Activities of Burkhard BALZ related to 2014/2059(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2014 priorities (debate) DE
Amendments (9)
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the fact that, compared to the peak during the recent crises, economic recovery in the EU is under way; reiterates, however, that this recovery is fragile and uneven, and must be sustained in order to deliver more growth and jobs in the medium term;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the ambitious structural reforms implemented by Member States under the macroeconomic adjustment programmes; finds it regrettable that the Member States in the rest of the euro area are less ambitious in modernising their economies, which is one of the reasons for the low growth prospects in the medium and long term; stresses that reforms must be pursued with determination and must be monitored in order to ensure that their effectiveness is sustainable;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines the fact that the EMU is far from complete and reminds the Commission of its obligations and commitments to further enhance economic convergenceand budgetary coordination and strengthen competitiveness in the EU; welcomealso refers, in this respect, to the commitment by the next President-elect of the Commission to deliver on the roadmap set out the report of 5 December 2012 entitled ‘Towards a Genuine Economic and Monetary Union’;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the fact that the implementation of CSRs is a fundamental precondition for achieving economic convergence in the EMU, which is key to the proper functioning thereof, allowing for financial and economic stability that is conducive to growth and jobs; looks to Member State governments to actively defend and implement at national level decisions on CSRs which have been bindingly adopted by all Member States in the Council (‘national ownership’);
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Believes that with regard to the forthcoming European Semester, the policy of growth-friendly fiscal consolidation should be pursued to improve fiscal sustainability; stresses, however, the fact that special emphasis should be placed on growth-enhancing reforms and policies; points out that the existing legal framework makes it possible, alongside the structural reforms which have been initiated, to allow Member States a degree of flexibility, and urges that this flexibility should be exploited;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Points out that the absence of a well functioning internal labour market and of a positivsustainable approach to immigration hampers growth in the EU; calls on the Commission and the Member States to establish a common labour market and a moderntake steps to reform the labour market and education and training policies, as outlined in particular in the country- specific recommendations, and establish an appropriate immigration policy;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Points out that government-induced growth risks being unsustainable over the medium term; stresses the fact that the already high levels of public debt do not allow for a significant increase in spending, if the reform and consolidation efforts are not to be in vain; recommends, therefore, a shift in spending from non-productive to productive sectors;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Underlines the fact that a lack of access to finance, particularly for SMEs, poses a huge obstacle to growth in the EU; stresses the need to do away with even more of the bureaucratic obstacles facing small and medium-sized undertakings and to apply the principle of proportionality more strictly in EU lawmaking in the future;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses the importance of the expedition and completion of the banking union; believnotes that completion of the banking union must be achieved by means ofapproval of the three pillars of the banking union and implementation of new own-capital rules for credit institutions and insurance and markets unioncompanies can help to restore faith in the resilience of the European financial sector;