(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2018)0614),

–  having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 177 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C8‑0396/2018),

–  having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 24 January 2019(1),

–  after consulting the Committee of the Regions,

–  having regard to Rule 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Development (A8-0181/2019),

1.  Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2.  Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

3.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

(1) OJ C 159, 10.5.2019, p. 45.

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 177 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(1),

After consulting the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure(2),

Whereas:

(1)  Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3) lays down the common and general provisions applicable to the European Structural and Investment Funds.

(2)  Evidence suggests that the annual pre-financing is set at a particularly high level in comparison with financial management requirements stemming from the implementation of operational programmes; this is in particular the case for the budgetary years 2021 to 2023.

(3)  In order to ease the pressure on payment appropriations in the Union budget for the budgetary years 2021 to 2023 and to enhance the predictability of payment requirements and thus contribute to more transparent budgetary planning and a more orderly payment profile, the rate of annual pre-financing for those years should be decreased.

(4)  Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Article 134(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 is amended as follows:

(a)  The fifth indent is replaced by the following:"

"— 2020: 3 %";

(b)  The following indent is added:"

"— 2021 to 2023: 1 % 2 %." [Am. 1]

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

(1) OJ C 159, 10.5.2019, p. 45. (2) Position of the European Parliament of 4 April 2019. (3) Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 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 and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 320).