Sittings · Document
DRAFT OPINION (2024/2085(INI)) 2025-02-12
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) and its 20 principles, |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular goals 1, 4, 5, 8 and 10, |
Or. en
Amendment 3
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 c (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. |
Or. en
Amendment 4
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 d (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. |
Or. en
Amendment 5
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Commission communication of 17 December 2024 on the 2025 European Semester – Autumn package (COM(2024)0700), |
Or. en
Amendment 6
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), |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Motion for a resolution
Recital –A a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| –Aa. whereas the general objective of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (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 and sustainable growth and fostering the creation of high-quality employment; |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Motion for a resolution
Recital –A b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| –Ab. 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 9
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 equally contribute to the implementation of the EPSR, social cohesion, social resilience, sustainable and inclusive growth and upward social convergence, and also generate European added value; |
Or. en
Amendment 10
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; |
Or. en
Amendment 11
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. 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; recalls that a general objective of the RRF is to contribute to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights; |
Or. en
Amendment 12
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; |
Or. en
Amendment 13
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2a. 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; urges the Member States, in this regard, to step up their investments in education, training and employment support for young people under the next generation pillar; |
Or. en
Amendment 14
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, including the sustainability of pension systems; 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 15
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; 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; 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 16
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 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 17
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7a. In this regard, recalls 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 18
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; |
Or. en
Amendment 19
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 investment in 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 20
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 16a. Recalls that the RRF, in line with Article 19 of and Annex V to the RRF 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 EPRS, 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 Union1a; notes that this criterion should require the highest score of the assessment; | |
| __________________ | |
| 1a Paragraph 2.3, Annex V to the RRF Regulation. |
Or. en
Amendment 21
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; |
Or. en
Amendment 22
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; 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. |
Or. en
Amendment 23
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 social services, 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 vulnerable groups, 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 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 24
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, workers and businesses in the cultural and creative sectors and industries, and regulatory changes for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, which are lagging behind; |
Or. en
Amendment 25
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 20a. 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 segregation 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; |
Or. en
Amendment 26
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; |
Or. en
Amendment 27
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 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; stresses, in particular, the importance of involving social partners in the design and delivery of reforms and investments concerning the labour market 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, 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 and that the requirement to consult relevant stakeholders should be met before proposed new measures or revised plans are authorised; |
Or. en
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.