Activities of Tibor SZANYI related to 2014/2059(INI)
Plenary speeches (3)
European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2014 priorities (A8-0019/2014 - Philippe De Backer) HU
European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2014 priorities (debate) HU
European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2014 priorities (debate) HU
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2014 priorities PDF (289 KB) DOC (233 KB)
Amendments (46)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission Communication of 6 December 2012 on An Action Plan to strengthen the fight against tax fraud and tax evasion (COM(2012)0722),
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
- having regard to the European Parliament's resolutions adopted on the 13th March 2013 concerning the role and the operations of the Troika (2014/2007(INI) and 2014/2277 (INI),
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas a genuine EMU can only function properly with a strong social pillar including binding social indicators;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the European Semester plays an essential role in coordinating economic, employment, social and budgetary policies in the Member States;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas, in the context of persistently high debt and unemployment levels, low nominal GDP growth, and inflation, and the high level of people at risk of poverty, as well as the challenges of an ageing society and of supporting job creation, particularly for young people, fiscal consolidation must continue in abe growth-friendly and carried out in a differentiated manner;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the priorities for this year’s European Semester were established by the European Council in March, and were reconfirmed in June; whereas the emphasis is on policies that enhance competitiveness, support job creation and fight unemployment, and on the follow-up to reforms to improverestore investment capacity and improve the financing of the economy and the functioning of labour markets;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the Europe 2020 strategy is one of the elements of the EU’s response to the global economic crisis and whereas the Commission acknowledges that most of the EU 2020 Strategy objectives will not be met;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas the European Parliament has several times requested the strengthening of the governance framework;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the fact thatanalysis regarding economic recovery in the EU is under way; reiterates, however, that this recovery is fragile and uneven, and must be sustained in order to deliver more growth and jobs in the medium term;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that the challenges of the current economic situation, characterised by sluggish GDP – stable in the eurozone and rising by 0.2% in the EU28 during the second quarter of 2014 – remarkably low inflation – down to 0.3% in August 2014, its lowest level since November 2009 – and unacceptably high unemployment – 11.5% in the eurozone and 10.2% in the EU28 in July 2014 - have to be addressed urgently;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Urges once again the Commission to ensure concrete recommendations to the Member States and for the EU as a whole, including those under economic adjustment programmes, so that they not only address fiscal consolidation but also structural reforms that lead to real, sustainable and socially balanced growth, employment, strengthened competitiveness and increasing convergence;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Calls in this context for the adoption of a monetary and fiscal policy stance that boosts aggregate demand, a position shared by the President of the ECB in his speech at the Annual central bank symposium in Jackson Hole on 22 August 2014;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. WelcomNotes the ambitiouslarge scale structural reforms implemented by Member States under the macroeconomic adjustment programmes; finds it regrettable that the Member States in the rest of the euro area are less ambitious in modernising their economies, which is one of the reasons for the low growth prospects in the medium and long term, but draws attention that the structural reforms should always be balanced and socially sustainable;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Reminds the Commission of the two reports adopted by the European Parliament concerning the Troika in March 2014, which criticizes the ad hoc system of the troikas; calls on the Commission to implement the recommendation of the European Parliament without delay.
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Points out that a necessary condition for the success of financial assistance programmes is a combination of solidarity and conditionality, strong ownership and commitment to reform; urges the Commission and the Member States, to incorporate financial assistance and the ad hoc system of the Troika into an improved legal structure compliant with the EU economic governance framework and community law, thereby guaranteeing democratic accountability;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points outRegrets that the euro area and the EU risk falling further behind other regions in terms of economic development and opportunities, making the EU less attractive for investment from within and outside the EU;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses, therefore, the importance of continuing the process of deep and, balanced and socially sustainable structural reforms to deliver on growth and jobs; reiterates, in this connection, the fact that the EU cannot and should not primarily compete on costs alone, but needs to invest much more in research and development, education and skills, and resource efficiency, both at national and European level;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines, once again, the fact that the overallutstanding indebtedness ofas well as excessive consolidation of some Member States in the euro area is not only an obstacle to growth but also puts a huge burden on future generations;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the fact that the EMU is far from complete and reminds the Commission of its obligations and commitments to take into account macroeconomic imbalances inside the EU and notably the eurozone to enhance economic convergence and strengthen competitiveness in the EU; welcomes, in this respect, the commitment by the next President-elect of the Commission to deliver on the roadmap set out the report of 5 December 2012 entitled ‘Towards a Genuine Economic and Monetary Union’;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Welcomes also the commitments to enhance European investment by 300 billion Euros and calls on the next Commission to implement these priorities without delay;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Calls again on the Commission to put forward proposals for the completion of the EMU without delay in accordance with all the guidelines in its blueprint on a deep and genuine EMU; notes that the completion of the EMU should be based on the community method; Reiterates once more its demand for a legal act on ‘convergence guidelines’ to be adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, laying down, for a set period, a very limited number of targets for the most urgent reform measures and its request that the Member States ensure that the national reform programmes should be established on the basis of the aforementioned convergence guidelines and verified by the Commission; calls on the Member States to commit themselves to fully implementing their national reform programmes; suggests that, on this basis, the Member States could enter into a ‘convergence partnership’ with the EU institutions, with the possibility of conditional funding for reform activities; reiterates that such stronger economic cooperation should go hand in hand with an incentive-based financial mechanism; considers that any additional funding or instruments, such as a solidarity mechanism, must be an integral part of the EU budget, but outside the agreed multiannual financial framework (MFF) envelope;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes the 2014 package of country- specific recommendations (CSRs) by the Commission; notes the Commission’s assessment that some progress has been achieved in sustaining fiscal consolidation and structural reform, particularly in reforming labour markets; regrets however that the Commission has not taken into account the conclusions of the Troika reports of the European Parliament both in their economic and employment aspects; urges the Commission to ensure that they will be included in the next Annual Growth Survey;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes in this context the European Council’s endorsement of the CSRs and the recommendations by the Council, particularly the specific recommendations on the euro area;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Supports the objective of placing emphasis on policies that support investment, enhance competitiveness, support job creation, fight unemployment and improve the functioning of the labour market;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Stresses that the social partners, with full respect for their autonomy and rights, should be much more actively involved in the European Semester; underlines that strong social dialogue at all levels is a crucial key to making the European labour market work;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls, however, that Member States’ track record of implementing the CSRs is very low; believes that there is an inconsistency between European commitment and national implementation of the CSRs by Member States; stresses the importance of ‘national ownership’ by the relevant governments of EU-level commitments;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the fact that a proper, democratically accountable system for the European semester as well as the implementation of CSRs is a preare important conditions for achieving economic convergence in the EMU, which is key to the proper functioning thereof, allowing for financial and economic stability that is conducive to growth and jobs;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Underlines the fact that a number of CSRs are based on EU legal acts and that failure to act upon them may result in legal procedures; reminds Member States to deliver on their legal obligations under EU law; Takes notes of the Commission’s assessment that a number of important macroeconomic imbalances are being corrected; points out that, in order to further strengthen the overall competitiveness of the EU, the Commission needs stress also the current account surplus of a Member State relative to the rest of the euro area; points out that the objective of the macroeconomic imbalance procedure is to prevent the negative spill-over effects of ill-designed national policies to other euro area Member States; is concerned that the Commission, in its reading of the scoreboard, does not take sufficient account of the fact that the euro area and the Member States included therein are interdependent and open economies;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Commission, as guardian of the Treaty, to make full use of all measures provided for in EU law to support the enforcement of the implementation of the CSRscreate a democratically accountable system for the European Semester which involves formally the European Parliament;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Requests that the Commission report on a quarterly basis in Parliament’s competent committee on the measures taken to ensure progress on the implementation of the CSRs and on the progress achieved thus far; iInvites Member States to explain the reasons for non-compliance with the CRSs in Parliament’s competent committee;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Believes that with regard to the forthcoming European Semester, the policy of growth-friendly fiscal consolidation should be pursued to improve fiscal sustainabilityimplemented; stresses, however, the fact that special emphasis should be placed on growth-enhancing reforms and policiesinclusive and socially sustainable reforms and policies that ensure quality job creation, poverty reduction and an environmentally sustainable economy;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Encourages Member States to overcome domestic political opposition to modernise their economies, social security systems, pension systems and health care, in ordersuch way as to avoid placing an excessive burden on persons currently experiencing poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, or future generations;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Believes that structural reforms should particularly be targeted at improving labour markets’ capacity to integrate young people into the workforcentegrating young people into the workforce, as well as other excluded groups; believes, also, that structural reform should be aimed at the mid- and long-term sustainability of social security, health-care and pension systems, while ensuring that the number of people experiencing poverty in the short term is drastically reduced, health- care and social security are universally available and pensions are poverty- proofed;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Points out that the absence of a well functioning internal labour market and of a positive approach to immigration hampers growth in the EU; calls on the Commission and the Member States to establish a commonn inclusive labour market and a modern immigration policy;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Underlines that fair and equal treatment of workers is a crucial key to building a more dynamic internal labour market; stresses, in line with the political guidelines for the next European Commission presented by Mr Jean- Claude Juncker in July 2014, that social dumping has no place in the EU and that the same work at the same place should be remunerated in the same manner;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses, once again, its call on Member States to simplify their tax systems and reiterates its call to shift taxes from labour to consumption to make the use of resources more efficient and sustainable; calls on the Commission; calls on the Commission, drawing from the experiences of delivering on the 2012 Action Plan in this area to take urgent action and develop a comprehensive strategy based on concrete legislative measures to fight tax fraud and tax evasion;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the Commission to produce by the end of 2014 a clear definition and common set of criteria to identify tax havens and a public European blacklist of tax havens; Reminds the Commission of the proposals made in the recent Parliament Report (KLEVA KEKUS Report) on tax evasion and avoidance; calls also on the Commission to put into place an effective legal system forcing multinationals to pay all due taxes in the Member States in which economic activity occurs, to close loopholes and to reduce substantially the scope for regulatory arbitrage on fiscal matters;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Encourages the Commission and the Member States to enhance the use of the European semester by integrating the EU tax gap strategy into the annual national stability and growth programmes and national reform programmes;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Reiterates the fact that structural reforms must be complemented by longer- term investment in education, research, innovation and sustainable energy; stresses, however, the fact that private investment is more conducive to growth than public investment;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Believes that the biggest limitations on the EU economy isare the low level of private investment and the lack of leverage effect from the public investment at the current level;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Underlines the fact that public and private investment isare crucial, as ithey works on the supply and demand side of the economy creating jobs, generating incomes for households, increasing tax revenue, helping governments consolidate and boosting growth;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Calls on the Commission finally to deliver on its commitment to complete the single market, particularly as regardswhile safeguarding the right to decent, quality work and the principle of equal pay for equal work and access to quality social protection systems and services; urges the Member States to deliver on their commitments on the EU2020 strategy, particularly with regard to researchemployment, R&D, education, poverty, renewable energy, emissions reduction and innovation;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Stresses the fact that a solid, transparent and stable financial system is crucial for future growth ensuring fair distribution of the benefits;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Stresses the fact that the European Semester must in no way jeopardise the prerogatives of the European Parliament or those of the national parliaments; underlines the fact that there should be a clear division between EU and national competences, and that Parliament is the seat of accountability at Union level; urges the Commission to ensure Parliament's proper, formal involvement in all steps of the European Semester process in order to increase the democratic legitimacy of the decisions takes;
Amendment 348 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Stresses the need to strengthen democratic accountability to the European Parliament and the national parliaments as regards essential elements of the euro area’s operation, such as the European Stability Mechanism, Eurogroup decisions, and the monitoring and evaluation of financial assistance programmes; asks the Commission to conduct and publish internal ex-post evaluations of its recommendations and its participation in Troika.