Francesco VENTOLA

Policy topics Francesco VENTOLA is active on

What Francesco VENTOLA has said (9)

• 2026-07-14 “(17:05:31 - 17:08:44): Thank you, president. I speak Italian. Well, we certainly were not shocked to see the number of amendments that have been tabled. This is a dynamic file. It means that all groups take ownership of this file, and they are well aware of the historic juncture. The NRPPs that we're seeing now is a radical departure from the way these funds have been structured in the past. And that's why flexibility and simplification are 2 principles that must guide our action. Thinking of those who will be drawing up the plans, member states, the regions, but also if we think more holistically about multilevel governance with a strategic slant, well, that is key to have the flexibility as part of that as well as simplification. So our amendments very much draw from that principle. Then there's also the possibility of providing support to the smallest territorial, groupings and governance. We're all aware of smaller towns or villages where there's a small number of workers, and it's very hard for them to access financing. And there is where simplification must apply. Hence, 1 of our amendments focusing on increasing funding for technical assistance for the smallest municipalities. Then there is the matter of the increase of the prefinancing quota, particularly at this time. This is about having more resources to be able to invest more swiftly to make sure that everyone is on an equal footing when it comes to achieving objectives. When it comes to unemployment, we feel that that ought to be looked at from an n plus 3 and not n plus 1 perspective. That would correspond to the realities on the ground across the EU. Our regions are different, and it wouldn't be right to, claim that the same solutions can be applied everywhere and that ought to be reflected. And once again, multilevel governance. The more local discussion that you have around a plan, the more you are able to find the right kind of resources for that plan. That's why I would like now to wish the rapporteurs all the best with their work, and our group will be there to cooperate to ensure that we rise to the challenge of this historic moment? Thank you.”
  Cohesion and rural funding
• 2024-11-04 “E-002401/2024 Answer given by Executive Vice-President Séjourné on behalf of the European Commission The Commission confirms to the Honourable Member that under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRM Act), silicon metal is considered a critical raw material 1 , but not natural silicon. That is because silicon is a highly reactive element, and pure silicon does not occur in a natural form. Silicon metal is the base product for chemical products like silicones and silanes, aluminium and ferro-alloys and polysilicon for semiconductors. At the same time, the value chains of critical raw materials, from extraction – in this case, quartz – to recycling, are covered under the CRM Act, provided the extracted resources are refined to the specified material. 1 Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, OJ L, 2024/1252, 3.5.2024, Annex 2.”
  Energy (green transition)
• “Thank you very much. We face an enormous challenge, but it is also exhilarating because. We have two new principles that haven't been factored in, and that is flexibility on the one hand and simplification on the other. And I do, however, have some questions. In the legislative proposal. It says that the NRP has a minimum amount for less developed regions, but there are other regions that face enormous challenges. For example, regions in transition. They at the moment have specific money allocated to them and then rural areas. They also in a similar situation. So how are you taking into account the needs and demands of these other territories or regions that I mentioned? And then I'd like to know whether the MFF will meet the needs of these regions. Thank you.”
  EU cohesion/structural-fund architecture: consolidation vs ring-fenced separate funds
• “Thank you very much, chair. Thank you, Commissioner Dombrovskis. And I'd like to thank you and Vice president for being available to speak to us today. Most of my points have already been raised by my colleague, but I just wanted to make two brief comments. In the recent communication from the commission, Which I think was very effective because it really provides a snapshot of the state of the art, and it looks at the possibilities under the regulation to update and revise their plans. However, there are some doubts out there. The one that immediately springs to mind is that the implementing bodies in the Member States. Well, how can they deal with the issue of uncompleted projects? I mean, that might be for reasons of force majeure, something that could have been predicted when they were originally planned. So this is quite an important issue. I'd like a very precise answer for you on this issue of uncompleted projects.”
  Conditions to access EU budget
• “President. Commissioner Hansen. Today we're talking about the people who work out in the fields, who work with pride to put food on our tables. Here, we're talking about human European farmers who don't want any favors. They don't want any discounts. They just want respect. They want to be able to work without being burdened with bureaucracy. They do something that is irreplaceable, and they don't want to be suffering from unfair trading practices from other continents. Here we need to look at our food policy. We need to be able to protect the small farms which deserve to have transparent contracts, the whole length of the value chain. We can't have environmental programs in place without economic viability and social viability. Here we should be investing in young people and women who then want to cultivate the land. Here we have our root, our identity, and our ability to choose. This is what ends up on our tables. Commissioner here. Europe needs to be strong and needs to be loyal to those who are feeding it. Thank you.”
  EU policy on farmer–buyer relations in the agri-food supply chain
• “Thank you very much. Good morning. Colleagues. Thank you so much to the Court of Auditors for these clarifications. The 6% we went to the for 4.8% in errors that are inadmissible in the public. And there are some weaknesses, but in full respect of our roles. But in the spirit of cooperation, I would ask the Court of Auditors representative to ask to inform us which measures could be introduced to improve, uh, to improve the controls by the authorities, considering the high level of error and cohesion, what strategies could the Court of Auditors suggest to improve the quality of the working documents of the audit authorities and the first level. Considering that more than half of the operations that were controlled showed deficiencies, and specifically, how could we look at the differences between member states in terms of pointing to errors? We can see that there is a residual error rate in some countries that is higher than others. And then a few more details as pertains to Italy, my country. What are the causes for the high level of errors in the south of Italy and cohesion funds? What could be done in the regions to reduce these errors? And finally, how can the Court of Auditors. Assess the way of a leading to more cohesion and the better management of resources. There are a number of positive points here in the report, but we want to make sure that we have the right conditions in place so that we do not make the same mistakes as have been in the past. Therefore, a contribution with full respect of the rules of the Court of Auditors, I think that the Court of Auditors could perhaps give us some.”
  Accounting and auditing of EU budget
• “Thank you. President, Commissioner, vice president, colleagues, the Competitiveness Report 2024, we can see that there are points that we can endorse. It shows how much we need to be decisive in our action. Europe must be more determined in pressure from outside and digital transformations, and specifically contrary to what we have seen to date, we need to have a real, veritable simplification that enhances our productive fabric and industry. Now, we would have liked to have seen a better approach to tax havens, even within Europe. We would like to have a fair playing field for all businesses within the internal market. Strengthen custom approaches. Fight counterfeit products. Defend IP and ID the geographical indicators. Now we would also like to see strategic autonomy and make sure that we have fair competition via investment. That means that all players do not have to just be slaves to big platforms. Europe needs strong tools, few rules, good rules, and make sure that we support our human capital, the experiences that we've seen in our single market. It's the force of a genuineness of our young people. Thank you.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “Well, thank you to the European Court of Auditors for their technical contribution by then providing their opinion at this historic and important moment. On behalf of Reggie, I just like to say that we are slightly perplexed at the fact that we have to hear, keep, then respect these five different thematic targets. The fact that we have to go to move from effective costs to milestones and targets, that's something that can create difficulties, and we will be doing everything we can to see that, to see that change. Then there's the N plus one system which is going to be brought in instead of the N plus two system that we've had in the past. This could create problems when there is auditing carried out, which is something that the Court of Auditors has pointed out that when there are infrastructure projects, they may come across various difficulties when they're getting up and running. I'd like to thank the court for the work they've done from a technical point of view, and we will do our work as well to see how the proposal can be improved and amended in that direction. Thank you. Thank you very much for agree ECR. Thank you, chair, and thank you to the Court of Auditors for their very clear report. Which shows us exactly what the Parliament had already said. Despite what's being claimed, this isn't going to simplify anything.”
  Accounting and auditing of EU budget
• “Well, thank you to the European Court of Auditors for their technical contribution by then providing their opinion at this historic and important moment. On behalf of Reggie, I just like to say that we are slightly perplexed at the fact that we have to hear, keep, then respect these five different thematic targets. The fact that we have to go to move from effective costs to milestones and targets, that's something that can create difficulties, and we will be doing everything we can to see that, to see that change. Then there's the N plus one system which is going to be brought in instead of the N plus two system that we've had in the past. This could create problems when there is auditing carried out, which is something that the Court of Auditors has pointed out that when there are infrastructure projects, they may come across various difficulties when they're getting up and running. I'd like to thank the court for the work they've done from a technical point of view, and we will do our work as well to see how the proposal can be improved and amended in that direction. Thank you. Thank you very much for agree ECR. Thank you, chair, and thank you to the Court of Auditors for their very clear report. Which shows us exactly what the Parliament had already said. Despite what's being claimed, this isn't going to simplify anything.”
  Accounting and auditing of EU budget