5 Amendments of Helmut SCHOLZ related to 2011/2071(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that, despite the harmonisation of coordination cycles, economic policy coordination at EU level consists of a variety of binding and non- binding instruments and commitments1 which might, owing to their methodical inconsistency and lack of coherence as regards content, are liable to undermine the legal certainty of the EU order and which, inare not such as to reduce the public opinion, produces’s existing confusion as to the exact remit of the responsibilities undertaken by Member Statesof the various EU institutions involved and to dispel the in crelation to their status as members or non-members of the euro zoneasing dissatisfaction with the fact that economic policy is solely focused on public debt criteria and the reduction of high levels of public debt by structural reforms in employment and social policy;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is of the opinion that the European Semester, first proposed in the Commission's Communication of May and June 2010 and initially based on a non- binding commitment of the Council, should be formalised in the regulation on the strengthening of the surveillance of budgetary positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies (Regulation (EC) No 1466/97) and stresses that the new coordination mechanism should, in future, be subject to mandatory, regular evaluation by the European Parliament;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Regrets that democratic control by the European Parliament plays only a relatively minor role in the processthe choice of legal basis does not permit the European Parliament to make any specific contribution to the European Semester, other than in the general regulatory debate, meaning that the entire process from policy decisions to checks on implementation will mainly be the preserve of the Commission, and stresses that the formalisation of the European Semester should in no way further jeopardise the prerogatives of the European Parliament as provided for in the Treaties;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Points to the link between increased economic coordination in the EU and the democratic legitimacy which this requires, and confirms its point of view that this legitimacy can only be achieved if the European Semester is developed into a comprehensive Europe-wide consultation process on common economic and social problems, which involves, in addition to those institutions currently taking part, the European Parliament, national parliaments, social partners, relevant stakeholders from civil society and scientific experts, which is aimed at the formulation of action strategies based on cooperation, convergence of interests and social cohesion as key EU goals rather than on competition, and which is formalised in a European legislative process; recommends, in this context, an overhaul of the current legal basis and a ‘slowdown’ of the European Semester;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 – indent 4 a (new)
Paragraph 6 – indent 4 a (new)