Activities of David CASA
Plenary speeches (29)
State of implementation of anti-money laundering legislation (debate)
International day to end impunity for crimes against journalists (debate)
The Rule of Law in Malta, after the recent revelations around the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia (debate)
A social Europe in a Digital world (topical debate)
State of play of the EU's fight against money laundering, in light of the Luanda Leaks (debate)
EU coordinated action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences (continuation of debate)
Conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting of 23 April 2020 - New MFF, own resources and Recovery plan (debate)
A comprehensive Union policy on preventing money laundering and terrorist financing – Commission's Action plan and other recent developments (debate)
Fight against money laundering, following the FinCEN files (debate)
The impact of Covid-19 outbreak on long-term care facilities (debate)
FEAD: specific measures to address the COVID-19 crisis (debate)
Assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the rule of law in Malta (debate)
European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027 (debate)
Pandora Papers: implications on the efforts to combat money laundering, tax evasion and avoidance (debate)
Citizenship and residence by investment schemes (debate)
Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Social Climate Fund - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation - Notification under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) (joint debate – Fit for 55 (part 1))
Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Social Climate Fund - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation - Notification under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) (joint debate – Fit for 55 (part 1))
Social Climate Fund (A9-0157/2022 - David Casa, Esther de Lange) (vote)
The Rule of Law in Malta, five years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia (debate)
The Commission’s reports on the situation of journalists and the implications of the rule of law (debate)
Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)
2022 Rule of Law Report - The rule of law situation in the European Union - Rule of law in Greece - Rule of law in Spain - Rule of law in Malta (debate)
Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Social Climate Fund - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation (debate)
Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Social Climate Fund - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation (debate)
Protection of journalists and human rights defenders from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings (debate)
2023 Annual Rule of law report (debate)
Rule of Law in Malta: 6 years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists (debate)
Children first - strengthening the Child Guarantee, two years on from its adoption - Reducing inequalities and promoting social inclusion in times of crisis for children and their families (joint debate – International Day of the Rights of the Child)
European Media Freedom Act (debate)
Reports (2)
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Social Climate Fund
Shadow reports (2)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 223/2014 as regards the introduction of specific measures for addressing the COVID-19 crisis
REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities
Institutional motions (4)
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on a comprehensive Union policy on preventing money laundering and terrorist financing – the Commission’s Action Plan and other recent developments
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the rule of law in Malta, five years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the rule of law in Malta: six years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and the need to protect journalists
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the planned dissolution of key anti-corruption structures in Slovakia and its implications for the rule of law
Oral questions (2)
An EU Commissioner for Animal Welfare
An EU Commissioner for Animal Welfare
Written explanations (47)
Launch of automated data exchange with regard to vehicle registration data in Ireland (A9-0003/2019 - Juan Fernando López Aguilar)
. ‒ I voted in favour of the Report on the draft Council implementing decision (A9-0003/2019) in order to allow Ireland to receive and produce personal data with the intention to streamline automated consultation of vehicle registration data. The goal of this decision is to expedite cross-border cooperation with the purpose of combating terrorism and cross-border crime. Ireland has met all the necessary provisions outlined by the Council. I believe that through this report, we are increasing Ireland’s and the European Union’s security by creating more safety precautions.
Draft amending budget No 1/2019: surplus from 2018 (A9-0005/2019 - John Howarth)
. ‒ I voted in favour of the report on the Draft Amending Budget (DAB) 1/2019 (A9-0005/2019). The report once more reasserts the long-lasting position of the European Parliament that it should be possible to reuse any revenue resulting from fines, or revenue related to late payments, without a corresponding decrease in GNI-based contributions.
Draft amending budget No 2/2019: reinforcement of key programmes for EU competitiveness: Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ (A9-0004/2019 - John Howarth)
. ‒ I voted in favour of Draft Amending Budget (DAB) 2/2019 (A9-0004/2019) in order to provide an additional EUR 100 million to Horizon 2020 and Eramus+, as agreed by Parliament and the Council in last year’s budgetary conciliation. Horizon 2020 and Eramus+ are two vital programmes that will have a major impact on research into climate issues, furthering our higher education and improving the quality of our vocational training.
Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania, Italy and Austria (A9-0002/2019 - Siegfried Mureşan)
I voted in favour of the Mobilisation of the European Solidarity Fund in order to provide relief to recent emergency situations in Romania, Italy, and Austria. In the summer of 2018, severe rains ravaged the North East of Romania, causing significant damage to infrastructure and private households.In the autumn of 2018, intense weather occurrences struck nearly all regions in the North and South of Italy, resulting in the loss of 34 lives and 1 missing person. During the same period, particular regions in southern Austria were affected by the same storm. As a Union, it is our duty to provide assistance and show solidarity to our fellow Member States in a time of crisis. I believe that this Fund will provide the aid that is so desperately needed in Romania, Italy, and Austria.
Draft amending budget No 3/2019: proposal to mobilise the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Romania, Italy and Austria (A9-0006/2019 - John Howarth)
Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund - EGF/2019/000 TA 2019 - Technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission (A9-0001/2019 - Bogdan Rzońca)
I voted in favour of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (A9-0001/2019) to support creation of additional assistance for employees that are being negatively impacted from drastic structural changes in the world trade patterns. The goal of this fund is to finance monitoring and gathering of data, as well as to create a knowledge base interface and to advise Member States regarding EGF. This Fund is important for workers as it decreases unemployment and encourages global growth while simultaneously supporting regional jobs for European Union citizens.
The UK’s withdrawal from the EU (B9-0038/2019, B9-0039/2019)
I voted in favour of resolution B9-0038/2019 as this resolution has been worked on as an agreement of various groups as an acceptable consensus. It takes into consideration the importance of maintaining the principles of the Good Friday Agreement in the island of Ireland, opens the door to a responsible deadline extension for the UK Government and reasserts the position of the European Union to maintain its readiness to let the UK have an orderly Brexit if its Government wishes to act towards one. I join the rest of the members of the EPP Group in upholding this responsible consensus.
State of implementation of anti-money laundering legislation (B9-0045/2019, B9-0046/2019)
I voted in favour of Resolution B9-0045/2019 because of the need to strengthen AML legislation in the EU. The EU must be more effective in combating money laundering. When institutions fail to perform their duty, it is investigative journalists and whistle-blowers that end up on the front line exposing wrongdoing – often placing themselves in great danger. This must change.
Distance sales of goods and certain domestic supplies of goods (A9-0019/2019 - Ondřej Kovařík)
I voted in favour of this report, as it ensures an increased efficiency in the charging of the correct VAT values to companies that operate with storage facilities within European Union, even if they are not from a Member State. It also makes it easier for companies to deal with their VAT-related obligations to the European Union.
Mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund - EGF/2019/001 BE/Carrefour - Belgium (A9-0021/2019 - José Manuel Fernandes)
Objection pursuant to Rule 112: Genetically modified maize MON 89034 × 1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 and sub- combinations MON 89034 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9, 1507 × NK603 × DAS-40278-9 and NK603 × DAS-40278-9 (B9-0171/2019)
Objection pursuant to Rule 112: Genetically modified maize Bt11 × MIR162 × MIR604 × 1507 × 5307 × GA21 and genetically modified maize combining two, three, four or five of the single events Bt11, MIR162, MIR604, 1507, 5307 and GA21 (B9-0172/2019)
EU-Ukraine Agreement amending the trade preferences for poultry meat and poultry meat preparations provided for by the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (A9-0024/2019 - Enikő Győri)
. ‒ I voted in favour of this report amending the trade preferences between the European Union and Ukraine for poultry meat. This amended agreement will protect the interests of producers in the EU and will safeguard potential unlimited imports of poultry meat. With the full implementation of DCFTA to act as a bilateral safety net for trade in agriculture, this amendment hopes to eliminate the possible risk of unlimited duty-free imports of poultry meat.
Amending VAT and excise duty rules as regards defence effort within the Union framework (A9-0034/2019 - Paul Tang)
. ‒ I voted in favour of this report as it further clarifies the VAT exemptions for expenditures dedicated to defence efforts under the European Common Security and Defence Policy framework. These VAT exemptions will compensate and favour the efforts of Member States to drive forward a European defence policy that is up-to-date with the challenges to the security of the European Union.
Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund to provide assistance to Greece (A9-0040/2019 - Eva Kaili)
Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument to finance immediate budgetary measures to address the on-going challenges of migration, refugee inflows and security threats (A9-0039/2019 - Monika Hohlmeier)
I voted in favour of this report as it confirms the joint decision by this Parliament and the Council to mobilise EUR 778 074 489 in order to answer to the current challenges of immigration and of security threats across the European Union. These funds will help maintain the Union’s humanitarian commitments as well as the protection of its own citizens.
Mobilisation of the EU Solidarity Fund to provide for the payment of advances in the general budget of the Union for 2020 (A9-0036/2019 - Monika Hohlmeier)
I voted in favour of this report that approves the decision by the European Parliament and Council to release EUR 50 000 000 in advancement payments of the European Union Solidarity Fund. This will allow the Union to keep its commitments of solidarity and aid among members while also maintaining budgetary discipline.
Situation in Bolivia (RC-B9-0187/2019, B9-0187/2019, B9-0188/2019, B9-0189/2019, B9-0190/2019, B9-0191/2019, B9-0192/2019)
Climate and environmental emergency (RC-B9-0209/2019, B9-0209/2019, B9-0211/2019, B9-0212/2019, B9-0215/2019, B9-0216/2019, B9-0218/2019, B9-0220/2019)
2019 UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) (B9-0174/2019)
Recent actions by the Russian Federation against Lithuanian judges, prosecutors and investigators involved in investigating the tragic events on 13 January 1991 in Vilnius (RC-B9-0182/2019, B9-0182/2019, B9-0183/2019, B9-0184/2019, B9-0185/2019, B9-0186/2019)
. ‒ I voted in favour of this resolution that condemns the actions of the Russian authorities against Lithuanian justice officials. This resolution defends the independence of the Lithuanian justice system and upholds the principles of the rule of law that are necessary for ensuring democracy in Europe.
Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (A9-0004/2020 - Guy Verhofstadt)
Common charger for mobile radio equipment (RC-B9-0070/2020, B9-0070/2020, B9-0072/2020, B9-0074/2020, B9-0075/2020, B9-0076/2020, B9-0085/2020)
Gender pay gap (B9-0069/2020, B9-0073/2020, B9-0083/2020, B9-0084/2020)
. ‒ I voted in favour of this resolution because it promotes the economic activity/participation/equality of women, per the EU founding value of equality between men and women. The resolution also aims to continue narrowing the income gap between men and women, therefore combating gender inequality.
Conclusion of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (A9-0003/2020 - Geert Bourgeois)
I voted in favour of this recommendation because it allows companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to take full advantage of global value chains in the region and would promote economic growth. Also, this agreement with Vietnam will serve as an example for the other deals that the EU is negotiating in Southeast Asia.
Objection pursuant to Rule 111: Union list of projects of common interest (B9-0091/2020)
I voted in opposition to this resolution because, contrary to what the resolution proposes, I do not object to the Commission’s delegated regulation amending (EU) no 347/3013. The Commission’s delegated regulation amending (EU) no 347/3013 is appropriate economically, environmentally, and still holds Europe to the standards of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Proposed mandate for negotiations for a new partnership with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (B9-0098/2020)
. ‒ I voted in favour of this resolution because it emphasises that, during negotiations with the UK, the EU’s best interest will be of upmost importance. The resolution also clearly states the EU’s determination to establish a relationship that is as close as possible with the UK while emphasising that such a relationship will be different from that enjoyed by the UK as a Member State of the EU.
European Central Bank - annual report 2018 (A9-0016/2020 - Costas Mavrides)
I voted in favour of this report because it highlights the role of the European Central Bank (ECB) in safeguarding euro stability. The report also reiterates that as an EU institution, the ECB is bound by the Paris Agreement on climate change. It also highlights the desire to continue to deepen the European Monetary Union.
Allocation of slots at Community airports: common rules
Aviation market has been under heavy pressure since the beginning and further escalation of travel restrictions first in China and Hong Kong and later in Europe and globally. Therefore, I voted in favour of the amending existing Regulation (ECC) No 95/93 in order to protect the grandfathering rights of air-carriers for the slots that have not been used during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Specific measures to mobilise investments in the health care systems of the Member States and in other sectors of their economies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative)
Financial assistance to Member States and countries negotiating their accession to the Union that are seriously affected by a major public health emergency
Regulation amending the Multiannual financial framework 2014-2020
Draft amending budget No 1/2020: Assistance to Greece in response to increased migration pressure - Immediate measures in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak - Support to post-earthquake reconstruction in Albania - Other adjustments
I voted in favour of C9-0101/2020 to provide, in commitment appropriations: EUR 350 million to meet the needs resulting from the increased migration pressure in Greece; EUR 115 million to provide an urgent response to prevent a further deterioration of the COVID-19 outbreak; EUR 100 million to support post-earthquake reconstruction in Albania.
Draft amending budget No 2/2020: Providing emergency support to Member States and further reinforcement of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism/rescEU to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak
I voted in favour of Draft Amending Budget (DAB) 2/2020 to provide the necessary financing for the ESI package (EUR 3 billion in commitments, EUR 1.53 billion in payments) under heading 3 Security and Citizenship. The bulk of these appropriations (EUR 2.7 billion) will finance actions intended to effectively address the public health—related humanitarian consequences of the outbreak within the Union, while the remaining amount (EUR 300 million) will be used to help Member States to buy some of the equipment that they need.
Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for 2020: migration, refugee inflows and security threats; immediate measures in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak; reinforcement of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (C9-0092/2020)
Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument for 2020: migration, refugee inflows and security threats; immediate measures in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak; reinforcement of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (C9-0096/2020)
Mobilisation of the Contingency Margin in 2020: providing emergency assistance to Member States and further reinforcing the Union Civil Protection Mechanism/rescEU in response to the COVID-19 outbreak
Specific measures to provide exceptional flexibility for the use of the European Structural and Investments Funds in response to the COVID-19 outbreak
. ‒ I voted in favour of C9-0095/2020 as it provides for the amendment of two Regulations, the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), ensuring additional extraordinary flexibility under cohesion policy and introducing new options which allow for a bigger mobilisation of non-utilised support from the ESI Funds. For example: under the new regulation, 100% EU co-financing rate for cohesion policy programmes for the accounting year 2020-2021 is allowing Members States to benefit from full EU financing for crisis-related measures.
Introduction of specific measures for addressing the COVID-19 crisis
I voted in favour of C9-0094/2020, as the specific measures aim to protect the most deprived from falling victim to COVID-19 and ensure that the FEAD assistance still reaches them. Further, the possibility to deliver food aid and basic material assistance through vouchers in any form is created, thus improving the possibilities for the final beneficiaries.
Specific measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in the fishery and aquaculture sector
The European fishing and aquaculture sector has been significantly hit by COVID-19 pandemic. The sector is encountering a dramatic and unprecedented socio-economic crisis that is inevitably leading to forced temporary cessation of many fisheries activities in many Member States in particular in certain areas and local communities’ dependent on fisheries. I voted in favour of the C9-0093/2020 in order to provide necessary support for the sector.
EU coordinated action to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences
Standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin intended for human application (A9-0250/2023 - Nathalie Colin-Oesterlé)
Written questions (9)
Sale of Maltese citizenship
VP/HR - Ecuadorian political crisis and democratic stability in Latin America
Protection of European journalists and humanitarian workers in Syria
Europe’s response to Turkish aggression in northern Syria
Protection for victims of strategic lawsuits against public participation
Breach of internal market principles
European air traffic control system
Removing the minimum liver weight requirement for foie gras production
Proposal for a packaging and packaging waste regulation: transparency and impartiality of the impact assessment
Amendments (800)
Amendment 31 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Recital B
B. whereas investing in children’s early years is vital for tackling child poverty and social exclusion, and ensuring nurturing care for their healthy growth, development and wellbeing provides solid foundations early in life, for the benefit of individuals and societies; whereas investing in the youngest generation brings the greatest return and contributes to the growth and prosperity of society as a whole; whereas several Member States have allocated more than the requested 5 % of European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) resources to tackling child poverty and 23 Member States have programmed a total of EUR 8.9 billion in ESF+ support to address the issue; whereas the implementation of the ESF+ plans has been delayed, in turn delaying the reforms to be undertaken under Child Guarantee national action plans (NAPs) and financed through the ESF+;
Amendment 40 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Recital C
C. whereas child poverty remains a key challenge across the EU, given that an average of 1 in 4 children are still at risk of poverty, with the share varying widely between countries – ranging from over 40 % in some countries to under 11 % in others (20212 Eurostat data) – and trends are worsening in many countries because of the multiple crises across the EU and globally;
Amendment 68 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Recital L
L. whereas some countries have struggled to develop and implement a monitoring framework for their NAPs and do not collect enough data on child poverty; whereas the lack of standardised guidelines for data collection hinders the monitoring of the implementation of the European Child Guarantee; whereas access to information for regional and local level organisations continues to pose an impediment in the harmonious implementation of the European Child Guarantee;
Amendment 83 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Member States to ensure the full implementation of their NAPs and, when reviewing them, to set even more ambitious objectives to tackle child poverty with specific targeted measures to ensure access to essential services for all children in need from their earliest years;
Amendment 86 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Member States to design a national framework for data collection, monitoring and evaluation for their NAPs, involving participatory research methods and with a view to establishing a common monitoring framework at EU level including common indicators for each target group identified in the European Child Guarantee; invites the Member States to create child poverty observatories to gather high-quality, disaggregated and internationally comparable data at national level, including disaggregated data on children under three;
Amendment 92 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Where national data are not available at a comparative level, Member States are called on to develop common guidelines for the collection and reporting of data on children of all target groups across EU countries, including methodological work to improve data comparability and assure data quality;
Amendment 105 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 6
6. Reiterates its call for the Commission to create a citizen-friendly EU-wide monitoring tool that clearly identifies the desired outcomes, increasing the transparency of the Guarantee, alongside a state of play on progress in each country and in the EU as a whole;
Amendment 108 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that further economic aspects of each NAP must be monitored, particularly national and EU funding, including funding reaching the beneficiaries, for instance through the European Social Fund Plus;
Amendment 126 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Member States to increase their efforts to ensure that all children enrolled in education receive at least one healthy warm meal each school day, and encourages an adequate substitute during school holidays;
Amendment 128 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights that NAPs have identified several unmet needs in the healthcare sector; calls on the Member States to strengthen and adapt their healthcare systems in order to guarantee all children free and equal access to quality services, including dental and psychological services, and to include universal access to maternal, new-born and child healthcare in their Child Guarantee National Action Plans;
Amendment 139 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 13
13. Highlights that poor housing is still one of the causes of child poverty, given that it is linked with energy poverty and precarious living conditions; invites the Member States, therefore, to set up, assess and revise their social housing policies and housing benefit systems in order to better cater for the needs of vulnerable families;
Amendment 147 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Member States to promote outreach activities and raise awareness of the European Child Guarantee and the key services that children and families can benefit from, which include after-hours non-formal education and extracurricular activities in arts and sports; calls for establishing Child Guarantee focal points at existing structures such as the social agencies at regional/local levels, (Roma) community centres and others to provide children and families with targeted support to access social security and assistance, as well as specific local measures for social inclusion;
Amendment 152 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Amendment 156 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 16
16. Highlights the importance of integrating services (childcare, healthcare, education and housing) as part of a coordinated approach to reducing child poverty, with integrated and comprehensive services for all children from early childhood and of taking a case- by-case management approach for tailored interventions;
Amendment 186 #
2023/2811(RSP)
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Commission to work further with the Member States by providing tailor-made technical expertise through the Technical Support Instrument to boost the technical capacity for implementing the European Child Guarantee, including the development of national programmes and sub-granting schemes to each identified target groups of children, to build a national monitoring framework in line with European standards, and to develop guidelines on improving the quality of national indicators, monitoring and evaluation procedures;
Amendment 36 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 38 a (new)
Citation 38 a (new)
– having regard to its resolution of 19 October 2023 on the rule of law in Malta, six years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and the need to protect journalists
Amendment 84 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines that Member State government and EU officials should set an example by refraining from any corrupt practices and that there should be no government or political interference in corruption investigations; calls on the DFRMG to follow up on European Parliament resolutions on the rule of law to help combat impunity for corruption; points out that EU officials as well may be involved in corruption, as demonstrated by ‘Qatargate’, therefore reiterates its demand for the annual report to also cover the EU institutions;
Amendment 101 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that corruption may involve national authorities, including judicial and police authorities, who are the very authorities who are supposed to be combating it; remains concerned that no substantial progress has been made in eliminating the culture of impunity at the highest level in Malta identified by the independent public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia; considers that EU bodies, such as Europol, could play an important role in investigating corruption and securing evidence, but that the requirement for national approval of Europol involvement is an obstacle; calls for the reinforcement of the Europol mandate to enable it to investigate corruption cases of the kind described above;
Amendment 111 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that the Commission finds the situation varies greatly among the Member States, with some developments in the right direction in Cyprus, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia and Poland, with challenges remaining in Lithuania, Hungary and Croatia, with still no national human rights institution established at all in Italy, Czechia, Malta and Romania, with delays in appointments in various independent authorities in Bulgaria, Spain and Austria, and with Poland putting the effective functioning of the Supreme Audit Office at risk; notes with great concern the recent developments in Greece, where independent authorities such as the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy (ADAE) and the Greek Data Protection Authority have been under increasing pressure due to their work concerning the illegitimate use of spyware, with the ADAE’s Board Members having been replaced hurriedly recently by the Greek Parliament, apparently because of ADAE’s imminent decision to impose a fine on the Greek intelligence agency; notes that the Commission assessed the continued deterioration of the justice system in Malta, and expresses concern at the comments of the Maltese judiciary on the persistent failure of authorities to address the problems of courts which enables further deterioration of efficiency of justice and therefore in the rule of law;
Amendment 130 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the importance of the editorial independence of public service media and the duty of all Member States to respect this; notes that the risk to editorial autonomy and political independence of the media in Malta remains ‘high’ while the general conditions continued to deteriorate after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia;
Amendment 139 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Regrets the worrying trends in the safety of journalists in several Member States; notes that the Council of Europe’s Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists has registered more than 1 600 threat alerts since 2015; regrets the intimidation of journalist during election campaigns, such as recently happened in the election in Slovakia; regrets Malta’s failure to improve the working condition of journalists since the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, including by effectively implementing the recommendations of the public inquiry report of 29 July 2021;
Amendment 141 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Regrets that despite concerns raised by various international organisations, Malta’s proposed anti-SLAPP provisions are not sufficient to protect the work of journalists30 ; re-iterates its call for those politicians, including the Maltese former prime minister, to withdraw the libel cases inherited by Daphne Caruana Galizia’s heirs that are still ongoing years after her assassination; calls on the Greek government to address the serious challenges identified by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), an alliance that tracks, monitors and reacts to violations of press and media freedom, in particular related to arbitrary surveillance, impunity or crimes against journalists, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), media independence and pluralism31 ; notes with great concern the recent detention of a reporter by the French authorities, apparently for the purpose of uncovering her sources, as well as the illegal wiretapping of a Dutch journalist working for ‘De Correspondent’; __________________ 30 Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Letter to the Speaker of the House of Malta, 26 September 2023. 31 International Press Institute, Murdered, surveilled and sued: decisive action needed to protect journalists and salvage press freedom in Greece, 27 September 2023.
Amendment 144 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for the EU institutions to reach a swift agreement on an ambitious anti-SLAPP directive; calls on the Commission to explore the possibility of further legislation to cover all SLAPP cases; calls on the Member States to adopt domestic anti-SLAPP measures in accordance with Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/758 of 27 April 2022;
Amendment 148 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Strongly condemns the lack of serious investigation into the murder of Giorgos Karaivaz; notes that the two alleged killers were arrested more than two years after the murder on the basis of evidence that appears to have been available to the police the entire time; considers that the mastermind behind the murder has still not been identified; notes that Karaivaz – like Daphne Caruana Galizia and Ján Kuciak – was investigating corruption and crime, and may have made enemies in high places, including in political circles; points out that the suspected mastermind of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia has still not been triconvicted, nor have all the cases of corruption and crime she was investigating been adequately addressed by the authorities;
Amendment 154 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Regrets the continuous difficulties that many citizens, journalists and parliamentarians in many Member States face in obtaining information and access to documents; underlines that too often public authorities are deliberately frustrating access to information and documents, such as by disproportionately delaying decisions or giving only artificial access by only making information partially available; re- iterates its call on Malta to withdraw its systematic appeals against freedom of information requests filed about the use of public funds in the media;
Amendment 195 #
2023/2113(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Reaffirms that women’s rights are human rights and that nothing can justify a regression in women’s rights and autonomy; condemns in particular the attack on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls taking place in several Member States; believes that the right to safe and legal abortion should be anchored in the Charter of Fundamental Rights;
Amendment 130 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Mutual recognition of the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities should facilitate and guarantee persons with recognised disability status in a Member State, access to special conditions or preferential treatment offered by private operators or public authorities (including hospitals, health care institutions and emergency services) in a variety of services, activities and facilities, including when not provided for remuneration, as well as access to parking conditions and facilities reserved for persons with disabilities, on equal terms and conditions as those provided for on the basis of national certificates, disability cards or other formal documents recognising disability status and parking cards for persons with disabilities issued by the competent authorities in the host country.
Amendment 136 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) Examples of special conditions or preferential treatment include free access, reduced tariffs, reduced fees or user charges for toll roads/bridges/tunnels, priority access, designated seats in parks and other public areas, accessible seating in cultural or public events, personal assistance, assistance animals, assistance on the beach to enter the water, support (such as access to braille, audio guides, sign language interpretation), provisions of aids or assistance, loan of a wheelchair, loan of a floating wheelchair, obtaining tourist information in accessible formats, using a mobility scooter on roads or a wheelchair in bike lanes without a fine, etc. Parking conditions and facilities include extended parking or reserved parking spaces. With respect to passenger transport services, in addition to the special conditions or preferential treatment offered to persons with disabilities, in accordance with national legislation or practices, assistance animals, personal assistants or other persons accompanying or assisting persons with disabilities (or reduced mobility) may travel free of charge or be seated, where practicable next to the person with disabilities. Persons accompanying or assisting persons with disabilities are designated by the persons with disabilities themselves and can change on an ad hoc basis depending on their needs.
Amendment 144 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) In addition to the physical format, Member States should provide for a digital card when format and specifications have been set via delegated and implementing acts, after proposal by the Commission. Such proposal should build on the experience of past and ongoing work at European level on digitalisation of certificates and documents, such as the EU Digital COVID Certificate set up under Regulation (EU) 2021/953 and enable the use of the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card via EU Digital Identity Wallets52 . Persons with disabilities should be given the optionfree to decide to use either the digital or physical one, or both. on an equal basis and without discrimination. _________________ 52 COM(2021) 281final
Amendment 167 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31 a (new)
Recital 31 a (new)
(31 a) There is a need for the Commission to develop guidelines for common universally recognized pictograms for different types of assistance required by persons with disabilities.
Amendment 179 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 36 a (new)
Recital 36 a (new)
(36 a) Member States should strive to curtail fraudulently obtained disability benefits to uphold mutual trust in national social protection arrangements across the Union, as the mutual recognition of disability entitlements is the cornerstone of the proper functioning of the European Disability Card. Instances of systemic fraud and corruption relating to disability benefits severely undermine such trust, have a detrimental effect on the ability to secure Union-wide social protection, and risk undermining the rights of those genuinely deserving of disability benefits.
Amendment 196 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – indent 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – indent 3
– other activities and facilities, , including where not provided for remuneration, including hospitals, care institutions and emergency services.
Amendment 201 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Exceptions to paragraph 2 shall be made by Member States to ensure equal treatment and opportunities between national and other Europeans with disabilities: a) when a European Disability Card holder moves to the Member State with to a work contract or enrolment in an education institution until their disability is re-assessed in the national system, or b) when a European Disability Card holder participates in an EU Mobility Programme. Unless the Member State that issued the card maintains its benefits during that period.
Amendment 210 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. In case of a negative result of reassessment, Member State may choose to recover the costs associated with the provision of the benefits in the area of social security from the beneficiary.
Amendment 293 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 4
Article 6 – paragraph 4
4. The European Disability Card shall be issued or renewed by the Member State of residence directly or upon application by the person with disabilities. It shall be issued and renewed within the same periodfree of charge for the beneficiary and within a reasonable period from the date of the application set in the applicable national legislation for issuing disability certificates, disability cards or any other formal document recognising the disability status of a person with disabilities.
Amendment 327 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 4
Article 7 – paragraph 4
4. The European Parking Card for persons with disabilities shall be issued or renewed by the Member State of residence upon application by the person with disabilities. It shall be issued or renewed free of charge for the beneficiary and within a reasonable period from the date of the application which shall not exceed 60 days.
Amendment 361 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall take appropriate measures to raise awareness among the public and inform persons with disabilities, including in accessible ways, about the existence and conditions to obtain, use, or renew the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities. The Commission shall undertake a European awareness raising campaign in cooperation with the Member States.
Amendment 370 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The Commission shall ensure that appropriate funding is made available to the Member States to address costs related to the information provision and awareness raising obligations under this Article and Article 15 of the Directive.
Amendment 371 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall take all necessary steps to avoid the risk of forgery or fraud and shall actively combat the fraudulent use and forgery of the European Disability Card and European Parking Card for persons with disabilities without jeopardizing access to the card for persons with disabilities.
Amendment 374 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Member States shall ensure that public fraud, especially in the area of social benefits, is promptly and thoroughly investigated and, where relevant, prosecuted, to ensure the well- functioning of this Directive.
Amendment 450 #
2023/0311(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – paragraph 2
Annex I – paragraph 2
BACK SIDE National information in the national language or national languages to be decided by the issuing Member State. Encourages Member States to include a graphic, digital or written indication such as a pictogram illustrating the nature of assistance required by the card holder, on a voluntary basis upon the request of the beneficiary and without disclosing the nature of their disability to prevent stigmatisation of any nature, on the back of the European Disability Card. The Commission shall develop guidelines for common pictograms for different types of assistance.
Amendment 57 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are lawsuits or other legal actions (e.g. injunctions, asset-freezing) based on civil and criminal law, as well as the threats of such actions, with the purpose of preventing acts of public participation including investigating and reporting on breaches of Union and national law, corruption or other fraudulent practices or of blocking public participationengaging in advocacy or activism through the exercise of legally guaranteed civil liberties;
Amendment 63 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. whereas SLAPPs claims arise from the public participation of the defendant, on matters of public interest, which lack legal merits, are manifestly unfounded, and are characterised by the abuse of rights or of process by the plaintiff, exerting excessive claims in matters in which the defendant is exercising a legally protected right, therefore using the judicial process for purposes other than genuinely asserting, vindicating or exercising a right;
Amendment 78 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas SLAPPs have become an increasingly widespread practice used against journalists, academics, civil society and NGOsctors, NGOs and other actors engaging in public participation, as demonstrated by many cases throughout the Union, such as the chilling case of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was reportedly facing 47 civil and criminal defamation lawsuits, (resulting in the freezing of her assets) on the day of her strongly condemned assassination on 16 October 2017, and the lawsuits her heirs continue to face; whereas other illustrative and alarming cases include Realtid Media, which was repeatedly threatened with a lawsuit in a different jurisdiction from where the reporting in question took place, and Gazeta Wyborcza, which continues to be sued by a number of public entities and officials on a regular basis, or the Slovenian investigative news outlet Necenzurirano recently hit by 39 lawsuits, amongst others;
Amendment 89 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas SLAPPs are increasingly being used across the EU to target NGOs, civil society activists and rights defenders, including environmental activists, LGBTQI and women's rights defenders
Amendment 107 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas non-cross-border SLAPP cases are increasingly more used within the Member States, by both private companies and public entities, aiming to limit free speech and the right to information, producing a chilling effect against journalists, academics, civil society and NGO representatives, relying on psychologically and financially draining their targets in order to force them to abandon exposing matters of public interest;
Amendment 123 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that SLAPPs are a direct attack on the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms; underlines that fundamental rights and democracy are linked to upholding the rule of law, and that undermining media freedom and public democratic participation, including freedom of expression, of information, of assembly and of association, threatens Union values as enshrined in Article 2 of the TEU; welcomes the fact that the rule of law report includes SLAPP lawsuits in its assessment of media freedom and pluralism across the Union, and points to best practices in countering them; calls for the annual report to include a thorough assessment of the legal environment for the media, and investigative journalism in particular; calls on the Commission to also issue country-specific recommendations within the framework of the annual rule of law report for future years, including for issues concerning the situation of media freedom within the Member States;
Amendment 153 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Highlights that the use of SLAPPs has a negative impact on the enjoyment of internal market freedoms by individuals and organisations engaging in public participation and vulnerable to such claims, such as journalists or civil society activists, as the absence of the same level of protection against these claims, within the jurisdictions of certain Member States, discourages them to operate confidently all across the Union;
Amendment 160 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that SLAPPs constitute a misuse of Member States’ justice systems and legal frameworks, especially for successfully addressing ongoing common challenges outlined in the Justice Scoreboard, such as caseload administration and case backlogs; recalls that a properly functioning justice system delivers judgements without undue delay, and manages judicial resources so as to maximise efficiency, and that this is only possible where judges and judicial bodies are not burdened with the handling of claims that are later on dismissed as abusive and lacking in legal merit; stresses therefore that SLAPPs constitute an severe hampering of the effective access to justice;
Amendment 182 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Highlights that in recent years online hate speech has become increasingly widespread against journalists, NGOs, rights defenders, academics and other civil society actors, including those defending LGBTQI or women's rights, thus threatening media freedom, freedom of expression and public safety given that online hate speech can incite real-world violence;
Amendment 200 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that SLAPPs are often meritless, frivolous or based on exaggerated claims, and that they are not initiated for the purposes of obtaining a favourable judicial outcome but rather only to intimidate, harass, tire out, put psychological pressure on or consume the financial resources of those targeted, such as journalists, academics, civil society and NGOs, with the ultimate objective of blackmailing and forcing them into silence through the judicial procedure itself; points out that this chilling effect can lead to self- censorship, suppressing participation in democratic life, and also discourages others from similar actions, from entering into these professions or from proceeding with relevant associated activities;
Amendment 212 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that an imbalance of power between the claimant and the defendant in terms of financial resources is a common feature of SLAPPs; highlights that unpredictably large damages' award claims in matters such as libel, are capable of producing a strong chilling effect against their targets and therefore the admissibility of laying such claims should require highly careful scrutiny and very strong justifications;
Amendment 219 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses, with regard to this problem, that all Member States lack harmonised minimum standards to protect journalists, academiclegislation on and harmonization of minimum standards to sufficiently protect SLAPP targets such as journalists, academics, rights defenders, activists, civil society actors and NGOs and to ensure that fundamental rights are upheld in the Member States;
Amendment 247 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Agrees with the numerous academics, legal practitioners and victims who point to the need for legislative action against the growing problem of SLAPPs; urgently calls, therefore, for the Brussels Ia and Rome II Regulations to be amendmentsed in order to prevent ‘libel tourism’ or ‘forum shopping’; urgently calls for the introduction of a uniform and predictable choice of law rule for defamation, as well as for proposals for binding Union legislation on establishing minimum standards, harmonised and effective safeguards for victims of SLAPPs across the Union, including through a directive or a regulation; argues that without such legislative action, SLAPPs will continue to threaten the rule of law and the fundamental rights tof freedom of expression, association and information in the Union; is concerned that if measures only address lawsuits regarding infordefamation, actions based on other civil matters or criminal procedures may still be used;
Amendment 260 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Affirms that legislative measures at Union level could be based on Article 81 of the TFEU (for cross-border civil lawsuits) and Article 82 of the TFEU (for threats of lawsuits in cross-border cases), and separately on Article 114 of the TFEU to protect public participation in order to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market by exposing corruption and other distortions; asserts that the latter measure could also address attempts to prevent investigation and reporting on breaches of Union law using the same legal base asa similar approach to the one that led to the adoption of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (the ‘Whistleblower Directive’);
Amendment 267 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that it is essential to adopt a legislative measure protecting the role of actors engaging in public participation, such as journalists, academics, civil society and NGOs in preventing breaches of Union law and ensuring the proper functioning of the internal market; urges the Commission to present a proposal for legislation that sets out safeguards for persons investigating and, reporting on or exposing these matters of public interest; highlights that such a proposal shall include rules on the early dismissal of abusive lawsuits, alongside deterrent measures aiming to disincentivise claims intended to suppress public participation such as civil penalties or administrative fines, including cost- shifting sanctions; underlines that these measures should apply to both cross- border and non-cross border cases of SLAPPs;
Amendment 291 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the Commission to present a proposal for a measure that develops judicial cooperation in civil matters so as to address cross-border SLAPP cases by providing for rules on the early dismissal of abusive lawsuits and other actions in court that have the purpose of preventing public participation, which should include dissuasive cost-shifting sanctions, consideration of abusive motives even if the lawsuit or action is not dismissed, costs and damages; calls on the Commission, further, to address questions giving rise to forum shopping and libel tourism in a forthcoming review of the Brussels Ia and Rome II Regulations;
Amendment 318 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Underlines the urgent need for a robust fund for supporting victims of SLAPPs; stress the importance for victims and potential victims of SLAPPs to have easy and accessible information about these type of cases, legal aid and support, including psychological support for victims and their family members;
Amendment 336 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls the importance of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the Union budget, which has applied to all commitment and payment appropriations since 1 January 2021; calls on the Commission to make use of existing legal provisions within the Regulation and implement a regime of conditionality immediately, once conditions are met in any Member State;
Amendment 348 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 1a (new)
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 1a (new)
support for the creation of dedicated national networks of specialised lawyers, legal practitioners and psychologists, easily available for victims of SLAPPs and their families;
Amendment 348 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 1a (new)
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 1a (new)
support for the creation of dedicated national networks of specialised lawyers, legal practitioners and psychologists, easily available for victims of SLAPPs and their families;
Amendment 350 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 3
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 3
the creation of a specific Union fund to provide financial support to victims of SLAPPs and their family members, including in terms of financial aid, legal assistance and psychological support;
Amendment 350 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 3
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 3
the creation of a specific Union fund to provide financial support to victims of SLAPPs and their family members, including in terms of financial aid, legal assistance and psychological support;
Amendment 357 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 4
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 4
support for independent bodies (such as ombudspersons) able to deal with complaints from persons threatened or faced with SLAPP suits, and to provide assistance to them, and support for media self-regulatory bodies dealing with ethical complaints by the public and promoting the importance of ethics and professional journalistic practices;
Amendment 357 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 4
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 4
support for independent bodies (such as ombudspersons) able to deal with complaints from persons threatened or faced with SLAPP suits, and to provide assistance to them, and support for media self-regulatory bodies dealing with ethical complaints by the public and promoting the importance of ethics and professional journalistic practices;
Amendment 362 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 6
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 6
a ‘one-stop-shop’/support hub which victims of SLAPPs can contact and where they can receive guidance and easy access to information on and support against SLAPPs, including regarding ‘first aid’, legal aid, financial and psychological support, including through peer exchange networks;
Amendment 362 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 6
Annex – point 1 – part II – indent 6
a ‘one-stop-shop’/support hub which victims of SLAPPs can contact and where they can receive guidance and easy access to information on and support against SLAPPs, including regarding ‘first aid’, legal aid, financial and psychological support, including through peer exchange networks;
Amendment 369 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 2 – part I – introductory part
Annex – point 2 – part I – introductory part
A legislative proposal for a general protection measure would have the dual aim of protecting persons investigating or report, reporting, or exposing matters of public interest concerning:
Amendment 369 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 2 – part I – introductory part
Annex – point 2 – part I – introductory part
A legislative proposal for a general protection measure would have the dual aim of protecting persons investigating or report, reporting, or exposing matters of public interest concerning:
Amendment 372 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 2 – part I – point a
Annex – point 2 – part I – point a
(a) possible breaches of Union law;
Amendment 372 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 2 – part I – point a
Annex – point 2 – part I – point a
(a) possible breaches of Union law;
Amendment 395 #
2021/2036(INI)
A proposal for a civil procedure measure applicable in both cross-border and non- cross-border cases should include:
Amendment 397 #
2021/2036(INI)
A proposal for a civil procedure measure applicable in both cross-border and non- cross-border cases should include:
Amendment 400 #
2021/2036(INI)
(b) the obligation for courts to summarily dismiss abusive lawsuits; at a very early stage;
Amendment 402 #
2021/2036(INI)
(b) the obligation for courts to summarily dismiss abusive lawsuits at a very early stage;
Amendment 409 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 3 – part II – point a
Annex – point 3 – part II – point a
(a) a bespoke rule concerning claims arising from public participation, distinguishing jurisdiction in such cases from ordinary torts, whereby the habitual residence of the defendant as the sole forum;
Amendment 410 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 3 – part II – point a
Annex – point 3 – part II – point a
(a) a bespoke rule concerning claims arising from public participation, distinguishing jurisdiction in such cases from ordinary torts, whereby the habitual residence of the defendant as the sole forum;
Amendment 416 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 3 – part II – point b
Annex – point 3 – part II – point b
(b) that the applicable law is the law of the place where the investigation or reporting took placeto which a publication is directed and, supplementary, the place of editorial control.
Amendment 418 #
2021/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex – point 3 – part II – point b
Annex – point 3 – part II – point b
(b) that the applicable law is the law of the place where the investigation or reporting took placeto which a publication is directed and, supplementary, the place of editorial control.
Amendment 556 #
2021/0250(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 3
Article 11 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall ensure that, when taking customer due diligence measures in accordance with Chapter III of Regulation [please insert reference – proposal for Anti-Money Laundering Regulation], obliged entities have timely access to the information held in the interconnected central registers referred to in Article 10. To this end, in the event that consultation of those registers by the obliged parties is deemed to be due, no financial charge shall be imposed on the obliged parties for access to the registers.
Amendment 539 #
2021/0239(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 18 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 to 4, an obliged entity may refrain from identifying and verifying the identity of the customer or beneficial owner if it has already done so in the previous six months in accordance with the requirements set out in paragraphs 1 to 4 and there is no reasonable doubt that the information previously obtained is no longer accurate.
Amendment 450 #
2021/0211(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 44 a (new)
Recital 44 a (new)
(44a) The Social Climate Fund will be endowed with a baseline allocation in the Union budget, which will also benefit from annual reinforcements in alignment with a higher carbon price, by means of an automatic adjustment of the relevant MFF ceilings, in order to further support households and transport users in making the climate transition. It should be an integral part of the Union budget in order to preserve the unity and integrity of the budget, respect the Community method and ensure that there is effective control by the budgetary authority, composed of the European Parliament and the Council.
Amendment 1402 #
2021/0211(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 20 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 20 a (new)
Directive 2003/87/EC
Article 30 – paragraphs 3 a and 3 b (new)
Article 30 – paragraphs 3 a and 3 b (new)
(20a) In Article 30, the following paragraphs are inserted: “3a. The Social Climate Fund is to be financed by the general EU budget, whose revenue side will benefit from the introduction of a diverse basket of new own resources, including the EU ETS- based on resource pursuant to the roadmap of the IIA. 3b. In order to ensure that the available appropriations for the Social Climate Fund in the EU budget shall evolve in alignment with the carbon price and thus support vulnerable households and transport users, a Carbon Price Fluctuation Adjustment Mechanism will enable annual reinforcements; the detailed provisions are to be provided for in the Multiannual Financial Framework Regulation which in accordance with Article 312 TFEU which will ensure that the relevant expenditure ceilings are adjusted automatically each year in function of and in alignment with the rate of change of the carbon price under the EU ETS for Buildings and Road Transport;”
Amendment 1 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Union and its Member States are Parties to the Paris Agreement, which was signed in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (‘the Paris Agreement’)28 and entered into force in November 2016. According to that Agreement, they are bound to limit the increase in the global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5°C above pre- industrial levels. By adopting the Glasgow Climate Pact, the Parties to the Paris Agreement recognised that limiting the increase in the global average temperature to 1,5 °C above pre-industrial levels would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change, and they committed to strengthening their 2030 targets by the end of 2022 to close the ambition gap, in line with the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This should be done in a manner that is equitable and respects the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances. __________________ 28 Paris Agreement (OJ L 282, 19.10.2016, p. 4).
Amendment 2 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The Commission Communication The European Green Deal29 sets out a new growth strategy that aims to transform the Union into a sustainable, equitable, fairer and more prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource uset the latest. The Commission proposes also to restore, protect, conserve and enhance the Union's natural capital, and protect the health and well-being of citizens from environment- related risks and impacts. Finally, the Commission considers that this transition should be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind. __________________ 29 COM(2019)640 final.
Amendment 3 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council30 enshrines into law the target of economy- wide climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest. That Regulation establishes a binding commitment on the part of the Union to reduce emissions. By 2030, the Union should reduce its greenhouse gas emission, after deduction of removals of greenhouse gas emissions, by at least 55% compared to the level in 1990. All sectors of the economy should contribute to achieving that target. __________________ 30 Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1).
Amendment 4 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan1a highlights that social rights and the European social dimension need to be strengthened across all policies of the Union as enshrined in the Treaties, in particular Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and Article 9 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The Porto Declaration of 8 May 2021 reaffirmed the European Council’s pledge to work towards a social Europe ensuring a just transition, and its determination to continue deepening the concrete implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights at EU and national level, with due regard for respective competences and the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. __________________ 1a Endorsed by the European Council on 24 and 25 June 2021.
Amendment 5 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6 a) The Fund should only support activities and recipients that respect applicable Union and national law on social and labour rights concerning, inter alia, wages and working conditions, including collective agreements, and that promote sustainable and quality jobs.
Amendment 6 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) In order to implement the commitments towards climate neutrality, the Union’s climate and energy legislation has been reviewed and amended in order to accelerate the greenhouse gas emissions reductions. A just transition principled by the UN 2030 Agenda and by the European Pillar of Social Rights means eradicating energy and mobility poverty across the Union. To further this, a new Social Climate Fund should contribute to protecting and empowering the most vulnerable households. Particular attention is required to ensure that those households actually benefit from the implementation of various funding instruments, namely those instruments available to Member States and which include the Cohesion Funds, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and revenues currently generated by the EU ETS. The funds available to Member States should be used to invest in the renovation of buildings, the creation of quality and safe green jobs, as well as the development of the necessary skills suitable to the green and digital transition, the decarbonisation of the transport sector, and in greater access to public, shared soft mobility.
Amendment 7 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Those amendments have differing economic and social impacts on the different sectors of the economy, on the citizens, and the Member States. In particular, the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport intoany extension of the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and the Council31 should provide an additional economic incentive to invest into the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and thereby accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Combined with other measures, this should, in the medium to long term, reduce the costs for buildings and road transport, and provide new opportunities for job creation and investmentcontribute to the eradication of energy and mobility poverty, and provide new opportunities for quality job creation and sustainable investments, fully aligned with the European Green Deal goals. The Commission should collect data on the social impact of the accompanying measures and how those measures affect different Member States, regions and vulnerable groups to ensure a preventive approach in order to reduce inequalities in access to sustainable and affordable energy and mobility. Particular attention should be paid to the most disadvantaged groups and to households in mobility or energy poverty, so that they benefit from the implementation of those funding instruments and no one is left behind. __________________ 31 Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union (OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32).
Amendment 8 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) However, resources are needed to finance thossufficient, stable and equitable investments. In addition, before they have taken place, the cost supported by households and transport users for heating, cooling and cooking, as well as for road transport, is likely to increase, as fuel suppliers subject to the obligations under the emilso, in light of the Russian war of aggression, tradaking for buildings and road transport pass on costs on carbon to the consumerinto account the dependency of Member States on imported fossil fuels.
Amendment 9 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9 a (new)
Recital 9 a (new)
(9 a) The costs passed on by fuel suppliers to final consumers can differ for each company, region or Member State. The Commission should therefore collect data on the share of costs absorbed by fuel suppliers and the share of costs passed on to final consumers and should annually report its findings to the European Parliament.
Amendment 10 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The increase in the price for fossil fuels maytransition toward climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing is expected to disproportionally affect vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users who spend a larger part of their incomes on energy and transport, who, in certain regions, including in rural, insular, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or for less developed regions or territories, including less developed- peri- urban areas, do not have access to alternative, affordable mobility and transport solutions and who may lack the financial capacity to invest into the reduction of fossil fuel consumption.
Amendment 11 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Therefore, a part of the revenues generated by the inclusion of building and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC should be used to address the social impacts arising from that inclusion, for the transition to be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind. as an own resource to finance the Union budget as general income, in accordance with the legally binding Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 20201a (the ‘Interinstitutional Agreement’) that sets out a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources, thereby providing the Union budget with the means of contributing to addressing the social impacts arising from that inclusion, for the transition to be just and inclusive, leaving no one behind. Under the Interinstitutional Agreement, a basket of new own resources is envisaged to be introduced by 1 January 2023. Green own resources are means of aligning the Union budget with the Union’s policy priorities, thus providing Union added value, and should be used to contribute to the climate mainstreaming objectives, the repayment of NextGenerationEU debts and the resilience of the Union budget as regards its functioning as a tool for investments and guarantees. __________________ 1a Interinstitutional Agreement of 16 December 2020 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, as well as on new own resources, including a roadmap towards the introduction of new own resources (OJ L 433I, 22.12.2020, p. 28).
Amendment 12 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) This is even more relevant in view of the existing levels of energy poverty. Energy poverty is a situation in which households are unable tolack access to essential energy services such as cooling, as temperatures rise, and heatingthat underpin a decent standard of living and health, including adequate warmth, cooling, lighting and energy to power appliances, and in the relevant existing social policy and other relevant policies, often as a result of facing a high share of energy expenditure as part of their disposable income due to a combination of factors, including low income, high-energy prices and low quality, poor performing housing stock. About 34 million Europeans reported an inability to keep their homes adequately warm in 2018, and 6.9% of the Union population have said that they cannot afford to heat their home sufficiently in a 2019 EU-wide survey32 . Overall, the Energy Poverty Observatory estimates that more than 50 million households in the European Union experience energy poverty. Energy poverty is therefore a major challenge for the Union. While social tariffs or direct income support can provide immediate relief to households facing energy poverty, only targeted structural measures, in particular energy renovations, can provide lasting solutions. Despite the importance of that challenge having been acknowledged at Union level for over a decade through various initiatives, legislation and guidelines, there is still no standard Union-level definition of energy poverty and only one third of Member States have put in place a national definition of energy poverty. As a result, no transparent and comparable data on energy poverty in the Union is available, limiting the capacity to effectively monitor and assess the level of energy poverty. Therefore, a Union-level definition should be established to effectively address energy poverty and measure progress across Member States. While social tariffs or direct income support can provide immediate relief to households facing energy poverty, only targeted structural measures, the application of the energy efficiency first principle, the installation of additional renewable energy sources, including through community-led projects, as well as information and awareness-raising measures targeted at the households in particular energy renovations contributions contributing to the renovation requirement established in Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings (recast), can provide lasting solutions and effectively help combat energy poverty. __________________ 32 Data from 2018. Eurostat, SILC [ilc_mdes01]).
Amendment 13 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12 a) Particular attention needs to be paid to tenants in the private rental market. Those tenants include vulnerable households in energy poverty or households at risk of energy poverty, including lower middle-income ones, that are significantly affected by the price impacts of increased heating costs or by higher rental prices following renovation, but are not in a position to renovate the building they occupy. As part of their Social Climate Plans, Member States should therefore develop, in consultation with landlords, the private sector and relevant local authorities and civil society organisations, energy efficient, green social housing and specific measures and investments to support vulnerable tenants on the private rental market, for example by considering national schemes or voucher schemes aimed at housing tenants in the private rental sector, to make renovation measures and to contribute to the Union’s climate targets. As part of the biennial reporting and evaluation of the measures and investments implemented by Member States, the Commission should assess their impact and effectiveness to support vulnerable tenants in the private rental market. In the absence of positive results, that assessment should be accompanied by a Commission initiative, where appropriate, in consultation with Member States, representatives of the private rental market and relevant local authorities and civil society organisations, to address the situation of vulnerable tenants in the private rental market.
Amendment 14 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12 b) Mobility poverty has been underexposed and no clear definitions are available at Union or national level. However, it is a problem that is becoming more pressing to address as a result of the increasing phase-out requirements for combustion engine vehicles, high fuel prices, and high dependencies on transport availability, accessibility and costs to go to work or for daily mobility needs for those living in rural, insular, peripheral, mountainous, remote and less accessible regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas and the outermost regions.
Amendment 15 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) A Social Climate Fund (‘the Fund’) should therefore be established to provide funds to the Member States to support their policies to address the social impacts of the emisstransitions trading for buildings and road transportoward climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing on vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users. This should be achieved notably through temporary income support and measures and investments intended to reduce reliance on fossil fuels through increased energy efficiency of buildings, decarbonisation of heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration of energy from renewable sources, and granting improved access to affordable and efficient zero- and low-emission mobility and transport to the benefit of vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 16 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13 a) Since vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users will require additional support with the green transition sufficient and proportionate financial assistance should be allocated to all Member States.
Amendment 17 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) For that purpose, each Member State should submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan (‘the Plan’). Those Plans should pursue two objectives. Firstly, they should provide vulnerable householdscontribute to the implementation of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals while ensuring that no-one is left behind as well as pursue two objectives. Firstly, they should together with the local and regional authorities, social partners and civil society, identify and map vulnerable households in energy or mobility poverty, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users to be included as beneficiaries for the necessary resources to finance and carry out investments in energy efficiency, decarbonisation of heating and cooling, in zero- and low-emission vehicles and mobility. Member States should provide a detailed analysis, conducted together with the local and regional authorities, social partners and civil society, on the main causes of energy and mobility poverty in their respective territories. The Plans should also set targets and objectives to reduce the number of people in energy or mobility poverty, vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises, and vulnerable transport users. Secondly, they should mitigate the impact of the increase in the cost of fossil fuels on the most vulnerable and thereby prevent energy and transportmobility poverty during the transition period until such investments have been implemented. The Plans should have an investment component promoting the long- term solution of reducephasing out fossil fuels reliance and could envisage other measures, includingcomplemented with temporary direct income support to mitigate adverse income effects in the shorter term. Those Plans should also ensure that actions which have already been implemented at national level will be taken into account.
Amendment 18 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Member States, inwith meaningful consultation withof local and regional level authorities, economic and social partners and relevant civil society organisations, are best placed to design and to implement Plans that are adapted and targeted to their local, regional and national circumstances as their existing policies in the relevant areas and planned use of other relevant EU funds. In that manner, the broad diversity of situations, the specific knowledge of local and regional governments, economic and social partners, relevant civil society organisations and of research and innovation and industrial relations and social dialogue structures, as well as national traditions, can best be respected and contribute to the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall support to the vulnerable and to the scaling up of projects developed by local and regional authorities, social partners and socio- economic actors.
Amendment 19 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Ensuring that the measures and investments are particularly targeted towards energy poor or vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport users is key for a just transition towards climate neutrality. Support measures to promote reductions in greenhouse gas emissions should help Member States to address the social impacts arising from the emissof the transitions trading for the sectors of buildings and road transportowards climate neutrality, including social impacts from carbon pricing.
Amendment 20 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Pending the impact of those investments on reducing costs and emissions, well targeted direct income support for the most vulnerable would help the just transitionDirect income support when combined with long-lasting structural investment measures targeting the same beneficiaries, will contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Fund. Pending the impact of those investments on reducing costs and emissions, well targeted direct income support for vulnerable households in energy poverty or mobility poverty would contribute to reduce energy and mobility costs and support the just transition while waiting for more structural investments to take place. Such support should be understood to be a temporary measure accompanying the decarbonisation of the housing and transport sectors. It would not be permanent as it does not address the root causes of energy and transportmobility poverty. Such direct income support should only concern direct impacts of the inclusion of building and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, not electricity or heating costs related to the inclusion of power and heat production in the scope of that Directive. Eligibility for such direct income support should be limited in timebe limited to up to 40% of the total estimated cost of each Plan for the period 2024- 2027 and should be set for the 2028-2032 period in accordance with a country-by- country assessment by the Commission of the efficiency, added value, continued relevance and required level of direct income support in light of the progress and effect of the implementation of structural investments and measures, with a view to phasing out such support by the end of 2032.
Amendment 21 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17 a (new)
Recital 17 a (new)
(17 a) Vulnerable households, vulnerable transport users and vulnerable micro- enterprises should be informed about the existence of, and means to, benefit from support under the Fund. Targeted, accessible and affordable information, education, awareness and advice on cost- effective measures and investments and available support should therefore be provided.
Amendment 22 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Taking into account the importance of tackling climate change in line with Paris Agreement commitments, the commitment to the European Pillar of Social Rights and the commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the actions under this Regulation should contribute to the achievement of the target that 30% of all expenditureat least 30% of the total amount of the Union budget under the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework and the European Union Recovery instrument expenditure should be spent on mainstreaming climate objectives and should contribute to the ambition of providing 7.5% of annual spending under the MFF to biodiversity objectives in 2024 and 10% of annual spending to biodiversity objectives in 2026 and 2027, while considering the existing overlaps between climate and biodiversity goals. For this purpose, the methodology set out in Annex II of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council33 should be used to tag the expenditures of the Fund. The Fund should support activities that fully respect the climate and environmental standards and priorities of the Union and comply with the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ within the meaning oftechnical screening criteria established by the Commission in accordance with Article 170(3) of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council34 . Only such measures and investments should be included in the Plans. Direct income support measures should as a rule be considered as having an insignificant foreseeable impact on environmental objectives, and as such be considered compliant with the principle of ‘do no significant harm’. The Commission intends to issue technical guidance to the Member States well ahead of the preparation of the Plans. The guidance will explain how the measures and investments must comply with the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852. The Commission intends to presented in 2021 a proposal for a Council Recommendation on how to address the social aspects of the green transition. __________________ 33 Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 159). 34 Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (OJ L 198, 22.6.2020, p. 13).
Amendment 23 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) Women are particularly affected by carbon pricing as they represent 85% of single parent families. Single parent familiesdisproportionately affected by energy poverty and mobility poverty, in particular single mothers, who represent 85% of single parent families, as well as single women, women with disabilities, or elderly women living alone. In addition, women have different and more complex mobility patterns. Single parent families with dependent children have a particularly high risk of child poverty. Gender equality and equal opportunities for all, and the mainstreaming of those objectives, as well as questions of accessibility forrights of persons with disabilities should be taken into accountupheld and promoted throughout the preparation and implementation of Plans to ensure no one is left behind.
Amendment 24 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Member States should submit their Plans together with the update of their integrated national energy and climate plans in accordance with Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council35 and the European Code of Conduct on Partnership as set out in Regulation (EU) No 240/201435a. The Plans should include the measures to be financed, their estimated costs and the national contribution. They should also include key milestones and targets to assess the effective implementation of the measures. __________________ 35 Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, amending Regulations (EC) No 663/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives 94/22/EC, 98/70/EC, 2009/31/EC, 2009/73/EC, 2010/31/EU, 2012/27/EU and 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 2009/119/EC and (EU) 2015/652 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 1). 35a Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014 of 7 January 2014 on the European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds (OJ L 74, 14.3.2014, p. 1).
Amendment 25 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) The Fund and the Plans should be coherent with and framed by the reforms planned and the commitments made by the Member States under their updated integrated national energy and climate plans in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, under Directive [yyyy/nnn] of the European Parliament and the Council [Proposal for recast of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency]36 , the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan37 , the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) established by38, the Modernisation Fund, the cohesion policy operational programmes under Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of8, the European Parliament and of the Council38 , the Just Transition Plans pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilRecovery and Resilience Plans in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the Just Transition Plans39 and the Member States long-term buildings renovation strategies pursuant to Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council40 . To ensure administrative efficiency, where applicable, the information included in the Plans should be consistent with the legislation and plans listed above. __________________ 36 [Add ref] 37 Endorsed by the European Council on 24 and 25 June 2021. 38 Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013 (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 21). 39 Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the Just Transition Fund (OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 1). 40 Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (OJ L 153, 18.6.2010, p. 13).
Amendment 26 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) The Union should support Member States with sufficient financial means to implement their Plans through the Social Climate Fund. Pproportionate to Member States, taking into account their respective geographic and demographic realities, along with technical support to implement their Plans through the Social Climate Fund. Specific individual attention should be given to the unique and specific challenges of rural, insular, peripheral, mountainous, remote and less accessible regions or territories, which face an amplified socio-economic impact of the climate transition. With a view to ensuring the effectiveness of measures and investments for those regions, a specific minimum financial allocation should be established for applicable regions. In order to ensure the most efficient use of Union funds, payments from the Social Climate Fund should be made conditional on the achievement of the milestones and targets included in the Plans and should be in accordance with the costs indicated for achieving those milestones and targets and should ensure that they do not prolong fossil fuel dependency and avoid carbon lock-in. This would allow efficiently taking into account national circumstances and priorities while simplifying financing and facilitating its integration with other national spending programmes while guaranteeing the impact and the integrity of EU spending.
Amendment 27 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22 a (new)
Recital 22 a (new)
(22 a) The principle of unity of the Union budget, whereby all items of revenue and expenditure of the Union are shown in the budget, is a Treaty requirement under Article 310(1) TFEU. The Fund is therefore to be fully integrated into the Union budget in order to, inter alia, respect the Community method, respect parliamentary democratic accountability, oversight and control, ensure predictability of funding and multiannual programming, and safeguard transparency of the budgetary decisions taken at Union level.
Amendment 28 #
2021/0206(COD)
(23) The financial envelope of the Fund should, in principle, be commensurate to amounts corresponding to 25% of the expected revenues from the inclusion ofis set on the basis of an assessment of the estimated amount generated by allocating to the Union budget 25% of the expected revenues linked to commercial road transport, commercial buildings and other fuels covered by Chapter IVa [ETS Directive] in the first period. That amount should be complemented by the revenues from the 150 million allowances auctioned in accordance with Article 30d(3) of Directive 2003/87/EC. Assuming a carbon price of 35 euros per tonne there would be an additional 5,25 billion euros available over the three year period. Together with the financial envelope this would amount to 16,39 billion euros for that period. A Comission proposal would be required to establish the amount for the Social Climate Fund for the second period 2028-2032, in light of the next MFF negotiations and any inclusion of the sectors of private buildings and private road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC in the period 2026-by 1 January 2029 in accordance with Article [XX] of Directive 2003/87/EC. Consequently, the Fund could reach 72 billion euros over the whole period [date of entry into force]- 2032. Pursuant to Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/205341 , Member States should make those revenues available to the Union budget as own resources. Member States are to finance 50%a significant share of the total costs of their Plans themselves, corresponding to at least 60 % for temporary direct income support and at least 50 % for targeted structural measures and investments. By way of derogation, it should be possible for the national co-financing share for targeted structural measures and investments to be limited to 40 % for Member States that are eligible for a top-up from the Modernisation Fund. For this purpose, as well as for investment and measures to accelerate and alleviate the required transition for citizens negatively affected, Member States should inter aliafirst use their expected revenues from emissions trading for buildings and road transport under Directive 2003/87/EC for that purpose. The financing of the Fund should not come at the expense of other Union programmes and policies. __________________ 41 Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2020/2053 of 14 December 2020 on the system of own resources of the European Union and repealing Decision 2014/335/EU, Euratom (OJ L 424, 15.12.2020, p. 1).
Amendment 29 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 a (new)
Recital 23 a (new)
(23 a) In the event of a higher carbon price, additional allocations should be made available for the Fund so as to ensure that the available appropriations for the Social Climate Fund in the Union budget increase in alignment with the carbon price, in order to further support vulnerable households and transport users in the transition towards climate neutrality. Such annual reinforcements should be accommodated within the MFF by means of an automatic ‘carbon price fluctuation adjustment’ of the ceiling of Heading 3 and of the payment ceiling, the mechanism for which is to be provided for in Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 pursuant to Article 312 TFEU.
Amendment 30 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The Fund should support measures that respect the principle of additionality of Union funding. The Fund should not be a substitute for recurring national expenditures, except in duly justified cases.
Amendment 31 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) In order to ensure an efficient, transparent and coherent allocation of funds and to respect the principle of sound financial management, actions under this Regulation should be consistent with and be complementary to ongoing Union programmes, whilst avoiding double funding from the Fund and other Union programme, national and, where appropriate, regional programmes, instruments and funds, whilst avoiding that the Fund substitutes other Union programmes, investments and funds for the same expenditure. In particular, the Commission and the Member State should ensure, in all stages of the process, effective coordination in order to safeguard the consistency, coherence, complementarity and synergy among sources of funding and promote evidence-based policy-making, social innovation in partnership with the social partners and public and private bodies. To that effect, Member States should be required to present the relevant information on existing or planned Union financing when submitting their plans to the Commission. Financial support under the Fund should be additional to the support provided under other Union programmes and instruments. Measures and investment financed under the Fund should be able to receive funding from other Union programmes and instruments provided that such support does not cover the same costs.
Amendment 32 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25 a (new)
Recital 25 a (new)
(25 a) To ensure that support under the Plans can be effectively implemented from the initial years starting from the date of entry into force of the Social Climate Fund, it should be possible for an amount of up to 13 % of the financial contribution of Member States to be paid in the form of pre-financing by the Commission following a request by the Member State submitted together with the Social Climate Plan.
Amendment 33 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) In order to facilitate the preparation of the Social Climate Plans and to ensure transparent rules for monitoring and evaluation, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of setting out the template based on which Member States are to prepare their Social Climate Plans and the common indicators for reporting on the progress and for the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Plans. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 2016European Code of Conduct on Partnerships. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.
Amendment 34 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) The implementation of the Fund should be carried out in line with the principle of sound financial management, including the protection of the Union budget in the case of breaches of the principles of the rule of law, the effective prevention and prosecution of fraud, tax fraud, tax evasion, corruption and conflicts of interest.
Amendment 35 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) For the purpose of sound financial management, while respecting the performance-based nature of the Fund, specific rules should be laid down for budget commitments, payments, suspension, and recovery of funds as well as for the termination of agreements related to financial support. The Member States should take appropriate measures to ensure that the use of funds in relation to measures supported by the Fund complies with applicable Union and national law. Member States must ensure that such support is granted in compliance with the EU State aid rules, where applicable. In particular, they should ensure that fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests are prevented, detected and corrected, and that double funding from the Fund and other Union programmes is avoided. Suspension and the termination of agreements related to financial support as well as reduction and recovery of the financial allocation should be possible when the Plan has not been implemented in a satisfactory manner by the Member State concerned, or in the case of serious irregularities, meaning fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest in relation to the measures supported by the Fund, or a serious breach of an obligation under the agreements related to financial support. In the case of termination of an agreement related to financial support or the reduction and recovery of a financial allocation, these amounts should be proportionally allocated to the other Member States. Appropriate contradictory procedures should be established to ensure that the decision by the Commission in relation to suspension and recovery of amounts paid as well as the termination of agreements related to financial support respects the right of Member States to submit observations.
Amendment 36 #
2021/0206(COD)
Amendment 37 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 3
Article 1 – paragraph 3
The measures and investments supported by the Fund shall benefit households, micro-enterprises, and transport users, which are vulnerable and particularly affected by the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, especially households in energy poverty and citizens without public transport alternative to individual cars (in remote and rural areas)mpact of the transition towards climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing, especially households in energy poverty and citizens in mobility poverty, paying special attention to those living in rural, insular, peripheral, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri- urban areas, the outermost regions, and carbon-intensive regions with high unemployment.
Amendment 38 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 4
Article 1 – paragraph 4
The general objective of the Fund is to contribute to thea socially fair transition towards climate neutrality that leaves no one behind, in particular by addressing the social impacts of the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC. The specific objective of the Fund is to support vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users, especially those in energy poverty or mobility poverty through temporary direct income support and through measures and investments intended to increase energy efficiency of buildings, decarbonisation of heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration and storage of energy from renewable sources, and granting improved access to zero- and low-emission mobility and transportefficient and affordable mobility and transport in accordance with Article 6, with the objective to phase out gradually and not prolong fossil fuel dependency and avoid carbon lock-in.
Amendment 39 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) ‘building renovation’ means allny kinds of energy-related building renovation, including and accompanying safety measures, including by contributing to the renovation requirements established in Directive .../... [on the energy performance of buildings (recast) [2021/0426(COD)], aimed to reduce the building’s energy consumption, including: the insulation of the building envelope, that is to say walls, roof, floor, the replacement of windows,; passive ventilation; the installation of heat pumps and cooling systems; the replacement of heating, cooling and cooking appliances,; the upgrade of electrical installations and the installation of on-site production of energy from renewable sources, heat recuperation systems or the connection to nearby systems using energy and storage from renewable sources;
Amendment 40 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
(2) ‘energy poverty’ means energy poverty as defined in point [(49)] of Article 2 of Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the of the European Parliament and of the Council50 ; __________________ 50 [Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ C […], […], p. […]).] [Proposal for recast of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency]ffecting households in the lowest income deciles, including lower middle-income ones that have a significant share of energy expenditure to disposable income, including as a result of low-quality housing, arrears on utility bills due to financial difficulties, or limited access to essential and affordable energy services that underpin a decent standard of living and health, including adequate warmth, cooling, lighting and energy to power appliances;
Amendment 41 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
(2 a) ‘mobility poverty’ means poverty affecting households in the lowest deciles, including lower middle-incomes ones, that have a high share of mobility expenditure to disposable income or a limited access to affordable public or alternative modes of transport required to meet essential socio- economic needs, with a particular focus on households in rural, insular, peripheral, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas and the outermost regions, caused by one or a combination of the following factors that depend on national or local specificities: low income, high fuel expenditures, the phase-out of internal combustion engine cars, high costs or lack of affordable or available public or alternative modes of transport;
Amendment 42 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 11
(11) ‘vulnerable households’ means households in or at risk of energy poverty or households in the lowest income deciles, including lower middle- income ones, that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECtransition towards climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing, and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy;
Amendment 43 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 12
(12) ‘vulnerable micro-enterprises’ means micro-enterprises that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of buildings into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to renovate the building they occupygreenhouse gas emissions from buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, as part of the just transition towards climate neutrality, leaving no one behind, and lack the means to renovate the building they occupy or upgrade road vehicles on which they rely in the course of business;
Amendment 44 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
(13) ‘vulnerable transport users’ means transport users, including from lower middle-income households, that are significantly affected by the price impacts of the inclusion of road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC and lack the means to purchase zero- and low- emission vehicles or to switch to alternative sustainable modes of transport, including public transport, particularly in rural and remote areas in the lowest income deciles, including lower middle- income ones, that are at risk of mobility poverty and significantly affected by the impact of the transition towards climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing.
Amendment 45 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Each Member State shall submit to the Commission a Social Climate Plan (‘the Plan’) together with the update to the integrated national energy and climate plan referred to in Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in accordance with the procedure and timeline laid down in that Article. The Plan shall contain a coherent set of measures and investments to address and following a meaningful consultation of local and regional level authorities, economic and social partners and relevant civil society organisations. The Plan shall contain a coherent set of measures and investments to address energy and mobility poverty, in particular the impact of the transition towards climate neutrality, including the impact of carbon pricing on vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises, and vulnerable transport users in order to ensure affordable and sustainable heating, cooling and mobility while accompanying and accelerating necessary measures to meet the climate targets of the Union.
Amendment 46 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The Plan may include national or, where applicable, regional measures providing temporary direct income support to vulnerable households and households that are vulnerable transport users to reduce the impact of the increase in the price of fossil fuels resulting from the inclusion of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/ECtransition towards climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing.
Amendment 47 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The Plan shall include national, regional or local projects to:
Amendment 48 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) finance measures and investments to increase energy efficiency of buildings, to implement energy efficiency improvement measures, to carry out building renovation and accompanying safety measures, where appropriate in combination with improvements in line with fire and seismic safety standards, and to decarbonise heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration of energy production and storage of energy from renewable energy sources in accordance with Article 6;
Amendment 49 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) finance measures and investments to increase the uptake of zero- and low- emission mobility and transportmobility and transport, including by directing measures and investments towards a modal shift from private to public, shared and active mobility, in accordance with Article 6.
Amendment 50 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point -a (new)
Amendment 51 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) concrete measures and investments in accordance with Articles 3 to reduceand 6 to address the effects referred to in point (c) of this paragraph together with an explanation of how they would contribute effectively to the achievement of the objectives set out in Article 1 within the overall setting of a Member State’s relevant policies;
Amendment 52 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) the coherence and mutual reinforcement of the accompanying measures to reduce the effects referred to in point (c);
Amendment 53 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) an estimate of the likely effects of that increase in prices on households, and in particular on incidenca price increase ofn energy poverty, on micro-enterprises and on transport users, comprising in particular an estimate and the identification of and mobility poverty, on vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users; these impacts are to be analysed with a sufficient level of regional disaggregation, taking into account national specificities and elements such as access to public transport and basic services and identifying the areas mostly affected, particularly territories which are remote and ruralural, insular, peripheral, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas and the outermost regions which will need particular attention and support for the transition towards climate neutrality;
Amendment 54 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) where the Plan provides for measures referred to in Article 3(2), the criteria for the identification of eligible final recipients, the indication of the envisaged time limit for the measures in question and their justification on the basis of a quantitative estimate and a qualitative explanation of how the measures in the Plan are expected to reduce energy and transportmobility poverty and the vulnerability of households, micro-enterprises and transport users to an increase of road transport and heating fuel prices; as well as a justification on how those measures complement existing activities of Member States to that effect;
Amendment 55 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) envisaged milestones, targets and an indicative timetable for the implementation of the measures and investments to be completed by each biennial integrated national energy and climate progress report pursuant to Article 23 and by 31 July 2032;
Amendment 56 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point e a (new)
(e a) an indicative timetable, where applicable, for the support for vehicles in accordance with Article 6(2), point (d);
Amendment 57 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point e b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point e b (new)
(e b) how the measures and investments, where relevant, promote sustainable and quality jobs;
Amendment 58 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point i
(i) the arrangements for the effective monitoring and implementation of the Plan by the Member State concerned, to be undertaken in close consultation with local and regional level authorities, economic and social partners and relevant civil society organisations in accordance with national law and practices, in particular of the proposed milestones and targets, including indicators for the implementation of measures and investments, which, where relevant, shall be those available with the Statistical office of the European Union European Statistical Office and the European Energy Poverty Observatory as identified by Commission Recommendation 2020/156354 on energy poverty; __________________ 54 OJ L 357, 27.10.2020, p. 35.
Amendment 59 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point j
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point j
(j) for the preparation and, where available, for the implementation of the Plan, a summary of the consultation process, conducted in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 and with the national legal framework, of local and regional authorities, social partners, civil society organisations, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders, and how the input of the stakeholders is reflected in the Plan as well as their specific roles on the design, implementation and monitoring;
Amendment 60 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
(k a) the proportion of the Fund set aside for community-led local climate transition projects.
Amendment 61 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The Commission is empowered to adopt, within .... [insert date three months from the entry into force of this Regulation], a delegated act in accordance with Article 25 to supplement this Regulation by setting out a template based on which Member States are to prepare their Plan.
Amendment 62 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Payment of support shall be conditional uponmade in accordance with the costs indicated to achievinge the milestones and targets for measures and investments set out in the Plans in accordance with Article 6. Those milestones and targets shall be compatible with the Union’s climate targets, in line with the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and cover in particular:
Amendment 63 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) building renovation, including by contributing to the achievement of the renovation requirements established in Directive .../... [on the energy performance of buildings (recast) [2021/0426(COD)]];
Amendment 64 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) zero- and low-emission mobility and transportmobility and transport in accordance with Article 6;
Amendment 65 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) greenhouse gas emissions reductions, with the objective to phase out gradually and not prolong fossil fuel dependency and avoid carbon lock-in, relating to measures and investments in accordance with Article 6;
Amendment 66 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) reductions in the number of vulnerable households, especiallyi.e. households in or at risk of energy poverty, of vulnerable micro-enterprises and of vulnerable transport users, including in rural and remote areas., insular, peripheral, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas or less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas and the outermost regions which will need particular attention and support for the transition towards climate neutrality;
Amendment 67 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
(e a) contribution to, where relevant, sustainable and quality jobs.
Amendment 68 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. The Fund shall only support measures and investments respecting the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ referred to in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852. that are consistent with the technical criteria established in the framework of Regulation (EU) 2020/8521a and respecting the principle of ‘do no significant harm’ referred to in Article 17 of that Regulation. Recipients of the Fund shall respect applicable Union and national law on social and labour rights. __________________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088
Amendment 69 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Member States may include the costs of measures providing temporary direct income support to vulnerable households and vulnerable households that are transport users, including the reduction of electricity taxes and fees, as a transitional measure to vulnerable households and vulnerable transport users affected by energy poverty or mobility poverty, to absorb the increase in road transport and heating fuel prices. Such support shall constitute intermediary support to those vulnerable households, decreaseing over time and be limited to the direct impact of the emission trading for buildings and road transport. Eligibility for such direct income support shall cease within , subject to the implementation of structural measures or investments with long-lasting impacts to effectively lift those beneficiaries out of energy and mobility poverty. Such support shall be limited to a maximum of 40% of the total estimated cost of each Plan for the period 2024-2027 and shall be set for the period 2028-2032 in accordance withe time limits identified underhe assessment by the Commission made in accordance with Article 24(1) point (d)3), with a view to phasing out such support by the end of 2032.
Amendment 70 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Member States may include the costs of the following measures and investments with lasting impacts in the estimated total costs of the Plans, provided they principally benefit vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, or vulnerable transport users and intend to:
Amendment 71 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) support building renovations, especiallyquality, cost- and energy efficient building renovations, especially to contribute to the achievement of the renovation requirements established in Directive .../... [on the energy performance of buildings (recast) [2021/0426(COD)]] and for those occupying worst- performing buildings, with a special attention to tenants and social housing, including in the form of financial support or fiscal incentives such as deductibility of renovation costs from the rent, or specific support for the renovation of social housing in order to facilitate access to affordable energy-efficient housing independently of the ownership of the buildings concerned;
Amendment 72 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
(a a) ensure access to affordable energy-efficient housing, including by providing sufficient energy-efficient and affordable housing stock, including social housing;
Amendment 73 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) contribute to the cost-efficient decarbonisation, including the electrification, of heating and cooling of, and cooking in, buildings by ensuring access to affordable and energy-efficient systems, and the integration and storage of energy from renewable sources, including through citizen energy communities and peer-to-peer energy sharing, to power any residual demand, smart internal electricity installations or cover connection costs to smart grids and any other measures that contribute unequivocally to the achievements of energy savings as well as connection to district heating networks, such as vouchers, subsidies or zero- interest loans to invest in products and services to increase the energy performance of buildings or to integrate renewable energy sources in buildings;
Amendment 74 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(b a) provide targeted, accessible and affordable information, education, awareness and advice on cost-effective measures and investments and available support for building renovations and energy efficiency, as well as sustainable and affordable mobility and transport alternatives, including through energy audits of buildings, tailored energy consultations or tailored mobility management services;
Amendment 75 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) support public and private entities, including social-housing providers, in particular public-private cooperation, in developing and providing safe and affordable energy efficiency renovation solutions and appropriate funding instruments in line with the social goals of the Fund, including smart-grid solutions;
Amendment 76 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) provide access to zero- and low- financial support or fiscal incentives to improve access to zero- emission vehicles, while maintaining technological neutrality, and to bicycles, including incentivising access to, and the further development of, the second-hand zero-emission vehicles and bimarkest, including financial support or fiscal incentives for their purchase as well as, for appropriate public and private infrastructure, including for recharging and refuelling; for support concerning low-emission vehicles, a timetable for gradually reducing the support shall be providedthe purchase of zero-emission vehicles; the support shall be limited to vehicles which are available at or below the average market price for such vehicles in a Member State in a given year; measures to support low-emission vehicles shall be primarily considered only where access to zero-emission mobility is not yet feasible, in particular for rural, remote and less accessible areas. Member States shall provide a timetable for gradually reducing the support, in accordance with the technical criteria established by the Commission under Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139;
Amendment 77 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) grant free access to public transport or adapted tariffs for access to public transport, as well as fostering sustainable mobility on demand and shared mobility serviceincentivise the use of affordable and accessible zero- and low-emission public transport, as well as supporting private and public entities, including cooperatives, in developing and providing sustainable mobility on demand, shared mobility services and attractive active mobility options, especially in rural, insular, mountainous, remote and less accessible areas, in less developed regions or territories, including less developed peri-urban areas and the outermost regions;
Amendment 78 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Member States shall promote, where relevant, sustainable and quality jobs when implementing the measures and investments in accordance with paragraph 2.
Amendment 79 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. By 31 July 2023, the Commission shall provide guidance on cost-effective measures and investments in the context of paragraph 2. By 31 July 2026 and every two years thereafter, the Commission shall evaluate the cost- effectiveness of the measures and investments implemented by the Member States as part of their Plans on the basis of the biennial integrated national energy and climate progress report pursuant to Article 23. The Commission shall report on best practices and shall adjust the guidance accordingly.
Amendment 80 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. The Fund shall not support, and the estimated total costs of Plans shall not includreplace measures in the form of direct income support pursuant to Article 3(2) of this Regulation to the extent that those are additional and complementary to the support provided for households already benefiting:
Amendment 81 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) from public intervention in the price level of the fuels covered by Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/ECused for combustion in the heating and cooling of buildings or road transport;
Amendment 82 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Where it is proven by the Member State concerned in its Plan that the public interventions referred to in paragraph 1 do not fully off-set the price increase resulting from the inclusion of the sectors of buildings and road transport into the scope of Directive 2003/87/EC, direct income support may be included in the estimated total costs in the limits of the price increase not fully off-set.
Amendment 83 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Member States may include into the estimated total costs financial support provided to public or private entities, strictly excluding financial intermediaries, other than vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises and vulnerable transport uses in energy poverty or mobility poverty, if those entities carry out measures and investments on their behalf and which ultimately directly benefitting those vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users provided that these entities comply with the social and environmental safeguards referred to in Article 5.
Amendment 84 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Member States shall provide for the necessary statutory and contractual safeguards to ensure that the entire benefit is passed on to the households, micro- enterprises, and transport users. Such entities shall comply with the requirements on visibility set out in Article 22a. The Commission shall issue guidance on minimum principles and safeguards and promote best practices.
Amendment 85 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Fund for the period 2025-2027 shall be EUR 23 700 000 000 in current prices[date of entry into force]-2027 shall be at least EUR 11 140 000 000 in current prices. The Fund shall be complemented by revenue resulting from the auctioning of 150 million allowances in accordance with Article 30d(3) of [ETS Directive] [5 250 000 000 indicative amount] for this period. That funding shall be implemented in accordance with this Regulation.
Amendment 86 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. The financial envelope for the implementation of the Fund for the period 2028-2032 shall be EUR 48 500 000 000 in current pricesestablished after a revision of this Regulation, subject to the availability of the amounts under the annual ceilings of the applicable multiannual financial framework referred to in Article 312 TFEU and the assessment and, where appropriate and if the conditions are met, targeted review in accordance with [Article 30a(1a)] of Directive 2003/87/EC.
Amendment 87 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Additional allocations shall be made available subject to the specific technical adjustment based on the carbon- price fluctuation provided for in Article 4b of ... [Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/20931a as amended] so as to ensure that the available appropriations for the Social Climate Fund in the Union budget increase in alignment with the carbon price. The prolongation of the specific technical adjustment based on carbon-price fluctuation shall be considered in the context of the negotiations of the applicable multiannual financial framework. __________________ 1a Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 (OJ L 433I , 22.12.2020, p. 11).
Amendment 88 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. In accordance with [Article 30d(5)] of Directive 2003/87/EC, Member States shall use revenues from the allowances auctioned in accordance with Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC first for the national co-financing of their Plans and, for any remaining revenue, for social climate measures and investments in accordance with Article 6 of this Regulation, except for the revenues established as own resources in accordance with Article 311(3) TFEU and entered in the Union budget as general income.
Amendment 89 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 a (new)
Article 10 a (new)
Amendment 90 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
1. Support under the Fund shall be additional to the support provided under other Union funds, programmes and instrumentsand used in synergy, complementarity, coherence and consistency to the support provided under other Union, national and, where appropriate, regional funds, programmes and instruments, in particular the Modernisation Fund, the InvestEU Programme, the Technical Support Instrument, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the Funds covered by Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. Measures and investments supported under the Fund may receive support from other Union funds, programmes and instruments provided that such support does not cover the same cost.
Amendment 91 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
1. TWithout prejudice to Article 9(1a), the maximum financial allocation shall be calculated for each Member State as specified in Annex I and Annex II.
Amendment 92 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 13 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Each Member State may submit a request up to its maximum financial allocation to implement its Plan and up to the maximum of its share of the additional allocation made available pursuant to Article 9(1a), as specified in Annex II and based on the methodology for the calculation as referred to in Annex I.
Amendment 93 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a (new)
Article 13 a Pre-financing 1. Subject to the adoption by the Commission of the implementing act referred to in Article 16(1) of this Regulation, when a Member State requests pre-financing together with the submission of the Plan, the Commission shall make a pre-financing payment of an amount of up to 13 % of the financial contribution referred to in Article [ ] of this Regulation. By way of derogation from Article 116(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046, the Commission shall make the corresponding payment within, to the extent possible, two months after the conclusion by the Commission of the individual legal commitment referred to in Article 18 of this Regulation. 2. In cases of pre-financing under paragraph 1 of this Article, the financial contributions referred to in Article [ ] shall be adjusted proportionally.
Amendment 94 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall contribute at least to 50 percent of the total estimated costs of their Plans. By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, Member States shall contribute at least to 60 % of the total estimated costs of the measures and investments referred to in Article 6(1) in their Plans. The contribution of Member States with a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita at market prices below 65 % of the Union average during the period 2016 to 2018 shall be limited to a maximum of 40 % of the total estimated costs of the measures and investments referred to in Article 6(2) in their Plans.
Amendment 95 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall inter alia usefirst use any revenues from the auctioning of their allowances in accordance with Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC for their national contribution to the total estimated costs of their Plans.
Amendment 96 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
(i) whether the Plan represents an adequate and effective response to the social impact on and challenges faced by vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users in the Member State concerned from establishing the emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/ECthe impact of the transition towards climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing, especially by households in energy poverty and mobility poverty, duly taking into account the challenges identified in the assessments of the Commission of the update of the concerned Member State’s integrated national energy and climate plan and of its progress pursuant to Article 9(3), and Articles 13 and 29 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, as well as in the Commission recommendations to Member States issued pursuant to Article 34 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 in view of the Union’s 2030 climate and energy targets and objectives and the long-term objective of climate neutrality in the Union by 2050. This shall take into account the specific challenges and the financial allocation of the Member State concerned;
Amendment 97 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i a (new)
(i a) whether the Plan has been developed with the meaningful consultation, of local and regional level authorities, economic and social partners, and relevant civil society organisations in accordance with the principles of the European code of conduct on partnerships established by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014;
Amendment 98 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii
(ii) whether the Plan is expected to ensure that no measure ors and investments included in the Plan do not causes significant harm to environmental objectives within the meaning of Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852;
Amendment 99 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point ii a (new)
(ii a) whether the recipients of the Fund respect applicable Union and national law on social and labour rights;
Amendment 100 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point a – point iii
(iii) whether the Plan contains innovative and existing measures and effective investments in solutions that contribute to the green transition, including to addressing the challenges resulting therefrom, addressing the social impacts and in particular to the achievement of the 2030 and 2050 climate and energy objectives of the Union and the 2030 milestones of the Mobility Strategy.
Amendment 101 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i
(i) whether the Plan is expected to have a lasting impact on the Union’s 2030 target, on climate neutrality and on the challenges addressed by that Plan and in particular on vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises, and vulnerable transport users, especially households in energy poverty and mobility poverty, in the Member State concerned;
Amendment 102 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii a (new)
(iii a) whether the measures and investments proposed by the Member State concerned are internally coherent and foster complementarity, synergy, coherence and consistency with other Union instruments and programmes;
Amendment 103 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii b (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii b (new)
Amendment 104 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point c – point i
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – point c – point i
(i) whether the justification provided by the Member State for the amount of the estimated total costs of the Plan is reasonable, plausible, in line with the principle of cost efficiency and commensurate to the expected national environmental and social impact, while also taking into account national specificities that may impact the costs provided in the Plan;
Amendment 105 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 16 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. On the basis of the assessment in accordance with Article 15, the Commission shall decide on the Plan of a Member State, by means of an implementing act, within sixthree months from the date of the submission of that Plan pursuant to Article 3(1) of this Regulation.
Amendment 106 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 16 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) the Union financial allocation allocated in accordance with Articles 13 and 13a of this Regulation to be paid in pre-financing and instalments once the Member State has satisfactorily fulfilled the relevant milestones and targets identified in relation to the implementation of the Plan, which shall be subject, for the period 2028-2032, to the availability of the amounts referred to in Article 9(2) of this Regulation under the annual ceilings of the multiannual financial framework referred to in Article 312 TFEU;
Amendment 107 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. A Member State may start implementing measures and investments set out in its Plan as of ... [insert the date of entry into application of this Regulation], before the Commission gives a positive decision under paragraph 1. This shall be without prejudice to the outcome of the Commission's assessment under Article 15 and its power to approve or reject the Plan. The Union financial allocation in respect of such ongoing measures and investments shall remain conditional on the approval of the Plan by means of the Commission decision and on the fulfilment of the relevant milestones and targets by such a Member State. Where the Commission gives a positive assessment of the Plan, its decision referred to in paragraph 1 shall also include, where relevant, such ongoing measures and investments and take into account the fact that they are already being implemented.
Amendment 108 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
1. Where a Social Climate Plan, including relevant milestones and targets, is no longer achievable, either in whole or in part, by the Member State concerned because of objective circumstances, in particular because of the actual direct effects of the emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC, the Member State concerned may the Member State concerned may, following, the meaningful consultation of relevant stakeholders in accordance with the principles of the European code of conduct on partnerships established by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014 submit to the Commission an amendment of its Plan to include the necessary and duly justified changes. Member States may request technical support for the preparation of such request.
Amendment 109 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. 1a. Where additional allocations are made available pursuant to Article 9(1a), the Member State concerned may submit a targeted amendment of its Plan to the Commission in order to: (a) increase the number of beneficiaries of, or the costs borne by, a measure or investment set out in its Plan; (b) add measures or investments in accordance with Article 6.
Amendment 110 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 3
Article 17 – paragraph 3
3. Where the Commission gives a positive assessment to the amended Plan, it shall in accordance with Article 16(1) adopt, within three months of the official submission of the amended Plan by the Member State, a decision setting out the reasons for its positive assessment, by means of an implementing act. Where a plan is amended as set out in paragraph 1a, point (a), that period shall be reduced to six weeks.
Amendment 111 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 5
Article 17 – paragraph 5
5. By 15 March 2027 each Member State concerned shall assess the appropriateness of its Plans in view of the actual direct effects of the emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/087/ECimpact of the transition towards climate neutrality, including by carbon pricing. Those assessments shall be submitted to the Commission as part of the biennial progress reporting pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999.
Amendment 112 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1
1. After the Commission has adopted a decision as referred to in Article 16, it shall in due time conclude an agreement with the Member State concerned constituting an individual legal commitment within the meaning of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 covering the period 2025-2027. That agreement may be concluded at the earliest one year befrom ... [the date of entry into force the year of the start of the aucof this Regulations] under Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/ECtil 2027.
Amendment 113 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
Article 19 – paragraph 4 – introductory part
4. Where, as a result of the assessment referred to in paragraph 32, the Commission establishes that the milestones and targets set out in the Commission decision referred to in Article 16 have not been satisfactorily fulfilled, the payment of all or part of the financial allocation shall be suspended. The amount of the financial allocation suspended shall be in line with the costs of the measures for which the milestones and targets are not satisfactorily met. The Member State concerned may present its observations within one month of the communication of the Commission’s assessment.
Amendment 114 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Where the Commission establishes that the Member State concerned under this Article has not brought into force the law, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the European Parliament and the Council amending Directive IVa of Directive ..../..../EC [(COD)2021/0211], the payment of the financial allocation shall be suspended. The suspension shall only be lifted where the Member State concerned has brought those laws, regulations and administrative provisions into force.
Amendment 115 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 7
Article 19 – paragraph 7
7. Where, within 12 months of the date of the conclusion of relevant agreements referred to in Article 18, no tangible progress has been made in respect of any relevant milestones and targets by the Member State concerned, the Commission shall terminate the relevant agreements referred to in Article 18 and shall de-commit the amount of the financial allocation. Any pre-financing in accordance with Article [13a] shall be recovered in full. The Commission shall take a decision on the termination of agreements referred to in Article 18 after having given the Member State concerned the possibility to present its observations within a period of two months of the communication of its assessment as to whether no tangible progress has been made. Any decommitted amounts shall be proportionally allocated to other Member States.
Amendment 116 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 1
Article 20 – paragraph 1
1. In implementing the Fund, the Member States, as beneficiaries of funds under the Fund, shall respect the fundamental values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, including the rule of law. They shall take all the appropriate measures to protect the financial interests of the Union and to ensure that the use of funds in relation to measures and investments supported by the Fund complies with the applicable Union and national law, in particular regarding the protection of the Union budget in the case of breaches of the principles of the rule of law, prevention, detection and correction of fraud, corruption and conflicts of interests. To this effect, the Member States shall provide an effective and efficient internal control system as further detailed in Annex III and the recovery of amounts wrongly paid or incorrectly used. Member States may rely on their regular national budget management systems.
Amendment 117 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 20 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. In implementing the Fund, the Commission shall take all the appropriate measures in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 to ensure the protection of funds in relation to measures and investments supported by the Fund in the case of breaches of the principles of the rule of law in the Member States. The Commission shall provide, to that effect, an effective and efficient internal control system and the recovery of amounts wrongly paid or incorrectly used.
Amendment 118 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 20 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Where it is established that breaches of the principles of the rule of law in a Member State affect or seriously risk affecting the sound financial management of the Fund or the protection of the financial interests of the Union, the Commission shall take the appropriate measures in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 which may include, inter alia, a suspension of payments to the affected national authorities. In such cases, the Commission shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the intended final beneficiaries of the Fund continue to have access to Union assistance, with the Commission ensuring disbursement via local and regional authorities, non- governmental organisations, or other entities with a proven capacity to ensure the sound financial management of the Fund.
Amendment 119 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
The Commission and the Member States concerned shall, in a manner commensurate to their respective responsibilities, foster synergies and ensure effective coordination between the Fund and other Union programmes and instruments, including the Modernisation Fund, InvestEU Programme, the Technical Support Instrument, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and the Funds covered by Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. For that purpose, they shall:
Amendment 120 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) ensure complementarity, synergy, coherence and consistency among different instruments at Union, national and, where appropriate, local and regional levels, both in the planning phase and during implementation;
Amendment 121 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 21 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) ensure close cooperation between those responsible for implementation and control at Union, national and, where appropriate, local and regional levels, including relevant stakeholders in accordance with the principles of the European code of conduct on partnerships established by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014 to achieve the objectives of the Fund.
Amendment 122 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2
Article 22 – paragraph 2
Amendment 123 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 a (new)
Article 22 a (new)
Amendment 124 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Each Member State concerned shall, on a biennial basis, report to the Commission on the implementation of its Plan as part of its integrated national energy and climate progress report pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and in accordance with Article 28 thereof, and in meaningful consultation with relevant stakeholders in accordance with the principles of the European code of conduct on partnerships established by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014. The Member States concerned shall include in their progress report:
Amendment 125 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) detailed quantitative information on the number of households in energy poverty and in mobility poverty, in particular vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises, and vulnerable transport users;
Amendment 126 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(a a) detailed information on the application of the definition of energy and mobility poverty in accordance with Article 2(2) and (2a) on the basis of concrete and measurable criteria;
Amendment 127 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) when applicable, detailed information on progress towards the national indicative targets and objectives to reduce the number of households in energy poverty; and mobility poverty, in particular vulnerable households, vulnerable micro-enterprises, and vulnerable transport users.
Amendment 128 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) detailed information on the results of the measures and investments, in particular as regards to the emissions reduction achieved and the number of people benefitting from the measures included in its Plan;
Amendment 129 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Amendment 130 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point c b (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point c b (new)
(c b) detailed information on the share and targeting of direct income support included in its Plan;
Amendment 131 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point f
Article 23 – paragraph 1 – point f
(f) in 2027, an assessment of the Plan referred to in Article 17(5) in view of the actual direct effects of the emission trading system for buildings and road transport established pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/087/EC;
Amendment 132 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The Commission shall monitor the share of costs related to the surrender of allowances under Chapter IVa of Directive .../.../EC[(COD)2021/0211] absorbed by fuel suppliers and passed on to final consumers. The Commission shall annually report its finding to the European Parliament.
Amendment 133 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 4
Article 23 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 25 to supplement this Regulation in order to set out the common indicators to be used for reporting on the progress and for the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of the Fund towards the achievement of the objectives set out in Article 1, including a template based on which Member States have to report. The Commission shall adopt those delegated acts no later than ...[3 months after the entry into force of this Regulation].
Amendment 134 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23 a Transparency 1. The Commission shall transmit the Plans submitted by Member States, and the decisions, as made public by the Commission, simultaneously and on equal terms to the European Parliament and the Council without undue delay. 2. Information transmitted by the Commission to the Council or any of its preparatory bodies in the context of this Regulation or its implementation shall simultaneously be made available to the European Parliament, subject to confidentiality arrangements if necessary. 3. The Commission shall provide the competent committees of the European Parliament with an overview of its preliminary findings concerning the satisfactory fulfilment of the relevant milestones and targets included in the Plans submitted by Member States. 4. The competent committees of the European Parliament may invite the Commission to provide information on the state of play of the assessment by the Commission of the Plans.
Amendment 135 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 b (new)
Article 23 b (new)
Article 23 b Social Climate Dialogue 1. In order to enhance the dialogue between the Union institutions, in particular the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, and to ensure greater transparency and accountability, the competent committees of the European Parliament may invite the Commission twice a year to discuss the following matters: (a) the Plans submitted by Member States; (b) the assessment by the Commission of the Plans submitted by Member States; (c) the status of fulfilment of the milestones and targets of the Plans submitted by Member States; (d) payment, suspension and termination procedures, including any observation presented and remedial measures taken by Member States to ensure a satisfactory fulfilment of the milestones and targets; (e) any other relevant information and documentation provided by the Commission to the competent committee of the European Parliament in relation to the implementation of the Fund. 2. The European Parliament may express its views in resolutions as regards the matters referred to in paragraph 1. 3. The Commission shall take into account any elements arising from the views expressed through the social climate dialogue, including the resolutions from the European Parliament if provided.
Amendment 136 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1
Article 24 – paragraph 1
1. By 1 July 20286, the Commission shall provide the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions with an evaluation report on the implementation and functioning of the Fund until that date, taking into account in particular the results of the first reports submitted by Member States in accordance with Article 23.
Amendment 137 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. For every year that the Fund is active, the Commission shall provide a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of the CO2 reduction arising from the investments in energy efficiency of building, integration of energy from renewable sources and granting improved access to zero- and low-emission mobility and transport.
Amendment 138 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 3
Article 24 – paragraph 3
3. The evaluation report referred to in paragraph 1 shall, in particular, assess: (a) to which extent the objectives of the Fund laid down in Article 1 have been achieved, the efficiency of the use of the resources and the Union added value.; (b) on a country-by-country basis, the progress and effect of the implementation of structural investments and measures and the use of the direct income support in light of the achievement of the milestones and targets in the Plans, and the subsequent need for, and required level of, direct income support in that context, pursuant to the rules set out in Article 6(1) for the period 2028-2032 ; (c) the application of the definitions of energy and mobility poverty as reported by Member States in accordance with Article 23(1aa) and whether a more detailed approach may be necessary in the future, and, where appropriate, present a proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council; It shall consider the continued relevance of all objectives and actions set out in Article 6 in light of the impact on greenhouse gas emissions from the emission trading system for buildings and road transport pursuant to Chapter IVa ofpursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC and from the national measures taken to meet the binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council63 . It shall also consider the continued relevance of the financial envelope of the Fund in relation to possible developments concerning the auctioning of allowances under the emission trading system for buildings and road transport pursuant to Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC and othpursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC and other relevant considerations. As part of the evaluation report referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall also consider the prolongation of the specific technical adjustment based on carbon- price fluctuation refer relevant considerations. d to in Article 9 in the context of the negotiations of the next multiannual financial framework. __________________ 63 Regulation (EU) 2018/842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on binding annual greenhouse gas emission reductions by Member States from 2021 to 2030 contributing to climate action to meet commitments under the Paris Agreement and amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 (OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 26-42).
Amendment 139 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 2
Article 25 – paragraph 2
2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Articles 4(2a) and 23(4) shall be conferred on the Commission for an indeterminate period of time.
Amendment 140 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 3
Article 25 – paragraph 3
3. The delegations of power referred to in Articles 4(2a) and 23(4) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect on the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force.
Amendment 141 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 2
Article 26 – paragraph 2
Amendment 142 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 9
Annex I – paragraph 9
For all Member States, αi cannot be lower than 0,07 % of the sum of the financial envelopes as referred to in Article 9(1) and (2). For the Member States with a GNI per capita below 90% of the EU-27 value, αi cannot be lower than the share of reference emissions under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/842 for the sectors covered by [Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC] for the average of the period 2016-2018. The αi of the Member States with a GNI per capita above the EU-27 value are proportionally adjusted to ensure that the sum of all αi equals 100%.
Amendment 143 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – paragraph 1 a (new)
Annex II – paragraph 1 a (new)
Amendment Member State into force]-2032 Luxemburg 0.10 [73 476 4dditional allocations pertaining from Article 9(1a) shall be allocated to Member States on the basis of the following share. Maximum financial allocation per EU Member State Amount for TOTAL Amount for [date of entry [date of entry 2028-2032 Share as % into force]-2027 (in EUR, current of total (in EUR, (in EUR, prices) current prices) current prices) Belgium 2.56 [1 844 737 639] [605 544 073] [1 239 193 566] Bulgaria 3.85 [2 778 104 958] [911 926 420] [1 866 178 538] Czechia 2.40 [1 735 707 679] [569 754 460] [1 165 953 219] Netherlands 1.11 [800 832 27Denmark 0.50 [361 244 536] [118 580 270] [242 664 266] Germany 8.19 [5 910 983 488] [1 940 308 984] [3 970 674 504] Estonia 0.29 [207 004 992] [67 950 392] [139 054 600] Ireland 1.02 [737 392 966] [242 052 816] [495 340 150] Greece 5.52 [3 986 664 037] [1 308 641 796] [2 678 022 241] Spain 10.53 [7 599 982 898] [2 494 731 228] [5 105 251 670] France 11.20 [8 087 962 701] [2 654 912 964] [5 433 049 737] Croatia 1.94 [1 403 864 753] [460 825 411] [943 039 343] Italy 10.81 [7 806 923 117] [2 562 660 358] [5 244 262 759] Cyprus 0.20 [145 738 994] [47 839 531] [97 899 463] Latvia 0.71 [515 361 901] [169 170 042] [346 191 859] Lithuania 1.02 [738 205 618] [242 319 573] [495 886 046] [24 118 991] [49 357 430] Hungary 4.33 [3 129 860 199] [1 027 391 783] [2 102 468 416] Malta 0.01 [5 112 942] [1 678 348] [3 434 594] [262 877 075] [537 955 195] Austria 0.89 [643 517 259] [211 237 660] [432 279 599] Poland [12 714 118 17.61 688] [4 173 471 093] [8 540 647 595] Portugal 1.88 [1 359 497 281] [446 261 573] [913 235 708] Romania 9.26 [6 682 901 998] [2 193 694 977] [4 489 207 021] Slovenia 0.55 [397 623 987] [130 522 001] [267 101 985] Slovakia 2.36 [1 701 161 680] [558 414 568] [1 142 747 112] Finland 0.54 [386 966 933] [127 023 772] [259 943 161] Sweden 0.62 [445 050 067] [146 089 842] [298 960 225] [72 200 000 [23 700 000 EU27 100% 000] 000] [48 500 000 000]
Amendment 188 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13 a (new)
Recital 13 a (new)
(13a) Since the socio-economic impact of the green transition will be felt by vulnerable households, vulnerable micro- enterprises and vulnerable transport users in all Member States, each Member State should at least receive a minimum allocation of 0.07% of the Fund to support households and transport users in making the green transition.
Amendment 341 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23 a (new)
Recital 23 a (new)
(23a) The Social Climate Fund will be endowed with a baseline allocation in the EU budget, which will also benefit from annual reinforcements in alignment with a higher carbon price, by means of an automatic adjustment of the relevant MFF ceilings, in order to further support households and transport users in making the climate transition. It should be an integral part of the EU budget in order to preserve the unity and integrity of the budget, respect the Community method and ensure that there is effective control by the budgetary authority, composed of the Parliament and the Council.
Amendment 430 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) ‘building renovation’ means allny kinds of energy-related building renovation action aiming at reducing its energy consumption, including: the insulation of the building envelope, that is to say walls, roof, floor, the replacement of windows,; passive ventilation ; the installation of hybrid heat pumps; the replacement of heating, cooling and cooking appliances, ; and the installation of on-site production ofr the connection to nearby systems using energy from renewable sources;
Amendment 549 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) finance measures and investments to increase energy efficiency of buildings, to implement energy efficiency improvement measures, to carry out building renovation, where appropriate in combination with strengthening fire and seismic safety standards, and to decarbonise heating and cooling of buildings, including the integration of energy production from renewable energy sources;
Amendment 642 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point k a (new)
(ka) the proportion of the fund set aside for community-led local climate transition projects.
Amendment 753 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) support public and private entities, in particular public-private cooperation, in developing and providing safe and affordable energy efficiency renovation solutions and appropriate funding instruments in line with the social goals of the Fund;
Amendment 763 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) provide access to zero- and low- emission vehicles and bikcycles, including financial support or fiscal incentives for their purchase and lease as well as for appropriate public and private infrastructure, including for recharging and refuelling; for support concerning low- emission vehicles, a timetable for gradually reducing the support shall be provided;
Amendment 837 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Additional allocations shall be made available subject to the specific technical adjustment based on carbon- price fluctuation referred to in Article 30(3b) of Directive 2003/87/EC to ensure that the available appropriations for the Social Climate Fund in the EU budget shall evolve in alignment with the carbon price.
Amendment 1021 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Where the Commission establishes that the Member State concerned under this Article has not brought into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Directive (EU) [yyyy/nnn] of the European Parliament and the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC as regards Chapter IVa of Directive ..../..../EC [(COD)2021/0211], the payment of the financial allocation shall be suspended. The suspension shall only be lifted where the Member State concerned has brought these laws, regulations and administrative provisions into force;
Amendment 1090 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. As part of evaluation report referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission shall consider the prolongation of the specific technical adjustment based on carbon-price fluctuation referred to in Article 9 in the context of the negotiations of the next multiannual financial framework.
Amendment 1113 #
2021/0206(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 9
Annex I – paragraph 9
For all Member States, αi cannot be lower than 0.07% of the sum of the financial envelopes as referred to in Article 9(1) and (2). For the Member States with a GNI per capita below 90% of the EU-27 value, αi cannot be lower than the share of reference emissions under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EU) 2018/842 for the sectors covered by [Chapter IVa of Directive 2003/87/EC] for the average of the period 2016-2018. The αi of the Member States with a GNI per capita above the EU-27 value are proportionally adjusted to ensure that the sum of all αi equals 100%.
Amendment 13 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)
Citation 7 a (new)
— having regard to the Joint Communication of 10 June 2020 entitled 'Tackling COVID-19 disinformation - Getting the facts right' (JOIN(2020) 8),
Amendment 51 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas according to the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, the situation concerning the independence of the press differs significantly between Member States, with some Member States ranking among the top 5 best performers, while the worst entry ranking as low as 111th out of 180;
Amendment 103 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas disinformation related to COVID-19 may have dangerous consequences on public health, cause panic and social unrest and needs to be addressed; whereas measures to combat disinformation cannot be used as a pretext for introducing disproportionate restrictions on press freedom;
Amendment 115 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is deeply shattered by the murders of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta and Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová in Slovakia due to their investigative work, and reiterates the importance of an; recalls the essential role that investigative journalism holds in fighting organised crime by collecting and connecting relevant information, exposing criminal networks and illicit activities; highlights the fact that these activities expose them to an increased personal risk level; calls on national law enforcement authorities to fully cooperate with Europol and other relevant international organisations in order to conduct independent investigation to brs, identifying and bringing to justice the perpetrators of and masterminds behind these crimes;
Amendment 124 #
2020/2009(INI)
3. Strongly reiterates its call on the Commission to treat attempts by Member State governments to damage media freedom and pluralism as constituting a serious and systematic abuse of powers and as going against the fundamental values of the EU as enshrined in Article 2 TEU; welcomes, therefore, the Commission’s intention to include a specific chapter on monitoring media freedom and pluralism in its Annual Report on the Situation of the Rule of Law within the EU; encourages the Commission to actively cooperate with the Council of Europe, exchanging best practices and making sure that measures undertaken are complementary; urges the Commission to take into account the impact of the emergency measures taken in 2020 in the context of COVID-19 on press freedom, media pluralism and safety of journalists; in this context, recalls Parliament’s repeated call for a permanent, independent and comprehensive mechanism covering democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in the EU;
Amendment 136 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the irreplaceable role of public service media and stresses that it is essential to ensure and maintain their independence from political interference; condemns attempts by Member State governments to silence critical media and undermine media freedom and pluralism, in particular attempts to control public service media; deplores the fact that in some Member States public broadcasting has become an example of single political party propaganda, which often excludes opposition and minority groups from society and even incites violence; stresses that safeguarding independent authorities and ensuring strong independent oversight of audiovisual media against undue state and commercial intervention is crucial; highlights that the frameworks for financing public service media should ensure the editorial independence and the sustainability of these outlets; calls on Member States to use financing models where public service media is financed from sources independent of political decision-making such as monthly or annual dedicated taxes;
Amendment 156 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates its concern that few specific legal or policy frameworks protecting journalists and media workers from violence, threats and intimidation can be identified at national level within the EU; calls on the Member States and the Commission to ensure the effective protection and safety of journalists and other media actors as well as of their sources, including in a cross-border context; strongly reiterates its call on the Commission to present proposals to prevent so-called ‘Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation’ (SLAPP); highlights that there are significant differences with respect to the freedom of the press and protection of journalists situations between Member States; calls on the Commission to come forward with a comprehensive Directive proposal aiming to establish minimum standards against SLAPP practices, across the EU;
Amendment 187 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is concerned about attempts to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to punish independent and critical media and introduce restrictions on the media’s access to and scrutiny of government decisions and actions, hampering proper and informed debate on those actions; stresses the role of journalism and the free flow of information as essential to the EU’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic; points out that journalism plays a crucial function at a moment of public health emergency; calls on the Commission to comprehensively monitor such practices by national governments and to include the results in its upcoming Annual Report on the Rule of Law;
Amendment 190 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to urgently introduce EU and national emergency recovery packages to protect the jobs and livelihoods of media workers, support companies and fund public service media through the COVID- 19 crisis; highlights that during the COVID-19 crisis certain media outlets and local media platforms in particular, have lost as much as 80% of their revenues due to the decrease in advertising; stresses that in the face of the pandemic European citizens need professional, economically secure and independent journalists; reiterates in this context its call for the creation of a permanent European fund for journalists in the framework of the next MFF (2021- 2027), as redrafted following the COVID- 19 crisis, offering direct financial support for projects submitted by independent journalists and media outlets, freelancers and self-employed media workers; and comprising dedicated funding lines for investigative journalism, news media, media literacy programmes and local media outlets; underlines that funding should be managed by independent organisations in order to avoid any interference with editorial decision- making;
Amendment 197 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Notes with concern that the envisaged budgetary envelope for the Creative Europe programme under the revised MFF/ recovery proposals of 27 May 2020 brings a 100 million Euros decrease in allocations, compared to the initial Commission proposal of 2018, and now amounts to 1.3 billion Euros less than the allocations initially proposed by the European Parliament; furthermore, notes with regret that funding available under the Justice, Rights and Values programme has also been decreased by 100 million Euros within the revised Commission budget proposal and now stands at 1.2 billion Euros less than the figures proposed by the European Parliament; urges the Commission to revise these figures and present new proposals, in line with the position adopted by the European Parliament;
Amendment 232 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Notes that the new digital environment has exacerbated the problem of the spread of disinformation and has resulted in online platforms playing an influential role in publishing, disseminating and promoting news and other media content; reiterates its concern about the potential threat disinformation poses to freedom of expression and the independence of the media; highlights that measures combatting disinformation should focus on fostering a plurality of opinions, through the promotion of high- quality journalism, delivering reliable, fact-based, verified information, as well as on building media literacy, and that any such measures must provide guarantees for the freedom of information and the freedom of expression;
Amendment 238 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Highlights that upholding the editorial independence within central and local media outlets, and developing media literacy projects, are essential elements for building resilience, raising awareness and strengthening education in efficiently combatting propaganda, disinformation and manipulations; calls on the Commission to actively engage in the promotion of reliable, fact-based and fact- checked information, enhancing media distribution channels in order to improve access to such information, empowering Union citizens to better identify and deal with disinformation; calls on Member States to fully implement the provisions of the revised Audio-visual Media Service Directive requiring them to promote and develop media literacy skills;
Amendment 260 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Points out that different forms of misinformation and disinformation, as well as other forms of information manipulation relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to proliferate around the world and have potentially harmful consequences for public security, health and effective crisis management; welcomes the Joint Communication on Tackling COVID-19 disinformation, of 10 June 2020; recalls that all measures to combat disinformation, including those taken in the context of the COVID-19 emergency, need to be necessary, proportionate and subject to regular oversight, and may under no circumstances prevent journalists and media actors from carrying out their work or lead to content being unduly blocked on the internet;
Amendment 268 #
2020/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes the Commission’s initiative to present a European Democracy Action Plan that aims to counter disinformation and to adapt to evolving threats and manipulations, as well as to support free and independent media; emphasises in this respect that protecting free and independent media while combating hate speech and disinformation is a fundamental factor in terms of the defence of the rule of law and democracy in the EU; notes with concern that according to a GDI research, websites spreading disinformation in the EU receive more than 70 million Euros in ad revenues every year; calls on the Commission to further engage with the digital platforms and step up the efforts towards ending such practices, as well as towards combatting the strategic, automated amplification of disinformation through the use of bots or fake profiles online, and towards increasing transparency in respect to the financing and the distribution of online advertising;
Amendment 196 #
2020/0310(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) While strong collective bargaining at sector or cross-industry level, where it is the national law or practice, contributes to ensuring adequate and fair minimum wage protection, traditional collective bargaining structures have been eroding during the last decades, in part due to structural shifts in the economy towards less unionised sectors and to the decline in trade union membership related to the increase of atypical and new forms of workand employer association membership. In addition, sectoral and cross-industry level collective bargaining came under severe pressure due to political decisions taken in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. With the aim of achieving fair minimum wages, however, sectoral and cross-industry level collective bargaining, where it is the national law or practice, is essential and thus needs to be promoted and strengthened.
Amendment 274 #
2020/0310(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) In a context of declining collective bargaining coverage, it is essential that the Member States promote collective bargaining to enhance workers’ access to minimum wage protection provided by collective agreements. Member States with a high collective bargaining coverage tend to have a low share of low-wage workers and high minimum wages. Member States with a small share of low wage earners have a collective bargaining coverage rate above 70%. Similarly, the majority of the Member States with high levels of minimum wages relative to the median wage have a collective bargaining coverage above 70%. While all Member States should be encouraged to promote collective bargaining, those who do not reach this level of coverage should, in consultation and/or agreement with the social partners, provide for or, where it already exists, strengthen a framework of facilitative procedures and institutional arrangements enabling the conditions for collective bargaining. Such framework should be established by law or by tripartite agreement.in accordance with national law and practice.
Amendment 310 #
2020/0310(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Minimum wages are considered to be adequate if they are fair in relation to thand fair if they improve wage distribution in the country and if they provide a decent standard of living for workers and their families on the basis of a full time employment contract.. The adequacy of statutory minimum wages is determined in view of the national socio- economic conditions, including employment growth, competitiveness as well as regional and sectoral developments. Their adequacy should be assessed at least in relation to their purchasing power, to the productivity developments and to their relation to the gross wage levels, distribution and growth. The use of indicators commonly used at international level, such asinternationally recognised level of 60% of the gross median wage and 50% of the gross average wage, can help guide the assessment of minimum wage adequacy in relation to the gross level of wages.
Amendment 499 #
2020/0310(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) where it is the national law or practice, promote the building and strengthening of the capacity of the social partners to engage in collective bargaining on wage setting at sector or cross-industry level;
Amendment 529 #
2020/0310(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Member States where collective bargaining coverage is less than 70% of the workers defined within the meaning of Article 2, and where it is the national law or practice, shall, in addition provide for a framework of enabling conditions forto promote collective bargaining, either by law after consultation ofing the social partners or byin agreement with them, and shall. Those Member States shall, after consulting social partners or in agreement with them, establish an action plan to promote, setting out a clear timeline and concrete measures to ensure respect for the right to collective bargaining. The action plan shall be updated at least every three years, made public and shall be notified to the European Commission.
Amendment 24 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Citation 5
— having regard to the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD Committee) of 2 October 2015 on the initial report of the European Union, including those on the European Union institutions' compliance with the Convention as public administrations,
Amendment 139 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges the advancement in the implementation of the UNCRPD brought about by the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020; and calls on the Commission to continue the work by building upon and integrating what has been achieved and by upscaling the present Strategy;its commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities through a European Disability Rights Agenda 2020-2030
Amendment 157 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Calls on the Commission to proposepare a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term post-2020 European Disability StrategyRights Agenda (the post-2020 Strategy)
Amendment 183 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 2 – indent 5
- mainstreaming the rights of the childrenall persons with disabilities into all policies and all areas,
Amendment 214 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 2 – indent 8 a (new)
- With a focus on assisting persons with disabilities in the labour market;
Amendment 216 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 2 – indent 8 b (new)
- recognising and addressing the multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination they may face, and in particular the challenges faced by women, girls, children, older and LGBTI persons with disabilities, as well as persons with disabilities, as well as persons from racial and ethnic minorities;
Amendment 223 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Calls the Commission to ensure the inclusion of a gender-based and intersectional approach to combat the multiple forms of discrimination faced by women and girls with disabilities, and urges the European Union and those Member States which have not done so already to accede to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention);
Amendment 228 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Calls for the post 2020 Strategy to set out an interinstitutional structure to oversee its implementation; urges that Disability Focal Points be present in all Commission's General Secretariat; stresses that an interinstitutional mechanism exist to ensure collaboration between the Commission, the Parliament and the Council, with their respective Presidents meeting at the start of each mandate;
Amendment 248 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 4
4. Calls onUrges the Commission to prepare the post-2020 Strategy with the close and systematic involvement of persons with disabilities and of their representative organisations, and to ensure their accessible and meaningful participationat the Commission, together with the Member States, works in close cooperation with NGOs that assist persons with disabilities and regional authorities in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the post-2020 Strategy also through funding their capacity-building;
Amendment 275 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need for continuous monitoring of the implementation of the UNCRPD; calls for the collection of robust, disaggregated, comparable data on the situation of persons with disabilities, especially in education, the labour market, and in physical activity, to facilitate proper monitoring of progress; urges the Commission to provide adequate resources to the EU CRPD Framework to enable it to perform its functions independently and adequately; calls on the Commission to establish a European Access Board to monitor the implementation of EU accessibility legislation;
Amendment 290 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to systematically mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities in all the relevant EU laws, policies and programmes; urges the full integration of the disability-rights perspective in the Gender Equality Strategy, the Youth Guarantee, the Green New Deal, the Child Guarantee and the forthcoming Green paper on Ageing, and stresses the need for a Disability Rights Guarantee to assist persons with disabilities into employment, traineeships, job placements and further education;
Amendment 313 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to safeguard the UNCRPD-compliant use of EU funds and to ensure that EU funds will not contribute to the construction or refurbishment of institutional care settings, nor invest in structures that are inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Furthermore, funds should actively be invested in research to develop better and more affordable assistive technology for persons with disabilities and towards increasing the participation of persons with disabilities in all EU funded programmes;
Amendment 392 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Calls on the European Commission to ensure that the European Disability Rights Agenda 2020-2030 includes the end of violence against persons with disabilities as one of its main objectives, paying particular attention to gender-based violence including forced sterilisation, forced institutionalisation, forced treatment and violence;
Amendment 403 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Urges the Commission and the Member States to make the EU a leader in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, including marginalised groups with disabilities, such as women and girls with disabilities, through its external action;
Amendment 405 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10 c. Calls on the Commission to include a section on the European Union institutions as public administrations to ensure that they comply with the UN CRPD in all respects, which includes making available the necessary resources, focal points, coordination mechanisms, internal policies, accessible infrastructure such as buildings, communications (including in sign language and Braille), websites and ICT applications, as well as permanent mechanisms to consult actively and effectively with representative organisations of persons with disabilities, positive actions and anti-discrimination safeguards that are necessary for the successful implementation of the European Disability Rights Agenda and of the CRPD both in the EU at large as well as within the EU institutions and agencies;
Amendment 410 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 10 d (new)
10 d. Calls on all Member States to develop their own national disability strategies for promoting disability equality mainstreaming and address the implementation of the UN CRPD
Amendment 421 #
2019/2975(RSP)
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the European Commission and the Council, as well as all Member States to ratify the Optional Protocol of the UNCRPD;
Amendment 152 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 282 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. WelcomNotes the re-launch of the CCCTB project in a two-step approach, with the Commission’s adoption of interconnected proposals on CCTB and CCCTB; calls on the Council to swiftly adopt them, takingtake into consideration Parliament’s opinion that already includes the concept of virtual permanent establishment that would close the remaining loopholes allowing tax avoidance to take place and level the playing field in light of digitalisation;
Amendment 455 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
Amendment 465 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. UnderlinNotes that a high share of foreign direct investment held by special purpose entities exists in several Member States, particularly in Malta, Luxembourg and the Netherlands;41 _________________ 41 Kiendl Kristo I. and Thirion E., op. cit., p.23.
Amendment 471 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 56
Paragraph 56
Amendment 478 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 57
Paragraph 57
Amendment 489 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Calls on the Commission to carry out, within two years, fitness checks of the interconnected legislative and policy initiatives aimed at addressing the use of letterbox companies in the context of tax fraud, tax evasion, aggressive tax planning and money laundering;
Amendment 543 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
71. WelcomNotes the opening of infringement procedures by the Commission on 8 March 2018 against Cyprus, Greece and Malta to ensure that they stop offering unlawful favourable tax treatment for private yachts, which distorts competition in the maritime sector;
Amendment 546 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71 a (new)
Paragraph 71 a (new)
71a. Condemns the singling out of some member states on the tax treatment of private yachts despite some larger member states having similar systems;
Amendment 597 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 84
Paragraph 84
Amendment 783 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 116 a (new)
Paragraph 116 a (new)
116 a. Notes that the financial advisers Nexia BT that allegedly planned to use Pilatus Bank for the purpose of money laundering and created the highly suspect financial structures exposed by the Panama Papers for Maltese PEPs continue to operate without consequence;
Amendment 784 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 116 b (new)
Paragraph 116 b (new)
116 b. Notes that Malta's FIAU has yet to take any action against Nexia BT as well as its managing partners Brian Tonna and Karl Cini whose beach of AML rules are well-documented and in the public domain, further notes that Brian Tonna and Karl Cini continue to hold their accountancy warrants and that Karl Cini remains a member of the ACCA.
Amendment 785 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 116 c (new)
Paragraph 116 c (new)
116 c. Calls on Maltese authorities and bodies regulating and overseeing the accountancy profession to take appropriate action including the launching of investigative and disciplinary processes against Nexia BT, Brian Tonna and Karl Cini;
Amendment 786 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 116 d (new)
Paragraph 116 d (new)
116 d. Notes that Maltese PEPs Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri exposed by the Panama Papers and the reporting of the Daphne Project as being involved in international corruption and money laundering continue to hold their posts in the Maltese government and to escape justice;
Amendment 787 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 116 e (new)
Paragraph 116 e (new)
116 e. Notes that revelations concerning the ownership of the UAE-based company 17 Black provides further evidence of the involvement of Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri in international corruption and money laundering;
Amendment 788 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 116 f (new)
Paragraph 116 f (new)
116 f. Demands the dismissal of Maltese PEPs suspected of corruption and money laundering currently holding positions at the highest levels of the Maltese government and for efforts to obstruct justice to cease;
Amendment 1194 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 186 a (new)
Paragraph 186 a (new)
186 a. Notes that at the time that investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated she was working on the largest leak of information she had ever received that originated from the servers of ElectroGas, the company operating Malta's power station. Further notes that the ownership of the UAE- based company that was to transfer large amounts of money to Maltese PEPs responsible for this power station is the director and shareholder of ElectroGas.
Amendment 1195 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 186 b (new)
Paragraph 186 b (new)
186 b. Demands a full independent public inquiry into the role of the Maltese State in the assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia;
Amendment 1202 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 188
Paragraph 188
188. Deplores the fact that investigative journalists are often victims of abusive lawsuits intended to censor, intimidate and silence them by burdening them with the costs of legal defence until they are forced to abandon their criticism or opposition; recalls that these abusive lawsuits constitute a threat to fundamental democratic rights, such as to freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom to disseminate and receive information; calls on the Member States to put in place mechanisms to prevent strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP); considers that these mechanisms should take duly into consideration the right to a good name and reputation; calls ondemands that the Commission to assess the possibility of takingakes concrete, decisive legislative action in this area;
Amendment 1250 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 204
Paragraph 204
Amendment 1267 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 205
Paragraph 205
205. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to propose qualified majority voting for specific and pressing tax policy issues where vital legislative files and initiatives aimed at combating tax fraud, tax evasion, aggressive tax planning or financial crimes have been blocked in the Council to the detriment of Member States;
Amendment 1272 #
2018/2121(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 206
Paragraph 206
Amendment 100 #
2018/0213(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) to contribute to strengthening the administrative capacity of the Member States and their respective local and regional authorities in relation to challenges faced by institutions, governance, public administration, and economic and social sectors.
Amendment 134 #
2018/0213(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Without prejudice to the second subparagraph of Article 12(3), the Member State concerned shall report regularly within the European Semester process on the progress made in the achievement of the reform commitments. To that effect, Member States are invited to use the content of the national reform programmes as a tool for reporting on progress towards reform completion, including on the measures taken to ensure coordination between the Programme, the European Structural and Investment Funds and other EU-funded programmes. The detailed arrangements and timetable for reporting, including the modality for providing access by the Commission to the underlying relevant data, shall be laid down in the decision referred to in Article 12(1).
Amendment 15 #
2018/0162(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Directive 2008/106/EC also contains a centralised mechanism for the recognition of seafarers' certificates issued by third countries. The Regulatory Fitness Programme (REFIT) evaluation14 showed that significant cost savings for the Member States were achieved since the introduction of the centralised mechanism. However, the evaluation also revealed that, with regard to some of the recognised third countries, only a very limited number of seafarers was subsequently employed in Union vessels. Therefore, in order to use the available human and financial resources in a more efficient way, the procedure for the recognition of third countries should be based on an analysis of the need for such recognition, including an estimation of the number of masters and officers originating from that country who are likely to be employed in Union vesselendorsements attesting to the recognition of certificates were issued by Member States in relation to certificates of competency or certificates of proficiency issued by these third countries. __________________ 14 SWD(2018)19.
Amendment 19 #
2018/0162(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Information on the seafarers employed from third countries has become available at Union level through the communication by the Member States of the relevant information kept in their national registers regarding issued certificates and endorsements. This information should be used not only for statistical and policy making purposes but also for the purpose of improving the efficiency of the centralised system recognising third countries. Based on the information communicated by the Member States, the recognisedtion of third countries which have not provided the Union fleet with seafarers for a period of at least fiveten years shall be withdrawould be re-examined. The re- examination fprom the list of recognised third countriescess should cover the possibility of retaining or withdrawing the recognition of the relevant third country, in accordance with the examination procedure. In addition, this information shall be also used in order to prioritise the reassessment of the recognised third countries.
Amendment 37 #
2018/0162(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point a
Directive 2008/106/EC
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
A Member State which intends to recognise, by endorsement, the certificates of competency or the certificates of proficiency referred to in paragraph 1 issued by a third country to a master, officer or radio operator, for service on ships flying its flag, shall submit a request to the Commission for the recognition of that third country, accompanied by a preliminary analysis of the third country's compliance with the requirements of the STCW Convention by collecting the information referred to in Annex II, including an esti. In the preliminary analysis, further information ofn the number of masters and officers from that country likely to breasons for recognition of the third country shall be conveyed by the Memployedber State in support of its request.
Amendment 39 #
2018/0162(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point a
Directive 2008/106/EC
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 41 #
2018/0162(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point a
Directive 2008/106/EC
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 19 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 45 #
2018/0162(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Directive 2008/106/EC
Article 20 – paragraph 8
Article 20 – paragraph 8
8. If there are no endorsements attesting recognition issued by a Member State in relation to certificates of competency or certificates of proficiency, referred to in paragraph 1 of Article 19, issued by a third country for a period of more than 510 years, the recognition of that country's certificates shall be withdrawnre-examined. To this end, the Commission shall adopt implementing decisions, in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 28(2), after notifying the Member States as well as the third country concerned at least two months in advance.
Amendment 26 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) Reporting persons perform a public service by exposing wrongdoing, at times at great personal risk, and should be protected.
Amendment 33 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) Protection should, firstly, apply to persons having the status of 'workers', within the meaning of Article 45 TFEU, as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the European Union52 , i.e. persons who, for a certain period of time, perform services for and under the direction of another person, in return of which they receive remuneration. In accordance with the Court's case law, the notion of worker should be interpreted broadly, including, for example civil servants. Protection should thus also be granted to workers in non-standard employment relationships, including part- time workers and fixed-term contract workers, as well as persons with a contract of employment or employment relationship with a temporary agency, which are types of relationships where standard protections against unfair treatment are often difficult to apply. __________________ 52 Judgments of 3 July 1986, Lawrie-Blum, Case 66/85; 14 October 2010, Union Syndicale Solidaires Isère, Case C-428/09; 9 July 2015, Balkaya, Case C-229/14; 4 December 2014, FNV Kunsten, Case C- 413/13; and 17 November 2016, Ruhrlandklinik, Case C-216/15.
Amendment 37 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) Whistleblowers are, in particular, important sources for investigative journalists. Providing effective protection to whistleblowers from retaliation increases the legal certainty of (potential) whistleblowers and thereby encourages and facilitates whistleblowing also to the media. In this respect, protection of whistleblowers as journalistic sources is crucial for safeguarding the ‘watchdog’ role of investigative journalism in democratic societies. In view of the variety of situations, this Directive does not establish an order of priority between the different channels of reporting and disclosure. It is for the reporting person to determine the most appropriate channel, taking into account the rights and legitimate interests of concerned persons. Due to their importance for the freedom of expression and the right to receive information, public disclosures, including through the media, should be encouraged.
Amendment 41 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 35 a (new)
Recital 35 a (new)
(35a) In cases of high level corruption additional safeguards are necessary to ensure that reporting persons are not prevented from receiving protection by the concerned persons the information in their possession will incriminate.
Amendment 42 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 35 b (new)
Recital 35 b (new)
(35b) Reporting persons in possession of information related to high-level corruption should have recourse to a judicial body that is autonomous from other branches of government with the powers to grant reporting persons effective protection and address the breaches that they expose.
Amendment 69 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. With a view to enhancing the enforcement of Union law and policies in specific areas, this Directive lays down common minimum standards for the protection of persons reporting on the following unlawful activities or abuse of law:
Amendment 71 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point a
Amendment 78 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 79 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point c
Amendment 80 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point d
Amendment 82 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) persons having the status of worker, with the meaning of Article 45 TFEU, including persons having the status of civil servants;
Amendment 91 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) ‘breaches’ means actual or potential unlawful activities or abuse of law relating to the Union acts and areas falling within the scope referred to in Article 1 and in the AnnexUnion law;
Amendment 94 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 8 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 8 a (new)
(8a) 'high level corruption' means breaches and abuse of law by concerned persons at ministerial level or higher and heads of public authorities and the staff that report directly to such concerned persons;
Amendment 133 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 a (new)
Article 9 a (new)
Article 9a Reporting of High Level Corruption Reporting persons in possession of information on high-level corruption shall be able to report directly to a judicial body set-up and self-regulated by the judiciary in a member state. This judicial body shall be completely autonomous from other branches of government and shall have the powers to provide the reporting person with physical and legal protection and take every action necessary ensure the breaches are thoroughly investigated and concerned persons brought to justice.
Amendment 140 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
1. A reporting person shall qualify for protection under this Directive provided he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that the information reported or disclosed was true at the time of reporting or disclosure and that this information falls within the scope of this Directive.
Amendment 141 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 2
Article 13 – paragraph 2
Amendment 157 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 3
Article 13 – paragraph 3
Amendment 158 #
2018/0106(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 4
Article 13 – paragraph 4
Amendment 43 #
2017/2114(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Reiterates the call for the three new headline employment indicators to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators, thereby guaranteeing that internal imbalances are better assessed and making structural reforms more effective;
Amendment 43 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to ensure that the deepening of relations between the EU and Azerbaijan is undertaken on the basis of mutually agreed ambitions and theconditional on upholding of the core values and principles of democracy, the rule of law, good governance, respect for and good governance, as well as on providing solid legal guarantees in the areas of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, in the interest of both parties and especially their citizens;
Amendment 52 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
(b) to remind the Azerbaijani authorities about the European Parliament’s position as expressed in its resolution of 15 November 2017 on the Eastern Partnership, which unambiguous and clearly states that no comprehensive agreement will be ratified with a country that does not respect EU values, in particular with regard to the non-implementation of decisions by the European Court of Human Rights and the harassment, intimidation and persecution of human rights defenders, NGOs and journalists; to ensurge that significant steps are taken as regards the release of political prisonere Azerbaijani authorities to implement the ECtHR decisions; to ensure that all political prisoners, including journalists, activists and prisoners of conscience in Azerbaijan are released before any new EU- Azerbaijan agreement; to ensureinclude in the new agreement a dedicated suspension mechanism related to human rights and fundamental freedoms is included in the new agreementwith clear provisions on respect for human rights, rule of law and fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 64 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
(d) to ensure that the future agreement with Azerbaijan is ambitious, comprehensive and forward-looking, and will delivering tangible and concrete benefits not only for large companies but also for SMEs and for the citizens of the EU and of Azerbaijan; to include in the new agreement specific supervision and control mechanisms against money laundering schemes, fraud and corruption;
Amendment 68 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) to ensure, in so far as the above conditions are fulfilled, speedy and steady progress in the negotiations with the objective of signing this new agreement before the next Eastern Partnership Summit in 2019, only in so far as the above conditions are fulfilled;
Amendment 74 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) to actively and clearly communicate about the conditions and aims of the new agreement, in order to improve public awareness, both in Azerbaijan and in the EU, about the expected opportunities and benefits that would arise from its conclusion, thereby countering all disinformation campaigns;
Amendment 81 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point g
Paragraph 1 – point g
(g) to provide for regular and in-depth dialogue, notably on politicalpushing for solid reforms aimed at bolstering institutions, such as the judiciary in order to make them more democratic and independent, onwith a strong focus on the judiciary, upholding of human rights, and onprotecting investigative journalism, fostering a strong civil society and ensuring its involvement in the reform process; to include in the new agreement regular reporting mechanisms on the status of the above- mentioned reforms;
Amendment 90 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point h
Paragraph 1 – point h
(h) to establish specific measures aimed at implementingnsure that the recommendations by the OSCE/ODHIR and the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission with a view to ensuring progress towardsare implemented, with a view to establish new legislation guaranteeing the organization of elections and referenda that allow for a free and fair expression of Azerbaijani citizens’ views and aspirations; to put strong emphasis on the effectiveness and impartiality of the election administration, the conduct of the campaign and the respect for fundamental freedoms, media coverage of the elections and the administration of election day procedures, including the vote count and tabulation of results, as called for by the OSCE; to further monitor the organization of future elections until these requirements are met;
Amendment 93 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point i
Paragraph 1 – point i
(i) to aim for provisions that enhance cooperation in promoting peace and international justice and in particular for Azerbaijan to sign and ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC); to calsl upon Azerbaijan to respect its obligations as a member of the Council of Europe and abide by the decisions of the ECtHR; to seek stronger cooperation measures in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as well as tackling illicit trade in small arms and light weapons;
Amendment 98 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point j
Paragraph 1 – point j
(j) to provide for closer cooperation in foreign and security matters to ensure as much convergence as possible, in particular as regards responses to global threats, conflict prevention, crisis management and regional cooperation;
Amendment 148 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point m
Paragraph 1 – point m
(m) to provide support for reform of the judiciary aimed at ensuring its independence from the executive and at strengthening the rule of law, as well as developing a strong framework for the protection of human rights and gender equality; to make sure that strong legislation is in place for preventing and sanctioning politically exposed persons´ involvement in corruption, traffic of influence, money laundering, abuse of office and other related offences, particularly within the framework of the recent joint journalistic investigations revealing the involvement of a number of Azeri officials in such activities;
Amendment 160 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n
Paragraph 1 – point n
(n) to put in place specific proviclosely monitor and evaluate, before any agreement is in place, Azerbaijan´s progress in fighting corruption, money laundering and tax evasions; to support Azerbaijan in fighting corruption, money laundering and tax evasiontake into account and push for the investigation of all recent disclosures related to the Azeri Laundromat, a money-laundering operation which, according to OCCRP, handled $2.9 billion over a two-year period, between 2012 and 2014, through four shell companies registered in the United Kingdom, as well as for the investigation of the findings related to Azerbaijan in the PANA fact finding EP mission’s report in Malta; to be aware that there is evidence revealing government ministries as the direct source of some of this money, as well as strong connections to high-ranking Azeri officials;
Amendment 164 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point n d (new)
Paragraph 1 – point n d (new)
Amendment 171 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point p
Paragraph 1 – point p
(p) to include provisions related to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms aimed at endingnd ensure that political prosecutions and abductions, the targeting of political dissidents, independent journalists, human rights defenders, NGO representatives and members of some minority groups including the LGBTQ community; to set up a reinforced forum for a human rights dialogue are put to an end by Azeri authorities and to reiterate that these practices are unacceptable for any potential partner country of the EU; to reinforce the dialogue on human rights and fundamental freedoms between the EU and Azerbaijan to encourage and to support in particular the implementation of comprehensive reforms of the judiciary, all in line with EU standards;
Amendment 192 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point q a (new)
(qa) to ensure an immediate review of legislation decriminalising online defamation, in particular that of the president, especially as the penalty for this offence has recently been increased to up to 5 years of imprisonment; to urge Azerbaijan to move away from such dictatorial practices and align to EU standards;
Amendment 196 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r
Paragraph 1 – point r
(r) to ensure, before the conclusion of the negotiations, that Azerbaijan takes significant steps as regards the release ofreleases the political prisoners and prisoners of conscience which, in 2017, exceeded 150 persons, including, among the most emblematic cases, Ilgar Mammadov, Afgan Mukhtarli, Mehman Huseynov, Ilkin Rustamzada, Seymur Hazi, Rashad Ramazanov, Elchin Ismayilli, Giyas Ibrahimov, Beyram Mammadov, Asif Yusifli, Fuad Gahramanli and Aziz Orujov, theand lifting ofs their travel bans, once released, including those of Khadija Ismayilova and Intigam Aliyev; to immediately secure the release and improvement of the situation of these individuals via the judiciary and the application of the rule of law;
Amendment 206 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point r c (new)
Paragraph 1 – point r c (new)
(rc) to urge Azerbaijan to immediately address the unprecedented infringement proceedings launched by the Council of Europe in 2017 and ensure the unconditional release of opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov, thus complying with a judgment from the European Court of Human Rights from 2014;
Amendment 216 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point s
Paragraph 1 – point s
(s) to seek, before the conclusion of the negotiations, that Azerbaijan commits to investigations intoi authorities investigate into and report on results concerning all cases of mistreatment of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, notably in the case of the late Mehman Galandarov, who died in custody;
Amendment 231 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point t
Paragraph 1 – point t
(t) to underline the importance of a free and independent media, both off and on-line and to ensure a strengthened EU support for free and pluralistic media in Azerbaijan, with editorial independence and in line with EU standards, and pointing out that ain light of the fact that currently 5 major media outlets are permanently blocked by Azerbaijan under the pretext of national security and that for press freedom, Azerbaijan ranks 162 out of 180 countries, according to Reporters Without Borders; to point out that reinforced attention to press and media freedom cshould take the form of a regional initiative encompassing all the Eastern Partnership countries;
Amendment 245 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point w
Paragraph 1 – point w
(w) to allow for increased cooperation in the energy sector in line with the EU’s and Azerbaijan’s strategic energy partnership, while taking into account that in March 2017, the EITI (The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) suspended Azerbaijan’s membership for failing to comply with the group’s civil society requirements; to push for Azerbaijan to realign to these requirements;
Amendment 251 #
2017/2056(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point y
Paragraph 1 – point y
(y) to put in place ambitious provisions on environmental protection and climate change reduction, in line with the Union´s climate change agenda, as part of the new agreement, including through a mainstreaming of these policies as part of other sector policies;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
A a. whereas women's economic empowerment and equal opportunities in the labour market are crucial for women individually but also instrumental for EU's economic growth with positive impact on GDP, inclusiveness and competitiveness of businesses as well as challenges related to the ageing population in the EU
Amendment 12 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. whereas gender equality policies have a strong impact on GDP and by 2050, improving gender equality would lead to an increase in EU GDP per capita by 6.1 to 9.6%, which amounts to €1.95 to €3.15 trillion (EIGE's estimates)
Amendment 27 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that equal opportunities for economic independence and the guaranteeimplementation of the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work andor work of equal value applied by the Member States as defined in the article 157 of TFEU are necessary steps for women’'s economic empowerment;
Amendment 34 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Member States to promote the well-being of women, by tackling the pay and pension gaps and combating atypical and insecure forms of work and employment, such as temporary contracts or involuntary part-time workand equal opportunities for women, by tackling the pay gap, addressing and eliminating breaches of anti-discrimination legislation in employment, combating insecure forms of work and employment, such as involuntary part-time work or the use of contracts which do not correspond to the nature of the work performed in accordance with the national law;
Amendment 47 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses that preventing and eliminating the gender pension gap and reducing women's poverty in the old age first and foremost depend on creating conditions for women to make equal pension contributions through further inclusion into the labour market and safeguarding equal opportunities in terms of pay, career advancement and possibilities to work full-time;
Amendment 66 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. points out that digitalisation has a profound impact on the labour market by changing value chains, conditions and nature of work as well as creating new job opportunities and more flexible working patterns; notes that opportunities for flexible and teleworking arrangements brought about by digitalisation may serve as a an effective tool for further inclusion of women into the labour market as well as better reconciliation of professional and domestic duties for both women and men;
Amendment 72 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. highlights that improving digital skills and IT-literacy among women and boosting inclusion into the ICT, which is one of the highest paying sectors, could contribute to their economic empowerment and independence resulting in the reduction of the total gender wage gap;
Amendment 74 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3 c. Points out that the demand for digital technology professionals in the EU has grown by 4% annually in the last ten years and the number of unfilled vacancies for ICT professionals is expected to double by 2020; calls therefore on the Member States and the Commission to advance their efforts to promote digital skills and e-literacy among women and girls, who remain underrepresented in this sector, from the earliest stages at school and going through the whole educational cycle as well as in the framework of life-long learning;
Amendment 77 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3 d. Encourages Member States to introduce age appropriate ICT education at early stages with a particular focus on inspiring and supporting girls to pursue their interest and talents in the digital field and safeguarding them from constraining and negative stereotyping which discourage girls from advancing their e-skills;
Amendment 79 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls Recognises that domestic work and provision of household services, which are largely feminised, are often perfor measures to guarantee the economic and social dignity of feminised work, such as domestic workd as undeclared work; calls on the Member States to promote and further develop the formal sector of domestic services through facilitation and incentives to employ domestic workers with the aim of reducing the undeclared work and improving reconciliation of private and professional life for the working families;
Amendment 88 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls on policy makers, also through the European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work, to recognise household services, family employment and home- care as a valuable economic sector which needs to be better regulated within the Member States with a view to create both secure position for domestic workers and provide families with a capacity to assume their role as employers;
Amendment 99 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Member States to enforce laws and workplace policies that prohibitsure proper application of the existing equal treatment legislation in order to eliminate gender-based discrimination in the recruitment, retention and promotion of women in employment in both the public and private sectors and at work in both the public and private sectors and to offer women a level-playing field in terms of pay and career advancement;
Amendment 126 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Member States to strengthen and enforce the full exercise of the right of collective bargaining in the private and public sectorssocial partners to use collective bargaining to advance equal opportunities for women and men, to ensure that the existing equal treatment legislation is applied in practice as well as to address and combat the gender pay gap;
Amendment 129 #
2017/2008(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Member States to implement and enforce public social care policies as well as to provide quality childcare fafurther develop care facilities for the dependent, including children and elderly, with the view of enhancing reconciliaties and promote the equal sharing of unpaid domestic work and co- responsibility in care.on of private and professional life for the working families and increasing women's participation in the labour market as a precondition for women's economic empowerment;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the collaborative economy offers many opportunities for growth and jobs, especially for people who are distant from the labour market, such as young people, students, women and seniors, and provides innovative new services for citizens and consumers;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Commission communication entitled ‘A European Agenda for the collaborative economy’ stresses the increasing significance of the platform economy, its important contribution to growth and jobs by providing new opportunities for citizens and innovative entrepreneurs, and its impact on economic and employment policies;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas with the Communication on a European agenda for the collaborative economy, the EU provides welcomed guidelines on applicable EU rules and recommendations to help citizens, businesses and EU countries to fully benefit from these new business models and promote a balanced and fair development of the collaborative economy;
Amendment 16 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas the Commission communication on collaborative economy is a starting point of the EU contribution to a balanced and fair development of the collaborative economy, given the rapid evolution of this economy and its related regulatory loopholes and uncertainties that still must be clarified;
Amendment 20 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas the European Commission and the Member States need to address more deeply the social dimension of the collaborative economy by providing in depth analysis and data on new forms of employment, by monitoring the evolving regulatory environment and by encouraging the exchange of good practices among EU countries, in order to overcome the social challenges related to this new economy;
Amendment 29 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the need for a clear distinction between ‘professional’ and ‘non-professional’ platforms and to recognise activities in the platform economy that are properly categorised as ‘work’platforms with a lucrative business model and those based on the sharing of costs, resources or skills, in order to ensure a level playing field for EU businesses and citizens; in parallel, calls for a clear distinction between non-professional peer-to-peer activity and service providers acting in their professional capacity by further developing sector specific criteria and thresholds, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders; amongst service providers, underlines the need to distinguish employees and self-employed, in order to apply them rights and duties accordingly;
Amendment 36 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Whereas the servers and business headquarters of many platforms are located outside the EU and thus fall outside the scope of European law;
Amendment 44 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. States that all workers in the platform economy are either employed or self-employed based on the primacy of facts; recalls in this context that the Court of Justice has defined the concept of ‘worker’ on the basis of an employment relationship characterised by certain criteria such as subordination, remuneration andan EU- level definition of the concept of ‘worker’ would lead to disruption in the Member States’ national legislation and is in conflict with the principle of subsidiarity; notes that all that exists in this area is a case-law approach to the nstatures of ‘worker’;
Amendment 57 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for a framework directive on working conditions in the platform economy in order to guarantee the legal situation of platform workers and to ensure that all platform workers have the same social and employment rights and health and safety protection as workers in the traditional economto be observed, and experience with this new type of activity collected, with a view to adjusting existing labour law at a later date where necessary;
Amendment 59 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for a framework directiveon the Commission and the Member States, in cooperation with social partners, to assess the impact of the collaborative economy on forms of employment and working conditions, to check if the current legislations are able to cover platform workers and, if necessary, to consider accordingly the need to update the current social acquis, to better enforce legal frameworks on working conditions into the platform economy, in order to guarantee the legal situation of platform workers and, to ensure that all platform workers have the same social and employment rights and health and safety protection as workers in the traditional economy and to ensure a level playing field for businesses; Underlines that digital technologies are evolving so fast that policy making should not be based on a catch-up approach but rather on a logic of anticipation;
Amendment 70 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Takes note of the multiplication of national and local regulatory initiatives affecting the collaborative economy; Stresses the importance of rapid clarification at European level of the applicable rules in order to limit the fragmentation of the internal market;
Amendment 96 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for more reliable data on jobs, activities and working conditions in the platform economy and for the adjustment of related policies to create a level playing field between the platform and traditional economies;
Amendment 99 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls for Member States to adapt their education and training policies to the new skills requested in the collaborative economy; Encourages Member States to include digital trainings in their school programs, from primary school; underlines the need to develop lifelong learning programs to be able to acquire new skills related to technological developments all along the professional career;
Amendment 104 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Underlines that the collaborative economy fosters entrepreneurship; Stresses the need to adapt training mechanisms to this new kind of businesses;
Amendment 107 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5c. Calls on the national public employment services and the EURES Network to communicate better on the opportunities offered by the collaborative economy;
Amendment 125 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the European Commission and the Member States to reflect on the appropriate means to ensure that digital platforms inform providers on the regulatory framework that has to be complied with, when offering services, as individuals using platforms are sometimes not even aware of the requirements they should fulfil; considers that digital platforms should play a more proactive role in checking whether the service provider fulfils its legal requirements; Calls on Member States to operate specific controls in order to check if operators stick to the rules, especially in terms of taxation, consumer protection, working conditions and skills requirements;
Amendment 130 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Member States to examine how social security systems can be fashioned so as to also allow them to participate in work intermediated by platforms;
Amendment 132 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Emphasizes that the economic model of collaborative economy is based on users' trust, particularly in online comments; calls in this context on the European Commission to propose tools for certification of online consumer opinions in order to allow users to have reliable and fair information on the quality of the services offered on collaborative platforms;
Amendment 140 #
2017/2003(INI)
7. Underlines that constant accessibility represthe platform economy opents a serious health and safety risk in the platform economy; advocates the establishment of a ‘right to log off’.the opportunity to work sharing and promises a simple and rapid access to work;
Amendment 141 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines that constant accessibility represnectivity can help for a better work life balance by facilitating working time arrangements; a serious health and safety risk in the platform economy; advocates the establishment of a ‘right to log off’.cknowledges however the need to assess the effects of collaborative economy on health and safety at work and to adapt accordingly the existing health and safety framework;
Amendment 150 #
2017/2003(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Highlights that the collaborative economy has flourished mainly so far in urban areas; Stresses therefore the importance of deploying broadband in rural areas in order to enable all EU territories to benefit from the potential of the collaborative economy, especially in terms of employment; Calls for Member States to strengthen financial and human resources to enable people from rural areas to acquire basic digital skills;
Amendment 33 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the skills and know-how of our societies are the sole basis for prosperity and for safeguarding our social achievements;
Amendment 37 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas cooperation in the area of education at EU level is voluntary, which marks a fundamental difference between education and employment, a policy area which is on a much more firmly Community footing;
Amendment 39 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas Articles 165 and 166 TFEU make the Member States responsible for general education, including higher education and vocational training;
Amendment 152 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages Member States to better match the skills with the jobs in the labour market and in particular to put in place dual systems18 which help people to be flexible in their education paths and later in the labour market; calls for exchanges of best practice models involving the social partners; _________________ 18 A dual education system combines apprenticeships in a company with vocational education at a vocational school in one course.
Amendment 211 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that responsibility for providing primary or basic education lies with the State and that this type of education must be organised in such a way as to allow scope for 'second chances' and to ensure that all educational needs are catered for; stresses that skills development must be a shared responsibility between education providers and employers; insists that the industry/employers should be involved in providing and training people with the necessary skills in order for businesses to be competitive and at the same time boost people’s self-confidence;
Amendment 312 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to urge Member States to draw up comprehensive national strategies for digital skills; points out however that in order for these strategies to be effective, there is a need for strong pedagogical leadership from teachers and for teachers to have advanced digital skills at all levels of education;
Amendment 351 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the Member States to organise their education systems in such a way that the needs of the labour market are not disregarded and, in so doing, to foster interest in MINT subjects in all educational establishments and create incentives for women to work in the ICT sphere; calls on the Member States to develop EU-wide best practices as regards digital skills, job profiles and training;
Amendment 379 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Regards efforts to ease the transition between academic and vocational education as essential;
Amendment 481 #
2017/2002(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Calls on Member States to make resources available to employers from all funds which permit this, in order to invest more in the digital training of their less skilled staff or to appoint low-skilled staff with the promise of further training financed from these sources;
Amendment 134 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In view of the increasing number of workers excluded from the scope of Directive 91/533/EEC on the basis of derogations made by Member States under Article 1 of that Directive, it is necessary to replace these derogations with a possibility for Member States not to apply the provisions of the Directive to a work relationship equal to or less than 8 hours in total in a reference period of one monthwith a total duration not exceeding a month or/ and with a working week not exceeding eight hours. That derogation does not affect the definition of a worker as provided for in Article 2(1).
Amendment 183 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Workers should have the right to be informed about their rights and obligations resulting from the employment relationship in writing, in paper or electronically, at the start of employment. The relevant information should therefore reach them in writing at the latest owithin the first 15 days of the employment, but, where provided orally, from the first working day. It should be possible to extend the fifteen day deadline for providing the basic information by two weeks in exceptional circumstances, such as in the case of abnormal functioning of the human resources services of the company.
Amendment 238 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) A reasonable minimum advance notice, understood as the period of time between the moment a worker is informed about a new work assignment and the moment the assignment starts, constitutes another necessary element of predictability of work for employment relationships with work schedule which are variable or mostly determined by the employer. The length of the advance notice period maycan vary according to the needs of the sectors, concerned; it should also be possible to foresee that its length can be reduced due to exceptional circumstances, such as in the case of abnormal functioning of the operations of the company while ensuring the adequate protection of workers. It applies without prejudice to Directive 2002/15/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.40 __________________ 40 Directive 2002/15/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 on the organisation of the working time of persons performing mobile road transport activities (OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, p. 35).
Amendment 272 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27 a (new)
Recital 27 a (new)
(27a) Where European Social Partners in specific sectors have negotiated different provisions for the pursuit of the purpose of this Directive and such have been implemented through EU legislative measures, such agreements are to be upheld as the lex specialis for the particular sector, as long as the overall level of protection of workers is not lowered. The European Social Partners’ Agreement on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC)appended to Council Directive 2009/13/EC, regulates labour conditions for seafarers in a detailed way and contains requirements as to the particulars of employment that must be provided in writing to all seafarers to whom it applies. These include the content of the employment contract, many principles of protection including regulation on minimum wage, health certificates, hours of work and hours of rest, career and skill development and employment opportunities. These requirements were drawn up specifically to take account of the unique circumstances of seafaring and provide seafarers with a high level of rights. The Council Directive2009/13/EC therefore, regulating specifically labour conditions of seafarers, is applicable, as lex specialis.
Amendment 369 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 7
Article 1 – paragraph 7
7. Chapter II of this Directive applies to seafarers and fishermen without prejudice to Council Directive 2009/13/EC and Council Directive (EU) 2017/159, respectively. The obligations set out in Articles 3(2) (g), (k), (l), (n), 4(2), 6, 8, 9 and 10 shall not apply to seafarers and sea fishermen.
Amendment 374 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Amendment 391 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 515 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. The information referred to in points (a) n of Article 3(2), shall be provided individually in writing to the worker in, at the form of a document at the latest on the first day of the employment relationship. That document may be provided and transmitted electronically as long as it is easily accessible by the worker and can be stored and printedlatest 15 days after the start of the employment relationship. The same information shall be provided orally on the first day of the employment relationship. The deadline referred to in the first subparagraph may be extended by a maximum period of two weeks in the case of exceptional circumstances.
Amendment 718 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Amendment 765 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Member States may allowshall encourage the social partners to concludmaintain, negotiate, conclude and enforce collective agreements, in conformity with the national law or practice, which, while respecting the overall protection of workers, establish arrangements concerning the working conditions of workers which differ from those referred to in Aarticles 7 to 11.
Amendment 774 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Amendment 833 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to prohibievent the dismissal or its equivalent and all preparations for dismissal of workers, on the grounds that they exercised the rights provided for in this Directive.
Amendment 836 #
2017/0355(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 2
Article 17 – paragraph 2
Amendment 2 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009 requires undertakings to conduct effectively and continuously their operations with the appropriate technical equipment and facilities at an operating centre situated in the Member State of establishment, and it allows for additional requirements at national level, the most common of which being a requirement to have parking spaces available in the Member State of establishment. However, those, unevenly applied, requirements have not been sufficient to ensure a genuine link with that Member State in order to efficiently fight letter-box companies and to reduce the risk of systematic cabotage and nomadic drivers organised from an undertaking to which the vehicles do not return. Considering that, in order to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market in the area of transport, specific rules on the right of establishment and the provision of services may be necessary, it is appropriate to further harmonise the establishment requirements and to strengthen the requirements linked to the presence of the vehicles used by the transport operator in the Member State of establishment. Defining a clear minimum interval within which the vehicle has to return also contributes to ensuring that those vehicles can be correctly maintained with the technical equipment situated in the Member State of establishment and facilitates controls. The cycle for such returns should be synchronised with the obligation on the transport undertaking in Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council6 to organise its operations in a manner that enables the driver to return home at least every four weeks, so that both obligations can be fulfilled through the return of the driver together with the vehicle at least every second four week cycle. This synchronisation strengthens the right of the driver to return and reduces the risk that the vehicle has to return only to fulfil this new establishment requirement. However, the requirement to return to the Member State of establishment should not require a specific number of operations to be conducted in the Member State of establishment or otherwise limit the operators possibility to provide services throughout the internal market.. ____________________________ 6 the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2006 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport and amending Council Regulations (EEC) No 3821/85 and (EC) No 2135/98 and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 (OJ L 102, 11.4.2006, p. 1).Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 of
Amendment 6 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Cabotage operations should help to increase the load factor of heavy duty vehicles and reduce empty runs, and should be allowed as long as they are not carried out in a way that creates a permanent or continuous activity within the Member State concerned. To ensure that cabotage operations are not carried out in a way that creates a permanent or continuous activity, hauliers should not be allowed to carry out cabotage operations in the same Member State within a certain time after the end of a period of cabotage operations.
Amendment 7 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Recital 22
Recital 22
Amendment 12 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 13 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) on an ongoing basis, have at its regular disposal a number of vehicles that comply with the conditions laid down in point (e) and employ drivers who are normally based at anbased on the law applicable to operational centre inof that Member State, in both casese undertaking, proportionate to the volume of transport operations carried out by the undertaking.
Amendment 19 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point a
Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a
Amendment 23 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b
Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
National road haulage services carried out in the host Member State by a non-resident haulier shall only be deemed to comply with this Regulation if the haulier can produce clear evidence of the preceding international carriage and of each consecutive cabotage operation carried out. In the event that the vehicle has been in the territory of the host Member State within the period of four days preceding the international carriage, the haulier shall also produce clear evidence of all operations that were carried out during that period.;
Amendment 25 #
2017/0123(COD)
Council position
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009
Article 10 – paragraph 7
Article 10 – paragraph 7
Amendment 3 #
2017/0122(COD)
Council position
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) While in general regular weekly rest periods and longer rest periods canshall not be taken in the vehicle or in a parking area, but only in suitable accommodation, which may be adjacent to a parking area, i, by way of derogation relevant rest periods may be taken in vehicles, provided that the vehicle is parked in certified safe and secure parking area which provides parking places for commercial vehicles and service facilities fulfilling the minimum requirements. It is of utmost importance to enable drivers to locate safe and secure parking areas that provide appropriate levels of security and appropriate facilities. The Commission has already studied how to encourage the development of high- quality parking areas, including the necessary minimum requirements. The Commission should therefore develop standards for safe and secure parking areas. Those standards should contribute to promoting high- quality parking areas. The standards may be revised in order to cater for better access to alternative fuels, in line with policies developing that infrastructure. It is also important that parking areas are being kept free from ice and snow.
Amendment 9 #
2017/0122(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point c
Regulation (EC) No 561/2006
Article 8 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1
8. Where a driver chooses to do this, daily rest periods and reduced weekly rest periods away from base may be taken in a vehicle, as long as it has suitable sleeping facilities for each driver and the vehicle is stationary. The regular weekly rest periods and any weekly rest period of more than 45 hours taken in compensation for previous reduced weekly rest periods shall not be taken in a vehicle. They shall be taken in suitable gender-friendly accommodation with adequate sleeping and sanitary facilities. By way of derogation from the second subparagraph, the regular weekly rest periods and any weekly rest of more than 45 hours taken in compensation for previous reduced weekly rest may be taken in a vehicle, provided that the vehicle is parked in certified safe and secure parking area which provides parking places for commercial vehicles and service facilities fulfilling the minimum requirements set out in Article 8a. Until [OJ: three years after entry into force] a vehicle may also be parked in a regular parking area which provides basic service facilities. Relevant period might be prolonged by the Commission, by means of delegated act, for additional two years if according to the out comes of the Commission’s report on the availability of safe and secure parking are as the number of certified safe and secure parking areas across EU would not be sufficient to meet reported needs.
Amendment 10 #
2017/0122(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point c
Regulation (EC) No 561/2006
Article 8 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 2
Any costs for accommodation outside the vehicle shall be covered by the employer, as well as any fee deriving from the use of safe and secure parking area.;
Amendment 12 #
2017/0122(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point d
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point d
Regulation (EC) No 561/2006
Article 8 – paragraph 8a – subparagraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 8a – subparagraph 1
8a. Transport undertakings shall organise the work of drivers in such a way that the drivers are able to return to the employer's operational centre where the driver is normally based and where the driver's weekly rest period begins, in the Member State of the employer's establishment, or to return to the drivers' place of residence, or to any other location chosen by the driver, within each period of four consecutive weeks, in order to spend at least one regular weekly rest period or a weekly rest period of more than 45 hours taken in compensation for reduced weekly rest period.
Amendment 13 #
2017/0122(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7 Regulation (EC) No 561/2006
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7 Regulation (EC) No 561/2006
4. By 31 December 2024At the latest [OJ: three years after the date of entry into force of this amending Regulation], the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the availability of suitable rest facilities for drivers and of secured parking facilities, as well as on the development of safe and secure parking areas certified in accordance with the delegated acts referred to in paragraph 2. That report may list. The report shall in particular cover information on the number and the location of certified safe and secure parking areas, on their capacity and usage, and on the demand for additional places or facilities. Based on this report, the Commission shall propose, if appropriate, measures aiming to increase the number and quality of certified safe and secure parking areas and/or measures to prolong transitional period laid down in the fourth subparagraph of Article 8 for additional two years.
Amendment 3 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) When a driver is engaged in a combined transport operation, the nature of the service provided during the initial or final road leg is closely linked with the Member State of establishment if the road leg on its own is a bilateral transport operation. By contrast, when the transport operation during the road leg is carried out within the host Member State or as a non-bilateral international transport operation, there is a sufficient link with the territory of a host Member State and therefore the posting rules should apply.
Amendment 6 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Where a driver performs other types of operations, notably cabotage operations or non-bilateral international transport operations, there is a sufficient link to the territory of the host Member State. The link exists in case of cabotage operations as defined by Regulations (EC) No 1072/20096 and (EC) No 1073/20097 of the European Parliament and of the Council since the entire transport operation takes place in a host Member State and the service is thus closely linked to the territory of the host Member State. A non- bilateral international transport operation is characterised by the fact that the driver is engaged in international carriage outside of the Member State of establishment of the undertaking making the posting. The services performed are therefore linked with the host Member States concerned rather than with the Member State of establishment. In those cases, sector- specific rules are only required with regard to the administrative requirements and control measures. Nevertheless, until negotiations between the Union and relevant third countries as regards the application of rules equivalent to those laid down in this Directive will be concluded, certain number of cross-trade operations should be exempted from posting rules. _________________ 6Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 on common rules for access to the international road haulage market (OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 72). 7Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 on common rules for access to the international market for coach and bus services, and amending Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 (OJ L 300, 14.11.2009, p. 88).
Amendment 8 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Union operators face growing competition from operators based in third countries. It is therefore of the utmost importance to ensure that Union operators are not discriminated against. According to Article 1(4) of Directive 96/71/EC, undertakings established in a non-member State must not be given more favourable treatment than undertakings established in a Member State. That principle should also apply with regard to the specific rules on posting provided for in this Directive. It should, in particular, apply when third country operators perform transport operations under bilateral or multilateral agreements granting access to the Union marketTherefore, taking into account the fact that the Union has already exercised its competence and adopted common specific rules on posting of drivers, it should begin negotiations with the relevant third countries with a view to the application of rules equivalent to those laid down in this Directive.
Amendment 10 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
For the purpose of this Directive, a bilateral transport operation in respect of goods means the movement of goods, based on a transport contractconsignment note, from the Member State of establishment, as defined in Article 2(8) of Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009, to another Member State or to a third country, or from another Member State or a third country to the Member State of establishment. In a bilateral transport operation, a Member State of establishment shall be either the place of origin where the transported goods are loaded or the place of destination where the goods are unloaded. Moreover, a bilateral transport operation may involve picking up of the goods at one or several loading points until their final delivery at one or several delivery points.
Amendment 13 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 17 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 3
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 19 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 4
Article 1 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 4
Theis exemptions for additional activities set out in the third and fourth subparagraphs of this paragraph shall apply only until the date fromon which smart tachographs complying with the requirement of recording border crossings and additional activities referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 8(1) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014 are requnegotiations between the Union and relevant thired to be fitted in the vehicles registered in a Member State for the first time, under the fourth subparagraph of Article 8(1) of that Regulation. From that date the exemptions for additional activities set out in the third and fourth subparagraphs of this paragraph shall apply solely to drivers using vehicles fitted with smart tachographs, as provided for in Articles 8, 9 and 10 of that Regulationcountries as regards the application of rules equivalent to those laid down in this Directive will be concluded.
Amendment 21 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point a
(a) picks up passengers in the Member State of establishment and sets them down in another Member State and/or a third country;
Amendment 23 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point b
(b) picks up passengers in a Member State and/or a third country and sets them down in the Member State of establishment; or
Amendment 25 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) picks up and sets down passengers in the Member State of establishment for the purpose of carrying out local excursions in another Member State and/or a third country, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009.
Amendment 28 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 29 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 3
Article 1 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 31 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 8
Article 1 – paragraph 8
8. A posting shall, for the purpose of Article 3(1a) of Directive 96/71/EC, be considered to be ending when the driver leavesfinally delivers goods or sets passengers down in the host Member State in the performance of the international carriage of goods or passengers. That period of posting shall not be cumulated with previous periods of posting in the context of such international operations performed by the same driver or by another driver whom he or she replaces.
Amendment 34 #
2017/0121(COD)
Council position
Article 1 – paragraph 10
Article 1 – paragraph 10
10. Transport undertakings established in a non-Member State shall not be given more favourable treatment than undertakings established in a Member State, including when performing transport operations under bilateral or multilateral agreements granting access to the Union market or parts thereof. Hence once this Directive has entered into force, the Union shall begin negotiations with the relevant third countries with a view to the application of rules equivalent to those laid down in this Directive.
Amendment 118 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to encourage a more equal sharing of caring responsibilities between women and men, the right to paternity leave for fathers to be taken within the first year of a child’s life, preferably on the occasion of the birth or adoption of a child should be introduced. In order to take account of differences among Member States, the right to paternity leave should be irrespective of marital or family status as defined in national law. In order to deter potential abuse, the Member States should be able to introduce a requirement of a minimum period of service before a worker is entitled to benefit from that right, with a maximum duration of one year.
Amendment 172 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) In order to provide greater opportunities to remain in the work force for men and women carrying of elderly family member and/or other relatives in need of care, workers with a seriously ill relative in need of care or support dependant relativeue to a serious medical reason should have the right to take time off from work in the form of carers' leave to take care of that relative. To prevent abuse of that right, medical proof of the serious illness or dependency maymedical reason should be required prior to granting of the leave.
Amendment 208 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In order to encourage working parents and carers to remain in the work force, those workers should be able to adapt their working schedules to their personal needs and preferences. Working parents and carers should therefore be able to request flexible working arrangements, meaning the possibility for workers to adjust their working patterns, including through the use of remote working arrangements, flexible working schedules, or a reduction in working hours, for caring purposes. In order to deter potential abuse, the Member States should be able to introduce a requirement of a minimum period of service before a worker is entitled to benefit from that right, with a maximum duration of one year. In order to address the needs of workers and employers, it should be possible for Member States to limit the duration of flexible working arrangements, including a reduction in working hours. While working part-time has been shown to be useful in allowing some women to remain in the labour market after having children, long periods of reduced working hours may lead to lower social security contributions translating into reduced or non-existing pension entitlements. The ultimate decision as to whether or not to accept a worker’s request for flexible working arrangements should lie with the employer, Specific circumstances underlying the need for flexible working arrangements can change. Workers should therefore not only have the right to return to their original working patterns at the end of a given agreed period, but should also be able to request to do so at any time where a change in the underlying circumstances so requires.
Amendment 220 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) Workers exercising their rights to leave or to request flexible working arrangements should be protected against discrimination or any less favourable treatment on that ground. At the same time, in order to ensure balance between the interests of employers and workers, Member States should ensure that employers are protected against any abuse of such rights and detrimental effects for the functioning of companies, taking into account in particular the constraints of micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
Amendment 229 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) The burden of proof that there has been no dismissal on the grounds that workers have applied for, or have taken, leave referred to in Article 4, 5 or 6 or have exercised the right to request flexible working arrangements referred to in Article 9 should fall on the employer when workers establish, before a court or other competent authority, facts from which it may be presumed that they have been dismissed on such grounds.
Amendment 242 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27 a (new)
Recital 27 a (new)
(27a) In order to enhance the adoption of work-life balance measures, Member States should promote voluntary certification systems assessing the performance of public and private organisations. The implementation of the certification systems should be fostered through incentive measures.
Amendment 257 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) This DirectiveIn implementing this Directive, Member States should avoid imposing administrative, financial and legal constraints in a way which would hold back the creation and development of micro, small and medium-sized undertakings. Member States are therefore invited to assess the impact of their transposition act on SMEs in order to make sure that SMEs are not disproportionately affected, with specific attention for micro- enterprises and for administrative burden, particularly concerning the impact of arrangements for parental leave and patterns of flexible work on the work organisation, and to publish the results of such assessments.
Amendment 284 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) "paternity leave" means paid leave from work for fathers to be taken on the on the grounds of the birth or adoption of a child, to be taken within the first year, of the child’s life, preferably on the occasion of the birth or adoption of a child;
Amendment 323 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) "carer" means a worker providing personal care or support in case of a serious illness or dependency of a relativeto a relative in need of care or support due to a serious medical reason;
Amendment 328 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c a (new)
(ca) "carers' leave" means leave from work for carers in order to provide personal care or support to a relative in need of care or support due to a serious medical reason;
Amendment 375 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that fathers have the right to take paternity leave of at least ten working days within the first year of a child’s life, preferably on the occasion of the birth or adoption of a child.
Amendment 383 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Member States may make the right to paternity leave subject to a period of work qualification or a length of service qualification not exceeding one year. In the case of successive fixed-term contracts, within the meaning of Council Directive 1999/70/EC1a, with the same employer, the sum of those contracts shall be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the qualifying period. __________________ 1a Council Directive of 28 June 1999 concerning the framework agreement on fixed-term work concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP (OJ L 175, 10.7.1999, p. 43)
Amendment 481 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that workers have the right to carers' leave of at least five working days per year, per worker. Such right mayshall be subject to appropriate medical substantiation of the medical condition of the worker's relative.
Amendment 567 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Member States may make the right to flexible working arrangements subject to a period of work qualification or a length of service qualification which shall not exceed one year. In the case of successive fixed-term contracts, within the meaning of Council Directive 1999/70/EC1a, with the same employer, the sum of those contracts shall be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the qualifying period. __________________ 1a Council Directive of 28 June 1999 concerning the framework agreement on fixed-term work concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP (OJ L 175, 10.7.1999, p. 43).
Amendment 587 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Collective agreements Member States may allow social partners to conclude collective agreements, in accordance with national law or practice, which, while respecting the overall protection of workers and the minimum standards laid down in this Directive, establish arrangements concerning the working conditions of workers.
Amendment 604 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to prohibit the dismissal and all preparations for dismissal of workers, on the grounds that they have applied for, or have taken, leave referred to in Article 4, 5 or 6, or have exercised the right to request flexible working arrangements referred to in Article 9.
Amendment 614 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
2. Workers who consider that they have been dismissed on the grounds that they have applied for, or have taken, leave referred to in Article 4, 5 or 6 or of exercising the right to request flexible working arrangements referred to in Article 9 may request the employer to provide duly substantiated grounds for the dismissal. The employer shall provide those grounds in writing.
Amendment 628 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Member States shall lay down rules on penalties applicable to breaches of national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive or the relevant provisions already in force concerning the rights which are within the scope of this Directive. Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that those penalties are applied. Penalties shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. They may take the form of a fine. They may also comprise payment of compensation.
Amendment 631 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Member States shall introduce measures necessary to protect workers, including workers who are employees' representatives, from any adverse treatment by the employer or adverse consequences resulting from a complaint lodged within the undertaking or any legal proceedings initiated with the aim of enforcing compliance with the rights provided for in this Directive.
Amendment 647 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Member States shall ensure that the provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive, together with the relevant provisions already in force relating to the subject matter as set out in Article 1 of this Directive, are brought by all appropriate means to the attention of the persons concerned throughout their territory.workers and undertakings, especially micro, small and medium-sized undertakings, concerned throughout their territory, including through the Single Digital Gateway
Amendment 649 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Member States shall assess the possibility to promote voluntary certification systems. In order to foster a broader adoption of work-life balance measures by public and private organisations, public authorities could set up incentive measures in favour of certificated organisations.
Amendment 668 #
2017/0085(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2
2. On the basis of the information provided by Member States pursuant to paragraph 1, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council a report in which it reviews the application of this Directive, including data, disaggregated by sex, on the take-up of different types of leave contained in this Directive and its impact on micro, small and medium-sized undertakings, accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal.
Amendment 53 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to clarify the legal situation of platform workers and to guarantee all workers the same social rights, including the freedom of associmonitor the working conditions and methods of platform workers and, after carrying out an appropriate analysis, adjust existing legislation, the right to conclude collective agreements and the right to organiseo take account of new work phenomena;
Amendment 74 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Member States to ensure universal access to training in digital skills, in order to allow equal participation of all citizens in the digital single market, be it as employees, entrepreneurs or customers;
Amendment 80 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses the need to identifyfirst of all to analyse potential occupational health and safety risks stemming from the digitisation of industry and, so as to take appropriate measures where necessary.
Amendment 4 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4
Citation 4
— having regard to International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions Nos 269 and 13105 on minimum wage fixing and Nos 29 andthe abolition of forced labour, No 1052 on the abolition of forced labourSocial Security and ILO Recommendation 202 on Social Protection Floors,
Amendment 21 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
– having regard to the report "Minimum Income Schemes in Europe - A study of national policies 2015" prepared for the European Commission by The European Social Policy Network (ESPN) in 2016,
Amendment 109 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital P a (new)
Recital P a (new)
Pa. whereas the Council Conclusions on the 2017 Annual Growth Survey and the Joint Employment Report adopted by the EPSCO Council on the 3rd March 20171a call on Member States to ensure that social protection systems provide adequate income support and that reforms should continue to focus, amongst others, on providing adequate income support and high quality activation and enabling services; __________________ 1a6885/17 "The 2017 Annual Growth Survey and Joint Employment Report: Political guidance on employment and social policies - Council Conclusions (3 March 2017)" and 6887/17 "JOINT EMPLOYMENT REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL accompanying the Communication from the Commission on the Annual Growth Survey 2017 (3 March 2017)"
Amendment 146 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. StressBelieves that it is vital for everyone to have a sufficient minimum income to be able to mall citizens and families in Europe should be entitled to an income support which enables them to cover their living costs; believes that support mechanisms, such as minimum income schemes have to guaranteet their basic requirements non-perpetuation of social dependency and must constitute an incentive to education or entering the job market;
Amendment 162 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Emphasises that adequate minimum income schemes as an active inclusion tool promote social participation and inclusion;
Amendment 163 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Recalls that one of the main goals of the Europe 2020 strategy is reducing poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million people and that still more efforts are needed to reach that goal; believes that minimum income schemes can be a helpful way to reach this objective;
Amendment 164 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3c. Stresses that the best way to fight poverty and social exclusion are decent jobs; recalls in this context the importance to boost growth, investment and job creation;
Amendment 171 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses the importance of the European Semester in encouraging Member States who do not yet have minimum income schemes to introduce systems of adequate income support;
Amendment 190 #
2016/2270(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Stresses the importance of the European Semester in monitoring the adequacy of existing minimum income schemes and their impact on reducing poverty, specifically through the country specific recommendations, but also the joint employment report and the Annual Growth Survey;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2024(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines that the budget should support the completion of the single market, competitiveness and upward social convergence, the development of a policy on socially responsible enterprises and the monitoring of the application of statutory social standards by enterprises to ensure the creation of decent jobs.
Amendment 41 #
2016/2024(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Calls for budget allocations for measures helping Member States to prevent long-term unemployment and to better target jobless households;
Amendment 43 #
2016/2024(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Calls on the European Commission to ensure thorough evaluations of the financial management of EU funds aiming at a more efficient and sound management of these funds and in preventing abuses.
Amendment 67 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
3. Members of the Management Board and their alternates shall bhave appointed in light of theirropriate knowledge in the field of vocational education and training, skills and qualifications, taking into account relevant as well as managerial, administrative and budgetary skills. All parties represented in the Management Board shall make efforts to limit turnover of their representatives, in order to ensure continuity of the board's work. All parties shall aim to achieve a balanced representation between men and women on the Management Board.
Amendment 103 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The Executive Board shall for example:
Amendment 104 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3
Article 10 – paragraph 3
3. Where necessary, because of urgency, the Executive Board may take certain provisional decisions on behalf of the Management Board, in particular on administrative management matters, including the suspension of the delegation of the appointing authority powers and budgetary matters.
Amendment 112 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Board shall meet three times a year. Each coordinator shall inform members of its own group after the meeting about the content of the discussion in timely and transparent manner. In addition, it shall meet on the initiative of its Chairperson or at the request of its members.
Amendment 125 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 6
Article 11 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director shall also be responsible for deciding whether it is necessary for the purpose of carrying out the Agency's tasks in an efficient and effective manner to establish one or more localrun a liaison offices in one or more Member States. That decision requires the prior consent of the Commission, the Management Board and the Member State where the local office is to be establisheBrussels to foster the Agency's cooperation with the relevant Union institutions. That decision shall be subject to the prior consent of the Management Board. That decision shall specify the scope of the activities to be carried out at that local office in a manner that avoids unnecessary costs and duplication of administrative functions of the Agency.
Amendment 141 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 4
Article 20 – paragraph 4
4. The Agency may establish localrun a liaison offices in one or more Member States, subject to their consent andBrussels in accordance with Article 11(6).
Amendment 50 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) As the three so-called tripartite agencies, the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound), the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) address issues related to the labour market and working environment and vocational education and training and skills, close coordination among the three Agencies is required and ways to enhance efficiency and synergies should be exploitso that the work of the Agencies does not overlap where they have similar fields of interest, while ways to enhance efficiency and synergies should be exploited and any duplication among the Agencies, as well as between them and the Commission, concerning their mandates, objectives and activities, should be avoided. In addition, where relevant, the Agency should seek to engage in efficient cooperation with the European Commission’s and European Parliament’s in-house research capacities.
Amendment 75 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. In carrying out its tasks, the Agency shall maintain a close dialogue particularly with specialised bodies, whether public or private, public authorities and workers’ and employers’ organisations. The Agency, without prejudice to its own aims, shall ensure cooperation with other European Union Agencies aimed at avoiding overlaps and promoting synergy and complementarity in their activities, in cluding the possibility of working jointly, in particular with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training and, where relevant, with other EU Agencies.
Amendment 101 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
3. Members of the Management Board and their alternates shall bhave appointed in light of theirropriate knowledge in the field of social and work-related policies, taking into account as well as relevant managerial, administrative and budgetary skills. All parties represented in the Management Board shall make efforts to limit turnover of their representatives, in order to ensure continuity of the board’s work. All parties shall aim to achieve a balanced representation between men and women on the Management Board.
Amendment 108 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. The term of office for members and their alternates shall be four years. That term shall be extendrenewable. Upon the expiry of their term of office or in the event of their resignation, members shall remain in office until their appointments are renewed or until they are replaced.
Amendment 112 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. A representative of Cedefop and a representative of EU-OSHA shall have observer status at the meetings of the Management Board in order to enhance the efficiency of the three tripartite agencies and synergies between them, and to avoid overlaps in their activities.
Amendment 113 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) give the generalstrategic orientations for the agency’s activities taking into account that the prime role of the Management Board is the strategic governance of the Agency’s work, such as its priorities and the specific themes on which it works and their coherence with the needs of stakeholders and adopt each year the Agency’s programming document by a majority of two-thirds of the members entitled to vote and in accordance with Article 6;
Amendment 116 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) adopt and regularly update the communication activities and dissemination plans based on an analysis of needs and reflect this in the Agency’s programming document;
Amendment 123 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point n
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point n
Amendment 134 #
2016/0256(COD)
3. The annual work programme shall comprise detailed objectives and expected results including performance indicators, as well as activities and programmes to be subject to ex-ante or ex-post evaluations. It shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed and an indication of the financial and human resources allocated to each action, in accordance with the principles of activity-based budgeting and management. The annual work programme shall be coherent with the multi-annual work programme referred to in paragraph 5. It shall clearly indicate tasks that have been added, changed or deleted in comparison with the previous financial year.
Amendment 141 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4
Article 8 – paragraph 4
4. The Management Board may invite any person whose opinion may be of interest to attend its meetings as an observer, in particular Cedefop, EU- OSHA and the European Training Foundation, in order to avoid duplication and to promote synergies and complementarity.
Amendment 144 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The Executive Board shall for example:
Amendment 145 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3
Article 10 – paragraph 3
3. Where necessary, because of urgency, the Executive Board may take certain provisional decisions on behalf of the Management Board, in particular on administrative management matters, including the suspension of the delegation of the appointing authority powers and budgetary matters.
Amendment 150 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 5
Article 10 – paragraph 5
5. The term of office of members of the Executive Board shall be two years. That term shall be extendrenewable. The term of office of members of the Executive Board shall end when their membership of the Management Board ends.
Amendment 152 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Board shall meet three times a year. Each coordinator shall inform members of its own group after the meeting about the content of the discussion in timely and transparent manner. The Chairperson can convene additional meetings at the request of its members
Amendment 153 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Board shall meet three times a year. Each coordinator shall inform members of its own group. The Chairperson can convene additional meetings at the request of its members
Amendment 158 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
1. The Executive Director shall manage the Agency. The Executive Directorbe responsible for the overall management of the Agency according to the strategic direction set by the Management Board and shall be accountable to the Management Board.
Amendment 167 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – point j a (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – point j a (new)
(ja) taking all decisions on the management of human resources and on the establishment of the Agency’s internal structures and, where necessary, their amendment, taking into account the needs relating to the Agency’s activities and sound budgetary management.
Amendment 169 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 6
Article 11 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director shall also be responsible for deciding whether it is necessary for the purpose of carrying out the Agency’s tasks in an efficient and effective manner to establish one or more local offices in one or more Member States. That decision requires in Brussels as a liaison office to further the Agency’s cooperation with the relevant Union institutions. That decision shall be subject to the prior consent of Commission, the Management Board and the Member State where the local office is to be established. That decision shall specify the scope of the activities to be carried out that that local office in a manner that avoids unnecessary costs and duplication of administrative functions of the Agency.
Amendment 171 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 6
Article 11 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director shall also be responsible for deciding whether it is necessary for the purpose of carrying out the Agency’s tasks in an efficient and effective manner to establish one or more localrun a liaison offices in one or more Member States. That decision requires the prior consent of Commission, the Management Board and the Member State where the local office is to be establisheBrussels to foster the Agency’s cooperation with the relevant Union institutions. That decision shall be subject to the Management Board. That decision shall specify the scope of the activities to be carried out that that local office in a manner that avoids unnecessary costs and duplication of administrative functions of the Agency.
Amendment 173 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4
Article 14 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall send draft estimates to the budgetary authority together with the draft general budget of the Union. The Commission shall, simultaneously, send those draft estimates to the Agency
Amendment 180 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 6
Article 19 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director may be removed from office only upon a decision of the Management Board acting on a proposal, based on a reasoned assessment, from the Commission.
Amendment 182 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 4
Article 21 – paragraph 4
4. The Agency may establish localrun a liaison offices in one or more Member States, subject to their consent andBrussels in accordance with Article 11 (6).
Amendment 183 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 4
Article 21 – paragraph 4
4. The Agency may establish locala liaison offices in one or more Member States, subject to their consent andBrussels in accordance with Article 11 (6).
Amendment 188 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 3
Article 23 – paragraph 3
3. The translation services required for the functioning of the Agency shall be provided by the Translation Centre of the bodies of the European Union or, where necessary, by other translation services.
Amendment 191 #
2016/0256(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph -1 (new)
Article 24 – paragraph -1 (new)
-1. The Agency shall act with a high level of transparency.
Amendment 26 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Since its establishment in 1994 EU- OSHA has, by virtue of its expertise, played an important role in supporting the improvement of health and safety at work throughout the European Union. At the same time there have been developments in the area of occupational safety and health (OSH), including technological developments, particularly in the digital area, which add to the challenge of promoting high OSH standards. In this light some adjustments are required in describing the objectives and tasks of EU- OSHA as compared to the provisions in Council Regulation (EC) No. 2062/94.
Amendment 30 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) As the three tripartite Agencies - EU-OSHA, the European Centre for development and vocational training (Cedefop), and the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound) - address issues related to the labour market, working environment and vocational education and training and skills, close coordination among three Agencies is required and the ways to enhance efficiency and synergies should be exploitso that the work of the Agencies does not overlap where they have similar fields of interest, while ways to enhance efficiency and synergies should be exploited and any duplication among the Agencies, as well as between them and the Commission, concerning their mandates, objectives and activities, should be avoided. In addition, whenever relevant, the Agency should seek to engage in efficient cooperation with the European Commission's and European Parliament's in-house research capacities.
Amendment 53 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3
Article 2 – paragraph 3
3. In carrying out its tasks, the Agency shall maintain a close dialogue particularly with specialised bodies, whether public or private, public authorities and workers' and employers’ organisations. The Agency, without prejudice to its own aims, shall ensure cooperation with other European Union Agencies aimed at avoiding overlaps and promoting synergy and complementarity in their activities, including the possibility of working jointly, in particular with the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions, the European Centre for the development of vocational training and, where relevant, with other EU Agencies.
Amendment 71 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
3. Members of the Management Board and their alternates shall bhave appointed in light of theirropriate knowledge in the field of health and safety ats work, taking into accountell as relevant managerial, administrative and budgetary skills. All parties represented in the Management Board shall make efforts to ensure a balanced representation of men and women and to limit turnover of their representatives, in order to guarantee continuity of the Board's work.
Amendment 77 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. The term of office for members and their alternates shall be four years. It shall be extendrenewable. Upon the expiry of their term of office or in the event of their resignation, members shall remain in office until their appointments are renewed or until they are replaced.
Amendment 79 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 5 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. A representative of Eurofound and a representative of Cedefop shall have observer status at the meetings of the Management Board in order to enhance the efficiency of the three tripartite agencies and synergies between them, and to avoid overlaps in their activities.
Amendment 83 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) give the generalstrategic orientation for the Agency's activities taking into account that the prime role of the Management Board is the strategic governance of the Agency's work, such as its priorities and the specific themes on which it works and their coherence with the needs of stakeholders and adopt each year the Agency's programming document by a majority of two-thirds of members entitled to vote and in accordance with Article 6;
Amendment 86 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) adopt and regularly update the communication activities and dissemination plans based on an analysis of needs and reflect this in the Agency's programming document ;
Amendment 89 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point n
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point n
Amendment 100 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3
Article 6 – paragraph 3
3. The annual work programme shall comprise detailed objectives and expected results including performance indicators as well as activities and programmes to be subject to ex-ante or ex-post evaluations. It shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed and an indication of the financial and human resources allocated to each action, in accordance with the principles of activity-based budgeting and management. The annual work programme shall be coherent with the multi-annual work programme referred to in paragraph 5. It shall clearly indicate tasks that have been added, changed or deleted in comparison with the previous financial year. Annual and/or multi- annual programming shall include the strategy for relations with third countries or international organisations referred to in Article 30 and the actions linked to this strategy.
Amendment 103 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4
Article 8 – paragraph 4
4. The Management Board may invite any person whose opinion may be of interest to attend its meetings as an observer, in particular Eurofound, Cedefop and the European Training Foundation, in order to avoid duplication and to promote synergies and complementarity.
Amendment 104 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The Executive Board shall for example:
Amendment 106 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3
Article 10 – paragraph 3
3. Where necessary, because of urgency, the Executive Board may take certain provisional decisions on behalf of the Management Board, in particular on administrative management matters, including the suspension of the delegation of the appointing authority powers and budgetary matters.
Amendment 111 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 5
Article 10 – paragraph 5
5. The term of office of members of the Executive Board shall be two years. That term shall be extendrenewable. The term of office of members of the Executive Board shall end when their membership of the Management Board ends.
Amendment 113 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Board shall meet at least three times a year. Each coordinator shall inform members of its own group after the meeting about the content of the discussion in timely and transparent manner. In addition, it shall meet on the initiative of its Chairperson or at the request of its members.
Amendment 114 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Board shall meet at least three times a year. Each coordinator shall inform members of its own group. In addition, it shall meet on the initiative of its Chairperson or at the request of its members.
Amendment 117 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
1. The Executive Director shall manage the Agency. The Executive Directorbe responsible for the overall management of the Agency according to the strategic direction set by the Management Board and shall be accountable to the Management Board.
Amendment 122 #
2016/0254(COD)
(ja) taking all decisions on the management of human resources and on the establishment of the Agency's internal structures and, where necessary, their amendment, taking into account the needs relating to the Agency's activities and sound budgetary management.
Amendment 124 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 6
Article 11 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director shall also be responsible for deciding whether it is necessary for the purpose of carrying out the Agency's tasks in an efficient and effective manner to establish one or more local offices in one or more Member States. That decision requires in Brussels as a liaison office to further the Agency's cooperation with the relevant Union institutions. That decision shall be subject to the prior consent of the Commission, the Management Board and the Member State where the local office is to be established. That decision shall specify the scope of the activities to be carried out at that local office in a manner that avoids unnecessary costs and duplication of administrative functions of the Agency.
Amendment 127 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 6
Article 11 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director shall also be responsible for deciding whether it is necessary for the purpose of carrying out the Agency's tasks in an efficient and effective manner to establish one or more localrun a liaison offices in one or more Member States. That decision requires the prior consent of the Commission, the Management Board and the Member State where the local office is to be establisheBrussels to foster the Agency's cooperation with the relevant Union institutions. That decision shall be subject to the prior consent of the Management Board. That decision shall specify the scope of the activities to be carried out at that local office in a manner that avoids unnecessary costs and duplication of administrative functions of the Agency.
Amendment 128 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4
Article 14 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall send the draft estimates to the budgetary authority together with the draft general budget of the Union. The Commission shall, simultaneously, send those draft estimates to the Agency.
Amendment 136 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 6
Article 19 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director may be removed from office only upon a decision of the Management Board acting on a proposal, based on a reasoned assessment, from the Commission.
Amendment 137 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 4
Article 21 – paragraph 4
4. The Agency may establish localrun a liaison offices in the Member States, subject to their consent andBrussels in accordance with Article 11(6).
Amendment 139 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 4
Article 21 – paragraph 4
4. The Agency may establish locala liaison offices in the Member StateBrussels, subject to their consent and in accordance with Article 11(6).
Amendment 142 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 3
Article 23 – paragraph 3
3. The translation services required for the functioning of the Agency shall be provided by the Translation Centre of the bodies of the European Union or, where necessary, by other translation services.
Amendment 144 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph -1 (new)
Article 24 – paragraph -1 (new)
-1. The Agency shall act with a high level of transparency.
Amendment 145 #
2016/0254(COD)
-1. In accordance with Article 30(4) of the Financial Regulation, the Agency shall carry out ex-ante evaluations of those of its activities which entail significant expenditure as well as ex-post evaluations.
Amendment 148 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 1
Article 30 – paragraph 1
1. In so far as is necessary in order to achieve the objectives set out in this Regulation, and without prejudice to the respective competences of the Member States and the institutions of the Union, the Agency may cooperate with the competent authorities of third countries and/or with international organisations. To this end, the Agency may, subject to prior approval by the Commission, establish working arrangements with the authorities of third countries and international organisations. These arrangements shall not create legal obligations incumbent on the Union and its Member States
Amendment 2 #
2016/0205(NLE)
Draft opinion
Article 1
Article 1
The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on International Trade, as the committee responsible, to recommend that Parliament decline to give its consent to the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada, of the one part, and the European Union and its Member States, of the other part;.
Amendment 211 #
2016/0070(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The elements of remuneration under national law or universally applicable collective agreements should be clear and transparent to all service providers and posted workers. It is therefore justified to impose on Member States the obligation to publish the constituent elements of remuneration as defined by national law and applicable collective agreements on the single website provided for by Article 5 of the Enforcement Directive as the transparency and the access to information is a key element for service providers. The provision of information on the single website should be in line with national law and practice and respect the autonomy of the social partners.
Amendment 432 #
2016/0070(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Directive 96/71/EC
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Member States shall publish in the single official national website referred to in Article 5 of Directive 2014/67/EU the constituent elements of remuneration as defined by national law and applicable collective agreements in accordance with point (c).
Amendment 82 #
2015/2354(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses that the possible introduction of a services passport for companies, which aims to further promote the free movement of services, should be without prejudice to the competence of the host Member State to ensure the effective enforcement and control of national and European employment legislation;
Amendment 48 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Believes that in order to ensure better conditions for job creation for the SME sector Member States must address the following problems, which are unequally present in different regions: skills scarcity and brain drain; regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty; the shadow economy; and the de factoperceived privileged position of multinational corporations (MNCs);
Amendment 72 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. NotAcknowledges that labour costs have an impact on SMEs’ job creation potential and competitiveness; and recognises that labour costs are a part of doing business.
Amendment 86 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls for extra measures also to be taken for the integration of the Generation 50+ into the labour market, business, education or training with the aim of preventing long-term unemployment and the risk of social exclusion for this category of workers and their families;
Amendment 91 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Calls on Member States to ensure that local childcare infrastructure is provided in order to facilitate parents access to the workforce;
Amendment 115 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on the Member States to incentivise through taxation the growth and emergence of business angel, seed fund and early stage market player sectors;
Amendment 116 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Calls on the European Commission to create the European framework regulation to facilitate the creation of pan-European crowd-funding and crowd investing markets;
Amendment 117 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6 c. Calls on the European Commission to facilitate the securitisation of loans to micro-companies and SMEs to increase their available credit;
Amendment 118 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 d (new)
Paragraph 6 d (new)
6 d. Calls on the European Commission to encourage young, senior, and female-owned SMEs;
Amendment 120 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the EU to better engage Member State authorities, universthird level education and training facilities, businesses, and financial institutions with a view to making full use of EU funding sources (e.g. the EFSI, the ESF, the ERDF, COSME, Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+) so as to help overcome the difficulty in accessing finance which is still one of the main barriers to the growth of SMEs;
Amendment 145 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Calls on the European Commission and the Member States to boost ICT and STEM training and education in order to equip both the current and the future workforce with the relevant e-skills; Encourages the Commission and Member States to support programmes that provide unemployed young people with e-skills such as open online courses, and encourage the same for Generation 50+/active seniors.
Amendment 153 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers that apprenticeship schemes within SMEs should be promoted by Member States, including through financial incentives; In this regard, dual education programmes and the combination of education and traineeship opportunities must also be encouraged;
Amendment 185 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on Member States to adopt favourable legislative frameworks forthat will incentivise young graduates who are employed by an SME or are starting up an enterprise;
Amendment 191 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Notes that measures should be taken to better enable the recognition of qualifications and diplomas across Europe, including diplomas and online certificates such as those provided by MOOCs, and the validation of non-formal learning in order to enable professionals to contribute with their knowledge and skills throughout Europe;
Amendment 194 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12 b. Welcomes the Commission legislative proposal on business insolvency, including early restructuring and second chance, to address fear of failure and make sure that entrepreneurs have a second chance;
Amendment 218 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Member States to review the rules affecting SMEs and to introduce measures based on the ‘Think Small First’ principle, in order to removduce the bureaucratic obstaclesden with which SMEs are confronted and achieve a high level of regulatory certainty as a precondition for job stability;
Amendment 225 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Calls on member states to ensure that a full regulatory impact is carried out on all new legislation and regulation to assess its impact on SMEs;
Amendment 235 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Believes that taxation should be shifted away from labour towards other broad based systems of taxation;
Amendment 245 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to consider that SMEs face specific obstacles and should therefore be exempted fromnot be subject to excessively burdensome administrative procedures, while always ensuring that they provide their employees with the necessary health and safety standards;
Amendment 255 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the Commission to facilitate exchanges of best practices between Member States regarding their different regulatory environments for SMEs; welcomes in this regard the Network of SME Envoys, whose role is to improve the consultation process with national SMEs and cooperation between EU countries; also encourages cooperation between SMEs and local authorities and the education sector, which can be beneficial for the creation of business clusters and incubators and hence increase their job creation potential;
Amendment 267 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the MemberCommission to fully implement the Single Market Strates togy by removeing the remaining administrative barriers with a view to facilitating market access for micro-enterprises and SMEs from other Member States;
Amendment 278 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Encourages the Commission and Member States to identify and tackle administrative and regulatory barriers preventing the swift delivery of funding;
Amendment 285 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Encourages Member States to continue to create one stop shops to provide information on all regulatory requirements and funding opportunities that anyone starting a business in any sector of the economy will encounter;
Amendment 298 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes that in some cases EU competition policy results in privileging that mostly benefits big market operators that are characterised by greater economic efficiency than SMEs; stresses in this regard the need for specific measures for SMEs in order to curb their market diseconomies, thus enabling their internationalisation and boosting their job creation potential; Notes that EU Competition policy protects SMEs by preventing monopolies, cartels, market dominance or state aid and thus facilitates the job creation potential of SMEs;
Amendment 319 #
2015/2320(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that in regions where economic development is focused on attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), MNCs arcan be treated preferentially in both legislative and tax matters; believes that these practices should be examined with a view to ensuring a level playing field for SMEs and restoring their employment creation capacities; Recognises that multinational companies can have a positive effect on a workforce through the provision of jobs skills and training; Acknowledges the fact that many SMEs are created to support MNCs and their employees through the provision of supply chain products and services; Welcomes the move by the OECD to boost transparency in the International Tax system and calls for swift implementation of the BEPS measures;
Amendment 1 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular to Articles 1 and 34(3) thereof,
Amendment 7 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 20 October 2010 on the role of minimum income in combating poverty and promoting an inclusive society in Europe,1 a, __________________ 1a OJ C70E, 8.3.2012 p.8
Amendment 8 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 b (new)
Citation 11 b (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 27 November 2014 on the 25th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child1 a, __________________ 1 a Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0070
Amendment 10 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
Citation 12 a (new)
Amendment 11 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
Citation 13 a (new)
- having regard to the report of the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre (2012) ‘Measuring Child Poverty: New league tables of child poverty in the world’s rich countries’1 a, __________________ 1 a http://www.unicef- irc.org/publications/pdf/rc10_fre.pdf
Amendment 12 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 b (new)
Citation 13 b (new)
Amendment 13 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
- having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 15 June 2011 on the ‘European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: a European framework for Social and Territorial Cohesion’1 a, __________________ 1a OJ C248, 25.8.2011, p.130
Amendment 15 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 b (new)
Citation 16 b (new)
- having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 18 September 2013 on ‘For coordinated European measures to prevent and combat energy poverty’1 a, __________________ 1 a EESC 2013, TEN/516
Amendment 16 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 c (new)
Citation 16 c (new)
- having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 10 December 2013 on ‘European minimum income and poverty indicators’1 a, __________________ 1 a OJ C170, 05.06.2014, p.23
Amendment 17 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 d (new)
Citation 16 d (new)
- having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 31 March 2011 on the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion1 a, __________________ 1 a CdR 402/2010_ECOS_V_012
Amendment 19 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
- having regard to the opinion of the Social Protection Committee of 15 February 2011 entitled ‘The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion: Flagship Initiative of the Europe 2020 Strategy’1 a, __________________ 1 a Opinionof the Social Protection Committee addressed to the Council, Council of the European Union, 649/11, SOC 124, 15 February 2011.
Amendment 22 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas between 20108 and 2013, the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU278 increased from 117 million to 121 million, of which the number of people severely materially deprived increased from 42 to 45 million, the number of people at risk of poverty after social transfers increased from 82 to 86 million; whereas this development runs counter to the EU target to reduce poverty by 20 million by 2020;; whereas in 2013 16.7% of the population of the European Union were at risk of poverty after social transfers, 9.6% were in a situation of serious material deprivation and 10.7% of households were considered to have low work intensity; (The objective of this amendment is to enable a comparison at EU28 level. The last section of the paragraph has been deleted, to be placed in a new recital.)
Amendment 28 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. having regard to Article 34(3) of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which provides that in order to combat social exclusion and poverty, the Union recognises and respects the right to social and housing assistance so as to ensure a decent existence for all those who lack sufficient resources;
Amendment 34 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
A b. having regard to the strategic objective of the European Union that is defined in its Europe 2020 Strategy and which aims to reduce the number of people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million;
Amendment 39 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
A d. whereas certain groups in society, such as one-parent families, the elderly, minorities, people with disabilities and young people, are among the most vulnerable to be at risk of poverty;
Amendment 40 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A e (new)
Recital A e (new)
A e. whereas unemployment among young people, which is already higher than for other age groups, has exploded in the European Union since the crisis and is now running at over 20%, and whereas it has now reached a critical level in all the Member States, putting young people at risk of falling into poverty from a very early age; having regard to the Concluding Observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child regarding the most recent periodic reports of certain European countries in relation to the increase in poverty and/or the level of risk of poverty for children as a consequence of the economic crisis; whereas this increase affects the rights to health, education and social protection;
Amendment 41 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A f (new)
Recital A f (new)
A f. whereas poverty, which has been at a high level in the Member States over very many years, has an ever more significant effect on the economy, damages economic growth, increases public budget deficits and reduces European competitiveness;
Amendment 59 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereashaving regard to Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency, which calls on the Member States to develop programmes to raise awareness, and inform and advise individuals and households on energy efficiency;
Amendment 64 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas energy market prices are converging in Europe while purchasing power is not converging at the same rate; having regard to the increase in energy market prices for average-sized households in the EU-28 of 24% for electricity1a and of 28% for gas1b between 2010 and 2015; __________________ 1a http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/table.do? tab=table&init=1&language=fr&pcode=te n00117&plugin=1 1b http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/table.do? tab=table&init=1&plugin=1&pcode=ten0 0118&language=fr
Amendment 66 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
D a. whereas access to housing is a fundamental right that can be seen as a precondition to the exercise of, and to access to, other fundamental rights and to a life in conditions of human dignity; whereas guaranteeing access to assistance for decent and adequate housing is an international obligation incumbent on the Member States, to which the Union must have regard, given that the right of access to housing and to housing assistance is recognised in Article 34 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Articles 30 and 31 of the revised European Social Charter adopted by the Council of Europe and Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, as well as in many Member States’ constitutions;
Amendment 70 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
D b. whereas housing represents the most significant expenditure item for European households; whereas the rise in prices associated with housing (land, property, rents, energy consumption) constitutes a source of instability and anxiety and must be regarded as an issue of major concern;
Amendment 73 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
D c. whereas there is a shortage of social housing facilities, and an increasing need of affordable housing, in certain EU Member States;
Amendment 75 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
D d. whereas social housing plays an essential role in achieving the objective from the Europe 2020 Strategy of reducing poverty, because it contributes to guaranteeing high levels of employment and of social inclusion and cohesion, promotes occupational mobility and enables poverty to be combated;
Amendment 77 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D e (new)
Recital D e (new)
D e. whereas the crisis has had consequences for the conditions of access to housing for households, and for investment in social housing within the Union, whereas the public expenditure dedicated to investments in social housing has been greatly affected by this, and whereas this places an obligation on the Member States and the Union to act urgently so as to guarantee the right of access to decent and affordable housing;
Amendment 78 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D f (new)
Recital D f (new)
D f. whereas poverty and social exclusion remain a key social determinant of the state of health and living conditions, including life expectancy, in particular in view of the impact of child poverty on the health and well-being of children, and whereas the gap in terms of health between rich and poor remains significant as far as affordable access to health services is concerned, income and wealth, and continues to widen in certain areas, and whereas the gap in terms of health between rich and poor remains significant, in particular as far as affordable access to health services is concerned, and continue to widen in certain areas;
Amendment 79 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D g (new)
Recital D g (new)
D g. whereas the Social Protection Committee of the European Union, in its opinion of 20 May 2010, was concerned about the fact that the current economic and financial crisis could have negative effects on citizens’ access to healthcare and on the health budgets of the Member States;
Amendment 80 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D h (new)
Recital D h (new)
D h. whereas the current economic and financial crisis may have a severe impact on the healthcare sector in several EU Member States, on both the supply and the demand sides;
Amendment 81 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D i (new)
Recital D i (new)
D i. whereas the restrictions caused by the current economic and financial crisis could be seriously detrimental to the long- term financial and organisational viability of the healthcare systems of Member States and, therefore, impede equality of access to care on their territories;
Amendment 82 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D j (new)
Recital D j (new)
D j. whereas the combination of poverty and other forms of vulnerability, such as childhood or old age, disability or minority background, further increases the risks of health inequalities, and whereas, vice versa, ill health can lead to poverty and/or social exclusion,
Amendment 83 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D k (new)
Recital D k (new)
D k. whereas, according to the latest figures from Eurostat, 21% of households in the EU-28 do not have Internet access and whereas 20% of 16 to 74 year-olds say that they have never used the Internet; whereas the Netherlands has the highest proportion of households which have Internet access (95%), while Bulgaria is at the bottom of the list, with 54% of households having Internet access;
Amendment 84 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D l (new)
Recital D l (new)
D l. whereas the Digital Single Market is one of the 10 priorities of the new Commission and whereas, in future, 90% of jobs will require some degree of IT skills; whereas, while 59% of European citizens have access to the 4G network, in rural areas this percentage does not exceed the 15% mark;
Amendment 86 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D n (new)
Recital D n (new)
D n. having regard to the Resolution of the United Nations General Assembly of 28 July 2010 on ‘the human right to water and sanitation’1 a which recognises the right to safe and clean drinking water as a fundamental right essential to the full exercise of the right to life and of all human rights; ________________ 1a http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc. asp?symbol=A/RES/64/292&Lang=F
Amendment 98 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls onEncourages the Member States to sign up to a European winter heating disconnection moratorium so as to ensure that during a defined winter period no household can be cut off from energy or that those who are must be reconnected to energy needed for heating that meets World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for adequate housing temperature;
Amendment 112 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Invites the Commission to present in 2016 in the context of the announced social pillar an EU framework directive on adequate minimumEncourages the Member States to introduce systems guaranteeing a minimum income equivalent to 60% of the national median income;
Amendment 126 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Invites the Commission and the Member States to renew their commitment to reducing poverty by dedicating a Summit to the reduction of poverty and access to decent living standards;
Amendment 129 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Wishes the Commission to launch a consultation on the possibility of an initiative concerning the adequate minimum income which prevents poverty and serves as a basis for people to live in dignity, as stipulated in the European Parliament resolution of 15 November 20112 a; __________________ 2aThe EP Resolution of 15 November 2011 on the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion
Amendment 130 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
EU policies to meetachieve the antipoverty target
Amendment 131 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
5. Finds regrettable that the EU2020 target to reduce poverty in Europe by lifting 20 million people out of poverty appears even further out of reach than when it was set; reiterates that one of the target groups is people that face severe material deprivation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to renew their commitment to the poverty reduction target by:e increase in the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion even though the Europe 2020 Strategy aims to reduce the number of people in or at risk of poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million; (The last section is to be found in a new paragraph.)
Amendment 138 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – indent 1
Paragraph 5 – indent 1
Amendment 143 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – indent 2
Paragraph 5 – indent 2
Amendment 146 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – indent 3
Paragraph 5 – indent 3
Amendment 153 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – indent 4
Paragraph 5 – indent 4
Amendment 158 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – indent 5
Paragraph 5 – indent 5
Amendment 172 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls for a Council recommendation similar to the Youth Guarantee on tackling poverty in order to revive the poverty targeton the Member States, in the context of increasing poverty, to intensify their efforts to come to the aid of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion;
Amendment 178 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the Commission’s intention to present a new social pillar; recalls that to deliver on Article 9 TFEU, such a pillar should be aimed at setting a European framework for a minimum income above the poverty level, continuing with a rights- based approach to social policy and improving implementation of existing social, labour and anti-discrimination legislation in the context of economic and monetary union; recalls that to deliver on Article 9 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, such a pillar should take into account the requirements linked to the promotion of a high level of employment, the guarantee of adequate social protection, the fight against social exclusion, and a high level of education, training and protection of human health; considers that this new social pillar must enable the fulfilment of the Commission’s intention to give the Union a social triple A score;
Amendment 188 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 200 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop, adopt and implement an EU framework to reduce poverty and social exclusion in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy, consisting of concrete measures and actions, including energy poverty;
Amendment 231 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Recommends that an EU framework directive on minimum income should specify which criteria Member StTakes note of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘European minimum income and poverty indicators’, which argues that the European framework directive on an adequates’ minimum income schemes would need to meet so as to lift people out ofhould establish common standards and indicators, proverty; considers that such a framework would need to be rights-based, address the level of income, the non-discriminatory, efficient and easy acceside methods for the monitoring of its implementation and permit the participation of social partners, beneficiaries and othe r stake-up, targeting especially those groups, who currently are excluded from or at risk of exclusion fromholders in the establishment or reform of the national minimum income schemes;
Amendment 240 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses that minimum income schemes should prevent and lift households out of severe material deprivation and allow for an income above the poverty threshold; recalls that a minimum income is a key instrument for delivering on Article 9 TFEU guaranteeing adequate social protection as well as on the fundamental right to decent living conditions, participating in society and protection of human healthbe accompanied, as advocated by the Economic and Social Committee in its opinion on the ‘European minimum income and poverty indicators’, by active labour-market policies aimed at helping people to find a decent job, by a reinforcement of the involvement of workers, unemployed people and all vulnerable social groups in life-long learning activities, as well as by an improvement in levels of professional qualifications and the acquisition of new skills which are able to accelerate integration into the employment market, to increase productivity and to help people to find a better job;
Amendment 258 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address in a more balanced way both income and expenditure of poor households; points to shortcomings in addressing increasing household cost and considers the Commission’s work on a reference budget a step in the right direction; stresses that lowering household expenditure for poor households will impact positively on the concerned households as well as on the - mainly local - economy and on social cohesWelcomes the Commission’s work on a reference budget, which is a step in the right direction;
Amendment 269 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Recalls that poor households spend the largest share of their income on housing, utilities and food; stresses that one dimension of household expenditure of poor households – the cost of energy and the rfoodhealthcare, transport, energy requirements, water, school expenses, etc.; (Certain items delaeted issue of energy poverty lacks an in-depth assessment at Union level; calls on the Commission to improve internal cooperation so as to better link the energy policy and the poverty policy;here can be found in other paragraphs.)
Amendment 279 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that there is so far no definition of energy poverty at Union level and therefore it is very difficult to properly assess the seriousness, the causes and the consequences of energy poverty of poor households in the Union; calls on the Commission to develop with stakeholders a common definition of energy poverty which should aim at assessing at least the following elements: material scope, difficulty for a household to gain access to essential energy, affordability and share of total household cost, impact on basic household needs such as heating, cooling, cooking, lighting and transport;
Amendment 286 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses that there is a lock-in effect as regards energy poverty, as poor households cannot afford the initial upfront investment needed to combat energya significant proportion of people affected by energy povertyare at risk of poverty and social exclusion and, as a consequence, have few or no financial means which would allow them to escape this type of poverty;
Amendment 298 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Amendment 303 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recalls that targeting Union funding towardswith a view to reducing energy costs of poor households by investing in renewables or energy efficiency has multiple positive effects: at household level, it, in particular the improvesment of living conditions and of the health of those people concerned as well as decreasing, the reduction of household costs and therefore, which provides budgetary relief for poor families; at regional and local level, funding will provide for local investment; at Union level it helps to both decrease poverty,, the reduction of the number of people who are close to poverty or social exclusion in Europe, the improvement of energy efficiency and decrease energythe reduction of greenhouse gas emissions;
Amendment 319 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Welcomes the fact that targeting household costs relating to energy by supporting investment in energy efficiency and renewables is programmed into and therefore in principle possible under the ESI Funds 2014-2020investment in energy efficiency and renewables may be eligible under the scope of the ESI Funds 2014-2020, given the importance that they may have in reducing households’ energy costs;
Amendment 320 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
Amendment 323 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 325 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls therefore on the Member States and the Commission to ease the use of cross- financing mechanisms especially between ESF and ERDF as regards renewable or energy efficiency projects targeting energy-poor households; stresses the multiple benefits of multi-fund programs to tackle crosscutting issues such as relating to energy poverty;
Amendment 327 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Draws attention to the major effort required of the EU and the Member States to reduce energy costs in household budgets, the former by ensuring security of supply to protect against major price fluctuations in the energy market, and the latter by strengthening their policies in support of household energy efficiency;
Amendment 333 #
Amendment 343 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls on the Member States not to exempt the energy intensive industries from taxes, but to use these revenues forStates to put in place measures that benefit low-income households, including targeted energy efficiency measures and financing of social security systems, which can in turn reduce the burden on labour costs; considers that such an offsetting mechanism could be an integral element of a socially equitable tax shift as proposed by the Commission in the current employment guidelines;
Amendment 352 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. calls on the Member States to sign up to a European winter heating disconnection moratorium so as to ensure that during a defined winter period no household can be cut off from energy or that those who are must be reconnected to energy needed for heating that meets World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for adequate housing temperature; points out that such apoints out that a European winter heating disconnection moratorium aims to decrease excess winter mortality, supporting the most vulnerable groups, especially young children, the elderly and permanently sick and disabled people so as to protect, thus enabling their health and well-being; to be protected; (Certain items are referred to in other paragraphs.)
Amendment 360 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6 a (new)
Subheading 6 a (new)
Housing and poverty (To be considered as a heading)
Amendment 361 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24 b. Recommends to the Member States a proactive policy in relation to decent housing so as to ensure universal access to quality housing at an affordable cost or a preferential purchase price, since a lack of housing constitutes a serious affront to dignity, as well as a proactive energy policy strengthening the use of renewables and energy efficiency so as to combat energy poverty; calls, in the context of housing, for more attention to be paid to migrants, who are often exploited and forced to live in sub- standard housing; recalls Protocol 26 annexed to the Treaty of Lisbon, which concerns social housing, and calls for its provisions to be respected, in particular as regards the Member States’ freedom to organise social housing, including the question of financing; encourages the Member States to implement special housing programmes and opportunities for homeless people, with a view to guaranteeing the most basic living standards for the most vulnerable members of society;
Amendment 362 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24 c Recommends that the Member States expand the supply of quality social housing in order to guarantee access for all, and in particular for the most disadvantaged, to decent, affordable housing; considers that it costs society and the community more to rehouse people who have been evicted from their accommodation than it does to keep them there; invites the Member States to apply to the European Fund for Strategic Investments for the purposes of their qualitative and quantitative improvement projects in relation to their social housing offering, in view of the added value on a European level and the socio-economic benefits that they represent; recommends the implementation of policies for preventing evictions;
Amendment 370 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6 b (new)
Subheading 6 b (new)
Poverty and access to healthcare (To be considered as a heading)
Amendment 371 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 e (new)
Paragraph 24 e (new)
24 e. Recalls that equal access to high- quality universal healthcare is internationally recognised – especially within the EU – as a fundamental right;
Amendment 372 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 f (new)
Paragraph 24 f (new)
24 f. Recalls that access to healthcare is very often limited as a consequence of financial or regional constraints (for example in sparsely populated regions), especially in relation to routine care (such as dental or optical care) and preventative measures relating thereto;
Amendment 373 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 g (new)
Paragraph 24 g (new)
24 g. Stresses that the combination of poverty and other forms of vulnerability, such as childhood or old age, disability or minority background, further increases the risks of health inequalities, and that ill health can lead to poverty;
Amendment 374 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 h (new)
Paragraph 24 h (new)
24 h. Stresses the importance of health and care services for bridging gaps relating to capabilities, through promoting people’s social integration and combating poverty and social exclusion;
Amendment 375 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 i (new)
Paragraph 24 i (new)
24 i. Welcomes the Commission’s Communication entitled ‘eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020: Innovative healthcare for the 21st century’, which puts in place additional initiatives, in particular with a view to improving access to health services, reducing health costs and ensuring greater equality between European citizens;
Amendment 376 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 j (new)
Paragraph 24 j (new)
24 j. Calls on the Commission and Member States to press ahead with their efforts to tackle socio-economic inequalities, which would ultimately make it possible to reduce some of the inequalities relating to healthcare; also calls on the Commission and the Member States, on the basis of the universal values of human dignity, liberty, equality and solidarity, to focus their attention on the needs of vulnerable groups such as people living in poverty;
Amendment 378 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 l (new)
Paragraph 24 l (new)
24 l. Urges the Commission to do its utmost to encourage Member States to offer reimbursements to patients and to do everything necessary to reduce inequalities in access to medication for the treatment of those conditions or illnesses, such as post-menopausal osteoporosis and Alzheimer's Disease, which are not reimbursable in certain Member States, and to do so as a matter of urgency;
Amendment 379 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6 c (new)
Subheading 6 c (new)
Information and communications technology and poverty (To be considered as a heading)
Amendment 381 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 o (new)
Paragraph 24 o (new)
24 o. Encourages the Member States and the Commission to put in place strategies aimed at reducing the digital divide and promoting equal access to new information and communications technologies, in particular for people at risk of poverty and social exclusion;
Amendment 382 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 p (new)
Paragraph 24 p (new)
24 p. Water and poverty (To be considered as a heading)
Amendment 383 #
2015/2223(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 q (new)
Paragraph 24 q (new)
24 q. Recalls that the General Assembly of the United Nations recognises the right to clean and high-quality drinking water and to sanitation facilities as a human right that is essential for full enjoyment of the right to life;
Amendment 4 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that whilst it is impossible to hold back the digital revolution, Welcomes the Commission's Digital Single Market Strategy; stresses the opportunities for innovation and prosperity is possible to shape its courset offers, particularly as greatest job growth is expected in the areas requiring digital literacy;
Amendment 47 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that employment and social policy need to keep pace with the digitalisation of socithe labour markety;
Amendment 62 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to undertake a thorough assessment of the impact which digitalisation will have on the number and types of jobs available and to gather information on new forms of employment, such as crowdsourcing and crowdworking; and on the effects of new forms of employment on working and family life;
Amendment 78 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that as job and skills profiles become more complex, newchange, ever-changing demands are being placed on training and further education; points out that further training should be job-related and in the common interest of workers and employers; emphasises the importance of social dialogue in efforts to bring course content up to date and develop skills strategies;
Amendment 91 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Member States to adapt educational systems not to the needs of the labour market but rather to promoting teaching and interest in mathematics, IT, science and technology in all educational institutions and to provide incentives for women to work in the field of ICT; calls on the Member States to harmonise digital skills, job profiles and training Europe-wide and to recognise digital skills that are often acquired outside formal training;
Amendment 97 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Amendment 104 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Calls on the Commission, inter alia, to use appropriations from the Youth Employment Initiative to support associations (grassroots movements) which teach disadvantaged young people digital skills; calls on Member States to provide support by making premises available;
Amendment 106 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Calls on Member States to make appropriations available to employers from all possible funds in order to invest more in the digital training off their less qualified staff or to recruit low-qualified staff with a promise of further training financed from these sources;
Amendment 108 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 e (new)
Paragraph 4 e (new)
4e. Calls on the Commission and Member States, jointly with private industry, to develop free, freely accessible, standardised and certified on-line training courses in order to teach participants a minimum of digital skills;
Amendment 110 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 f (new)
Paragraph 4 f (new)
4f. Encourages Member States to make these on-line courses an integral part of the Youth Guarantee;
Amendment 111 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 g (new)
Paragraph 4 g (new)
Amendment 118 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the establishment of the Europe-wide grand coalition for digital jobs, and encourages businesses to join; calls on the Commission and Member States to facilitate suitable instruments for active participation by SMEs in this coalition; draws attention to the necessary role of private industry in overcoming the shortage of education in digital skills, and notes the vital role of dual training in this context; welcomes the Commission’s e- skills campaign and calls on all participants to further develop these jointly with educational establishments and undertakings;
Amendment 129 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out that the digitalisation-driven trend towards more flexible working practices may also give rise to precarious forms of employment to which current standards as regards social security, working time, working location, worker participation and employment protection no longer apply; calls for self-employed persons with quasi-employee status to be placed on an equal footing with employed persons under employment law can also take account of the desire for more flexible working arrangements and better reconciliation of family life and work; stresses that existing protection standards in the workplace are also maintained in the digital world of work; observes that the principle of codetermination must be preserved; notes that self-employed persons can themselves choose when and where to work, as well as who to accept work from;
Amendment 158 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that freedom of association must apply in the context of new forms of employmentcompany-level agreements are an important instrument for dealing with changing requirements within firms; stresses the importance of freedom of association as a fundamental right enshrined in national legislation;
Amendment 172 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses the need to develop employee data protection measures which cover new forms of data collection (relations between humans and robots); stresses that new relations between humans and robots also provide opportunities for removing burdens and providing backing for the inclusion of older and physically or mentally impaired workers;
Amendment 185 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission, the Member States and the social partners to suggest ways of enhancing social security for self- employed persons in need of protection, in order to safeguard the effectiveness of existing national systems; stresses the central role of the social partners in shaping an increasingly digitalised world of work; calls on both national and European social partners to monitor and support, in line with their 2015-2017 work programme, digitalisation and its impact on work.
Amendment 188 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Welcomes Commission action to improve price transparency and regulatory oversight over cross-border parcel deliveries, but stresses that, as a result, there must be no adverse consequences for worker health and safety in that sector and jobs must not be relocated outside the EU.
Amendment 193 #
2015/2147(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Calls on the Commission to arrange for a study to be produced on the spillover effects of digitalisation, such as greater labour intensity, on workers' psychological wellbeing and family life and on the development of cognitive abilities in children.
Amendment 12 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 16 a (new)
Citation 16 a (new)
- having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament transmitting the European framework agreement on harassment and violence at work (COM (2007) 686)5 a __________________ 5a JO C/2008/9/10
Amendment 13 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)
Citation 23 a (new)
- having regard to its resolution of 14 January 2014 on effective labour inspections as a strategy to improve working conditions in Europe (P7_TA(2014)0012)
Amendment 16 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 b (new)
Citation 23 b (new)
Amendment 17 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 c (new)
Citation 23 c (new)
- having regard to the opinion of the Committee of Regions on An EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-2020 (ECOS-V-061)
Amendment 48 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. Whereas occupational health and safety can be considered an investment with positive effects on companies' productivity and competitiveness and thus can contribute to the economic recovery and to reaching the Europe 2020 objectives;
Amendment 60 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. Whereas labour inspections play an important role in the implementation process of occupational health and safety policies at regional and local level;
Amendment 127 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to define aind apply quantiticative reduction targets at EU level for occupational diseases and accidents at work following the 2016- review of the OSH strategic framework and to rely on the latest research findings when reviewing the framework;
Amendment 164 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Member States should promote a culture of mutual trust, confidence and learning, where employees are encouraged to contribute to the development of safety while confidentiality is assured;
Amendment 189 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Acknowledges the importance of taking into account the situation, and specific needs and lack of compliance byof micro and small enterprises in the implementation of OSH measures at company level; encouragescalls on the Commission, EU-OSHA and the Member States to continue developing practical tools and guidelines, which improvwill facilitate the compliance of SMEs and micro enterprises with OSH requirements;
Amendment 203 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Member States and social partners to take initiatives to upgrade the skills of health and safety representatives and managers; calls on the Commission to draw up guidelines for theMember States to support involvement of employees in implementing preventive OSH measures;
Amendment 238 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Believes that ensuring a level playing- field across the EU and eliminating unfair competition and social dumping is crucial; stresses that labour inspectorates play a key role in enforcing workers' rights to a safe and healthy working environment; calls on the Member States to follow the ILO recommendation of a minimum of one labour inspector per 10 000 workers and to increase staffing and resources available to labour inspectorates; welcomes the cross border cooperation between labour inspectorates in the Senior Labour Inspectors Committee (SLIC);
Amendment 241 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Points to the role played by statutory social insurers in improving health and safety at work, the promotion of a holistic prevention approach and other activities encouraging the employers to improve their occupational risks management, including through the implementation of a systematic risk prevention programme based on risk assessment;
Amendment 264 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Points to the importance of protecting workers against exposure to carcinogens, mutagens and substances that are toxic to reproduction; calls on the Commission to present a proposal for a revision of Directive 2004/37/EC adding more binding occupational exposure limit values and in cooperation with the Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work to develop an assessment system that can be used to assess binding occupational limit valuesmust be based on clear and explicit criteria;
Amendment 271 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Welcomes the promotion of a prevention culture; stresses the need to promote awareness-raising of OSH in education, apprentices and training; stresses the importance of local and regional institutions in the development of a prevention culture;
Amendment 298 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes the Commission's engagement in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-2020 to improve the prevention of work-related diseases especially in the fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology; Highlights the uncertainty about the distribution and use of nanomaterials and believes that further research on the OSH risks associated with nanotechnology is needed;
Amendment 304 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17a. Highlights the increasing use of smart collaborative robots, for example, in industrial production, manufactory, hospitals and retirement homes; therefore calls on the Commission to assess the actual health and safety situation regarding the use of direct human robot interaction at the workplace and, if necessary, to take further action to guarantee safety at the workplace;
Amendment 307 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17b. Draws attention to the potential risk of digitalisation, especially regarding working time and work organisation and points to the risk of increased stress; therefore calls on the Commission to collect more data on the potential risks of digitalisation on occupational health and safety;
Amendment 320 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Draws attention to the issue of mobbing and its possible consequences on psychosocial health, for instance increased stress, absenteeism and depression; draws attention to the aspect of physical violence that mobbing can also have; therefore calls on the Commission to present a legal act based on the framework agreement on harassment and violence at work;
Amendment 330 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the Commission to adopt a targeted approach to improve the health and safety situation of workers ineliminate precarious employmentwork and to take into account the negative effects that precarious employmentwork has on occupational health and safety when addressing this issue in general; Recalls that labour inspectorates perform a key role in identifying and deterring undeclared work and that social insurances play an important role in that every worker has a right to appropriate coverage;
Amendment 335 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the Commission to design appropriate measures to address the aging of the workforce, emerging new risks, and prevention of new generation work related and occupational diseases; Furthermore calls on Member States to promote rehabilitation and reintegration measures by implementing results of the European Parliament pilot project on the older workers; Stresses that extension of working life, which might occur due to current demographic changes, will require appropriate working conditions;
Amendment 339 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Welcomes the Commission's intention to establish a network of OSH professionals and scientists in order to better address future challenges;
Amendment 347 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Draws attention to the high risks in the manufacturing and construction sectors, which remain an important concern due to the high number of accidents in these sectors and should therefore continue to be addressed ;
Amendment 355 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to improvenvolve national experts in the improvement of the collection of reliable and comparable data on occupational diseases and occupational exposures with a view to identifying best practices and creating a common database on occupational exposures;
Amendment 361 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Draws attention to work related road safety, especially commuting accidents, due to the high mobility of workers and calls on the Commission and Member States to collect more data about accidents on the way to and from work;
Amendment 365 #
2015/2107(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Calls on the Commission, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and the Member States to collect data on the effects that the crisis may have had on occupational health and safety, including accidents and work-related diseases, with a focus on psycho-social risks, also in public sectors such as the police, who are exposed to high risks every day;
Amendment 9 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. having regard to the varying conditions under which women are employed as domestic workers or carers, which can be as undeclared, undocumented, casual or migrant workers with no contract, or no recognition of their qualifications; ; Or. fr (Some of the text deleted in this amendment has been moved to another recital (A d))
Amendment 17 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. having regard to the importance of the domestic work sector, which employed over 52 million people around the world in 2010, according to figures from the International Labour Organization (ILO), and a further 7.4 million domestic workers under the age of 15,
Amendment 23 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. having regard to the considerable feminisation of this sector in which, according to the ILO, women account for 83 % of the global domestic workforce in 2010,
Amendment 26 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. having regard to the fact that women and men employed as domestic workers or carers play an important role both economically and socially, as they enable their employers to have a better work-life balance as well as making it possible for many people to be available for work,
Amendment 29 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. having regard to the fact that many employed in this sector are undeclared workers, minors, migrant workers, workers with no contract or social security cover, casual workers or those with no recognition of their rights and qualifications,
Amendment 32 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. having regard to the difficulties women domestic workers and carers encounter in entering the regular labour market owing to legal or linguistic obstacles, and difficulties combining work and personal life, or the fact of being under 18, among other barriers, among other barriers, Or. fr (Some of the text deleted from here has been incorporated into a new recital.)
Amendment 69 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Encourages the Member States to ratify ILO Convention 189, and urges those who have already done so to apply it stringentlyas soon as possible so as to improve working conditions;
Amendment 85 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for measures to be taken to ensure full compliance with the law on issues affecti, to streng this group, to step up labour inspections so as to clamp downen inspection departments so as to tackle the problem onf unlawful behaviour and to facilitate anddeclared work and to incentivise legal hiring practices;
Amendment 109 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recommends the establishment of an office, a helpline and a website providing assistance and information on the rights of women workers in each Member StatCalls for the Member States to put in place and improve, in collaboration with social partners, the channels of information on the rights of women and men domestic workers and carers and to make sure that all of these workers actually receive this information; recommends to that end the establishment of an office, a helpline and a website providing assistance and information on the rights of women and men domestic workers and carers in each Member State; these three tools must also be developed so that they are able to answer any questions employers may have;
Amendment 125 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 178 #
2015/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 12 #
2015/2007(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Points out that digitalisation has a substantial impact on the labour market by modifying job dynamism, creating new job opportunities and more flexible working conditions such as telecommuting or teleworking which could serve as a an effective tool for better reconciliation of professional and domestic duties for both women and men;
Amendment 16 #
2015/2007(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Points out that low participation of women and girls in ICT-related education and later in employment is a result of a complex interplay of gender stereotyping that starts at early stages of life and education and continues to professional career; takes note of the fact that factors limiting women and girls from participating in the ICT education and employment include: lifelong stereotyping, segregation into "typically female and male" activities, hobbies and toys that starts at the earliest levels of education, a relative lack of female role models in the ICT sector as well as the limited visibility of women in this sector especially in leadership position;
Amendment 129 #
2014/2236(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Welcomes the fact that part of the funding for EaSI is earmarked to finance social enterprises;
Amendment 130 #
2014/2236(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Calls on the Commission to review the ceiling for loans to social enterprises laid down under the EaSI and determine whether this reflects market conditions;
Amendment 162 #
2014/0108(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) In order to ensure that PPE is examined on the basis of the state of the art the limit of validity of the EU type- examination certificate should set to a maximum of fiseven years. A process for reviewing the certificate should be provided for. Such review should consist of a simple and expedient procedure. A minimum content of the certificate should be required in order to facilitate the work of the market surveillance authorities.
Amendment 166 #
2014/0108(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) In order to take into account the progress of technical knowledge and new scientific evidence, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission to amend the list of PPE included in each category. It is of particular importance that the Commission carries out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level and consult representatives of employee and employer's organisations from sectors that habitually make use of PPE in their operations. The Commission, when preparing and drawing-up delegated acts, should ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and Council.
Amendment 170 #
2014/0108(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) Member States should lay down rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Regulation and ensure that they are implemented. Those penalties should be imposed expediently, be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
Amendment 196 #
2014/0108(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
2. At trade fairs, exhibitions, and demonstrations, Member States shall not prevent the showing of PPE which does not comply with this Regulation provided that a visible signs can be found within the area assigned to the exhibiting party that clearly indicates that the PPE does not comply with this Regulation and is not available on the market until it has been brought into conformity.
Amendment 215 #
2014/0108(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4
Article 10 – paragraph 4
4. Importers shall ensure that the PPE is accompanied by the instructions referred to in point 1.4 of Annex II in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users, as determined by the Member State concerned and when possible should be language neutral.
Amendment 217 #
2014/0108(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6
Article 10 – paragraph 6
6. Importers who consider or have reason to believe that PPE which they have placed on the market is not in conformity with this Regulation shall immediately take the corrective measures necessary to bring the PPE into conformity, to withdraw it or to recall it, as appropriate. Such action should be taken no later than five working works days from the day on which importers become aware of that information. Furthermore, where the PPE presents a risk, importers shall immediately inform the market surveillance authorities of the Member States in which they made the PPE available on the market to that effect, giving details, in particular, of the non- conformity and of any corrective measures taken.
Amendment 1 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas strong competition policy seeks to ensure the smooth running of the intprotect consumers from unfair, sub-optimal, non-competitive pricing; whereas a competitive equilibrium is genernal market and to optimise pricingly welfare-maximizing; whereas the purpose of competition policy is not to micromanage but to enforce clear and fair rules within which market forces can effectively function;
Amendment 4 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas ensuring competitive markets for goods and services increases demand for labour and thus employment and conversely a competitive labour market increases the availability of goods and services;
Amendment 6 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas the European Union is particularly concerned with youth unemployment in the Single Market and youth bear the brunt of unemployment caused by under-performing markets;
Amendment 7 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Protocol No 26 toArticle 14 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union guarantees wide discretion to public authorities in providing, commissioning and organising SGIEsestablishes that ordinary legislative procedure should be used to secure the conditions, particularly economic and financial, for the operation of services of general economic interest (SGEIs);
Amendment 8 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls the implementation, in 2012, of the State Aid Package; notes with satisfaction certain measures creating exemption from notification obligations for worthy public investments; calls on the Commission to take stock of the implementation of the Package;
Amendment 16 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the European Union is faced with major challenges in the fields of reindustrialisation, energy transition and digital equipment, which call for considerable investments; considers that it is the responsibility of public authorities to promote these investments; takes the view that competition policy must not act as a brake on these ‘'investments of the future’'; further notes that European labour markets suffer from a mismatch of skills between young job-seekers and employers and that public educational investments designed to counter youth unemployment complement, rather than contradict, the goals of competition policy;
Amendment 29 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Questions the notion of ‘'inappropriate aid’' notion introduced by the Commission; notes that the Court of Justice has found that a condition of efficiency is not appropriate to compensation for public services;
Amendment 32 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes the view that the social and solidarity economy mustshould benefit from special rules on state aid in view of the specific nature of its operation and objectives, as supporting non-profits and SGEIs does not cause market distortions;
Amendment 38 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that the type of dialogue engaged in by the Commissioner for Competition cannot replace genuineshould be combined with democratic control by Parliament;
Amendment 41 #
2013/2075(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Believes the Commission should look out for intra-EU dumping practices, whereby a firm, internationally or domestically, sells units below production price to bankrupt one or more competitor(s); calls on the Commission to limit accusations of dumping, within the EU and outside the EU, to situations where the intent is clearly to eliminate competition and not where a good was accidently over-produced;
Amendment 2 #
2012/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph A a (new)
Paragraph A a (new)
Aa. Whereas the Services Directive facilitates for self-employed persons and small and medium-sized enterprises to carry out and expand their business activities and to recruit staff in other member states
Amendment 36 #
2012/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Notes the significance of Points of Single Contact in providing a single interface that outlines all the necessary procedures for businesses, thus reducing administrative obstacles and encouraging business activities
Amendment 37 #
2012/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Recognises the need for developing a second generation of PSCs that are more user-friendly and facilitate the cross- border completion of procedures; stresses the importance of raising awareness for the existence of these PSCs and the benefits they provide
Amendment 20 #
2012/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, as far as the environment is concerned, the subsidiarity and proportionality principles imply a need for regulations to be implemented effectively through greater institutional cooperation and coordination between Member States;
Amendment 30 #
2012/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the task of implementing, and monitoring compliance with, EU environment legislation is shared with national, regional, and local authorities and thus strong communication between these authorities is crucial to the success of environmental regulation;
Amendment 60 #
2012/2104(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points to the importance of providing regional and local authorities with financial support and technical guidance where environmental matters are concerned so as to promote more effective environmental measures;
Amendment 12 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EU is founded on the principle of respect for human rights and, according to its treaties, has a legal obligation to place human rights at the core of its and the Member States' external policies, whether they relate to foreign affairs, trade or development cooperation; whereas, consequently, the EU has sought to include respect for human rights as an essential element in all agreements with third countr has a legal obligation outlined in its treaties to place human rights at the core of all policies between the EU and the Member States as well as at the core of all agreements with third countries; whereas, dialogues between the EU, Member States and third countries are followed by concrete measures designed to ensure human rights remain at the core of these policies;
Amendment 16 #
2012/2062(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas, in addition, the EU has established, in accordance with the variable nature of its contractual relations with third countries, a wide variety of tools forbetween the EU and third countries required the EU to establish a wide variety of tools such as the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the Cotonou Agreement and human rights dialogues and consultations to further engaginge third countries in promoting human rights and democracy; whereas these range from the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), whereby human rights subcommit, improving cooperation within international bodies in discussions on issues of common interes are tasked witht; whereas the ENP monitorings the implementation of agreed commitments, toand the Cotonou Agreement (which incluprovides afor consultation procedures in the event of violations) and human rights dialogues and consultations, where discussions focus on improving the situation with regard to human rights and democracy as well as on issues of common interest and better cooperation within international bodiehuman rights violations;
Amendment 2 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The imposition of the visa requirement on the nationals of Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu is no longer justified. These countries do not present any risk of illegal immigration or a threat to public policy for the Union in accordance with the criteria set out in recital 5 of Regulation (EC) N° 539/2001. Consequently, nationals of those countries should be exempt from the visa requirement for stays of no more than three months in all and references to those countries should be transferred to Annex II.
Amendment 4 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Exemption from the visa requirement for nationals of Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu should not come into force until bilateral agreements on visa waiver between the Union and the countries concerned have been concluded in order to ensure full reciprocity.
Amendment 6 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 1 – point a
Article 1 – point 1 – point a
(a) in point 1, the references to Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu are deleted and a reference to South-Sudan is inserted;
Amendment 7 #
2012/0309(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 2 – point a – two last references
Article 1 – point 2 – point a – two last references
"Tuvalu*", "United Arab Emirates*" and "Vanuatu*"
Amendment 72 #
2012/0011(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The economic and social integration resulting from the functioning of the internal market has led to a substantial increase in cross-border flowactivities. The exchange of data between economic and social, public and private actors across the Union increased. National authorities in the Member States are being called upon by Union law to co-operate and exchange personal data so as to be ablein order to perform their duties or carry out tasks on behalf of an authority in another Member State.
Amendment 73 #
2012/0011(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Rapid technological developments and globalisation have brought new challenges for the protection of personal data. The scale of data sharing and collecting has increased spectacularly. Technology allows both private companies and public authorities to make use of personal data on an unprecedented scale in order to pursuecarry out their activities. Individuals increasingly make personal information available publicly and globally. Technology has transformed both the economy and social life, and requires to furtherwhich led to the need to facilitate the free flow of data within the Union and thsecure transfer to third countries and international organisations, while ensuring an and ensure the highest level of the protection of personal data protection.
Amendment 3 #
2011/2293(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that volunteering involves citizens in local and cross-border development and therefore plays a role in fostering active citizenship, thereby strengthening social cohesion and participative democracy;
Amendment 13 #
2011/2293(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that volunteering contributes to fighting povertypoverty reduction while helping to achieve economic and social cohesion;
Amendment 23 #
2011/2285(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that this inequality has a strong negative impact on the lives of women, particularly after retirement age, as lower pay results in smaller pensions, for which reason a higher proportion of women than men suffer poverty in old age – 22% as against 16%;
Amendment 95 #
2011/2285(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Member States and social partners to adopt measures against discrimination on grounds of gender, against inequalities of training between men and women, against segregation of the labour market and to promote a successful balance between work and private life and complete transparency with regard to pay;
Amendment 112 #
2011/2285(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13 – point a
Paragraph 13 – point a
(a) specific measures to make it possible to reconcile work, training and further and training with family and private life,
Amendment 65 #
2011/2116(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Insists on the full involvement of all stakeholders in the revision process, while also highlighting the need to complete the process in a timely manner;
Amendment 34 #
2011/2082(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Agrees therefore with the Commission to recognise the status quo and move towards a destination principle; considers that a VAT system based on the place of establishment of the customerconsumption, for both goods and services, appears to be a promising route that should be further analysed and needs to be accompanied by the introduction of well- functioning one- stop-shops (OSS) by Member States; emphasises that the introduction of VAT OSS by 1 January 2015 should continue to be a key priority for the EU;
Amendment 20 #
2011/0461(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) By contributing to the further development of detection and early warning systems, the Union should assist Member States in minimising the lead time to respond to disasters and to alert Union citizens. These systems should take into account and build upon existing and future information sources and systems as well as encourage innovative approaches.
Amendment 21 #
2011/0461(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The Mechanism should make it possible to mobilise and facilitate coordination of assistance interventions. The reinforced cooperation should be based on a Union structure consisting of an emergency response centre, a European emergency response capacity in the form of a voluntary pool of pre-committed capacitiresources from the Member States, trained experts, a common emergency communication and information system managed by the Commission and contact points in the Member States. It should provide a framework for collecting validated emergency information, for disseminating that information to the Member States and for sharing lessons learnt from interventions with the shortest delay possible.
Amendment 23 #
2011/0461(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The availability of adequate means of transport needs to be improved to support the development of a rapid response capability at the Union level. The Union should support and supplement the efforts of Member States by facilitating the coordination and pooling of transport resources of Member States and contributing, where necessary, to the financing of additional means of transport subject to certain criteria.
Amendment 24 #
2011/0461(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) The objective of this Decision cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States alone, and can therefore, by reason of the scale or effeimpacts of the proposed action, taking into account the benefits resulting from the operation of the Mechanism in terms of reducing the loss of human life and damage, be better achieved at Union level. If a majorserious emergency overwhelms the response capabilities of an affected Member State, this State should be able to appeal to the Mechanism to supplement its own civil protection and other emergency response resources. The Union may therefore adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.
Amendment 30 #
2011/0461(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) By contributing to the further development of detection and early warning systems, the Union should's efforts are expected to assist Member States in minimising the lead time to respond to disasters and to alert Union citizens. These systems should take into account and build upon existing and future information sources and systems.
Amendment 36 #
2011/0401(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) In the Communication ‘A Budget for Europe 2020’, the Commission proposed to address with a single Common Strategic Frameworkgroup the three main sources of funding for Rresearch and Iinnovation (the areas covered in the period 2007-2013 under the Sevencurrent 7th Framework Programme for Research and the, the current innovation part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, as well as the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in order) under a single Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation (CSF). The Commission thereby aims to serve the Europe 2020 Strategy target of raising spending on Research and Development to 3 % of GDP by 2020. In that Communication, the Commission also committed to mainstream climate change into Union spending programmes and to direct at least 20 % of the Union budget to climate-related objectives. Climate action and resource efficiency are mutually reinforcing objectives for achieving sustainable development. The specific objectives relating to both should be complemented through the other specific objectives of Horizon 2020. As a result it is expected that at least 60% of the overall Horizon 2020 budget should be related to sustainable development. It is also expected that climate-related expenditure should exceed 35% of the budget, including mutually compatible measures improving resource efficiency. The Commission should provide information on the scale and results of support to climate change objectives. Climate-related expenditure under Horizon 2020 should be tracked in accordance with the methodology stated in that Communication.
Amendment 37 #
2011/0401(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation in the European Union (hereinafter ‘Horizon 2020’), focuses on three priorities, namely generating excellent sciencincreasing the level of scientific excellence in Europe in order to strengthen the Union's position as a world- class excellence in science base, fostering industrial leadership to support business, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and innovation and tackling societal challenges, in order to respond directly to the challenges identified in the Europe 2020 strategy by supporting activities covering the entire spectrum from research to market. Horizon 2020 should support all stages in the innovation chain, especially activities closer to the market including innovative financial instruments, as well as non-technological and social innovation, and aims to satisfy the research needs of a broad spectrum of Union policies by placing emphasis on the widest possible use and dissemination of knowledge generated by the supported activities up to its commercial exploitation. The priorities of Horizon 2020 should also be supported through a programme under the Euratom Treaty on nuclear research and training.
Amendment 252 #
2011/0371(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The renewed framework of cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018) should consider all young people as a resource in society and upholds their right toseeks to facilitate and enhance their participateion in the development of policies affecting them by means of a continuous structured dialogue between decision- makers and young people and youth organisations at all levels.
Amendment 277 #
2011/0371(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) It is necessary to strengthen the intensity and volume of European cooperation between schools, and of the mobility of school staff and learners in order to address the priorities set out in the Agenda for European cooperation on schools for the 21st century, namely to improve the quality of school education in the Union in the fields of competence development and in order to improve equity and inclusion within school systems and institutions, as well as to reinforce and provide support for the teaching profession and school leadership. In this context, particular importance should be given to the strategic targets on reducing early school leaving, improving performance in basic skills, improving participation and quality in early childhood education and care, as well as to should be prioritized along with targets on reinforcing the professional competences of school teachers and school leaders, and improving the educational chancopportunities of children with a migrant background and those at a socio economic disadvantage.
Amendment 20 #
2011/0370(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Treaty aims at an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe and confers on the Union the task, inter alia, of contributing to the flowering of cultures of Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time ensuring that the conditions necessary for the competitiveness of the Union's industry exist. In this respect, the Union, where necessary, supports and supplements Member States' actions to respectpromote cultural and linguistic diversity, strengthen the competitiveness of the European cultural and creative sectors and facilitate adaptation to industrial changes, in particular through vocational training.
Amendment 21 #
2011/0370(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The digital shift is having a massive impact on how cultural and creative goods and services are made, disseminated, accessed, consumed and monetised. These changes offer great opportunities for the European cultural and creative sectors. Lower distribution costs, new distribution channels and new opportunities for niche products can facilitate access and increase circulation worldwide. In order to seizefully take advantage of these opportunities and adapt to the context of the digital shift and globalisation, the cultural and creative sectors need to develop new skills and require greater access to finance to upgrade equipment, develop new production and distribution methods and adapt their business models.
Amendment 22 #
2011/0370(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) One of the greatest challenges of the cultural and creative sectors, especially small operators including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro-enterprises, is their difficulty accessing the funds they need to finance their activities, grow, in order to maintain their competitiveness and growth or internationalise. While this is a common challenge for SMEs in general, the situation is significantly more difficult in the cultural and creative sectors due to the intangible nature of many of their assets, the prototype profile of their activities, the lack of investment-readinesscentric knowledge of the operators in the sectors as well as the insufficient investor-readiness of financial institutions.
Amendment 30 #
2011/0370(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Treaty aims at an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe and confers on the Union the task, inter alia, of contributing to the flowering of cultures of Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time. It further confers on the Union the task of ensuring that the conditions necessary for the competitiveness of the Union's industry exist. In this respect, the Union, where necessary, supports and supplements Member States' actions to both respect and promote cultural and linguistic diversity, strengthen the competitiveness of the European cultural and creative sectors and facilitate adaptation to industrial changes, in particular through vocational training.
Amendment 32 #
2011/0370(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The ‘European agenda for culture in a globalizing world, endorsed by the Council in a Resolution of 16 November 2007 sets the objectives for future activities of the European Union for the cultural and creative sectors. It aims to promote cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, to promote culture as a catalyst for creativity in the framework of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs and to promote culture as a vital element in the Union's international relations.
Amendment 58 #
2011/0365(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The Fund should therefore be established as a comprehensive framework for EU financial support in the field of internal security comprising the instrument established by this Regulation, relating to external borders and visa, as well as the instrument established by Regulation ….../2012/EU establishing as part of the Internal Security Fund, the instrument for financial support for police co-operation, preventing and combating crime, and crisis management. Thisese two instruments should function, to the extent possible, with identical delivery mechanisms, as a comprehensive framework, which should be complemented by Regulation ….../2012/EU laying down general provisions on the Asylum and Migration Fund and on the instrument for financial support for police co-operation, preventing and combating crime, and crisis management to which this Regulation should refer as regards rules on programming, financial management, management and control, clearance of accounts, closure of programmes and reporting and evaluation.
Amendment 62 #
2011/0365(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) The Instrument should also support the development by the European Union of new, large-scale IT systems which would equip Member States with the tools to manage the movement of third-country nationals across borders more efficiently and to ensure a bettermore effective identification and verification of travellers (‘"smart borders’)"), thereby enhancing border security and generating positive economic impacts. To this end, a programme should be established the aim of which is to cover cost for the development of both the central and national components of such systems, ensuring technical consistency, cost savings and a smooth implementation in the Member States.
Amendment 64 #
2011/0365(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) To safeguard the application of the Schengen acquis and facilitate legal travel throughout the Schengen area, the implementation of the Regulation on the establishmentis Regulation should support the establishment and implementation of an evaluation and monitoring mechanism to verify the application of the Schengen acquis should also be supported under this Regulation, a. Such a mechanism is an essential tool to accompany the policies ensuring the absence of any controls on persons.
Amendment 9 #
2011/0330(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14a) Personal data processed in accordance with this Regulation should be kept for no longer than is necessary, in compliance with the applicable national and Union law.
Amendment 10 #
2011/0330(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) For the purposes of an effective application of this Regulation, it may be necessary to limit the scope of certain rights and obligations laid down by Directive 95/46/EC, specifically the rights defined in Articles 10, 11(1), 12 and 21 thereof, in order to safeguard the interests referred to in Article 13(1) (e) of that Directive, , bearing in mind the potential loss of revenue for Member States and the crucial importance of information covered by this Regulation for the effectiveness of the fight against fraud. Member States should be obliged to apply such limitations, to the extent they are necessary and proportionate. Given the need to preserve evidence in cases of suspected fiscal irregularities or fraud limitations and to prevent interference with the correct assessment of compliance with excise legislation it may be necessary to restrict the obligations of the data controller and the rights of the data subject relating to the provision of information, access to data and publicising of processing operations, in the course of the exchange of personal data under this Regulation.
Amendment 11 #
2011/0330(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of Articles 8, 16, 19, 20, 21 and 34 ofthis Regulation, and to describe the main categories of data that can be exchanged by Member States under this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by the Member States of the Commission's exercise of implementing powers11 .
Amendment 12 #
2011/0330(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20 a (new)
Recital 20 a (new)
(20a) Processing of personal data relating to offences, criminal convictions or security measures is to be carried out in accordance with Article 8(5) of Directive 95/46/EC or Article 10(5) of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001.
Amendment 14 #
2011/0330(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25 a (new)
Recital 25 a (new)
(25a) The Commission should establish a new VAT and excise duties forum, similar to the Joint Transfer Pricing Forum (JTPF), within which companies can address issues relating to corporate VAT and disputes between Member States.
Amendment 36 #
2011/0330(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 28 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 39 #
2011/0330(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 2
Article 32 – paragraph 2
2. Provided the third country concerned has given a legal undertaking to provide the assistance required to gather evidence of the irregular nature of transactions which appear to contravene excise legislation, information obtained under this Regulation may be communicated by a competent authority of a Member State to that third country, with the consent of the competent authorities which supplied the information, in accordance with their national law, for the same purposes for which this information has been supplied and in compliance with Directive 95/46/EC, in particularcluding the provisions on transfers of personal data to third countries, and the national legal measures implementing the Directive.
Amendment 24 #
2011/0269(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) On 26 March 2010, the European Council agreed to the Commission's proposal to launch a new strategy, Europe 2020. One of the three priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy is inclusive growth by empowering people through high levels ofraising Europe's employment rate, investing in skills, fighting poverty and and training, modernising labour markets, training and social protection systems so as to help people anticipate and manage change, and build a and welfare systems, and ensuring the benefits of growth reach all parts of the EU. This strategy is aimed at fostering a high- employment economy and cohesive society.
Amendment 28 #
2011/0269(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on ‘'A budget for Europe 2020’' recognises the role of the EGF as a flexible fund to support workers who lose their jobs and help them to find another job as rapidly as possibleredundant workers in finding and retaining new jobs. The Union should continue to provide, for the duration of the Multiannual Financial Framework from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020, specific, one-off support to facilitate the re- integration into employment of redundant workers in areas, sectors, territories or labour markets suffering the shock of serious economic disruption. Given its purpose, which is to provide support in situations of urgency and unexpected circumstances, the EGF should remain outside the Multiannual Financial Framework.
Amendment 31 #
2011/0269(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The scope of Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 was broadened in 2009 by Regulation (EC) No 546/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council as part of the European Economic Recovery plan to include workers made redundant as a result of the global financial and economic crisis. In order to enable the EGF to intervene in future crisis situations, its scope should cover redundancies resulting from a serious economic disruption when caused by an unexpected crisis comparable to the financial and economic crisis thatn unexpected crisis causing major recession or collapse of the financial system comparable to that which hit the economy fromin 2008 onwards.
Amendment 43 #
2011/0269(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Redundant workers should have equal access to the EGF independently of their type of employment contract or employment relationship. Therefore, workers with fixed term contracts and, temporary agency workers made redundant as well as, owner- managers of micro-, small- and medium- sized enterprises and, self-employed workers who cease their activities and farmers, who changease or adjust their current activities to a new market situation following trade agreements, should be regarded as redundant workers for the purposes of this Regulation.
Amendment 47 #
2011/0269(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Financial contributions from the EGF should be primarily directed at active labour market measures aimed atfacilitating long- term employment, which aim to rapidly reintegratinge redundant workers rapidly into employment, either within or outside their initial sector of activity, including the agricultural sector. The inclusion of pecuniary allowances in a coordinated package of personalised services should therefore be restricted, in addition to other measures that are the responsibility of Member States or companies by virtue of national law or collective agreements.
Amendment 65 #
2011/0269(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) In the interest of the redundant workers, theassistance should be dynamic and made available as quickly and efficiently as possible. Member States and the Union institutions involved in the EGF decision- making process should do their utmost to reduce processing time and simplify procedures so as to ensure a smooth and rapid adoption of the decisions on the mobilisation of the EGF.
Amendment 15 #
Amendment 127 #
2011/0152(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. Taking account of technical progress and the availability of measures to control the production of electromagnetic fields at the source, the exposure to harmful electromagnetic fields shall be eliminated or reduced to a minimum.
Amendment 171 #
2011/0152(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
For exposure in the range from 100 kHz up to 300 GHz, and in any event where exposure above the exposure limit values is detected, a medical examination shall be made available to the worker(s) concerned in accordance with national law and practice. If health damage resulting from such exposure is detected, a reassessment of the risks and protection and prevention measures shall be carried out by the employer in accordance with Article 4.
Amendment 1 #
2010/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission proposal of 27 April 2010 for a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States: Part II of the Europe 2020 Integrated Guidelines (COM(2010)0193), and its resolution of 8 September 20101 in respect thereof, _____________________ 1 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2010)0309
Amendment 6 #
2010/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Establish a sound and transparent surveillance framework composed of two pillars –- economic policies and employment policies –- based on Articles 121 and 148 TFEU. Under the employment pillar, as part of the revised and reinforced European Employment Strategy, such a framework should enable the assessment of the appropriateness of employment policies in the light of the Guidelines for the Employment Policies so as to allow the drawing up of genuine guidance, taking into account the European dimension and spill-over effects, and their subsequent translation into domestic policymaking. In addition, timely recommendations of a preventive nature should be established in order to address the main weaknesses and challenges faced by Member States' employment policies and labour markets.
Amendment 15 #
2010/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. In all budgetary assessments, structural reforms undertaken by Member States should explicitly be taken into account, in particular pension and health care reforms aimed at addressing the demographic developments and contributing to the sustainability of public finances.
Amendment 20 #
2010/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Make provision for the EP to be appropriately involved in the surveillance cycle of economic and employment policies. In this context, the timing and process of adoption of Integrated Guidelines, in particular the Guidelines for the Employment Policies should be framed in such a way as to allow the European Parliament the necessary time to fulfil its consultative role under Article 148(2) TFEU.
Amendment 32 #
2010/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Implement a sanctioning system whichusing the EU budget as complementary leverage to ensure compliance with the key macroeconomic conditions. That sanctioning system should, however, excludes any budget lines aimed at improving the employment and social conditions of workers, in particular the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF). In addition, the sanctioning system should clearly distinguish between funds which are attributed to national budgets and those targeted at individual workers and citizens.
Amendment 37 #
2010/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Encourage measures supporting sound remuneration policies that focus on long- term sustainable growth rather than short- term gains and prevent the practices in the financial sector, especially in the banks and in some listed companies, which have resulted in disproportionately high remuneration and which are based on securing short-term profits, through the creation of high risk business models to the detriment of workers and savers, as well as to the financial stability of European markets. Such initiatives should be applied throughout the financial sector.
Amendment 40 #
2010/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Subtitle (new) and Paragraph 8 a (new)
Subtitle (new) and Paragraph 8 a (new)
On improving the reliability of EU statistics 8 a. Ensure the availability at EU level and increase the timeliness of employment and social situation statistics and data relevant to the proposed governance framework.
Amendment 197 #
2010/2099(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex 1 – heading 4 – introductory part
Annex 1 – heading 4 – introductory part
Recommendation 4 : Establish a robust and credible excessive debt prevention and resolutionlast resort mechanism for the euro area An impact assessment and feasibility study should be undertaken before any legislative act (based Articles 122, 125, 329 (enhanced cooperation) and 352 TFEU or any other appropriate legal base) aiming to:
Amendment 202 #
2010/2099(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Annex 1 – heading 4 – indent 1
Annex 1 – heading 4 – indent 1
– Establish a permanent mechanism or body (European Monetary Fund) as a overseer of sovereign debt developments and as a last resort mechanism for cases in which market financing is no longer available; it shall be based on existing mechanisms (the European Financial Stability Facility, the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism and the European balance of payments instrument) with clear rules on theand shall include clear rules inter alia on the following aspects: - on decision-making procedure, and funding, - on conditionality for exceptional loans, - on monitoring, rules on burden-sharing, and- on resources and powers i- on order to facilitate borrowing and lending activity in exceptional circumstances and in order to facilitate orderly resolution avoiding contagion and ring-fencing sovereign debt insolvency, if neededly resolution of sovereign debt in order to avoid contagion, such as a harmonized legal templates for possible restructuring and/or repayment terms of sovereign debt.
Amendment 47 #
2010/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
2. There is a need to build upon the experience gained during the first decade of functioning of the economic and monetary union regarding macroeconomic imbalances.
Amendment 58 #
2010/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) ‘imbalances’ means macroeconomic developments which are adversely affecting, or have the potential to adversely to affect, the proper functioning of the economy or the competitiveness of a Member State or of economic and monetary union, or of the Union as a whole.
Amendment 61 #
2010/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall, after consultation with Member States and the European Parliament, establish an indicative scoreboard as a tool to facilitate early identification and monitoring of imbalances.
Amendment 66 #
2010/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. The scoreboard shall be made up of an array of macroeconomic and macrofinancial indicators fo, which are adequate to measure the economic equilibrium and competitiveness of the Member States in comparison to other Member States. The Commission may set indicative lower or upper thresholds for these indicators to serve as alert levels. The thresholds applicable to Member States whose currency is the euro may be different from those applicable to the other Member States.
Amendment 69 #
2010/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. The list of indicators to be included in the scoreboard and the thresholds should allow the detection of internal and external macroeconomic imbalances.
Amendment 76 #
2010/0281(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. The release of the updated scoreboard shall be accompanied by a Commission report containing an economic and financial assessment putting the movement of the indicators into perspective, drawing if necessary on any other economic and financial or structural indicator relevant to detection of imbalances. The report shall also indicate whether the crossing of lower or upper thresholds in one or more Member States signifies the possible emergence of imbalances.
Amendment 68 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The content of the stability and convergence programmes as well as the criteriaprocedure for their examination should further be adapteddeveloped both at national and at the Union level in the light of the experience gained with the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact.
Amendment 71 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Adherence to the medium-term budgetary objective of budgetary positions should allow Member States to have a safety margin with respect to the 3% of GDP reference value in order to ensure sustainable public finances or a rapid progress towards sustainability and to have, while leaving room for budgetary manoeuvre, in particular taking into account the needs of public investment.
Amendment 78 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) A temporary departure from prudent fiscal policy-making should exceptionally be allowed in case of severe economic downturn of a general nature in order to facilitate economic recovery.
Amendment 80 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) In the event of a significant deviation from prudent fiscal-policy a warning should be addressed to the Member State concerned and in case the significant deviation persists or is particularly serious, a recommendation should be addressed to the Member State concerned to take the necessary corrective measures. The European Parliament may invite the Member State concerned to explain its policies in this respect before its competent committee.
Amendment 83 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In order to ensure compliance with the fiscal surveillance framework of the Union for participating Member States, a specific enforcement mechanism should be established on the basis of Article 136 of the TreatyTFEU for cases where a persistent and significant deviation from prudent fiscal policy making, lack of action or an unwillingness to cooperate prevails.
Amendment 86 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 2 – point c
Article 1 – point 2 – point c
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. The information about the paths for the general government balance and debt ratio, the growth of government expenditure, the planned growth path of government revenue at unchanged policy, the planned discretionary revenue measures, the paths for growth and indicators of the competitiveness of the economy and the main economic assumptions referred to in paragraph 2(a) and (b) shall be on an annual basis and shall cover, the preceding year, the current year and at least the following three years.
Amendment 87 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. Based on assessments by the Commission and the Economic and Financial Committee, the Council shall, within the framework of multilateral surveillance under Article 121 of the TreatyTFEU, examine the medium-term budgetary objectives and the expected path of the general debt ratio as presented by the Member States concerned in their stability programmes, assess whether the economic assumptions on which the programme is based are plausible, whether the adjustment path towards the medium- term budgetary objective is appropriate and whether the measures being taken or proposed to respect that adjustment path are sufficient to achieve the medium-term budgetary objective over the cycle.
Amendment 97 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 6
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 6
When defining the adjustment path to the medium-term budgetary objective for Member States that have not yet reached this objective and in allowing a temporary deviation from this objective for Member States that have already reached it, under the condition that an appropriate safety margin with respect to the deficit reference value is preserved and that the budgetary position is expected to return to the medium-term budgetary objective within the programme period, the Council shallmay only take into account the implementation of major structural reforms which have direct long-term cost-saving effects, including by raising potential growth, and therefore a verifiable impact on the long- term sustainability of public finances.
Amendment 100 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 7
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 7
Amendment 103 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 9
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 9
Amendment 112 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 6 – point c
Article 1 – point 6 – point c
3. The information about the paths for the general government balance and debt ratio, the growth of government expenditure, the planned growth path of government revenue at unchanged policy, the planned discretionary revenue measures, the path for growth and indicators of competitiveness of the economy and the main economic assumptions referred to in paragraph 2(a) and (b) shall be on an annual basis and shall cover the preceding year, the current year and at least the following three years.
Amendment 113 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. Based on assessments by the Commission and the Economic and Financial Committee, the Council shall, within the framework of multilateral surveillance under Article 121 of the TreatyTFEU, examine the medium-term budgetary objectives and the expected path of the general debt ratio as presented by the Member States concerned in their convergence programmes, assess whether the economic assumptions on which the programme is based are plausible, whether the adjustment path towards the medium- term budgetary objective is appropriate and whether the measures being taken and/or proposed to respect that adjustment path are sufficient to achieve the medium-term budgetary objective over the cycle and to achieve sustained convergence.
Amendment 118 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
When defining the adjustment path to the medium-term budgetary objective for Member States that have not yet reached this objective and in allowing a temporary deviation from this objective for Member States that have already reached it, under the condition that an appropriate safety margin with respect to the deficit reference value is preserved and that the budgetary position is expected to return to the medium-term budgetary objective within the programme period, the Council shallmay only take into account the implementation of major structural reforms which have direct long-term cost-saving effects, including by raising potential growth, and therefore a verifiable impact on the long- term sustainability of public finances.
Amendment 121 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 7
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 7
Amendment 123 #
2010/0280(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Regulation (EC) No 1466/97
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 9
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 9
Amendment 14 #
2010/0277(NLE)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – introductory part
Article 5 – introductory part
Member States shall have in place numerical fiscal rules that effectively promote compliance with their respective obligations deriving from the TreatyFEU in the area of budgetary policy, while allowing room for manoeuvre for structural reforms that are conducive to the achievement of the Union's growth and job objectives. Such rules shall include in particular:
Amendment 29 #
2010/0276(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 2 – point b
Article 1 – point 2 – point b
Regulation (EC) No 1467/97
Article 2 – paragraph 1a
Article 2 – paragraph 1a
1a. When it exceeds the reference value, the ratio of the government debt to gross domestic product (GDP) is to be considered sufficiently diminishing and approaching the reference value at a satisfactory pace in accordance with Article 126 (2) (b) of the Treaty if the differential with respect to the reference value has reduced over the previous three years at an average rate of the order of one-twentieth per year, as a benchmark, following an assessment made over a three-year period. For a period of 3 years from [date of entering into force of this Regulation - to be inserted], account shall be taken of the backward-looking nature of this indicator in its application.
Amendment 188 #
2010/0276(CNS)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 2 – point c
Article 1 – point 2 – point c
Regulation (EC) No 1467/97
Article 2 – paragraph 3
Article 2 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission, when preparing a report under Article 126(3) of the Treaty shall take into account all relevant factors as indicated in that Article to the extent they affect significantly the assessment of compliance with the deficit and debt criteria by the concerned Member State. The report shall appropriately reflect: – The developments in the medium-term economic position (in particular potential growth, prevailing cyclical condimedium- term rate of potential growth and cyclical developments, inflations, inflation,the implementation of policies in the context of common growth strategy of the Union and the prevention and correction of excessive macroeconomic imbalances) and; – The developments in the medium-term budgetary position (in particular, fiscal consolidation efforts in “good times”,, quality public investment in particular regarding R&D, the implementation of policies in the context of the common growth strategy for the Union and the overall quality of public finances, in particular, compliance with Council Directive […] on requirements for budgetary frameworks of the Member States).the effectiveness of national budgetary frameworks); – The developments of the current public expenditure should also be taken into account in particular that it remains stable in real terms; – The report shall also analyse developments in the medium-term government debt position as relevant (in particular, it appropriately reflects, its dynamics and sustainability (in particular, risk factors including the maturity structure and currency denomination of the debt, stock- flow operaadjustment and its compositions, accumulated reserves and other governmentfinancial assets; guarantees, notably linked to the financial sector; implicit liabilities both explicit and implicit related to ageing and private debt to the extent that it may represent a contingent implicit liability for the government).; Furthermore, the Commission shall give due consideration to any other factors which, in the opinion of the Member State concerned, are relevant in order to comprehensively assess in qualitative terms the excess over the reference valuecompliance with deficit and debt criteria and which the Member State has put forward to the Commission and to the Council. In that context, special consideration shall be given to financial contributions to fostering international solidarity and to achieving Union policy goals, including financial stability. in particular debt incurred in the form of bilateral and multilateral support between Member States in the context of financial and sovereign debt crisis. When preparing a report, the Commission may request additional information from the Member State concerned.
Amendment 149 #
2010/0207(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) ‘target level’ means 1.50% of eligiblecovered deposits for the coverage of which a Deposit Guarantee Scheme is responsible;
Amendment 31 #
2009/2221(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Council and the Commission to define a job strategy for the EU that combines financial instruments and employment policies in order to avoid "jobless growth", and entails setting ambitious benchmarks for the employment of young people, whilst ensuring that the Parliament is involved in the decision- making process;
Amendment 54 #
2009/2221(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to expand financial capacity fornsure better use of the European Social Fund, to earmark a minimum of 10 % of this fund for projects targeting young people and to ease access to the fund; urges the Member States to improve their targeting of youth;
Amendment 60 #
2009/2221(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Member States to intensify efforts to reduce early school leaving in order to achieve the Lisbon goal of no more than 10 % of early school leavers by 2012goals set out in the EU2020 Strategy; invites the Member States to make use of a wide range of measures to fight early school leaving, e.g. lowering the number of students in each class, introducing mentors at all schools, establishing an immediate follow up of early school leavers that should include career counselling facilities; points to Finland which has succeeded in reducing the number of early school leavers; invites the Commission to coordinate a project on best practices;
Amendment 123 #
2009/2221(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on Member States and the Commission to provide better childcare opportunities for young parents, thus facilitating the possibility for young motherparents to participate in the labour market;
Amendment 138 #
2009/2221(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recognises the importance of young people being able to be financially independent and calls for Member States to ensure that all young people are individually entitled to a minimum level of income, when pursuing initiatives such as those falling within the ambit of the Lifelong Learning Programme, that secures for them the possibility of creating an independent adult life;
Amendment 145 #
2009/2221(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls for new binding youth benchmarks; invites the Commission to evaluate existing youth benchmarks and the Youth Guarantee every year in order to deliver results and progress;
Amendment 148 #
2009/2221(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
Amendment 83 #
2009/0096(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. To implement the actions referred to in Article 4(1), except for the support measures referred to in point (d) of Article 4(1), the Commission shall conclude agreements with international financial institutions, in particular with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), in accordance with Article 53d of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 and Article 43 of Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002. These agreements shall contain detailed provisions for the implementation of the tasks entrusted to them, including the necessity to ensure additionality with national schemes. and coordination with existing European and national financial instruments, relevant social support measures and regional and local programmes. In order to ensure equitable coverage and fair distribution between Member States, a minimum pre- allocation of the Facility is to be guaranteed to each Member State.
Amendment 10 #
2009/0009(CNS)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) To help small and medium sized enterprises that encounter difficulties to pay the VAT to the competent authority before they have received payment from their customers, Member States should have the option of allowing VAT to be accounted using a cash accounting scheme which allows the supplier to pay VAT to the competent authority when he receives payment for a supply and which establishes his right of deduction when he pays for the supply. This should allow Member States to introduce an optional cash accounting scheme that does not have a negative effect on cash flow relating to their VAT receipts.
Amendment 11 #
2009/0009(CNS)
Proposal for a directive – amending act
Article 1 – point 8
Article 1 – point 8
Directive 2006/112/EC
Article 167a – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 167a – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. Member States mayshall provide within an optional scheme that taxable persons must, when the following conditions are met, postpone the right of deduction until the VAT has been paid to the supplier: