Activities of Xabier BENITO ZILUAGA related to 2018/2046(BUD)
Plenary speeches (1)
General budget of the European Union for 2019 - all sections (debate) ES
Amendments (31)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that Parliament's reading of the 2019 Budget fully does not fully reflects the political priorities adopted by an overwhelming majority in its abovementioned resolutions of 15 March 2018 on general guidelines and of 5 July 2018 on a mandate for the trilogue; recalls that at the core of those priorities are: sustainable growth, innovation, competitiveness, security, the fight against climate change and the transition to renewable energy and migration, and a particular focus on young people;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that Europe's citizens expect the Union to strain every sinew to ensure economic growth and foster job creation; recalls that meeting those expectations requires investments in research and innovation, education, infrastructure, SMEs and employment, particularly among the young people of Europe, and that any failure in that regard will foster disillusionment with the European ideal; expresses wonderment that the Council yet again proposes cuts to the very programmes that are designed to make the Union economy more competitive and innovative; stresses moreover that many of these programmes, for example Horizon 2020, are heavily oversubscribed, which constitutes a poor use resources and means that many excellent projects do not receive funding; highlights also the fact that programmes such as Erasmus +, Horizon 2020 and the Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) provide a vivid demonstration of the advantages of working together across the Union and help create a feeling of European belonging; decides therefore to reinforce considerably Erasmus + and to strengthen programmes that contribute to growth and job creation, including Horizon 2020, the components of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) that are not related to defence spending or furthering our reliance on fossil fuels, and COSME;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates its commitment to its pledges made during the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) negotiations, namely to minimise the impact of EFSI-related cuts on Horizon 2020 and CEF in the framework of the annual budgetary procedure; proposes, therefore, not only to offset those cuts by restoring the original annual profile of those two programmes, in order to allow them to fully accomplish the objectives agreed during the adoption of the relevant legislation, but also revising the character of the EFSI in order to turn it into an ambitious social and environmental public investment plan for Europe, detached of its condition of financial instrument and engaged with a transition plan for an ecological change of production model;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Highlights that youth unemployment remains unacceptably high in certain Member States and that the situation of young people in NEET (not in education, employment or training) situations and the long-term unemployed is particularly worrying; stresses that young people are the most at risk of poverty and social and economic exclusion; decides therefore to reinforce the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) beyond the level proposed by the Commission; stresses that such reinforcement should in no way be seen as a frontloading of the YEI allocation endorsed in the context of the MFF mid-term revision; and urges for making this initiative anemployment plan linked to a social and environmental public plan for Europewhich engages to the Member States to increase the level of absorptionof the funding and create more quality youth employment;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Insists that in the light of recent security concerns across the Union, funding under Heading 3 should also pay particular attention to measures which will lead to enhancing security of Union citizens; decides for this reason to reinforce agencies in the field of Justice and Home Affairs which, due to increased workload and additional tasks, have been facing shortage of staff and funding in the past years;highlights the need for reflection on the causes of a lack of economic security for the European population, and its links to the lack of social protection, precarious labour conditions, and inequalities which drive social conflicts.
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Reiterates that part of the solution to the migratory and refugee crisis as well as to the security concerns of Union citizens lies in addressing the root causes of migration and devoting sufficient financial means to external instruments that aim at tackling issues such as poverty, lack of employment, education and economic opportunities, instability, conflict and climate change; is of the opinion that is of the Uopinion should make optimal use of financial means under Heading 4 wthat Member States should recognize their responsibility for a number ongoing conflicts, and economic exploitation, as well as ending the unethichal proved to be insufficient to equally address all external challengesactice of externalising EU borders to third countries in order to allow for the optimal use of financial means under Heading 4;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Regrets that Parliament has not been duly involved in the discussions on the extension of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRT); reiterates its longstanding position that new initiatives must not be financed to the detriment of existing Union external projects; maintains, while recalling its support for the continuation of the FRT, that, given the stretched situation under Heading 4 to respond to external challenges, including migration, the Union budget should contribute to the financing of the second tranche in the same proportion as for the first one, i.e. EUR 1 billion, while the Member States should contribute EUR 2 billion to its financing, provided Turkey complies the Human Rights;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Recalls to the Council and to the Commission that would be more efficient to apply the austerity criteria, to all those wasteful administrative expenses, the unjustified building policy, or the travel expenses of MEPS, in order to bring the EU institutions practices closer to the citizens living standards; the limiting of higher wage scales is required to avoid cuts to staff numbers, which are needed to carry out the important role of the EU;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Highlights yet again the fact that SMEs are an essential part of the Union economy and play a crucial role in job creation throughout the Union; believes that there is a need to create an SME- friendly business environment, as well as to support SME clusters and networks, , especially concerning the economically independent SMEs, at all levels, of the transnational and oligopolistic network, and supporting also cooperative companies which bring social, solidarity and ethic practices; notes, however, with deep concern the Council cuts to the SME instrument, which send a contradictory signal to businesses in the Union; considers that the Union budget can be a key tool in making SMEs more competitive and more innovative and in fostering the spirit of enterprise in the Union; recalls in this regard COSME and Horizon 2020;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Raises the necessity of the implementation of a programme for providing economic and social security by establishing a policy of investment aligned with the needs of the working classes; an employment policy based on economic security and social protection and a more sustainable environment;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Decides, in line with its Europe 2020 targets and with its international commitments to tackle climate change, to propose an increase of EUR 15,620 million above the level of the DB for climate- related actions;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Reiterates its long-standing conviction that the Heading 3 ceiling has proven vastly insufficient to adequately fund the internal dimension of essential challenges related on the one hand to internal security, and on the other hand to migrationto migration, a lack of funding has been further compounded by the fundamentally flawed approach to migration at the European level;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Expects the pressure on some Member States’ migration and asylum systems, as well as on their borders, to remain high in 2019, and is of the opinion that additional funding is needed in the field of migration, also in view of any future, unpredictable needs in this area; reinforcIs of the opinion that additional funding is needed in the field of migration, in order to address the root causes offorced migration that is the result of poverty, climate change and war; calls for a recognition of the EU’s role in these causes of migration; urges the reinforece of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund as regards supporting legal migration to the Unionmigrant population at risk, safe route and rescue operation policy, and promoting the effective integration of third-country nationals and enhancing fair and effective return strategies, in particular to support Member States in improving integration measures for migrants, especially children and unaccompanied minors;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34 a. Regrets that after the publication, on 3 February 2014, of its first EU Anti- Corruption report, the Commission refused to continue this practice of annual reports and instead integrated anti-corruption policies in the Economic Semester; notes that the country-specific reports in the context of the economic semester do not contain a clear description of the state of play, nor do they contain recommendations on anti- corruption measures for all Member States; urges the Commission once more to submit to Parliament a second EU Anti-Corruption report, and in this context not to evaluate anti-corruption efforts only in terms of economic loss but to also analyse the detrimental effects of corruption for the fundamental rights of European citizens;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Believes that promoting peace, security and justice in developing countries are paramount in addressing the root causes of forced migration and corresponding humanitarian challenges in the Southern Neighbourhood; underlines the importance of supporting good governance, democracy, the rule of law and vibrant civil society to effectively combat poverty over the long-term, and address the challenges of the climate change in developing countries; decides therefore to increase resources for the Development and Cooperation Instrument (DCI) and the Southern part of the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) under its various strands, to reflect also the considerable stress under which ENI will continue to be in 2019;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50 a (new)
Paragraph 50 a (new)
50 a. Considers that in its resolution of 18 April 2018 on the Integrity Policy of the Commission, Parliament expressed its concerns with the appointment procedures for its senior officials, reiterates its call on the Commission to review before the end of 2018 its administrative procedure for the appointment of senior officials with the objective of fully ensuring that the best candidates are selected within a framework of maximum transparency and equal opportunities; calls on the Commission to also review its recruitment policies for officials more generally with a view to avoid conflicts of interest, such as were noted by NGO’s (https://corporateeurope.org/power- lobbies-revolving- doors/2018/04/financial-regulators-and- private-sector-permanent-revolving);
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51
Paragraph 51
51. Endorses, as a general rule, the Commission's estimates of the budgetary needs of agencies; considers, therefore, that any further cuts proposed by the Council would endanger the proper functioning of the agencies and would not allow them to fulfil the tasks they have been assigned; is concerned that in general the visibility of agencies for European citizens is still limited, whereas for their accountability and independence a high level of visibility is required;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51 a (new)
Paragraph 51 a (new)
51 a. Recalls that most of the agencies pointed out that they do not want to be dependent on fees, which do not guarantee a steady flow of income; furthermore, stresses that conflicts of interest as a consequence of having to rely on fees should be avoided; calls upon the Commission to examine the possibility of introducing a system whereby the fees are paid to the Commission instead of to the agencies directly and that the agencies continue to be funded through the EU- budget;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61 a (new)
Paragraph 61 a (new)
61 a. Acknowledges that, according to the European Court of Auditors, the costs of the geographic dispersion of Parliament amount to EUR 114 million per year and notes the finding, in its resolution of 20 November 2013 [Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0498] on the location of the seats of the European Union’s Institutions, that 78 % of all missions by Parliament staff coming under the Staff Regulations arise as a direct result of the fact that Parliament’s services are geographically dispersed; recalls that the estimate of the environmental impact of that dispersal is between 11 000 to 19 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions; reiterates its call on the Council to develop a comprehensive strategy in order to agree on a single seat for Parliament;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 62 a (new)
Paragraph 62 a (new)
62 a. Takes note of the Bureau decision to decide to select two options, structural renovation and redesign, for further elaboration of the PHS building; urges the Secretary-General and the Bureau to publish a detailed budget for each of these options in addition to all technical specifications;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64 a (new)
Paragraph 64 a (new)
64 a. Takes note of the decision of 25 September 2018 of the General Court confirming the Parliament’s refusal to grant access to documents relating to MEPs’ subsistence allowances, travel expenses and parliamentary assistance allowances (Judgment in Cases T-639/15 to T-666/15 Maria Psara and Others vParliament and T-94/16 Gavin Sheridan vParliament); reminds the Bureau that the plenary has appealed for greater transparency and an urgent need to audit the General Expenditure Allowance; welcomed, in this regard, the creation of an ad hoc working group for defining and publishing the rules concerning the use of the general expenditure allowance; regrets, however, that the based on the report of its working group the Bureau could only agree on a non-exhaustive list of eligible expenses, and on the need for each Member of Parliament to have a separate bank account dedicated to funds received as part of the General Expenditure Allowance; reiterates its call on the Bureau to make the following additional changes concerning the General Expenditure Allowance: - all receipts pertaining to the General Expenditure Allowance shall be kept by Members; - the unspent share of the General Expenditure Allowance shall be returned at the end of the mandate;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
66. recalls that, in a note to the Bureau dated 8 March 2018, its Secretary-General accepted that the pension fund linked to the Member’s voluntary pension scheme “will exhaust its capital well before the end of the pension obligations and possibly already by 2024”; recalls furtherefmore upon the Secretary-General and the Bureau, while respecting fully the Statute for Members, to urgently establish with the pension fund a clear plan for the Parliament assuming and taking over its obligations and responsibilities for itsthat Parliament is the guarantor for the payment of pension rights when and if this fund is unable to meet its obligations; expresses its serious concerns with the fact that this way tax-payers money is wasted; asks the Secretary-General to develop proposals for dissolving the fund, while returning to participating (former) Member’s voluntary pension scheme immediately after the 2019 electionthe contributions they paid themselves;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 a (new)
Paragraph 66 a (new)
66 a. Observes that a policy of limiting the higher wage scales and other similar expenses might prevent the need for any cuts to staff numbers;
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 76
Paragraph 76
76. Maintains unchanged the overall level of the Ombudsman’s budget for 2019 as proposed by the Commission in the DB; stresses that the number of cases at the European Ombudsmanhas increased significantly and that the Office of the European Ombudsman risks of becoming quickly understaffed and underfunded; stresses that, moreover, this lack of resources may hinder the Ombudsman taking up new and highly necessary tasks, such as the assistance of whistleblowers inside the EU-institutions, which the Ombudsman expressed her willingness to take upon herself, if Commission and Parliament were to decide that an EU referral body for whistle blowers is required;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78
Paragraph 78
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 79
Paragraph 79
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80
Paragraph 80
80. Restores the 28 posts + 5 more and related appropriations cut by the Council as it is a moderate staff increase that is justified by the EEAS’s significant new responsibilities, in particular those connected to Brexit (creation of a new Union delegation in London and a new unit in the headquarters), and the adoption of a number of initiatives in the field of security and defence in recent monthsrecalls the importance of the EEAS role in third countries where human rights defenders are at risk.