BETA

258 Amendments of Joachim STARBATTY

Amendment 13 #

2018/2109(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the current divergent levels of controls and their quality, and of customs procedures and sanctions policies at points of entry into the customs union, often result in the distortion of trade flows, feeding the problem of ‘forum shopping’ and putting at risk the integrity of the single market; strongly encourages, in this context, the transfer of responsibilities from national customs authorities to EU levelfurther cooperation, coordination and exchange of information and best practices among Member States, respecting the Subsidiarity Principle;
2018/12/10
Committee: INTA
Amendment 18 #

2018/2109(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls the fact that the United Kingdom will become a third country after withdrawal from the EU, thus altering the EU’s external borders; stresses that the Brexit process should not negatively impact on the development or governance of EU customs.deleted
2018/12/10
Committee: INTA
Amendment 1 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
- having regard to the International Regulatory Strategy Group report on "The EU's Third Country Regimes and Alternatives to Passporting";
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 18 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas equivalence decisions should also adhere to the international principle of non-discrimination, between third countries themselves, and between EU and third country firms;
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 119 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Believes that equivalence decisions and international agreements should also explicitly adhere to a binding principle of non-discrimination in the same way as the approach followed and promoted by the World Trade Organisation; non- discrimination between third countries themselves, so that all are assessed on the same transparent basis and on the same timeframes and regularity; and between EU and third country firms, so that a higher standard should not be applied to comparable non-EU firms than would be required of EU firms, simply on the basis of nationality;
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 122 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
11. Questions the rationale behind equivalence decisions typically taking the form of implementing acts; insists that the process for granting equivalence to a third country in the area of financial services should always be scrutinised by Parliament and that, owing to their political nature, and for the purposes of greater transparency, these decisions should be taken by means of delegated acts;deleted
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 139 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that the Commission has the right to withdraw equivalence decisions, and believes that Parliament should be consulted in a timely manner before such a withdrawal decision is taken; calls for the introduction of clear procedures and timelines governing the adoption, withdrawal or suspension of equivalence decisions;
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 145 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
14. Is concerned that there is no consistent framework for ongoing supervision of an equivalent third country’s regime; considers that the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) should be equipped with the power to monitor regulatory developments in third countries and demands that Parliament should be kept informed of ongoing regulatory monitoring in third countries;
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 151 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Calls for the need for third countries who have been granted equivalence to discuss new regulations prior to implementation with ESAs to ensure that it is within the parameters of equivalence; notes that third countries should closely monitor developments in EU legislation to ensure they can adapt accordingly;
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 167 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for equivalence decisions to be reviewed at least once every three years by the relevant ESA and for such reviews to be made public;
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 187 #

2017/2253(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that close consideration should be given to the equivalence regime between the EU and high-impact third countries in order to develop stable and resilient regulatory relationships with those countries which have close financial links with the Union;deleted
2018/05/04
Committee: ECON
Amendment 4 #

2017/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for own resources reforms that establishan efficient management of own resources to ensure a predictable and stable basis for the EU budget which is independent, transparent and balanced and will address the growing pressure on the EU budget, simplify the complex and opaque rebate arrangements, and aim to lower the contribution of the Member States (and not increase the tax burden on EU citizens) and decrease the EU’s dependency; notes that the national contributions based on VAT and GNI are reliable, fair, and genuine own resources that are sufficient to fund the EU budget if appropriate consideration is given to the expenditure side onf the national contributions based on VAT and GNIbudget, which should focus on modern priorities and offer value for money;
2017/11/29
Committee: INTA
Amendment 12 #

2017/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that the EU’s international trade is directly related to the traditional own resources of the EU, which also consist mainlys of customs duties on imports from outside the EU and sugar levies and in 2015 represented 12.8 % of the total revenue of the EU;
2017/11/29
Committee: INTA
Amendment 17 #

2017/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines the need to analyse the impact on the traditional own resources of the conclusion of (free) trade agreements and to allocate alternative sources of income in order to compensate for a possible decrease in those resources;
2017/11/29
Committee: INTA
Amendment 24 #

2017/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for an exploration of the possibilities of creating thorough assessment on the impacts of possible sustainability- and emission- based customs duties and levies on trade in goods and services, and for the incorporation of such measures into; notes, in this respect, that the competitiveness of the EU's industry and businesses, particularly SMEs, must constitute a priority in the EU’s international trade policies and agreements, as constituting a source fornd be given adequate consideration in its own resources;
2017/11/29
Committee: INTA
Amendment 10 #

2017/2044(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the citizens of the Union are asking to be more involved and engaged with Union trade policy and that the Commission has made this citizens’ interest a priority; considers that it is crucial that enough resources are allocated to actively involve citizens indevelop a more effective communication strategy on the Union’s trade policy-making as well as on the advantages of international trade;
2017/07/24
Committee: INTA
Amendment 16 #

2017/2044(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that one of the Union’s major challenges remains the control of its borders and that the trade-related technical support and economic assistance provided by the European Neighbourhood Policy to Union partners in the East Border and to the post-Arab-SpringSouthern Neighbourhood countries make an important contribution to stability in those regions;
2017/07/24
Committee: INTA
Amendment 18 #

2017/2044(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses that trade and investment is key to development of developing countries and will reduce migration and its costs;
2017/07/24
Committee: INTA
Amendment 14 #

2017/2035(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital D
D. Calls on Kazakhstan not to align its import tariffs with those of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), but to push instead for the continued fulfilment of its WTO and Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) commitments in order to avoid costly compensation payments to WTO trading partners;
2017/09/06
Committee: INTA
Amendment 15 #

2017/2035(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital D
D. Calls on Kazakhstan not to align its import tariffs with those of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), but to push instead for the continued fulfilment of its WTO and Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) commitments in order to avoid costly compensation payments to WTO trading partners;
2017/09/06
Committee: INTA
Amendment 82 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
(3) Pursuant to the international commitments undertaken in the World Trade Organisation, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and in the trade and investment agreements concluded with third countries, the Union and Members States may adopt restrictive measures relating to foreign direct investment on the grounds of security or public order, subject to certain requirements.foreign direct investments may have trade restrictive effects, if undertaken for national security reasons only;
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 88 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
(4) Several Member States have put in place measures according to which they may restrict the movement of capital between Member States and between Member States and third countries on grounds of public policy or public security. Those measures reflect Member States' objectives and concerns with respect to foreign direct investment, and result in a number of different measures in terms of scope and procedure. Other Member States do not have such mechanisms in place and should not be required to create foreign direct investment screening mechanisms.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 95 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5 a (new)
(5 a) Member States and the Commission must refrain from invoking national security and public order as a general justification to impose disguised barriers to trade.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 96 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
(6 a) In accordance with Article 346 (1) (b) TFEU, any Member States may take such measures it considers necessary for the protection of the essential interests of its security which are connected with the production of or trade in arms, munitions and war material.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 100 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
(7) It is important to provide legal certainty for investors and to ensure EU wide coordination and cooperation between Member States and the Commission by establishing a framework for the screening of foreign direct investment in the Union on grounds of security or public order. This is without prejudice to the sole responsibility of the Member States for the maintenance of national security, and for judging what is necessary to protect their essential security interests.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 104 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
(8) The framework for the screening of foreign direct investment should provide the Member States and the Commission with the means to address risks to security or public order in a comprehensive manner, and to adapt to changing circumstances, whilst maintaining the necessary flexibility for Member States to screen foreign direct investments on grounds of security and public order, taking into account their individual situations and national circumstances, and fully respecting Member States decision- making on the screening of foreign direct investments.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 112 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
(9) A broad range of investmentsInvestments deemed to threaten national security or public order, which establish or maintain lasting and direct links between investors from third countries and undertakings carrying out an economic activity in a Member State should be covered.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 133 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
(12) In determining whether a foreign direct investment may affect security or public order, Member States and the Commission should be able to consider all relevant factors, including the effects on critical infrastructure, technologies, including key enabling technologies, and inputs which are essential for security or the maintenance of public order, and the disruption, loss or destruction of which would have a significant impact in a Member State or in the Union. In that regard, Member States and the Commission should also be able to take into account whether a foreign investor is controlled directly or indirectly (e.g. through significant funding, including subsidies) by the government of a third country.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 136 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
(13) It is appropriate to lay down the essential elements of the procedural framework for the screening of foreign direct investment by Member States to allow investors, the Commission and other Member States to understand how such investments are likely to be screened and to ensure that these investments are screened in a transparent manner and that they are non-discriminatory between third countries. Those elements should at least include the establishment of reasonable timeframes for the screening and the possibility for foreign investors to seek judicial redress of screening decisions, provided that the legal system of the Member State concerned is not called into question, and that highly sensitive information is not made publicly available.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 143 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
(14) A coordination mechanism which enables Member States to cooperate and assist each other where a foreign direct investment in one Member State may affect the security or public order of other Member States should be set up. Member States should be able to provide comments to a Member State in which the investment is planned or has been completed, irrespective of whether the Member States providing comments or the Member States in which the investment is planned or has been completed maintain a screening mechanism or are screening the investment. The comments of Member States shouldcan also be forwarded to the Commission. The Commission should also have the possibility, where appropriate, to issue an non-binding opinion to the Member State in which the investment is planned or has been completed, irrespective of whether this Member State maintains a screening mechanism or is screening the investment and irrespective of whether other Member States have provided comments. This non-binding opinion shall not be made public.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 157 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
(15) Furthermore, the Commission should have the possibility to screen foreign direct investments likely to affect projects and programmes of Union interest on grounds of security or public order. This would give the Commission a tool to protect projects and programmes which serve the Union as whole and represent an important contribution to its economic growth, jobs and competitiveness. This should include in particular projects and programmes involving a substantial EU funding or established by Union legislation regarding critical infrastructure, and critical technologies or critical inputs. For greater clarity, an indicative and non-exhaustive list of projects or programmes of Union interest in relation to which foreign direct investment can be subject to a screening by the Commission should be listed in an Annex.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 178 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
(18) To that end, it is also important to ensure a minimum level of information and coordination with regard to foreign direct investments falling under the scope of this Regulation in all Member States. This information should be made available by the Member States in which the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed upon request of the Member States or of the Commission. Relevant information includes aspects such as the ownership structure of the foreign investor and the financing of the planned or completed investment, including, when available, information about subsides granted by third countries. Member States should have the right to refuse to disclose information that would be contrary to their essential security interests.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 182 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
(18) To that end, it is also important to ensure a minimum level of information and coordination with regard to foreign direct investments falling under the scope of this Regulation in all Member States. This information should be made available by the Member States in which the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed upon request of the Member States or of the Commission. Relevant information includes aspects such as the ownership structure of the foreign investor and the financing of the planned or completed investment, including, when available, information about subsides granted by third countries.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 224 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Member States may maintain, amend or adopt mechanisms to screen foreign direct investments on the grounds of security or public order, under the conditions and in accordance with the terms set out in this Regulation.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 242 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. Projects or programmes of Union interest shall include in particular those projects and programmes which involve a substantial amount or a significant share of EU funding, or which are covered by Union legislation regarding critical infrastructure, and critical technologies or critical inputs. An indicative list of projects or programmes of Union interest is included in Annex 1.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 272 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 3
- the security of supply of critical inputs; ordeleted
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 318 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 4
4. Foreign investors and undertakings concerned shall have the possibility to seek judicial redress against screening decisions of the national authorities, provided the legal systems of the Member States are not called into question and highly sensitive information is not made publicly available.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 327 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) foreign direct investments screened and undergoing screening, including on projects and programmes of Union interest;
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 343 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall inform the Commission and the other Member States of any foreign direct investments that are undergoing screening within the framework of their screening mechanisms, within 5 working days from the start of the screening. As part of the information, and when applicable, the screening Member States shall endeavour to indicate whether it considers that the foreign direct investment undergoing screening is likely to fall within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 347 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. Where a Member State considers that a foreign direct investment planned or completed in another Member State is likely to affect its security or public order, it may provide comments to the Member State where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed. The comments shallcan be forwarded to the Commission in parallel. The comments shall provide an exhaustive explanation on how the foreign direct investment concerned is likely to affect its security or public order.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 360 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3
3. Where the Commission considers that a foreign direct investment is likely to affect security or public order in one or more Member States, it may issue an non- binding opinion addressed to the Member State in which the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed. The Commission may issue an non-binding opinion irrespective of whether other Member States have provided comments.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 363 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission or a Member State which duly considers that a foreign direct investment is likely to affect its security or public order may request from the Member State where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed, any information necessary to provide comments referred to in paragraph 2, or to issue the opinion referred to in paragraph 3.deleted
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 370 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new)
On the basis of the comments and opinions provided under paragraphs 2 and 3, the Commission can request additional information as referred to in Article 10, from the Member State where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed, if it considers that the investment is likely to threaten national security or public order.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 372 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 5
5. Comments pursuant to paragraphs 2 or opinions pursuant to paragraph 3 shall be addressed to the Member State where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed within a reasonable period of time, and in any case no later than 25 working days following receipt of the information referred to in paragraphs 1 or 4. In cases where the opinion of the Commission follows comments from other Member States, the Commission shall have 25 additional working days for issuing the opinion.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 378 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Comments pursuant to paragraph 2 and opinions pursuant to paragraph 3 shall be addressed to the Member State where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed only, and should not be made publicly available.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 396 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. Where the Commission considers that a foreign direct investment is likely to affect projects or programmes of Union interest on grounds of security or public order, the Commission may issue an non- binding opinion addressed to the Member State where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed. This opinion should not be made publicly available.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 407 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission may request from the Member State where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed any information necessary, as referred to in Article 10, to issue the opinion referred to in paragraph 1.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 412 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall address its opinion to the Member State concerned within a reasonable period of time, and in any case no later than 25 working days following receipt of the information requested by the Commission pursuant to paragraph 2. Where a Member State has a screening mechanism in place as referred to in Article 3(1) and the information on foreign direct investment undergoing screening has been received by the Commission pursuant to Article 8(1), the opinion shall be delivered no later than 25 working days following receipt of such information. Where additional information is needed to issue an opinion, the 25-day period shall run from the date of receipt of the additional information.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 424 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 5
5. The Member States where the foreign direct investment is planned or has been completed shall take utmostinto account of the Commission's opinion and provide an explanation to the Commission in case its opinion is not followed.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 429 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that the information requested by the Commission and other Member States pursuant to Articles 8(4) and 9(2) is made available to the Commission and the requesting Member States without undue delay.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 445 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Member States should not disclose confidential information as a result of the application of this Regulation without prior information of the investor to ensure transparency of the proceedings.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 450 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Member States where the investment is planned or has been completed can refuse to provide information if they see that contrary to their essential security interests, or if there are serious doubts about possible misuse of that information.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 458 #

2017/0224(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
(1) Where the report notes that the application of this Regulation is ineffective to meet the proposed objectives, this Regulation shall cease to apply after 5 years of its entry into force.
2018/04/12
Committee: INTA
Amendment 71 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) State-owned undertakings are subject to the competition rules of the Treaties to the extent that they engage in an economic activity. Member States should refrain from taking any measures that could undermine the independent assessment of matters coming before the NCAs when they concern such undertakings.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 79 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 18
(18) NCAs should have the necessary resources, in terms of staff, expertise, financial means and technical equipment, to ensure they can effectively perform their tasks when applying Articles 101 and 102 TFEU. In case their duties and powers under national law are extended, the resources that are necessary to perform those tasks should still be sufficient. The independence of NCAs will be enhanced if they have autonomy in the implementation of the budgets allocated to them. Autonomy in the implementation of allocated budgets should be implemented within the framework of national budgetary rules and procedures.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 90 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 28
(28) Where in the course of proceedings which may lead to an agreement or a practice being prohibited, undertakings or associations of undertakings offer NCAs commitments which meet their concerns, these authorities should be able to adopt decisions which make these commitments binding on, and enforceable against, the undertakings concerned. Such cIn principle, such commitment decisions are not appropriate in cases of secret cartels, in respect of which NCAs should impose a fine. Commitment decisions should find that there are no longer grounds for action by the NCAs without concluding as to whether or not there has been an infringement of Article 101 TFEU or Article 102 TFEU. Commitment decisions are without prejudice to the powers of competition authorities and courts of the Member States to make such a finding of an infringement and decide upon a case.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 95 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 32
(32) To ensure that the fines imposed for infringements of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU reflect the economic significance of the infringement, NCAs should take into account the gravity of the infringement. NCAs should also be able to set fines that are proportionate to the duration of the infringement. These factors should be assessed in accordance with the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. In particular, as regards the assessment of the gravity of an infringement, the Court of Justice of the European Union has established that consideration must be given to the circumstances of the case, the context in which the infringement occurred and the deterrent effect of the fines. Factors that may form part of this assessment are the turnover for the goods and services in respect of which the infringement was committed and the size and economic power of the undertaking - e.g. when it is a small or medium-sized enterprise with limited market power -, as they reflect the influence the undertaking was able to exert on the market. Moreover, the existence of repeated infringements by the same perpetrator shows its propensity to commit such infringements and is therefore a very significant indication of the gravity of the conduct in question and accordingly of the need to increase the level of the penalty to achieve effective deterrence. When determining the fine to be imposed, NCAs should consider the value of the undertaking’s sales of goods and services to which the infringement directly or indirectly relates. Similarly, NCAs should be entitled to increase the fine to be imposed on an undertaking or association of undertakings that continues the same, or commits a similar, infringement after the Commission or a national competition authority has taken a decision finding that the same undertaking or association of undertakings has infringed Articles 101 or 102 TFEU. In addition, NCAs may take account of any compensation paid as a result of a consensual settlement, in accordance with Article 18(3) of Directive 2014/104/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 104 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 34
(34) The deterrent effect of fines differs widely across Europe and in some Member States the maximum amount of the fine that can be set is very low. To ensure NCAs can set deterrent fines, the maximum amount of the fine should be set at least at a level of not less than 10% of the total worldwide turnover of the undertaking concerned. This should not prevent Member States from maintaining or introducing a higher maximum amount of the fine.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 144 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that national competition authorities have the human, financial and technical resources that are necessary for the effective performance of their duties and exercise of their powers when applying Articles 101 and 102 TFEU as defined in paragraph 2. Member States shall ensure that NCAs are able to administer the budgets allocated to it independently. Such freedom of management of their budgets should be implemented within the framework of national budgetary rules and procedures.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 169 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Member States shall ensure that national administrative competition authorities may by decision require undertakings and associations of undertakings to provide all necessary information for the application of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU within a specifiedreasonable time limit. This obligation shall cover information which is accessible to the undertaking and association of undertakings.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 182 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Member States shall ensure that in proceedings initiated with a view to a decision requiring that an infringement of Article 101 or Article 102 TFEU be brought to an end, national competition authorities may, after seeking the views of market participants, by decision make binding commitments offered by undertakings to meet the concerns expressed by these authorities. Such a decision may be adopted for a specified period and shall conclude that there are no longer grounds for action by the national competition authority concerned.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 195 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. When determining the amount of the fine for an infringement, national competition authorities may take into account any compensation paid as a result of a consensual settlement in accordance with Article 18(3) of Directive 2014/104/EU.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 203 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that the maximum amount of the fine a national competition authority may impose on each undertaking or association of undertakings participating in an infringement of Articles 101 or 102 TFEU should not be seis set at least at a level belowof 10% of its total worldwide turnover in the business year preceding the decision. This should not prevent Member States from maintaining or introducing a higher maximum level for the fine.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 211 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 2
2. Where an infringement by an association of undertakings relates to the activities of its members, the maximum amount of the fine shall not be set at least at a level belowof 10 % of the sum of the total worldwide turnover of each member active on the market affected by the infringement of the association. This should not prevent Member States from maintaining or introducing a higher maximum amount of the fine. However, the financial liability of each undertaking in respect of the payment of the fine shall not exceed the maximum amount set in accordance with paragraph 1.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 241 #

2017/0063(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Member States shall ensure that current and former employees and directors of applicants for immunity from fines to competition authorities are protected from any criminal and administrative sanctions and from sanctions imposed in non- criminal judicial proceedings for their involvement in the secret cartel covered by the application, if these employees and directors actively cooperate with the competition authorities concerned and the immunity application predates the starttime when the employees and directors were made aware by the competent authorities of the Member States of the criminal proceedings.
2017/11/06
Committee: ECON
Amendment 900 #

2016/2114(REG)

Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 15 – paragraph 1
The President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors shall be elected by secret ballot, in accordance with Rule 182. Nominations shall be with consent. They may only be made by a political group or by at least 40 Members. However, if the number of nominations does not exceed the number of seats to be filled, the candidates may be elected by acclamation. Members shall be permitted to serve a maximum of two terms in the office of President pursuant to Rule 19(1), regardless of whether they are served consecutively or not.
2016/09/27
Committee: AFCO
Amendment 1072 #

2016/2114(REG)

Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 136
1. three political groups may submit a written declaration of not more than 200 words relating exclusively to a matter falling within the competence of the European Union. The contents of such a declaration may not go beyond the form of a declaration. In particular, it may not call for any legislative action, contain any decision on matters for which specific procedures and competences are laid down in these Rules of Procedure or deal with the subject of ongoing proceedings in Parliament. 2. further shall be subject to a reasoned decision by the President pursuant to paragraph 1 in any given case. Written declarations shall be published in the official languages on Parliament's website and distributed electronically to all Members. They shall be entered, with the names of the signatories, in an electronic register. This register shall be public and shall be accessible through Parliament's website. Hard copies of written declarations with signatures will be also kept by the President. 3. The signature of any Member may be added to a declaration entered in the electronic register. It may be withdrawn at any time before the end of a period of three months from the entry of the declaration in the register. In the event of such a withdrawal the Member concerned shall not be permitted to add his or her signature again to the declaration. 4. three months from its being entered in the register, a declaration is signed by a majority of Parliament's component Members, the President shall notify Parliament accordingly. Without binding Parliament, the declaration shall be published inRule 136 deleted Written declarations At least 10 Members from at least The authorisation to proceed Where, at the end of a period of The procedure shall be closed by Where the minutes with the names of its signatories. 5. the forwarding to the addressees, at the end of the part-session, of the declaration, together with the names of the signatories. 6. adopted declaration has been addressed do not inform Parliament about the intended follow-up within three months from its receipt, the matter shall, at the request of one of the authors of the declaration, be placed on the agenda of a subsequent meeting of the committee responsible. 7. remained in the register for over three months and is not signed by at least one half of the component Members of Parliament shall lapse, without any possibility of that three-month period being extended.stitutions to which the A written declaration that has
2016/09/27
Committee: AFCO
Amendment 39 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital E
E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK's membership of the Union, relations with Russia and, the refugee crisis and the unwillingness of Member States to commit to serious structural reforms have compounded uncertainties and further served to inhibit investment;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 99 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the Commission’s continuing approach to limit the number of recommendations and its effort to mainstream the semester by covering mainly key priority areas of macroeconomic and social relevance, when setting the policy objectives for the next 18 months; reiterates that this facilitates the implementation of recommendations according to a comprehensive and meaningful range of economic and social benchmarks;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 112 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater natensure less complexity, more transparency and greater national and where applicable regional ownership in the formulation and implementation of CSRs asin an ongoing reform process;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 117 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investmentacilitate private investment and increase public investment in areas such as education and infrastructure, in order to enhance the EU’s competitiveness;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 141 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partntakeholders and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusivecompetitive and open to job-creation overall;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 154 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
8. Expresses disquiet about the current ‘liquidity trap’ the EU economy seems to have fallen into, with interest rates at the Zero Lower Bound (ZLB), weak demand prospects, and restricted investment and spending by households and companies, not least in surplus countries;Deleted
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 166 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commissionstates that large and consistent current account surpluses reflect a clear need to stimulate demand and investment in order to cope with the challenges of the future regarding transport and communications, the digital economy, education and research, climate change, energy, environmental protection and the ageing population; calls on the Commission to continue to support budgetary policies that underpin growth and recovery in all Member States and support sustainable structural reformsn undervalued internal exchange rate and constitute a case of "beggar-thy- neighbour policy" of countries with such undervalued internal exchange rates; calls on the Commission to develop legal and technical procedures to enable countries to leave the Eurozone if they wish to do so;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 190 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area and to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy, notably to SMEs;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 203 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusiveeconomic growth in the EUurozone and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules madneither expansionary monetary nor fiscal policy will return the Eurozone necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that a coordinated fiscal expansion is also needed onomies to their long-term potential growth path in the absence of exchange rates reflecting the EU, therefore, in line with the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact and its flexibility clauses, in order to place emphasir relative competitiveness; underlines that the best way to help the most affected countries to significantly lower unemployment in the medium term is oan public and private investmentexit from the currency union;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 230 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migrationtackle high levels of unemployment by structural reforms and an exit from the Eurozone, while considering that migration of well- educated young citizens of non-EU countries could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal challenges but that it should be complemented with efficient public expenditure, especially in high-quality social and environmentally sustainable investments and lower taxes on labour;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 247 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
13. Highlights the importance of resilientflexible labour markets where an appropriate trade-off is maintained between economic, social and human costs in accordance with the EU values of solidarity and subsidiarityinterests of employers and employees, with a focus on the upgrading of educational systems and vocational education;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 267 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy, as well as from the effect on bank lending in the wake of the adoption of the banking union, and a national level from cumbersome legal systems, corruption, lack of transparency, outdated bureaucracy, inadequate digitalisation of public services, lack of mutual recognition of academic and technical qualifications in the professions and certain services sectors, and educational systems that remain out of synch with modern requirements;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 293 #

2016/2101(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by promoting a growth-friendly tax shift towards consumption andreducing the overall size of government and by promoting a tax shift towards more neutral taxes and smart environmental taxes;
2016/08/30
Committee: ECON
Amendment 1 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that, having been fully operational for less than a year, the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) has kicked off successfully, delivering some initial concrete results and acting as a positive instrument to overcome the lack of investment in Europe through coordinated action; stresses, however, that the pace needs to be accelerated and its initial results need to improve significantly in the near future in order for the instrument to achieve its objectives fully;deleted
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 9 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Strongly supports the ambition of the Commission to overcome the investment gap and strengthen the incentives in the private sector to invest in and boost the sustainable growth of the European economies; for this reason, however, firmly opposes the activities of the EFSI that undermine these goals and are not a solution but rather part of the problem;1a __________________ 1a As of July 2016, the EFSI approvals ensured 37% of its original goal of €315 billion in the new investments (289 approved transactions in total). Some say the existence of these investments is a success of its own, as they would not have existed without the fund. This statement is a mistake that indicates lack of economic understanding.
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 10 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Calls for activities that deal with the real causes of the private investment gap which have not yet been addressed - debt crisis, one trillion EUR in bad loans in the banking sector (ECB estimate) which weakens its ability to provide new loans to the economy1b , bureaucratic, regulatory and tax burden; considers that EFSI is not and cannot be a solution to this problem; __________________ 1b The balance sheets of the banks in the Eurozone exhibit €1,000 billion of failed loans (for the reference, the whole budget of the Union is approximately €150 billion). Given that a standard bank is able to use its own capital to cover only a few per cent drop in the value of its assets, the question is who will pay the losses should they need to be addressed. The European Banks are sufficiently large (some are larger than the GDP of the country in which they reside), which in turn may increase taxpayers‘ expenditure should they find themselves in trouble. As the banks realise that they have lent money to dubious projects, they are not willing to offer further loans any more. However, the businesses in the EU are usually given up to 90% of the resources by the commercial banks (for the reference, in the USA, it is only 30%). Due to the fact that banks are reluctant to offer loans, the Commission has come up with the EFSI project, which is to substitute the loans-offering role of the banks. Instead of having the banks recovered by addressing their losses (which would indeed hurt, but if it had been performed at the beginning of the Euro crisis, we could already have growth with a healthy banking sector), the ECB is feeding them with money. Not only that, it has also decreased the interest rates to virtually zero, in order to make them take on more loans. This is, however, not happening (the only argument of the proponents of quantitative easing is that the situation would otherwise be even worse). Furthermore, the EFSI is not properly functioning either. The problem is that we keep trying to solve the consequence instead of addressing the cause of the malfunctioning system of loans.
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 11 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Reminds that in principle, there are little differences between the EFSI and standard European funds; believes that the main difference is in the extent of support - while standard European funds finance most of the costs of the supported projects, the EFSI provides a loan for the part of the project; thus, EFSI can support more projects for less taxpayers' money but only in the cost of dead-weight loss, shifting of resources and moral hazard;
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 12 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Acknowledges the dead-weight loss; reminds that EFSI supported financing of Normandy Dairy Production Facility and Polish milk powder factory while there is a general excess capacity in the diary production; reminds also that the same applies for the EFSI support of the wind farms while there are excess capacities for the electricity production in Europe; believes that EFSI must stop financing ordinary projects which deforms standard market competition; 1c __________________ 1cThe EIB declares that the EFSI “remains focused on the specific objective of addressing the market failure in risk- taking, which hinders the investment in Europe. In doing so, the EFSI will also increase the volume of high risk projects supported by the EIB Group.” The EFSI also finances a Slovak PPP project; a construction of approximately 27 km of the D4 motorway around Bratislava, which is to connect to the R7 expressway (outside the scope of EIB financing). Paradoxically, while the contribution to the transport capacity of the D4 remains controversial, the more necessary R7 will not receive an EFSI funding. Moreover, there is no reason to assume this D4 PPP project would not find sufficient funding without a help from the EFSI.
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 13 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
2. Urges that EFSI ensure greater additionality for its projects in relation to normal EIB activities; underlines the fact that EFSI should support strategic investments related to projects that cannot obtain funding because of market failures, suboptimal investment situations or high levels of risk; recalls, furthermore, that when determining the criteria for use of the EU guarantee, EFSI should consider not only the profitability factor, but also the positive effects in terms of growth, job creation and cohesion;deleted
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 20 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that, while the SMEs window of the EFSI represented a good opportunity for start-ups, SMEs and mid- caps, there is a lack of big investment; emphasises, therefore, the need to improve the financing of infrastructure and innovation projects;deleted
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 32 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Urges that moral hazard shall not be overlooked; stresses that even partial loses of the investments supported by EFSI can cause 100% loss of the European taxpayers money due to high level of leverage the EFSI uses; stresses also that taxpayers unwillingly bear the risks of the failed investments;
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 34 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for better coordination between EFSI and other EU funds, in particular the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs), so as to promote stronger cohesion in Europe and ensure that EFSI has wide geographical coverage; calls, also, for closer cooperation with national promotional banks, local and regional authorities and relevant stakeholders, including further encouragement to establish investment platforms to aggregate sectorial and geographical investment opportunities;deleted
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 40 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses that profitability of projects cannot be counted simply by looking at the cash flows; stresses that, in addition to adjustments for lost income from alternative use of the resources (e.g. what would happen if the resources were never taken from the hands of the taxpayers), the investment risk calculation must be considered as well; believes that, since risk is what seems to be one the main reasons for the lack of private investments in the EU, its inclusion can throw many EFSI projects into red numbers;4a __________________ 4a The profitability of the investments approved by the EFSI should not be compared to the situation where no other investments are made by the private sector. Instead, the profitability of the EFSI should be compared to an alternative scenario in which the public sector eliminates the investment uncertainty it created and which caused the investment gap in the first place: deficit public spending; failure of the regulatory role of the banking system; and bureaucratic, regulatory and tax burden it forced on private investors. These are the key issues that have not yet been addressed.
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 41 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the need to increase the transparency of EFSI operations and to improve information about projects and their quality to citizens and potential beneficiaries; points to the need to enhance the European Investment Project Portal (EIPP) and the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) in order to establish a link with the real economy, give visibility to projects and provide high- quality technical assistance to potential promoters;deleted
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 45 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Acknowledges that the most important effect of EFSI activities is shifting of resources as every euro the EFSI lends for the investments it supports is a euro that was taken from the hands of a private lender; stresses that, if a private entrepreneur makes an investment that EFSI is willing to support, he will not realize an investment that he could otherwise accomplish without the help from EFSI;5a __________________ 5aEvery investment inevitably carries a level of risk and therefore investing is a natural role for the private sector. When people invest their own capital, they carefully consider potential profits and losses of their investments as well as the credibility of the borrower. Risks (and thus both profits and losses) stay in private hands. If the EFSI applies high standards set by professional investors from the private sector, there will be no reason for its existence, as its role will already be fulfilled by the private sector. The very existence of the EFSI is therefore problematic: the EFSI uses public resources to incite investments that are too risky for private lenders to take, while the private sector and taxpayers bear the risks of failing EFSI investments.
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 47 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that EFSI is instrumental in completing and restructuring the Single Market; underlines, in this light, the importance of strengthening the third pillar of the ‘Investment Plan for Europe’, also in the context of the European Semester process, in order to make the EU regulatory environment more certain, homogeneous and favourable to investments by focusing especially on strategic objectives such as completion of the Single Market and the development of a well-functioning Digital Single Market, and on key actions that support these objectives;deleted
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 52 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Underlines that the EFSI shifts the capital from the market-driven projects where they would be most effective to the projects driven by the EFSI bureaucrats where they are less effective; underlines that economy as a whole therefore loses;6a __________________ 6aThe EFSI is an entity that does not solve the causes of the investment gap, but rather shifts the risks that private lenders are not willing to take to all European taxpayers. The resources of the Public sector are solely those it has obtained in taxes from the Private sector. Every public euro used for the activities of the EFSI is therefore missed in the private sector, which makes the situation for the future of private investments even worse.
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 53 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Acknowledges that EFSI enables avoiding fiscal rules; stresses that national contributions to EFSI are considered one-off measures, respectively a "relevant factor" in terms of assessing the deficit; as a result, stresses that several countries struggling with fiscal problems including the ones with public debt exceeding 60% GDP cap rule or 3% GDP deficit rule pledged billions of euros in contributions on EFSI projects;
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 57 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the recent Commission proposal to extend EFSI beyond 2018 and to reinforce it in order to overcome the current investment gap in Europe and continue to mobilise private sector capital, these being crucial steps to ensure sustainable growth, competitiveness, quality job creation and social and territorial cohesion in Europe.deleted
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 63 #

2016/2064(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Recommends to reject the Commission proposal to extend the EFSI beyond 2018 and to stop providing any further loans from the EFSI.
2016/09/07
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 11 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B
B. whereas the Customs Union has shown that it clearly fails to meet the requirements of trade relations between the parties;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 15 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital C
C. whereas Turkeyboth sides hasve been implementing an ever increasing number of tariff and non-tariff barriers over time;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 26 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Da. Whereas exchange rates are a main driver behind trade, and in the last 3 years, the Turkish Lira lost 25 % of its value compared to the Euro;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 63 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
(ii) the strengthening of trade relations between the EU and Turkey should be set against the background of the common will of the parties to share the set of values and principles laid down in the EU's founding treaties, including the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and to work together to implement them fully and comprehensively;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 66 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
(iii) with a view to the start of the negotiations, the economic, social, political and legal conditions under which they are to take place and which, in any case, will determine the effects of those negotiations on citizens' lives, should be specifically and carefully considered;deleted
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 86 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a – point vi
(vi) the entire negotiating process should be based on the principles of transparency and full access to the proceedings;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 100 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
(iii) the fight against counterfeiting, piracy, the trade in wild animalsillegal wildlife trade and food fraud are important aspects of the Customs Union;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 106 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point iv
(iv) the harmonisationoutcome of customs systems is vital for the development of trade between the EU and Turkey; to that end, the Commission should strengthen customs cooperation and the exchange of information between the Member States and Turkey;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 123 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – introductory part
(c) regarding a new trade and investment framework:
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 138 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point iii
(iii) negotiations should focus on the active promotion of decent work for all and the effective fight against national practices which seek to undermine the social and environmental substance of work for the purpose of promoting domestic production and attracting foreigncontribute to the Parties' activities pursuing public policy objectives such as inter alia a high level of protection of: a) public health; human, animal and plant life and health; health and safety; working conditions; animal welfare; b) the environment; c) consumers; d) social protection and social security; e) personal data and cybersecurity; f) cultural diversity; g) financial stability; whilst facilitating trade and investment;.
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 153 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point v
(v) the lack of harmonisazation and/or mutual recognition of plant health rules is a major barrier to trade in agricultural products; removal of that barrier should, however, be contingent upon compliance with the high quality standards applied by the EU, also taking into account the risk of fraud;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 161 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point vi
(vi) owing to its importance and impact, the services sector should be liberalised on the basis of stringent transparency criteria, full reciprocity, non-discrimination, mutual recognition of high standards and legislative harmonisation, with the exclusion of audiovisual services and services of general economic interest;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 173 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point viii
(viii) rigorousclear procedures should be established regarding the entry and residence of professionals;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 180 #

2016/2031(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point ix
(ix) the new EU-Turkey trade and investment framework should lay down specific provisions for the protection of investments and include a dispute settlement procedure;
2017/03/02
Committee: INTA
Amendment 1 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
1. Emphasises that the post-electoral revisionew of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) must address the new political challenges facing the EU; underlines that reallocation of funds for emergencies is not a sustainable solution; insists that the existing resource commit in order to enable the Union and Member States to reassess their priorities; underlines that the flexibility mechanisms within the MFF enable the EU to mobilise the necessary funds to react to unforeseen events; believes that the existing resources in both commitments and payments for achieving the Union’s strategic objectives and greater economic, social and territorial cohesion should be maintained;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 7 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Acknowledges that the MFF ceilings form only one aspect of future budgeting and that efficient and effective spending is equally – if not more – important; recalls, furthermore, that all EU spending must be targeted at those regions and Member States that need it most, in line with the principle of equality and solidarity;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 13 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Believes that the principle of European added value should represent the cornerstone of all future expenditures, which also must be guided by the principle of efficiency, effectiveness and value for money, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity as defined by Article 5 TEU;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 15 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
2. Reminds that the EU budget is an investment budget with a strong leverage effect and can represent a strong tool to increase strategic investments with European added value consistent with an approach aimed at creating growth and jobs; Underlines that the employment rate in the EU currently stands at 69.2 %, which is well below the Europe 2020 target, and; calls for increased public investment in job creation and skillsa better use of existing funds by focussing spending on ‘smart growth’ allowing for a coherent and consistent long term strategic approach to the challenges faced by the Union;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 25 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that gaining the full support from citizens in the context of on-going budgetary constraints is extremely important in order to reaffirm and achieve our social and employment commitments under the EU2020 strategy; believes that the challenge facing the EU will not be to spend more, but to spend more efficiently;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 27 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
3. Insists on the continuation of the Youth Employment Initiative and calls for the resources for this initiative to be provided until 2020; Notes that the Youth Employment Initiative was introduced in the current programming period to foster employment in particular for young people with a budget of €6.4bn, and that co-legislators agreed to frontload the whole envelope for this programme for 2014 and 2015; Reminds the Commission of the joint statement as part of the 2016 Budget agreement in which the Commission committed to draw lessons from the results of the YEI evaluation; Insists on that any proposals for the continuation of the Youth Employment Initiative must take the results of the evaluation fully into account in order to move towards performance based budgeting;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 39 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that new legislation on EURES and the European platform for tackling undeclared work will draw on Employment and Social Innovation programme resources and insists that adequppropriate funding for this programme be guaranteensured in the EU budget;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 44 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that the resources of the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived are not sufficientcould be used to address the unprecedented flow of refugees and that competition for scarce funds may lead to social conflict; any increases in these budget lines must be matched by identifying savings elsewhere in the EU budget for example, in lines that are not achieving their policy objectives or in budget lines that have been under implemented; insists that the ESF share amount to 25 % of the total cohesion budget, that no reductions in the national envelopes for ESF measures be made and that sufficient cash flow be provided annually for payments from the EU budget;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 53 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises that the policies for poverty reduction and social inclusion among vulnerable groups have failed to produce the expected results and calls for increased financial aid to social servicreminds the Commission of its commitment to make concrete proposals for the establishment of a performance-based public budgeting model in which each budget line is accompanied by objectives and the social economyoutputs to be measured by performance indicators;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 59 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
7. Draws attention to the huge problem of child poverty in Europe, which is afflicting over 20 million children, and reiterates its call for the establishment of a Child Guarantee with dedicated special resources, together with programmes to assist parents in getting out of social exclusion and unemployment; strongly believes that EU funding, particularly that under Heading 1a and 1b should not be used to subsidise national approaches, but should be used to provide additional support to people facing social exclusion and unemployment in a way that complements and enhances national programmes according to the decision of the Member States;
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 68 #

2015/2353(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
8. Considering that 13.1 % of EU 27 GDP has been spent on bank bailouts while the EU budget remains at less than 1 %, calls on Member States to ensure the provision of all resources necessary to successfully overcome the extreme challenges being faced by the EU at present.deleted
2016/04/25
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 86 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses that the premise for the creation of the Eurozone was the promise that there would be no fiscal transfers between Member States; reminds that fiscal transfers within Europe would be carried out by EU institutions such as the European Social Fund;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 90 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Believes that it is a mistake to increase the interdependence of the EU and the Eurozone; warns that there is increasing risk that a failure of the Euro- system will damage EU institutions or the entire EU; warns that problems economically caused by the Euro-system will be increasingly attributed by citizens on the EU; maintains that increased transfers from northern Europe to the South within the Eurozone system would help parties that want to abolish the EU altogether;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 91 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Believes that a budgetary capacity would make the EU still more opaque to the voter and reduce democratic control;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 92 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6d. Warns of the difficulty to correctly identify asymmetric economic shocks and their duration; warns that the fiscal capacity would be used to compensate not for temporary shocks but for permanent loss in competitiveness; reminds that countries such as Italy1a or France1b regularly devalued to the German Mark before the Euro-System but rarely and only temporarily revalued; indicating that loss of competitiveness usually must be absorbed by permanent and not temporary measures; notes that fiscal capacities such as the "Länderfinanzausgleich" in Germany rarely reverse and usually are permanent transfer systems; 1a http://fxtop.com/de/zoom-historischen- wechselkursen- graph.php?C1=DEM&C2=CHF&A=1&DD1=01& MM1=01&YYYY1=1953&DD2=06&MM2=05&Y YYY2=2016&LARGE=1〈=de&CJ=0&MM1Y=0. 1b http://fxtop.com/de/zoom-historischen- wechselkursen- graph.php?C1=DEM&C2=CHF&A=1&DD1=01& MM1=01&YYYY1=1953&DD2=06&MM2=05&Y YYY2=2016&LARGE=1〈=de&CJ=0&MM1Y=0.
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 93 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 e (new)
6e. Believes that quantitative easing policies are damaging capital allocation and are damaging long-term growth and job creation; maintains that current debt levels in some member states are unsustainable;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 94 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 f (new)
6f. Acknowledges that ECB policies are reducing pressure to reform in Member States; fears that a EU budgetary capacity will have the same effect; reminds that the OECD has concluded that France and Italy have made little progress since 2013; reminds that Mario Draghi has repeatedly asked the member states to use the time gained by ultra-loose monetary policy to carry out structural reform; maintains that a fiscal capacity will massively build moral hazard and disincentive to reform;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 95 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 g (new)
6g. Acknowledges that the introduction of the common currency has eliminated tried and tested policy options for counterbalancing economic shocks such as exchange rate fluctuation; maintains that a currency union need not have transfer mechanisms as long as labour markets are sufficiently flexible; points out that this was known at the start of the currency union1a and reforms should have been implemented when joining the currency union; 1a http://www.zvab.com/W%C3%A4hrungsunion- Arbeitsmarkt-Auftakt-unabdingbaren-Reformen- Dohse/14988303120/bd.
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 96 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 h (new)
6h. Deplores that there is no figure of the size of the envisioned budgetary capacity mentioned except for the Community Budget of 5-7% of GDP as mentioned in the 1977 McDougall Report;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 97 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 i (new)
6i. Acknowledges that the rules of the Euro and the institutions dealing with it (ECB, ESM) were broken numerous times and there is no indication that the rule of law would be observed in a budgetary capacity; reminds that when Jean Claude Juncker was questioned about the continual failure of France to fulfil its debt criteria he responded "we should not blindly apply the stability pact”;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 98 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 j (new)
6j. Warns that the fiscal capacity might issue equities; warns that debt- based Keynesian deficit spending will only have short temporary effect on the labour markets; warns that while they will be backed by the strongest countries the control over debt issuance will currently be in the hands of the deficit countries; warns that debt issuance of the facility will further undermine the deficit criteria of the Maastricht treaty; demands that national parliaments will have a veto over debt issuance as they will be held accountable for backing this debt;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 99 #

2015/2344(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 k (new)
6k. Demands that any country taking money from the fiscal capacity will have to subject the entirety of its labour laws to the Commission; demands that countries can only be eligible for money from the budgetary capacity if their retirement age is set to the highest retirement age of any country currently paying into the system;
2016/06/09
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 1 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
— having regard to Article 5 TEU and 9 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 3 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 a (new)
- having regard to the European Court of Auditors special report number 3/2015 on the EU Youth Guarantee: first steps taken but implementation risks ahead1 a ; __________________ 1a http://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocu ments/SR15_03/SR15_03_EN.pdf
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 16 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
- Having regards to the fifth and sixth European working conditions survey 2010 and 2015 1 a __________________ 1a http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/europea n-working-conditions-surveys-ewcs
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 17 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 26 a (new)
- having regard to the European Employment and Social situation quarterly review March 20151 a __________________ 1a http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId= 89⟨Id=en≠wsId=2193&furtherNews=yes
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 41 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A
A. whereas unemployment has been diminishing since 2013 thanks to supportive macroeconomic policies, low energy costs which have increased spending power and the impact of structural reforms; whereas it nevertheless remains too high in many Member States, currently affecting 9.9 % of active citizens, i.e. 23 million Europeans, about half of them being long-term unemployed;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 45 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
A a. Whereas the effects of the Eurozone- crisis, especially high public and private debt, have yet to be solved and continue to have a negative economic and social effect on the economies of the EU; whereas the Eurozone continues to be susceptible to asymmetric economic shocks and lags behind the rest of Europe in regards to economic growth;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 55 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
B a. Whereas the primary responsibility for tackling youth unemployment rests with the Member States in terms of developing and implementing labour market regulatory frameworks, education and training systems and active labour market policies;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 56 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
B b. whereas the loss of human capital due to unemployment is huge and whereas the total cost of youth unemployment has been estimated at 153 billion Euros a year1 a ; __________________ 1a http://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocu ments/SR15_03/SR15_03_EN.pdf #8
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 144 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that good and quality jobs constitute an essential pillar for social fairness, promoting human dignity; believes that in this sense employment and growth must be placed at the centre of Member States and EU policies, especially for youth, as a way to construct a more sustainable social economies in the European Union;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 146 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Is concerned of the effects that brain drain of highly qualified graduates from the EU to more competitive and wealthy economies such as Switzerland, USA and Norway combined with the influx of migrants with lower average qualifications will have on the EU's ability to regain competitiveness and create more high skilled jobs;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 156 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to foster, at the exchange of best practice between Member State level,s on new forms of cooperation involving governments, enterprises, educational institutions and social partners, with a view to adapting Member States’ education and training systems to the needs of the labour market;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 166 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls the importance of skills and competences acquired in non-formal and informal learning environments in terms of improving the employability of young people; stresses, therefore, thecalls, therefore, on the Member States to consider the strong social and economic importance of creating a validation system for non- formal and informal forms of knowledge and experience, especially those acquired via voluntary activities;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 167 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomNotes the Commission´s proposal to enhance the Youth Guarantee at national, regional and local level, and stresses its importance for school-to-work transitions; stresses the need to guarantee suitable forms of collaboration between public and private employment services; ; deplores the fact that according to the ECA the youth guarantee has not been effectively implemented in many Member States1 a ; Believes there is a role for the Commission to focus Member States attention on the need for action and to facilitate the exchange of best-practice on how best to combat youth unemployment; __________________ 1a http://www.eca.europa.eu/Lists/ECADocu ments/SR15_03/SR15_03_EN.pdf #38,39
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 182 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Recognises the potential value of the EU as a means to focus Member States attention on the need for action, and for brokering exchanges of advice and assistance for those Member states that need it;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 189 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Believes that effective active labour market policies should include a combination of support for immediate action at Member State and EU level where appropriate to tackle the problems caused by the cyclical economic downturn and for action aimed at addressing long term structural and systemic issues in the labour market;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 193 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Recognises the growing trend of companies returning production and services back to the EU and the opportunities this brings for job creation in the Member States; believes that the economies of the EU have a unique opportunity to accelerate this trend of re- shoring by reinforcing a stable and predictable regulatory environment;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 205 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that the EUmany EU Member States continues to suffer from structural problems that need to be addressed urgently, pointing up the need to continue prioritising investment, structural reforms and responsible fiscal consolidation, thus reinforcing a favourable environment for business with a view to creating more quality jobs while balancing the social and economic dimensions; stresses that those priorities will only be achieved if investment in human capital is prioritised as a common strategy;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 250 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Member States to graduallconsider the strong arguments in favour of and to exchange best practice on policies that have proven to be successful in term of job creation for example by shifting taxes from labour to other sources, and to implement tax rules that foster incentives to entrepreneurship and employment creation, especially for highly qualified young people, in order to boost research and innovation projects within European enterprises;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 304 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Is concerned that "quantitative easing" policies as currently used by the ECB are leading to more financial speculation and detracting from investment and will damage job creation and growth prospects in the EU;1 a __________________ 1a http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-fed- has-hurt-business-investment- 1445899627 http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-little- humility-please-mr-summers-1446669213
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 309 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Reminds the Commission of its Budget Review 2010 which identified 'EU added value' as one of its core principles; insists that this principle represents the cornerstone of all expenditures, which must also be guided by efficiency, effectiveness and value for money, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity as defined by Article 5 TEU;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 338 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
24. Agrees on the need to develop a process of upward economic and social convergence in order to foster social and economic cohesion between Member States and their regions, but points out that this must be viewed as a goal of a common projectcommon goal in which social dialogue can plays a key role;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 343 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Is concerned of the effects that the migration crisis is having on genuine intra-EU labour mobility; calls therefore on the Commission to consider the extension of the "smart borders" system in order to ease genuine intra-EU labour mobility;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 366 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on the Member States to implement the necessary measures for the inclusion of refugees; stresses that such an approach will require the allocation of funds that, in so fragile a situation, cannot be provided solely by Member States; calls on the Commission to provide the funding required to develop such a strategy as part of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF);deleted
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 372 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
28. Calls on the Member States to implement the necessary measures for the inclusion of refugees within the regulation of the Dublin III regulation; stresses that such an approach will require the allocation of funds that, in so fragile a situation, cannot be provided solely by Member States; calls on the Commission to provide the funding required to develop such a strategy as part of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) by identifying savings within the agreed financial ceilings;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 389 #

2015/2330(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
30. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to work together on removing the obstacles to fair labour mobility, to combat fraud and ensuringe that EU mobile workers are not treated abusively;
2016/01/18
Committee: EMPL
Amendment 8 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement is the first FTA conducted by the EU with an Asian partner, supporting EU efforts to secure a footstep in the rapidly growing Asian market and the aim to agree a EU-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in the long run;
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 10 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas since the provisional application of the Agreement in 2011 the Euro has lost 20% of its value, which has substantially favoured EU exports to Korea and meant important slowdown of Korean imports. Thus, there is the possibility, that Korean economists and politicians see the monetary policy in the Eurozone as a "beggar-thy-neighbour- policy". It favours the Eurozone exporters, but reduces the consumers purchasing power in the Eurozone;
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 35 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 – introductory part
7. Acknowledges that, while the Agreement meets the expectations of the parties, the following issues should be analysed and verifirevised under the Agreement:
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 36 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 – point a
(a) technical barriers to trade, such as: the direct transport clause, the clause on repaired goods, the inclusion of truck- tractors in the scope of the Agreement, and – equally importantly – the issue of the rules and procedures governing certificates for machines exported to Korea;
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 37 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 – point a a (new)
(aa) direct transport clause which prevents companies maximising their containers shipments through better management of the hubs in Singapore or Hong-Kong; calls for introduction of a non-alteration clause;
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 45 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 – point d a (new)
(da) relevant tariff schedule annex of products;
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 51 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
9. Supports the further deepening of trade and investment relations between the EU and Korea - the Investment Chapter in the free trade agreement in particular - and the involvement of the parties to the Agreement in creating further economic growth, welfare gains and development for the benefit of EU and Korean citizens;
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 54 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Stresses further enhancing of international cooperation in the multilateral, plurilateral and regional international framework, in the context of the WTO, such as in relation to negotiations on the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) and the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA);
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 55 #

2015/2059(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Stresses that strategic values of the EU-Korea FTA extend beyond the sphere of trade as it lays a solid foundation for a deeper relationship with long-term engagement and it contributes to the establishment of a strategic partnership between the EU and South Korea;
2016/12/09
Committee: INTA
Amendment 112 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 a (new)
(3a) It should be specified in this Directive that the activities of a dealer include not only the manufacturing but also the modification or conversion a firearm, such as the shortening of a complete firearm, and in addition the commercial modification or conversion of parts of firearms and of ammunition, and that, therefore, only authorised dealers should be permitted to engage in those activities. This Directive should not apply to reloading of ammunition for personal use or making legal modifications and conversions to a firearm for which a person has an authorization.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 152 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
(4) BCollectors and bodies concerned with the cultural and historical aspects of weapons and recognised as such by the Member State in whose territory they are established and shoulding in their possession firearms classified in category A acquired before the date of entry into force of this Directive should be able to keep those firearms in their possession subject to authorisation by the Member State concerned and provided that those firearms have been deactivat be able to keep and acquire firearms classified in category A subject to authorisation by the Member State concerned.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 172 #
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 220 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
(9) Some semi-automatic firearms can be easily converted to automatic firearms, thus posing a threat to security. Even in the absence of conversion to category "A", certain semi-automatic firearms may be very dangerous when their capacity regarding the number of rounds is high. Such semi-automatic weapons should therefore be banned for civilian use.deleted
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 279 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
(13) Furthermore, the risk of alarm weapons and other types of blank firing weapons being converted to real firearms is high, and in some of the terrorist acts converted arms were used. It is therefore essential to address the problem of converted firearms being used in criminal offences, notably by including them in the scope of the Directive. Technical specifications for alarm and signal weapons as well as for salute and acoustic weapons should be adopted in order to ensure that they cannot be converted into firearms.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 316 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 1 – point a
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 1 – paragraph 1b
1b. For the purposes of this Directive, "essential component" shall mean the barrel, frame, receiver, slide or cylinder, bolt or breaech block and any device designed or adapted to diminish the sound caused by firing a firearm which, being separate objects, are included in the category of the firearms on which they are or are intended to be mounted.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 330 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 1 – point b
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 1 –paragraph 1e
1e. For the purposes of this Directive, "broker" shall mean any natural or legal person, other than a dealer whose trade or business consists wholly or partly in buying, selling or arranging the transfer within a Member State, from one Member State to another Member State or exporting to a third country or importing into a Member State from a third country fully assembled firearms, their parts and ammunition.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 361 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 1 – point c
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 1 – paragraph 1h
1h. For the purposes of this Directive, "replica firearms" shall mean objects that have the physical appearance of a firearm, but are manufactured in such a way that they cannot be converted to firing a shot or expelling a bullet or projectile by the action of a combustible propellant.deleted
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 406 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 2
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. This Directive shall not apply to the acquisition or possession of weapons and ammunition, in accordance with national law, by the armed forces, the police, the public authorities or by collectors and bodies concerned with the cultural and historical aspects of weapons and recognised as such by the Member State in whose territory they are established. Nor shall it apply to commercial transfers of weapons and ammunition of warproducts of the defence industry.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 434 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 3
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that any firearm or parand any essential component placed on the market has been marked and registered in compliance with this Directive.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 452 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 3
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
For the purposes of identifying and tracing each assembled firearm, Member States shall, at the time of manufacture of each firearm or at the time of import into the Union or as soon as possible thereafter, require a unique marking including the name of the manufacturer, the country or place of manufacture, the serial number and the year of manufacture, if not already part of the serial number. This shall be without prejudice to the affixing of the manufacturer's trademark.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 460 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 3
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
The marking shall be affixed to the receiver of the firearm.deleted
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 519 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) are at least 18 years of age, except in relation to the possession of firearms for hunting and target shooting, provided that in that case persons of less than 18 years of age have parental permission, or are under parental guidance or the guidance of an adult with a valid firearms or hunting licence, or are within a licenced or otherwise approved training centre;deleted
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 536 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 5 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. The acquisition and possession of firearms shall only be permitted if, inter alia, there is good cause. Member States, whilst not being under any obligation in that regard, may decide that the acquisition and possession of firearms for the purpose of, for example, hunting, target shooting, self-defence, reservist training, various scientific, technical and testing activities and re-enactment of historical events, filmmaking or historical study constitutes good cause.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 549 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall provide for standard medical tests for issuing or renewing authorisations as referred to in paragraph 1 and shall withdraw authorisations if any of the conditions on the basis of which it wasthey were granted is no longer met.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 578 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 5 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. This Directive is without prejudice to the ownership of firearms and ammunition acquired through inheritance. Member States shall prohibit the possession of such firearms by owners who are not duly authorised.
2016/04/28
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 590 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Member States shall take all appropriate steps to prohibit the acquisition and the possession of the firearms and ammunition classified in category A and to destroy those. In exceptional and duly reasoned cases, the competent authorities may grant authorisations for the acquisition and possession of such firearms and ammunition wheld in violation of this provison and seizedre this is not contrary to public security or public order.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 620 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 6
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Member States may authorise persons or bodies concerned with the cultural and historical aspects of weapons and recognised as such by the Member State in whose territory they are established to keep in theiracquire and possession firearms classified in category A acquired before [the date of entry into force of this Directive] provided they have been deactivated in accordance with the provisions that implement Article 10(b)when this is not contrary to public security or public order.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 660 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 7
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 7 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2 (new)
(7) In Article 7, the following subparagraph is added to paragraph 4: "The maximum limits shall not exceed five years. The authorisation may be renewed if the conditions on the basis of which it was granted are still fulfilled."deleted
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 731 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 12
Directive 91/477/EEC
Article 17 – paragraph 1
The Commission shall submit every five years submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the application of this Directive, including a fitness check of the new provisions, accompanied, if appropriate, by proposals in particular as regards the categories of firearms of Annex I and the issues related to new technologies such as 3D printing. The first report shall be submitted by ... [two years after the date of entry into force of this Amending Directive].
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 748 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 13 – point a – point i
Directive 91/477/EEC
Annex I – part II – point A – category A – point 6
6. Automatic firearms which have been converted into semi-automatic firearms;deleted
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 751 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 13 – point a – point i
Directive 91/477/EEC
Annex I – part II – point A – category A – point 6
6. Automatic firearms which have been converted into semi-automatic firearms; which have not been authorised in accordance with Article 10ba, with the exception of firearms converted prior to ... [the date of entry into force of this Amending Directive1a]; __________________ 1a In this case, Article 10ba shall be amended as follows: "Member States shall take measures to ensure that long semi-automatic firearms which have been converted from originally automatic firearms cannot be reconverted into automatic firearms. Mechanical design of any particular type of long semi- automatic firearms including conversions of any particular type of originally automatic firearms into semi-automatic firearms must be authorised for civilian use by a competent public authority before being placed on the market."
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 755 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 13 – point a – point i
Directive 91/477/EEC
Annex I – part II – point A – category A – point 6
6. AComponents with which a semi- automatic firearms which have can been converted into semi-an automatic firearm without sophisticated skills and tools;
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 762 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 13 – point a – point i
Directive 91/477/EEC
Annex I – part II – point A – category A – point 7
7. Semi-automatic firearms for civilian use which resemble weapons with automatic mechanisms;deleted
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 778 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 13 – point a – point i
Directive 91/477/EEC
Annex I – part II – point A – category A – point 8
8. Firearms under points 1 to 7 after having been deactivadeleted.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 811 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 13 – point a – point iii
Directive 91/477/EEC
Annex I – part II – point A – category C – point 5
5. Alarm and signal weaponsFirearms under categories A, B and points 1 to 4 of category C, after having been converted to alarm, signal, salute and, acoustic weapons as well as replicas;, gas, paintball or airsoft, Flobert, or percussion lock weapons.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 822 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – point 13 – point a – point iii
Directive 91/477/EEC
Annex I – part II – point A – category C – point 6
6. Firearms under category B and points 1 to 5 of category C, after having been deactivadeleted.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 830 #
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 838 #
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 843 #

2015/0269(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive [36 months after publication toin the OJ]. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions.
2016/04/29
Committee: IMCO
Amendment 35 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15 a (new)
- having regard to the joint statement of 20th March by Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and US Trade Representative Michael Froman regarding the exclusion of public services in EU and US trade agreements;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 47 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A
A. whereas an ambitious agreement with the US maywill support the reindustrialisation of Europe and help achieve the 2020 target for an increase of the EU's GDP generated by industry from 15 % to 20 %; whereas it has the potential to create opportunities especially for SMEs, which suffer more from non-tariff barriers (NTBs) than larger companies; whereas an agreement between the two biggest economic blocs in the world has the potential to create standards, norms and rules which will be adopted at a global level, which would serve to the advantage of third countries as well;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 55 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas an agreement between the two biggest economic blocs in the world has the potential to create standards, norms and rules which could be adopted at a global level, which would serve to the advantage of third countries as well, especially developing countries; whereas failure to negotiate an agreement will allow other third countries with different standards and values to assume this role instead;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 74 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital B
B. whereas, given the growing interconnectedness of global markets – up to 40 % of European industrial products are manufactured from imported upstream products – it is crucial that policymakers shape the way these markets interact; whereas proper trade rules are fundamental to creating added value in Europe, since industrial production will increasingly takes place in global value chains;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 92 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital C
C. whereas we arethe EU is faced with an unregulated rapidly evolving picture of globalisation and a well-designed trade agreement could contribute to harnessingensuring positive spill over effects of liberalisation; whereas such an agreement should not only focus on reducing tariffs and NTBs but should also be a tool to protect workers, consumers and the environment; whereas a strong and ambitious trade agreement is an opportunity to create a framework by strengthening regulation to the highest standards at a global level in order to prevent social and environmental dumpinglight of the shared objective of ensuring free and open competition on a level playing field;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 101 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D
D. whereas even though common high standards are in the interest of the consumers, it should be noted that theyconvergence also makes sense from an economic perspective, as the higher costs stemming from higher standards armay be compensated by increased economies of scale in a market of 850 million consumers;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 121 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital E
E. whereas many ex-ante economic impact studies on TTIP should be taken with cautionas illustrative as they are built on computable general equilibrium economic models with very optimistic predictions abhich are unable take sufficient account of the capacity of the EU and the US to reducedynamic nature of future economic opportunities and their positive spill over effects as a regsulatory barriers to tradet of an ambitious agreement; whereas the TTIP alone will not resolve economic problems in the EU and no false hopes and expectations should be raised in that respectlong standing structural economic problems and their underlying causes in the EU;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 147 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital F
F. whereas the wellbeing of ordinary citizens, workers and consumers has to be the benchmark for a trade agreement; whereas TTIP should be a model for a good trade agreement responding to these requirementsprimary objective of a high quality trade agreement is to enhance trade and investment by establishing improved conditions for the free flow of goods, services and capital across borders leading to the creation of jobs and growth;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 169 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital G
G. whereas the secret character of negotiations as they have been conducted in the past has led to deficiencies in terms of democratic control of the negotiation proceslegal framework governing the negotiation of EU trade agreements is laid down in Article 207 TFEU, which establishes that the Commission negotiates agreements in consultation with a special committee established by the Member States;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 186 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital H
H. whereas President Juncker has clearly reiterated in his Political Guidelines that – while the EU and the US can go a significant step further in recognising each other's product standards and working towards transatlantic standards – the EU will not sacrifice its safety, health, social and data protection standards or our cultural diversity, recalling that the safety of the food we eat and the protection of Europeans' personal data are non- negotiable and that the rule of law should also apply in this context;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 197 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital I
I. whereas President Juncker has also clearly stated in his Political Guidelines that he will not accept that the jurisdiction of courts in the Member States is limited by special regimes for investor disputes; whereas now that the results of the public consultation on investment protection and ISDS in the TTIP are available, a reflection process – taking account of critical and constructive contributions – is needed within and between the three European institutions on the best way to achieve investment protection and equal treatment of investors;deleted
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 220 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J
J. whereas many critical voices in the public debate have shown the need for the TTIP negotiations to be conductrade agreements should be negotiated in athe morest transparent and inclusive manner, taking into account the concerns voiced by European citizens possible, while respecting the need for a necessary element of confidentiality to ensure that negotiators can reach a high quality final deal; whereas Parliament fully supports both the decision of the Council to declassify the negotiating directives and the Commission's transparency initiative;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 230 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital K
K. whereas since July 2013 talks between the US and the EU have been going onEU began in July 2013, but up to now no common text has been agreed and it is now exactly the right time to undertake a reflection on the state of play; whereas political stocktaking is a useful exercise in influencing the direction of negotiations;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 234 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas the EU in particular faces growing concerns over its energy security and its need to diversify its energy supplies and transit routes in the face of political and geopolitical developments;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 247 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a – point i
(i) to ensure that TTIP negotiations lead to a deep, comprehensive, ambitious, balanced and high-standard trade and investment agreement, based on a single undertaking that wouldill promote trade and investment, sustainable growth, support the creation of high-quality jobs for European workercitizens, directly benefit European consumers, increase international competitiveness, and open up new opportunities for EU companies, in particular SMEs; the content of the agreement is more important than the speed of the negotiations;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 266 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a – point ii
(ii) to emphasise that while the TTIP negotiations consist of negotiations on three main areas – ambitiously improving reciprocal market access (for goods, services, investment and public procurement at all levels of government), reducing NTBs and enhancing the compatibility of regulatory regimes, and developing common rules to address shared global trade challenges and opportunities – all these areas are equally important to be included in a comprehensive package; TTIP should be ambitious and binding on all levels of government on both sides of the Atlantic, the agreementand should lead to lasting genuine market openness on a reciprocal basis and trade facilitation on the ground, and should pay particular attention to structural means of achieving greater transatlantic cooperation while upholding regulatory standards and preventing social and environmental dumping;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 276 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a – point iii
(iii) to keep in mind the strategic importance of the EU-US economic relationship in general and of TTIP in particular, inter alia as an opportunity to promote the principles and values anchored in a liberal, rules based framework that the EU and the US share and cherish and towhile designing common approaches to global trade, investment and trade-related issues such as high standards, norms and regulations, in order to develop a broader transatlantic vision and a common set of strategic goals;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 288 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a – point iv
(iv) to ensure, especially given the recent positive developments in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), that an open and accessible agreement with the US serves as a stepping-stone for broader trade negotiations and is not seen as an alternative to the WTO process; bilateral trade agreements are always the second-best option and must not prevent improvements on the multilateral level;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 301 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – introductory part
(b) regarding market access: for goods, services and procurement;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 311 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point i
(i) to ensure that the market access offers in the differentall areas are equally ambitious and reflect both parties’ expectations, as market access for industrial goods, agricultural products, services and public procurement isare equally important in all cases and a balance is needed between the different proposals for these areas;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 327 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
(ii) to aim at the elimination of all duty tariffs, while respecting sensitive products on both sides;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 344 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point iii
(iii) to keep in mind that there are important offensive interests for the EU in the services sector, which will generate 85% of future jobs in the EU, demands an ambitious outcome for instance in the areas of engineering, finance, telecommunications, health, professional and transport services;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 369 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point iv
(iv) to increase market access for services according to the ‘positive list approach’ whereby services that are to be opened up to foreign companies are explicitly mentioned and new services are excluded while ensuring that possible standstill and ratchet clauses only apply to non- discrimination provisions and allow for enough flexibility to bring services back into public controlby tackling long standing market access barriers while granting EU firms no less favourable treatment in the US than US firms according to a negative list whereby services that are to be excluded from the agreement are explicitly mentioned, believes that such an approach allows not only for increased certainty and transparency for operators but will allow for a flexible "living agreement" with the possibility of including future services in the Agreement;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 372 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point iv a (new)
(iva) to ensure mutual recognition of professional qualifications between the Parties, notably via the creation of a legal framework with federal States which have regulatory powers in this domain, and to promote mobility across the Atlantic through visa facilitation for professionals;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 406 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point vi
(vi) to ensure an adequate carve-out of sensitive services such asthe inclusion of reservations for public services and public utilities (including water, health, social security systems and education), in line with existing and recently concluded EU trade agreements, allowing national and local authorities enough room for manoeuvre to legislate in the public interest; ain this regard welcomes the joint declaration reflecting negotiators' clear commitment to exclude these sectors from the negotiations would be very helpful in this regard; ;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 433 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point vii
(vii) to combine market access negotiations on financial services with convergence in financial regulation on the highest level, in order to support the introduction and compatibility of necessary regulation to prevent financial crises and in order to support ongoing cooperation efforts in other international forums, such as the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 450 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point viii
(viii) to ensure that the EU's acquis on data privacy is not compromised through the liberalisation of data flowsfully respected in any final Agreement, in particular in the area of e- commerce and financial services; to ensure that no commitments on data flows are taken up before European data protection legislation is in place; , while a stable and predictable legal environment ensuring and facilitating the continued ability of firms, especially in the service sector, to transfer data across the Atlantic, is assured; stresses that the EU should cooperate with the United States in order to encourage third countries to adopt similar high data protection standards in the area of trade around the world; further notes that such provisions must be consistent with the provisions set forth in Article 14 of the GATS and that restrictions on data flows and associated infrastructure may create risks that must be recognised;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 462 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point ix
(ix) to include am ambitious chapter on competition ensureing that European competition law is properly respected particularly in the digital world while establishing new standards, in particular regarding state owned enterprises, that could form the basis for improved global rules and common approaches with third countries;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 479 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point x
(x) to keep in mind that the agreement should not risk prejudicing the Union's cultural and linguistic diversity, in line the relevant Articles as established in the Treaties, including in the audiovisual and cultural services sector, and that existing and future provisions and policies in support of the cultural sector, in particular in the digital world, are kept out of the scope of the negotiationsare augmented and complemented;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 494 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point xi
(xi) to ensure that account is taken of the discrepancies in the openness of public procurement markets on both sides of the Atlantic and the huge interest on the part of European companies in obtaining access to public contracts in the US both at federal and state level, for example for construction services, traffic infrastructure and goods and services while respecting suexistainability criteriag legal frameworks for procurement on both sides, inter alia the new EU procurement and concession package entering into force in 2016; to ensure that that neither party will adopt new measures restricting market access in procurement beyond measures already in place;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 511 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point xii
(xii) to promote EU-US cooperation at the international level in order to promote sustainability standards for public procurement, inter alia in the implementation of the recently revised Government Procurement Agrefurther international agreements in the field of public procurement;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 531 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b – point xiv
(xiv) to ensure withat the negotiations on rules of origin aim at reconciling the EU and US approaches; given the conclusion of the negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between EU and Canada and the potential upgrade of the EU-Mexico free trade agreement, that the possibility and scope of cumulation will need to be consideis considered, in view of a possible future transatlantic free trade areda;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 540 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – introductory part
(c) regarding regulatory cooperation and coherence pillar and NTBs:
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 555 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point i
(i) to ensure that the regulatory cooperation chapterand coherence promotes an effective, transparent, pro- competitive economic environment through the facilitation of trade and investment while developing and securing high levels of protection of health and safety, consumer, labour and environmental legislation and of the cultural diversity that exists within the EU; negotiators on both sides; need to identify and to be very clear about which regulatory measures and standardsotes that some areas may prove challenging in terms of finding an agre fundamental and cannot be compromised,ement, however, insists that negotiators determine, where possible and which ones can be the subject of a common approach, which are the areas where mutual recognition based on a common high standard and a strong system of market surveillance is desirable and which are those where simply an improved exchange of information is possible, based on the experience of one and a half years of ongoing talks;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 577 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point ii
(ii) to baseensure that negotiations on SPS and TBT measures go beyond the key principles of the multilateralWTO Agreements on SPS and TBT agreements; to aim in the first place at increasing transparency coherence and openness, mutual recognition, exchanges of best practices, strengthening dialogue between regulators and strengthening cooperation in international standards-setting bodies while removing all unnecessary obstacles to trade and investment and ensuring that regulators create proportionate measures based on scientific evidence and international standards; to recognise, in negotiations on SPS and TBT measures, the right of both parties to manage risk in accordance with the level either deems appropriate in order to protect human, animal or plant life or health; to in full respect and uphold the sensitivities and fundamental values of either side, such as the EU’s precautionary principleof legal frameworks on both sides;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 598 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point iii
(iii) with regard to the horizontal regulatory cooperation chapter, to give priority to fostering bilateral cooperation between regulatory bodies through enhanced information exchange and to promote the adoption, strengthening and timely implementation of international instruments, on the basis of successful international expe whilst fully respecting the priences such as, for instance, ISO standards or under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29); to establish that the prior impact assessment for the regulatory act, as defined in the horizontal provisions on regiple subsidiarity, on the basis of a specific and permanent regulatory and consultatoryion cooperation, should also measure the impact on consumers and the environment next to its impact on trade and investment; to handle the possibility of promoting regulatory compatibility with great care and only without compromising legitimate regulatory and policy objectives mechanism, ensuring the creation of a living agreement;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 603 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point iv
(iv) to define clearly, in the context of future regulatory cooperation, which measures concern TBT and redundant administrative burdens and formalities and which are linked to fundamental standards and regulations and should not be altered;deleted
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 614 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c – point v
(v) to fully respect the established regulatory systems on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as the European Parliament's role within the EU's decision-making process and its democratic scrutiny over EU regulatory processes when creating the framework for future cooperation while at the same time being vigilant about a balanced involvement of stakeholders within the consultations included in the developensuring the utmost transparency and the involvement of all regulatory proposallevant stakeholders;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 621 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – introductory part
(d) regarding the rules pillar:
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 626 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point i
(i) to combine negotiations on market access and regulatory cooperation with the establishment of ambitious rules and disciplines, inter alia on on issues such as, but not limited to, sustainable development, energy, SMEs, investment and intellectual property;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 639 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point ii
(ii) to ensure that the sustainable development chapter aims at the full and effective ratification, implementation and enforcement of the eight fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and their content, the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda and the core international environmental agreements; provisions should be aimed at improv's provisions should be aimed at safeguarding and promoting levels of protection of labour and environmental standards; asks, therefore, that negotiators include an ambitious trade and sustainable development chapter which should also include rules on corporim ate social responsibility based on the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and a clearly structured civil society involvetting new global benchmarks for a trade agreement;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 642 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point iii
(iii) to ensure that labour and environmental standards are not limited to the trade and sustainable development chapter but are equally included in other areas of the agreement, such as investment, trade in services, regulatory cooperation and public procurement;deleted
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 651 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point iv
(iv) to ensure that labour and environmental standards are made enforceableincluded, by building on the goodprevious experience of the EU-Korea free trade agreementexisting EU FTAs and good and effective practices in the US's free trade agreements and national legislation;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 660 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point v
(v) to ensure that employees of transatlantic companies have access to information and consultation in line with the European works council directive;deleted
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 676 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point vi
(vi) to ensure that the economic, social and environmental impact of TTIP is examined through a thorough trade sustainability impact assessment with clear involvement of relevant stakeholders and civil society;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 691 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point vii
(vii) to ensure that in course of the negotiations the two sides examine ways to facilitate natural gas and oil exports, so that TTIP would abolish any existing export restrictions on energy between the two trading partners, thereby supporting a diversification of energy sources; and reducing EU Member States' reliance on single points of supply and transit;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 707 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point ix
(ix) to ensure that TTIP supports the use and promotion of green goods and services, thereby tapping into the considerable potential for environmental and economic gains offered by the transatlantic economy complementing on-going negotiations on the Green Goods Agreement;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 710 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point x
(x) to ensure that TTIP serves as a forum for the development of common sustainability standards for energy production, always taking into account and adhering to existing standards on both sides;deleted
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 726 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xi
(xi) to ensure that TTIP includes a specific chapter on SME's and aims at creating new opportunities in the US for European SMEs, for instance by eliminating double certification requirements, by establishing a web-based information system about the different regulations and best practices, by introducing 'fast- track' procedures at the border or by eliminating specific tariff peaks that continue to exist; it should establish mechanisms for both sides to work together to facilitate SMEs' participation in transatlantic trade, for instance through a common SME 'one-stop shop' with SME stakeholders playing a key role in the establishment of such a system;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 740 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xii
(xii) to ensure that TTIP contains a comprehensive chapter on investment which should look not only to enhance Europe as a destination for investment, but should also increase confidence for EU investment in the US, including provisions on both market access and investment protection; the investment chapter should aim at ensuring non- discriminatory treatment for the establishment of European and US companies in each other's territory, while taking account of the sensitive nature of some specific sectorsthese provisions should further look to form a new "gold standard" for investment protection in existing and future international investment for a such a "gold standard" should guarantee the maximum level of transparency possible, look at establishing an appellate mechanism as well as making explicit the right to regulate;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 747 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xiii
(xiii) to ensure that investment protection provisions are limited to post- establishment provisions and focus on non-discrimination andfocus on non-discrimination, direct and indirect expropriation as well as fair and equitable treatment; standards of protection and definitions of investor and investment should be drawn up in a precise legal manner; free transfer of capital should be in line with the EU treaty provisions and should include a prudential carve-out in the case of financial crises;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 773 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xiv
(xiv) to ensure that foreign investors are treated in a non-discriminatory fashion and have a fair opportunity to seek and achieve redress of grievances, which can be achieved without the inclusion of an ISDS mechanism; such a mechanism is not necessary in TTIP given the EU’s and the US’ developed legal systems; a state-to- state dispute settlement system and the use of national courts are the most appropriate tools to address investment disputesmedy and redress independent of any possible political interference; supports therefore, the inclusion of investment protection mechanisms, including a reformed and improved ISDS and supports DG Trade's on-going efforts in this area;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 801 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xv
(xv) to ensure that TTIP includes an ambitious Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) chapter that includes strong protection of precisely and clearly defined areas of IPR, including enhanced protection and recognition of European Geographical Indications (GIs), and reflects a fair and efficient level of protection such as laid out in the EU's and the US's free trade agreement provisions in this area, while continuing to confirm the existing flexibilities in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), notably in the area of public health thus ensuring that those who create high quality innovate products can continue to do so;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 813 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xvi
(xvi) to ensure that the IPR chapter does not include provisions on criminal sanctions as a tool for enforcement, as having been previouslyincludes appropriate enforcement mechanisms, allowing for remedies and redress in case of failure a to rejspected by Parlia mutually agreed commitments;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 817 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xvi a (new)
(xvia) to facilitate the short term mobility of skilled labour between the EU and US and establish a fast track approach for expeditious processing of visa/work permit applications;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 820 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d – point xvi b (new)
(xvib) to create common frameworks between the US and EU for programmes to encourage both basic research and development, as the commercialisation of new technologies, and to consider horizontal as well as sector and technology-specific aspects for improved cooperation to enhance R&D and innovation;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 823 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e – introductory part
(e) regarding transparency, civil society involvement and public, public and political outreach:
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 827 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e – point i
(i) to continue ongoing efforts to increase transparency in the negotiations by making , where appropriate, more negotiation proposals available to the general public;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 849 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e – point iii
(iii) to promote an even closer engagement with the Member States and National Parliaments with the aim of forging their active involvement in better communicating the scope and the possible benefits of the agreement for European citizens and in order to ensure a broad, fact-based public debate on TTIP in Europe with the aim of exploring the genuine concerns surrounding the agreement;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 858 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e – point iv
(iv) to reinforce its continuous and transparent engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, business, environmental, agricultural, consumer, labour and other representatives, throughout the negotiation process; encourages all stakeholders to participate actively and to put forward initiatives and information relevant to the negotiations;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA
Amendment 873 #

2014/2228(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f a (new)
(fa) to ensure that TTIP is accompanied by a deepening of transatlantic parliamentary cooperation leading in future to a broader and enhanced political framework to improve global cooperation between the EU and the US. This framework should ensure sustained cooperation not only in the implementation of the deal, but in establishing further cooperation on bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral trade and investment issues of shared interest and importance;
2015/03/30
Committee: INTA