2011/0276 (COD)

Proposal for a

Amendment to a Commission Proposal COM(2012) 496 REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL

laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund covered by the Common Strategic Framework and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006

Commission's proposal COM(2012)496 is amended as follows:

(1) the following recital (57bis) is added:

'(57 bis) Given the urgent priority to address youth unemployment in the Union's most affected regions, a Youth Employment Initiative should be created and funded from a specific allocation and from targeted investment from the European Social Fund. The Youth Employment Initiative should aim to support young people not in employment, education or training residing in the eligible regions. The Youth Employment Initiative should be implemented as a part of the Investment for growth and jobs goal. '

(2) Article 18 is replaced by the following:

'Article 18 Performance reserve

5% of the resources allocated to each CSF Fund and Member State, with the exception of resources allocated to the European territorial cooperation goal, to the Youth Employment Initiative, and to Title V of the EMFF Regulation, shall constitute a performance reserve to be allocated in accordance with Article 20.'

(3) in Article 44(5), the first sentence is replaced by the following:

'The annual implementation reports referred to in paragraphs 1 to 4 shall be admissible where they contain all the information required in those paragraphs and in the Fund-specific rules.'

(4) Article 83 is replaced by the following:

'Article 83 Resources for economic, social and territorial cohesion

1. The resources for economic, social and territorial cohesion available for budgetary commitment for the period 2014 to 2020 shall be EUR [x] at 2011 prices, in accordance with the annual breakdown shown in Annex III, of which EUR [x] represents the global resources allocated to the ERDF, the ESF and the CF and EUR [3 000 000 000] constitutes a specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative. For the purposes of programming and subsequent inclusion in the general budget of the Union, the amount of the resources for economic, social and territorial cohesion shall be indexed at 2 % per year.

2. The Commission shall adopt a decision, by means of implementing acts, setting out the annual breakdown of the global resources for the Funds by Member State, in accordance with the criteria and methodology set out in Annex IIIbis and the annual breakdown of the resources from the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative by Member State together with the list of eligible regions, in accordance with the criteria and methodology set out in Annex IIIter without prejudice to paragraph 3 of this Article and Article 84(7).

3. 0,35 % of the global resources shall be allocated to technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission.'

(5) in Article 84, the following paragraph is inserted:

'3bis. Resources for the Youth Employment Initiative shall amount to EUR [3 000 000 000] from the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative and at least EUR [3 000 000 000] from ESF targeted investment.'

(6) in Article 93(2), a second subparagraph is added:

'The first subparagraph shall not apply to the Youth Employment Initiative.'

(7) the following Annex III ter is added:

'ANNEX IIIter

Methodology concerning the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative referred to in Article 83

I. The annual breakdown of the specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative is determined in accordance with the following steps:

1. The number of young unemployed persons between the ages of 15-24 shall be identified in the NUTS 2 level regions that have youth unemployment rates of more than 25% in 2012 (hereinafter the "eligible regions").

2. The allocation corresponding to each eligible region is calculated on the basis of the ratio between the number of young unemployed persons in the eligible region and the total number of young unemployed persons referred to in point 1 in all eligible regions.

3. The allocation for each Member State is the sum of the allocations for each of its eligible regions. '

II. The specific allocation for the Youth Employment Initiative shall not be taken into account for the purpose of applying the capping rules set out in Annex IIIbis in relation to the allocation of the global resources.'

(10) in Annex V, in the table concerning 'thematic ex ante conditionalities' the following row is inserted:

|| '8.6. Sustainable integration into the labour market of young people aged 15-24 not in employment, education or training: The existence of a comprehensive strategic policy framework for achieving the objectives of the Youth Employment Package and in particular for establishing a Youth Guarantee scheme in accordance with the Council recommendation of [xxx] || – A comprehensive strategic policy framework for achieving the objectives of the Youth Employment Package and in particular for establishing a Youth Guarantee scheme in accordance with the Council recommendation of [xxx] is in place that: – is based on evidence that measures the results for young people aged 15-24 not in employment, education or training: - provides for a system for collecting and analysing data and information on the Youth Guarantee scheme at relevant levels which provides a sufficient evidence-base to develop targeted policies and monitors developments, with counterfactual evaluations whenever possible – identifies the relevant public authority in charge of establishing and managing the Youth Guarantee scheme and coordinating partnerships across all levels and sectors; – involves all stakeholders that are relevant for addressing youth unemployment; – is based on early intervention and activation; – comprises supportive measures for labour market integration, including measures enhancing skills and labour market related measures. '