20 Amendments of Andreas SCHWAB related to 2015/2061(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
- having regard to the European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee resolution of 17 March 2015 on Industrial Policy in Europe,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 b (new)
Citation 22 b (new)
- having regard to the European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee resolution of 17 March 2015 on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and its possible implications for the EEA EFTA States,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24
Citation 24
- having regard to the 345th EEA EFTA States Internal Market Scoreboard,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with concern that according to the EEA EFTA States Internal Market Scoreboard, the current average transposition deficit of the three EFTA states has increased to 1.92 % from 0.51.9 % in NovemberJuly 20114;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Points out that the EEA EFTA states are involved in many EU programmes and agencies and in practical cooperation measures, such as the Internal Market Information System or SOLVIT, and contribute to EU cohesion through the EEA and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism; takes the view that this cooperation fosters the effective functioning of an enlarged Single Market;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that the backlog of legal acts pending incorporation remains a concern, and therefore urges the EEA EFTA states to step up their efforts in close cooperation with the EU in order to uphold the integrity of the Single Market;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Acknowledges that prior agreement by all the EEA EFTA states regarding the determination of EEA-relevance is necessary and that technical adaptations may be required before incorporation; is concerned, however, that increasingthe many requests for adaptations and exceptions are leading to unnecessary delays and may fragmenting the Single Market; strongly calls on these countries to remedy this situation and to ensure a level playing field in the extended Single Market;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Points out that the EU and the USA are currently negotiating a comprehensive free trade and investment agreement; emphasises that, under the terms of the EEA Agreement, the EEA EFTA states apply single market rules and that the impact of a successful trade and investment partnership would probably also affect the EEA EFTA states; emphasises, further, that the conclusion of TTIP must not lead to new trade barriers being set up between the EU and the EEA EFTA states;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the factIs concerned that Liechtenstein reduced it’s transposition deficit increased from 10.7 % to 0.7 %, which is below the deficit target1.2 %; is concerned, howevfurther, by the fact that its legislation concerning the entry and residence rights of certain family members of EEA nationals and the restrictions imposed on EEA nationals residing in Liechtenstein from taking up employment in another EEA state, which Liechtenstein sees as an arrangement based on special quota rules under the EEA Agreement, does not seem to be fully in line with EEA law;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Takes note of the letter of 12 March 2015 sent by the Icelandic Government on its position as a candidate country for EU membership; strongly urges Iceland to step up its efforts to fulfil its obligations under the EEA Agreement given that it has a transposition deficit of 3.12.8 %, which is the highest of all the states concerned;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the fact that Norway, with whom ties have strengthened over the past years, is part of the Frontrunners initiative, which aims to improve the Single Market; notes, however, that the transposition deficit has increased to 2.0 % and urges Norway to step up its efforts in this regard in particular with a view to completing the internal energy market;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes in this context the opening of the negotiations in May 2014 for an institutional framework as a precondition for the further development of a bilateral approach; stresses that without such a framework agreement no further agreements on Swiss participation in the internal market, including the Electricity Agreement, will be concluded; urges the Swiss Government to step up its efforts to progress with the negotiations on the outstanding issues;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes note of the outcome of the referendum of 9 February 2014 on the ‘Against Mass Immigration’ popular initiative and the decisions taken on 11 February 2015 by the Swiss Federal Council in relation to its implementation of a draft implementing law and new flanking measures; expects Switzerland to respect its obligations in particular those stemming from the Free Movement of Persons Agreement (FMPA); points out that the question of migration of citizens from third countries should not be confused with the free movement of persons as enshrined in the Treaties; notes in this respect that Switzerland has introduced unilateral measures in order to avoid discrimination against Croatian citizens but considers that these measures fall short of the Protocol extending the FMPA to include Croatia and that ratifying that Protocol would also clear the way for Switzerland's involvement in the Horizon 2020 programme to continue and be extended;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Reiterates that the free movement of persons is one of the fundamental freedoms and a pillar of the Single Market and that it always has been an inseparable part of and precondition for the bilateral approach between the EU and Switzerland; therefore fully supports the EU’s rejection of July 2014 of the Swiss Authorities’ request to renegotiate the FMPA with a view to introducing a quota or a national preference system; notes with concern reports concerning the application by some firms and cantons of a national preference system, and points out that such a practice is at odds with the agreement on freedom of movement;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Urges that the current practice whereby taxi firms from EU Member States can provide services in Switzerland without restriction should continue, as it has long contributed to economic development in Swiss border regions and is mutually beneficial;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Calls on the Commission to scrutinise more closely the implications of the purchase and leasing of land by Swiss farmers in EU border regions;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Deplores the introduction and subsequent tightening-up by Switzerland of unilateral flanking measures, such as the charging of fees to cover administrative costs, the requirement to constitute bonds or a combination of such measures, as these are seriously hampering the provision of services, in particular by SMUs, in Switzerland under the agreement; calls on Switzerland to revise these measures in order to bring them into line with the agreement on freedom of movement;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Takes the view that the implementation in 2013 of Directive 2005/36 on the recognition of professional qualifications was long overdue and calls for a swift transposiincorporation of Directive 2013/55 amending itin the annex to the agreement on freedom of movement in the expectation that Switzerland will find ways of ensuring that the agreement remains in force;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls on the Commission, in future, to consider all the implications for EU regions bordering on Switzerland of the introduction of new rules, such as the recent amendment of Article 561 of the regulation implementing the Customs Code to impose tight restrictions on the use for private purposes by employees resident on the customs territory of the EU of company cars registered in a third country;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Notes that in overall terms cooperation under the Agreement on mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment (MRA) is satisfactory, but that the functioning of the agreement could be substantially improved if Switzerland were to pledge to update it consistently in line with developments in EU law;