BETA

43 Amendments of Ondřej KOVAŘÍK related to 2019/2211(INI)

Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
A. whereas the improvement in the economic situation and low interest rates provide an opportunity to implement ambitious reforms, in particular measures aimed at encouraging public investment to tackle climate change and its social consequences and create full-time jobstructural reforms;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
B. whereas inequality of income in the euro area has increased since the beginning of the financial crisis; whereas there are between 50 and 100 million people affected by energy poverty in Europe;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
C. having regard to the need for a European Climate Law with a legally binding goal of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest and an intermediate target of at least 65 % for 2030;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that, in view of the climate change emergency, the EU’s Annual Growth Survey (AGS) has now been renamed the Annual Sustainable Growth Survey (ASGS), and considers that this implies a change in the positioning of the report and the implementation of ecological indicators;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
2. Notes the role of the European Green Deal as the EU’s new strategy defining ecological issues and the wellbeing of citizens as principal goals for the Union; notes, with regard to the scope of the European Semester, the inclusion of the SDGs and of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), which will require the adjustment of existing indicators and the creation of new ones to monitor the implementation of EU economic, environmental and social policies, as well as coherence between policy goals and budgetary means; notes the need to implement long- term planning to tackle climate change;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Environmentdeleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
3. Considers achieving a fair transition to climate neutrality to be a major responsibility for the EU’s citizens and economy and its role in the world; calls for appropriate support and policies, with involvement for and of the public, the various sectors, regions and Member States with a view to benefiting from this transformation and making it a success; calls on the Commission to undertake an annual evaluation of the Union’s ecological debt, carbon budget and imported emissions;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
5. Is concerned that post-crisis investment has been on a downward path in the EU in spite of historically low interest rates, currently standing at 3.4 %, with overall infrastructure investment now at about 75 % of its pre-crisis level; whereas 80 % of the shortfall is the result of cutbacks in the public sector, which have occurred particularly in countries subject to adverse macroeconomic conditions and the more severe fiscal constraints imposed on disadvantaged regions already characterised by poor infrastructure quality and weak socio- economic outcomes, but also, and surprisingly, in countries with a large fiscal space;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Emphasises that Member States must increase productivity through productive investments that can stimulate much-needed potential economic growth;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Stresses that intra-European foreign direct investment can lead to productivity gains for both the investing firm and local firms in the host regions, and helps generate economic convergence within Europe; considers that clear and enforceable rules, a level playing field and reduced compliance costs are crucial factors for attracting investment, a key component of the EU Single Market that delivers economic growth, creates jobs and secures prosperity for our citizens;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Highlights the urgent Need for a fully-fledged capital markets union, as better integrated financial markets could provide for further private risk-sharing and risk-reduction mechanisms, facilitate cross-border investments and access to finance for SMEs and the real economy, and promote sustainable investments
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5 d. Considers that reforms removing disproportionate red tape to investments would both facilitate economic activity and create conditions conducive to long- term growth;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 e (new)
5 e. Stresses that increasing productivity growth requires investment in skills, innovation, Automation, digitalisation, R&D, sustainable mobility and infrastructure, and emphasises the need to invest in both physical and human capital, and thereby calls on the Member States to ensure equal access to lifelong education, upskilling and retraining to best prepare our citizens to face the challenges of the Digital age;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
6. Endorses the conclusion of the European Fiscal Board (EFB) that the fiscal framework has not protected the quality of public expenditure, and welcomes the EFB’s proposal for a ‘golden rule’ to protect public investment; calls, therefore, for the reform of the Stability and Growth Pact and the introduction of a golden rule aimed at implementing sound fiscal policy on an equal footing with investment within the EU’s policy objectives; whereas this should cover the investment foreseen for the realisation of the Green Deal, the Digital Revolution, the SDGs and the EPSR Rights, including expenditure aimed at reducing poverty and inequality related to social protection, health services and long-term care, and education and training;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
7. Highlights the problem of too low a level of public investment; calls on the Commission to assess the cost of not taking action in this area, in particular by evaluating the difference between the need for investment and the actual investments made;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for a European Green Industrial Strategy;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
MEnsuring macroeconomic stability and sound public finances
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
9. SharesTakes note of the concern expressed in others of the EFB European Fiscal Boards’s conclusions regarding the pro- cyclical elements in the EU fiscal rules, which forced Member S; tatkes to adjust their economies in a poor or difficult economic situation, failing to improve the quality of public finance and promote investment; welcomes the EFBnote of the European Fiscal Board’s recommendation of a seven-year cycle mirroring the MFFulti-Annual Financial Framework so as to better coordinate Member States’ public accounts, and especially investmentregarding investment, thus helping them attain much-needed converge;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that the debt levels of all the Member States are above the pre-crisis level and are expected to exceed 60 % in 2021; further notes that in six Member States the ratio will be higher than 90 %; highlights the fact that the fiscal rules have not contributed to bringing down the debt levels of highly indebted countries but have, rather, increased them;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
11. Supports flexibility in the implementation of the SGP as proposed by the Commission in 2015; considers that much more flexibility should be introduced in order to boost investment and ecological transition in the EU; calls, therefore, for the reform of the SGP and the introduction of a euro area fiscal capacityArgues that the SGP process has to be accompanied by rules that avoid pro- cyclicality and incentivize countercyclical policy measures;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
12. Reiterates its call for a European stabilisation function and a European unemployment benefit reinsurance scheme, with a view to protecting citizens and reducing pressure on public finances during external shocks so as to overcome social and economic imbalances;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Macroeconomic imbalancesdeleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Is concerned that the low interest rates during a long growth period will lead to misperception about the high burden of indebtedness for future generations.
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls the importance of the efficient regulation of the banking and financial sectors in order to prevent a new crisis; believes that such regulation must integrate the ecological situation; emphasises the importance of completing the Banking Union and the need to reform the European Stability Mechanism;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Points out that macro-financial stability and sound public finances remain a precondition of sustainable growth;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15 b. Calls for those Member Stateswith high levels of deficits and public debt to undertake continuous efforts to reduce them; acknowledges the efforts made by a number of Member States to consolidate their public finances, but regrets the fact that some have missed the opportunity to carry out the necessary reforms;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15 c. Welcomes that some Member States with good fiscal space have consolidated even further;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)
15 d. Urges the Member States to build appropriate fiscal Buffers;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 e (new)
15 e. recalls the importance of aconsistent implementation of fiscal rules for ensuring the trust of financial markets, which is fundamental for attracting investment;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 f (new)
15 f. Welcomes the Commission’sefforts to encourage those Member States with current account deficits or high external debt to improve their competitiveness;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6
Taxationdeleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for qualified majority voting in Council on tax matters;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for the systematic inclusion of tax matters in the Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs), with the aim of ensuring economic coherence across EU Member States as well as the fairness of EU tax systems; believes that the CSRs could ensure a fair balance between sources of revenue and should also include innovative elements aiming at promoting the Green Deal; further believes that they should also support Member States in tackling tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7
Labour situationdeleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that, according to the EU Labour Force Survey, there are 8.3 million involuntary part-time workers in the EU, two thirds of them women; requests the Commission to undertake a study to analyse the impact of this development on pension systems and public finances;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 357 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
20. Takes note of AMR 2020’s finding that wage growth at euro area level remains below what would be expected at the current levels of unemployment on the basis of historical data, and that this affects the inflation rate; highlights that the currently low productivity and inflation together with structural reforms transferring collective bargaining to the enterprise level are detrimental to wage growth and are leading to greater income inequality and an increase in the numbers of working poor, with in-work poverty affecting almost one in ten workers in Europe; accordingly advocates wage growth;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 365 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
21. Agrees that it is a matter of great concern that income inequality is above pre-crisis levels in some countries, being frequently linked to unequal opportunities in access to education, training and social protection;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 371 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
22. Underlines the fact that the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion stands, on 2017 figures, at 113 million, or 22.5 % of the population;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that equality between women and men, gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting must become key elements of the European Semester, leading to action on gender pay, gender career development and the gender pension gap (which currently stands at 40 % in the EU);deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes the ASGS 2020’s proposals for fostering social and regional convergence towards better living and working conditions in the EU;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 397 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Recalls that the degree of implementation of the country-specific recommendations is too low; believes that the focus of the European Semester should be on national ownership; urges national and regional parliaments to debate country reports andcountry- specific recommendations and to engage with the relevant actors; Points out that a more streamlined and more focused European Semester could increase ownership;
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 399 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
26. Looks forward to the stronger involvement of the EP and the national parliaments in the European Semester process and to the creation of an institutionalised dialogue with the Commission, the social partners, territories and civil society, at both EU and national level, in order to further boost the process’s democratic legitimacy;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON
Amendment 407 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
27. Invites the stakeholders in this necessary next step to create enhanced democratic accountability mechanisms at both EU and national levels, while formalising the scrutiny role of the EP in the European Semester; calls on the Commission and the Member States to enhance the social dialogue, including over the CSRs, and to engage in dialogue with the social partners;deleted
2020/01/27
Committee: ECON