20 Amendments of Matt CARTHY related to 2015/2210(INI)
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomeDoubts the fact that economic recovery is slowly gaining ground, with GDPdespite forecasts predicting GDP growth in the euro area expected to rise by 2.1% in 2016; notes with concern, however, that its foundations are fragile, mainly owing to the EU's underlying structural weaknessethat growth rates in some Member States specifically in Ireland, are masked by the impact of foreign multinationals; notes with concern that a substantial proportion of growth in specific member states, is due to low-tax financial services sectors, which do not positively impact upon domestic or real economies in the manner other sectors cand resulting low international competitivenes; notes with concern that the foundations of any growth are fragile, mainly owing EU's policies suppressing domestic demand and increasing economic problems in China and other countries;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Commission's focusattention in the 2015 Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) on the four main priorities for economic growth: boosting investment, implementation of structural reforms in product, service and labour markets, fiscal responsibility and improving employment policy; stresses the importance of these growth drivers, also in the context of achieving the goals set out in the Europe 2020 strategyboosting investment; stresses the importance public investment for growth, also in the context of achieving the goals set out in the Europe 2020 strategy; regrets that no public investment program is forthcoming in the Union or individual Member States;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that many Member States, in particular in the eurozone, are faced with similar macroeconomic challenges, including most importantly high debts and low investexternal and public debts, high unemployment and low investment; deplores the insistence of the Eurogroup on austerity policies harming both investment and employment;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Deplores the persistently high unemployment rates across most Member States, in particular the youth and long- term unemployment rates; stresses the need to reform national labour markets in order to increase job creation ratesnotes with concern that a falling unemployment rate also disguises the social epidemic of emigration; stresses the need to reform national labour markets, reduce precariousness and raise internal demand in order to increase job creation rates; Notes with concern the use of draconian and compulsory work activation schemes for young people;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. WelcomStresses the entry into force of the regulation onneed for public investment programs in the Union or individual Member States; regrets that the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), is aimed at boosting private investment in the EU, and calls on all relevant stakeholders to ensure its swift and effective implementationthe interests of private investors in the EU;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that further fiscal consolidation is still needed in many Member States in order to comply with the conditions of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP)deflationary fiscal policies combined with banking policies which socialised private debt and austerity policies have led to extremely high levels of public debt in many Member States; notes the Commission's interpretative communication on flexibility in the SGP, aimed at clarifying the scope of the investment clause and allowing for a certain degree of temporary flexibility in the preventive arm of the SGP;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that further fiscal consolidation is still needed in many Member States in order to comply with the conditions of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP)which austerity policies have led to extremely high levels of public debt; notes the Commission's interpretative communication on flexibility in the SGP, aimed at clarifying the scope of the investment clause and allowing for a certain degree of temporary flexibility in the preventive arm of the SGP;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is concerned at the persisting macroeconomic imbalances in some Member States, in particular the high public debt levels, high unemployment levels and large current accounts gaps, as well as the excessive risks in the banking systems, which stem from structural deficiencies in the Eurozone's institutional design and policies; stresses the need to asymmetrically close current account gaps by increasing domestic demand in surplus countries; regrets that so far the burden of adjustment has been placed on deficit countries, deepening the recession and increasing unemployment and public deficits;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines the need to improve the EU's business environment as well as to raise productivity levelthrough increases in demand and public investment, as well as to raise productivity levels, through public education and innovation policies; stresses the importance of sound business regulation for thany future success of the EFSI; calls, therefore, for the removal of administrative barriers, cutting red tape and reform of Member States' tax systems; noting that the setting of tax rates is a crucial component of the principle of subsidiarity and must therefore remain within each member states own competency.
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses the need for Member States to adaopt their public finances by conducting a counter-cyclical policy when necessary and making full use of the existing flexibility clauses foreseen in the legislationgrowth enhancing policies and to raise employment and growth rates through public investments programs; Urges the Commission to support public investment policies in order to give traction to economic recovery based on a combination of fiscal and monetary policy; considers that Member States with high debt levels in particular must continue with growth-friendly fiscal consolidcan only achieve fiscal conditions through economic and job creation and should urgently implement the recommended structural reformpolicies that ensure job protection and stability and higher wages, while those with more fiscal space should use it to accelerate investment;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the fall in the number of Member States subject to the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP), from 11 in 2014 to 9 in 2015; notes, however, that the number is still relatively high, and reiterates its call for a shift in the Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs) to be, where relevant, better coordinated with the EDP recommendations so as to ensure consistency between surveillance of the fiscal position and economic polward growth and job-friendly policies and a larger reliance on national government's democraticy coordinationhoices;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Stresses the need to adopt policies that enhance growth and employment and considers that fiscal consolidation is a secondary objection; stresses that for Members States suffering from excessive debt burdens, public debt needs to be restructured through extending maturities, lowering interest rates and haircuts;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the role of flexible labour markets in combatting unemployment, in particular the negative impact on job creation rates of rigid rules on dismissal, excessive minimum wage levels and lengthy labour disputes; calls for a shift away from labour taxes to other sources of taxationjob protection in avoiding recessionary spirals and sustaining wage and aggregate demand levels; calls for a shift toward direct taxes and away from indirect taxes, which are unfair and harm small and medium enterprises;
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Stresses the role of strong unions and labour protection laws in safeguarding employment and enhancing wage growth; calls for a shift away from consumption taxes to wealth taxes;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Deplores the fact that the CSRs suffer from lack of ownership at national level and from a democratic accountability mechanism; calls, in this context, for an increased role for national parliaments in the preparatheir substitution ofby the National Reform Programmes (NRPs) prepared and approved by national parliaments; stresses that increased ownership is a crucial factor for the successful implementation of the CSRsany reform agenda and, in the longer term, for the success of the Europe 2020 strategy;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines the destructive impact of high debprivate debt and unemployment levels on economic growth in the EU; recalls that these stem structural flaws of the Eurozone and the resulting current account gaps; calls on the Commission to explore innovative ways of speeding up and lessening the negative impactdisastrous economic and social consequences of deleveraging in the banking, and private and public sectorssectors and enhance public investment;