52 Amendments of Nikolaos CHOUNTIS related to 2013/2277(INI)
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
Citation 13 a (new)
- having regard to the 29th annual report 2011 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO),
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas, prior to resorting to the IMF and to Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), a solution for financial assistance under the European framework was not scrutinized;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union provides for, inter alia, the right of collective bargaining and action (Article 28), protection in the event of unjustified dismissal (Article 30), fair and just working conditions (Article 31), recognition of and respect for the entitlement to social security benefits and social services and, in order to 'combat social exclusion and poverty', the right to 'a decent existence for all those who lack sufficient resources' (Article 34), the right of access to preventive health care and the right to benefit from medical treatment (Article 35) and respect for access to services of general economic interest (Article 36) ;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas Article 151 TFEU provides that action taken by the EU and its Member States must be consistent with the fundamental social rights laid down in the 1961 European Social Charter and the 1989 Community Charter of the Fundamental Rights of Workers in order to improve, inter alia, the social dialogue;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas Article 152 TFEU states that: "The Union recognises and promotes the role of the social partners at its level, taking into account the diversity of national systems. It shall facilitate dialogue between the social partners, respecting their autonomy."
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas Article 153.5 TFEU states that the European Union has no competence on pay and whereas Article 153.4 TFEU states that the EU shall not affect the right of Member States to define the fundamental principles of their social security systems;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
Ae. whereas Article 168.7 TFEU states that „the management of health services and medical care and the allocation of the resources assigned to them" falls under competence of the Member States;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
Af. whereas the European Convention on Human Rights, the ILO conventions, the European Social Charter as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights legally bind all EU Member States to give adequate weight to measures promoting social stability;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas both the EFSF and the ESM benefit from the services of prominent Union institutions, such as the Commission and the ECB, whereas control of these institutions is not in accordance with the procedure laid down in the TFEU;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the total amount of financial assistance in the four programmes is unprecedented, as are the duration and shape, shape and the context of the programmes, leading to an unusual situation where theis financial assistance hais almost the exclusively replaced the usual financing provided by the markets; source of funding in all four countries and in the name of this funding hard austerity measures, which contribute to the deepening of social and economic crisis, are being imposed.
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the economic situation and recent developments in some Member States have compromisMemoranda of Understanding (MoU) have reinforced the neoliberal policies, aggravated the economic and social situation in Member States , had a massive negative impact on wages, pensions, lead to a decline of domestic demand and public investments and have downgraded the quality of employment, social protection and health and safety standards;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas the economies of Member States under Memoranda of Understanding are characterized by continuous recession, increase of government debt and decline of the GDP. Indicatively in Greece, the public debt in 2009 was 129% of the GDP while now is at 178% of the GDP, during the period 2008-2013 the Greek GDP decreased by 25%, which is the biggest percentage reduction in peacetime and the Greek economy has been in recession for the sixth consecutive year;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the Task Force for Greece was set up to strengthen the capacity of the Greek administration to design and implement structural reforms to improve the functioning of the economy and society and create the conditions for sustained recovery and job creation, as well as to speed up the absorption of EU Structural and Cohesion Funds in Greece and to provide critical resources to finance investmentestablished ,on the substance, to strengthen the enforcement of austerity measures and to ensure the implementation of unpopular reforms imposed by the memoranda of understanding; having as a pretext the structural reforms to improve the functioning of the economy, the Task Force contributes to the full deregulation of the labour market, to the loss of social and labour rights, to the liberalization of the markets, to privatizations and to the clearance sale of the public wealth;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas the programmes and especially the Greek program, were in the short run primarily meant to avoid the transmission of the sovereign debt crisis to the European banks and to the rest Member States. Whereas the medium- term objective was the forced redistribution of income against the middle and low income people in Member States under Memoranda of Understanding
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Cconsiders that the precise, although the individual circumstances that triggers fored the criseis differed in all four Member States, the anti-popular and neo-liberal policies of the Union and of the governments in Greece, Portugal and Ireland are responsible not only for the outbreak of the crisis but for the sharpening of the catastrophic consequences on an economic and social level ;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that, prior to the beginning of the EU-IMF assistance programme initiated in the spring of 2010, , there was a dual fear associated with fear for the ‘'insolvency’' and ’the 'non- sustainability’' of the public finances of Greece was a result of the constantly declining competitiveness of the Greek economy and decades of imprudent fiscal policy, with the government deficit reaching 15.7% of GDP in 2009, and the debt-to-GDP ratio continuused by the government as a lever of pressure. Stresses that, the Greek public finances deteriorated as a result of the "indirect aids" policy, implemented by the previous Greek governments, resulting provocative low business taxation, through low rates and many exemptions. Emphasizes that throughout the decade 1996-2006, government spending oin an upward trend since 2003 when it stood at 97.4%, reaching 1297% in 2009 and 156.9% in 2012Greece lagged behind the European average, as well as the public revenues, resulting in a non- sustainable fiscal situation.;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Notes that, in the case of Greece the economic data deviate significantly from the objectives of the programmes of Memoranda and the considerations of the troika. Indicatively, in Greece the forecast for unemployment in 2011 was 15% and finally reached 20.7%, for 2012 was 15.2% and stood at 26%, the deficit forecast in 2011 was -7.5% and stood at - 9.5%, while for 2012 was -7.3% and stood at -10% and the recession was estimated at 5.5% for 2011 and was 7% and for 2012 was estimated at 2.8% and stood at 6.5%.
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. notes that, especially in the case of Greece the memoranda of understanding were programs that were based on wrong conception of the problem and wrong and insufficient data and therefore were predesigned to fail. Non achievable goals and unsatisfactory results are the best vehicle for imposing new austerity measures, which more and more sharpen the recession and the unemployment, leading to a vicious cycle of recession, unemployment and underdevelopment
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Notes the responsibilities of the EU institutions (ECB, European Commission) and of the Eurogroup for the undemocratic functioning of the Troika, the lack of democratic legitimacy of the economic policies and the hard austerity measures implemented to the Member States under fiscal adjustment programmes
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Notes that the programs of memoranda of understanding in all cases were presented as a one-way road. There were used on the one hand to save and to shield the financial sector, recapitalizing the banks and converting private debt into public debt and on the other to repay the speculative rates of the accumulated debt. The programs of memoranda of understanding did not finance the real economy nor used for public and productive investments in order to lead the economy into a growth path, but on the opposite with the tough fiscal austerity measures imposed have led to a more profound and lasting recession and social misery.
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Regrets the lack of transparency in the MoU negotiations; notes the necessity to evaluate whether formal documents were clearly communicated in due time to the national parliaments and the European Parliament; further notes the possible negative impact of such practices on citizens’' rights and the political sundermining of the public confidence in democratic instituation withs and their functioning in the countries concerned;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Underlines that even under exceptional circumstances European institutions as well as the Member States of the EU have to fully comply with the rights agreed on in the EU treaties.
Amendment 350 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Regrets that the programmes for Greece, Ireland and Portugal comprise a number of detailed prescriptions for health systems reform and expenditure cuts and dismantle wage bargaining systems; regrets that the programmes are not bound byviolate the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Treaties, including Art. 168(7) TFEU;
Amendment 365 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Deplores the fact that, for Greece, Ireland and Portugal at least, adjustment programmes included a number of detailed prescriptions on health system reform and expenditure cuts, despite the Treaties prohibit such intervention;
Amendment 368 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)
Paragraph 16 d (new)
16d. Takes note of the request by the ILO Expert Committee to re-establish the freedom of collective bargaining in Greece;
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)
Paragraph 16 e (new)
16e. Takes note that of the Council of Europe's social rights committee annual report 2013 which identifies 180 violations of European Social Charter provisions on access to health and social protection across 38 European countries;
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 f (new)
Paragraph 16 f (new)
16f. Takes note of more than 5000 cases filed by Cypriot citizens against measures required by the Troika of international lenders whereas the vast majority of the applications concern the illegal bail-in in the case of the Bank of Cyprus as well as the use of the sale of business tool in the case of Laiki Bank;
Amendment 382 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Deplores that since 2008 and during the implementation of Memoranda of Understanding , the income distribution inequality has grown above average in the four countries and that cuts in social benefits and rising unemployment are raising poverty levels, resulting to social regression and humanitarian crisis;
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Condemns the deregulatory measures for the labour market that are being promoted through the Memoranda of Understanding which lead to reductions in wages, constant undermining of collective bargaining agreements, facilitation of dismissals and reinforcement of flexible forms of employment.
Amendment 412 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Stress that the rise in poverty, social exclusion and uncertainty amongst the majority of people living in the programme countries is mirrored by a sharp rise in wealth for a small minority; e.g. in Ireland since 2007 profits have increased by 21% and according to the Revenue Commissioners, the number of people earning more than €500,000 a year has grown to 3,443 in 2012 with a combined income of €1.8bn, while over 1 million taxpayers out of 2.16 million had incomes lower than €30,000;
Amendment 413 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Condemns the major cuts in spending on health care system promoted by the memoranda of understanding within the fiscal austerity context.
Amendment 414 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Condemns the great inequality in the distribution of tax burden and the unfair and aggressive fiscal policy implemented in Greece in the context of the Memoranda of Understanding. Low and middle income groups, employees and retirees are affected even more by a series of new special taxes but simultaneously the big capital and multinational firms tax evade and speculate. Taxation of individuals was increased in 2013 to 7.9 billion from 6.4 billion in 2008 despite the decline in their incomes and the increase of unemployment, while the corporate tax was reduced in 2013 to 1.6 billion from 4.7 billion in 2008.
Amendment 415 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18c. notes that, even the Bank of Greece in its December 2013 Intermediary Report on Monetary Policy, calls for a reversal of the trend to excessively tax the vast majority of the citizens who have already been disproportionally taxed and calls the Government of Greece to act accordingly and put an end to the tax protection of the economic oligarchy.
Amendment 439 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Believes that the "success story" around Ireland exiting the programme has very little to do with actual accomplishments that have an impact on people's lives; whereas this story is mainly empty spin designed to support the Irish government's policies, and use Ireland as an example to force working people in southern Europe to accept more austerity; whereas in reality Ireland has the highest net emigration rate of all member states, investment as a percentage of Irish GDP is at 10.6%, the lowest rate in the EU, with the average at 20%, Ireland is still left with an unsustainable debt to GDP ratio of 125% and personal consumption is down 12% compared to 2008;
Amendment 440 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Is of the opinion that whereas, despite claims by the Troika and the Irish government, Ireland has not regained "economic sovereignty" since exiting the programme; whereas Ireland, in addition to being subject to EU 'economic governance' like all other EU countries, is also still subjected to "post-programme monitoring" by the IMF and "post- programme surveillance" by the Commission which include formal inspections and the power to impose further austerity; Stresses that this will also be the case if other countries exit their programme;
Amendment 442 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Notes the complete failure of the budgetary goals the Troika programme for Portugal where public debt has risen from 94 % of GDP in 2010 to 127.8 % in 2013. Further notes the severe middle and long term damage done to the Portuguese economy with considerable emigration of skilled workers and qualified young people and a sharp and accelerating drop of investment activity over the whole period of the adjustment programme;
Amendment 500 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Deplores however the sometimes over- optimistic assumptions made by the Troika, especially as far as growth is concerned, but also the insufficient recognition of political resistance to change in some Member Statethe negative economic and social impacts; deplores the fact that this also affected the Troika’'s analysis of the interplay between fiscal consolidation and growth; notes that as a result fiscal targets could not be fulfilled;
Amendment 504 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. notes that in Greece although the wages, the pensions and the allowances have been decreased dramatically, despite the rising of the unemployment at historically high levels, the reducing of social spending, the dismantling of the state and the social welfare, it didn´t lead neither at a substandard level to the estimated recovery nor to the desirable development.
Amendment 517 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. notes that in the case of Greece the public debt to GDP ratio since 2009, has increased by approximately fifty percent (50%) and according to the Report of the OECD in 2020 the public debt will stand at 157% of GDP versus 124% which is foreseen by the Memorandum of Understanding
Amendment 560 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Is extremely concerned over the cumulative impact of massive and frontloaded cuts in fundamental areas of the fight against poverty, such as pensions, basic services, health care and pharmaceutical products on the most vulnerable groups and child poverty. Deplores the fact that, as a result, the level of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion has increased in all four programme countries. Notes that the already worrying statistics hide a much harsher reality, which is that when GDP per capita falls, the poverty threshold also falls;
Amendment 573 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)
Paragraph 28 a (new)
28a. Considers that the privatization of telecommunications, electricity and port authorities in Cyprus a strategic mistake that will lead to private monopolies or oligopolies to dominate the relatively small and isolated Cypriot market at the detriment of consumers, enterprises and the functioning of the economy as a whole;
Amendment 599 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Notes with huge concern the general impression of citizens in programme countries that all relevant policy decisions are imposed by an external rule which acts against the general interest of programme countries in order to spare the banking sector of ‚creditor' Member States. Further notes that as a result of Troika measures only one in three citizens in Southern Europe currently claims to be satisfied with the system of democracy;
Amendment 620 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)
Paragraph 30 a (new)
30a. notes the non-institutional legitimacy of troika at a Union level and the responsibilities which the involved institutions of the Union have on the democratic deficit in its structure and its function
Amendment 627 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Deplores the fact that some of the conditionalities set by the Troika violate fundamental rights as enshrined both in the EU treaties as in constitutions of the affected Member States. Takes note of the alarming sentences and opinions delivered so far by courts and international organizations;
Amendment 644 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32a. Underlines that all EU institutions are fully bound by Union law and that within the Troika they are obliged to act in accordance with fundamental rights, which, under Article 51 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, apply at all times;
Amendment 686 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
35a. Deplores the political failure of EU institutions, in particular of the EU Council and the Eurogroup, to take clear responsibility for the policy measures and results that programme countries were forced to apply under the blunt financial pressure exerted by the Troika and lending Member States. Reminds that Member States deprived from access to financial markets were left without choice but to agree to the detailed terms presented by the Troika.
Amendment 785 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39a. Stresses the need for a thorough examination of the consistency with the relevant practices of other Eurozone member-states as to the statistical classification and accounting rules adopted with respect to the fiscal data of the year preceding the adoption of the initial agreement between, on the one hand the Government of Greece and, on the other EU and IMF, as well as of the first year of the implementation of the agreement, that is of the years 2009 and 2010.
Amendment 812 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 a (new)
Paragraph 41 a (new)
41a. Notes that this initiative report is only a first step to draw some conclusions about the function and role of the troika and asks for the establishment in the beginning of the new legislature of a normal inquiry committee as referred by the Article 226 TFEU and Article 185 of the Rules in order to examine better and more thorough the role, the function and the results of troika.
Amendment 813 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 b (new)
Paragraph 41 b (new)
41b. Stresses that programs of memoranda of understanding are unsuccessful and have caused huge social cost. Asks for the interruption of these programs and the provision by the Union´s side of all the necessary means in order the governments to restore salaries, pensions, social rights and labour relations in pre Memorandum levels and mitigate all the catastrophic consequences which they caused
Amendment 814 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41 c (new)
Paragraph 41 c (new)
41c. Calls for a definite solution for all over indebted Eurozone member-states in the context of a European Debt Conference and deletion of the biggest part of the debt after audit control.
Amendment 907 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45 a (new)
Paragraph 45 a (new)
45a. Notes the persistent refusal of the IMF to accept democratic accountability by the European Parliament and therefore believes that the euro area relationship with the IMF should be redefined, with a view to quickly phasing out the direct involvement of the IMF in the resolution of euro area sovereign debt problems;