54 Amendments of Sven GIEGOLD related to 2014/2249(INI)
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas in order to create a genuine bi- cameral legislative system, the existing specialised Council configurations should be reduced to a single legislative one, and the transparency of its decision-making should be improved to fulfil the promise of the EU treaties whereas 'every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union' and 'decisions shall be taken as openly and as closely as possible to the citizen' (Article 10(3));
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital R a (new)
Recital R a (new)
Ra. Whereas, according to the Treaties, the Union shall combat social exclusion and discrimination, and shall promote social justice and protection, equality between women and men and solidarity between generations;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
Recital S
S. whereas the rights of workers should be guaranteed and sustainpotential of the Treaties regarding social policy have not yet been fully exercised, in the process of refparticular with regard to wormking the Union in order to exploit fully the potential of the Lisbon Treatyconditions, the inclusion of the long-term unemployed and the challenges of labour migration;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Considers the potential of the European Citizens Initiative as not yet fully exploited to give Citizens a say; urges the Commission to propose a revision of Regulation (EU) N°211/2011 to allow proper follow-up to a successful ECI; commits in the event that the Commission fails to provide a legislative proposal, to exercise its right under the terms of Article 225 TFEU to ask the Commission to submit an appropriate proposal; calls on the Commission to include, in the future revision of the regulation, a proposal to allow ECIs that concern the primary law of the European Union;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers it necessary for the European Parliament to reform its working methods in order to cope with the challenges ahead, by using its control over the Commission, including in relation to the implementation and application of the acquis in the Member States, by lisubmitting the first- reading agreements to exceptional cases of urgprocedure to the highest standards of transparency, and by improving its own electoral procedure through the revision of the 1976 Electoral Act in line with Parliament’'s proposals contained in its resolution of 11 November 2015 on the reform of the electoral law of the European Union5 or as a future step through the adoption of implementing measures in application of Article 14 of the Electoral Act; __________________ 5Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0395.
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers it necessary for the European Parliament to reform its working methods in order to cope with the challenges ahead, by using its control over the Commission, including in relation to the implementation and application of the acquis in the Member States, by limiting first-reading agreements to exceptional cases of urgency, and by improvfurther harmonizing its own electoral procedure through the revision of the 1976 Electoral Act in line with Parliament’s proposals contained in its resolution of 11 November 2015 on the reform of the electoral law of the European Union5 or as a future step through the adoption of implementing measures in application of Article 14 of the Electoral Act; __________________ 5which should notably include the establishment of transnational constituencies; Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0395.
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Insists on curbing the interference of the European Council in the legislative process as it goes against the letter and spirit of the Treaties and calls for the conclusion of an interinstitutional agreement between the European Parliament and the European Council in order to formalise the working relations between the European Council and Parliament;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Proposes that the Council be transformed into a true legislative chamber by reducing the number of Council configurations by means of a European Council decision, thus creating a genuinely bi-cameral legislative system involving the Council and Parliament, with the Commission acting as the executive; suggests involving the currently active specialised Council configurations as preparatory bodies for the legislative Council, along the lines of the Committees in the European Parliament; suggests that the legislative Council be preferably composed of full-time representatives appointed by national governments at the ministerial level; (Based on a contribution from the Union of European Federalists "Improving the efficiency, democracy and legitimacy of the EU institutions within the current Treaties: possibilities and limits")
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Insists that the Eurogroup should be subject to more transparency and democratic accountability; calls for the adoption of internal rules of procedure, the writing and publishing of minutes, results and explanations of votes;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Insists on the importance of enhancing the transparency of Council legislative decision-making and the access of Parliament representatives as observers in meetings of the Council and its bodies in cases of legislation; believes both Parliament and Council should hold all meetings public in general and in camera only in exceptional cases;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls for the repealing of the decision of the European Council on the 22 May 2013 in order to abolish the principle of one Commissioner per Member State, as it does allow for an effective functioning of the Commission, and for the full implementation of Article 17(5) TEU, which states that the number of Commissioners shall correspond to two thirds of the number of Member states, and Article 244 TFEU on the rotation system of Commissioners; (Based on a contribution from the Union of European Federalists "Improving the efficiency, democracy and legitimacy of the EU institutions within the current Treaties: possibilities and limits")
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Suggests, on the basis of Article 352 TFEU, the creation of an EU Fiscal and Treasury Administration, in order to support the European Finance Minister; calls for the creation of a Budget Office located within the European Parliament, with a role similar to that of the Congressional Budget Office in the United States, in order to support the European Finance Minister;
Amendment 388 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses the importance of the subsidiarity principle, as laid down in Article 5 TEU, which is binding on all institutions and bodies, notably the CoR and the EESC, and of the instruments contained in Protocol (No 2) on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality; supports a flexible interpretation of the deadlines enshrined in the Protocol and calls on the Commission to improve the quality of its responses to reasoned opinions and the idea of introducing a "Green Card", which would allow a qualified number of national Parliaments to invite the European Commission, within the framework of its powers, to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where they consider that a legal act of the Union is required for the purpose of implementing the Treaties;
Amendment 391 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Stresses the importance of the subsidiarity principle, as laid down in Article 5 TEU, which is binding on all institutions and bodies, notably the CoR and the EESC, and of the instruments contained in Protocol (No 2) on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality; supports a flexible interpretation of the deadlines enshrined in the Protocol and calls on the Commission to improve the quality of its responses to reasoned opinions; underlines that the reasoned opinions shall be adopted by the respective plenary of the national Parliaments;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Insists on formalising Parliament’s scrutiny role in the European Semester through an interinstitutional Agreement, including by involving it formally in the adoption of the AGS;, Country Specific Recommendations (CSR), Economic Partnership Programmes (EPPs), Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) and sanctions; (Based on a contribution from the Union of European Federalists "Improving the efficiency, democracy and legitimacy of the EU institutions within the current Treaties: possibilities and limits")
Amendment 475 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 a (new)
Paragraph 40 a (new)
40a. Suggests that executive tasks carried out by the Council in the framework of the European Semester (assessment of Draft Budgetary Plans and monitoring of the implementation of Country Specific Recommendations, Economic Partnership Programmes and Corrective Action Plans) be transferred to the Commission, while granting sufficient control powers to the Council on an equal footing with the European Parliament; (Based on a contribution from the Union of European Federalists "Improving the efficiency, democracy and legitimacy of the EU institutions within the current Treaties: possibilities and limits")
Amendment 477 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40 b (new)
Paragraph 40 b (new)
40b. Insists that the involvement of social partners in the European Semester should be improved, in particular with their information in good time and full detail, their inclusion in the working processes of Council working groups and with the reflection in the country-specific recommendations of the significance of social dialogue in European primary law at European and national level;
Amendment 483 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Calls for the integration of the relevant provisions of the Fiscal Compact into the EU legal framework on the basis of an assessment of the experience with comprehensive assessment of its implementation;
Amendment 545 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Proposes the establishment of a fiscal capacity within the eurozone in order to assist Member States in the implementation of agreed structural reforms, based on incentives and certain conditions, including the effective implementation of the National Reform Programmes agreed within the European Semester; considers that this could be done through the creation of additional capacity and/or by earmarking funding from the existing EU budget for this purpose; underlines that any new instrument should be placed within the EU budget, but outside the ceilings of the MFF, and financed from real own resources; recommends enhanced cooperation for this end;
Amendment 553 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Pledges to increase the resilience of the EMU when facing economic shocks while preventing any form of permanent fiscal transferand calls for automatic inter-regional stabilizers with cyclical transfers between member states;
Amendment 591 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Believes that the Single Market contains growth potential that has not yet been fully exploited, particularly with reference to the Digital Single Market, services, energy, banking union and capital markets union; calls, therefore, for better control of the correct application, and better enforcement, of the existing acquis in this domain;
Amendment 626 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Considers it necessary to improve the automatic information exchange between national tax authorities in order to avoid tax planning, base erosion and profit shifting, as well as to promote coordinated actions to fight tax havens; calls for the adoption of a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base directive establishing a minimum rate and spelling out common objectives for progressive harmonisation; deems it necessary to embark on a comprehensive review of the existing VAT legislation, addressing i.a. the issue of reduced rates and the introduction of the country of origin principle, and to establish a partially automatic stabilising mechanism to foster convergence and counter differences in the economic cycles of the Member States; calls for the use of the passerelle clause in article 48 (7) to change from the special to the ordinary legislative procedure for articles 113 und 115 TEFU on tax harmonisation; supports to connect measures against tax dumping into one package, pool a share of the thereby increased tax income and spend this amount for projects chosen for their contribution to the EU2020 targets in Member States that implement the measures of this package while control remains with Parliament;
Amendment 653 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66 a (new)
Paragraph 66 a (new)
66a. Calls on the European Council to start activating the "passerelle" clause to extend the ordinary legislative procedure to the amendment procedure of the European Investment Bank statute (Article 308 TFEU); (Based on a contribution from the Union of European Federalists "Improving the efficiency, democracy and legitimacy of the EU institutions within the current Treaties: possibilities and limits")
Amendment 672 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 70 a (new)
Paragraph 70 a (new)
70a. Calls on the Commission to use Article 116 TFEU which provides the necessary legal basis for Parliament and the Council to act according to the ordinary legislative procedure in order to eliminate practices that result in a distortion of competition in the internal market through unlimited tax competition;
Amendment 678 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 17
Subheading 17
Amendment 683 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
71. Stresses that the rights of workers, when they exercise their right of mobility, should be guaranteed, along with their social rights, in accordance with Articles 151 and 153 TFEU, in order to ensure a stable social basis for the EMU; underlines that measures to improve voluntary labour mobility, for example improved recognition of professional qualifications and of contributions to social security systems as well as its benefits, should be fostered to strengthen employment;
Amendment 708 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73
Paragraph 73
73. Calls on the Commission to set up social criteriaemployment and social benchmarks for the evaluation of Member States’ performance, and to recommend structural reform, through the modification of Regulation No 1303/2013 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European Regional Developplement fiscal and macroeconomic indicators, as well as progress reports on structural reforms, the aim being to ensure an appropriate and efficient level of social investment Fuand, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, to ensure better use of regional and social fundsrefore, the sustainability of a social European Union in a long-term perspective;
Amendment 713 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74
Paragraph 74
Amendment 722 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Calls for the establishment of a new social pact aimed at preserving Europe’'s social market economy, respecting the right to collective bargaining; points out that such a pact cshould enhance the coordination of the social policies of the Member Statesinclude, on the basis e.g. of Article 153 TFEU, a framework directive establishing European minimum standards for national minimum social security systems and for minimum income schemes in the Member States, combining income support with active inclusion and access to quality services; Calls on Commission to explore Article 153(1)(h) TFEU for proposals in this regard;
Amendment 723 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75 a (new)
Paragraph 75 a (new)
75a. Calls on the Commission to re- vitalize the EU social dialogue through binding agreements among the social partners according to Art. 151-161 TFEU and to extend codetermination to supervisory boards through the extension of the Directive 2009/38/EC;
Amendment 736 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 77
Paragraph 77
77. Insists on using the provisions of Article 22 TEU to set up an overall strategic framework for, and to take decisions on, strategic interestsobjectives laid down in Article 21 TEU, that can extend beyond CFSP to other areas of external action such as trade, agriculture and development assistance; recalls that decisions taken on the basis of such a strategy could be implemented by QMV;
Amendment 749 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 20
Subheading 20
Towards a common defence policysubstantive EU contribution to peace-keeping and peace-enforcement
Amendment 755 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83
Paragraph 83
83. Calls for progressive steps to be taken towards a common defence policy (more effective and flexible permanent multinational military capacities of a modest size aiming at fulfilling tasks listed in Article 42(2) TEU) and, eventually, a common defence, which can be set up by unanimous decision of the European Council, in particular humanitarian and rescue, conflict prevention and peace-keeping, tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking, joint disarmament operations, and post- conflict stabilization;
Amendment 759 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 83 a (new)
Paragraph 83 a (new)
83a. Urges the HR, the EU Member States and the Commission to significantly and urgently strengthen civilian and civil society based conflict prevention and resolution approaches based on non- violence; calls on the HR and the Commission to strongly increase financial and administrative resources aimed at dealing with mediation, dialogue, reconciliation and CSO based immediate crisis response; underlines the need to broaden the scope of the data base of mediation experts and to include a wider range of CSO based experts in the field of conflict prevention and resolution; stresses the need for appropriate procedures for small EU grants for civil society actors engaged in unstable and conflict-prone regions;
Amendment 769 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 85
Paragraph 85
85. Insists on complementing the provisions for PESCO with an EU white book on security and defence on the basis of the EU global strategy for foreign and security policy currently under preparation by the VP/HR, as such a document would further define how the EU’s intends to implement the strategic objectives of Article 21 TEU in the field of security and defence, andin particular how and under which circumstance the use of military force is appropriate and legitimate and under which circumstances resort to the military instrument should be rules out; is convinced that a white book or a doctrine would help to identify the existing and required capabilities;
Amendment 773 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86
Paragraph 86
86. Underlines the need to define commonqualitative standards for European capabilities and armaments policy (Article 42(3) TEU), which would encompass the joint planning, development and procurement of military capabilities and which should also include proposals to react to cyber, hybrid and asymmetrical threats; encourages the Commisslead to making pooling and sharing arrangement the rule than the exception; stresses that such a policy needs to be accompanied, as a pre- condition, by a policy which guarantees full transparency of such procurement projects, precautionary measures against duplication, mismanagement and corruption and the exclusion of any EU budget resources; underlines that in addition, to work on an ambitious European Defence Action Plan, as announced in the 2016 Work Programhe development of such a policy should go hand in hand with the full application of the internal market rules to the defence industry, the abolition of Article 345 TFEU and the development of a much stricter EU arms export regime;
Amendment 778 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87
Paragraph 87
87. Considers it necessary to strengthen the European Defence Agency (EDA) by providing it with needed resources and political backing, thereby allowing it to play a leading and coordinating role in capability development, research and procurementNotes the fact that the European Defence Agency (EDA) was, since its creation in 2004, unable to have an impact on the development of European capabilities and to trigger and coordinate a significant number of pooling and sharing projects;
Amendment 794 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 92
Paragraph 92
92. Notes that thisfuture permanent military headquarters could engage in permanent contingency planning and play a major coordinating role in future applications of Article 42(7) TEU; is of the view that the ‘mutual defence clause’, as laid down in this Article and requested by France during the Foreign Affairs Council on 17 November 2015, will constitute a catalyst for further development of the EU’s security and defence policy, leading to stronger commitment by all Member Stateensuring and reinforcing EU Member States contributions to UN peace-keeping and peace-enforcement missions;
Amendment 798 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 93
Paragraph 93
Amendment 809 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94
Paragraph 94
94. Underlines that in the light of the recent attacks and the increase of the terrorist threat, a more intense and structured exchange of information and data between national security agenclaw enforcement authorities and intelligence services, and with Europol and FrontexEurojust, is absolutely essential;
Amendment 814 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94 a (new)
Paragraph 94 a (new)
94a. Points out that, as with previous attacks, the perpetrators of the Paris attacks were already known to security authorities and had been the subject of investigations and supervision measures; Expresses concern that existing data on such individuals were not exchanged between Member States, despite the requirements of Article 88 TFEU; calls on the Council, to adopt, on the basis of Article 352, a mandatory exchange of data between Member States; takes the view that the potential of enhanced cooperation should be exploited if unanimity could not be reached;
Amendment 815 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94 b (new)
Paragraph 94 b (new)
94b. Calls on the Commission and Council to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the EU's counterterrorism and related measures in particular as regards their implementation in law and in practice in the Member States, the degree in which they cooperate with the EU's agencies in the area, notably Europol and Eurojust and a corresponding assessment of remaining gaps, as well as their compliance with the EU's fundamental rights obligations, making use of the procedure provided for in article 70 TFEU;
Amendment 816 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94 c (new)
Paragraph 94 c (new)
94c. Insists on the need for democratic and judicial oversight over counterterrorism policies;
Amendment 826 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 96
Paragraph 96
96. Highlights the need to set up an EU common asylum and immigration policy, in order to establish safe and legal routes to allow migrants and asylum-seekers to travel to Europe safely and reduce their need to resort to smugglers, and which should provide as well for fair distribution of asylum seekers in the European Union; takes the view that such a policy should involve all Member States, but that, if this proves impossible, the potential of enhanced cooperation could be exploited;
Amendment 828 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 96 a (new)
Paragraph 96 a (new)
96a. Calls for a permanent and humanitarian European system of search and rescue to be established;
Amendment 835 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 97
Paragraph 97
Amendment 842 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 97 a (new)
Paragraph 97 a (new)
97a. Calls for an urgent review of the Dublin Regulation by establishing a permanent EU-wide legally binding system of distribution of asylum seekers between the Member States, based on fair, compulsory allocation, while taking into account the needs and preferences of asylum seekers themselves;
Amendment 843 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 97 b (new)
Paragraph 97 b (new)
97b. Points out that, given the unprecedented flows of migrants that have reached and continue to reach the Union's external borders, and the steady increase in the number of people asking for international protection, the Union needs a binding and mandatory legislative approach to resettlement as set out in the Commission's agenda for Migration;
Amendment 849 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 98
Paragraph 98
98. Stresses the importance of distinguishing between the concepts of ‘unsafe third countries’ (war zones) and ‘safe thirdIs concerned about the Commission proposal to declare EU accession countries and potential candidate countries for accession, including the countries’ (mostly of the Western Balkans countries), and the corresponding distinction of procedures for processing applicants coming from these two categories of countries; calls for the signature of agreemand Turkey, as safe countries of origin for the purposes of asylum; considers that the procedural rights of citizents with safe third countries in order to control and reducof those countries would, as a consequence, be msigration flows before migrants arrive at the EU border; insists, at the same time, on strict procedures for returning applicants with unfounded claimsnificantly limited in the asylum procedure;
Amendment 859 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 99
Paragraph 99
99. Calls for the competences for external border controls to be strengthened by vesting Frontex, rather than the requesting Member State, with the power to command when the former is in charge of an operation; believes that this power should be accompanied with proper checks and balances, such as legal liability of Frontex and Frontex complaint mechanism;
Amendment 867 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102 a (new)
Paragraph 102 a (new)
102a. Calls on Commission, on the basis of Article 83 TFEU, to propose minimum rules concerning definitions and sanctions related to the fight against terrorism, trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of women and children, illicit drug trafficking, illicit arms trafficking, money laundering, corruption, counterfeiting of means of payment, computer crime and organised crime;
Amendment 881 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 104 a (new)
Paragraph 104 a (new)
104a. Finds the present negotiations on a New Settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union to be the appropriate moment to include the most important elements of this report into a comprehensive agreement of Council, Commission and Parliament;