On a revamped long-term budget for the Union in a changing world

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AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Culture and Education submits the following to the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Stresses that all spending in the post-2027 MFF must be strategically aligned with the EU’s political aims, adding tangible value for the people of the Union, with discernible net benefits compared to spending at national or sub-national level and leading to real and lasting results;

2. Stresses that all spending in the post-2027 MFF must be strategically aligned with the EU’s core values and political aims, adding tangible value for all people of the Union, with discernible net benefits compared to spending at national or sub-national level and leading to real and lasting results that aim for inclusiveness, sustainability and transparency;

Or. en

Amendment 2

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Underlines that a more competitive, productive and socially inclusive economy helps to generate high-quality, well-paid jobs, thus enhancing people’s standard of living; emphasises that, through programmes such as the European Social Fund+ and Erasmus+, the Union budget can play an important role in supporting education and training systems, boosting workforce adaptability through reskilling and upskilling, and thus preparing people for employment in a modern economy;

14. Underlines that a more competitive, productive and socially inclusive economy helps to generate high-quality, well-paid jobs, thus enhancing people’s standard of living; emphasises that, through programmes such as the European Social Fund+ and Erasmus+, the Union budget plays an important role in supporting education and training systems, boosting workforce adaptability through reskilling, upskilling, and vocational education and training, and thus preparing people for employment in a modern economy; emphasises that inclusion measures must be strengthened in all EU programmes to ensure unrestricted and barrier-free access for all European citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 3

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14a. Stresses that, through a targeted budget, the EU can create more interconnected educational environments that fuel innovation and opportunities for all in the global, knowledge-based, highly competitive economy, where bridges between academia, business and government sectors can enable knowledge, skills and talents to circulate freely as EU citizens opt to study or work in other Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 4

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14b. Emphasises that sport is a key factor in overcoming inequalities and promoting social cohesion and a healthy lifestyle for all European citizens; recognises that sport is also an important economic driver and contributes positively to the Union’s competitiveness; calls for increased funding for sport in the EU budget, including increased support for the grassroots level, with a particular focus on people with physical or mental disabilities;

Or. en

Amendment 5

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Insists that the Union budget should continue to support important economic and job-creating sectors where the Union is already a world leader, such as tourism and the cultural and creative industries;

15. Insists that the Union budget should continue to support important economic and job-creating sectors where the Union is already a world leader, such as tourism and the cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI);

Or. en

Amendment 6

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15a. Points out that the current Union support to CCSIs, the Creative Europe programme, is very successful and heavily oversubscribed; stresses that the programme is an important and well-known source of funding for CCSIs and should be continued in the next MFF, with an increase in funding;

Or. en

Amendment 7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 33

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

33. Underlines that, with technological change, it has become easier for malicious and opportunistic foreign actors to spread disinformation, interfere in elections and mount cyberattacks against the Union’s interests; insists that the next MFF must invest in enhanced cybersecurity; points to the importance of digital and media literacy and critical thinking in this regard, and to the need for continued Union budget support for initiatives in these areas;

33. Underlines that, in a society of rapid technological change and information overflow, it has become easier for malicious and opportunistic foreign actors to spread disinformation, interfere in elections and mount cyberattacks against the Union’s interests; insists that the next MFF must invest in enhanced cybersecurity; points to the importance of ensuring quality education programmes that help all citizens to acquire digital literacy and media literacy skills, to develop informed views concerning digital technologies, AI, data and media; stresses the need for continued Union budget support for initiatives to strengthen Europe’s resilience and technological autonomy, protect and empower users online, and promote Europe’s values of transparency, the rule of law and innovation;

Or. en

Amendment 8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 46

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

46. Emphasises the importance of the Union budget in promoting and protecting democracy and the Union’s values, fostering the Union’s common cultural heritage and European integration, enhancing citizen engagement and youth participation and promoting fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the rule of law; points to the importance of independence of justice, the sound functioning of national institutions, support for civil society and de-oligarchisation;

46. Emphasises the importance of the Union budget in promoting and protecting democracy and the Union’s values, fostering the Union’s common cultural heritage and European integration, enhancing citizen engagement, participation in the democratic life of the Union, youth participation, volunteering and solidarity, and promoting fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the rule of law; points to the importance of independence of justice, the sound functioning of national institutions, support for civil society and de-oligarchisation;

Or. en

Amendment 9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 60

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

60. Stresses that the next MFF must be designed so as to simplify the lives of beneficiaries, harmonise rules wherever possible and cut unnecessary red tape and must be implemented as close to people as possible;

60. Stresses that the next MFF must be designed so as to simplify the lives of beneficiaries, harmonise rules wherever possible and cut unnecessary red tape and must be implemented as close to people as possible; underlines that application procedures should be simplified so that small-scale and voluntary organisations are also able to apply successfully for Union funding;

Or. en

Amendment 10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 64 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

64a. Considers that, in certain areas, programmes under the next MFF need adequate and automatic mechanisms for adapting grants to actual inflation levels at regular intervals, in order to avoid a substantive loss of purchasing power over time for the final beneficiaries (as happens, for example, with the individual grants under Erasmus+ and the Melina Mercouri Prize);

Or. en

Amendment 11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 77

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

77. Deplores the fact that, under the existing architecture and despite the joint declaration by the three institutions as part of the 2020 MFF agreement whereby expenditure to cover NGEU financing costs ‘shall aim at not reducing programmes and funds’, financing for key Union programmes and resources available for special instruments, even after the MFF revision, have de facto been competing with the repayment of NGEU borrowing costs in a context of steep inflation and rising interest rates;

77. Deplores the fact that, under the existing architecture and despite the joint declaration by the three institutions as part of the 2020 MFF agreement whereby expenditure to cover NGEU financing costs ‘shall aim at not reducing programmes and funds’, financing for key Union programmes and resources available for special instruments, even after the MFF revision, have de facto been competing with the repayment of NGEU borrowing costs in a context of steep inflation and rising interest rates; stresses that EU programmes are an investment in the future of young Europeans and directly benefit citizens; underlines that any competition between the programmes and the repayment of NGEU borrowing costs sends the wrong message to citizens;

Or. en

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

The rapporteur for the opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not receive input from any entity or person to be mentioned in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.