth and jobs, must address this challenge with a view to using all the available resources effectively and achieving the expected results as regards the overarching strategic goals;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Believes that the existing EU funding and current EU financial resources for cohesion policy are insufficient to meet needs in terms of achieving real convergence and tackling regional disparities, high levels of unemployment, income inequalities and poverty in the European Union; points to the need for the EU budget to be strengthened in the area of cohesion policy; Calls on the Commission to present a proposal for the MFF midterm review which genuinely reflects the priorities needed to stimulate sustainable, qualitative and socially balanced growth;