39 Amendments of Karima DELLI related to 2009/2222(INI)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
Citation 8 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission Staff working document "Guide to the application of the European Union rules on state aid, public procurement and the internal market to services of general economic interest, and in particular to social services of general interest",
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges the Commission, especially at a time when the citizens are resorting even more to SSGI owing to the severe economic crisis, to ensure that when to strongly encourage Member States which decentralise power to regional or local authorities they alswith regard to SSGI to provide sufficient budgetary resources to guarantee the quality and universality of access to these services;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses the fundamentally structuring and inclusive character of SSGI in the regions and considers that there is a specific imperative to preserve them in rural and vulnerable regions; stresses the vital role of SSGI in limiting risks of segregation of marginalised communities;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Stresses the importance of supporting the supply of social services of general interest by social economy enterprises;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges the Commission to act in response to the lack of regulation currently affecting SSGI, by creating an unambiguous legislative framework grounded in legal certainty, in line with the wishes of all interested partieservice operators, regional and local public authorities and users;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls on the Commission to study the feasibility of territorial cooperation with regard to SSGI to eliminate in due course any obstacles arising from financing rules;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the provision of universally available, high quality, accessible and affordable SSGI in the sense of the 2007 Commission communication on Services of General Interest can therefore be regarded as an essential pillar of the European social model and as the basis for a good quality of life and for achievement of EU employment, social and economic objectives,
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that SSGI and their users have a number of special characteristics in addition to the common characteristics of SGI. SSGI encompass, in addition to health services, both statutory and complementary universally available services, provided directly to the person, that play a preventative and social cohesion and inclusion role and make tangible essential services that play a preventive inclusion, social and territorial cohesion role and deliver on fundamental social rights;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that certain actors in the field of SSGI are especially at risk of being regarded as just any commercial service; stresses their need to be recognised as SSGI and that their problems must be adequately address;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that access to SSGI must be universal and independent of wealth or income, and that SSGI are not only for vulnerable users; calls the Commission not to consider the universal access to SSGI as a manifest error of assessment of service of general interest; calls on the Commission to fully respect universal access to SSGI;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Stresses the importance of SSGI for people in poverty and at risk of poverty; recalls the specific difficulties encountered by marginalised communities such as Roma people;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Endorses the recommendation in the Monti report thatCalls for legislative initiatives at the appropriate level on universal access to basic banking services and broadband iInternet and banking services be new universal services, which should be acknowledged in European legislation; for all EU citizens; takes the view that basic banking services should be considered as services of general economic interest and submitted to universal services obligations in order to guarantee accessibility, affordability, transparency and a high degree of quality to the citizens;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the fact that SSGI make a major economic contribution in terms of jobs, economic activity and purchasing power – the Commission'’s second Biennial Report indicating that the health and social services sector accounts for 5% of economic output and employs 21.4 million people ; the CEEP Mapping of public services states that it also accounts for 9.6 % of EU manpower and 9.4% of EU GDP– and that SMEs in particular are reliant on high quality SSGI;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that regional and local authorities play a fundamental role in defining, financing, providing and attributing SSGI: it is estimated that the local and regional government sector is worth 15.9% of EU- 27 GDP, with local government alone accounting for 12.9%, and its social protection expenditure for 3% (EUR 378.1 billion); stresses that these authorities, as key factors in the delivery of SSGI, need legal certainty to ensure their independence of action;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers that experience demonstrates that the profit maximisation objective of commercial providers of SSGI might conflicts with the principles and objectives of SSGI; encourages and supports the supply of social services of general interest by social economy enterprises;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that national and local authorities engaged in providing or mandating SSGI need a clear legal basis for their services and expenditureEmphasizes the need to further clarify and assess the application of EU rules to SSIG in order to enhance their legal certainty, as stated in Article 14 TFEU and Protocol 26; recalls that the persistent fear of a legal challenge discourages SSGI providers and public providers, and that wthile the information and clarification service developed by the Commission is essential, it is insufficient and does not protect SSGI providers from legal challenges fear drives public authorities to use inappropriate public procurement rules which end up costing additional public money; recalls the responsibility of the Commission to create legal certainty regarding SSGI, especially when legislation impacts the delivery of SSGI; stresses that the criterion for mandating should be improved particularly by means of greater flexibility in its application;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers that it is neither efficient nor democratically acceptable that the ECJ is expected to continue to adjudicate on matters which should be clarified in legislation; the ECJ is expected to continue to adjudicate on matters which should be clarified in legislation; considers that the amount of ECJ cases on this issue is a clear indicator of a lack of legal certainty; points to the long ongoing stakeholder dialogue on this matter and calls on the Commission to finally move to action; considers that a legal framework which defines SSGI on the basis of fundamental rights, strengthens the principles of subsidiarity and local self- government, and excludes SSGI from the application of market rules would give a coherent legal follow up to the 2007 Communication on SGI;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Emphasises that SSGI are an indispensable investment for Europe'’s future, and are unfortunately under severe pressure due to the economic and bankingfinancial crises and government austerity programmes, which are resulting in even greater demand for them; recalls the EU 2020 anti-poverty targets and the urgent need to deliver;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers that the principle of solidarity and the strengthening of the European Union require that the crisis, with its growth in unemployment and poverty, must be addressed by a greatly enhanced EU budget relying on new EU own resources, by strengthened structural funds, in particular the European Social Fund, and by a new European debt agency;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Proposes to establish a European fund for social innovation which aims to support and develop civil society organisations' capacity for experimentation and innovation in relation to SSGI;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that, in order to maintain the delivery of quality SSGI, the Member States need new income streams, such as a financial transaction tax, a high level of progressive income taxation and a taxation taking into account the use of resources;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Believes there is a broad European consensus that SSGI are essential to the well-being of our peoples and an efficient economy but that there is no agreement within or between the Commission and the Council on the implementation of practical measures to overcome identified obstacles to the delivery and development of SSGI; considers that the EU should do more to promote their importance; stresses the interest for a better understanding of common concepts regarding the quality of SSIG; calls on the Commission to draw up a methodology which is better adopted to authorities running public services and to operators and is comprehensible, directly applicable and accessible in all the EU official languages;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the fact that Member States and local authorities must be free to decide how SSGI are funded and delivered, whether directly or otherwise, using all available instruments and especially alternatives to tendering so as to ensure that the Union'’s social objectives are not weakened by single market rules, while at the same time supporting an environment that promotes quality, accessibility, affordability and efficiency in the delivery of the services;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Commission to take the necessary steps to introduce proposals for European statutes for associations, mutual societies and foundations, to propose a feasibility study and an impact assessment for the statutes for associations and mutual societies, and to complete the impact assessment for the statute for foundations in due course; calls for EU legislation to enable mutual societies, associations and foundations to operate on a transnational basis;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls for the 2005on the Commission to use the evaluation and revision of the Monti- Kroes response to the Altmark case to be broadened so as to simplify the rules, improve flexibility in their application, and expand the derogations. The de minimis threshold should be raised to at least EUR 500 000 over a three-year cyclepackage to strengthen legal security in the field of social services of general interest Calls for the simplification of the control of overcompensation for operators in charge of services of general economic interest at the local level; Asks the Commission that control of over- compensation is used only if the risk of damaging violation of competition is ascertained; Calls for an extension of the category of SSGI exempted from notification with regard to state aids without considering thresholds, following the examples of hospitals and subsidised housing; draws attention to the longstanding dialogue with the stakeholders on this subject and call on the Commission to act;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. CRecalls for reform of the criteria for classifying economic and non-economic SSGI in the framework of current EU legislationthat the classification between economic and non-economic SSGI is not the key question, but rather the possibility for public authorities to ensure the ultimate realisation of particular tasks assigned to undertakings entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Emphasises that public procurement rules need to be simplified and made more flexible so that public service obligations can be fulfilledadapted so that public service obligations can be fulfilled; emphasizes that tendering in the field of social services may have a negative impact on the level and quality of employment, while other forms of financing may allow to a better extent to manage flexibility, personalization of services and innovation, which are essential for quality of social services;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Commission formally to recogniseto respect other modalities for the sdelection of providersivery of SSGI, such as ‘in-house’ and ‘service concession’ methods, and explicitly to accord equal value to all options for the contracting and financing of SSGI; calls for the expansion of the ‘in- house’ methodnotion to include service providers who meet specific general interest criteria;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Supports the normative anchoring of a practical ‘in-house’ tendering option for SSGI, based on the model of the revised Regulation 1370/2007 on public passenger transport services by rail and road, which would provide that any competent local authority may decide to provide services itself or to award public service contracts to a legally distinct entity over which the competent local authority exercises control similar to that exercised over its own department;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Believes that local authorities must be involved in an ongoing bottom-up process of overhaulingthe process of elaboration of procurement rules to avoid discrepancies between the rules and modes of organisation on the ground;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for redefinition ofAdvocates encouraging the inclusion in calls for tenders of qualitative criteria, especially in the social and environmental fields and in the conceptext of ‘most economically advantageous offer’ so as to make national and lfair trade; calls for a reflexion to make these criteria compulsory; calls for the specific status of non-profit providers to be taken into account and maintained; Emphasises the lack of clarity in the area of social social and quality criteria for the delivly responsible public procurement, and draws attention to the changes in the legal framework brought about by the Lisbon Treaty and the Chartery of SSGI an obligatory requirement in procurement contracts, including subcontracts; Fundamental Rights, and looks to the Commission to implement the relevant provisions in an appropriate manner; calls on the Commission to delete the method of "cheapest offer";
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for a programme of reform, to include legislative adaptation and clarification at European level, to support the specific characteristics of SSGI; considers that a compulsory framework for certain categories of SSGI needs to be explored;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Proposes the establishment of a high- level multi-stakeholder taskforce – initially with a two-year mandate – that is open, flexiblediversely composed and transparent, to pursue implementation of the policy initiatives identified in this report and in the 3rd Forum recommendations, the Commission'’s second Biennial Report and the SPC reports, as well as any other relevant proposals; to initiate the elaboration of rules able to guarantee SSGI in positive law, as well as a full review of all rules, particularly state-aid and procurement rules, which impact on SSGI and to evaluate how they need to be redesigned so as to respect and support Member States'’ responsibilities in the definition and delivery of SSGI, taking account of the current Commission review of rules; access to quality social services should be a key priority in the European Platform against Poverty and discussed in the proposed taskforce;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Considers that, as part of its mandate, the proposed taskforce would also consider innovations such as a European resource centre for SSGI, a Member State register of SSGI, aseveral pilot schemes on elder care, homelessness, childcare and disability, and action programmes based on the European Voluntary Quality Framework (VQF);
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Proposes to establish a European resource centre for SSGI, which would act as a technical reference point between Member States, the Commission and representatives of civil society at European level, would act as an early- warning mechanism in cases of legislation infringing on SSGI, would formulate opinions on its own or at the request of the Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and social affairs Committee, would fund research work and studies in the field and would play a key role for the exchange of good practices between Member States;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Urges that the taskforce be co-chaired by the Commission's DG Social AffairsEuropean Parliament and by the Commission; that its membership include DG Social Affairs, DG Competition, DG Single Market, DG Environment and DG Sanco, the European Social Affairs Council (EPSCO), the social partners and civil society organisations active in SSGI; that, in view of their democratic mandate, both Parliamentthe European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions must be centrally involved; and that social economy enterprises and stakeholders including voluntary associations, as well as local authorities, must be represented;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Emphasises that decent, stable working conditions and quality training, user's participation and their empowerment are essential for the delivery of quality social services;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the parliaments and governments of the Member States and of the candidate countries and, to the Committee of the Regions and to the European Economic and Social Committee.