14 Amendments of Donata GOTTARDI related to 2008/2237(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Welcomes the direct link made with current European-level legislative reform – private European company, review of state aid, reduced VAT rate, etc. – and with those requested by the European Parliament, such as that on micro-credit;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Notes approvingly the reversal in trend concerning encouragement to increase the scale of companies – as quite an important aspect, when accompanied by the right conditions, for the growth and development of the company and of employment – which cannot be subordinated to the expediency of keeping within any thresholds set in labour legislation in the Member States;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Points out that, in many Member States, labour legislation is diversified in scope, with multiple thresholds (even within the same country, owing to different regulatory institutions) and uncertainties as regards calculations, given the tendency to exclude atypical workers, which does not make it any easier to overcome the proliferation and fragmentation of employment relationships, as indicated in the European Parliament resolution of 29 November 2007 on common principles of flexicurity;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Sees a need for further development of the Small Business Act in the area of labour law, especially in view of the flexicurity principle, which enables SMEs in particular to respond more quickly to changes in the market and therefore to guarantee a higher level of employment and the competitiveness of the company, as well as international competitiveness, while taking into account the necessary social protection; in this connection refers to its resolution of 29 November 2007 on flexicurity; stresses that one of the main pillars of flexicurity is a simple and predictable labour law, which is of crucial importance to SMEs in particular, because these businesses often cannot afford to have a legal department;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Member States to devote special attention to SMEs in respect of the specific approaches they adopt to flexicurity, since, on the one hand, SMEs enjoy leeway for greater flexibility, enabling them to respond quickly to changes on the market, but, on the other hand, need greater security for themselves and their workers; calls on Member States, therefore, to strengthen and amplify the second set of policy measures – for example by doing more than simply providing a second chance to honest entrepreneurs who have faced bankruptcy – and to launch active labour policies to take the strain of crisis situations and occupational problems in SMEs;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is concerned about the contslowness in attainuing lack of qualified workforce, a situation which will worsen further in the futurethe Lisbon Strategy objectives with reference to the quality and enhancement of social capital and to training; points out that SMEs are in competition with larger businesses for qualified workers and that they should be supported particularly with targeted staff development and training; welcomes in this connection the measures the Commission has taken for cross-border experience exchanges for young business people, journeymen and apprentices (Erasmus);
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Member States to give a higher status Welcomes the invitation to the Member States, in the first set of proposed policy measures, to devote attention, during school education toing and professional training, to self-employment and entrepreneurship; asks the Commission to accompany the Member States in their efforts through '‘best practice'’ procedures for innovative training and linking-up with higher levels of education and research;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Stresses that access to information technologies, networks and fibre optics are a condition for sustainable growth, as is indicated in the Lisbon Strategy;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the importance of encouraging female entrepreneurs through, amongst other things, the introduction of tutoring and mentoring programmes; points out that an increasing number of women work in SMEs, albeit primarily still in the smallest businesses (micro-businesses), and remain prey to stereotypes and prejudices when it comes to business transfers and successions, especially in the case of family businesses;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Points to the need for the issue of reconciling the working life and family life of female and male entrepreneurs to be addressed through operational policies and instruments, with reference to maternity, paternity, parental and family leave and leave for training and participation in associational life, providing for integrated forms of support and replacement services;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Reiterates the importance of ensuring access to credit, including – though not solely – in the form of micro-credit, especially in the current period of crisis and turmoil on the financial market; points to the need to introduce guarantee funds and ‘honour loans’ for developing innovative projects geared towards sustainable development under a social and environmental banner;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Points out that direct commitments from the Commission should be incorporated into the fourth set of proposed policy measures, not least in the ways to improve the possibility of accessing information, both on the relevant regulations and on planning and financing possibilities, including through the network of offices already in operation, such as Europe Direct offices;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. reiterates the importance awarded to the CSR of small-scale businesses, which necessitates horizontal links, networks and services; considers it ineffective to refer to EMAS certification, both because this will detract from existing certificates, and because it links in solely with the environmental challenge;