Activities of Xabier BENITO ZILUAGA related to 2016/2323(BUD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Guidelines for the 2018 budget - Section III (debate) ES
Amendments (11)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
— having regard to Articles 174 to 178 and 314 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the important rolUnderlines the potential transformative role which can be played by the EU budget in delivering concrete answers to the challenges the EU is facing; stresses that jobs, economic growth, migration, securthe Union Budget shall be used in such a way to give priority to policies of real integration and cohesion, based on social progress and solidarity, safeguarding and promoting decent, quality and stackling populism are the main concerns at EU level andble job creation, sustainable use of natural resources, protection of the environment which are the main concerns at EU level; the EU budget remains part of the solution to these issues, however underlines that the EUnion budget remains part of the solution to these issuehas proven to be scarce despite its potential to become an important resource in addressing the recent crises and responding to the needs which were not anticipated during the negotiation of the MFF 2014-2020, such as the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the migration and humanitarian crisis, geopolitical tensions in Europe's neighbourhood causing a number of serious challenges and emergencies, while within the EU the pace of economic recovery and a continuous lowering of both public and private investment levels below its potential led to an investment gap and the aggravation of inequalities between EU Member States, its regions and its citizens; underlines that a strong EU budget will benefit Member States and EU citizens alike; expects that the Commission will put forward a draft 2018 budget that enables the EU to continue to generate prosperity and, ensure the safetywellbeing and safekeeping of its citizens;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Highlights that the social and solidarity economy (SSE) represents today over 2 million enterprises, 180 000 are cooperatives; underlines that the SSE sector employs over 4 and a half million people in the EU and generates over 10 % of the EU GNI; urges for further support and simplification of the access to financing to SSEs, in particular by widening the scope of existing programs and financial instruments at EU and Member States' level, while calling for concrete new measures to further promote and expand cooperatives and social enterprises model economy, as this remains under-represented and under- financed when compared to other enterprise models, despite its importance in terms of share of GNI and employment in the Union; reiterates the role of the SSEs in strengthening sustainable, smart growth, in the creation of decent and sustainable jobs, in cohesion and integration, and that it should be further supported and made accessible, while underlining that the SSE sector remains an important provider of social, health, educational, environmental, energy production and distribution services.
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that investments in research and innovation represent a pre- condition for achieving genuine competitiveness in the EU; regrets the fact that, as a result of an alarmsmart, sustainable and green growth in the EU; regrets the fact that, subordinating most of EU research funding to an allegiance of strict market ruled schemes' as had as a result an alarmingly lack of financial support in research and innovation, the acute reduction of grants has had a particular detrimental impact on public research centers and universities, in particular to those which are not based on the wealthier EU Member States'; reiterates its conviction that scarce resources are often met with correspondingly low success rate of applications, fewer; calls, therefore, for the enhancement of the resources made available to research and innovation dissociated from loan's schemes, in order to ensure the boost of high- quality projects in the field of research and innovation which are receiving EU funding; calls in this respect for an adequatincrease in the level of appropriations to be ensured for Horizon 2020;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the important role and potential ofTakes the view that the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in reducing the investment gap in Europe, and recognises the positive results achieved so far; welcomes also the Commission proposal for extending the EFSI until 2020, which will serve to further improve its functioning, especially as regards the additionality principle and the geographical balance, has fallen short vis-à-vis its objectives; is deeply concerned with the fact that while mobilizing a considerable amount of EU funding, it did not effectively contribute to reducing disparities among regions and Member States, nor to the investment gap in the Union and it failed to address the geographical and sectorial imbalances detected; furthermore, it is concerned with its potential to induce rent seeking and asset stripping by private investors at the expense of the Union budget via public-private partnerships, the privatization of profits and the socialization of losses and sparely contributing to additional investment; it deeply regrets that its unsatisfactory performance in effectively tackling and promoting a public funded instrument which was designed as to highly improve accessibility to funding for SMEs and SSEs; it is also concerned that via the EFSI, the European Investment Bank acquired too much levy over the Union budget, while displaying a poor track record in terms of sectorial and regional distribution of investments and the support of SMEs; takes note of the Commission proposal for extending the EFSI until 2020, while insisting on the urgent need to review its current regulatory framework; reiterates it call for a meaningful public investment programme in support of the real economy, which should be based on solidarity and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Recalls the previous problems entailed by the lack of payment appropriations for the LIFE programme, which impeded and delayed its proper implementation; underlines that the Union ratified the COP 21 agreement and calls on the Commission to dedicate part of EU's financial resources to respect its international commitments; notes that the EU budget is expected to allocate 19,2 % of expenditure to this aim; strongly encourages the Commission to pursue this track so to apply the 20 % target, in line with the Commission's commitment to mainstream climate action in the current MFF;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the role played by instruments such as the Internal Security Fund (ISF) andStresses the need to adopt a comprehensive and human rights-based approach linking migration with development and guaranteeing the integration of migrant workers and asylum seekers and refugees; notes the role played by instruments such as the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in addressing the effects of the migratory and refugeehumanitarian crisis, and calls for adequate budgeting in the coming years for theseis funds; welcomes also the role of EU agencies in the area of justice and home affairs, such as Europol and the European Border and Coast Guard,is area and calls, in this context, for their mandate to be executed through adequate budgeting and staffing; is convinced that the EU needs to invest more in strengthening its borders, enhancing cooperation between law enforcement agencies, fighting terrorism and radicalisation and ensuring sound return operations;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Strongly supports initiatives in the field of defence research with the aim of encouraging better cooperation between Member States; recallsReiterates its conviction that the Union budget should not finance initiatives which could be to the detriment of existing Union policies and programs, in particular, reiterates its commitment to financing initiatives which can actively promote peace, integration and cohesion objectives in the Union; is convinced that, while respecting provisions enshrined in the Treaties, strengthened cooperith an already underfinanced Union budget, additional efforts for operations, administrative costs, preparatory actions and pilot projects in relation into the field of defence is needcommon security and defence policy should be sole financed, in order to meet the security challenges that the EU is facing, which are generated by prolonged instability in the EU neighbourhood and uncertainty regardf they so decide, by the Member States and not by the Union budget; recalls that, while respecting provisions enshrined in the Treaties, strengthened cooperation in the the EU and its Members States should by no means underminge the commitment of certain EU partners towards NATO objectives; to peace, to sustainable development and to neutrality;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reaffirms its conviction that in order to tackle the root causes ofHighlights the need to ensure and guarantee that human, civil rights and liberties, social protection, including protection for the most vulnerable, healthcare, social and financial benefits are implemented in full compliance with international law, in particular UN Human Rights Charter and Convention relation to the Refugee Status, the Convention of the Rights of the Child, the Geneva Convention, the Cartagena Declaration on Refugees, the Council of Europe's Recommendations on Refugees and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU; reaffirms its conviction that in order to tackle the migratory and refugeehumanitarian crisis, the EU needs to step up its role through investments in the countries of origin of the refugees and migrants; notes thatrecalls that the primary objective of the Union's development policy must remain the reduction of poverty; underlines the key role of investments in infrastructure, housing, education, medical services and support for SMEs are part of the solution to tackle the ; welcomes therefore coherent and coordinated initiatives' within a framework to promot causes of migration; welcomes theree and reinforce investments in public services and capacity building in Africa and the neighborhood countries which reinforce the External Investment Plan as a coherent and coordinated framework to promote investments in Africa and the Neighbourhood countriesrule of law, good governance and the role of civil society stakeholders; considers that a sustainable management of the humanitarian crisis on the long term demands the inclusion of all the emergency funds within the EU budget, allowing for a better accountability of all EU's actions in this field;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Reiterates its conviction that in order to offset the weak economic recovery, the new latent crisis trends and the increased disparities among regions and Member States in the EU, it is necessary to provide a rupture to the current neo-liberal and austerity policies; underlines the need to increment solidarity and the redistributive role of the EU BUDG, while acknowledging that this can only be possible in a context in which Member States implement concrete measures towards more progressive tax systems, while effectively tackling their current regressive character; reiterates its position that an adequate increase of the Union's budget is necessary to ensure the adequate level of resources with particular emphasis on the programs and projects aimed at boosting growth and decent employment, eradicating poverty, investing in smart, sustainable, green development; underlines that contributions to this increase should result from an increase in the payments made by Member States with the highest GNI and the highest per capita income, correcting the current biased and unfair systems of contribution keys; furthermore, it reiterates that it is imperative to increase support to Member States, especially those facing economic recession, for investment in infrastructure, social facilities, research, innovation and development; considers that the contributions to the EU Budget from the Member States should not be accounted when calculating Member States' structural deficits;