Activities of Catherine STIHLER related to 2015/2147(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Towards a Digital Single Market Act (debate)
Towards a Digital Single Market Act (A8-0371/2015 - Kaja Kallas, Evelyne Gebhardt)
Amendments (47)
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that a truly pan-European approach to cross-border taxation systemissues is needed to create a true European Single Market and to prevent the tax avoidanceaggressive tax planning practices used by several digital platforms, as highlighted by recent inquiries; calls on the Commission to support extending thmake public country-by- country reporting regime on taxesmandatory and public for multinational companies toin all sectors;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas the growth of a European digital society could lead to more European research and innovation, greater investment in job creation, and more creativity and entrepreneurship across the EU;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas Europe must use the opportunity of the Digital Single Market to develop state of the art educational systems, better labour protection standards, better resource and energy efficiency, to support the Energy Union, research and innovation both for business and for science, and promotion of gender equality and equal access for the marginalised and for people living with disabilities;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas particular attention must be paid to vulnerable citizens, workers in precarious employment, those caught in the digital divide, and isolated or poor communities, to ensure they too reap the full benefits of a Digital Single Market;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Supports the Commission’s decision to review internet platforms; encourages the Commission to create a legislative framework ensuring the development of innovative ideas, protection of work standards and compliance with existing fiscal rules; encourages the Commission, when doing so, to ensure that this legislative framework encourages online platforms to do more to ease administrative burdens on the smallest online businesses that make use of their services;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the Digital Single Market represents a valuable opportunity to ensure full accessibility and participation for disabled people;
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Council and the Commission to immediately suspend the new rules on place of supply for VAT on digital services for the first €20,000 of cross-border digital sales and allow businesses to return to being subject to their domestic VAT rules for that revenue; calls for this suspension to apply for as long as it takes the Commission to introduce the common EU-wide Digital VAT threshold which was promised in the Digital Single Market Strategy, and again at the FISCALIS conference in September 2015;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Believes that, while more should be done to remove barriers to entry for new and emerging digital businesses, those businesses must at the same time be required to respect longstanding domestic regulations such as those covering taxation, health and safety legislation and workers' rights, and must operate to the same high standards that existing businesses are required to in these areas.
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Communication on ‘A Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe’; considers that a fair and effective Digital Single Market, based on a harmonised set of rules, could foster EU competitiveness, have positive effects on growth and jobs, relaunch the Single Market and make the society more inclusive offering new opportunities to citizens and businesses; believes that the horizontal approach taken in the Communication needs now to be strengthened in its implementation as the digital sector affects every dimension of society and the economy;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Agrees with the Commission that the governance and timely delivery of the Digital Single Market is a shared responsibility of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission; encourages the Commission to engage with societal and social stakeholders and to involve them in the decision making process to the widest extent possible;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that users’ trust in digital environment and services is vital to innovation and growth in the digital economy and that reinforcing that trust should be at the basis of botha precondition to fully unlock the potential of a Digital Single Market; is strongly convinced that public policy and business models should ensure that trust;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses the importance of creating the best possible business environment to allow digital companies, including SMEs and start-ups, to operate; believes that accelerator programmes for digital start- ups are vital to ensure new companies are given the time and space needed to grow their business models and that these should be available in both rural and urban areas;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is concerned aboutNotes the different national approaches taken to regulating the internet and the sharing economy; recognises the need for EU legislation that reflects the fundamentally international nature of the internet; urges the Commission to take action to preserve the integrity of the single market and the internet as an open and global platform for communication and innovation;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Regrets that the Commission's strategy neglects the accessibility aspect; reminds the Commission that there are 80 million EU citizens with disabilities and an aging population of 190 million of 50+; calls therefore on the Commission to ensure an appropriate level of accessibility in all legislative and non- legislative proposals related to the Digital Single Market; emphasises that accessibility is best achieved and cost- effectively introduced when incorporated from the outset;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Considers the adoption of a European Web Accessibility Directive to be vital to address issues of accessibility across Europe; reminds that the latest report (2011) from the "Monitoring eAccessibility in Europe" (MeAC) study estimates that only one third of the content generated by public authorities across the EU is accessible; underlines that web accessibility is not just a question of technical standards and of web architecture and design, it is vital in order to ensure that no one is at risk of being partially or totally excluded from society as it becomes ever more digitised;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Asks the Commission to address the different tax challenges raised by the digital economy and to closely monitor its continuous evolution to assess the impact on tax systems; in particular, urges the Commission to guarantee an effective level playing field and a fair fiscal treatment among all actors present in the digital market, aligning taxation with the economic activities and guaranteeing that taxes are paid where profits are generated;
Amendment 410 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Believes that a fullfurther harmonisation of the legal framework governing online sales of digital content irrespective of whether they are in a tangible or intangible format and irrespective of whether they are cross- border or domestic sales, while maintaining the coherence of online and offline rules regarding legal remedies, constitutes the most practical and proportionate approach in order to close any legal gaps and improve the conditions for the functioning of the internal market;
Amendment 467 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Requests an ‘Active Consumers’ strategy to assess in particular whether consumer switching is facilitated in the online world, and whether action is needed to make consumer switching easier, in order to boost competition in online markets; points further to the need to ensure accessible e-commerce services through the whole value chain, including accessible information, accessible payment mechanisms and customer service;
Amendment 476 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission to explore the possibilities of introducing an EU trustmark for online sales in order to induce trust, particularly in relation to cross-border online sales, points to the already existing Trustmark schemes in Member States and call on the Commission to draw best practices from these experiences;
Amendment 493 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls for an ambitious enforcement framework ofor the Services Directive; encourages the Commission to make use of all means at its disposal to ensure the full and correct implementation of existing rules, including fast-track infringement procedures whenever incorrect or insufficient implementation of the directive is identified;
Amendment 499 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Welcomes further the Commission's initiative to review the Regulation on Consumer Protection Cooperation;
Amendment 500 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Regrets the Communication's neglect of abusive and unfair lending practices targeting consumers via email, text messages or mobile applications while consumers are still bearing the costs of the financial market crisis, points out that due to the often very high interest rates of such credits even small amounts can quickly accumulate and lead to consumers excessive indebtedness;
Amendment 501 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Calls for the introduction of guidelines on limiting excessive aggressive advertisement of abusive lending practices and amendment of the regulations on assessments of creditworthiness of consumers; welcomes the upcoming revision of the EU Directive on Misleading and Comparative Advertisement;
Amendment 502 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Calls on the Commission to come forward with the proposal for a European Accessibility Act, which it has been preparing for several years and which would improve accessibility of goods and services in the single market, including the digital single market;
Amendment 511 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that accessible, affordable, efficient and high-quality delivery services are an essential prerequisite for thriving cross-border e-commerce; supports the proposed measures to improve price transparency, interoperability and, delivery times and information schemes on liabilities in case of loss or damage as well as the regulatory oversight that should target both the smooth functioning of cross-border parcel delivery markets and compliance with relevant social and labour rights, allowing enough flexibility for the delivery market to evolve and adapt to technological innovations but calls upon the Commission to and Member States to refrain from further deregulating the parcel delivery and postal services sector in a way which could lead to unreliability and precarious working conditions;
Amendment 512 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that accessible, affordable, efficient and high-quality delivery services are an essential prerequisite for thriving cross-border e-commerce; supports the proposed measures to improve price transparency, interoperability and regulatory oversight that should target both the smooth functioning of cross-border parcel delivery markets and compliance with relevant social and labour rights, allowing enough flexibility for the delivery market to evolve and adapt to technological innovations; recognises the vital role of the parcel delivery workforce and the need for fair and consistent working conditions, in order to develop a stable and reliable delivery sector;
Amendment 541 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Insists that any Digital Single Market framework should be built around ensuring the same working rights enjoyed by workers in the offline economy are enshrined and enforced for workers in the online economy, with particular regard being paid to the integrity of union rights, working time, and proper regulation of real and false self-employment;
Amendment 542 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Recognises the environmental implications of a growing parcel delivery market and the need to ensure sustainability and environmental protection is prioritised as the e-commerce sector continues to develop;
Amendment 576 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Considers that ambitious actions are needed to improve access to legal digital content, in particular by ending geo- blocking practices and unfair price discrimination based on geographical location; believes enforcement of EU antitrust rules can play an important role in tackling unjustified geo-blocking practices; welcomes the European Commission consultation on the revision of the Cable and Satellite Directive and considers that online distribution of audio-visual content could be addressed in the framework of this Directive;
Amendment 579 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Considers that ambitious actions are needed to improve access to legal digital content, in particular by ending without delay geo- blocking practices and unfair price discrimination based on geographical location;
Amendment 588 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Supports the Commission's plan to address geo-blocking in an effective manner by supplementing the existing e- commerce framework; considers it vital to focus on technological measures and technical practices resulting in unjustified limitations on access to information society services provided across border, on the conclusion of cross-border contracts to buy goods and services, but also on adjacent activities, such as payment and delivery;
Amendment 618 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Further points out the importance of the ongoing competition sector inquiry into the e-commerce sector in order to investigate, inter alia, whether geo-blocking restrictions, such as discrimination on the basis of IP address, postal address or country of issue of credit card as compared, infringe the rules of EU competition law; stresses the importance of increasing consumer and business confidence by introducing changes to the Block Exemption Regulation, most importantly Article 4a and Article 4b, in order to limit undesirable re-routing and territorial restrictions;
Amendment 665 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Welcomes the announced reform of the telecoms regulatory framework, but underlines that a level playing field also for small market players has to be ensured, and that deregulation can lead to dominant market positions raising prices for consumers as the examples of numerous non-EU markets show;
Amendment 677 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Highlights that in order to reap the full benefits offered by ICT and to keep up with other international markets, roll- out of high-speed fixed and wireless broadband networks, especially in rural and remote areas, should remain a key priority for Member States, creating a vital social and economic driver in areas which would otherwise face substantial and at times detrimental isolation due to a number of factors with poor provision of physical as well as digital infrastructure playing a key role;
Amendment 689 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Welcomes the upcoming review of the Universal Services Directive, which will provide an opportunity to re-examine the availability of broadband internet access, including in remote areas and consumers' rights related in the context of universal services provision; believes that access to broadband should be classified a service of general interest;
Amendment 690 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Highlights in this context the need for the Commission to closely cooperate with the Member States, in order to establish performance indicators and guidelines pertaining the quality of the 112 service, paying particular attention to the need for interoperability between emergency services, for multilingualism and for timely and qualitative interventions by emergency services; emphasises that in this context the importance of accessibility to 112 services for all citizens and underlines the necessity of 112 access per SMS or comparable means for people with special needs; further calls on the Commission to promote knowledge of the EU-wide, universal and multilingual 112 system;
Amendment 701 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses that since the development of over-the-top services has increased demand and competition to the benefit of consumers, modernisation of the telecommunication framework should not lead to moallow for prudent regulation which does not limit the innovation of entre pregulatory burdens, but should drive innovation and fair competitneurial businesses but ensures that they are not exempt from appropriate European labour rights and legislation that provide fair employment conditions for all workers across the Union;
Amendment 789 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that uniform enforcement of the Connected Continent package, including the end of roaming surcharges and the net neutrality principle, is a crucial objective to establish a Digital Single Market and requires the establishment of a single European telecommunications regulator;
Amendment 792 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the implementing measures of the Connected Continent Package deliver the end of roaming charges for all European consumers by June 2017; Or.
Amendment 809 #
23. Urges the Commission to develop an innovation-friendly policy that fosters competition between, ands well as innovation, in, online platforms; considers that the priorities should be transparency, particularly in terms of the functioning of platforms, enabling consumer choice notably through the facilitation of switching between platforms or online services, and by guaranteeing a non- discriminatory access to platforms, and identifying and addressing barriers to the emergence and scale-up of platforms;
Amendment 813 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Urges the Commission to develop an innovation-friendly policy that fosters competition between, and innovation in, online platforms; considers that the priorities should be transparency, facilitation of switching between platforms or online services, access to platforms, prevention of preferential treatment of own services, prevention of discrimination against third parties' services and identifying and addressing barriers to the emergence and scale-up of platforms;
Amendment 840 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Emphasises the need to focus on the effective enforcement of existing EU legislation towards online platforms, in particular with regards to competition law and consumer protection legislation, with a view to foster innovation and healthy competition in online markets while maintaining a safe environment for consumers;
Amendment 868 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Appreciates the Commission’s initiative to analyse the role of platforms in the Digital Economy as part of the up- coming Internal Market Sstrategy and urges the Commission to also focus on identifying possible gaps in terms of consumer protection;
Amendment 869 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Appreciates the Commission’s initiative to analyse the role of platforms in the Digital Economy as part of the upcoming Internal Market Strategy and stresses the importance of ensuring that all platforms are fully accessible for disabled users;
Amendment 887 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Encourages the Commission to analyse the need to protect consumers in the sharing economy and, where appropriate and if necessary, to come forward with proposals to ensure the adequacy of the consumer-related legislation framework in the digital sphere, including possible abuses; also encourages the Commission to examine the issue of employment rights of workers within the sharing economy and highlights the necessity of ensuring full adherence to employment and social rights and insurance rules by companies operating in the sharing economy;
Amendment 902 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Stresses that particularly business models of the sharing economy foster more and more flexible and atypical employment schemes, which may on the one hand allow for more flexibility and a better work-life balance in the EU where life expectancy is high and will become even higher, but on the other hand my also increase the number of precarious working conditions, most importantly through an ever higher number of solo- self-employed contractors; calls on the Commission and Member States to provide improved social security schemes in order to protect those who find themselves in precarious and exploitive solo-self-employment;
Amendment 905 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Calls on the Commission to take into consideration the ever-widening phenomena of crowdworking and crowdsourcing which further decentralises income tax liabilities, limits the possibilities of workers/contractors in this area to organise and undermines national and European social and labour standards; calls on the Commission to develop minimum labour and social standards for crowdworkers;