14 Amendments of Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE related to 2020/2131(INI)
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that Europe's 25 million small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the EU economy employing around 100 million people and accounting for more than half of Europe’s GDP; underlines that the proper functioning of the internal market and the creation of a capital market union remains an absolute priority for SMEs;
Amendment 10 #
1 a. Welcomes the new SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe, especially its focus on the EU’s twin transitions to a sustainable and digital economy as well as on reducing regulatory burden for SMEs and improving their market access and access to financing; believes that focusing on digital and innovative solutions will increase Europe’s global competitiveness as a whole;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines the decisive contribution of SMEs to innovation, including to social innovation, job creation and an inclusive labour market; is extremely concerned about the rising unemployment rates in the EU and the risk of millions of people losing their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis; recognises that at present SMEs are faced with severe liquidity problems and, in this context, highlightsstresses the importance of wide-ranging and coordinated action to secure Europe’s industrial fabric, stimulate the economy and support employment; highlights, moreover, the need for sustainable finance to bridge the current investment gap and to reinforce SMEs’ ability to innovate and move towards more sustainable, resource- efficient, circular and climate-neutral solutions, ensuring the successful implementation of the European Green Deal and the related just transition, in order to ensure that no one is left behind; considers also that the development of the circular economy represents an opportunity for SMEs by creating jobs and new markets, as well as increased business efficiency;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Welcomes the European Union trade policy review responding to the new global challenges and taking into account the lessons learned from the coronavirus crisis; emphasizes that it must recognise the challenges faced by SMEs in international trade;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Encourages the Commission to fully support SMEs inUnderlines that global markets are a crucial source of growth for SMEs; notes however that only 600 000 SMEs export goods outside the EU; encourages the Commission to fully support SMEs and to effectively implement the new SME strategy in order to overcominge all barriers that prevent their access to third- countryinternational markets; requests therefore for the Commission to continue the inclusion of an SME chapter in every trade agreement; underlines the need for the effective enforcement of trade agreements as a priority task of the Chief Trade Enforcement Officer (CTEO); welcomes the recent appointment of the first CTEO and highlights its important role in ensuring that SMEs get maximum value from EU trade agreements;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that the EU recovery instruments and the relevant MFF programmes should be fully utilised to complement national schemes, supporting SMEs, particularly in the sectors most affected by the pandemic, preserving jobs, income and know-how, and striving to ensure the EU’s industrial independence through such measures as onshoring strategic industrial activities; Recalls, furthermore, that these instruments must contribute to achieving the objectives of sustainable development, the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Highlights the significance of the ongoing plurilateral WTO negotiations on e-commerce; calls for a comprehensive and ambitious set of rules, to facilitate the free flow of data across borders while guaranteeing European data protection standards, to address digital trade barriers including data localisation requirements and ensure that businesses, especially SMEs, can compete globally on a level playing field;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to be more active in its support of national and regional export agencies in order to allow SMEs to overcome the information gap and take better advantage of trade agreements; opines, in this respect, that the Commission could set up an SME internationalisation platform to monitor progress; recalls that the EU Delegations also have a crucial role in providing support by addressing queries and practical difficulties of SMEs linked to the implementation of FTAs;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to take greaterinto account of the role of SMEsSME specifities in all chapters of trade and investment negotiations, including when it comes to negotiating public procurement chapters in trade agreements; welcomes the announcement from the Commission that it will launch a new information portal on customs procedures and formalitiesto raise awareness of SMEs on trade policies and provide detailed information on customs procedures and formalities for exporting to third countries; asks the Commission to reach out to businesses at the earliest possible stage when setting up new information portals or improving already existing ones to ensure that the information needs of SMEs in particular can be met in a practical way; calls on the Commission to deliver on its objective of launching a self-assessment tool for rules of origin to help SMEs assess whether a product benefits from preferences under a given trade agreement; reiterates, in this context also the importance of streamlined and simplified rules of origin;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that SME-related actions should be at the core of the EU’s industrial and green recovery plans and initiatives and should go hand in hand with measures to protect workers; considers the strengthening of EU rules on coordination of social security systems and the portability of rights as essential for fair labour mobility and protecting workers, in particular those in precarious situations; stresses, in this regard, the need to ensure respect for the principle of equal treatment of workers and fair and equitable working conditions for mobile workers within the Union;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the EU’s safeguard and trade defence instrumentstrade toolbox in order to better protect European industrybusinesses, in particular when it affects sectors with a majority of SMEs; urges the Commission to raise more awareness among stakeholders about trade defence instruments (TDI) and increase its support to SMEs in facilitating their access to TDIs.
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for the systematic application of health and safety measures in the workplace, and welcomes the guidelines of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) on adapting workplaces and protecting workers in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic; considers that such guidelines should be further developed in order to provide a coordinated and efficient response in case of future cross-border threats to public health; stresses the need to ensure the efficient and rapid implementation of health protocols, as well as their adoption by workers in the various occupational sectors, in particular through on-the-job training;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the EU to support the digital and green transitions by investing in artificial intelligence and in lifelong learning, reskilling and upskilling initiatives to foster digital literacy, the uptake of human, social and advanced digital skills and the new skills for new occupations and sectors that will emerge from the transition to a sustainable, carbon- neutral economy; highlights the need to adopt a forward-looking approach to vocational education and training and skills, in particular digital skills; stresses, as a matter of priority, the need to address the mismatch between skills/qualifications and the needs of the labour market. calls, in this regard, on the Commission and the Member States to promote, reinforce and support apprenticeships in order to facilitate the sustainable integration of young people into the labour market;
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage and support female entrepreneurship, in particular through easier access to finance or training and by ensuring a better work- life balance;