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

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AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Development submits the following to the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals and the ‘EU Voluntary Review on progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda’ of May 2023 and Parliament resolution of 15 June 2023 on the implementation and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals resolution,

Or. en

Amendment 2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Paris Agreement of 12 December 2015, adopted at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,

Or. en

Amendment 3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, Parliament and the Commission of 30 June 2017 on the New European Consensus on Development – ‘Our world, our dignity, our future’,

Or. en

Amendment 4

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development held in Addis Ababa from 13 to 16 July 2015,

Or. en

Amendment 5

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the EU’s collective commitments to provide 0.7 % of gross national income (GNI) as official development assistance (ODA), and 0.2 % as ODA to LDCs by 2030, reaffirmed in the Council Conclusion of 24 June 2024, in the European Consensus on Development and in Council Conclusions of 26 May 2015,

Or. en

Amendment 6

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 14 March 2023 on Policy Coherence for Development,

Or. en

Amendment 7

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which establishes poverty reduction and eradication as the primary objective of EU development cooperation, and to the EU’s commitment to upholding human rights, the rule of law, and good governance in its development policy,

Or. en

Amendment 8

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 h (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (2000), with African, Caribbean and Pacific states, which strengthened relations with ACP countries, emphasizing political, economic and social dimensions,

Or. en

Amendment 9

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 i (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI-GE), the main financial tool for international development, with a budget of EUR 79.5 billion for 2021-2027,

Or. en

Amendment 10

Motion for a resolution

Citation 12 j (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 24 November 2022 on the future European Financial Architecture for Development, which emphasises a coherent and inclusive architecture underpinned by the ‘policy first’ principle and aligned with SDG goals and EU values,

Or. en

Amendment 11

Motion for a resolution

Recital G

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

G. whereas the context in which the Commission will prepare its proposals for the post-2027 MFF is every bit as challenging, with the established global and geopolitical order changing quickly and radically and the Union budget needing to change accordingly;

G. whereas the context in which the Commission will prepare its proposals for the post-2027 MFF is every bit as challenging, with the established global and geopolitical order changing quickly and radically and the Union budget needing to change accordingly while respecting the Treaty provisions and ensuring Parliament’s role in view of democratic legitimacy, in setting budgetary priorities, exercising oversight and enhancing transparency, including in EU external action;

Or. en

Amendment 12

Motion for a resolution

Recital G a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ga. whereas in the face of rising global competition and challenges to multilateral order, the EU must underpin its influence by investing in international partnerships that are both strategic and respect EU values and partners’ interests, and are anchored in the long-term vision for a more stable, sustainable, and equitable world;

Or. en

Amendment 13

Motion for a resolution

Recital G b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Gb. whereas the EU’s development cooperation should prioritise strengthening the resilience and autonomy of partner countries in strategic regions, especially in Africa, by refocusing on key priorities like infrastructure for healthcare, education, and renewable energy;

Or. en

Amendment 14

Motion for a resolution

Recital G c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Gc. whereas ensuring rapid and effective responses to crises requires streamlining procedures across budgetary instruments and establishing dedicated, adequately-funded flexible budget reserves specifically for humanitarian aid and development needs, without undermining the overall allocations for these crucial policy areas;

Or. en

Amendment 15

Motion for a resolution

Recital G d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Gd. whereas the EU, as the world’s leading contributor to official development assistance, must remain a trustworthy partner and a reference point for effective and impactful aid, tailored to contemporary challenges while respecting its values and building strategic partnerships;

Or. en

Amendment 16

Motion for a resolution

Recital G e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Ge. whereas the EU’s development cooperation policy requires a reinforced geostrategic approach to counter the growing influence of actors such as China and Russia in developing countries, while remaining faithful to core European values; whereas the Global Gateway initiative requires a more strategic and coordinated approach, incorporating strict criteria with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement goals at the core of all its funded projects;

Or. en

Amendment 17

Motion for a resolution

Recital G f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Gf. whereas the European Investment Bank (EIB) plays a central role in implementing the Global Gateway initiative and financing sustainable development and should intensify its collaboration with other international financial institutions and national development banks to maximise the impact of its interventions, while ensuring its activities fully align with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);

Or. en

Amendment 18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Underlines that the post-2027 long-term budget must be designed and resourced so as to enable the Union to deliver on its policy objectives, tackle the growing challenges it faces, manage and repay its debt sustainably, respond to shocks and crises and adjust to evolving spending needs;

1. Underlines that the post-2027 long-term budget must be designed and resourced so as to enable the Union to deliver on its policy objectives, tackle the growing challenges it faces, manage and repay its debt sustainably, respond to shocks and crises and adjust to evolving spending needs and assert the EU’s role as a global leader in sustainable development and humanitarian action, embodying its core values in the face of current geopolitical challenges;

Or. en

Amendment 19

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 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, while respecting institutional prerogatives of Parliament in the annual budgetary procedure as well as Treaty provisions;

Or. en

Amendment 20

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Emphasises that the post-2027 MFF must also become simpler and more transparent and be protected against misuse, fraud and breaches of the principles of the rule of law and the Union’s values;

3. Emphasises that the post-2027 MFF must make it easier to monitor and track Union expenditure, enhance transparency and provide better safeguards against misuse, fraud and breaches of the principles of the rule of law and the Union’s values;

Or. en

Amendment 21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10. Insists that, in the next MFF, more must be done to maximise the potential of the role of the European Investment Bank Group – together with other international and national financial institutions – in lending in strategic policy areas, such as climate and, latterly, dual-use defence projects;

10. Insists that, in the next MFF, more must be done to maximise the potential of the role of the European Investment Bank Group – together with other international and national financial institutions – in lending in strategic policy areas, such as climate and, latterly, dual-use defence projects while ensuring that the EIB’s activities fully align with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and intensifying its collaboration with other international financial institutions and national development banks;

Or. en

Amendment 22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

31. Emphasises that the Union needs to ramp up funding for preparedness across the board; underlines that, in addition to efforts to mitigate climate change through the green transition, significant investment is required to adapt to climate change, in particular to protect against and reduce the impact of natural disasters and severe weather events; considers that support for this purpose must be significantly increased in the next MFF;

31. Emphasises that the Union needs to ramp up funding for preparedness across the board; underlines that, in addition to efforts to mitigate climate change through the green transition, significant investment is required to adapt to climate change both in the EU and in partner countries, in particular to protect against and reduce the impact of natural disasters and severe weather events; considers that support for this purpose must be significantly increased in the next MFF; reiterates that averting and alleviating crises in third countries is an investment in Europe’s own security and stability;

Or. en

Amendment 23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 32

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

32. Recalls that the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked economic and social havoc globally and that a key lesson from the experience is that there is a need to invest in preparedness for health threats, in medical research and in the resilience of public health systems in the Union; considers that the next MFF must build on the work done in the current programming period;

32. Recalls that the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked economic and social havoc globally and that a key lesson from the experience is that there is a need to invest in preparedness for health threats, in medical research and in the resilience of public health systems in the Union as well as in partner countries given the cross-border nature of health threats; considers that the next MFF must build on the work done in the current programming period;

Or. en

Amendment 24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 35

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

35. Insists that, in a context of heightened global instability, the Union must continue to engage constructively with third countries and support peace, stability, prosperity, security, democracy and sustainable development globally, in line with its values;

35. Insists that, in a context of heightened global instability, the Union must pursue a reinforced geostrategic approach to development cooperation, engaging constructively with third countries and supporting human development, peace and stability, prosperity that reduces inequalities, security and democracy, civil society and all dimensions of sustainable development globally, in line with its own values, international commitments, and the principle of Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development;

Or. en

Amendment 25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 37

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

37. Stresses that the next MFF must continue to tackle the most pressing global challenges, from fighting climate change, to providing relief in the event of natural disasters, ensuring global food security, improving healthcare systems, reducing poverty and inequality and boosting competitiveness and the security of global supply chains; emphasises, in particular, the need for support for the Union’s Southern and Eastern Neighbourhoods;

37. Stresses that the next MFF must continue to tackle the most pressing global challenges, from mitigating climate change and supporting adaptation internally and externally, to providing relief in the event of natural disasters, ensuring global food security, improving healthcare systems, reducing poverty and inequality and boosting competitiveness and the security of global supply chains; emphasises, in particular, the need for support for the Union’s Southern and Eastern Neighbourhoods and Sub-Saharan Africa; underlines the need to uphold in the next MFF the balance between the financial envelopes for the Neighbourhoods and Sub-Saharan Africa as established by the current Global Europe - NDICI, given the particular priority the Union gives to these regions;

Or. en

Amendment 26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 37 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

37a. Is of the view that simplification in the post-2027 MFF should respect and reflect the distinct nature of instruments under external action, especially NDICI-GE, HUMA and IPA, safeguarding their specific political objectives and programming modalities;

Or. en

Amendment 27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 38 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

38a. Expresses concern that funding for EU Delegations has increasingly proven insufficient, both in relation to the EU’s diplomatic needs and ambitions and with regard to the implementation of development cooperation; highlights in this regard that it is essential not to reduce EU Delegations’ presence in partner countries, because such a cut would be a misstep that would have a long-lasting adverse impact on the EU’s development cooperation, foreign policy and partnerships, and would diminish the EU’s global role, potentially allowing China and Russia to fill the resulting vacuum, which would be counterproductive to the aims of the Global Gateway initiative;

Or. en

Amendment 28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 39

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

39. Insists that, given the scale of humanitarian crises and mounting global challenges, humanitarian aid funding must be significantly enhanced and made more predictable in the next MFF, and that its use must remain solely needs-based;

39. Insists that, given the scale of humanitarian crises and mounting global challenges, humanitarian aid funding must be significantly enhanced and made more predictable through a solid annual baseline in the next MFF, and that its use must remain solely needs-based, respecting the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality as enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid; reminds in this regard that annual top-ups of humanitarian aid in the current MFF amounted to an average 53 % of the baseline annual amounts and that a strengthened budget and a substantial reserve are essential to enable efficient responses to the growing number of crises;

Or. en

Amendment 29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

40a. Emphasises the need to carefully examine the effectiveness and development outcomes of using budgetary guarantees to leverage private investments, and stresses the continued pivotal role of grants in many sectors and contexts, particularly in fragile countries and LDCs; recalls that the European Court of Auditors has criticised the EFSD+ for over-emphasising its capacity to leverage private sector investment; insists that that Global Gateway initiative provides clear and reliable evidence of impact at an early stage, given the size of investments involved;

Or. en

Amendment 30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

40b. Reminds that the EU and its Member States must live up to their commitments to allocate 0.7 % of gross national income (GNI) to Official Development Assistance, with and intermediate target of 0.33 % of GNI for newer Member States; reiterates that policy coherence is a prerequisite to maintain trust and ensure that ODA investments are not undermined by incoherent policies in other areas;

Or. en

Amendment 31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

40c. Reiterates that the EU’s development cooperation policy should prioritise establishing equitable partnerships with partner countries, recognising their ownership and priorities while ensuring mutual benefit and accountability, with special attention given to strategic partnerships with regions like Africa; stresses the need for increased transparency and parliamentary oversight in the implementation of these partnerships;

Or. en

Amendment 32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

40d. Recognises the potential of the Global Gateway initiative to strengthen partnerships with developing countries by investing in sustainable infrastructure and promoting connectivity; insists that the Global Gateway always adheres to fundamental EU values, including respect for human rights, good governance, democracy and transparency, and environmental sustainability;

Or. en

Amendment 33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 40 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

40e. Emphasises the crucial role of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in implementing the Global Gateway initiative and financing sustainable development; stresses that the EIB should intensify its collaboration with other international financial institutions and national development banks to maximise the impact of its interventions, while ensuring its activities fully align with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);

Or. en

Amendment 34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 42

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

42. Points to the need for strategically targeted support for pre-accession and for growth and investment; is of the view that post-2027 assistance should be provided in the form of both grants and loans; believes, in that context, that the future framework should allow for innovative financing mechanisms, including lending to candidate countries backed by the ‘headroom’ (the difference between the own resources and the MFF ceilings);

42. Points to the need for strategically targeted support for pre-accession and for growth and investment; is of the view that post-2027 assistance should be provided in the form of both grants and loans; believes, in that context, that the future framework should allow for innovative financing mechanisms, including lending to candidate countries backed by the ‘headroom’ (the difference between the own resources and the MFF ceilings), which should guarantee that this lending, as well as costs and guarantees related with it, will not drain the resources for other priorities under external action;

Or. en

Amendment 35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 44

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

44. Underlines that pre-accession support to Ukraine has to be distinct from financial assistance for reconstruction and post-war recovery, where needs are far more substantial and require a concerted international effort, of which support through the Union budget should be an important part;

44. Underlines that pre-accession support to Ukraine has to be distinct from financial assistance for reconstruction and post-war recovery, where needs are far more substantial and require a concerted international effort, of which support through the Union budget should be an important part, while being construed in a way not to compete for the same scarce resources as other external action objectives of the Union;

Or. en

Amendment 36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 45

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

45. Is convinced that the existing mandatory revision clause in the event of enlargement should be maintained in the next framework; stresses that national envelopes should not be affected in the event of enlargement; underlines that the next MFF will also have to reform key spending areas, such as cohesion and agriculture, and plan for appropriate transitional and phasing-in measures;

45. Is convinced that the existing mandatory revision clause in the event of enlargement should be maintained in the next framework; stresses that national envelopes should not be affected in the event of enlargement; underlines that the next MFF will also have to reform key spending areas, such as cohesion and agriculture, and plan for appropriate transitional and phasing-in measures, including thorough scrutiny of the allocation and use of funds for development cooperation and humanitarian aid, ensuring alignment with the principles of Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development and the EU’s international commitments;

Or. en

Amendment 37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 61 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

61a. Points out that simplification should not be done at the detriment of predictable and strategic programming, which is important especially in development cooperation, as it underpins partner countries’ ability to plan effectively, maintain ownership and achieve long-term progress; recalls the important role of benchmarks and targets in steering funding towards EU development priorities and reiterates that simplification should not do away with targets that provide a clear trajectory to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals;

Or. en

Amendment 38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 62

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

62. Insists that a simpler budget must also be a more transparent budget, enabling better control of spending and reducing the risks of double funding; underlines that any reduction in programmes must be offset by a far more detailed breakdown of the budget by budget line, in contrast to some programme mergers in the current MFF, such as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe), which is an example not to follow; calls, therefore, for a sufficiently detailed breakdown by budget line to enable proper accountability and ensure that decision-making in the annual budgetary procedure is meaningful;

62. Insists that a simpler budget must also be a more transparent budget, enabling better control of spending and reducing the risks of double funding; underlines that any reduction in programmes must be offset by a far more detailed breakdown of the budget by budget line, in contrast to some programme mergers in the current MFF, such as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe (NDICI – Global Europe), which on the one hand successfully provided a more coherent framework but at the same time limited Parliament’s ability to exercise oversight; calls, therefore, for a sufficiently detailed breakdown by budget line to enable proper accountability and ensure that decision-making in the annual budgetary procedure is meaningful;

Or. en

Amendment 39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 66

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

66. Believes that, while allocating a significant portion of funding to objectives up-front, spending programmes should retain a substantial in-built flexibility reserve, with allocation to specific policy objectives to be decided by the budgetary authority; notes that the NDICI – Global Europe’s emerging challenges and priorities cushion provides a model for such a flexibility reserve, but that the decision-making process for its mobilisation must not be replicated in the future MFF; points to the need for a detailed budgetary breakdown to ensure decisions by the budgetary authority are meaningful;

66. Believes that, while allocating a significant portion of funding to objectives up-front, spending programmes should retain a substantial in-built flexibility reserve, with allocation to specific policy objectives to be decided by the budgetary authority; notes that the NDICI – Global Europe’s emerging challenges and priorities cushion provides a model for such a flexibility reserve, but that the decision-making process for its mobilisation must not be replicated in the future MFF but a process should be established that allows Parliament meaningful strategic steer and scrutiny; points to the need for a detailed budgetary breakdown to ensure decisions by the budgetary authority are meaningful;

Or. en

Amendment 40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 69 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

69a. Calls for safeguarding the capacity of the EU to step up humanitarian support when required by unexpected crises and to design the corresponding reserves in a way that does not put internal and external needs in competition, because it would risk politicising EU humanitarian action, undermining its neutrality and as a consequence damaging the EU’s credibility and reputation as a principled actor in emergencies;

Or. en

Amendment 41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 69 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

69b. Understands the need for greater flexibility within the MFF to respond to unforeseen circumstances, including a substantial increase in the emergency aid reserve to respond effectively to global humanitarian crises; recalls that the EU must ensure that humanitarian aid is delivered in accordance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence;

Or. en

Amendment 42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 70

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

70. Calls for the future Flexibility Instrument to be heavily front-loaded and subsequently to be fed through a number of additional sources of financing: unspent margins from previous years (as with the current Single Margin Instrument), the annual surplus from the previous year, a fines-based mechanism modelled on the existing Article 5 of the MFF Regulation, and decommitted appropriations;

70. Calls for the future Flexibility Instrument to be heavily front-loaded and subsequently to be fed through a number of additional sources of financing: unspent margins from previous years (as with the current Single Margin Instrument), the annual surplus from the previous year, a fines-based mechanism modelled on the existing Article 5 of the MFF Regulation, and decommitted appropriations; reminds, however, that for development cooperation, the principle of decommitments returning to their budget lines of origin is important to maintain, as stipulated in Article 30 of the Global Europe - NDICI and taken over from the EDF principles;

Or. en