36 Amendments of Alfred SANT related to 2014/2221(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)
Citation 10 a (new)
- having regard the Communication of the Communication of 28 November 2014 on the 'Annual Growth Survey 2015' (COM(2014) 902),
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)
Citation 10 b (new)
- having regard the Communication of the Communication of 13 January 2015 on 'making the best use of the flexibility within the existing rules of the stability and growth pact' (COM(2015) 12),
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the economic recovery in the EU slowed down considerably in the course of 2014 but has a prospect of catching up in 2015 and of doing even better inCommission did not anticipate the significant decrease of inflation and the slowdown of the economic recovery in the EU in the course of 20164;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas after five years of the beginning of the financial crisis in 2008, the euro area is still facing record unemployment levels over 12%; whereas weak growth has compounded disinflationary trends;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the investment level has fallen by EUR 470 billion since the peak of the crisis, and the investment gap on a conservative estimate is EUR 230- 370 billion compared to its long-term trends;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the response to the euro sovereign debt crisis and the revealed failure of the European institutional framework has been substantial, but not sufficient to give a strong enough momentum to the euro area economy in order to exit the recession it entered 6 years ago;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas surplus countries should have taken much earlier symmetrical action to stimulate demand and ensure faster growth of nominal wages and prices; to respond to the revealed failure of the European institutional framework;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that growth in 2014 is more broadly based; believes, howeverPoints out, that the recovery is still fragile and should be enhanced if it is to deliver substantially moreor problematic and it has clearly failed to deliver growth and jobs in the medium term;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. WelcomNotes the Commission’'s Annual Growth Survey 2015, which endeavours to promote a return to higher growth levels and to strengthen the recovery; supports the three main pillars approach (boosting investment, accelerating structural reforms and pursuing responsible growth friendly fiscal consolidation) as the right way to achieve these goals; welcomeSupports the Commission’'s suggestions for improving the European Semester by simplifying procedures and increasing national ownership as needed, considering that only 10-15 % of the Country Specific Recommendations are fully implemented by the Members States;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission’s Annual Growth Survey 2015, which endeavours to promote a return to higher growth levels and to strengthen the recovery; supports the three main pillars approach (boosting investment, accelerating structural reforms and pursuing responsible growth friendly fiscal consolidation) as the right way to achieve these goals and thus should be better reflected in the adopted Country Specific Recommendations; welcomes the Commission’s suggestions for improving the European Semester by simplifying procedures and increasing national ownership as needed, considering that only 10-15 % of the Country Specific Recommendations are fully implemented by the Members States;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Welcomes the proposal by the Commission to streamline and reinforce the European Semester in order to increase political ownership, accountability and acceptance of the process. Points out, however, that the Commission should not carry forward one-size fits all approaches that quickly become economically and socially counter-productive;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Believes that the lack of investment is caused by excessive fiscal consolidation, low confidence, high indebtedness, slow deleveraging and subdued expectations of demand;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that the Stability and Growth Pact rules requiring appropriate deficit to GDP measures made governments reduce investment commitments rather than cutting recurrent expenditures; recommends therefore the technical assessment of SGP rules in order to give greater incentives to public investment decisions. Considers the Communication of the Commission on 'making the best use of the flexibility within the existing rules of the Stability and Growth Pact', as a first step into the right direction.
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the Investment Plan for Europe, which is an important instrument for increasing private and public investment; notes that the plan is meant to trigger additional investment, develop new projects, attract investors and restore confidence;. Points out however, that the investment initiative proposed by the Commission needs still to be evaluated in terms of its capacity to increase investment in Europe, as well as its deployment of "fresh" money.
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls especially on those Members States with a high surplus, to actively to support the Investment Plan, and to contribute to the European Fund for Strategic Investment, supplementing the amounts provided through the EU budget and by the EIB, in order to guide and encourage the private sector to invest; welcomes the principle of using public money to leverage and attract additional private capital;
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is still concerned about the lack of progress in reducing excessive private debt levels; points out that this is not only a concern for financial stability, as it also limits the EU’s growth potential and makes the ECB’s monetary policy less effective; calls on the Commission to make proposals for the preparation of effective procedures for private sector deleveraging, including bankruptcy and insolvency procedures, as the huge debt burden weighing on companies and households is one of the key factors limiting private investment;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the ambitiousNotes the structural reforms implemented by those Member States most affected by the crisis; welcomNotes as well the fact that those Member States that have successfully implemented adjustment programmes or financial sector programmes have been able to return to the capital markets, where they now access capital at low interest rates;. Regrets however that these reforms have failed to create economic growth, jobs or to reduce poverty and promote inclusion across Europe.
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Member States to make their labour markets more efficient, to modernise social protection systems, including pensions, and to improve and streamline the legal and administrative environment for business investment; stresses that structural reforms need tothereby leading to a decrease in operating costs within the national economies, not least with regard to the operating costs of SMEs and traditional industries. Stresses that structural reforms need to lead to real, sustainable and socially balanced growth, employment, strengthened competitiveness and increasing convergence and should be complemented by well-targeted, longer- term investments in education, research and development, innovation, infrastructure, ICT and sustainable energy;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Points out that EU financial assistance to certain Member States, provided on terms combining solidarity with conditionality, has proved to be most successful when there was a strong ownership and commitment to reform has to be complemented by long-term investment in the fields of education, research, innovation and sustainable energy; reminds the Commission and the Member States that they need to explore ways of bringing the financial assistance under the EU framework;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. 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; stresses the importance of ensuring the follow-up of the Troika reports adopted in March 2014 by the European Parliament in particular in view of recent economic developments; calls on the Commission to implement the conclusions of these reports;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Believes that the trend towards more skill-intensive and demanding jobs, high unemployment and weak employment demand may increase. Therefore, matching skills supply and demand better, as well as job and career guidance will be of great importance in the future; believes that more mobility may help to reduce the high levels of unfilled job vacancies that persist alongside high unemployment;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls for urgent action to be taken by the Commission to fight tax fraud and tax evasion; calls for a tax system that is simple and transparent; reiterates its call on the Member States to shift taxes away from labour to consumption;
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Underlines the fact that the absence of a well-functioning internal labour market that maintains the integrity of the European social model and of a balanced approach to immigration is hampering growth in the EU;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Reiterates the importance of ensuring labour mobility (both cross-border and cross-sectoral), enhanced labour productivity (connected with skills trainings to improve employability) and labour market flexibility, while preserving the necessary scope of work securitywork security and quality jobs;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the strongNotes the decrease in the number of countries under the excessive deficit procedure – down to 11 in 2014 from 24 in 2011; notes that due to this fiscal improvement the fiscal stance in the EU is now expected to remain broadly neutral in the coming years; expresses its concern, however, about the still very high indebtedness of a number of Member States in the euro area, a circumstance that not only hinders growth but also constitutes a substantial risk in case of possible future shocks. Expresses however concerns about the level of long-term unemployment which is still dangerously high (just above 5% of the labour force in the EU 28 corresponding to some 12 million people having been unemployed for a year or more);
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the strong decrease in the number of countries under the excessive deficit procedure – down to 11 in 2014 from 24 in 2011; notes that due to this fiscal improvement the fiscal stance in the EU is now expected to remain broadly neutral in 2015; asks the cComing yearsmission to ensure that the EU fiscal stance is compatible with the required level of investment; expresses its concern, however, about the still very high indebtedness of a number of Member States in the euro area, a circumstance that not only hinders growth but also constitutes a substantial risk in case of possible future shocks;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Calls on the Commission to a adopt a prudent and conservative interpretation of the growth indicators and to review the quality of economic forecasts as previous Commission forecasts have too often been revised downwards;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Agrees with the CommissionNotes that most Member States need to continue to pursue growth-friendly fiscal consolidation; invites Member States with sufficient fiscal space tCalls on the Commission to come up with concrete recommendations to the Member States, including those still under the economic adjustment programmes so that they do not only address fiscal consolidation but also econsider reducing taxes and social security contributions with a view to stimulating private investmentomic growth, supported by sustainable and socially balanced structural reforms that lead to, quality employment creation, strengthened competitiveness and increasing convergence;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Agrees with the Commission that most Member States need to continue to pursue growth-friendly fiscal consolidation; invites Member States with sufficient fiscal space to consider reducing taxes and social security contributions with a view to stimulating private investment by fully using the Communication of the Communication of 13 January 2015 on 'making the best use of the flexibility within the existing rules of the stability and growth pact'; invites Member States with sufficient fiscal space to use it to enhance long-term growth;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the Commission to avoid promoting double-standards when it calls for the need to invest in growth by imposing as a precondition for a "growth- friendly fiscal consolidation" the existence of fiscal room of manoeuvre; stresses that back-loading of fiscal consolidation must still be taken into account as it could leave more room for counter-cyclical investments;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes the Commission assessment of the Member States’' draft budgetary plans; stresses that the examination of draft budgetary plans should aim at sustainable finance; insists on the strict application of fiscal rules and on respect for the equal treatment principl and provide a long-term vision for more Europe, which would address immediate challenges and national shortcomings; Points out that the right political and social environment needs first to be created for investments which will then lead to growth in Europe;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes the Commission assessment of the Member States’ draft budgetary plans; stresses that the examination of draft budgetary plans should aim at sustainable finance; insists on the strict application of fiscal rulesimportance of applying fiscal rules, including by using existing flexibility and on the respect for the equal treatment principle;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Is concernedNotes that only five Member States were found to be fully compliant with the provisions of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP);
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the Alert Mechanism Report; welcomes the gradual reduction of internal imbalances in the EU economy; draws attention to the external imbalances, including the large trade surpluses; Underlines, that the Commission should apply a symmetrical treatment between countries with a current account surplus and those with a deficit;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Stresses that the European Semester must in no way jeopardise the role of the European Parliament and of the national parliaments; urges the Commission to ensure the proper formal involvement of the European Parliament in all the steps of the European Semester process in order to strengthen democratic accountability to the European Parliament;