Sittings · Document
OPINION (2024/2085(INI)) 2025-04-01
On the implementation report on the Recovery and Resilience Facility
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: MariePierre Vedrenne
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs submits the following to the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, as the committees responsible:
Amendment 1
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), proclaimed and signed by Parliament, the Council and the Commission on 17 November 2017, and its 20 principles, |
Amendment 2
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Commission communication of 4 March 2021 entitled ‘The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan’ (COM(2021)0102) and its 2030 headline targets, which address employment, skills and training, and poverty reduction, |
Amendment 3
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular goals 1, 4, 5, 8 and 10, |
Amendment 4
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee1a, | |
| __________________ | |
| 1a OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/1004/oj. |
Amendment 5
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 e (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Council Recommendation of 30 October 2020 on A Bridge to Jobs – Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee and replacing the Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee1a, | |
| __________________ | |
| 1a OJ C 372, 4.11.2020, p. 1. |
Amendment 6
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Commission communication of 17 December 2024 entitled ‘2025 European Semester – Autumn package’ (COM(2024)0700), |
Amendment 7
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Commission proposal of 17 December 2024 for a joint employment report from the Commission and the Council (COM(2024)0701) (the JER), |
Amendment 8
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard, |
Amendment 9
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Eurofound report of 26 February 2024 entitled ‘Social governance of the Recovery and Resilience Facility: Involvement of the national social partners’, |
Amendment 10
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to Directive (EU) 2022/2041 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on adequate minimum wages in the European Union1a, _______________ 1a OJ L 275, 25.10.2022, p. 33, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/2041/oj. |
Amendment 11
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| -A. whereas the social dimension of the EU’s recovery is a horizontal aspect in the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF); whereas the general objective of the RRF is to promote the Union’s economic, social and territorial cohesion by improving the resilience, crisis preparedness, adjustment capacity and growth potential of the Member States, by mitigating the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, contributing to the implementation of the EPSR and by supporting the green and digital transitions, thereby contributing to upward economic and social convergence, restoring and promoting sustainable growth and fostering the creation of high-quality employment; |
Amendment 12
Motion for a resolution
Recital –A a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| –Aa. whereas the scope of the RRF refers to six policy pillars, namely: | |
| (a) green transition; | |
| (b) digital transformation; | |
| (c) smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; | |
| (d) social and territorial cohesion; | |
| (e) health, and economic, social and institutional resilience; and | |
| (f) policies for the next generation, children and the youth; | |
| whereas there is a need to ensure coherence and synergies between actions under all the pillars, given their interrelated nature; |
Amendment 13
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| A. whereas reforms and investments under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) help to make the EU more resilient and less dependent by diversifying key supply chains and thereby strengthening the strategic autonomy of the EU; whereas reforms and investments under the RRF also generate European added value; | A. whereas reforms and investments under the RRF help to make the EU more resilient and less dependent by diversifying key supply chains and thereby strengthening the strategic autonomy of the EU; whereas reforms and investments under the RRF should contribute to the implementation of the EPSR, sustainable and inclusive growth, and upward social convergence, should support a just transition to a greener and more digital economy, strengthening European competitiveness while reducing social and territorial inequalities and protecting vulnerable people, and should also generate European added value; whereas reforms and investments under the RRF should also ensure social inclusion and reinforce public and social services and infrastructure; |
Amendment 14
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Aa. whereas the RRF offers an unprecedented opportunity to ensure fair and just transitions towards climate neutrality, digitalisation and demographic change; whereas it should address gender-specific socio-economic impacts in the recovery process; whereas measures should address social protection, quality employment, affordable housing, and support for groups in vulnerable situations to improve living standards in line with the EPSR; |
Amendment 15
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ab. whereas in recent years, the EU has shown strong resilience to major economic and social disruptions, in particular thanks to coordinated responses and new instruments, such as the RRF and the European instrument for temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency (SURE); whereas these tools have been crucial in preventing asymmetric recovery among Member States and in keeping the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy on track; |
Amendment 16
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ac. whereas the social consequences of the crises have had an unequal impact, particularly affecting low-income individuals and groups in vulnerable situations; |
Amendment 17
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ba. whereas the Member States have achieved different levels of progress in implementing their recovery and resilience plans (RRPs); whereas the European Court of Auditors’ special report 13/20241a found that the Member States would struggle to absorb the full amount of allocated funds by 31 August 2026 and that risks remained as to the completion of measures in the second half of the RRF’s implementation; whereas implementation delays resulted from, inter alia, increased inflation, public procurement challenges, supply shortages and market price fluctuations; whereas, when evaluating RRF implementation, it is essential to apply the lessons learned and update existing structures; ________________ 1a Special report 13/2024 of the Court of Auditors of 10 September 2024 entitled ‘Absorption of funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility – Progressing with delays and risks remain regarding the completion of measures and therefore the achievement of RRF objectives’. |
Amendment 18
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| F. whereas effective democratic control and parliamentary scrutiny over the implementation of the RRF require the full involvement of Parliament and the consideration of all its recommendations at all stages; | F. whereas effective democratic control and parliamentary scrutiny over the implementation of the RRF require the full involvement of Parliament and the consideration of all its recommendations at all stages; whereas the consultation of relevant stakeholders, in particular social partners, civil society organisations, youth organisations and local and regional authorities, is also crucial for the preparation and implementation of NRRP measures and is a requirement under the RRF Regulation; |
Amendment 19
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Fa. whereas the JER found that national social partners’ assessment of their involvement in the implementation of the RRF in 2023 was uneven; whereas the institutional frameworks for involving the social partners are diverse, since some Member States have established specific settings and procedures, while others have used existing social dialogue channels and, in a few countries, the social partners have been involved through new bodies or specific working groups created in the context of the European Semester or to monitor the implementation of the RRPs; whereas the Member States should promote collective bargaining and social dialogue, in line with the Council Recommendation on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union1a, together with the timely and meaningful involvement of social partners in relevant policymaking at EU and national level, including in relation to the implementation of Member States’ recovery and resilience plans; | |
| __________________ | |
| 1a Council Recommendation of 12 June 2023 on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union (OJ C, C/2023/1389, 6.12.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/1389/oj). |
Amendment 20
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Fb. whereas according to the JER 2025, out of the 7 129 milestones and targets included in the 27 RRPs, 2 201 are expected to contribute to social policies (around 31 %) and, out of the 1 742 milestones and targets fulfilled as of 14 November 2024, 505 foster social policies (around 30 %); |
Amendment 21
Motion for a resolution
Recital F c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Fc. whereas the EU faces an ageing society with projected declines in pension replacement rates over the next four decades, while long-term care needs are already high and rising; whereas the risk of poverty or social exclusion among older people has remained stable, but pension replacement rates for a 40-year career are expected to fall in most EU countries, in some cases by more than 20 percentage points; |
Amendment 22
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G. whereas the Commission has to provide an independent ex post evaluation report on the implementation of the RRF by 31 December 2028, consisting of a global assessment of the RRF and containing information on its impact in the long term; | G. whereas the Commission has to provide an independent ex post evaluation report on the implementation of the RRF by 31 December 2028, consisting of a global assessment of the RRF and containing information on its impact in the long term, including data on social outcomes; |
Amendment 23
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ga. whereas each Member State must dedicate at least 20 % of the total allocation under its RRP to measures contributing to the digital transition or to addressing the ensuing challenges; whereas improving the digital skills of the general population and the workforce, boosting the digitalisation of businesses, increasing the range of digital public services and speeding up the implementation of flagship e-government projects are all essential steps on the road to achieving the digital transition; |
Amendment 24
Motion for a resolution
Recital G b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Gb. whereas only 55.56 % of adults have at least basic digital skills1a; whereas one of the EU’s digital targets is for 80 % of adults to have at least basic digital skills by 2030; whereas the EU needs to overcome all forms of skills shortages and supply and demand gaps in order to optimise its human capital; whereas everyone should have access to proper digital infrastructure and to digital skills training, for the sake of equal opportunities in the education system and on the labour market; whereas significant reforms and investments in basic skills, including curricular revisions, have been made but have not sufficiently addressed existing challenges, requiring further efforts across the EU to reverse declining trends; | |
| __________________ | |
| 1a Eurostat, ‘Database’, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sdg_04_70/default/table; Eurostat, ‘56% of EU people have basic digital skills’, 15 December 2023, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20231215-3. |
Amendment 25
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1. Highlights the fact that the RRF is an unprecedented instrument of solidarity in the light of two unprecedented crises and a cornerstone of the NGEU instrument, ending in 2026; highlights the stabilising effect of the RRF for Member States at a time of great economic uncertainty, as it mitigates negative economic and social consequences and supports governments by contributing to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights; | 1. Recognises the fact that the RRF is an unprecedented instrument of solidarity in the light of two unprecedented crises and a cornerstone of the NGEU instrument, ending in 2026; highlights the stabilising effect of the RRF for Member States at a time of great economic uncertainty, as it mitigates the negative economic and social consequences of the crises; recalls that a general objective of the RRF is to contribute to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights in order to build a stronger social Europe and strengthen social cohesion, thus reinforcing long-term resilience across the EU; underlines that this aim should be further strengthened by ensuring long-term public investment in high-quality public social services and by promoting measures that reduce inequalities for all; |
Amendment 26
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1a. Recalls that the RRF plays a crucial role in promoting social and territorial cohesion by combating poverty, reducing unemployment and fostering an inclusive economic recovery; notes that achieving an employment rate of 78 % in the EU by 2030 is one of the headline targets set by the European Pillar of Social Rights action plan; emphasises that, while this target is within reach, further steps are needed at all levels to activate under-represented groups’ participation in the labour market and attract more people into the labour market; stresses the need for ambitious reforms and investments that align with EPSR principles, prioritise high-quality employment and the inclusion of vulnerable groups, address skill mismatches and emerging technologies, and strengthen social dialogue, infrastructure and social protection systems to address immediate challenges and long-term labour market resilience; points out that, based on the most recent figures available, over 16.3 million people have participated in education or training with support received from the RRF and over 2.1 million people have either found employment or engaged in job-seeking activities; |
Amendment 27
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1b. Highlights that RRF investments and reforms targeting the next generation, particularly in education and access to quality public services, are crucial for long-term social convergence; recognises that investing in children’s well-being and quality education is essential for social cohesion and economic stability; stresses that measures targeting the next generation, children and young people in the NRRPs focus on early childhood education and care, education and training, the improvement of school infrastructure, support for disadvantaged children and youth employment; notes, in this regard, that the NRRPs allocate approximately EUR 56.4 billion to this pillar and that the Commission’s annual report indicates that tangible progress has been made by the Member States, with 259 of 665 milestones and targets reported as completed by the Member States or assessed as fulfilled by the Commission by 31 August 2024; takes note of a progress rate of 39 %, including 21 % of payment requests assessed, and of the available figures that indicate that over 9.4 million young people aged 15-29 received support via the RRF; calls on the Member States to further strengthen efforts under this pillar in line with the objectives of the European Child Guarantee, the European Care Strategy, Council recommendations on early childhood education and care and access to affordable, high-quality long-term care; |
Amendment 28
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1c. Highlights the fact that, together with cohesion policy funds, the implementation of reforms and investments in Member States’ RRPs supports fair, inclusive and sustainable growth, thereby increasing job creation and promoting financial stability and investment; stresses that, alongside support provided by the European Social Fund Plus, the European Regional Development Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the Technical Support Instrument, the RRF promotes the Union’s economic, social and territorial cohesion by enhancing the competitiveness, resilience, crisis preparedness, adjustment capacity and growth potential of the Member States, and by fostering the creation of high-quality jobs through relevant reforms and investments; notes that numerous measures have been included by the Member States in their NRRPs to support social and territorial cohesion, such as those dedicated to labour market access, social protection and inclusion, and territorial infrastructure and services; notes that the 27 NRRPs have allocated approximately EUR 261.2 billion to this pillar, with 1 064 of the 2 888 milestones and targets reported as completed by the Member States or assessed as fulfilled by the Commission by 31 August 20241a; emphasises that this represents a 37 % progress rate, including 20 % of payment requests assessed; | |
| __________________ | |
| 1a European Parliamentary Research Service, ‘Recovery and Resilience Facility: State of play and way forward’, February 2025, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2025/765765/EPRS_IDA(2025)765765_EN.pdf. |
Amendment 29
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2. Welcomes the fact that the RRF has provided temporary additional fiscal space since the pandemic and contributed to the prevention of divergences between Member States with diverse fiscal space; notes the Commission finding that the RRF has led to a sustained increase in investments across the EU and that the Commission expects the RRF to have a lasting impact across the EU beyond 2026 given its synergies with other EU funds; | 2. Welcomes the fact that the RRF has provided temporary, additional and stabilising fiscal space since the pandemic and contributed to the prevention of divergences between Member States by providing them with fast and direct support; notes the Commission finding that the RRF has led to a sustained increase in investments across the EU and that the Commission expects the RRF to have a lasting impact across the EU beyond 2026 given its synergies with other EU funds; stresses, however, that social investments should be further prioritised to ensure a lasting impact, particularly in terms of housing, energy poverty, digital inclusion, well-functioning labour markets and equitable access to high-quality public services for all; |
Amendment 30
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2a. Notes that the RRF Regulation, along with the European Semester as the framework for identifying national reform priorities, contains a strong link to the principles of the EPSR; stresses that the measures in the RRPs expected to foster social policies do not address all principles of the EPSR equally, with some principles only marginally covered or not fully aligned with their content; calls on the Commission to assess the impact of the RRPs on progress towards EPSR targets and to conduct a disaggregated analysis of how each principle has been addressed by the measures included in the RRPs; |
Amendment 31
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2b. Recalls that Member States’ implementation of the RRF, as well as other EU funds, such as SURE, has helped to protect labour markets from the risk of long-term damage caused by the double economic shock of the pandemic and the energy crisis; notes that in May 2023, employment rates reached record high levels, while unemployment declined to a record low of around 6 % and has remained low ever since; recalls, however, that youth unemployment remains persistently high, averaging 15 % across the EU and over 20 % in a number of Member States; highlights, in this regard, the commitments under the reinforced Youth Guarantee, which continues to drive structural reforms and support youth employability; calls on the Member States, in this regard, to prioritise the reinforced Youth Guarantee in their RRPs and to step up their investments in education, training and employment support for young people under the next generation pillar; |
Amendment 32
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2c. Highlights the Member States’ varied efforts towards the introduction of regulatory and non-regulatory reforms and investment programmes to increase social housing stock and support housing affordability, such as new affordable housing and subsidised lending programmes, social housing renovation programmes for the most vulnerable groups and governmental support to municipalities for new housing projects and renovations; calls on the Member States to prioritise ensuring access to decent and affordable social housing or quality housing assistance for those in need, in accordance with Principle 19 of the EPSR; stresses the importance of safeguarding vulnerable people’s right to appropriate assistance and protection against forced eviction and the provision of adequate shelter and services for homeless people to promote their social inclusion; |
Amendment 33
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 3. Takes note of the Commission’s projection in 2024 concerning the potential of NGEU’s impact on the EU’s real gross domestic product (GDP) by 2026, which is significantly lower than its simulation in 2020 (1.4 % compared with 2.3 %) and of the estimation that NGEU could lead to a sizeable, short-run increase in EU employment by up to 0.8 %; notes with satisfaction that long-term benefits of the RRF on GDP could be three to six times bigger than the NGEU budget disbursed, depending on the productivity effects of RRF investment; highlights, however, the difficulty of quantifying the precise social and economic impact of the RRF, as the impact of reforms only becomes clear following a delay; notes the Commission’s finding that approximately half of the expected increase in public investment between 2019 and 2025 is related to investment financed by the EU budget, particularly by the RRF; | 3. Takes note of the Commission’s projection in 2024 concerning the potential of NGEU’s impact on the EU’s real gross domestic product (GDP) by 2026, which is significantly lower than its simulation in 2020 (1.4 % compared with 2.3 %) and of the estimation that NGEU could lead to a sizeable, short-run increase in EU employment by up to 0.8 %; notes with satisfaction that long-term benefits of the RRF on GDP could be three to six times bigger than the NGEU budget disbursed, depending on the productivity effects of RRF investment; stresses, however, the difficulty of quantifying the precise social and economic impact of the RRF, given that the effects of reforms take time to materialise, and underlines that investments should be evaluated not only on the basis of economic growth but also on the basis of their contributions to implementing the EPSR, reducing inequalities, improving labour market conditions and quality job creation, and ensuring a just transition; notes the Commission’s finding that approximately half of the expected increase in public investment between 2019 and 2025 is related to investment financed by the EU budget, particularly by the RRF; |
Amendment 34
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 3a. Highlights that labour and skills shortages are serious bottlenecks for the EU’s growth, competitiveness and green and digital transitions, affecting different sectors and the Member States to varying degrees, with consequences for the EU’s overall resilience and that, despite its importance, participation in adult learning remains limited across the Member States; stresses that RRF measures can boost investments in workers’ skills and training throughout their life cycle in order to achieve education and training systems that better respond to changing skill demands and obtain better labour market outcomes in terms of both the quantity and quality of jobs; calls on the Member States to further support measures to increase participation in adult learning, with a particular focus on low-skilled individuals, as many countries are developing individual learning accounts and micro-credentials and believes that further analysis of RRF measures in this area could be useful in order to substantially evaluate their impact; recalls that the free movement of workers is a fundamental freedom and that labour mobility within the EU can play a significant role in addressing labour and skills shortages; encourages the Member States to use Cedefop’s skill forecast and its projections of future employment trends in sectors, occupations and qualifications in the design and implementation of NRRP measures addressing labour and skills shortages; |
Amendment 35
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 3b. Notes that the RRF contributes to, among others, jobs, adult learning and skills, the modernisation of labour market institutions and general, vocational and higher education; underlines that these measures aim to address some of the challenges for the quality, equity and labour market relevance of education and training systems across the EU, including with a view to tackling skills shortages; calls on the Member States to continue to support the modernisation of quality higher education through governance reforms and measures to boost internationalisation and create a dynamic, result-oriented and effective research and innovation environment; |
Amendment 36
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 4. Notes that the RRF has incentivised the implementation of some reforms included in the country-specific recommendations made in the context of the European Semester and that the RRF Scoreboard is used to monitor the progress made towards achieving milestones and targets, as well as compliance with horizontal principles, and in particular the six pillars, namely the green transition, the digital transformation, smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, social and territorial cohesion, health, economic, social and institutional resilience, and policies for the next generation, children and young people, including education; | 4. Notes that the RRF requires the NRRPs to address all or a significant subset of the challenges identified in the relevant country-specific recommendations (CSR) as a prerequisite for a positive assessment; acknowledges that the RRF has incentivised the implementation of some reforms included in the country-specific recommendations made in the context of the European Semester, but that the ECA has found some remaining gaps concerning a lack of inclusion of certain CSR elements; recalls that the RRF Scoreboard is used to monitor the progress made towards achieving milestones and targets, as well as compliance with horizontal principles, and in particular the six pillars, namely the green transition, the digital transformation, smart, sustainable and inclusive growth – including economic cohesion, jobs, productivity, competitiveness, research, development and innovation, and a well-functioning internal market with strong small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – social and territorial cohesion, health, economic, social and institutional resilience, and policies for the next generation, children and young people, including education and skills; calls on the Commission to continue monitoring labour and skills shortages and related challenges in the EU in the context of the European Semester, including by carrying out thematic discussions, in order to promote the sharing of knowledge and good practices among Member States; stresses the importance of investments aimed at enhancing the autonomy of people with disabilities; |
Amendment 37
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 4a. Recalls that the RRF should support the EU’s demographic transition in line with the EPSR by promoting employment and equal opportunities, including quality jobs for older workers, investing in lifelong learning, ensuring adequate living standards in old age through sustainable and adequate pensions, and ensuring sufficient investment for long-term care (LTC) to support healthy and sustainable ageing; is concerned that, according to the JER 2025, pension replacement rates are expected to decrease and long-term care needs are expected to increase, which will exacerbate the current structural challenges of the availability, affordability and quality of LTC; stresses that in an ageing society, ensuring the adequacy and fiscal sustainability of pensions requires a broad policy mix; believes that the Member States need to make more efforts regarding the adequacy of pensions and the quality of LTC services, also through the investments and reforms included in their RRPs in line with Principles 15 and 18 of the EPSR; calls on the Member States to implement forward-looking pension reforms that not only ensure fiscal sustainability but also strengthen pension adequacy, ensuring a decent standard of living for all; |
Amendment 38
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 4b. Notes that despite increased investments in the EU, real wages in the EU and in most Member States remain below pre-pandemic levels, while precarious employment remains a concern; stresses that the fact that the impact of social transfers (excluding pensions) on poverty reduction has decreased slightly in 2023 underlines the importance of further strengthening efforts to ensure adequate income support and coverage in line with Principle 14 of the EPSR; observes that several Member States have amended or plan to amend their minimum wage frameworks in the context of their RRPs; stresses the importance of reforms that intend to increase minimum wage levels in consultation with social partners, aligning with the Directive on adequate minimum wages, and urges those Member States that have not yet done so to act on this issue; stresses the need for ambitious investments and reforms to create high-quality jobs, foster quality working conditions, combat poverty and labour market segmentation and strengthen social dialogue and collective bargaining in line with the EPSR; |
Amendment 39
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 4c. Takes note of the Member States’ continued efforts to improve access to and quality of social services, such as the adoption of a National Map of Social Services to identify gaps in provision and determine investment needs, as well as investment in new healthcare facilities and telemedicine to bring services closer to patients, national health strategies to improve access to health services across countries, and measures to address healthcare workforce shortages and improve worker retention through training and incentives; calls on the Member States to deploy efforts to ensure universal access to quality essential services including water, sanitation, transport, financial services and digital communications; highlights that mental health is a key part of the EU’s socio-economic recovery and an occupational health priority; is concerned that some Member States have not included sufficient measures to ensure accessible, affordable, and high-quality mental health care in their NRRPs and calls on the Member States to integrate dedicated mental health strategies in future revisions of the NRRPs; |
Amendment 40
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 4d. Welcomes the fact that the RRF presents an opportunity to strengthen public employment services and employment activation policies; calls for further discussion on how the costs of new services and their related costs will be covered after the end of the RRF; |
Amendment 41
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6. Welcomes the fact that the RRF provides support for both reforms and investments in the Member States, but notes that a lot still remains to be done; is concerned that the short period for the remaining RRF implementation will not allow for the implementation of several planned important reforms and large investments; | 6. Welcomes the fact that the RRF provides support for both reforms and investments in the Member States, but notes that a lot still remains to be done; stresses that delays and absorption capacity issues remain significant obstacles to fully realising the RRF’s potential benefits; is concerned that the short period for the remaining RRF implementation will not allow for the implementation of several planned important reforms and large investments, underscoring the need for more focused and accelerated action to ensure that the full potential of the RRF is achieved, especially in critical areas for long-term stability, growth and social cohesion; calls on the Member States to ramp up implementation and to increase their use of technical guidance via the Commission and under the Technical Support Instrument; |
Amendment 42
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7. Highlights that prioritising RRF implementation, the lack of administrative capacity in many Member States and challenges posed by global supply chains have contributed to the delayed implementation of cohesion policy; recalls the need to respect the additionality principle and appeals against the crowding out or replacement of cohesion policy by the RRF or other temporary instruments; | 7. Highlights that prioritising RRF implementation, significant additional REACT-EU resources made available for the same period, the lack of administrative capacity in many Member States and challenges posed by global supply chains, as well as the end date of 31 December 2023 for the 2014-2020 cohesion eligibility period, have contributed to the delayed implementation of cohesion policy; recalls that, in line with the additionality principle, the crowding out or replacement of cohesion policy by the RRF or other temporary instruments should be avoided; stresses, in this regard, the importance of the Commission providing analysis on how much genuine new social investment has been created under the NRRPs; |
Amendment 43
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7a. Recalls, in this regard, the importance of the European Social Fund Plus, which aims to achieve high employment, fair social protection, a skilled and resilient workforce, and inclusive/cohesive societies as key in eradicating poverty, and stresses the need for synergies with RRF spending under the relevant pillars; stresses, further, that the Commission should identify ways to help Member States accelerate the use of EU funds and improve absorption, while respecting sound financial management; |
Amendment 44
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 10. Welcomes the possibility of using RRF funding to contribute to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) by supporting investments in critical technologies in the EU in order to boost its industrial competitiveness; | 10. Welcomes the possibility of using RRF funding to contribute to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) by supporting investments in critical technologies in the EU and addressing shortages of labour and skills critical for quality jobs in these areas, in close cooperation with social partners, in order to boost its industrial competitiveness while ensuring workers’ rights and reducing gender gaps in the technology sector; |
Amendment 45
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13. Notes that only 13 Member States have requested loans and that EUR 92 billion of the EUR 385.8 billion available will remain unused since this amount was not committed by the deadline of 31 December 2023; takes note of the fact that loans were attractive for Member States that faced higher borrowing costs on the financial markets or that sought to compensate for a reduction in RRF grants; recalls that Parliament had advocated for a higher share of grants than loans and considers that a political discussion is needed on the use of unspent funds in the light of tight public budgets; | 13. Regrets the fact that only 13 Member States have requested loans and that EUR 92 billion of the EUR 385.8 billion available will remain unused since this amount was not committed by the deadline of 31 December 2023; takes note of the fact that loans were attractive for Member States that faced higher borrowing costs on the financial markets or that sought to compensate for a reduction in RRF grants; recalls that Parliament had advocated for a higher share of grants than loans and considers that a political discussion is needed on the use of unspent funds in the light of tight public budgets and a significant need for financial support to a number of areas, in particular poverty eradication, social inclusion, housing provision, public and social services, strengthening of social dialogue, quality job creation and skilling policies, including green and digital skills; |
Amendment 46
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 16a. Recalls that the RRF, in line with Article 19(3)(c) of the RRF Regulation and Annex V, paragraph 2.3 of Annex V to that Regulation, requires the Commission to assess Member State NRRPs’ relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and coherence, taking into account criteria including their contribution to strengthening the growth potential, job creation, and economic, social and institutional resilience of the Member State, contributing to the implementation of the EPSR, including through the promotion of policies for children and youth, and to mitigating the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 crisis, thereby enhancing the economic, social and territorial cohesion and convergence within the Union; notes that this criterion requires the highest score of the assessment; |
Amendment 47
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 18. Welcomes the fact that all Member States have surpassed the targets for the green (37 %) and the digital transitions (20 %), with average expenditure towards climate and digital objectives of the RRF as a whole standing at 42 % and 26 % respectively; notes that the ECA has cast doubt on how the implementation of RRF measures has contributed to the green transition and has recommended improvements to the methodologies used to estimate the climate impact; highlights the fact that the same methodological deficiencies exist across all pillars of the RRF; | 18. Welcomes the fact that all Member States have surpassed the targets for the green (37 %) and the digital transitions (20 %), with average expenditure towards climate and digital objectives of the RRF as a whole standing at 42 % and 26 % respectively; notes that the ECA has cast doubt on how the implementation of RRF measures has contributed to the green transition and has recommended improvements to the methodologies used to estimate the climate impact; highlights the fact that the same methodological deficiencies exist across all pillars of the RRF and calls on the Commission to apply the ECA’s recommendations horizontally; emphasises the importance of the indicators related to the implementation of the EPSR principles and action plan; calls on the Commission to collaborate with Parliament, within the recovery and resilience dialogue, in order to review social indicators in line with the Porto Declaration, and calls on the Commission to consult social partners and civil society; |
Amendment 48
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 19. Notes the tangible impact that the RRF could have on social objectives, with Member States planning to spend around EUR 163 billion; stresses the need to accelerate investments in the development of rural and remote areas, social protection and the integration of vulnerable groups, and youth employment, where expenditure is lagging behind; calls for an in-depth evaluation by the Commission, under the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard, of the projects and reforms related to education and young people implemented by Member States under the RRF; | 19. Notes the tangible impact that the RRF can have on social objectives, with Member States planning to spend around EUR 163 billion, representing about 25 % of the estimated total expenditure, and notes that to date, the Commission has disbursed around EUR 269 billion under the RRF in grants, loans and pre-financing; notes that following the revisions to NRRPs, almost 30 % of the estimated social expenditure is dedicated to investments and reforms in education and childcare and to health and long-term care respectively, while 25 % is dedicated to employment and skills and the rest to social policies1a; calls on the Member States to target at least 30 % of RRF spending under the relevant pillars towards social investments by the payment deadline; |
| __________________ | |
| 1a COM(2024)0474, p. 19. |
Amendment 49
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 19a. Stresses the need to accelerate investments in strengthening social protection and public social services, adequate pensions, long-term care, availability and affordability of housing, in particular social housing, tackling poverty and social exclusion – in particular child poverty – early childhood education and care, adult vocational and educational training and skills development, the inclusion of groups in vulnerable situations, such as women, children, single-parent families, people with disabilities, migrants, Roma, LGBTIQ people, young people and older people, supporting youth employment, the modernisation of labour market institutions, including skills forecasting and social dialogue, and the development of rural and remote areas where expenditure is lagging behind; calls for an evaluation by the Commission, under the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard, to track the effectiveness of social investments; |
Amendment 50
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 20. Welcomes the contributions made under the smart, sustainable and inclusive growth pillar, in particular to competitiveness and support for SMEs; notes the need for an acceleration of investments in transnational cooperation, support for enterprises, and regulatory changes for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, which are lagging behind; | 20. Welcomes the contributions made under the smart, sustainable and inclusive growth pillar, in particular to competitiveness and support for SMEs; notes the need for an acceleration of investments in transnational cooperation, support for enterprises and workers, and regulatory changes for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, which are lagging behind; stresses that an inclusive recovery should also prioritise the social economy as a key driver of sustainable and equitable growth; |
Amendment 51
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 20a. Recalls that equality between women and men is a founding value of the EU as enshrined in the Treaties; regrets, therefore, the fact that gender equality is not one of the pillars of the RRF Regulation; recalls that NRRPs should include measures that contribute to gender equality and equal opportunities for all, in line with the EPSR, so as to promote women’s labour market participation and reduce gender-based segmentation in the labour market; welcomes the fact that the revised NRRPs contain 136 (sub-) measures with a focus on gender equality and notes the positive impact of other reforms and investments whose implementation can significantly contribute to gender equality, such as measures to promote work-life balance, including access to childcare and care for dependent persons and the development of digital skills; regrets the fact that two Member States did not include any measures explicitly aimed at contributing to gender equality in their NRRPs and that a number of other Member States included a relatively low number of these; |
Amendment 52
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 28. Urges the Member States to increase their efforts to address administrative bottlenecks and provide sufficient administrative capacity to accelerate RRF implementation in view of the 2026 deadline and to avoid concentrating RRF projects in more developed regions and capitals by enabling RRF funds to flow into projects in the most vulnerable regions, thereby serving the RRF’s objective to enhance the EU’s social, territorial and economic cohesion; calls for the automatic 12-month extension of projects that have an implementation rate of at least 20 % before the 2026 deadline; welcomes the possibility to establish a prioritisation and transfer system after the 2026 deadline in order to allow for the finalisation of ongoing projects through other funding schemes, including the European Investment Fund and a possible new European competitiveness fund; | 28. Urges the Member States to increase their efforts to address administrative bottlenecks and provide sufficient administrative capacity to accelerate RRF implementation in view of the 2026 deadline and to avoid concentrating RRF projects in more developed regions and capitals by enabling RRF funds to flow into projects in the most vulnerable regions, thereby serving the RRF’s objective to enhance the EU’s social, territorial and economic cohesion; calls for the automatic 18-month extension of projects that have an implementation rate of at least 20 % before the 2026 deadline; welcomes the possibility to establish a prioritisation and transfer system after the 2026 deadline in order to allow for the finalisation of ongoing projects through other funding schemes, including the European Investment Fund and a possible new European competitiveness fund; |
Amendment 53
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 39. Regrets the insufficient involvement of local and regional authorities (LRAs), civil society organisations, social partners, national parliaments and other relevant stakeholders in the design, revision or implementation of NRRPs; recalls that the participation of LRAs, national authorities and those responsible for developing these policies is crucial for the success of the RRF, as stated in Article 28 of the RRF Regulation; recalls that Parliament supported a binding provision in the RRF to establish a multilevel dialogue to engage relevant stakeholders and discuss the preparation and implementation of NRRPs with them, with a clear consultation period; calls, therefore, for the maximum possible stakeholder involvement in the implementation of NRRPs, in accordance with the national legal framework and based on clear and transparent principles; | 39. Regrets the insufficient involvement, in some Member States, of local and regional authorities (LRAs), civil society organisations, social partners, national parliaments and other relevant stakeholders in the design, revision or implementation of NRRPs, as set out in Article 18(4)(q) of the RRF Regulation, and stresses the importance of social partner involvement in measures concerning labour and social policies; recalls that the participation of LRAs, national authorities and those responsible for developing these policies is crucial for the success of the RRF, as stated in Article 28 of the RRF Regulation; recalls that Parliament supported a binding provision in the RRF to establish a multilevel dialogue to engage relevant stakeholders and discuss the preparation and implementation of NRRPs with them, with a clear consultation period; calls, therefore, for the maximum possible stakeholder involvement in the implementation of NRRPs, ensuring a comprehensive and transparent engagement process, in accordance with the national legal framework and based on clear and transparent principles; believes that stakeholder involvement must be qualitative as well as quantitative, including active participation in monitoring and evaluation processes, and recalls that relevant stakeholders should also be consulted before revised plans are authorised; |
ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT
The rapporteur for the opinion declares under her exclusive responsibility that she 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.
INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
| Date adopted | 31.3.2025 | |
| Result of final vote | +: –: 0: | 40 11 1 |
| Members present for the final vote | Maravillas Abadía Jover, Grégory Allione, Nikola Bartůšek, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Rachel Blom, Andrzej Buła, Estelle Ceulemans, Leila Chaibi, Henrik Dahl, Johan Danielsson, Marie Dauchy, Mélanie Disdier, Elena Donazzan, Gheorghe Falcă, Chiara Gemma, Niels Geuking, Isilda Gomes, Alicia Homs Ginel, Sérgio Humberto, Irena Joveva, Martine Kemp, Katrin Langensiepen, Miriam Lexmann, Marit Maij, Idoia Mendia, Maria Ohisalo, João Oliveira, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Dennis Radtke, Liesbet Sommen, Villy Søvndal, Pál Szekeres, Georgiana Teodorescu, Romana Tomc, Jana Toom, Raffaele Topo, Brigitte van den Berg, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Petar Volgin, Jan-Peter Warnke, Séverine Werbrouck | |
| Substitutes present for the final vote | Borys Budka, Vivien Costanzo, Andi Cristea, Klára Dobrev, Estrella Galán, Rudi Kennes, Pierfrancesco Maran, Benedetta Scuderi, Andrea Wechsler, Angelika Winzig | |
| Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote | Salvatore De Meo |