28 Amendments of Maria MATSOUKA related to 2007/2290(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Title
Title
on the future of social security systems and pensions: and their financing and the trend towards individualisation
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5
Citation 5
- having regard to the UN Convention concerning MinimumInternational Labour Convention (ILC) 102/1952 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) concerning Standards of Social Security 1952,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)
Citation 5 a (new)
- having regard to certain additional basic international labour conventions on social security such as: ILC 103/1952 (concerning maternity protection), ILC 117/1962 (concerning Basic Aims and Standards of Social Policy), ILC 118/1962 (concerning equality of treatment), ILC 128/1967 (concerning invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors' Benefits), ILC 130/1969 (concerning Medical Care and Sickness Benefits) and ILC 183/2000 (concerning Maternity Protection),
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)
Citation 5 b (new)
- having regard to the results of the 95th Convention of the International Labour Organisation – Changing Patterns in the World of Labour, Report 1C, ILO – Geneva 2006,
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital - A a (new)
Recital - A a (new)
- Aa. whereas the development of the operation and funding of social security systems is a particularly important and also a complex matter, since it is linked with a number of different issues, namely economic (development, productivity), social (labour relations, solidarity), political, cultural, demographic and legal issues,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital - A b (new)
Recital - A b (new)
-Ab. whereas social security means a financial and social institution which: • is established, operated, managed and funded (usually partly) by the state and also collectively through contributions or contributions and taxes paid by insured persons, • is characterised by its mandatory nature, the adequacy of its services and its universality, • highlights the element of social solidarity, • covers the nine (9) branches of International Labour Convention (ILC) 102/1952 and seeks to protect employment (insurance against unemployment), income (pension) and ability to work (health insurance),
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas, due to lower proportions of unemployed people, unemployment benefit spending will fall by about 0,6 percentage points of GDP by 2050, a decrease that is very modest and will not compensate higher expenditure in other sectobe able to be compensated by the corresponding contributions of employees owing to the extension of precarious jobs and the increase in the number of poor workers,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the funding of social security systems is directly and decisively linked to labour relations at various levels, like (a) unemployment and the extension of the 'quantity' and 'quality' of jobs, (b) the proportion of persons of working age in the workforce, (c) the structure and duration of work, i.e. two factors which may have adverse consequences for the health and safety of workers and (d) an extension of uninsured, 'black' work,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas the adverse impact on the operation of the funding of (public) pensions may be mitigated or even completely averted through the creation of favourable conditions in the labour market (stable employment, decent incomes and a reduction in unemployment),
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the term social security does not mean the relationship between spending and revenue but is rather a social contract, a relationship between rights and obligations both for citizens and for the state and should be treated as such; whereas, under no circumstances should the budgetary character of social security, however, be undermined,
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas each government should have two basic objectives in respect of social security: firstly to satisfy social needs through the social security system, and secondly, to ensure the financial viability of the system. In any case care must be taken to ensure that the insurance system is constantly adjusted and is able to finance both old needs and the new needs that arise,
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas most academic studies agree that universal cover social security systems (first pillar) continue to be better placed to meet the challenges of post- industrial society and the new social risks,
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E c (new)
Recital E c (new)
Ec. whereas employers' social security contributions do not constitute additional 'labour costs' but are rather an investment, since they contribute to boosting productivity and for this reason it is the countries with high social spending that are the most competitive,
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph - 1 (new)
Paragraph - 1 (new)
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph - 1 a (new)
Paragraph - 1 a (new)
- 1a. Takes the view that the basic objective of any changes in the social security systems should be to: (a) cover all the social needs of all citizens, (b) highlight social justice, and (c) promote the effectiveness of social actions;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph - 1 b (new)
Paragraph - 1 b (new)
-1b. Takes the view that the basic principles on which any new social security system is to be based must promote: (a) the possibility of redistribution, (b) inter-generational solidarity and (c) solidarity between social groups;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Urges the Member States, in the light of the Lisbon strategy and the need for actionll social needs to be covered to keep the social security and pensions systems sustainable, to make more progress in shifting from abalancing social expenditure to aand social activation outlook and to attract and retain more people in quality employment, increase labour supply, modernise social protection systems and increase investment in human capital through better education and training;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights, in the context of current demographic, economic and social trends and the prevention of inter-generational and inter-societal conflicts, the importance of finding new models for the distribution of costs and benefits among what will be a smaller economically active and a larger economically inactive population in an efficient and equitable mannerthe role which governments should play since, on the one hand, they must promote policies to support the financial viability of the system while, on the other, they must ensure that all social needs are covered;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that the core of European social models is solidarity between economically active and economically inactive peoplethe generations and the social groups, primarily financed by work-related earnings, such as social security contributions or labour taxation; nevertheless points out that the ageing population will put serious pressure on the active work force; stresses that this could jeopardise solidarity and as a consequence European social modelcontributions of workers and employers or taxation, or contributions and taxation (ILC 102/1952, Article 71, paragraph 1); nevertheless points out that the ageing population will put serious pressure on the active work force unless suitable measures are taken to address the low birth rate which is to a great extent associated with the lack of security in recent labour relations; stresses the significant importance, therefore, of rethmaintainking solidarity, including finding a new, fair funding balance accordance with the framework established by ILC 102/1952 and the other relevant ILCs;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points to the ongoing development offact that the trend towards individualisation, which should be accompanied by more strenuous efforts to individualise social rights in order to enable people, especially women, to become more independentnot call into question the first pillar of social security but should be combined both with the second and, above all, with the third pillar in order to enable those people who so wish, especially women, to acquire greater opportunities for choice;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that a decreasing work force will, if the present situation continues, lead to a decrease in the total number of hours worked; considers that it may be necessary to compensate this development by increasing the hours worked by the remaining workers or, however, that this situation is offset through the productivity resulting from the technological revolution, and, furthermore, that it could also be addressed by reducing the number of people who work part-time;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers that it might bensofar as it is necessary for people to work past the age 65, remaining as long as possible in the labour force; stresses the need to discuss raising the legal retirement agethis should occur only subject to the agreement of the social partners, for a period of two years, in respect of jobs which do not make particular physical or mental demands and on financially attractive terms;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Draws attention to the existing discrimination against vulnerable groups in the labour market, which leads to lower employment rates and lower wages and therefore fewer opportunities for those groups to built up adequate pensionsstablishment of adequate pension rights for all workers a in the spirit of social solidarity and in accordance with the framework established by ILC 102/1952, especially for the most vulnerable groups in the labour market; insists on the need to provide equal opportunities for all;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recognises that increasing public spending on pensions could be reduced by a partial switch to privately funded schemes; emphasises that a stronger focus on privately funded pensions would increase the need for appropriate regulation of private pension funde key role played by the first pillar of social security which determines the rigid character of public social spending; emphasises, however, the need for the existence and modernisation of the second and third pillars;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the need for the Member States to preserve adequate levels of funding for social security and pensions systems, the need to for them to find alternative and robust tax bases (such as the particularly high profits of undertakings, especially those that do not contribute to increasing the number of ‘quality’ jobs) in face of increased competition brought about by globalisation; warns of the possible reduction of tax revenue caused by flat tax rates, given the fact that they are strictly related to the total number of people in the labour force; stresses the importance of reducing reliance on labour taxation in order to increase the competitiveness of Member States’ economies and provide more work incentives; recognises the complexity involved in shifting to a more capital taxation, given the smaller capital tax base and greater mobility of capital; suggests that increasing the use of environmental taxes and greater reliance on consumption as tax base be considered, and thus the need for greater progressiveness, which would reduce the pressure on lower incomes; insists that employers’ social security contributions do not constitute additional ‘labour costs’ but are rather an investment, in the sense that they help boost productivity, which is why countries with high social spending are the most competitive;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Asserts that the repression of contribution evasion, the modernisation of the way in which pension funds operate, insurance for immigrants, measures to avoid the involvement of funds in high-risk bonds, an increase in the proportion f stable jobs (i.e. the proportion of people of working age forming part of the workforce) and the assumption for financial liabilities by the state – that all these measures may have positive financial effects in the short and medium terms. In the long term, every choice for funding social security systems must be made on the basis of ILC/102/52 and be based on the fundamental philosophy of the system, namely that social security must deal on terms of equality with all members of society, since it is essentially an institution for the social operation of the state in a universal and uniform manner for the benefit of all citizens;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Insists on the importance of preserving the values and principles underpinning all health care systems of the European Union, which comprise universal coverage, solidarity in financing, equity of access and the provision of high quality health care, notwithstanding the need for rational consumption of scarce resources;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Observes that public funding of health care contributes to efficiency and fairness by providing social protection against financial risk and by not linking payments to the risk of ill health, whereas, in contrast, private contribution mechanisms involve limited or no pooling of risks and usually link payments to the risk of ill health and ability to pay;