16 Amendments of Vilija BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ related to 2022/2147(INI)
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Recital -A c (new)
Recital -A c (new)
-Ac. whereas the outermost regions (ORs) offer major assets to the EU; whereas many of the ORs have a young population, extensive maritime economic zones, unique biodiversity, rich renewable energy sources, location and climate suitable for space sciences and astrophysics activities, important space infrastructure and proximity to other countries while at the same time, they are facing challenges to their development such as remoteness, insularity, small size, vulnerability to climate change, and economic dependence on a few sectors;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas social inequalities are at the heart of theone of the greatest social challenges facing the outermost regions (ORs) of the EU; whereas the ORs collectively are disproportionately affected by high poverty, unemployment and school dropout rates and these issues are exacerbated by the particularities that are common to these regions; a gross domestic product (GDP), which is significantly below EU and national averages (60% in the ORs if the EU-27 average is put at 100%)1a; whereas these issues are exacerbated by the particularities that are common to these regions; _________________ 1a The Commission’s report: “Outermost regions at a glance – assets, challenges and opportunities” from May 2022 illustrates a GDP PPS per inhabitant percentage in 2020 of 60% in the ORs. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sourc es/policy/themes/outermost-regions/rup- 2022/comm-rup-2022-glance_en.pdf
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the number of young people who are not in employment, education or training is at an alarming level in the ORs; (22% compared to 11% in the EU-27)2a; _________________ 2a The Commission’s report: “Outermost regions at a glance – assets, challenges and opportunities” from May 2022 illustrates average young people rates of early leavers, NEETs (not in employment, education and training double the rate on EU Level. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sourc es/policy/themes/outermost-regions/rup- 2022/comm-rup-2022-glance_en.pdf
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas young people from the outermost regions frequently need to travel and move to other regions to obtain specific training and education; whereas many who have moved away are not coming back later on;
Amendment 38 #
D. whereas women in the ORs too often face unstable and short-term employment; the employment rate of women in the ORs is significantly below the EU and national averages (47% compared to 62% in the EU-27)3a; _________________ 3a The Commission’s report: “Outermost regions at a glance – assets, challenges and opportunities” from May 2022 illustrates the female employment rates in the ORs compared to the average European levels. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sourc es/policy/themes/outermost-regions/rup- 2022/comm-rup-2022-glance_en.pdf
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the social situation of young people is a central concern forin the ORs; calls, in this regard, for the reinforced Youth Guarantee to be fully deployed in the ORs; believes that an evaluation of the guarantee’s implementation is necessary in these territories is necessary, including an assessment of the existing barriers for young people;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Calls on the Member States as well as the regional and local authorities concerned to put in place or strengthen measures to fight unemployment, poverty and social exclusion in the ORs, including through the strengthening of public employment services, the promotion of lifelong learning and other measures focused on professional development;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Highlights that education and training as well as the integration into the labour market is an important instrument to combat poverty and inequalities; urges the Commission and the Member States, therefore, to support measures aimed at disadvantaged and low-skilled groups in the ORs, with emphasis on education and training that allow for the development of social, scientific and professional skills, in particular basic digital skills; calls on the Member States as well as the regional and local authorities concerned to ensure the diversification of the education and training offers, according to the needs of the regions and to ensure equal opportunities;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Stresses the importance of enhancing public services in the ORs, through strengthened regional cooperation, economic diversification, investments in R&D and digitalisation, reinforced vocational education and training, upskilling and reskilling opportunities and active labour market policies, to tackle long-term unemployment and youth unemployment in particular (45,82% compared to 16,8% in the EU-27);4a _________________ 4a The Commission’s report: “Outermost regions at a glance – assets, challenges and opportunities” from May 2022 illustrates a comparison between the youth employment rates in the ORs in relation to the average EU-27 level. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sourc es/policy/themes/outermost-regions/rup- 2022/comm-rup-2022-glance_en.pdf
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support youth employment in the ORs by working with local stakeholders, including within the private sector, universities and local authorities, to establish a digital one-stop shop in order to help young peoplejobseekers who are seelooking for their first job or lookingwant to establish or take over a businesses;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the need to ensure the empowerment of women in the ORs by promoting access to stable, high-quality jobs, including equal pay and fair remuneration;
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to improve access toand the Member States to improve access to information regarding the European Social Fund Plus in the ORs by setting up masslaunching information campaigns aimed at institutional and associative partners, providing a support services for project leaders and financing training for managing authorities.;
Amendment 108 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Highlights that the outermost regions' economies are heavily dependent on the tourism and transport sectors, which were severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic; calls therefore on Member-States as well as regional and local authorities concerned to work together to best ensure the socio-economic recovery of the ORs, taking into account challenges such as rising prices due to inflation and disruption of supply chains;
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to improve access to Union funding for the ORs and to advance with the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, including in the areas of quality employment, education, skills, social inclusion, and equal access to healthcare;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to provide tailored support to the ORs to ensure they can make the most out of EU opportunities, as well as to organise specific workshops on EU programmes and strengthen the dialogue with relevant stakeholders in the ORs;