47 Amendments of Johan VAN OVERTVELDT related to 2019/2211(INI)
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the EU’s low productivity and global competitiveness require urgent structural reforms and fiscal discipline aiming at growth, employment and increased convergence within the EU;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A a (new)
Recital -A a (new)
-A a. whereas in order to achieve sustainable growth the EU needs to shift from rather experimental, unprecedented and unsustainable monetary policies to conventional, evidence based and growth- friendly investment, a comprehensive and non-selective implementation of the SGP, and structural reforms;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A b (new)
Recital -A b (new)
-A b. whereas persisting high levels of public debt represent a drag on growth, greater risk of a fiscal crisis, lower national savings and income and lead to large tax hikes;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A c (new)
Recital -A c (new)
-A c. whereas debt reduction measures have been slow in a number of Member States;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A d (new)
Recital -A d (new)
-A d. whereas five euro area Member States with high debt-to-GDP ratios are forecast to have a sizeable structural deficit in 2020;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the improvement in the economic situationd economic discipline and stability and low interest rates provide an opportunity to implement ambitiousnecessary reforms, in particular measures aimed at encouraging effective public investment to tackle climate change and its social consequences and create full-time jobs;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas structural reforms in the Member States are needed in order to create the conditions for sustainable growth;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas close to zero interest rates severely distort the intertemporal allocation of capital; whereas a flat yield curve severely damages the traditional borrowing and lending business model of banks and drives them into riskier business activities;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
A c. whereas the unemployment rate in the EU is below the pre-crisis level and the unemployment rate in the euro area is still above the pre-crisis level;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that, in view of the climate change emergency, the EU’s Annual Growth Survey (AGS) has now been renamed the Annual Sustainable Growth Survey (ASGS), and considers that this implies a change in the positioning of the report and the implementation of ecological indicators; stresses however that this change must comply with the valid fiscal rules;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes the role of the European Green Deal as the EU’s new strategy defining ecological issues and the wellbeing of citizens as principal goals for the Union; notes, with regard to the scope of the European Semester, the inclusion of the SDGs and of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), which will require the adjustment of existing indicators and the creation of new ones to monitor the implementation of EU economic, environmental and social policies, as well as coherence between policy goals and budgetary means; notes the need to implement long-term planning to tackle climate change;
Amendment 116 #
3. Considers achieving a fair transition to climate neutrality to be a major responsibility for the EU’s citizens and economy and its role in the world; calls for appropriate support and policies, with involvement for and of the public, the various sectors, regions and Member States with a view to benefiting from this transformation and making it a success; calls on the Commission to undertake an annual evaluation of the Union’s ecological debt, carbon budget and imported emissions;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the euro area is going through a prolonged period of subdued growth (1.1 % in the euro area and 1.4% in the EU as a whole in 2019 with significant differences between Member States from 0.1 % to 5.6 %), with growth in the euro area in 2020 and 2021 forecast at 1.2 % and for the EU in 2020 and 2021 forecast at 1.4 %; also notes that the inflation rate is forecast to further slow down, to 1.2 % in 2019 and 2020, in a context of high uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions and Brexit; is concerned at the high level of both public and private debt;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is concerned that post-crisis investment has been on a downward path in the EU in spite of historically low interest rates, currently standing at 3.4 %, with overall infrastructure investment now at about 75 % of its pre-crisis level; notes that monetary policy of low interest rates has not helped to increase the level of investments to pre-crisis level; whereas 80 % of the shortfall is the result of cutbacks in the public sector, which have occurred particularly in countries subject to adverse macroeconomic conditions and the more severe fiscal constraints imposed on disadvantaged regions already characterised by poor infrastructure quality and weak socio- economic outcomes, but also, and surprisingly, in countries with a large fiscal space;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Emphasises that reliable investment requires a regulatory environment that allows for a return on investment; considers that predictable rules, a level playing field and reduced compliance costs are crucial factors for attracting investment;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Endorses the conclusion of the European Fiscal Board (EFB) that the fiscal framework has not protected the quality of public expenditure, and welcomes the EFB’s proposal for a ‘golden rule’ to protect public investment; calls, therefore, for the reform of the Stability and Growth Pact and the introduction of a golden rule aimed at implementing sound fiscal policy on an equal footing with investment within the EU’s policy objectives; whereas this should cover the investment foreseen for the realisation of the Green Deal, the Digital Revolution, the SDGs and the EPSR Rights, including expenditure aimed at reducing poverty and inequality related to social protection, health services and long-term care, and education and training; highlights that public investments are limited as they represent scarce resources mostly funded by the taxpayers; calls on the Commission to prioritise the public investments according to their efficiency in order to support economic growth;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. warns that boosting investment should not be seen as an alternative to productivity-enhancing reforms;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Notes with concern that the EU share of global foreign direct investments flows have fallen significantly since the crisis;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Underlines that implementation of the Green deal shall not distort the long- term sustainability of public finances and shall be in full compliance with the Stability and Growth Pact and with short- term macroeconomic stabilisation;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. NoteRegrets that the debt levels of all the Member States are above the pre-crisis level and are expected to exceed 60 % GDP in 2021; further notes that in six Member States the ratio will be higher than 90 %; highlights the fact that the fiscal rules have not contributed to bringing down the debt levels of highly indebted countries but have, rather, increased them GDP; underlines that debt levels may be hard to sustain if and when interest rates return to normal levels;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Recalls the need to reduce the levels of public debt to help the European economies to be more resilient to shocks, especially in highly indebted countries; warns about higher financing costs in the future once monetary policy accommodation is reduced, especially in the euro area;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Recalls that growth-friendly structural reforms do not require fiscal space but rather political, legislative and administrative efforts aimed at strengthening market forces and private sector initiatives;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Supports flexibility in the implementation of the SGP as proposed by the Commission in 2015; considers that much more flexibility should be introduced in order to booPoints out that acquis communautaire and other common measures, including fiscal rules, shall be respected and regrets long last investment and ecological transition in the EU; calls, therefore, for the reform of the SGP and the introduction of a euro area fiscal capacityg selective non-compliance with common EU rules; calls, therefore, for the full and unambiguous implementation of the SGP;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that the Commission warranted in-depth reviews for 13 Member States identified as having imbalances; supports the suggestion made in the Alert Mechanism Report (AMR) 2020 that a rebalancing of current account deficits and surpluses in the euro area is needed urgently and would be beneficial for all Member Statesnotes that in such environment the required adjustment for some Member States seeking improvement of intra-EU competitiveness becomes much harder to achieve;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Is concerned about the accelerating rise in house prices as a consequence of ECB’s monetary policy;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls the importance of the efficient regulation of the banking and financial sectors in order to prevent a new crisis; believes that such regulation must integrate the ecological situation; emphasises the importance of completing the Banking Union and the need to reform the European Stability Mechanism;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. CRecalls forthat qualified majority voting in Council on tax matters would infringe the sovereign Member States competence;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls for the systematic inclusion of tax matters in the Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs), with the aim of ensuring economic coherence across EU Member States as well as the fairness of EU tax systems; believes that the CSRs could ensure a fair balance between sources of revenue and should also include innovative elements aiming at promoting the Green Deal; further; believes that they should also support Member States in tackling tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Recalls that high levels of taxation in Europe are a hindrance to investments and jobs; supports the Commission’s initiatives to achieve increased transparency and a reformed VAT system;
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that, according to the EU Labour Force Survey, there are 8.3 million involuntary part-time workers in the EU, two thirds of them women; requests the Commission to undertake a study to analyse the impact of this development on pension systems and public finances taking into account the influence of tax wedge on the share of part-time workers;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Agrees that it is a matter of great concern that income inequality is above pre-crisis levels in some countries, being frequently linked to unequal opportunities in access to education, training and social protection; welcomes in this regards the efforts of those Member States that are shifting away from the high tax burden on labour in Europe;
Amendment 374 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Underlines the fact that the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion stands, on 2017 figures, at 113 million, or 22.5 % of the population and welcomes the decrease to 21.9% in 2018;
Amendment 381 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 389 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24 a. Demands the necessary respect for the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality; stresses that in line with the Treaties, Member States must continue to have sufficient flexibility in implementing an appropriate social policy;
Amendment 391 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
Amendment 398 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Recalls that the focus of the European Semester should be on national ownership;
Amendment 404 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Looks forward to the stronger involvement of the EP and the national parliaments and regional in the European Semester process and to the creation of an institutionalised dialogue with the Commission, the social partners, territories and civil society, at both EU and national level and relevant actors, in order to further boost the process’s democratic legitimacy;
Amendment 408 #
Amendment 414 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27 a. Reminds Member States of the importance of committing to and delivering on the CSRs including recommendations of the European Court of Auditors;