Activities of Lajos BOKROS
Plenary speeches (40)
Role and operations of the Troika with regard to the euro area programme countries - Employment and social aspects of the role and operations of the Troika (debate)
Role and operations of the Troika with regard to the euro area programme countries - Employment and social aspects of the role and operations of the Troika (debate)
2013 progress report on Bosnia and Herzegovina - 2013 progress report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - 2013 progress report on Montenegro (debate)
Need for the quick adoption of a broad-based Financial Transaction Tax (debate)
Need for the quick adoption of a broad-based Financial Transaction Tax (debate)
2013 progress report on Serbia - European integration process of Kosovo (debate)
Multiannual financial framework 2014-2020 - Interinstitutional agreement on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management (debate)
Situation of fundamental rights: standards and practices in Hungary (debate)
Situation of fundamental rights: standards and practices in Hungary (debate)
Specific tasks for the European Central Bank concerning policies relating to the prudential supervision of credit institutions - European Banking Authority and prudential supervision of credit institutions (debate)
Constitutional situation in Hungary (debate)
Strengthening the fight against racism, xenophobia and hate crime (debate)
European Semester for economic policy coordination: annual growth survey 2013 - European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the annual growth survey 2013 - Governance of the single market (debate)
European Semester for economic policy coordination: annual growth survey 2013 - European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social aspects in the annual growth survey 2013 - Governance of the single market (debate)
Guidelines for the 2014 budget - sections other than the Commission (debate)
Programme of activities of the Irish Presidency (debate)
Towards a genuine Economic and Monetary Union (debate)
Preparation for the European Council meeting (28-29 June 2012) - Multiannual financial framework and own resources (debate)
Trade and investment strategy for the southern Mediterranean following the Arab Spring revolutions (debate)
Recent political developments in Hungary (debate)
Economic governance
Parliament's position on the 2012 draft budget as modified by the Council - Mobilisation of the flexibility instrument (debate)
Economic crisis and the euro (debate)
2012 draft budget trilogue (debate)
Revised Hungarian constitution (debate)
Developments in the ongoing debt crisis and the EU response (debate)
Estimates of revenue and expenditure for 2012 - Section I - Parliament (debate)
The programme of activities of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council (debate)
2011 budget (debate)
Parliament's position on the 2011 draft budget as modified by the Council - all sections - Draft amending budget No 3/2010: Section III - Commission - BAM (Banana Accompanying Measures) (debate)
Sludge catastrophe in Hungary (debate)
Specific tasks for the European Central Bank concerning the functioning of the European Systemic Risk Board - Powers of the European Banking Authority, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and the European Securities and Markets Authority - European Securities and Markets Authority - Macro-prudential oversight of the financial system and establishment of a European Systemic Risk Board - European Banking Authority - European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority - Cross-Border Crisis Management in the Banking Sector (debate)
Amending budget no 1/2010: Section I - Parliament - Estimates of revenue and expenditure for the year 2011 - Section I - Parliament (debate)
Europe 2020 - new European Strategy for Jobs and Growth (debate)
Presentation of the College of Commissioners and statement on the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the Commission (debate)
Presentation of the programme of the Spanish Presidency (debate)
Draft general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2010 as modified by the Council (all sections) - Draft amending budget No 10/2009 of the European Union for the financial year 2009, Section III – Commission - Mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument - Amendment to the multiannual financial framework 2007-2013: financing energy projects under the European Economic Recovery Plan (debate)
Responses to relaunch the economy in the Member States of the European Union in Central and Eastern Europe
Use of minority languages within the framework of the European cultural heritage (debate)
Transitional procedural guidelines on budgetary matters in view of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty (debate)
Written declarations (1)
Amendments (46)
Amendment 11 #
2013/0190(NLE)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Latvian Government to maintain its prudent fiscal policy stance, together with its overall stability-oriented policies, anticipating potential future macroeconomic imbalances and risks to price stability; notes that the price stability in Latvia is very dependent on potentially rising commodity prices due to the country’s low energy efficiency and the composition of its consumer basket; calls on the government to make improvements in this regard;
Amendment 12 #
2013/0190(NLE)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Notes that the scope for further productivity improvements is limited and future growth will also be dependent on the Latvian government’s progress towards improving the business environment;
Amendment 15 #
2013/0190(NLE)
Draft legislative resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Latvian Government to address structural deficiencies in the labour market by appropriate structural, tax and educational reforms;
Amendment 2 #
2012/2309(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Amendment 3 #
2012/2309(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the current allocation of seats in the European Parliament is not proportional and is thus in contradiction with the Treaty on European Union, and whereas the representation of each Member State in the European Parliament cannot be discussed separately from representation in the Council of the European Union,
Amendment 4 #
2012/2309(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
Amendment 7 #
2012/2309(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas, given that the problem of truly degressive proportional representation in the European Parliament and the Council can be definitively solved only by changes to the Treaty on European Union, a temporary solution must be found pending the resolution of that question by changes to the Treaty,
Amendment 10 #
2012/2309(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Amendment 15 #
2012/2309(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Points out that the only possible temporary solution, in order not to distort the balance of representation of the Member States within the Union, is to temporarily increase the number of seats in the European Parliament from the 2014- 2019 parliamentary term, pending changes to the Treaty;
Amendment 31 #
2012/2309(INI)
Proposal for a Decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) This Decision mustshould have respected the criteria laid down in the first subparagraph of Article 14(2) of the Treaty on European Union, namely representatives of the Union's citizens not exceeding seven hundred and fifty in number, plus the President, that representation being degressively proportional, with a minimum threshold of six members per Member State and no Member State being allocated more than ninety-six seats,
Amendment 32 #
2012/2309(INI)
Proposal for a Decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament
Article 1 – introductory part
Article 1 – introductory part
In the application of the principle of degressive proportionality provided for in the first subparagraph of Article 14(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the following principles shallould have been respected as far as possible:
Amendment 39 #
2012/2309(INI)
Proposal for a Decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament
Article 1 – indent 1 a (new)
Article 1 – indent 1 a (new)
– the number of seats is not reduced for those Member States which under the EU Balance-of-Payments financial assistance programmes have implemented demanding adjustment measures and maintained fixed exchange rates, thus helping to ensure financial stability and confidence across the Union;
Amendment 44 #
2012/2309(INI)
Proposal for a Decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament
Article 3
Article 3
Pursuant to Article 1, the number of representatives in the European Parliament elected in each Member State is hereby set as follows, with effect from the beginning of the 2014-2019 parliamentary term: Belgium 212 Bulgaria 178 Czech Republic 212 Denmark 13 Germany 969 Estonia 6 Ireland 112 Greece 212 Spain 54 France 74 Croatia 112 Italy 73 Cyprus 6 Latvia 89 Lithuania 112 Luxembourg 6 Hungary 212 Malta 6 Netherlands 26 Austria 19 Poland 51 Portugal 212 Romania 323 Slovenia 8 Slovakia 13 Finland 13 Sweden 1920 United Kingdom 73
Amendment 60 #
2012/2309(INI)
Proposal for a Decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament
Article 4
Article 4
This Decision shall be revised sufficiently far in advance of the beginning of the 2019- 2024 parliamentary term with the aim of establishing a system which in future will make it possible, before each fresh election to the European Parliament, toremain in effect until such time as new principles are laid down for the reallocate theion of seats between the Member States in an objective manner, based on the principle of degressive proportionality set forth in Article 1, taking account of any increase in their number and demographic trends in their population as duly ascertained, as well as voting rights in the Council.
Amendment 24 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 33 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Highlights the fact that the proposed figures in the 2012 EU annual budget are consistent with the profile of EU expenditure set in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2007-2013; emphasises that any increase (or decrease) compared to Budget 2011 must therefore be assessed bearing in mind its impact on the delivery of the multiannual programmes; stresses that this is a question of institutional credibility and coherence of the EU project when EU responsibilities and commitments keep on growing; deeply regrets from this point of view that the Commission did not propose endowing policies and new competencies established at EU level following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty with meaningful and visible financial capacity;
Amendment 59 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes the proposed increase in PA of 4.9% compared to 2011; is convinced that the Commission is proposing such figures on the basis of a careful and critical analysis of forecasts provided by Member States, which themselves co-manage 80% of the EU budget; notes that the bulk of this increase is linked to legal needs arising in relation to the 7th Research Programme and the Structural and Cohesion Funds; is convinced that the proposed level of payments represents the bare minimum required to honour EU legal commitments made in previous years and that it is the EU’s duty to comply with the legal obligations deriving from these commitments; strongly urges the Council, therefore, to refrain from cutting the proposed level of payments;
Amendment 68 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. RegretNotes, however, that most of the increases foreseen under this heading for 2012 do not go beyond the mere yearly breakdown of multiannual global amounts agreed to by both Parliament and Council when these programmes and actions were adopted; underlines therefore that the Commission does not generally propose to boost – beyond what was originally planned – the support for investments urgently needed to implement the seven flagship initiatives, and notes that it is regrettably inclined to postpone the necessary big leap in terms of common financial effort to the post-2013 MFF; is convinced that this attitude will seriously endanger the achievement of the headline goals by 2020;
Amendment 70 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Underlines that, with the DB 2012 and the updated financial programming for 2013, the total amount of funds committed by 2013 for key programmes for the achievement of the EU 2020 strategy, such as the 7th EC Framework Research Program (EC FP7), anti-pollution measures, Marco Polo II, PROGRESS, Galileo and GMES, would be less than the reference amount agreed by Parliament and Council when these programmes were adopted; notes that, on the contrary, these reference amounts would be slightly exceeded in the case of the following key Europe 2020 programmes: the Competiveness and Innovation Framework programme (CIP), Trans-European Transport Network, Trans-European Energy network, Erasmus Mundus and Lifelong Learning; regrets, however, that these proposed increases are well below the 5% legislative flexibility allowed under Point 37 of the IIAasks for assessment of the programmes;
Amendment 78 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 97 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 103 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 113 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Stresses therefore that this level of payments is a bare minimum and complies fully with realistic budgeting, taking due account of the general payment profile over the period, the Member States’ available forecast in respect of payment claims to be sent to the Commission, and the need to fill the gap between commitments and payments; underlines the fact that these cash flows will also help accelerate the recovery of the European economy and contribute to the Europe 2020 strategy in the regions; will therefore strictly oppose any possible decrease in the level of payments compared to the one proposed by the Commission in its Draft Budget, particularly in view of Council’s early 2011 reluctance to honour its formal commitment of December 2010 to providing fresh appropriations in case of need;
Amendment 127 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Observes that these increases are above all the consequence of continuous phasing- in of direct payments to new Member States and additional needs for rural development; underlines the fact that market interventions remain almost stable compared with Budget 2011, while price volatility and the instability of certain markets continue to affect the agricultural sector;
Amendment 151 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Notes that these increases are mostly linked to three of the four Solidarity and Management of Immigration programmes: External Borders Fund (+38%), European Return Fund (+43%) and European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals (+24%); emphasises, however, that the increases foreseen under this heading for 2012 are simply the result of the yearly breakdown of multiannual global amounts agreed upon by both Parliament and Council when these programmes and actions were adopted;
Amendment 153 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Very much wonders, therefore, whether the DB presented by the Commission constitutes an appropriate and updated answer to the current challenges facing the EU, not least in the context of the ongoing events in the Southern Mediterranean; rRecalls its strong call for an appropriate and balanced answer to these challenges, in full respect of internal protection rules and human rights; highlights in particular the role and support of the European Refugee Fund, including emergency measures in the event of mass influxes of refugees, and greatly regrets that the Commission did not propose any increase for this fund beyond what was initially foreseen in the financial programming;
Amendment 166 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
Amendment 170 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
Amendment 178 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55
Paragraph 55
55. Notes that the commitment and payment appropriations requested in the DB 2012 have increased by 2.9% and 0.8%, as compared to the 2011 Budget, to EUR 9 009.3 and EUR 7 293.7 million respectively (account being taken of the Emergency Aid reserve); points out that these increases remain below the increase proposed by the Commission for the Budget as a whole;
Amendment 198 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
65. NotWelcomes the letter from the Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget of 3 February 2011 committing to an increase in Heading 5 expenditure below 1% and no new staff as compared to 2011 and calling upon all institutions to follow the same approach as regards the evolution of their budgets and expresses its determination to follow this example;
Amendment 208 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67
Paragraph 67
67. AcknowledgWelcomes the Commission’s great effort to freeze its own administrative expenditure in nominal terms; notes that this was rendered possible through the offsetting of the increases linked to statutory and contractual obligations against other drastic cuts in other administrative expenditure; is nevertheless concerned aboutdetermined to analyse the possible consequences of the latter, for instance those related to training (-11%) and publications (-17% and -2.1% for the Publication Office);
Amendment 209 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 68
Paragraph 68
Amendment 211 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 69
Paragraph 69
Amendment 218 #
2011/2019(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 71
Paragraph 71
Amendment 15 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reaffirms that the Parliament should show budgetary responsibility and self- restraint by staying around the inflation rate and finding additional savings; following the interinstitutional line, enlargement-related needs are to be integrated either by a letter of amendment or an amending budget; the needs for the 18 new MEPs following the Lisbon Treaty will be also integrated by a letter of amendment or an amending budget;
Amendment 28 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Considers that the ongoing efforts to modernise and rationalise the administration and the proposals for 2012 should contribute to a reduction in the external provision of services and expects significant savings to be made here so as to achieve a level of expenditure comparable at least to that of 2010;
Amendment 34 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. CutKeeps the contingency reserve by X million EUR.at the level for 2011;
Amendment 35 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Keeps the funding for European political parties at the level of 2011 while allowing for an adjustment according to the inflation rate;
Amendment 40 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the Secretary General's proposal to continue to implement Parliament's environmental policy, to start- up an information campaign, to provide support for the multi-annual ICT strategy and to continue to modernise and rationalise the administration; would further welcome that the continued modernisation and rationalisation include that: - the library services provide expertise in all three working languages, - that the medical service continues to be adequately funded with an increase of 15%, - that exchanges with national parliaments continue to be adequately funded and kept at the level of 2011;
Amendment 42 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Notes that Members' travel costs could be significantly reduced if MEPs and staff were obliged, for flights within the Union, to travel economy class;
Amendment 44 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Considers that efforts to modernise and rationalise the administration must also include the security of the parliament; requests a reserve of EUR 3 million, which would be lifted upon presentation of a viable concept for improvements and costs-plan;
Amendment 48 #
2011/2018(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Considers that the above-mentioned ICT modernisation should engender significant savings with regard to the provision of external ICT services, allowing for the spending level of 2011 to be maintained; considers further that more competitive conditions might be negotiated with regard to the cleaning and maintenance costs of the Parliament in order to keep them at the level of 2011, which may further contribute to reducing the EP's environmental footprint; considers that in this context, EP's paper - related costs can be reduced by at least 10%;
Amendment 12 #
2010/0035(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) The reliability of statistics made available by the Commission (Eurostat) at Union level directly depends on the reliability of statistical data collected by Member States at national level.
Amendment 13 #
2010/0035(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 4 b (new)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4b) Ensuring institutional independence of all national statutory statistical bodies is crucial to avoid any undue pressure on them from their respective governments.
Amendment 14 #
2010/0035(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In this connection, the Commission (Eurostat) should have additional rights of access to a widened scope of information for the needs of data quality assessment. It is essential that the data received from the Member States is shared in due time with the European Central Bank's Directorate General for Statistics.
Amendment 23 #
2010/0035(NLE)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 2
Article 1 – point 2
Regulation (EC) No 479/2009
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
The European Central Bank may verify the information received, in particular where such information emanates from Member States in the euro area.