Activities of Evelyn REGNER related to 2014/2059(INI)
Legal basis opinions (0)
Amendments (11)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, notwithstanding a mild decline in unemployment, unemployment rates in the EU are still incredibly alarming (25.005 million in the EU-28 in June 2014); whereas, furthermore, the differences between Member States’ unemployment rates (5 % in Austria, compared with 27.3 % in Greece) represent a major risk both for the economic stability of the EU and for European social cohesion; whereas this is particularly the case concerning youth unemployment, having more than 5 million people unemployed under the age of 25 years in the EU28 and countries with youth unemployment rates higher than 50% (Spain, Greece);
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 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 124 #
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 economy; points out that undeclared work is a rising problem in most Member States and especially in cross-border work, which can only be effectively tackled by clear regulation and by much closer cooperation between the Member States, i.e. by setting up a European Platform on undeclared work, of binding nature for the Member States;
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses the importance of active and inclusive labour market policies in the current context; is deeply concerned that several Member States, despite rising unemployment rates, have reduced budget allocations to finance active and inclusive labour market policies; calls on the Member States to increase the coverage and effectiveness of active labour market policies, in close cooperation with the social partners;
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 178 #
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 in the eurozone; regards this increase as necessary investment considering the enormous annual economic loss of youth unemployment amounting to EUR 153 billion, corresponding to 1,2% of EU GDP (Eurofound, 2012)1 a ; __________________ 1a Eurofound (2012), NEETs: young people not in employment, education or training: characteristics, costs and policy responses in Europe, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
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 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;