Activities of Laura AGEA related to 2015/2320(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on how best to harness the job creation potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) PDF (455 KB) DOC (175 KB)
Amendments (31)
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Believes that in order to ensure better conditions for job creation for the SME sector Member States must address the following problems, which are unequally present in different regions: skills scarcity and brain drain; regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty; the shadow economy; and the de facto privileged position of multinational corporations (MNCs); and the disparity in fiscal conditions between Member States, which leads to social dumping;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Considers that, with a view to balancing supply and demand in employment, Member States should reform their education systems to take account of the changed social context with regard to the importance of teaching and learning one or more languages and technological innovations;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that tackling the above-mentioned structural problems would result, inter alia, in fairer competition and the extension of the social contribution and tax base to a higher number of economic operators, leading to lower labour and administrative costs and thus creating better condition for job creation; and ensuring fair competition between Member States and fairer market conditions;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that labour costsEuropean constraints on budget policies, austerity, excessive fiscal pressure and inadequate public spending have an impact on SMEs’ job creation potential and competitiveness;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses, however, that lowering labour costs by reducing workers’ protection is not a correct means of achieving lower unemployment, and that, in addition, reducing workers’ rights induces higher skills outflows and jeopardises their job security, exposing SMEs to shortages of skilled workers;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Considers, what is more, that radical change is required in economic policy, through public investment in sectors deemed strategic by each Member State, as the main means to initiate a virtuous circle that would have the following outcomes: an upward adjustment of wages, an increase in domestic demand and an increase in the number of people in employment;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is concerned at the growing phenomenon of bogus self-employment across the EU, which canshould not be considered in positive terms as contributing to the ‘growing number of micro- enterprises’, but, rather, undermines the image of entrepreneurship;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses, in this regard, the fact that so far the promised effects of this investment plan have yet to be seen; also stresses that it is not investment in major infrastructure that generates new jobs, but practical opportunities offered to SMEs;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses, in this regard, that so far, training and information on such opportunities is almost non-existent, in comparison to actual needs and the many opportunities that these funds could create;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes the view that the artificial academisation of specific professions is not helpful if one wishes to tackle the problem of skills scarcities in SMEs; believes that vocational training, and especially dual systems operated in cooperation with SMEs, should be given more public support; recommends, however, that it is taken into account that the cultural value of teaching should be guaranteed and protected;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers that apprenticeship schemes within SMEs should be promoted by Member States, including through financial incentives; urges that apprenticeships and traineeships be considered equal to any other type of work, and benefit from the same treatment;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls on the Member States to provide for and impose the requisite sanctions for any kind of abuse by employers of their trainees or apprentices;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ programme, which helps provide aspiring European entrepreneurs with the skills necessary to start and/or successfully run a small business; recommends, what is more, that ongoing support should be provided with a view to giving added value to youth entrepreneurship and making it an effective tool for creating high-quality jobs;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes the view that reducing the regulatory and administrative burden, together with improving the quality of regulation and enforcement, constitute the right way to lower SMEs’ costs, including labour costs, in order to increase their job creation potential; recommends, at the same time, that a robust regulatory framework should be established with a view to ensuring that the regulation is not only high quality but also sustainable, and also guarantees vital safeguards for workers;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Member States to review the rules affecting SMEs and to introduce measures based on the ‘Think Small First’ principle, in order to remove the bureaucratic obstacles with which SMEs are confronted and achieve a high level of regulatory certainty as a precondition for job stability and quality;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Takes the view that a stable regulatory environment is an essential prerequisite for job perennity and job creation in SMEs; considers that this regulatory certainty must encompass, among other elements, contract law and fiscal and social regulation, as well as tax rulings and also legal certainty and procedural effectiveness; recommends, in this regard, that the participation and involvement of workers in this process should be stepped up in order to include everyone;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Considers that, in addition to stability, the intrinsic clarity of rules is key to ensuring the continuity and creation of jobs; calls on the Member States, therefore, to adopt laws that achieve this goal and, as a result, legal certainty;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to consider that SMEs face specific obstacles and should therefore be exempted fromrelieved of excessively burdensome administrative procedures, while always ensuring that they provide their employees with the necessary health and safety standards;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Considers that SMEs should enjoy favourable tax treatment for two specific reasons: to remedy the inherent inequalities between SMEs and multinationals; to make it possible to use additional resources, together with public investment, to create jobs;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Emphasises the need to bring together business developers and business incubators, with a view to making start- ups an important tool for creating lasting jobs and to keeping potential within companies, discouraging ‘the sale of an important idea’ for pure profit;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that in some cases EU competition policy results in privileging that mostly benefits big market operators that are characterised by greater economic efficiency than SMEs;, stresses in this regard the need for specific measures for SMEs in order to curb their market diseconomies, thus enabling their internationalisation and boosting their job creation potentialto protect SMEs with regard to tax matters, specifically employment tax; in addition, calls on the Commission and the Member States to assess very carefully and consequently take action on future trade agreements or those already in force, such as TTIP, TiSA, CETA, and MES for China; believes that making these decisions without involving the European Parliament, the only body that is democratically elected by European citizens, would put at serious risk the economy, productivity and employment throughout the European Union; recommends, therefore, considering this prospect as opening the EU up to the serious risk of unfair competition, the deterioration of social guarantees and a huge loss of jobs, thereby making the paradigm of social dumping more than just symbolic;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Notes that the negative impact of the relocation phenomenon, caused by the differing economic situations in Member States, is now apparent; recommends that not only should this impact be assessed, but also transparent and clear recommendations should be put in place to enable SMEs to make choices which are shrewd and sustainable in the long term;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to combat fiscal and social dumping which creates unfair competition between the economies of Member States, causing intolerable imbalances which, with the opening of borders and removal of barriers for goods and services, are likely to grow, to the detriment of the quality of those goods and services, not to mention jobs and working conditions; believes that this is the only way that the single market will be able to withstand the competition from third countries and prevent the social safety net from becoming ever smaller, leading to huge job losses;
Amendment 317 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Takes the view that overregulated and bureaucratic economic systems induce higher labour costs, which represent a higher financial burden for SMEs than for big companies owing to the differences in business volumes; points out that falling salaries are brought about by the current monetary policies, which do not allow public investment to exceed budgetary ceilings and therefore have an effect on salaries;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that in regions where economic development is focused on attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), MNCs are treated preferentially in both legislative and tax matters; believes that these practices shouldmust be examined with a view to ensuring a level playing field for SMEs and restoring their employment creation capacities; calls for firm, decisive action by the Commission with a view to tackling so-called ‘tax engineering’ by certain Member States, in order to ensure equal conditions for SMEs;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Takes the view thatCalls for new EU regulations and agreements with third countries shouldto take into account the EU regions’ specific structural differences in the SME sector, assessing the impact of future rules on employment perspectives;
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
Amendment 346 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Deplores the current negotiations on future trade agreements, for example, TTIP, CETA and the decision to grant China MES, as it considers that these agreements would cause significant and uncombatable damage to European SMEs ;
Amendment 353 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Encourages SMEs to promote teleworking and smartworking, which are effective tools for reducing companies’ material costs and enabling workers to balance their professional and personal lives better;
Amendment 357 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. Calls on the Commission to develop and launch an application for smartphones and tablets that provides information on European funding;
Amendment 358 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30b. Calls on the Member States to foster the inclusion of people with disabilities in SMEs;