Activities of Ulla TØRNÆS related to 2014/2145(INI)
Shadow opinions (2)
OPINION on the review of the economic governance framework: stocktaking and challenges
OPINION on the review of the economic governance framework: stocktaking and challenges
Amendments (11)
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is pleased with the European economic governance framework, which, by coordinating policies more closely in order to prevent major imbalances, fosters smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in line with the targets set by the Europe 2020 strategy; Is pleased that the European economic governance framework has shown progress in addressing fiscal consolidation with EU28 overall debt falling from 4.5 % of GDP in 2011 to a forecast of 3 % of GDP in 2014;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers the economic governance framework to be a key political initiative that underpins the foundations of the Europe 2020 goals and flagship initiatives which are aimed at fully exploiting the Single Market’s untapped growth potential; stresses that the Single Market is the key driver for growth and jobs, and that the key areas for growth are the Digital Single Market, a genuine market for cross-border online sales for goods, services and public procurement; underlines the fact that the economic crisis has clearly shown the importance of strengthening the EU’s innovation potential by facilitating market access and mobility and combating Single Market fragmentation across the Union;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Is pleased that the European economic governance framework has shown progress in addressing fiscal consolidation with EU28 overall debt falling from 4.5% of GDP in 2011 to a forecast of around 3% of GDP in 2014;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Believes that the economic governance framework needs to be inclusive and that political priorities also have to be discussed in a more comprehensive manner, in order to distribute the spread of national ownership and effectively implement both economic governance and Single Market governance; underlines the importance of new growth and job-creation for the public acceptance of the economic governance framework, and calls therefore for the Commission to improve the business environment in Europe with particular attention to SMEs, removal of red tape and access to finance; recalls in that respect the necessity to provide support to SMEs to also access non-EU markets such as the US, Canada, China and India;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission’s initiative to conduct an initial review of the framework’s effectiveness with a view to assessing the effective and uniform application of governance rules by the Member States and by the Commission; also suggests that the review presents an opportunity for an exchange of views on the ways in which the framework could be deepened; Suggests that the review in addition focuses on measures that will enhance private trust in the economy as trust is a precondition for private investments which is a precondition for job-creation;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for the European Semester to be strengthened and deepened as an effective way of preventing a crisis, for post-crisis job-creation and for growth convergence within the EU; with this in mind, welcomes the Commission’s proposal to focus its action not only on budget responsibility but also on investment and structural reform in order to link the market economy and job-creation with social progress;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Is concerned of the lack of implementation of the Country Specific Recommendations (CSR) in some Member States, where only 12% of the CSRs were fully addressed in 2013; stresses that better implementation of the CSR is needed in order to support growth and jobs; calls on the Commission to strengthen the ownership of the CSR in the Member States by better involvement of the national parliaments; proposes that in order to increase the incentives for the Member States to adopt these policies the possibility to access the funds in Juncker’s Investment Plan will be dependent on whether the Member States deviates from the rules set out in the economic governance framework;
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission, in tandem with the EIB, to make it easier for SMEs – the main sources of jobs and job-creation in Europe – to access financing from the European Fund for Strategic Investments, in connection with the European Investment Fund; Underlines the importance of new growth and job- creation for public acceptance of the European economic governance framework, calls therefore for the Commission to take measures to increase trust in the economy and to improve the business environment with particular attention to SMEs, removal of red tape and access to finance;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. With a view to improving the effectiveness and focus of budget policies, calls on the Member States to press ahead with their efforts to modernise their labour markets, educational systems and social security systems through structural reforms which ensure a better match between skills and jobs; with this in mind, encourages them to share best practices;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. So as to address the urgent situation with regard to youth unemployment, encourages Member States to use the available resources in an effective and focused way via the introduction of the youth employment initiative, enhanced use of vocational training as a tool for enhanced employability and a better match between skills and jobs and recommends that cross-border mobility be supported via the development of the EURES portal as a vector for youth employment;
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. With a view to stepping up democratic scrutiny, recommends that the European Parliament, national parliaments and management and labourthe social partners be more closely involved in economic dialogue between the Member States and the Commission.