Activities of Jutta STEINRUCK related to 2014/2059(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2014 priorities (debate) DE
Amendments (17)
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, notwithstanding a mild decline in, EU unemployment, and youth unemployment rates in the EU are still incredibly alarming (25.005 million unemployed in the EU-28 in June 2014 and 5.06 million young unemployed in the EU-28 in July 2014); whereas, furthermore, the differences between Member States’ unemployment and youth unemployment rates (5 % in Austria unemployed, compared with 27.3 % in Greece; 9.3 % young unemployed in Austria, compared with 53.8 % in Spain) represent a major risk both for the economic stability of the EU and for European social cohesion;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Calls on the Commission in this regard to consider applying a solidarity check on its recommendations, thus measuring the effects on inequality and poverty, as well as social cohesion;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for a true «social pillar’ to be implemented within economic and monetary union (EMU) as part of the process of improving economic governance mechanisms, so as to reduce unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, overcome social dumping and prevent competition for the lowest social standards in the EU; calls on the Commission and the Member States to bring economic measures implemented in the course of the European Semester in line with the social targets of the Europe 2020 strategy and the social principles set out in the Treaties;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for a true «social pillar’ to be implemented within economic and monetary union (EMU) as part of the process of improving economic governance mechanisms, so as to reduce unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, overcome social dumping and prevent competition for the lowest social standards in the EU; calls furthermore for a Social Union to be implemented including a Social Progress Pact with common binding targets on employment, education and research and development;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the Commission’s use of the new employment and social scoreboard for this year’s CSRs; considers it regrettable, however, that these indicators are only analytical and have not been made binding in view of the current employment and social emergency; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put them on an equal footing with macroeconomic indicators, and to include additional indicators – such as child poverty levels, access to healthcare, homelessness, and a decent work index – in the scoreboard in order to allow more effective analysis and monitoring of Member States’ employment and social concerns;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Is concerned about the ever rising inequalities in terms of wealth and income weakening the purchasing power and the internal demand as well as the investments in the real economy; calls on Member States to include measures to reduce these inequalities into their NRPs in order to boost growth, employment and social cohesion;
Amendment 118 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on the Commission to strengthen EU industry through the application of a more flexible competition policy in favour of competitiveness and employment, - such as guaranteeing workers' rights, including the right to collective bargaining - together with an ecological and digital transition plan; reiterates its call on the Commission to draw up a proposal for a legal act on the provision of information to, and consultation of, workers and the anticipation and management of restructuring in order to ensure economic and socially responsible adaptation to change by EU industry;
Amendment 126 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Is concerned that, in many Member States and sectors, job losses are coupled with a decline in job quality, an increase in precarious forms of employment and a deterioration in basic labour standards; stresses that the Commission and the Member States need to make dedicated efforts to address the increase in involuntary part-time employment and temporary contracts, payless internships and apprenticeships, and bogus self- employment, together with the activities of the black economyand undeclared work; welcomes therefore the Commission's initiative on a European platform on undeclared work; stresses however that the platform needs to be made binding for every Member State and that also operational measures such as common controls need to be implemented;
Amendment 145 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes the January 2014 proposal for a EURES (European Job Mobility Portal) regulation; calls for Parliament and the Council to deliberate on the reform as a matter of urgency so that EURES can become an effective instrument for boosting freedom of movement in line with the provisions taken in Regulation (EU) Nr. 1296/2013; recalls that mobility must remain fair and voluntary and must not limit efforts to create quality jobs and training places on the spot; stresses that reliable professional information on the working and living conditions in other Member States is a prerequisite of a well- functioning European Economic Area;
Amendment 177 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Commission to propose a binding European framework for the implementation of the Youth Guarantees so as to prevent the funds being misused in such a way as to aggravate national internal wage devaluation processes; takes the view that this legal framework should introduce binding minimum standards for the implementation of the Youth Guarantees, including the quality of apprenticeships, decent wages for young people and access to employment services, and should cover young people aged between 25 and 30; calls on the Commission and the Member States to make the Youth Guarantees a priority and to increase the available budget, at the latest in the promised mid- term review of the multiannual financial framework, up to at least the sum of EUR 21 billion estimated by the International Labour Organisation to be necessary to resolve the problem only in the eurozone; stresses furthermore that youth unemployment costs €153 billion every year and that thus the costs of inaction are significantly higher;
Amendment 200 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Observes with concern that female unemployment rates are higher than the total rates (11.7 % in the EU-18 and 10.4 % in the EU-28, compared with 11.5 % and 10.2 % respectively); calls, therefore, for specific decent-job creation plans with targeted measures for women; calls for gender mainstreaming in recommendations and that increasing gender equality and women's labour market participation are not threatened by other recommendations; calls for the establishment of specific recommendations with a view to reducing the gender pay gap, which is not only a drag on the economy and on competitiveness but also a sign of social injustice;
Amendment 218 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Welcomes those CSRs aimed at increasing the adequacy and coverage of minimum income schemes and social protection, and the number of CSRs relating to labour market inclusion policies; takes the view, however, that the uneven and fragile growth expected by the Commission in 2014 and 2015 will not by itself be able to tackle the severe impact that austerity measures and the crisis have had on the fight against poverty and social exclusion and on the achievement of the Europe 2020 goals; demands that people who cannot fully participate in the labour market are not neglegted and calls therefore for a comprehensive active inclusion strategy that allows full access to quality social services; demands furthermore that the Member States propose specific, targeted measures within their NRPs with a view to tackling poverty, especially child poverty;
Amendment 222 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Calls on the Commission to immediately tackle the alarming increase in child poverty throughout Europe through the introduction of a child guarantee against poverty; believes that such a guarantee is of upmost importance in order to protect children that have been affected by the consequences of the current economic and social crisis;
Amendment 225 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Regrets the fact that the Commission recommendations on pensions were made without taking into account Parliament’s position on the Green and White Papers on pensions; is concerned that reforms to guarantee the sustainability of pensions have focused solely on population ageing, without taking into account the importance of the employment rate, especially in pay- as-you-go systems; strongly stresses the principle of subsidiarity and emphasises that national particularities, especially as regards occupational pension funds, have to be respected; recalls that guaranteeing decent pensions above a minimum level is an effective way to fight poverty and social exclusion;
Amendment 228 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Regrets the fact that the Commission recommendations on pensions were made without taking into account Parliament’s position on the Green and White Papers on pensions; is concerned that reforms to guarantee the sustainability of pensions have focused solely on population ageing, without taking into account the importance of the employment rate (respectively the dependency ratio), especially in pay- as- you-go systems; recalls that guaranteeing decent pensions above a minimum level is an effective way to fight poverty and social exclusion;
Amendment 235 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Considers it regrettable that very few CSRs tackle the issue of in-work poverty; points out that new forms of poverty affecting the middle and working classes are emerging in some cases, with difficulties in paying mortgages and high energy prices creating energy poverty and giving rise to an increasing number of evictions and foreclosures; is concerned by evidence that levels of homelessness and housing exclusion are increasing; recalls that this represents a violation of fundamental rights; recommends that the Member States and their local authorities introduce neutral housing policies favouring social and affordable housing, tackle the issue of housing vacancy and implement effective prevention policies aimed at reducing the number of evictions; calls therefore for an integrated strategy with poverty targets encompassing all sorts of poverty;
Amendment 249 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Reiterates its call for increased and structured involvement of civil society and trade union stakeholders at national and EU level, so as to safeguard the legitimacy and improve the effectiveness of the European Semester process; looks forward, in this connection, to the Commission’s planned involvement of the social partners in the context of the Social Dialogue Committee prior to the adoption of the 2015 Annual Growth Survey;