Activities of Guillaume BALAS related to 2018/0231(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Programme for single market, competitiveness of enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises, and European statistics and repealing Regulations (EU) No 99/2013, (EU) No 1287/2013, (EU) No 254/2014, (EU) No 258/2014, (EU) No 652/2014 and (EU) 2017/826
Amendments (16)
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Placing on the market of products that are not compliant with Union law puts those who comply at disadvantage, and may endanger consumers and harm the environment. Many entrepreneurs disregard the rules either through lack of knowledge or intentionally to gain a competitive advantage. Market surveillance authorities are often underfunded and constrained by national boundaries, while entrepreneurs trade at Union or even global level. In particular, in the case of e-commerce, market surveillance authorities have great difficulties in tracing non-compliant products imported from third countries and identifying the responsible entity within their jurisdiction. The Programme should therefore seek to strengthen product compliance by providing the right incentives to entrepreneurs, intensifying compliance checks and promoting closer cross-border cooperation among enforcement authorities within the Union and with third countries . The Programme should also contribute to the consolidation of the existing framework for market surveillance activities, encourage joint actions of market surveillance authorities from different Member States, improve the exchange of information and promote convergence and closer integration of market surveillance activities.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 44
Recital 44
(44) A high level of health protection through the food supply chain is necessary to protect consumers and the environment as well as to allow the internal market to operate efficiently. A safe and sustainable food supply chain is a prerequisite for society and for the internal market. Cross border health crises, and food scares endanger consumers, animals and harm the environment, disrupt the functioning of the internal market by limiting the movements of persons and goods and disrupting production. Therefore, ensuring high sanitary standards, animal welfare and health protection through the food supply chain should be a priority.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) Official controls carried out by the Member States are an essential tool for verifying and monitoring that relevant Union requirements are being implemented, complied with and enforced. The effectiveness and efficiency of official control systems is vital for maintaining a high level of safety for humans, animals and plants along the food chain whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment and of animal welfare. Union financial support should be made available for such control measures. In particular, a financial contribution should be available to Union reference laboratories in order to help them bear the costs arising from the implementation of work programmes approved by the Commission. Moreover, sFinancial contribution should also be available to increase the level of controls on imports, in order to tackle phenomena such as illegal imports of bush meat which can put human health at risk and causes biodiversity loss. Since the effectiveness of official controls also depends on the availability to the control authorities of well trained staff with an appropriate knowledge of Union law, the Union should be able to contribute to their training and relevant exchange programmes organised by competent authorities.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 48
Recital 48
(48) High-quality European statistics developed, produced and disseminated under the European Statistical Programme are essential for evidence- based decision making, in particular regarding the protection of consumers, animals and the environment as well as for new risks such as cybersecurity of products. European statistics should be available in a timely manner and should contribute to the implementation of Union policies as reflected in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, notably strengthened and integrated economic governance, social, economic and territorial cohesion, sustainable development, agricultural policy, the social dimension of Europe and globalisation.
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 77
Recital 77
(77) In order to take account of situations that are provoked by animal diseases that have a significant impact on livestock production or trade, the development of zoonoses which pose a threat to humans, or new scientific or epidemiological developments, as well as animal diseases, which are likely to constitute a new threat for the Union, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission, in respect of amending the list of animal diseases and zoonoses. In order to ensure effective assessment of progress of the Programme towards the achievement of its objectives the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of reviewing or complementing the indicators to measure the achievement of the specific objectives where considered necessary and to supplement this Regulation with provisions on the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework. It is of particular importance that the Commission carries out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. In particular, tStakeholders and consumers associations should be consulted as well. To ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point –a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point –a (new)
(-a) to protect human, animal and plant health and to empower citizens; be it by taking all necessary measures to ensure traceability of products and the implementation of controls regarding the manufacturing or growing process of products, also ensuring animal welfare;
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to improve the functioning of the internal market, and especially to protect and empower citizens, consumers andprotect businesses, in particular micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), by enforcement of Union law, facilitation of market access, standard setting, and by promoting human, animal and plant health and animal welfare; as well as to enhance cooperation between the competent authorities of Member States and between the competent authorities of Member States and the Commission and the decentralised Union agencies;
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point i
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point i
(i) empowering, assisting and educating consumers, businesses and civil society, in particular towards sustainable consumption habits and sustainable production processes ; increasing consumer information regarding products through proper labelling of nutritional value and ingredients, and when appropriate, the farming method, and the name and volume of pesticides used; ensuring a high level of consumer protection, sustainable consumption and product safety notably by supporting competent enforcement authorities and consumer representative organisations and cooperation actions; ensuring that all consumers have access to redress and; provision of adequate information on markets and consumers;
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point ii a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point ii a (new)
(iia) Ensuring the improvement of the traceability system of products, in particular through mandatory QR codes on products' packaging to facilitate the detection of non-compliant products through the food chain;
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) contributing to a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain and in related areas, including by preventing and eradicating diseases and pests, and to support the improvement of in accordance with the sustainable framework for the use of antibiotics and pesticides; ensuring the welfare of animals ais well as a sustainable food production and consumptionrespected and further improved; ensuring and promoting a sustainable food production and consumption; ensuring the protection of soil and ecosystems;
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) provision of mechanisms for citizens, consumers, consumer associations, end-users, civil society and businesses representatives from the Union to contribute to political discussions, policies and decision making process, notably by supporting the functioning of representative organisations at national and the Union level;
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 6 – subparagraph 2
The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 20 to amend Annex III where it is necessary to take account of the situations that are provoked by those animal diseases that have a significant impact on livestock production or trade, the development of zoonoses which pose a threat to humans, or new scientific or epidemiological developments, as well as of the animal diseases which are likely to constitute a new threat for the Union. Illegal imports of food should also be taken into account when amending Annex III given the health risks they can pose.
Amendment 97 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 3
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 3
3. Activities to support the improvement ofand controls to ensure the welfare of animals.
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 7
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 7
7. Activities supporting a sustainable food production and consumption, ensuring the protection of animals, soil and ecosystems; activities supporting a sustainable food consumption, including raising awareness on the impact of our consumption habits, the urgent need of changing them and the solutions to succeed.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 8
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 8
8. Data-bases and computerised information management systems necessary for the effective and efficient implementation of the legislation related to the specific objective referred to in Article 3(2)(e) and having a proven added value for the Union as a whole; implementation of new technologies to improve traceability of products such as QR codes on products packaging.
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 15
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 15
15. Measures carried out to protect human, animal and plant health and animal welfare, implemented on animals, animal products, plant and plant products arriving from third countries at a Union border., including measures to increase consumer information regarding products through proper labelling of nutritional value and ingredients, and when appropriate, the farming method, the name and volume of pesticides used;