Sittings · Document
DRAFT OPINION (2024/2121(INI)) 2025-03-19
On the role of cohesion policy in supporting the just transition
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: Giusi Princi
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs submits the following to the Committee on Regional Development, as the committee responsible:
Amendment 1
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2025 entitled ‘The Union of Skills’ (COM(2025)0090), |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| A. whereas the ambitious goal of transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 can give rise to opportunities as well as new challenges for regions which are adversely affected by this transition; | A. whereas the ambitious goal of transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 can give rise to opportunities as well as new challenges for regions which are adversely affected by this transition, particularly rural and peripheral areas; |
Or. en
Amendment 3
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Aa. whereas peripheral areas face structural disadvantages, including weaker infrastructure, lower investment levels and persistent socio-economic disparities, which are exacerbated by demographic decline, brain drain and lower industrial diversification; |
Or. en
Amendment 4
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| D. whereas the EU Just Transition Fund (JTF) was to be a key tool in ensuring people living in territories affected by the shift to climate neutrality were not left behind; whereas it has delivered absorption rates of less than 5 % to date; | D. whereas the EU Just Transition Fund (JTF) was to be a key tool in ensuring people living in territories affected by the shift to climate neutrality were not left behind; whereas it has delivered absorption rates of less than 5 % to date, highlighting the need for increased flexibility, simplified procedures and tailored support for local and regional authorities, as well as SMEs in structurally weaker regions; |
Or. en
Amendment 5
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Da. whereas closing the research and development investment gap is crucial for ensuring that all regions, including peripheral ones, can effectively participate in the green and digital transitions; whereas the EU target of investing 3 % of GDP in research and development to support innovation and ensure an inclusive and just transition across the EU has not yet been reached; |
Or. en
Amendment 6
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| E. whereas if not addressed adequately, former peat and mining regions risk becoming more economically inactive; | E. whereas if not addressed adequately, former peat and mining regions risk becoming more economically inactive, as do other structurally fragile regions facing persistent depopulation, a lack of investment and a widening gap in productivity and employment opportunities; calls for the swift implementation of the Talent Booster Mechanism to counteract brain drain and support local economic revival; |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Ea. whereas the Commission’s Competitiveness Compass for the EU highlighted the importance of promoting skills development, quality jobs and social fairness in all regions, with a focus on addressing the skills gap and labour shortages that persist across the EU and ensuring full participation in the green and digital transitions; |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Fa. whereas the technical assistance for public authorities under the JTF, InvestEU and the Public Sector Loan Facility – the three pillars of the Just Transition mechanism – should be strengthened; |
Or. en
Amendment 9
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1. Calls on the Commission to facilitate the establishment of special JTF economic zones for areas affected by site closures, with priority access to funding given initially to locations within a 50 km radius of job loss sites and other areas where the impact of such losses would justify access to the JTF; | 1. Calls on the Commission to facilitate the establishment of special JTF economic zones for areas affected by site closures, with priority access to funding given initially to locations within a 50 km radius of job loss sites and other areas where the impact of such losses would justify access to the JTF; calls on the Commission to evaluate an expansion of JTF territories, ensuring that peripheral and rural regions with long-term structural disadvantages also receive priority access to funding and support, particularly those that have been experiencing economic divergence since the 2008 financial crisis; |
Or. en
Amendment 10
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2. Calls for the introduction of special regulations in these zones, including lower tax rates for businesses and investments, along with swifter planning decisions; reaffirms that such measures can create jobs and provide opportunities for people living in these regions; | 2. Calls for the introduction of special regulations in these zones, including lower tax rates for businesses and investments, along with swifter planning decisions; reaffirms that such measures can create jobs, support SMEs and provide opportunities for people, as well as traditional and family businesses, in these regions; |
Or. en
Amendment 11
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 5. Stresses in this regard the need to prioritise investment in all levels of education and training in affected areas; emphasises the need for funding for tuition; | 5. Stresses in this regard the need to prioritise investment in all levels of education and training in affected areas; emphasises the need for funding for tuition; stresses the crucial importance of teachers and trainers as facilitators of the just transition; highlights the need to invest as a priority in their continuous training in order to equip them with the skills needed to cope with digital and green transformations; calls on the Commission to support the development of a European skills framework in the context of the just transition; |
Or. en
Amendment 12
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6a. Stresses that the shortage of specialised teachers exacerbates skills gaps in strategic sectors and undermines the economic competitiveness of less developed regions; calls for the development of targeted programmes to improve the attractiveness of the teaching profession, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, through economic and non-economic incentives, especially in regions affected by the transition; |
Or. en
Amendment 13
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7. Calls for European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) funding to be more regionally focused and for greater synergies between the ESF+ and the JTF, particularly in relation to education and training; | 7. Calls for European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) funding to be more regionally focused and for greater synergies between the ESF+ and the JTF, particularly in relation to education and training; stresses the need for targeted investments in local skills development to align workers’ skills with regional industrial needs and digital and green transitions; |
Or. en
Amendment 14
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7a. Calls for the Commission to swiftly establish a competitiveness coordination tool, aligned with the European Semester and Union of Skills, to address the skills gap in regions at risk of losing their socio-economic competitiveness and attractiveness; calls for this tool to facilitate cross-border projects, coordinate investments, align industrial and research policies, foster reskilling and upskilling programmes and be a driver of long-term growth and competitiveness across the EU; |
Or. en
Amendment 15
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 8. Calls on the Commission to work with Member States to ensure that workers who have lost their jobs are given a special status for participating in ESF+ supported employment and training schemes in their locality; | 8. Calls on the Commission to work with Member States to ensure that workers who have lost their jobs are given a special status for participating in ESF+ supported employment and training schemes in their locality; stresses the importance of allocating specific resources for innovative teacher and trainer training and the development of digital pedagogical skills, which are essential to prepare workers for industrial transitions; |
Or. en
Amendment 16
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 9. Emphasises the need to develop apprenticeship schemes for the affected areas in collaboration with local businesses to provide students with experience in their communities, giving them the ‘right to stay’; | 9. Emphasises the need to develop apprenticeship schemes for the affected areas in collaboration with local businesses to provide students, young workers and young people who are not in education employment or training with experience in their communities, reinforcing their ‘right to stay’ through attractive employment prospects and quality-of-life improvements, incentives for businesses to invest and hire in these areas, support for remote work infrastructure and enhanced access to EU funding for local talent retention policies; |
Or. en
Amendment 17
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 9a. Recognises the potential of digital technologies to improve access to quality education in less developed regions; calls on the Commission to support the development of a digital educational ecosystem that includes online learning platforms, digital educational content and open educational resources; stresses the importance of facilitating public-private partnerships in vocational training by encouraging cooperation between training institutions and local businesses through co-designed education programmes, periods of in-company training and privately supported career paths; highlights the fact that these digital and training partnerships can significantly improve young people’s employability, respond more effectively to the real needs of the regional labour market and create a skills ecosystem that supports local economic competitiveness; |
Or. en
Amendment 18
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 9b. Calls for the development of a European framework for assessing the impact of investments in teacher and trainer training to ensure the better use of funding and optimise the skills outcomes acquired by students and workers in less developed regions; |
Or. en
Amendment 19
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 10. Suggests that the just transition has overlooked the unique situations of affected full-time workers, part-time workers and students; suggests that there has been little or no consideration of providing replacement seasonal employment; | 10. Suggests that the just transition should pay particular attention not only to full-time and part-time employees and affected students but also to seasonal workers and self-employed workers, as well as family businesses; |
Or. en
Amendment 20
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13. Recalls that some EU regions are experiencing a continuous outflow of young and skilled workers due to demographic shifts and migration, with rural areas being particularly impacted; | 13. Recalls that some EU regions are experiencing a continuous outflow of young and skilled workers due to demographic shifts and migration, with rural areas being particularly impacted; calls for the swift implementation of the Talent Booster Mechanism with sufficient funds and simple operational procedures in order to counteract brain drain, helping to support local economic revival in affected regions; |
Or. en
Amendment 21
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 16. Believes that the Commission should have set out clear parameters for each Member State to pursue in areas such as investing in education and training and enabling third-party investors to preserve the culture and traditions of former coal and peat regions; | 16. Believes that the Commission should have set out clear parameters for each Member State to pursue in areas such as investing in education and training and enabling third-party investors to preserve the culture and traditions, as well as the linguistic minorities of less developed regions; |
Or. en
Amendment 22
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 16a. Calls for the creation of a coordination mechanism that actively involves regional and local authorities in the design and implementation of territorial just transition plans, ensuring that territorial specificities are fully taken into account and that local stakeholders, including private companies, chambers of commerce and trade unions, have an appropriate role in the decision-making process; |
Or. en
Amendment 23
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 19a. Recognises the importance of digitalisation in the implementation and governance of the JTF; calls on the Commission to support the development of a European just transition skills observatory that can collect, analyse and share relevant data on current and future skills required in less developed regions, providing timely information for the adaptation of training and reskilling policies; stresses that this observatory should facilitate collaboration between the Member States and enable a faster response to the needs of the changing labour market; |
Or. en
Amendment 24
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 19b. Stresses the importance of a partnership-based approach that actively involves employers’ organisations, chambers of commerce and industrial associations in the planning and implementation of the just transition; calls on the Commission to develop guidelines that ensure the balanced representation of economic interests in the monitoring committees of the territorial just transition plans, ensuring that private sector needs and job creation opportunities are adequately addressed in regional transition strategies; |
Or. en
Amendment 25
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 20a. Calls on the Commission to promote the creation of public-private partnerships to improve the implementation of JTF projects and foster additional investments in less developed regions; stresses that such partnerships should also include financial institutions and investment funds to facilitate the mobilisation of complementary financial resources, creating a leverage effect on public investment; calls for the introduction of a governance system that ensures transparency, efficiency and accountability in the use of these mixed funds, while ensuring that the social objectives of the just transition remain a priority; |
Or. en
Amendment 26
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 22a. Calls on the Commission to establish a tailored social training scheme for young workers entering the job market in peripheral and underdeveloped regions, to provide them with opportunities to remain in their regions of origin, ensuring employment pathways that align with regional economic development strategies and smart specialisation initiatives; |
Or. en
Amendment 27
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 25. Believes that shifts in the geopolitical landscape, along with other factors, are causing massive changes to the functioning of the EU economy; urges the Commission, therefore, to review the timescales for closures of key energy players in the EU; | 25. Believes that shifts in the geopolitical landscape, along with other factors, are causing massive changes to the functioning of the EU economy and have led to the need for investments for the preservation of long-term competitiveness; urges the Commission, therefore, to review the timescales for closures of key energy players in the EU; calls on the Commission to implement green and climate policies with a view to preserving the competitiveness of European transport and supporting mobility operators in less developed regions, making sure that measures such as the emissions trading system do not cause unfair competition from operators from non-EU countries, as happened, for instance, at the ports of Gioia Tauro and Algeciras, as this could lead to possible job losses; |
Or. en
Amendment 28
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 26a. Stresses that the climate transition must be accompanied by measures that ensure the competitiveness of EU companies, in particular SMEs and companies that are part of strategic industrial sectors; calls, therefore, on the Commission to develop a European competitiveness fund as part of the transition to support investments in technological innovation, energy efficiency and sustainable production processes in the regions most affected by decarbonisation; |
Or. en
Amendment 29
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 27. Calls on the Commission to propose a new fund, the JTF II, for the post-2027 programming period, ensuring that it operates under shared management and partnership principles; stresses that this fund should have greater financial resources than the current JTF; | 27. Calls on the Commission to propose a new fund, the JTF II, for the post-2027 programming period, which should not only be earmarked for economic compensation for the closure of activities with a high environmental impact, but also for actively encouraging the creation of new innovative industrial clusters and attracting private investment in green technologies and the circular economy; stresses that this fund should have greater financial resources and create less of an administrative burden than the current JTF; calls on the Commission to continue a bottom-up approach in the upcoming proposals for simplifying the design of the new cohesion policy, ensuring the mandatory consultation and involvement of local and regional authorities; |
Or. en