Activities of Paloma LÓPEZ BERMEJO related to 2016/2100(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Annual report on EU competition policy (debate) ES
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the annual report on EU competition policy PDF (554 KB) DOC (121 KB)
Amendments (33)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
– having regard to Protocol 26 of the TFEU on services of general interest,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 b (new)
Citation 2 b (new)
– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 6 July 2016 on tax rulings and other measures similar in nature or effect,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 c (new)
Citation 2 c (new)
– having regard to the universal framework for Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA) developed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO),
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 a (new)
Citation 3 a (new)
– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 23 June 2016 on the renewable energy progress report,
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3 b (new)
Citation 3 b (new)
– having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 14 September 2016 on social dumping in the European Union,
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas competition policy should prevents the over-concentration of economic and financial power in the hands of a few private companies or individuals, facilitating democratic control over the economy;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas competition policy can and should mtake a significant into accountribution to key political priorities such as boosting innovation, quality jobs, growth and investment, protecting consumers and reinforcing the single market, with particular regard to the digital single market and the Energy Union the need to ensure the promotion of a high level of employment, the guarantee of adequate social protection, the fight against social exclusion, and a high level of education, training and protection of human health;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the public sector provides, produces and manages goods and services in a more efficient manner than the private sector when social, environmental or other externalities cannot be properly accounted through the market;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the annual report by the Commission on competition policy, which can help to restore a sufficient level of investment and innovation by creating a fair competition environment; also reiterates that Europe’s future should be based on innovation;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates that all market players should pay their fair share of tax in the Member State where production takes place; Welcomes the Commission’s in- depth investigations into anti-competitive practices such as selective tax advantages or excess profit ruling systems, but expresses its dissatisfaction with the low level of sanctions and the current practice where it is the Member State that facilitates tax evasion that receives the payment of the fine;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Notes that economic integration cannot proceed without tackling anti- competitive practices such as social and tax dumping in the EU;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomNotes the Commission’s Digital Single Market Strategy; reiterates that a unified digital single market could create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and could contribute EUR 415 billion per year to the EU economy;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls onNotes the Commission to take more ambitious steps to eliminate obstacles to's steps in fostering online competition, in order to ensure barrier-frepromote online shopping for EU consumers purchasing from sellers who are based in another Member State; stresses the need to ensure that the development of online shopping does not open the door to new forms of tax competition; underlines the need to avoid the concentration of digital services into a few providers, which would harm small producers and consumers alike;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that the for-profit sharing economy is offering EU consumers numerous innovative products and serviceproducing a marked deterioration in labour and consumer standards; reiterates that beside the taxation and security aspects, the Commission should also examine its competition aspects; underlines that national or EU rules must not impose the same conditions for different kinds of servicesshould ensure that new entrants from the sharing economy in a particular sector abide by the same labour and consumer regulations already in force for traditional providers; stresses the need to fight against bogus self- employment and other forms of precarious employment developing in the for-profit sharing economy;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers that competition in the telecommunications sector is essential, not only to drive innovation and investment in networks but also to encourage affordable prices and choice of services for consumers; calls on the Commission, therefore, to safeguard competition in this sector, including with regard to spectrum allocationcombat private oligopolies in this market in order to ensure universal access to digital services;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. WelcomNotes the overhaul of the state aid rules; reminds the Member States, nonethelessstresses, however, that the aim was to better target aid measures towards economic growth, quality job creation and social cohesion; also reminds the Commission of the need to prevent certain governments is far from actbeing in bad faith as they do when misspending EU fundsachieved;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. StressNotes that – as the Commission has stated for the sixth time in its annual competition report –that the temporary state aid granted in the financial sector was necessary for the stabilisation of the global financial system, but must quickly be reduced, or totally removed and scrutinised, once the Banking Union is completedmust quickly be reduced, or totally removed and scrutinized, yet no effective action has been taken in the past or seems likely to be taken in the future to avoid the problem of too-big-to-fail financial institution -a problem that will be further aggravated through the Banking Union and the Capital Markets Union;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Considers it regrettable that no action was taken by the Commission to address the abuses committed in the restructuring of private banks, including those affecting small depositors and small owners of financial instruments such as preferred shares, which in many cases had been marketed without full compliance with EU legislation; calls on the Commission to address the widespread effects of mis-selling of financial products uncovered in the restructuring of banks affected by the economic crisis;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Draws attention to the planned merger between Bayer and Monsanto, which would create an European and global oligopoly if allowed to proceed; stresses the need to send a clear signal by intervening to protect farmers' and consumers' interests;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. WelcomNotes the Commission’s Framework Strategy for a Resilient Energy Union with a Forward-Looking Climate Change Policy, and agrees wi; highlights, however, that under current conditions the its five interrelated policy dimensionsntegration of European energy markets and the increased reliance on market-based mechanisms will only enhance the power of oligopolistic energy companies against the general interest; also stresses that the EU needs to move away from an economy driven by fossil fuels;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the different antitrust investigations, in particular those into against Gazprom and Bulgargaz, aimed at ensuring market integration in the Energy Union; regrets, however,Regrets the practice on the part of certain Member States of buying gas through offshore companies, as being a typical example of tax avoidance and an act that is contrary to a properly functioning Energy Union;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the efforts of the Commission to promote the market integration of renewable energy sources in order to avoid distortions of competitionExpresses concern at the forced market integration of renewable energy sources, as it may harm the installation of new capacity or fail to ensure an adequate renewable energy mix; regrets that certain governments have used competition policy to block the development of renewable energy, through retroactive dismantlement of existing support schemes; underlines, howeverin this sense, the responsibility of Member States in promoting and financing the production and use of renewable energy;
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Welcomes the Commission's steps to evaluate excessive remuneration of private operators through capacity mechanisms and calls for further investigation of excessive regulated costs, for instance as a compensation for the phase-out of nuclear energy or in the operation of large hydroelectric dams;
Amendment 366 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Reiterates the need to develop progressively the EU competition framework to include in the monitoring of the food supply chain in Europe the Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA) indicators of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), including indicators under the headings of Fair Pricing and Transparent Contracts (S.2.1.1) and Right of Suppliers (S.2.2.1);
Amendment 375 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Calls for further development of the European Food Prices Monitoring Tool to improve the detection of crisis in the agri-food sector in the direction of better and more disaggregated data; highlights, in this respect, the need to engage farmers' organisations in the definition and collection of data;
Amendment 381 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 c (new)
Paragraph 21 c (new)
21c. Reiterates the call for binding action in the food supply chain against retailers harming farmers and consumers; stresses that the current levels of concentration in this chain are a root cause of the price volatility and falling incomes suffered by farmers;
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 d (new)
Paragraph 21 d (new)
21d. Stresses the need to ensure access to medicines by fighting the abuses of the pharmaceutical industry; notes the need to encourage the use of generic medicines, where available, in the health systems of Member States;
Amendment 393 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. WelcomNotes the decentralised enforcement of EU competition rules in Europe, but considers that the effectiveness of the protection of citizens and companies from anti-competitive practices should not depend only on the Member State in which they are resident; highlights, however, that all steps should be taken to avoid regulatory capture by national private companies; expresses its concern, in this regard, at the high number of "revolving doors" scandals affecting some Member States;
Amendment 399 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Reiterates that the independence of national competition authorities is of paramount importance, and that this includes ensuring that they have the resources they need to perform their tasks; stresses, however, that competition authorities should not jeopardize the democratic right to regulate national markets; is concerned, in this respect, by the increasing power of national competition authorities over democratically-elected national bodies;
Amendment 437 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Calls for the involvement of relevant stakeholders, including national and local public authorities and the social partners, in the decision-making process of competition authorities;
Amendment 438 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. Expresses its concern at the "revolving door" scandals affecting EU competition authorities, and in particular, the case of former Commission of Competition Nellie Kroes, who will not only lobby for Uber but is also affected by the revelations of Bahamas Leaks;