34 Amendments of Igor ŠOLTES related to 2018/0231(COD)
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The internal market is a cornerstone of the Union. Since its inception, it has proved a major contributor to growtheconomic development and prosperity, competitiveness and employment. It has generated new opportunities and economies of scale for European businesses, notably micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and strengthened their industrial competitiveness. The internal market contributed to the creation of jobs and offered greater choice at lower prices for consumersdiversification for consumers in terms of products and services offered. It continues to be an engine for building a stronger, more balanced and fairer economy. It is one of the Union's major achievements and its best asset in an increasingly global world and a core element in achieving the transformation into a net-zero carbon emission, resource- and energy-efficient sustainable economy to respond to the increasing pressure of climate change and overuse of natural resources.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The internal market has to continuously adapt to a rapidly changing environment of digital revolution and, globalisation. A new era of digital innovation continues to provide opportunities for businesses and individuals, creates new products and and the increasing pressures of climate change and overuse of natural resources. A new era of digital and climate-friendly eco-innovation should provide opportunities for businesses and individuals, lead to the creation of new sustainable, more resource- and energy- efficient products and services as well as business models but equally constitutes a challenge to regulation and enforcement.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The substantial body of Union legislation underpins the functioning of the internal market. This concerns, in particular, competitiveness, standardisation, consumer protection, environmental protection, energy transition, market surveillance and food chain regulation but also rules concerning business, trade and financial transactions and the promotion of fair competition providing for a level playing field essential for the functioning of the internal market.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Still, unjustified barriers to the proper functioning of the internal market remain and the new obstacles emerge. Adopting rules is only a first step, but making them work is as important. This is ultimately a matter of citizens' trust in the Union, in its capacity to deliver, and ability to create jobs and growth while protecting the public interest.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Several programmes for Union action exist currently in the fields of competitiveness of enterprises including SMEs, consumer protection, customers and end-users in financial services, policy making in financial services and food chain. Some additional activities are financed directly under the internal market budget lines. It is necessary to streamline and exploit synergies between various actions and provide for a more flexible and agile framework to finance activities aiming to achieve a well-functioning internal market in the most cost-efficient mannerand sustainable internal market that is efficient, affordable, consumer-centric and takes into consideration environmental, social and governance factors. It is therefore necessary to establish a new programme bringing together activities financed previously under those other programmes and other relevant budget lines. The programme should also include new initiatives which aim to improve the functioning of the internal market.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) It is therefore appropriate to establish a Programme for the internal market, competitiveness of enterprises, includingand sustainability of enterprises, with particular attention to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and European statistics (the 'Programme'). The Programme should be established for the duration of seven years from 2021 to 2027.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The Programme should support the design, implementation and enforcement of Union legislation underpinning the proper functioning of the internal market. The Programme should support the creation of the right conditions to empower all actors of the internal market: businesses, citizens including consumers, civil society and public authorities. To that end, the Programme should aim to ensure both the competitiveness and sustainability of businesses, notably SMEs, but also a high- level of consumer protection by supporting the enforcement of consumer protection and safety rules, as well as environmental and social standards and by raising the awareness of businesses and individuals by providing them with the right tools, the appropriate information and assistance, knowledge and competence to make informed decisions and strengthen their participation in Union’s policy- making. Furthermore, the Programme should aim to enhance regulatory and administrative cooperation, notably through training programmes, exchange of best practices, building of knowledge and competence bases, including the use of strategic public procurement. The Programme should also aim to support the development of high- quality international standards that underpin the implementation of Union legislation. This also includes standard setting in the field of financial reporting and audit, thereby contributing to the transparency and well-functioning of the Union’s capital markets and to enhancing investor protection. The Programme should support rulemaking and standard setting also by ensuring the broadest possible stakeholder involvement. The objective of the Programme should also be to support the implementation and enforcement of Union legislation providing for a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain and the improvement ofguarantee the welfare of animals.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) A modern internal market promotes competition and, benefits consumers, businesses and by providing them highly-qualitative services of general interest, creates the right conditions for businesses while preserving employment and working conditions of employees. Making better use of the ever evolving internal market in services should help European businesses create jobs and grow across borders, offer wider choice of services at better prices, and maintain high standards for consumers and workers. To achieve this, the Programme should contribute to the removal of remaining unjustified barriers, and to ensure a regulatory framework that can accommodate new innovative business models whilst ensuring a high-level of social protection and fair working conditions.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) New regulatory and enforcement challenges relate to a rapidly changing environment of the digital revolution, concerning issues such as cybersecurity, internet of things or artificial intelligence and related ethical standards. Should damage occur, stringent rules on product safety and liability are essential to ensure a policy response that allows European citizens, including consumers and businesses, to benefit from such rules. The Programme should therefore contribute to the rapid adaptation and enforcement of a Union product liability regime which fosters innovation.
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Placing on the market of products that are not compliant with Union law puts those who comply at disadvantage and may endanger consumers. Many entrepreneurs disregard the rules either through lack of knowledge or intentionally to gain a competitive advantage. Market surveillance authorities are often underfunded and constrained by national boundaries, while entrepreneurs trade at Union or even global level. In particular, in the case of e-commerce, market surveillance authorities have great difficulties in tracing non-compliant products imported from third countries and identifying the responsible entity within their jurisdiction. The Programme should therefore seek to strengthen product compliance by providing the right incentives to entrepreneurs, intensifying compliance checks, including through systematic use of checks on samples of products representing significant percentages of each type of products placed on the market, and promoting closer cross-border cooperation among enforcement authorities. The Programme should also contribute to the consolidation of the existing framework for market surveillance activities, encourage joint actions of market surveillance authorities from different Member States, improve the exchange of information and promote convergence and closer integration of market surveillance activities.
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Product safety is a common concern. The conformity assessment bodies verify whether products meet the safety requirements before they are placed on the market. It is therefore of paramount importance that the conformity assessment bodies are reliable and competent. The Union has put in place a system of accreditation of the conformity assessment bodies, verifying their competence, impartiality and independence. The main challenge is now to keep the accreditation system in line with the latest state of the art and to ensure that it is applied with the same stringency across the Union. The Programme should therefore support measures to ensure that conformity assessment bodies continue fulfilling the regulatory requirements, to systematically use third-party assessment in order to enhance impartial and independent procedures and to enhance the European accreditation system, in particular in new policy areas, by supporting the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) referred to in Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council48 .
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Public procurement is used by public authorities to ensure value for public money spent and to contribute to a more innovative, sustainable, inclusive and competitive internal market. Directive 2014/23/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council49 , Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council50 and Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council51 provide the legal framework for the integration and effective functioning of the public procurement markets representing 14% of Union’s gross domestic product, to the benefit of public authorities, businesses as well as citizens, including consumers. The Programme should therefore support measures to ensure a wider uptake of strategic public procurementPublic authorities, through their procurement policy, can establish and support markets for innovative goods and services. The Programme should therefore support measures to ensure a wider uptake of strategic public procurement, a more systematic use of environmental, social and fair trade criteria in awarding contracts such as the promotion of local food supply chains, the professionnalisation of public buyers, improved access to procurement markets for SMEs, particularly to further tap into the potential of green markets, increase of transparency, integrity and better data, boosting the digital transformation of procurement and promotion of joint procurement, through strengthening a partnership approach with the Member States, improving data gathering and data analysis including through development of dedicated IT tools, supporting exchange of experiences and good practices, providing guidance, pursuing beneficial trade agreements, strengthening cooperation among national authorities and launching pilot projects.
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) In order to meet the objectives of the Programme and to facilitate the lives of citizens and businesses, high-quality user- centric public services need to be put in place. This implies that public administrations will need to start working in new ways not requiring systematically the physical presence of users, bring down silos between the different parts of their administrations, and to engage in the co- creation of these public services with citizens and businesses. Moreover, the continuous and steady increase of cross- border activities in the internal market requires provision of up-to- date, easy-to- understand and accessible information on the rights of businesses and citizens, but also information explaining the administrative formalities as well as the possibility to complete administrative procedures online, thus further promoting e-government, while ensuring appropriate data privacy and protection. In addition, provision of legal advice and helping to solve problems which occur at cross national level becomes essential. Furthermore, connecting national administrations in a simple and efficient manner as well as evaluating how the internal market works on the ground is necessary. The Programme should therefore support the following existing internal market governance tools: the Your Europe Portal which should be a backbone of the upcoming Single Digital Gateway, Your Europe Advice, SOLVIT, the Internal Market Information system and the Single Market Scoreboard in order to improve citizens' daily lives and businesses' ability to trade across borders.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The Programme should support the development of the Union regulatory framework in the area of company law and corporate governance, as well as contract law, with a view to make business more efficient and competitive while providing protection for stakeholders affected by company operations, and to react to emerging policy challenges. It should also ensure appropriate evaluation, implementation and enforcement of the relevant acquis, inform and assist stakeholders and promote information exchange in the area. The Programme should further support the Commission's initiatives in favour of a clear and adapted legal framework for the data economy and innovation. Those initiatives are necessary to enhance legal certainty with regard to contractual and extra contractual law, in particular with regard to liability and ethics in the context of emerging technologies, such as internet of things, artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D Printing. The Programme should aim at stimulating the development of data-driven business whilst ensuring a high-level of privacy protection, as it will be decisive for the position of the Union economy in a global competition.
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) European standards play an important role in the internal market. They are of vital interest for the competitiveness of undertakings, and especially SMEs. They are also a crucial tool to support Union legislation and policiey goals in a number of key areas such as energy, climate changeaccelerating the energy transition, tackling climate change, environmental protection, improved air quality, information and communication technology, sustainable use and recycling of resources, innovation, product safety, consumer protection, worker's safety and working conditions and ageing population, thus positively contributing to the society as a whole.
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36 a (new)
Recital 36 a (new)
(36a) The achievement of a circular economy requires the involvement of all stakeholders by acting not only on the design and sale of goods but also by encouraging changes in business activities through innovative business models that respond to consumers expectations and consumption patterns evolving towards use, reuse and sharing of products, thereby helping to extend their lifetime and to create competitive, lasting and sustainable products. This programme should aim in assisting and empowering consumers in making sustainable choices through greater access to information on expected lifetime, durability and reparability of products that enables them to choose according to their needs, expectations and preferences, and through greater protection in case of early-failing of products, better known as “planned obsolescence”.
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37
Recital 37
(37) The Programme should aim to raise the awareness of consumers, businesses, civil society and authorities on Union consumer and safety laws and to empower consumers and their representative organisations at national level and at the Union level notably by supporting the Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC) which is the long established and recognised NGO representing consumer interests in relation to all relevant Union policies, and the European Association for the Co- ordination of Consumer Representation in Standardisation (ANEC) which represents consumers interest in relation to standardisation issues. In doing so, particular attention should be given to new market needs regarding the promotion of sustainable consumption andwith a particular attention on actions to tackle the issue of planned obsolescence of products, the prevention of vulnerabilities as well as challenges created by the digitisation of the economy or the development of new consumption patterns and business models. The Programme should support the development of relevant information on markets, policy challenges, emerging issues and behaviours, and the publication of the Union consumer scoreboards.
Amendment 130 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 41
Recital 41
(41) Citizens are particularly affected by the functioning of financial services markets. These are a key component of the internal market and require a solid framework for regulation and supervision which ensures not only financial stability and a sustainable economy taking effectively into account social, environmental and governance factors, but also provides a high level of protection to consumers and other financial services end users, including retail investors, savers, insurance policyholders, pension fund members and beneficiaries, individual shareholders, borrowers and SMEs. It is important to enhance their capacity to participate in policy making for the financial sector.
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 45
Recital 45
(45) The general objective of Union law in the food chain area is to contribute to a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain, to support the improvement ofguarantee the welfare of animals, to contribute to a high level of protection and information for consumers and a high level of protection of the environment, including the preservation of biodiversity, while improving the sustainability of European food and feed productions, increasing quality standards across the Union, enhancing the competitiveness of the Union food and feed industry and favouring the creation of jobs.
Amendment 137 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) Considering the specific nature of the actions concerning a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain special eligibility criteria concerning provision of grants and use of public procurement need to be provided in this Regulation. In particular, by way of derogation from Regulation (EU, Euratom) of the European Parliament and of the Council61 (the 'Financial Regulation'), as an exception to the principle of non-retroactivity, the costs for the emergency measures, due to their urgent and unforeseeable nature, should be eligible and include also costs incurred as a result of a suspected occurrence of a disease or pest provided that that occurrence is subsequently confirmed and notified to the Commission. The corresponding budgetary commitments and the payment of eligible expenditure should be made by the Commission, after signature of the legal commitments and after assessment of the payment applications submitted by the Member States. Where emergencies in the area of human, animal and plant health in the food chain can be tracked back to specific union practices, measures should be taken to revise these practices. Costs should also be eligible for protection measures taken in the case of a direct threat to the status of health in the Union as a result of the occurrence or development, in the territory of a third country, a Member State or overseas countries and territories, of certain animal diseases and zoonoses as well as in respect of protection measures, or other relevant activities, taken in support of the health status of plants in the Union.
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) Official controls carried out by the Member States are an essential tool for verifying and monitoring that relevant Union requirements are being implemented, complied with and enforced. The effectiveness and efficiency of official control systems is vital for maintaining a high level of safety for humans, animals and plants along the food chain whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment and of animal welfare. Union financial support should be made available for such control measures, especially where compliance with Union law as concerns the health and safety of humans, animals and plants is still deficient, such as live animal transport. In particular, a financial contribution should be available to Union reference laboratories in order to help them bear the costs arising from the implementation of work programmes approved by the Commission. Moreover, since the effectiveness of official controls also depends on the availability to the control authorities of well trained staff with an appropriate knowledge of Union law, the Union should be able to contribute to their training and relevant exchange programmes organised by competent authorities.
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 53
Recital 53
(53) Reflecting tThe importance of tackling climate change in line with the Union's commitments to implement the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, should be reflected in the next Multiannual Financial Framework and therefore this Programme should contribute to mainstream climate actions and to the achievement of an overall target of 25 50% of the Union budget expenditures supporting climate objectives, to achieve a net-zero carbon society by 2050 at the latest. Relevant actions will be identified during the Programme's preparation and implementation, and reassessed in the context of the relevant evaluations and review processes.
Amendment 150 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 74
Recital 74
(74) To ensure regular monitoring and reporting, a proper framework for monitoring the actions and results of the Programme should be put in place from the very beginning. Such monitoring and reporting should be based on indicators, measuring the effects of the actions under the Programme against pre-defined baselines. A yearly report on its implementation should be made presenting progress achieved and planned activities and presented to the European Parliament.
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 83
Recital 83
(83) The Programme should also be to ensure greater visibility and coherence of the Union’s internal market, competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises including SMEs and European statistics actions towards European citizens, businesses and administrations.
Amendment 157 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 85
Recital 85
(85) It is appropriate to ensure a smooth transition without interruption between the programmes in the fields of competitiveness and sustainability of enterprises and SMEs, consumer protection, customers and end- users in financial services, policy making in financial services, food chain and European statistics, established by Regulation (EU) No 1287/2013, Regulation (EU) No 254/2014, Regulation (EU) 2017/826, Regulation (EU) No 258/2014, Regulation (EU) No 652/2014, Regulation (EU) No 99/2013 and this Programme, in particular regarding the continuation of multiannual measures and the evaluation of the previous programmes successes,
Amendment 161 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
This Regulation establishes the programme for improving the functioning of the internal market and, the competitiveness of enterprises, includingand sustainability of enterprises, paying particular attention to the needs of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the framework for financing of development, production and dissemination of European statistics within the meaning of Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 (the 'Programme').
Amendment 165 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to improve the functioning of the internal market through a reinforcement of its legal social and environmental framework in line with EU’s long-term climate objectives towards a circular and net-zero carbon economy, and especially to protect and empower citizens, consumers and businesses, in particular micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), by raising awareness on EU single market and consumer protections rules, enforcement of Union law, facilitation of market access and improved access to finance, standard setting, and by promoting human, animal and plant health and taking measures to guarantee animal welfare; as well as to enhance cooperation between the competent authorities of Member States and between the competent authorities of Member States and the Commission and the decentralised Union agencies;
Amendment 175 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) making the internal market more effective, promoting local economic development and local sustainable value chains, facilitating the prevention and removal of obstacles, supporting the development, implementation and enforcement of the Union law, including social and environmental standards, in the areas of the internal market for goods and services, public procurement, market surveillance as well as in the areas of company law and contract and extra- contractual law, anti-money laundering, free movement of capital, financial services and competition, including the development of governance tools;
Amendment 182 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point i
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point i
(i) empowering, assisting and educating consumers, businesses and civil society; ensuring a high level of consumer protection, sustainable consumption an both on offline and online markets in line with technological developments and digitalisation, fostering sustainable consumption through enhanced information to consumers on specific characteristics and environmental impact of goods and services, and enhanced product safety notably by supporting competent enforcement authorities and consumer representative organisations and cooperation actions; ensuring that all consumers have access to redreseffective redress-mechanisms and; provision of adequate information on markets and consumers;
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Amendment 241 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph -1 (new)
Article 17 – paragraph -1 (new)
Amendment 243 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2
2. The interim evaluation of the Programme shall be performed once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the Programme, but no later than four years after the startBy three years after the start of the implementation of the Programme, the Commission shall establish an interim evaluation report about the implementation of the Programme to assess the results of the actions supported in it and their impacts ofn the Programme implementationobjectives set out in this Regulation, and possibly propose a review of those.
Amendment 247 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 5
Article 18 – paragraph 5
5. At the end of the implementation of the Programme, but nNo later than fourtwo years after the end of the period specified in Article 1, a final evaluation of the Programme shall be carried out by the Commission to assess the results of actions supported and their impacts on the objectives set out in this Regulation.
Amendment 250 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 6
Article 18 – paragraph 6
6. The Commission shall communicate the conclusions of the evaluations accompanied by its observations,evaluation reports to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.