12 Amendments of Tom VANDENKENDELAERE related to 2015/2210(INI)
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the Commission's new approach to streamlining the European Semester process, i.e. through placing a stronger focus on a limited number of most important priorities and challenges and publishing its country-specific and euro area analysis three months earlier than in previous years; believes this should be complemented by a stronger multi-annual approach as proposed in the Five Presidents' report;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes with concern the varying degrees of commitment demonstrated by Member States to implementing last year's CSRs; stresses the importance of the implementation of the CSRs in order to ensure consistent and fair implementation of the economic governance framework across Member States; deplores in this context the non-binding nature of the recommendations; stresses the need for a mechanism through which Member States are politically and financially incentivised to carry out the needed reforms;
Amendment 96 #
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 investment; welcomes in this respect the proposal in the Five Presidents' report to divide the European Semester in a European stage followed by a national stage;
Amendment 112 #
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 rates; insists that this should be complemented by the active promotion of entrepreneurship via, among others, the inclusion of entrepreneurship skills in school curricula and the creation of a more conducive regulatory and tax environment for start-ups;
Amendment 137 #
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); notwelcomes 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 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the importance of access to finance for enterprises, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which constitute the backbone of the EU economy; points out the failure of currently low interest rates to boostwelcomes the gradual easing of credit standards on loans to enterprises in the first half of 2015 and the first signs of a pick-up in private investment; remains concerned however about the historically tight credit standards and low levels of investment;
Amendment 174 #
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 levels; stresses the importance of sound business regulation for the success of the EFSI; calls, therefore, for the removal of administrative barriers, cutting red tape, strengthening the quality and efficiency of Member States' justice systems and reform of Member States' tax systems;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Agrees with the Commission that many Member States need to be more ambitious in implementing structural reforms in order to make product and services markets more competitive; welcomes, in this context, the Commission's communications on the roadmap for completing the Digital Single Market and on the roadmap for the Energy Union;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the role of flexible labour markets, combined with an adequate level of social and employment protection, in combatting unemployment, in particular the negative impact on job creation rates of rigid rules on dismissal, excessive minimum wage levelwage levels out of line with productivity developments and lengthy labour disputes; calls for a shift away from labour taxes to other sources of taxation such as consumption, pollution and capital gains;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Believes the setting-up of independent national Competitiveness Authorities who coordinate their work at Eurozone level as proposed in the Five Presidents' report could foster national ownership of the CSRs and economic convergence more generally;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the role of social and employment indicators in the European Semester process in order to reach a more complete economic impact assessment reflecting the long as well as the short term;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Reiterates its call for the strengthening of the position of the Commission's Chief Economic Analyst (CEA), whose mandate is to verify independently the implementation of the EU governance rules within the European Semester; calls, in particular, for the CEA's analysis to be made public and for the establishment of a regular dialogue between the competent committee of Parliament and the CEA; notwelcomes also in this context thate proposal in the Five Presidents' Report on completing EMU proposes the setting-up of a European Fiscal Board (EFB);to set-up an independent European Fiscal Board (EFB) coordinating and complementing the network of national fiscal councils.