15 Amendments of Maria GRAPINI related to 2017/2191(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that competition policy is closely interlinked with taxation policy; encourages the Commission to strengthen its efforts to tackle illegal state aid and taxation rules that distort competition in the internal market and particularly affect micro-enterprises; notes that it will also be necessary to ensure that precise and efficient competition rules are laid down, maintained and complied with;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Supports the Commission’s investigations into anti-competitive practices such as selective tax advantages or excess profit ruling systems; emphasises that if there is to be a well-functioning internal market all players need to pay their fair share of tax; considers it necessary to have a solid regulatory and supervisory framework with transparent rules that will guarantee access to the market for all companies, including SMEs;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges the Commission’s efforts to combat unfair competition in high-profile cases against well-known companies, but stresses that the enforcement of fair competition in the case of SMEs is also of the utmost importance in order to boost jobs and ensure fair economic competition;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the Commission to strengthen the supervision of national implementation of competition policy in order to guarantee equal and fair competition conditions for undertakings; is concerned that uneven enforcement of EU competition law by national authorities can result in varying outcomes, thus distorting competition in the internal market; welcomes in this regard the Commission’s proposal on the ECN+;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that national competition authorities play a decisive role in the enforcement of EU competition law alongside the European Commission and thus significantly contribute to a properly functioning, competitive, and consumer-oriented internal market, but that they need the necessary financial and human resources and independence in order to function effectively;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates the possible option of setting up a travelling unit within the Commission which, independently of Member States’ efforts, would need be able to investigate and take decisions in suspected cases of unfair competition and breaches of competition law;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the importance of access to justice for consumerindividual consumers and SMEs and of the availability for collective redress in order to ensure fair competition; believes access to justice and the availability of class or representative actions in this field and consumer rights more generally is essential to achieving the aims of EU competition policy; underlines that the absence of such opportunities weakens competition at the expense of the internal market and consumer rights;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the importance of access to justice for consumers and of the availability for collective redress in order to ensure fair competition and equitable treatment for consumers; underlines that the absence of such opportunities weakens competition at the expense of the internal market and consumer rights;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Stresses that efforts to foster competition through the development of the Digital Single Market must at all times work in the interests of consumers, and that the rights enshrined in the EU Charter for fundamental rights must be fully protected in the digital domain;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Stresses that competition that is both free and fair is ultimately for the benefit of consumers;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recalls that if anti-competitive practices are to be fought effectively, Member States must adopt an economic policy that is consistent with the principles of an open market economy based on fair competition, and all aspects of unfair competition must be taken into consideration, including social dumping and, fraudulent posting of workers and letterbox companies.
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Calls on Member States to ensure the proper enforcement of EU public procurement rules in order to ensure fair competition including social, environmental and consumer protection criteria where appropriate and promote good practice in public authorities’ processes;proper enforcement will tackle distortions of competition and enable public authorities to choose to organise and provide quality public services so as to ensure effective and efficient public expenditure;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Recalls that persistent concerns about the issue of dual product quality distort consumers' trust and competition in the single market;calls on the Commission and Member States to intensify efforts to tackle dual products quality for both food and non-food products;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Calls on the Commission to promote market access opportunities for SMEs through smaller contracts where compatible with key procurement objectives, and for the Commission to carefully monitor the centralisation of purchases in public procurement markets;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7 c. Emphasises the relationship between the internal market and competition policy;encourages strong cooperation between Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection and the Commission in order to ensure that the interests of consumers are protected and promoted in any and all efforts to encourage a competitive EU.