10 Amendments of Helmut SCHOLZ related to 2017/2278(INI)
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Hints to the fact that among EU Member States import ratios in public procurement vary a lot; points out that the Ramboll study produced for the EU Commission suggests a relatively higher degree of openness of EU public procurement markets based on data including intra-EU imports, while this should be considered domestic trade in international comparison and EU trade negotiations; underlines the differences in the importance of central level procurement between federal and non- federal states; is mindful of the lack of updated and meaningful statistical reporting of GPA members;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. WelcomNotes the fact that one of the six priority areas for the Commission’s action in the field of public procurement is the improvement of access to procurement markets; stressesis aware that improving access to public procurement markets in third countries, including at the sub-nationcentral level, has constitutesd a strong offensive interest for the EU in trade negotiations on public procurement, given that many EU companies are highly competitive in various sectors; recallunderlines that improved market access to third-country public procurement markets, and for EU companies must not be negotiated to the detriment of our partner economies, welcomes enhanced rules for transparentcy in public procurement procedures, shouldtresses that safeguarding the policy space provided by the Union’s public procurement directive must be a key elements for any trade agreement to be concluded by the EU;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses that citizens of our trading partners and of the European Union alike have all rights to expect a fair return on their taxes in the form of high-quality public services, and that any trade agreement must be supportive of the overall objective to obtain better value for public money, to deliver better outcomes for societal and other public policy objectives while increasing efficiency of public spending.
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Points out that the payment of taxes constitutes an important factor in price competition, as well as for the public budget; deplores the practise of tax avoidance occurring in the context of international trade, including procurement contracts, and calls on the Commission to present a proposal ensuring that taxes are being paid by any company winning a contract, in the case of services, including digital services, at the place where the service is being provided;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that any strategy to open up public procurement markets in third countries should take into account the specific needs of SMEs both in the Union and in partner countries, as access to third- country public procurement markets can be particularly difficult for them, while the effects for SMEs being exposed to new competitors from third countries must also be given due consideration;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission to negotiate clauses in trade agreements that provide for a conditionality in public procurement contracts for large infrastructure projects linked to benefits for the domestic labour market and decent wages;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Encourages the Commission and EU Member States and the procuring authorities of our trading partners to influence working conditions by exercising leverage over their immediate suppliers and, through supply chain requirements, in turn over other companies involved in the production process, harnessing the potential of public procurement to promote respect for labour rights globally.
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Demands from the EU Commission to negotiate a binding reference to ILO Convention 94 concerning Labour Clauses in Public Contracts in the public procurement chapter of all pending and future trade agreements of the Union;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)
Paragraph 4 d (new)
4d. Stresses the importance to monitor or verify whether suppliers from third countries fulfilled the required terms during the performance of the contract, and recommends to create a complaint mechanism, including a publicly accessible database on Union level;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that major emerging economies, such as Brazil, China, India and Russia, are not yet part of the GPA, while China and Russia are officially in the process of acceding, and asks the Commission to encourage and promote third countries in their efforts to join the GPA, as multilateral and plurilateral agreements are the best way to establish a level playing field; stresses that bilateral trade agreements with ambitious procurement provisions respecting the underlying principles of the General Procurement Agreement can be a stepping stone for enhanced multilateral cooperation;