—

having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 101 to 109 thereof,

—

having regard to the relevant Commission rules, guidelines, resolutions, public consultations, communications and papers on the subject of competition,

—

having regard to the Commission report of 9 July 2020 on Competition Policy 2019 (COM(2020)0302) and to the Commission staff working document published as a supporting document on the same date,

—

having regard to its resolution of 18 June 2020 on the Annual Report on EU Competition Policy (1),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 10 March 2020 on a New Industrial Strategy for Europe (COM(2020)0102),

—

having regard to the Commission communications of 19 March 2020, 4 April 2020, 13 May 2020, and 2 July 2020 on a Temporary Framework for State aid measures to support the economy in the current COVID-19 outbreak, and subsequent amendments thereto (2),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 21 September 2020 on Guidelines on certain State aid measures in the context of the system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading post 2021 (C(2020)6400),

—

having regard to the Commission’s White Paper of 17 June 2020 on levelling the playing field as regards foreign subsidies (COM(2020)0253),

—

having regard to the Commission’s decision of 17 December 2020 to clear the acquisition of Fitbit by Google, subject to conditions,

—

having regard to the European Court of Auditors’ (ECA) Special Report 24/2020 entitled ‘The Commission’s EU merger control and antitrust proceedings: a need to scale up market oversight’ (3),

—

having regard to the State of the Union address by the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, of 16 September 2020,

—

having regard to the written and oral replies given by then Commissioner-designate Margrethe Vestager at the hearing by the European Parliament on 8 October 2019,

—

having regard to the joint statement by the European Competition Network (ECN) of 23 March 2020 on the application of competition law during the Corona crisis (4),

—

having regard to the report of 4 April 2019 by high-level Commission experts entitled ‘Competition policy for the digital era’ (5),

—

having regard to the Council conclusions of 22 March 2019 on jobs, growth and competitiveness,

—

having regard to the conclusions of the Special European Council meeting of 1 and 2 October 2020,

—

having regard to the Commission notice to stakeholders of 2 December 2020 on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of competition, and that of 18 January 2021 on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU rules in the field of State aid,

—

having regard to the study of December 2020 by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the European Parliament entitled ‘Impact of state aid on competition and competitiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic: an early assessment’,

—

having regard to the US House Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee report of 6 October 2020 entitled ‘Investigation of Competition in the Digital Marketplace: Majority Staff Report and Recommendations’ (6),

—

having regard to the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s research paper of 19 January 2021 entitled ‘Algorithms: How they can reduce competition and harm consumers’,

—

having regard to the EU’s 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target, as endorsed by EU leaders in December 2020,

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 — Bringing nature back into our lives’ (COM(2020)0380),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 11 March 2020 on a new Circular Economy Action Plan for a cleaner and more competitive Europe (COM(2020)0098),

—

having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A9-0168/2021),

A.

whereas consumers benefit from competitive markets, especially when they result in fair prices and wider choices of quality products; whereas EU competition policy is designed to maintain an open market economy with free, fair and effective competition favouring an efficient allocation of resources and promoting innovation, thereby paying particular attention to the needs of SMEs and the creation of a level of playing field, to the benefit of all EU citizens; whereas this fundamental objective remains relevant even in crisis conditions;

B.

whereas the Commission responded to the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis promptly by adopting special temporary competition rules to remedy a serious disturbance to the European economy;

C.

whereas exceptional and temporary measures to respond to the pandemic should not be applied in the form of anticompetitive behaviour, nor should they be exploited by financially unhealthy companies to receive additional aid without the necessary and effective restructuring plans;

D.

whereas all State aid should be designed and granted in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner; whereas in the long run, competition policy should efficiently address social, digital and environmental challenges, and should be fully in line with the priorities outlined in the European Green Deal and the objectives of the Paris Agreement;

E.

whereas smart reconciliation of the Union’s competition rules with its industrial, digital, environmental, social and international trade policies is essential for ensuring a level playing field in all sectors, strengthening resilient value chains and bolstering job creation and global competitiveness, thus contributing to an SME-friendly trade environment;

F.

whereas unfair competition between Member States hinders the proper functioning of the internal market;

G.

whereas the Commission is currently carrying out a general review of the effectiveness of competition policy enforcement, including antitrust regulations, a number of State aid rules and guidance, the evaluation of merger control rules and the review of the Market Definition Notice;

H.

whereas economic boycotts against products from specific geographical areas in the EU constitute a serious violation of competition rules and should be addressed effectively;

I.

whereas the increasing challenges of competing with a deeply subsidised major economy like that of China require measures to strengthen EU companies in the face of non-EU competitors;

J.

whereas an open market architecture in trading and clearing allowing for genuine competition among market infrastructures is key for preserving and strengthening the resilience of EU capital markets, incentivising market-led innovations, and thus delivering better outcomes for pensioners, businesses and investors; whereas the need for an open market structure needs to be balanced against financial stability considerations;

K.

whereas most consumers’ gateways to the Internet are restricted to a strikingly small number of digital ecosystems and large platforms; whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace of digitalisation, posing new challenges to the effectiveness of competition policy, especially in the field of antitrust rules where, to date, ex ante interventions are not allowed;

L.

whereas data scandals, investigations and evidence have shown how personal data is being collected and stored, often in an excessive manner, as well as being used and sold to third parties by platforms, and how dominant technology players and platforms have been systematically tracking consumers online;

M.

whereas some undertakings, which benefit from a dual status as both platforms and suppliers, abuse their position to impose unfair terms and conditions on competitors;

N.

whereas analysts predict (7) that Amazon, Facebook and Alphabet Inc. (Google) will collectively capture 61 % of all digital advertising in 2021, representing a doubling of their market share since 2015; whereas Facebook and Alphabet Inc. (Google) earn 98,53 % and 83,3 % of their respective revenues from digital advertising (8);

O.

whereas fines issued by competition authorities have often failed to have a deterring effect for large technology companies as they are merely considered as costs of doing business;

P.

whereas antitrust tools should be made adequate to face the new realities of rapidly changing digital and technology markets;

Q.

whereas a level playing field between financial services firms and technology firms is needed to ensure competition on an equal footing, following the principle of ‘same risk, same activity, same regulation’;

R.

whereas algorithms can greatly enhance efficiency and allow firms to deliver better products and services to consumers; whereas, however, intentional or unintentional misuse of algorithms can cause harm to consumers and competition;

S.

whereas EU competition and State aid rules should be coherent with and could significantly contribute to the European Green Deal, the EU’s digital strategy, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals; whereas EU State aid cases hardly refer to such overall EU policy objectives;

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—

having regard to Articles 2 and 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union, and Articles 6 and 8 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

—

having regard to Article 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the ‘Charter’),

—

having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights and, in particular, to principles 2, 3 and 9 thereof,

—

having regard to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of 18 December 1979 (1),

—

having regard to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and, in particular, Goal 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality and improve living conditions for women by 2030 (2),

—

having regard to the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life (3),

—

having regard to the EU directives from 1975 onwards on various aspects of equal treatment for women and men (Directive 79/7/EEC (4), Directive 86/613/EEC (5), Directive 92/85/EEC (6), Directive 2004/113/EC (7), Directive 2006/54/EC (8), Directive 2010/18/EU (9) and Directive 2010/41/EU (10)),

—

having regard to its resolution of 24 May 2012 with recommendations to the Commission on application of the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work or work of equal value (11),

—

having regard to its resolution of 12 March 2013 on eliminating gender stereotypes in the EU (12),

—

having regard to its resolution of 9 September 2015 on women’s careers in science and universities, and glass ceilings encountered (13),

—

having regard to its resolution of 19 January 2016 on external factors that represent hurdles to European female entrepreneurship (14),

—

having regard to its resolution of 28 April 2016 on gender equality and empowering women in the digital age (15),

—

having regard to the study entitled ‘Gender in regional cohesion policy’ from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), published on 25 January 2017 (16),

—

having regard to its resolution of 14 February 2017 on promoting gender equality in mental health and clinical research (17),

—

having regard to its resolution of 14 March 2017 on equality between women and men in the European Union in 2014-2015 (18),

—

having regard to its resolution of 4 April 2017 on women and their roles in rural areas (19),

—

having regard to its resolution of 14 June 2017 on the need for an EU strategy to end and prevent the gender pension gap (20),

—

having regard to its resolution of 3 October 2017 on women’s economic empowerment in the private and public sectors in the EU (21),

—

having regard to its resolution of 16 January 2018 on women, gender equality and climate justice (22),

—

having regard to its resolution of 13 March 2018 on gender equality in EU trade agreements (23),

—

having regard to its resolution of 17 April 2018 on empowering women and girls through the digital sector (24),

—

having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2018 on care services in the EU for improved gender equality (25),

—

having regard to the study entitled ‘Gender budgeting — Mainstreaming gender into the EU budget and macroeconomic policy framework’ from the EIGE, published on 10 April 2019 (26),

—

having regard to the opinion of the Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men of 19 December 2018 entitled ‘The future of gender equality strategy after 2019: the battles that we win never stay won’ (27),

—

having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2019 on gender equality and taxation policies in the EU (28),

—

having regard to its resolution of 13 February 2019 on experiencing a backlash in women’s rights and gender equality in the EU (29),

—

having regard to the Commission Staff Working Document of 6 March 2019 entitled ‘2019 Report on equality between women and men in the EU’ (SWD(2019)0101) (30),

—

having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and other measures to combat gender-based violence (31),

—

having regard to the Council conclusions of 10 December 2019 on ‘Gender-Equal Economies in the EU: The Way Forward’ (32),

—

having regard to the report entitled ‘The Missing Entrepreneurs 2019: Policies for Inclusive Entrepreneurship’, published by the OECD on 10 December 2019 (33),

—

having regard to its resolution of 18 December 2019 on public discrimination and hate speech against LGBTI people, including LGBTI free zones (34),

—

having regard to the study entitled ‘Gender Dimension of the EU Cohesion Policy’ published by its Directorate-General for Internal Policies on 19 February 2019 (35),

—

having regard to its resolution of 30 January 2020 on the gender pay gap (36),

—

having regard to its resolution of 13 February 2020 on the EU priorities for the 64th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (37),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2020 entitled ‘A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0152),

—

having regard to the Commission factsheet of 17 June 2020 entitled ‘Coronavirus Pandemic — Impact on Gender Equality’ (38),

—

having regard to the Council of Europe communication of 29 May 2020 entitled ‘National minorities and COVID-19: inequality deepened, vulnerability exacerbated’,

—

having regard to the Commission Discussion Paper 129 of 24 July 2020 entitled ‘Gender Smart Financing — Investing In & With Women: Opportunities for Europe’ (39),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 18 September 2020 entitled ‘A Union of equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0565),

—

having regard to the Gender Equality Index 2020 from the EIGE, published on 16 October 2020 (40),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 12 November 2020 entitled ‘Union of Equality: LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0698),

—

having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality,

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on Regional Development (A9-0154/2021),

A.

whereas the principle of equality between women and men is a core value of the EU, enshrined in the Treaties and the Charter; whereas gender mainstreaming should therefore be implemented and integrated as a horizontal principle in all EU activities, measures, actions, programmes and EU-funded projects and policies, including Cohesion Policy; whereas greater efforts are needed to address the multiple forms of discrimination and inequality that women face; whereas Article 7 of the Common Provisions Regulation (41) for 2014-2020 establishes that equality between men and women and the integration of a gender perspective must be taken into account and promoted throughout the preparation and implementation of programmes, including in relation to monitoring, reporting and evaluation; whereas women and men at the forefront of the fight for equality have shown commitment, courage and leadership in promoting equal opportunities across the world, especially where such inequalities persist, where women are persecuted and their rights are violated simply because they are women; whereas as European citizens, we should be proud of having achieved rights and obligations, freedoms and opportunities for men and women, and whereas today women lead some of the most important institutions and hold some of the most prominent political posts in Europe; whereas these positive examples help in starting to address existing stereotypes and to promote role models;

B.

whereas cohesion policy addresses disparities between various regions and the backwardness of the least favoured regions in order to promote its overall harmonious development with a view to achieving economic, social and territorial cohesion, of which the achievement of gender equality is an essential part; whereas cohesion policy has proven its relevance by achieving significant progress towards equality between citizens and territorial balance;

C.

whereas cohesion policy is as an important tool not only to actively and effectively support the achievement of equality between citizens, sustainable development and economic and social cohesion, but also to reduce disparities affecting groups still suffering from discrimination, including that linked to their sexual orientation; whereas the promotion of gender equality is a horizontal objective for all cohesion policy funds; whereas the Structural Funds are a very important resource to support the Member States to achieve progress in the field of gender equality;

D.

whereas achieving gender equality, equality between men and women, regions or generations, among other things, is key to reducing local and regional, and economic and social disparities, as well as for ensuring the long-term competitiveness and fair, inclusive and sustainable development of the EU, its Member States and its regions; whereas there has been progress in recent decades in the area of equality between men and women, and gender equality in the EU has improved horizontally in many dimensions; whereas the under-representation of women in the labour market and the available indicators still show vertical and horizontal segmentation in the labour market, and in the socio-economic and political spheres; whereas the Treaty of Rome already included the principle of equal pay for equal work, and whereas cohesion policy can contribute to creating the conditions underpinning economic and social development, which are also beneficial in terms of the further reduction of this gap and the inclusion of women in the labour market; whereas according to the EIGE, the effective promotion of gender equality would have a strong, positive social and economic impact, including an increase in EU GDP per capita, millions of additional jobs and an increase in Member States’ GDP;

E.

whereas the European Court of Auditors is currently assessing gender mainstreaming in the European budget; whereas this audit report, due to be published in the first quarter of 2021, will give useful insights into how to implement the gender dimension in the cohesion policy actions under the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021–2027;

F.

whereas, during the programming period 2014–2020, the main critical elements to promote gender equality through cohesion policy have been, among other things, the gap between formal statements in Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes (declaring the promotion of principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination) and their actual implementation, as well as the rather weak political commitment in this domain; whereas the Partnership Agreements and Operational Programmes declare that they observe and promote the principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination; whereas greater efforts are still needed as regards the participation of women in all stages of the cohesion policy cycle, especially in the development of programmes and decision-making processes, as well as in the implementation of the selected projects; whereas, during the programming period 2014–2020, gender-related issues have been mainly tackled through the European Social Fund (ESF) Operational Programmes; whereas, during the same period, the European Regional and Development Fund (ERDF) has contributed to the promotion of gender equality in a very limited manner;

G.

whereas gender-disaggregated data based on reliable and verified sources and gender-relevant indicators are essential in order to allow particular sectors or regions to effectively use EU support, based on the local reality of inequalities, in order to improve the decision-making process and to assess the outcome of cohesion policy’s direct and indirect actions aimed at promoting the identification of possible inequalities or injustices on which to act and developing effective policies to uphold equal rights and freedoms among citizens;

H.

whereas policy coherence is lacking in the area of gender equality, and whereas a unified system facilitating an identical understanding and implementation of gender mainstreaming in the EU institutions does not yet exist;

I.

whereas the full economic, employment and social consequences of the pandemic are still unknown; whereas preliminary studies suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities between men and women, especially in terms of an increase in unpaid care work and work-life imbalance, as well as domestic violence, and has a disproportionate impact on girls and women, especially those from marginalised groups; whereas this is also because women often make up the majority in the sectors exposed to the pandemic, such as education and health; whereas cohesion policy and, more specifically, the upcoming ESF Plus, should take this into account;

J.

whereas the EU Recovery Fund supports sectors deeply affected by the crisis; whereas the impact on European society as a whole will therefore have long-term effects on the education, employability and future of all citizens, and the rapid response of the European institutions and their willingness to support European society should be commended; whereas the overarching priorities of the EU Recovery Fund focus on sectors with a high share of male employment and therefore could potentially risk increasing inequalities between men and women in employment;

K.

whereas women and men do not have the same resources, needs and preferences; whereas many policies often take mainly the male perspective into account; whereas women and men therefore experience services and infrastructures differently and their priorities are often not the same in terms of basic services;

L.

whereas small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of regional economies; whereas the promotion of equality, work-life balance, inclusive hiring and equal pay will enable gender equality in SMEs;

M.

whereas many investments affect women and men differently, making it necessary to apply a gender equality perspective to investments;

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29.

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 entitled ‘EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives’ (COM(2020)0380),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640), and the Parliament resolution of 15 January 2020 on the same topic (1),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 20 May 2020 on a Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system (COM(2020)0381),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2016 on an EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking (COM(2016)0087),

—

having regard to the Commission report of 2 October 2015 on the Mid-Term Review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 (COM(2015)0478),

—

having regard to the Commission communication of 23 July 2019 on Stepping up EU Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests (COM(2019)0352) and the Parliament resolution of 16 September 2020 on the EU’s role in protecting and restoring the world’s forests (2);

—

having regard to Decision No 1386/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on a General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020 ‘Living well, within the limits of our planet’ (3) and the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 October 2020 on a new General Union Environment Action Programme to 2030 (COM(2020)0652),

—

having regard to Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) (4),

—

having regard to the Global Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) of 31 May 2019 on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services,

—

having regard to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the upcoming 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties thereto (COP15),

—

having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

—

having regard to Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 of the Secretariat of the CBD of 15 September 2020,

—

having regard to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, particularly the Special Report of 24 September 2019 on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, the Special Report of 8 August 2019 on Climate Change and Land, and the Special Report of 8 October 2018 on Global Warming of 1,5 oC,

—

having regard to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),

—

having regard to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals,

—

having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,

—

having regard to the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution, the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution, the Helsinki Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, and the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic,

—

having regard to the reports of the UN Special Rapporteur of 24 January 2018 and of 15 July 2020 on human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment,

—

having regard to the UN Leaders’ Pledge for Nature of 28 September 2020 entitled ‘United to Reverse Biodiversity Loss by 2030 for Sustainable Development’,

—

having regard to the European Environment Agency (EEA) report of 4 December 2019 entitled ‘The European environment — state and outlook 2020: Knowledge for a transition to a sustainable Europe’,

—

having regard to the EEA report of 19 October 2020 entitled ‘State of Nature in the EU — Results from reporting under the nature directives 2013-2018’,

—

having regard to the Global Resources Outlook 2019 report by the International Resource Panel of the UN Environment Programme,

—

having regard to the IPBES Workshop Report of 29 October 2020 on Biodiversity and Pandemics,

—

having regard to the 2020 report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture,

—

having regard to the Commission Joint Research Centre Science for Policy report of 13 October 2020 entitled ‘Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services: An EU ecosystem assessment’,

—

having regard to the Special Reports of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) of 5 February 2020 entitled ‘Sustainable use of plant protection products: limited progress in measuring and reducing risks’, of 5 June 2020 entitled ‘Biodiversity on farmland: CAP contribution has not halted the decline’, of 9 July 2020 entitled ‘Protection of wild pollinators in the EU — Commission initiatives have not borne fruit’, and of 26 November 2020 entitled ‘Marine environment: EU protection is wide but not deep’,

—

having regard to the EEA briefing of 6 October 2020 entitled ‘Management effectiveness in the EU’s Natura 2000 network of protected areas’,

—

having regard to the EEA briefing of 11 January 2021 entitled ‘Growth without economic growth’,

—

having regard to the outcome of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group of the CBD on risk assessment of 15 April 2020,

—

having regard to its resolution of 16 January 2020 on the 15th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (5),

—

having regard to its resolution of 28 November 2019 on the climate and environment emergency (6),

—

having regard to its resolution of 14 March 2019 on the annual strategic report on the implementation and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (7),

—

having regard to its resolution of 22 October 2020 with recommendations to the Commission on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation (8),

—

having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2017 on an Action Plan for nature, people and the economy (9),

—

having regard to its resolutions of 6 July 2016 on Japan’s decision to resume whaling in the 2015-2016 season (10) and of 12 September 2017 on whale hunting in Norway (11),

—

having regard to its resolution of 10 July 2020 on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (12),

—

having regard to its resolution of 9 September 2020 on the European Year of Greener Cities 2022 (13),

—

having regard to Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

—

having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter),

—

having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the opinions of the Committee on International Trade, the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Fisheries,

—

having regard to the report of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A9-0179/2021),

A.

whereas the European Parliament has declared a climate and environmental emergency and has committed to urgently take the concrete action needed to fight and contain this threat before it is too late (14); whereas biodiversity loss and climate change are interlinked and exacerbate each other (15), representing equal threats to life on our planet, and as such, should be urgently tackled together;

B.

whereas nature is deteriorating at a rate and scale unprecedented in human history; whereas globally one million species are estimated to be at risk of extinction (16); whereas only 23 % of species and 16 % of habitats under the EU nature directives have a favourable status (17);

C.

whereas the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the upcoming international agreement under the CBD aim to establish EU and global frameworks on biodiversity up to 2030;

D.

whereas 2021 will be a decisive year for biodiversity and whereas the COP15 should be a Paris Agreement moment for biodiversity; whereas the COP15 and the COP26 of the UNFCCC provide a unique opportunity to switch from a reactive model to a proactive, precautionary model and to bring about the transformative changes needed;

E.

whereas the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 is one of the key initiatives of the European Green Deal; whereas the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Farm to Fork Strategy, together with other policies, will shape change to protect nature and conserve habitats and species;

F.

whereas the evidence available suggests that it is not too late to halt and reverse current trends in the decline of biodiversity (18); whereas this will require substantial changes;

G.

whereas humans are part of nature and whereas nature has intrinsic value; whereas biodiversity is an integral part of the world’s heritage;

H.

whereas extinction of species is permanent, threatening ecosystems and the provision of ecosystem services, and posing a threat to human well-being and survival; whereas the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared 160 species to be extinct over the last decade alone;

I.

whereas according to the IPBES, 90 % of land is projected to be significantly altered by 2050 and 75 % of land has already been significantly altered; whereas 85 % of wetland areas have already been lost;

J.

whereas biodiversity is crucial for food security, human well-being and development worldwide;

K.

whereas the EU must seize the opportunities to incorporate the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic into its policies and objectives;

L.

whereas 70 % of emerging diseases and pandemics have an animal origin (19); whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that practices that place biodiversity under pressure can lead to increased risks to human and animal health;

M.

whereas the destruction of natural habitats and wildlife trade increases contact between humans and wildlife and will be an important factor in the future emergence and spread of viral diseases (20);

N.

whereas biodiversity makes a positive contribution to human health; whereas up to 80 % of the medicines used by humans are of natural origin (21);

O.

whereas the EU has more protected areas than any other region of the world (22); whereas the current network of legally protected areas, including those under strict protection, is not sufficient to safeguard biodiversity (23);

P.

whereas the EU still faces large implementation gaps when it comes to effectively managing the Natura 2000 network;

Q.

whereas Natura 2000 contributes to the conservation of species, but many threatened species are not protected by this network (24);

R.

whereas Natura 2000 has been estimated to support 52 000 direct and indirect jobs in conservation management, and whereas 3,1 million (a quarter) of tourism jobs have links to protected areas (25); whereas the expansion of protected areas is intended to safeguard biodiversity, but also contributes to climate mitigation and adaptation and generates substantial returns through investment and the creation of jobs;

S.

whereas the European Court of Auditors has highlighted serious shortcomings in EU policies on the protection or restoration of biodiversity, including but not limited to inadequate measures to protect or restore biodiversity, a lack of implementation and funding, and inappropriate indicators to measure progress (26); whereas future EU policies should remedy and address these shortcomings;

T.

whereas approximately 75 % of the world’s food crops are dependent on insect pollinators (27) and whereas pollinator numbers have dramatically declined in recent decades; whereas biodiversity conservation and the conservation of insects are inextricably linked;

U.

whereas the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) bee guidance document has not been formally adopted and its review has not been successfully finalised;

V.

whereas the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the EU Pollinators Initiative on 18 December 2019 (28), which confirms its strong position on the importance of protecting pollinators;

W.

whereas the framework and actions of the current EU Pollinators Initiative require reinforcement and integration in all EU sectoral policies;

X.

whereas monitoring, research and other activities related to insect protection are fragmented, are often inadequate and are underfunded or non-existent at national level;

Y.

whereas loss of biodiversity is connected to economic activities; whereas economic activities should respect planetary boundaries;

Z.

whereas conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems has direct and indirect economic benefits for most sectors of the economy and underpins the functioning of our economies and societies; whereas all businesses depend on ecosystem services either directly or indirectly; whereas an improved biodiversity policy with effective measures has the potential to strengthen the economy and provide employment opportunities;

AA.

whereas the major direct drivers of biodiversity loss are changes in land and sea use, natural resource extraction, climate change, pollution and the invasion of alien species (29); whereas in addition to nature conservation and restoration, action on drivers of biodiversity loss, especially in the land use sand food system transformation sectors, is essential for an effective post-2020 biodiversity strategy (30);

AB.

whereas soil is a common resource (31) and soil biodiversity is under increasing pressure; whereas EU-wide monitoring of soil biodiversity, including trends in its range and volume, should complement regular Land Use and Coverage Area Frame Surveys of physico-chemical parameters in the long term;

AC.

whereas agricultural biodiversity covers all components of biological diversity that are relevant to food and agriculture and all components of biological diversity that constitute agricultural ecosystems, also referred to as agro-ecosystems, including the variety and variability of animals, plants and micro-organisms at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels, which are necessary to sustain key functions of the agro-ecosystem, its structure and processes;

AD.

whereas the long-term trends in farmland, forest and common bird and grassland butterfly populations demonstrate that the EU has experienced a major decline in farmland biodiversity (32); whereas this is primarily due to loss, fragmentation and degradation of natural ecosystems, mainly caused by agricultural intensification, intensive forest management, land abandonment and urban sprawl (33);

AE.

whereas the sustainable management of agricultural lands can contribute to wider ecosystem functions, such as protecting biodiversity, sequestering carbon, maintaining water and air quality, retaining soil moisture through a reduction in run-off, allowing water to infiltrate the soil and controlling erosion;

AF.

whereas of all mammals on earth, it is estimated, on the basis of biomass, that the majority are livestock and a low percentage are wild; whereas there is also a worryingly low level of genetic diversity of birds (34);

AG.

whereas the fishing, aquaculture and processing sectors can contribute to the UN SDGs;

AH.

whereas scientific studies have raised concerns about the significant long-term adverse impacts that the use of certain fishing techniques can have on ocean biodiversity and the marine environment;

AI.

whereas fishers can contribute to preventing environmental degradation and preserving the marine environment by using sustainable methods and techniques;

AJ.

whereas the degradation of habitats and the disruption of migration corridors, and overexploitation due to fishing, among other factors, have brought some fish species such as sturgeon to the brink of extinction;

AK.

whereas in spite of some verified improvements in sustainability in the exploitation of marine resources in some sea basins, there are still areas that present worrying situations, in particular the Mediterranean Sea;

AL.

whereas the EU has set targets under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive; whereas measures are still needed to achieve the objective of good environmental status for bodies of water;

AM.

whereas the European Court of Auditors has stated (35) that although a framework is in place to protect the marine environment, EU actions have not led to sufficient protection of ecosystems and habitats, and that current marine protected areas (MPAs) provide only limited protection;

AN.

whereas forests and the entire forest-based value chain are fundamental to the further development of the circular bio-economy, as they provide jobs, ensure economic welfare in rural and urban areas, deliver climate change mitigation and adaptation services, offer health-related benefits, protect the biodiversity and prospects of mountainous, island and rural regions and combat desertification;

AO.

whereas forests account for 43 % of the EU’s land area and contain 80 % of its terrestrial biodiversity (36); whereas forestry activities are the second largest reported pressure category for species (37), affecting in particular arthropods, mammals and non-vascular plants; whereas many forest-dependent species are negatively affected by the removal of dead, dying and old trees (38), reduction of old-growth forests and certain forest management methods such as clear-cutting;

AP.

whereas forests harbour more than 75 % of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity (39); whereas Parliament has made recommendations to the Commission on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation and forest and ecosystem degradation (40);

AQ.

whereas the good status of the environment and healthy ecosystems are vital in fighting climate change, with ecosystems playing a fundamental role in climate mitigation and adaptation; whereas climate change affects biodiversity as climate variables largely determine the geographical distribution ranges of species; whereas in areas where the climate is no longer suitable, some species shift their geographical ranges and others go extinct locally;

AR.

whereas nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches have the potential to provide a strong policy connection between the three Rio conventions, addressing climate change and biodiversity loss in an integrated manner;

AS.

whereas according to IPBES, pollution is one of the five drivers of biodiversity loss; whereas it is estimated that robust information exists for about 500 chemicals and whereas by April 2019, the European Chemicals Agency considered 450 substances as being sufficiently regulated; whereas another 10 000 substances are considered to have their risks fairly well characterised, while limited risk information is available for around 20 000 substances; whereas for the majority, around 70 000 substances, there is hardly any information on their hazards or exposure risks; whereas significant knowledge gaps regarding all impacts of chemicals on biodiversity and the environment need to be urgently closed;

AT.

whereas light pollution alters the natural night light levels for humans, animals and plants, thus negatively affecting biodiversity by, for example, unbalancing the migratory, nocturnal and reproductive activity of animals, leading also to the loss of insects and pollinators who are fatally drawn to artificial light;

AU.

whereas according to the Joint Research Centre 2020 report (41), invasive alien species (IAS) are now present in all ecosystems and are threatening urban ecosystems and grasslands in particular;

AV.

whereas current negative trends in biodiversity and ecosystems will undermine progress towards not only the SDG environmental targets, but also those related to poverty, hunger, health, water, cities and climate; whereas loss and degradation of biodiversity must therefore be considered not only as an environmental issue but also as developmental, economic, social and moral one;

AW.

whereas close to 80 % of the biodiversity of the EU currently is found in its outermost regions and overseas countries and territories (42);

AX.

whereas the EU and its Member States must comply with their international obligations relating to biodiversity and human rights, in addition to their obligations relating to policy coherence in external action, in line with their obligation under the Charter to integrate into the policies of the EU a high level of environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of the environment, and in accordance with the principle of sustainable development;

AY.

whereas the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment can pave the way to shape a legal framework of human rights obligations relating to conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity; whereas the number of environmental and land human rights defenders that have been attacked has increased considerably around the world in recent years;

AZ.

whereas at least a quarter of the global land area is estimated to be owned, managed, used or occupied by indigenous peoples and local communities; whereas the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognises indigenous peoples’ collective and individual rights; whereas indigenous peoples and local communities play an essential role in preserving the world’s biodiversity and whereas global biodiversity targets cannot be achieved without the recognition of their rights;

BA.

whereas both the illegal and legal trade in and use of wildlife significantly contributes to biodiversity decline, and whereas the destruction of natural habitats and the exploitation of wildlife contribute to the emergence and spread of infectious diseases (43);

BB.

whereas according to IPBES and the IPCC, marine biodiversity is seriously endangered (44); whereas the EEA has issued warnings about the current state of degradation of the European marine environment and the need to rapidly restore our marine ecosystems by addressing the impact of human activities on the marine environment (45); whereas marine hotspots such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds are strongly degraded and threatened by climate change and pollution;

BC.

whereas the ocean is one, and its good environmental status is vital to ensuring its resilience and its continued provision of ecosystem services such as CO2 absorption and oxygen production; whereas climate mechanisms depend on the health of the ocean and marine ecosystems currently affected by global warming, pollution, overexploitation of marine biodiversity, acidification, deoxygenation and coastal erosion; whereas the IPCC recalls that the ocean is part of the solution to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change (46);

BD.

whereas 80 % of marine litter is land-based and 150 tonnes of plastics have accumulated in our oceans (47); whereas 80 % of urban sewage is discharged into the sea; whereas at the surface, the cumulative mass of floating waste represents only 1 % of the plastics dumped in the ocean (48);

BE.

whereas the blue economy represents an opportunity for the sustainable development of maritime and coastal activities;

BF.

whereas joint initiatives between people, municipalities, associations, businesses, educational institutions and any other societal stakeholders on biodiversity protection and restoration should be encouraged;

BG.

whereas the successful implementation of the strategy requires effective cooperation at the EU and Member State levels including all stakeholders;

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—

having regard to Articles 310(6) and 325(5) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

—

having regard to Article 61 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union (1) (the Financial Regulation),

—

having regard to the Commission Notice Guidance on the avoidance and management of conflicts of interest under the Financial Regulation (2),

—

having regard to its previous decisions and resolutions on discharge to the Commission for the years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019,

—

having regard to its resolution of 13 December 2018 on conflicts of interest and the protection of the EU budget in the Czech Republic (3) and its resolution of 19 June 2020 on the reopening of the investigation against the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic on the misuse of EU funds and potential conflicts of interest (4),

—

having regard to the fact-finding missions to the Czech Republic undertaken by the Committee on Budgetary Control from 26 to 27 March 2014 and from 26 to 28 February 2020,

—

having regard to the final report of November 2019 on the audit of the functioning of the management and control systems in place to avoid conflict of interest in Czechia, carried out by the Commission’s Directorate-Generals for Regional and Urban Policy (REGIO) and for Employment, Inclusion and Social Affairs (EMPL), which was published on 23 April 2021,

—

having regard to Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2020 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget (5),

—

having regard to the Commission’s 2020 Rule of Law report, and in particular the Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Czechia (SWD(2020)0302),

—

having regard to the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) Fourth Evaluation Round Interim Compliance Report on the Czech Republic, adopted by GRECO at its 84th plenary meeting in December 2019,

—

having regard to the Country Report Czechia 2020 of 26 February 2020 (SWD(2020)0502) accompanying the Commission communication on the 2020 European Semester: Assessment of progress on structural reforms, prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances, and results of in-depth reviews under Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 (COM(2020)0150),

—

having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

—

having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Budgetary Control,

A.

whereas Articles 61 and 63 of the Financial Regulation, Article 24 of Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement rules on avoiding conflicts of interest, Articles 144 and 145 of the Common Provisions Regulation for shared management funds, Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013, the case-law of the Court of Justice and Czech Act No 159/2006 on conflicts of interest as amended on 29 November 2016 set specific obligations and provide tools to effectively address situations of conflict of interest;

B.

whereas Agrofert is a conglomerate founded and established by the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and consisting of over 230 companies; whereas Prime Minister Babiš has been revealed to be one of the beneficial owners of Agrofert, the controlling company of the Agrofert group, including among others a number of important Czech media outlets, through trust funds AB Private Trust I and AB Private Trust II, of which he is also the beneficial owner;

C.

whereas in January and February 2019 a coordinated, comprehensive audit was carried out by several Commission services (DG REGIO/DG EMPL, DG AGRI (associated DG)) on the application of EU and national law; whereas an ongoing AGRI audit is examining alleged conflicts of interest in the implementation of the common agricultural policy in Czechia;

D.

whereas in April 2021 the Commission published a duly redacted version of the final audit report on the legal implementation of ESI Funds as verified by DG EMPL and DG REGIO; whereas the second audit report by DG AGRI has still not been published;

E.

whereas the published audit report highlights serious shortcomings in the management and control system (6) in the Czech Republic and deficiencies to be addressed by financial corrections;

F.

whereas the DG REGIO audit report identified three grants under the European Regional Development Fund that breached Czech law and the EU’s Common Provisions Regulation;

G.

whereas the criminal investigation into Prime Minister Babiš, originated by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) report on the irregular use of EU subsidies intended for small businesses, which was initially closed and then re-opened and which was the subject of Parliament’s resolution of 19 June 2020, is still ongoing;

H.

whereas after one year the Commission has still not provided a comprehensive reply to Parliament’s request to quantify the total amount of subsidies received by entities of the Agrofert group;

I.

whereas after Parliament’s resolutions of December 2018 and June 2020 on Prime Minister Babiš’s conflict of interest and more than two years after the start of the Commission’s audits, the situation around the conflict of interest of Prime Minister Babiš remains unresolved;

J.

whereas sound financial management can only be ensured by Member States if public authorities act in accordance with the law, both national and EU, and if criminal misconduct originated by improperly handled cases of conflict of interest is effectively pursued by investigative and prosecution services;

K.

whereas under Article 3(b) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 failure to ensure the absence of conflicts of interest may be indicative of breaches of the principles of the rule of law;

L.

whereas having in place detailed policies and rules on avoiding and managing conflicts and perceived conflicts of interest is an essential part of good governance and sound financial management;

M.

whereas the mission of the Committee on Budgetary Control in February 2020 revealed concerning limitations in the legal framework that impede an efficient and effective working of the national Supreme Audit Office by preventing it from checking the regularity and performance of public spending at regional and local level or performing on-the-spot checks of final beneficiaries;