41 Amendments of Philippe LAMBERTS related to 2017/0335(CNS)
Amendment 10 #
Proposal for a directive
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The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.
Amendment 13 #
Proposal for a directive
Citation 1
Citation 1
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the seconArticle 121(6) and the third subparagraph of Article 126(14) thereof,
Amendment 17 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) With the aim of strengthening the foundations which ensure budgetary discipline throughout the economic cycle, on 2 March 2012 25 Member States signed and ratified the inter-governmental Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (TSCG) in the Economic and Monetary Union. Title III of the TSCG, the "Fiscal Compact", is binding on the Member States whose currency is the euro and, on a voluntary basis, on Bulgaria, Denmark and Romania (hereinafter the 'Contracting Parties'), and sets an obligation to enshrine in the national legal order of those Contracting Parties a balanced-budget rule in structural terms equipped with a correction mechanism automatically triggered in case of significant deviation and monitored by independent institutions. The Contracting Parties expressed their will to use that inter- governmental instrument as a temporary device. That will is reflected in Article 16 of the TSCG which stipulates that, within five years at most following its entry into force, the necessary steps are to be taken with the aim of incorporating its substance into the Union legal framework. Therefore, provisions that allow the substance of the TSCG to take effect should be introduced in the Union's legal framework
Amendment 22 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7 a (new)
Recital 7 a (new)
(7a) In the meantime, the Member States and the EU welcomed the Paris climate agreement (COP21) and agreed to increase efforts to fight against climate change. This will require massive investment, notably by public authorities. The latest IPCC assessment report of October2018 estimates that a total investment of 2,400 billion US$2010 will have to be mobilised globally by 2035 to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C by the end of this century.
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7 b (new)
Recital 7 b (new)
(7b) On 17 November 2017, the European Pillar of Social Rights was jointly signed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission at the Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth in Gothenburg, Sweden. In the preamble, the signatories reckon that 'A stronger focus on employment and social performance is particularly important to increase resilience and deepen the Economic and Monetary Union. For this reason, the European Pillar of Social Rights is notably conceived for the euro area but it is addressed to all Member States.'
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In order to achieve and maintain the medium-term objective in structural terms while duly taking into account the abovementioned social and climate goals , it is necessary for Member States to set out a consistent adjustment path, based on variables under the control of the budgetary authorities. National fiscal planning underpinned by a government expenditure path adjusted for the impact of discretionary revenue measures favours effectiveness, transparency and accountability when monitoring fiscal developments. In order to tightly connect plans with the overall fiscal outcomes in the medium-term and to ensure an enhanced sense of national ownership of fiscal policy, a medium-term growth path of government expenditure net of discretionary revenue measures should be set for the whole term of the legislature as established by the constitutional legal order of each Member State. That path should be set as soon as a new government takes office and annual budgets should adhere to it so as to bring about resolute convergence towards the medium-term objectivebudgetary objective and other relevant social and climate commitments .
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Due to their future positive effects with respect to the current and future societal challenges (climate change, inequality, ageing, modernisation of the economy), the implementation of major structural reforms fostering long-run sustainabilitymedium- to long-run resilience could justify changes in the adjustment path towards the medium-term objective, provided that they have a verifiable positive budgetary impact which is confirmed by the assessment conducted according to the procedural requirements of the SGP. Furthermore, major national efforts in terms of effective implementation of structural reforms, as well as stronger European coordination, are needed to achieve a more robust economic and sustainable Europe with widely shared prosperity. In order to facilitate economic stabilisation, exceptional circumstances – in the form of severe economic downturns for the euro area or the Union as a whole or unusual events outside the control of the Member State concerned which have a major budgetary impact – should allow for a temporary deviation from the medium- term objective or the adjustment path towards it, where such a deviation does not endanger fiscal sustainability in the medium-term.
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Independent bodies charged with monitoring public finances in the Member States are an essential building block of effective fiscal frameworks. In order to foster fiscal discipline and strengthen the credibility of fiscal policy, such bodies should carry out independent assessments of the framework of numerical fiscal rules, including notably the medium-term budgetary orientation, and should monitor compliance with that framework and the activation and operation of the associated correction mechanisms.
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11 a (new)
Recital 11 a (new)
(11a) In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union, the national Parliaments will have to debate and approve the corrective measures in due time.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Strengthened national fiscal responsibility and a binding multi-annual orientation of fiscal policy requires fiscal institutions to be independent and have their own resources for actively monitoring fiscal developments and providing recommendations throughout the medium- term bugdgetary cycle, including in particular where a significant deviation from the medium-term objective or the adjustment path towards is observed. In order to boost the credibility and enforceability of the medium-term objective, its underlying government expenditure path and the related correction mechanism in case of significant deviations, the budgetary authorities of the Member States should comply with the recommendations put forward in the assessments of the independent bodies or publicly justify the decision not to comply with them. Anchoring that principle in the national legal order can play a crucial role in that respect.
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) 'independent bodies' means public bodies that are structurally independent or bodies endowed withand financially independent, that enjoy functional autonomy vis-à- vis the budgetaryall other public authorities of the Member State, and whichs well as any private sector actors, and that are underpinned by national legal provisions ensuringand funding commitments that ensure a high degree of functional autonomy and accountability.
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(ca) ‘structural reforms’ means wide- ranging governmental actions aimed at strengthening the medium- to long-term resilience of European economies in the face of societal challenges and upward convergence;
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point c b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point c b (new)
(cb) ‘conflict of interest’ means any situation where an individual has an interest that may compromise or be reasonably perceived to compromise the individual’s capacity to act independently and in the public interest when providing advice.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Each Member State shall set up a framework of binding and permanent numerical fiscal rules which are specific to it, strengthen its responsible conduct of fiscal policy and effectively promote compliance with its obligations deriving from the TFEU in the area of budgetary policy, the European Pillar of Social Rights, the Union’s Jobs and Growth Strategy and the international environmental and energy commitments over a multiannual horizon for the general government as a whole. That framework shall include in particular the following rules:
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) a medium-term objective in terms of structural balance shall be set in order to ensure that the ratio of government debt to gross domestic product at market prices does not needlessly exceed the reference value set out in Article 1 of Protocol No 12 on the excessive deficit procedure or approaches it at a satisfactory pace.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) fiscal planning shall include a medium-term growth path of government expenditure net of discretionary revenue measures and consistent with the medium-term objective or the time-frame for convergence towards it. That path shall be set as soon as a new government takes office in the Member State, for the term of the legislature as established by the constitutional legal order of that Member State, and shall be respected by the annual budgets throughout that period.:
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b – point i (new)
(i) a medium-term growth path of government expenditure net of discretionary revenue measures that is consistent with the medium-term objective or the time-frame for convergence towards it and with the Member State’s obligations under the European Pillar of Social Rights, the Union’s Jobs and Growth Strategy and the environmental and energy commitments in relation with the COP21 and other relevant international agreements. That path shall be set as soon as a new government takes office in the Member State, for the term of the legislature as established by the constitutional legal order of that Member State, and shall be respected by the annual budgets throughout that period;
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii (new)
(ii) an impact assessment of the medium-term growth path the expenditure and revenue measures with respect to the national goals defined in the context of the Jobs and Growth Strategy and with respect to the environmental and energy commitments in relation with the COP21 and other relevant international agreements. It shall also include an impact assessment of the distributive effects and on energy poverty in accordance with Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency (Article 1.1.4).
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Annual budgets shall ensure compliance with the medium-term objective referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1 or convergence towards it, specifically by ensuring adherence to the government expenditure path referred to in point (b) of that paragraph. When defining the adjustment path towards the medium-term objective and acting in line with the procedural requirements of the Union framework, Member States may take into account the implementation of major structural reforms which have direct long-term positive budgetary effects and therefore a verifiable impact on the long-term sustainability of public finances.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall ensure that a temporary deviation from the medium-term objective or the adjustment path towards it, with the corresponding adjustment of the government expenditure path referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1, is allowed only in case of exceptional circumstances and provided that any such deviation does not endanger fiscal sustainability in the medium-term. A temporary deviation resulting from exceptional circumstances shall not be deemed significant for the purposes of point (b) of paragraph 2 and shall not have the effect of activating the correction mechanism referred to in point (b) of that paragraph.
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a (new)
(a) No provision of this Directive shall prevent a Member State’s new government from updating its medium- term budgetary framework to reflect its new policy priorities. In this case, the new government shall explain the differences from the previous medium-term budgetary framework.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point a
(a) adequacy of the medium-term objective under point (a) of paragraph 1 and of the government expenditure path referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1. That assessment shall take into account in particular the plausibility of the underlying macroeconomic forecast, the degree of specification of the planned government expenditure and revenue, the country’s investment and expenditure needs for achieving social, environmental and economic goals, and the potential direct long-term positive budgetary effects of major structural reforms;
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point b a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 4 – point b a (new)
(ba) the existence of a significant observed deviation from the medium-term objective or the adjustment path to it;
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – introductory part
5. Member States shall ensure that, in the event ofthat the independent bodies ascertains a significant observed deviation as referred to in point (b) of paragraph 2, the independent bodies shall call upon the budgetary authorities to activate the correction mechanism. After the correction mechanism is activatedcorrective measures will be taken under a defined and reasonable time-frame after public debate and vote in the national Parliament and considering the social and environmental commitments of the Member States. Once correction measures have been taken, the independent bodies shall provide public assessments to ascertain:
Amendment 65 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – point a
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 5 – point c a (new)
(ca) the social effects, which includes distributive effects on different income groups and genders, and the environmental effects of the corrective measures.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 6
Article 3 – paragraph 6
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point b a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point b a (new)
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d
(d) are made upcomposed in roughly equal measure of members who are nominated and appointed on the basis of their experience and competence in public finances, macroeconomics and budgetary management, and by means of transparent procedures;one of the following areas:
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point i (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point i (new)
(i) public finances and budgetary management;
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point ii (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point ii (new)
(ii) social policy;
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point iii (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point iii (new)
(iii) economic policy and macroeconomics;
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point iv (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point iv (new)
(iv) environmental policy;
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point v (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d – point v (new)
(v) gender equality;
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point d a (new)
(da) appoint their members by means of transparent and non-discriminatory procedures;
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point f a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 7 – point f a (new)
(fa) present their assessments to their national parliaments so they can be debated in due time before the submission of the National Reform Programmes and the Stability or Convergence Programmes.
Amendment 86 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
By 30 June 20245, and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of this Directive, which shall be prepared on the basis of relevant information from the Member States.
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 30 June 201920. They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof.