RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing

SHORT JUSTIFICATION

The NDICI-Global Europe merges together most of the previous external financing instruments[4]. The general objective of the Instrument is to uphold and promote the Union’s values, principles and fundamental interests worldwide, in order to pursue the objectives and principles of the Union’s external action, as laid down in Article 3(5), Articles 8 and 21 of the Treaty on European Union, thus contributing to the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty, to consolidating, supporting and promoting democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights, sustainable development and the fight against climate change and addressing irregular migration and forced displacement, including their root causes.

The Instrument shall contribute to the promotion of multilateralism, the achievement of the international commitments and objectives that the Union has agreed to, in particular the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, and to promote stronger partnerships with third countries, including with the European Neighbourhood Policy countries  based on mutual interests and ownership with a view to fostering stabilisation, good governance and building resilience.

The major achievements in the negotiations were in the Chapter of the Instrument’s governance, in which Parliament successfully obtained a delegated act to be adopted in 2021, reviewed at the mid-term, determining the specific objectives and priority areas of cooperation for Neighbourhood South, Neighbourhood East, West Africa, East and Central Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean, Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, North and South East Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, the Caribbean; as well as indicative thematic targets for the geographic pillar and indicative financial allocations for West Africa, East and Central Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean.

Parliament also achieved an additional EUR 1 billion in funds guaranteed from the Instrument’s cushion for increasing the funding of thematic programmes: human rights and democracy (EUR 200 million), civil society organisations (EUR 200 million), and Global Challenges programme (EUR 600 million), and a commitment by the Commission informing in detail the European Parliament before the mobilisation of the cushion and fully take into consideration its remarks.

Negotiations also saw an increase in the Instrument’s share of expenditure which should qualify as Official Development Assistance (ODA) to 93 %, and an increased target for climate action set at 30%, together with an additional biodiversity target to contribute to the MFF biodiversity objectives.

The political agreement reached in negotiations also included a Commission statement establishing a high-level geopolitical dialogue between the relevant Commissioners and the European Parliament, at least twice a year, providing Parliament with an additional layer of strategic orientations on the implementation of the Instrument.

The interinstitutional negotiations were concluded at political level on 15 December 2020 and at technical level on 24 February 2021. The outcome of negotiations was endorsed by Council at the level of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) on 17 March 2021 and approved by Parliament at a joint committee meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Development on 18 March 2021. Since the Council’s first reading position adopted on x May 2021 fully reflects the agreement reached in early second reading, the recommendation for the second reading is to approve the Council position.

ANNEX TO THE LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Statement by the European Parliament on the suspension of assistance granted under the external financing instruments

The European Parliament notes that Regulation (EU) .../... establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe contains a general reference on the possibility of suspending assistance without specifying the concrete basis for such a decision. Such a suspension of assistance should be implemented where a partner country persistently fails to observe the principles of democracy, the rule of law or good governance, or respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms or for internationally recognised nuclear safety standards.

Nevertheless, the European Parliament notes that, unlike in other geographic areas of cooperation, specific provisions for the Neighbourhood area, in particular Article 20(2), provide for increased support to civil society, conflict prevention and peacebuilding, people-to-people contacts, including cooperation between local authorities, support for the improvement of human rights or crisis-related support measures, in the event of serious or persistent degradation of democracy, human rights or the rule of law, or an increased risk of conflict. The European Parliament considers that such increased support to the above-mentioned areas should be provided if such degradation occurs in countries outside the Neighbourhood area as well, and recalls that in particular Article 4(5) foresees that actions implemented through thematic programmes may also be undertaken where the geographic programme has been suspended.

The European Parliament considers that any suspension of assistance under these instruments would modify the overall financial scheme agreed under the ordinary legislative procedure. As a co-legislator and co-branch of the budgetary authority, the European Parliament is therefore entitled to fully exercise its prerogatives in that regard, if such a decision is to be taken.

Statement by the European Parliament on Council Decision 2010/427/EU and strategic coordination

The European Parliament notes that the references to the Union’s external action instruments in Article 9 of Council Decision 2010/427/EU are obsolete, and therefore considers that, for the sake of legal clarity, this Article should be updated, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 27(3) of the Treaty on European Union, in order to take into account the Union external assistance instruments applicable in the period of the 2021-2027 MFF, namely the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, the European Instrument for International Nuclear Safety Cooperation and the Decision on the Overseas Association, including Greenland.

The European Parliament calls on the Commission and on the European External Action Service (EEAS) to establish a strategic coordination structure composed of all relevant Commission services and of the EEAS in order to ensure coherence, synergy, transparency and accountability in accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EU) .../... establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe.

Commission declaration on a geopolitical dialogue with the European Parliament on the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe

The European Commission, mindful of the European Parliament’s functions of political control laid down in Article 14 of the Treaty on the European Union, commits to conduct a high-level geopolitical dialogue between the two institutions on the implementation of Regulation (EU) XXX/XXX of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe. This dialogue should allow exchanges with the European Parliament, whose positions on the implementation of the NDICI will be fully taken into consideration.

The geopolitical dialogue will discuss general orientations on the implementation of the NDICI, including on programming before the adoption of programming documents, and concerning specific subjects such as the use of the emerging challenges and priorities cushion or applying leverage leading to possible changes in allocation of funding dedicated to migration or suspension of assistance to a partner country when it persistently fails to observe the principles of democracy, the rule of law, good governance, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The geopolitical dialogue will be structured as follows:

(i) A high-level dialogue between the High Representative/Vice President and the Commissioners in charge of International Partnerships and of Neighbourhood and Enlargement and the European Parliament.

(ii) A permanent dialogue at senior officials’ level with AFET and DEVE working groups to ensure an adequate preparation and follow-up to the high-level dialogue.

The high-level dialogue will take place at least twice a year. One of the meetings may coincide with the presentation by the Commission of the draft annual budget.

Commission declaration on Recitals 50 and 51 and Article 8(10)

Regional migration support programmes will support comprehensive, balanced and tailor-made partnerships with relevant countries of origin or transit and host countries, following a flexible incitative approach, and supported by the coordination mechanism within the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe. They will be complemented by actions under the country programmes, where appropriate.

In order to ensure the most efficient and impactful use of these funds, in line with the Union’s and partner countries’ policy priorities, the European Commission will actively implement these priorities using all relevant Union instruments and participate in the coordination with the Member States in a synchronised and efficient manner. It will ensure that the European Parliament and the Council are closely and regularly informed, allowing for exchanges of views.

PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Key to symbols:

+  :  in favour

-  :  against

0  :  abstention