Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) 2014-2020: specific measures for addressing the COVID-19 crisis

2020/0105(COD)

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted the report by Lucia ĎURIŠ NICHOLSONOVÁ (ECR, SK) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council

amending Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 as regards the introduction of specific measures for addressing the COVID-19 crisis.

As a reminder, the Commission proposal aims to amend Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 so that Member States may provide additional resources to the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) until 2022. The financing of the main post-crisis recovery measures and support for the most deprived may therefore continue uninterrupted.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission's proposal as follows.

Increased resources in response to COVID-19

While the Commission proposes that Member States may voluntarily increase the overall resources provided for in the FEAD Regulation to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Members proposed that Member States

shall be increased by Member States in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by a minimum share amounting to at least 3% of the additional resources, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013. The increase may affect the budgetary commitments for 2020, 2021 and 2022.

In order to provide for an effective response to the social impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the most deprived persons, and by way of derogation from Article 92(7) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, Members considered that a share of the additional resources should also be allocated by Member States to the FEAD (before or at the same time as the allocation to the ERDF and the ESF).

In order to ensure immediate relief for beneficiaries, Member States shall commit to taking all necessary steps to launch advance payments as quickly as possible.

Financial transfers

Possibilities for financial transfers under the Investment for Growth and Jobs goal between ERDF, ESF and FEAD shall also be introduced for additional resources.

Considering the vital role of the ESF in eradicating poverty and fighting social exclusion, the ESF share shall not be decreased below the current legal obligation of 23.1% at Union level.

Breakdown of resources

The Commission shall define the breakdown of the additional resources for each Member State on the basis of an allocation method based on the most recent objective statistical data available on the relative prosperity of Member States, including equality data, paying particular attention to groups such as homeless people and people living in institutions, which are not usually the subject of data from the statistical offices of the Member States.

The Commission shall set out the breakdown of the additional resources for each Member State on the basis of an allocation method based on the latest available objective statistical data concerning Member States’ relative prosperity and statistical data, including equality data, on the extent of the effect of the current crisis on their economies and societies, with special focus on the most deprived, such as homeless people and people living in segregated institutions, who are traditionally not reached by Member State statistical offices.

To that end, relevant and comparable data shall be collected with the involvement of non-governmental organisations and local authorities working in the field of poverty and social exclusion and in the provision of services to the most deprived persons.

Implementation

The report stressed that the mode of delivery of FEAD shall not be modified as a consequence of this Regulation and FEAD shall remain under shared management.

In addition, gender aspects shall be considered throughout the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Fund, in accordance with Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.