40 Amendments of Ulrike TREBESIUS related to 2014/2248(INI)
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
– having regards the consistently declining turnout in the European elections, from 61.9% in 1979 to 42.6% in 2014 according to final results TNS/Scytl in cooperation with the European Parliament; and simultaneously rising criticism of the EU,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
– having regard to negative referenda decisions concerning the current Union and/or policies as expressed by majorities of people in France on the 29th of May 2005, the Netherlands on the 1st of June 2005, Ireland on the 12th of June 2008, Greece on July 5, 2015, Denmark on the 3rd of December 2015, Netherlands on the 6th of 2016, in addition to renouncing the candidacy of Norway on the 28th of November 1994, Switzerland on the 4th of March 2001 and Iceland on the 12th of March 2015,
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the ‘polycrisis’ currently faced by the Union, including its financial, economic, social, democratic, cultural, identity, safety and migratory consequences, have all led to the rejection by a growing part of the population of the current European Union;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas progress towards a Union that can really deliver on and achieve its goals are impaired by a failure of governance owing to a continuous and systematic search for unanimity in the Council (which is still based on the so- called Luxembourg Compromise) and the lack of a credible single executive authority enjoying full democratic legitimacy and competence to take effective action across a wide spectrum of policies; whereas recent examples such as the uncontrolled migration flow, the slow clean-up of our banks after the outbreak of the financial crisis and the lack of an immediate common response to the internal and external threat of terrorism have aptly demonstrated the Union’s incapacity to respond effectively and quickly;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the culture of compromise and consensus is a fundamental value of the European Union;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas, as regards Schengen, the free movement of people and the resulting abolition of internal border controls, all formally integrated into the Treaties, ‘opt- outs’ were given to the UK and Ireland; whereas four other Member States are also not taking part, but have the obligation to do so, while ‘opt-ins’ were accorded to three countries outside the European Union; whereas this fragmentation not only prevents the total abolition of some remaining internal borders, but also hinders the establishment of a true internal market and of a fully integrated area of freedom, security and justice;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas, last but not least, this ‘variable geometry’ endangers the uniform application of EU law, leads to excessive complexity in terms ofambitions, visions and capacities of EU Member States differs, the variable geometry approach appears now as the most pragmatic way to avoid disintegration, facilitate and deepen sincere cooperation between EU Members; a goivernance, jeopardises the cohesion of the Union and undermines solidarity among its citizenn level of flexibility shall offer differentiated degrees and areas for common policies and mediate divergent national preferences;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the European Union is a constitutional system based on the rule of law; whereas the Treaties must be rooted in the sovereignty of its Member States as authors of the EU Treaties and noting that if the exercise of certain competences changed to give the European C obviously be delegated, sovereignty by itself cannot be divided, shared, limited or transferred ourt of Justice (ECJ) jurisdiction over all aspects of EU law, in particular common foreign and security policy (Article 24(1) TEU) and monetary and economic policy (Article 126(10) TFEU)people’s control without de facto dissipating and undermining the rule of law ; whereas ultra vires ECJ teleological interpretations lead to unilateral judicial amendment to the Treaties against the very will of its signatory representative governments ; whereas in case of risk of conflict of laws, nobody else than relevant national parliament(s), the competent national high Court or/and the people itself deciding by referendum shall now decide which legal provision, national or European shall have the primacy over the other;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas the decline of Europe’'s Member States defence capabilities has limited itstheir ability to project stability beyond our immediate borders; whereas this goes hand in hand with the reluctance of our US allies to intervene if Europe is not ready to take its fair share of responsibility; whereas this leads inevitably to the need for more intense cooperation among the Member States and an integration of some of their defence capacities into a European defence community, both in line with a new European security strategy as well as to protect our internal territories which face now an unprecedented and multifaceted terrorist risk ; whereas this leads inevitably to the need for more intense cooperation among the Member States to meet objective of a new European security strategy based on internal border controls and combat the ideology that justifies terrorism that attacks our European societies, values and freedoms;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the time of crisis management by means of ad hoc and incremental decisions has passed, as it only leads to measures that are too little, too late; is convinced that it is now time to address the shortcomings of the governance of the European Union by undertaking a comprehensive, in-depth reform of the Lisbon Treatyprinciple of mutual trust and loyal cooperation between the Member States and the institutions of the European Union should be the basis of all planned institutional changes; sovereignty and constitutional identity of the states should be respected for the sake of the Union; in turn, states are jointly responsible for the Union;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. NoStates that the direction of the Union’s reform should lead towards its modernisation by establishing new effective European capacities and instruments, rather than its renationalisation by means of greater intergovernmentalismbasic criterion for review of the powers and their distribution should be the full respect of the three fundamental principles anchored in the Treaty : the principle of conferral that concerns delimitation of EU competences; the principle of subsidiarity which should be now understood as opposing centralism and allocating competencies and tasks at those levels of authority, which, due to the proximity of the issue are the best predestined ; and finally the principle of proportionality of the intervention of the Union;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the direction of the Union’s reform should lead towards its modernisation by establishing new effective European capacities and instruments, rather than its renationalisation by means of greater intergovernmentalismprinciple of subsidiarity, which precludes centralism and requires competences to be vested at such levels of government that are best placed due to proximity with a given case, should be the basic criterion for reviewing and distributing competences;
Amendment 431 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Underlines the fact that, until the Treaties cease to apply to the United Kingdom, it will continue to participate in all decision-making of the Union throughout its institutions, with the exception of the negotiations and the agreement concerning its own withdrawal; considers that intermediate arrangements will need to be made concerning the UK’s participation in European decision- making, as it will be politically difficult to allow a Member State in the process of leaving to influence decisions affecting the Union of which it will soon cease to be a member;
Amendment 603 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
Amendment 638 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 650 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 688 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 736 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Notes that the Treaties provide ample means to set up a humane, well- functioning migration management system including a European Border and Coast Guard; believes, however, that the Treaties, particularly Article 79(5) TFEU, are too restrictive regarding other aspects of migration, especially on the establishment of a genuine European legal migration system; insists that democrat that forms of solidarity in this field require mutual trust between the Union and the Member States, which scrutiny by Parliament is needed on the implementation of border control,hould remain competent in the issues of asylum and immigration policies, and that the safeguarding of national security cannot be used as a pretext to circumvent European action;
Amendment 743 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. NRecalls that mass immigration to the European Union undermines the Schengen agreements which now need urgent and serious reform ; notes that the Treaties should have provided ample means to set up a humane, well- functioning migration management system including a European Border and Coast Guard;, believes, however, that the Treaties, particularly Article 79(5) TFEU, are too restrictive regarding other aspects of migration, especially on the establishment of a genuine European legal migration system; insists that democratic scrutiny by Parliament is neededright of asylum and the right to accept refugees should be solely the competence onf the implementation of border control, asylumMember States and mhigration policies, and that the safeguarding of national security cannot be used as ahlighting that if one doesn’t preotexct to circumvent European actionits own borders nobody else will ;
Amendment 747 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Takes the view that the European Union urgently needs an effective external border control instrument, which is a pre-condition for the survival of the Schengen area;
Amendment 760 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Considers it necessary, in view of the intensity of the terrorist threat, to upgrade the EU’s capacities in the fight against terrorism and international organised crime; stresses that, beyond strengthening it is necessary to enhance coordination between the competent authorities and agencies in the Member States, Europol and Eurojust must receive genuine investigation and prosecution competences and capabilit through the activities within Europol and Eurojust agencies;
Amendment 778 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
Amendment 799 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses that for the Union to strengthen the defence of the EU territory, as a pillar within NATO, which remains the cornerstone of the European security architecture, and to enable the Union to act autonomously in operations abroad, mainly with a view to stabilising its neighbourhood, the Treaties should provide for the possibility of establishing a European defence union ;
Amendment 813 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Believes, finally, that it is essential that the restrictions in Article 24(1) TEU on the authority of the European Court of Justice in the field of CFSP be removed; calls, in the same spirit,Calls for Parliament to gain greater powers of scrutiny and accountability over CFSP, including full co-decision powers over the budget together with national parliaments ;
Amendment 842 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
Amendment 852 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Considers that a new debate on reforming the EU institutions to strengthen the Member States’ influence on the EU decision-making process could be a response to the threats;
Amendment 875 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. WBelcomieves the successful new procedure whereby European political parties promote their top candidates for the President of the European executive, but believes that they should be able to stand during the next elections as official candidates in all Member States; proposes, therefore, following its legislative proposal on the reform ofat a mechanism should be introduced to ensure transparency in the electoral lawion of the European Union, empowering the electorate by giving them two votes, one for the national or regional lists and a second one for the European party lists; these European lists will be headed by the parties’ nominees to become President of the European executive or government and will be composed of candidates dCommission President; further notes that it is necessary to increase representativeness of the European Parliament and thereby to refrawin from at least one third of the Member Stateestablishing compulsory electoral thresholds;
Amendment 890 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Believes that any given Member of the European Parliament should be nominated as the President for a maximum of two terms of office, either consecutive ones or with an interval between the first and the second term of office;
Amendment 895 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Reiterates its call for a single seat for the European Parliament; proposes that Parliament and the Council each decide the location of their own seat after having obtained the consent of the other; further proposes that the seats of all the other EU institutions, agencies and bodies be determined by Parliament and the Council on a proposal by the European executive, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure;
Amendment 907 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39a. Reiterates its call for a single seat for the European Parliament; reminds that the European Parliament is the only EU institution directly elected by EU citizens ; recalls that over one million of them endorsed a petition asking for a single seat ; proposes accordingly changes to Article 341 TFEU and Protocol 6 and to allow the EP to decide on its internal organisation;
Amendment 933 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
Amendment 965 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Recogniszes the significant role that should now be played by national parliaments in the constitutional order and the democratic legitimation of the European Union, and in particular their role in transposing EU legislation into national law and the role they wshould play in both ex-ante and ex-post control of legislative decisions and policy choices made by their members of the new Council of States, including its specialised configurations; suggests therefore complementing and enhancing the powers of national parliaments by introducing a ‘green card’ procedure whereby national parliaments could submit legislative proposals to the Council for its considerationbinding instructions to the Commission in the exercise of its initiative power ; as well emphasizes the need to strengthen the role of national parliaments by an efficient use of ‘yellow’ and ‘red card’ to make it possible for a group of national parliaments acting together to block an indicated legislative proposal whose author would then be forced to withdraw it ;
Amendment 967 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Recognises the significant role played by national parliaments in the constitutional order of the European Union, and in particular their role in transposing EU legislation into national law and the role they would play in both ex-ante and ex-post control of legislative decisions and policy choices made by their members of the new Council of States, including its specialised configurations; suggests therefore complementing and enhancing the powers of national parliaments by introducing a ‘green card’ procedure whereby national parliaments could submit legislative proposals to the Council for its consideration; also stresses the need to strengthen the role of national parliaments through effective use of the ‘yellow and orange card’ procedure, whereby a group of national parliaments, acting together, could block a particular legislative proposal;
Amendment 976 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46 a (new)
Paragraph 46 a (new)
46a. Further suggests that the application by national parliaments of the yellow card procedure referred to in Article 7 of the Protocol on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality was a sufficient reason to stop a legislative procedure;
Amendment 995 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Recalls its conviction that the financing of the EU budget should respect the letter and the spirit of the Treaty and return to a system of genuine, clear, simple and fair own resources regarding corrective taxation of negative externalities arising from economic activity, as with taxes on financial transactions and Carbon tax; stresses that the reintroduction of such resources would put an end to the share of GNI-based contributions and thus lessen the burden on national treasuries; awaits with interest the proposals from the high-level group on own resources in this respect;
Amendment 999 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
Amendment 1015 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Believes, finally, that the current Treaty ratification procedure is too rigid to befit such a supranational polity as the European Union; proposes allowing amendments to the Treaties to come into force if not by an EU-wide referendum then after being ratified by a qualified majority of four-fifths of the Member States, having obtained the consent of Parliament; correspondingly, once this threshold has been met, Member States which still decline to ratify the amended Treaty should decide, in accordance with their own constitutional requirements, whether to start the process of secession or to that respect for the Treaties, legitimacy and continuity of the Union require strict compliance with the Treaties revision procedure, as set oput for an associate statusin Article 48 TEU;
Amendment 1017 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Believes, finally, that the current Treaty ratification procedure is too rigid to befit such a supranational polity as the European Union; proposes allowing amendments to the Treaties to come into force if not by an EU-wide referendum then after being ratified by a qualified majority of four-fifths of the Member States, having obtained the consent of Parliament; correspondingly, once this threshold has been met, Member States which still decline to ratify the amended Treaty should decide, in accordance with their own constitutional requirements, whether to start the process of secession or to opt for an associate status that respect for the Treaties, its signatory Members’ legitimacy, State of Law, democratic will expressed through every referenda organized in Europe for more than 10 years, and viability of the Union itself require strict compliance with procedures for revision of the Treaties provided in Article 48-1 to 5 TEU;
Amendment 1029 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
53. Commits itself to playing a leading part in these important constitutional developments, and is determined to make its own proposals forRequests the Council and the European Commission to hold an interinstitutional debate that will initiate a process for enhancing the Union within the applicable Treaty framendment in a timely fashionwork and evaluate the execution of tasks and competences in the context of Union legitimacy, efficiency and accountability;