2013/2125(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Points out that the recent economic downturn has led to a number of reductions in the defence budgets of ~~the majority of Member Stat~~many Member States; considers that the current crisis can be used as an opportunity for the development of an integrated Union defence policy, as it can provide the impetus for implementing ambitious and outstanding reforms and for better benefitting from synergies;

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that, in order to increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry, Member States urgently need to increase the transparency and openness of their defence markets; considers that Directive 2009/81/EC on defence and sensitive security procurement strengthens the single market by reducing the complexity of procurement rules in the defence sector; moreover points out that the common security and defence policy has to be further promoted and synchronised, in order to define the level of ambition for the European armed forces, deduce a corresponding composition of forces and allocate the capabilities among the Member States, thereby facilitating the standardisation of equipment and the specification of industrial foci;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 12 #

Andreas SCHWAB

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that greater use of innovative procurement techniques – especially including those related to the aggregation of requirements, use of ICT and incentives- setting for R&D – should be encouraged in defence procurement, as they may be particularly suited to this field and can play a major role in reducing the administration and costs related to procurement procedures, while at the same time the protection of intellectual property rights and know-how needs to be ensured;

Amendment 13 #

Malcolm HARBOUR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that greater use of innovative procurement techniques – especially ~~including those related to the aggregation of requi~~e- procurement, and pre-commercial procurements, ~~use of ICT and~~as well as incentives-setting for R&D – should be encouraged in defence procurement, as they may be particularly suited to this field and can play a major role in reducing the administration and costs related to procurement procedures;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that greater use of innovative procurement techniques – especially including those related to the aggregation of requirements, use of ICT and incentives- setting for R&D – should be encouraged in defence procurement, as they may be particularly suited to this field and can play a major role in reducing the administration and costs related to procurement procedures; urges the Member States to make strategic use of defence public procurement and implement innovative awarding principles based on the concept of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender encompassing environmental, social, ethical and quality aspects as well as a life-cycle approach;

Amendment 15 #

Malcolm HARBOUR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Considers that contracting authorities and entities in the fields of defence and security should have access to a specific procurement procedure in respect of contracts where there is a need for the development of an innovative product or service or innovative works and the subsequent purchase of the resulting supplies, services or works which cannot be met by solutions already available on the market; considers furthermore that such a procedure would improve the functioning of the internal market and the development of a European defence equipment market, a European defence technological and industrial base and would drive growth for innovative SMEs; underlines that such a procedure has already been agreed in the revised Classic and Utilities Procurement Directives, allowing contracting authorities to establish a long-term innovation partnership for the development and subsequent purchase of new, innovative products, services or works, providing the necessary 'market-pull' and incentivising the development of an innovative solution without foreclosing the market; calls therefore on the European Commission to take these developments into account in its implementation report to the European Parliament and the Council under Defence Procurement Directive (Directive 2009/81/EC), which is due by 21 August 2016, and to accompany this report with a legislative proposal amending Directive 2009/81/EC, introducing the innovation partnerships procedure for those contracts;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Urges the Member States to also take steps to abolish the duplication and excess capacity in the sector through boosting cooperation in the internal market; highlights the potential benefits of joint procurement in terms of economies of scale and interoperability; points out that shared projects will reduce costs and allow for long term investments;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Highlights the importance of efficient public expenditure in the defence sector; encourages the Member States, against the background of the current social and economic crisis as well as strained public finances, to scrutinise public defence expenditure and reallocate savings potential in the defence sector in favour of public investments in social economies and civilian industries;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that the contracts awarded in the field of defence and security are often technically complex; stresses that in order to facilitate cross-border tendering there is a need to review ~~incompatible or disproportionate~~ technical requirements so as to minimise and, where possible, eliminate incompatible or disproportionate requirements constituting barriers to the Sin~~ternal m~~gle Market;

Amendment 19 #

Andreas SCHWAB

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that the contracts awarded in the field of defence and security are often technically complex; stresses that in order to facilitate cross-border tendering there is a need to review - where appropriate - unnecessary, incompatible or disproportionate technical requirements so as to minimise and, where possible, eliminate barriers to the internal market;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Believes that the Union should provide security for its citizens and support democracy, human rights and the rule of law in its neighbourhood and beyond; however, considers that this can be done without expanding the common defence policy

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses that promoting the European defence technological and industrial base is a further element towards to the completion of the Single Market and can create sustainable jobs for citizens employed in the defence industries;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses that liberalisation of non- sensitive national programmes not including nuclear power and weapons, complex weapons system, or complex communications, detection and stealth systems would increase competition and lower prices as defence companies across the Union could compete for contracts; points out that if Member States will not change the national procurement processes, the Commission will have to rely on case law for non-sensitive programmes;

Amendment 22 #

Barbara WEILER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Requests that costly military prestige projects be abandoned and calls on Member States to particularly support the development of products that ensure the protection and safety of the soldiers in the field.

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Points out that specific, sometimes even useless, technical demands in invitations to tenders are particularly targeted to exclude foreign companies, in order to increase the financial and technical abilities of the national defence industry;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Emphasizes that so far additional formalities have not proven to diminish this effect in the defence industry sector, but rather to increase it as well as the associated costs and time for the contracting parties, therefore effectively reducing the competitiveness of the European defence industry;

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Concludes that, based on developments in Lybia, Mali and Syria and despite the existing common security and defence policy, sovereign nations clearly tend to have sovereign defence interests and hence keep their technological know-how and their defence industry also as sovereign as possible; calls on the Commission to take these important aspects into consideration for the proposal of new or the abolishment of existing formalities in order to effectively increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Notes that the fragmentation of the European defence market is an obstacle to small and medium-sized enterprises ~~increasing their share in this market~~to market their products; emphasises the importance of possibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises to ~~take part in the process of~~contribute to the creatingon of defence equipment sector products; urges the Commission, therefore, to ~~adop~~present further proposals to facilitate their access to the European defence industry;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Notes that the fragmentation of the European defence market is an obstacle to small and medium-sized enterprises increasing their share in this market; emphasises the importance of possibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises to take part in the process of creating defence equipment sector products; urges the Commission, therefore, to adopt further proposals to facilitate their access to the European defence industry; emphasizes that the creation of additional Union standards and certifications might be detrimental for the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises as they often do not have the ability to invest upfront for years and the costs for qualification and certification already tend to constitute a considerable amount of the overall development costs for new defence products;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Urges the Member States to inspire cooperation between major defence companies and universities; emphasises that the knowledge base of universities can be widened through this cooperation;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Urges the Member States to increase transparency levels with regard to state aid and procurement practices in the defence sector, towards European authorities and agencies as well as towards the general public;

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Member States and the Commission to facilitate efforts of exploiting technologies and innovation emanating from the defence industry for non-military purposes and the production of civilian products and applications in order to strengthen high-technology industries within the internal market;

Amendment 31 #

Adam BIELAN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the need for greater funding for R&D in Member States to successfully compete with third countries' manufacturers in defence sector; notes that innovation and technological developments can lead to improvements in other areas of life;

Amendment 32 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Deplores the strong emphasis in Commission Communication of 24 July 2013 'Towards a more competitive and efficient defence and security sector1 on labour flexibility schemes as the appropriate response to structural changes within the defence industry; instead draws attention to the assessment of potential economic incentives for the conversion of military-industrial overcapacities into civilian production; ____________________________ 1 COM(2013) 542 final.

Amendment 33 #

Adam BIELAN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Commission and Member States to cooperate with one another to ensure cyber-security, as ~~an integral part of the defence sector~~one of the major pillars of the defence and security strategy; recalls at the same time that, given the global dimension of the internet, the digital internal market faces growing security risks and a strong and coordinated approach could contribute to combating threats such as to the security of transactions, which seriously undermine consumers' confidence in the digital market.

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Recalls the tradition of the Union as a civilian power in global affairs; reiterates therefore that the European defence industry should first and foremost focus on the demand from the internal market; deplores in this context the increase in trade in arms and defence equipment emanating from the Union with autocratic regimes in unstable world regions; notes that these trade practices might not be conducive to the security of citizens in regions receiving arms and defence equipment from the Union as well as to European and global security considerations; urges the Member States to act in international fora in favour of more transparency in international defence procurement markets in order to increase the controllability of global trade flows in armament;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that, in order to increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry, Member States urgently need to i~~ncreas~~mprove the transparency and increase the openness of their defence markets; considers that Directive 2009/81/EC on defence and sensitive security procurement strengthens the single market by reducing the complexity of procurement rules in the defence sector;

Amendment 6 #

Andreas SCHWAB

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that, in order to increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry, Member States urgently need to increase the transparency and openness of their defence markets; considers that Directive 2009/81/EC on defence and sensitive security procurement strengthens the single market by reducing the complexity of procurement rules in the defence sector; where appropriate, while taking into consideration the increasing complexity of defence procurement in relation to international missions resulting in optimized specifications;'

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that~~, in order to increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry, Member States urgently need~~ great effort has already been made to ienc~~rease the transparency and openness of~~ourage intra-Union trade in their defence ~~markets; considers tha~~sector; therefore calls on Members States to fully implement Directive 2009/81/EC on defence and sensitive security procurement in order to strengthens the single market by reducing the complexity of procurement rules in the defence sector and to increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry; emphasises that a transparent and open single market for defence procurement is vital not only to ensure best available products but also to ensure best value for taxpayers money;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that~~, in order to increase the competitiveness of the European defence industry,~~ Member States urgently need to increase the transparency and openness of their defence markets; considers that Directive 2009/81/EC on defence and sensitive security procurement strengthens the single market by reducing the complexity of procurement rules in the defence sector;

Amendment 9 #

Barbara WEILER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

source: PE-519.497

2013/09/25 AFET 66 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls th~~at an operational Common Security and Defence Policy needs~~e importance of a strong European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB), constituting a key element ~~for Europe's capacity~~in the capacity of European Nations to ensure the security of ~~its~~their citizens~~, protect its values and promote its interests~~;

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Recalls that if Europe wishes to maintain a solid security and defence industry its Member States need to coordinate their defence budgets to avoid duplication and to strengthen their joint research programmes;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty the EU's industrial, space and research policies extend to the defence remit; points out that Union programmes in other areas such as internal and border security, disaster management and development offer a significant prospect of jointly developing capabilities relevant to those policies and to the conduct of CSDP missions;deleted

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Stresses that with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty the EU’s industrial, space and research policies extend to the defence remit; p~~Points out that Union programmes in other areas such as internal and border security, disaster management and development offer a significant prospect of jointly developing capabilities relevant to those policies and to the conduct of CSDP missions;

Amendment 13 #

Teresa RIERA MADURELL

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty the EU’s industrial, space and research policies extend to the defence remit; Nevertheless recalls that Horizon 2020 – The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation will focus solely on the development of civilian applications1; points out that Union programmes in other areas such as internal and border security, disaster management and development offer a significant prospect of jointly developing capabilities relevant to those policies and to the conduct of CSDP missions; __________________ 1 Article 16 of the Regulation (EU) No .../2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Horizon 2020 - The Framework Programme for Research and innovation (2014-2020)

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

Amendment 15 #

Janusz ZEMKE, Krzysztof LISEK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls the need to make progress in consolidating the EDTIB, ~~given~~notes that – in the face of the increasing sophistication and costs of technologies, growing international competition and decreasing defence budgets and production volumes – it is no longer possible in any of the Member States for the defence industry to be sustainable on a strictly national basis; regrets the fact that, while a certain level of concentration has been achieved in the European aerospace industries, the land and naval equipment sectors are still overwhelmingly fragmented along national lines, there is continued scope for multi- national defence projects, ideally involving a small number of partners and without any need for involvement of the institutions of the EU;

Amendment 16 #

Krzysztof LISEK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls the need to make progress in consolidating the EDTIB in a manner which is sustainable and which takes account of the interests of SMEs, given that – in the face of the increasing sophistication and costs of technologies, growing international competition and decreasing defence budgets and production volumes – it is no longer possible in any of the Member States for the defence industry to be sustainable on a strictly national basis; regrets the fact that, while a certain level of concentration has been achieved in the European aerospace industries, the land and naval equipment sectors are still overwhelmingly fragmented along national lines;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Maintains that the construction of a European defence industry should be carried out in a sustainable manner, in all Member States, on the basis of existing industrial infrastructure, and not solely according to the principle of free competition;

Amendment 18 #

Janusz ZEMKE, Krzysztof LISEK

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Notes the Commission Communication of 24 July 2013 and the EEAS draft report; considers it regrettable that the Commission and the EEAS did not issue a joint European declaration in preparation for the European Council's defence summit in December of this year;deleted

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Notes the Commission Communication of 24 July 2013 and the EEAS draft report; considers it regrettable that the Commission Communication did not specify the mechanisms that would ensure the equitable development of the defence industry in all parts of the European Union; considers it similarly regrettable that the Commission and the EEAS did not issue a joint European declaration in preparation for the European Council’s defence summit in December of this year;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Points out that the defence sector is a major source of jobs, growth and innovation at European level; stresses the importance of adopting an ambitious EDTIB policy;

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Recalls that the Commission and EU defence ministers already underlined the need for urgent action in this field in 2007 with a dedicated Commission Communication and the EDA's EDTIB strategy; regrets the lost opportunities regularly to submit implementation reports and update strategies following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty; considers it regrettable that the new communication does not take stock of previous strategies; calls for the Commission and the EDA to develop a joint EDTIB strategy in the future, based on past experiences;deleted

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Considers in an own broad assessment that both strategies have been insufficiently implemented because of the lack of a common understanding of EDTIB resulting from differing national and industrial interests, the persistence of established national habits in the armaments sectors; takes note of the fact that there are Member States with no own national defence industry and/or niche industries trying to get globally best value for money, with less competitive defence industries favouring national alimentation suppliers as well as with potent national defence industries accepting strong global competition;

Amendment 22 #

Elena BĂSESCU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Welcomes the European Council's decision to put the strengthening of Europe's defence on the agenda for its December summit; calls on the European Council to provide the necessary fresh impetus for supporting a truly European defence technological and industrial base, which will be capability-driven and will promote synergies, provide for the efficient use of the limited resources, avoid duplication and be integrated and competitive on the global market;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Welcomes the European Council’s decision to put the strengthening of Europe’s defence on the agenda for its December summit; calls on the European Council to provide the necessary fresh and ambitious impetus for supporting a truly European defence technological and industrial base, which will be capability- driven and will promote synergies, provide for the efficient use of resources, avoid duplication and be integrated and competitive on the global market;

Amendment 24 #

Andrey KOVATCHEV

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Welcomes the European Council's decision to put the strengthening of Europe's defence on the agenda for its December summit; calls on the European Council to provide the necessary fresh impetus for supporting a truly European defence technological and industrial base, which will be backed by appropriate integrity and trust building measures and which will be capability-driven and will promote synergies, provide for the efficient use of resources, avoid duplication and be integrated and competitive on the global market;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Considers it regrettable that past efforts to consolidate demand have not improved the fragmentation of demand in the EU, with 28 national defence customers and an even higher number of customers of products for civilian and military use; ~~regret~~notes the limited results of the EDA's Capability Development Plan; calls, therefore, on the European Council to launch a European defence review process and make the coordination of national defence planning processes at EU level a reality; based on this assessment, calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to initiate a wide-ranging process to develop a White Paper on Security and Defence in order to streamline the EU's strategic ambitions and capability development processes;

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Considers it regrettable that past efforts to consolidate demand have not improved the fragmentation of demand in the EU, with 28 national defence customers and an even higher number of customers of products for civilian and military use; regrets the limited results of the EDA’s Capability Development Plan; ~~calls, therefore, on the European Council to launch a European defence review process and make the coordination of national defence planning processes at EU level a reality; based on this assessment,~~ calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to initiate a wide-ranging process to develop a White Paper on Security and Defence ~~in order to streamline the EU’s strategic ambitions and capability development processes~~;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Considers it regrettable that past efforts to consolidate demand have not improved the fragmentation of demand in the EU, with 28 national defence customers and an even higher number of customers of products for civilian and military use; regrets the limited results of the EDA’s Capability Development Plan; calls, therefore, on the European Council to launch a European defence review process and make the coordination of national defence planning processes at EU level a reality; based on this assessment, calls on the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to initiate a wide-ranging process to develop a White Paper on European Security and Defence in order to streamline the EU’s strategic ambitions and capability development processes;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 - subparagraph 1 (new)

Notes the work of the NATO defence planning process, through which members of the Alliance, including 26 European Allies, coordinate - where appropriate - to ensure the right defence capabilities are developed and maintained to address future challenges; notes that NATO has long recognised the need for close cooperation with industry, not least to assist the development of military capability requirements, especially regarding standardisation and interoperability, while fostering transatlantic defence technological and industrial cooperation;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Calls on the Member States to synchronise and jointly plan the life-cycle management of their defence capabilities; considers that a common European capabilities and armaments policy would be a prerequisite for turning the harmonisation of military requirements into harmonised equipment acquisition among Member States, thus creating the conditions for a successful demand driven transnational restructuring of the defence industry in the EU;deleted

Amendment 3 #

Norica NICOLAI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Recalls that a strong European defence industry has the added advantage of providing jobs, boosting economic growth and fostering innovation, key features for European stability and security;

Amendment 30 #

Elena BĂSESCU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Calls on the Member States to further explore the possibility of synchroniseing and jointly planning the life-cycle management of their defence capabilities; considers that a ~~common European capabilities and armaments polic~~higher degree of synergy wcould be a prerequisite for turning the harmonisation of military requirements into harmonised equipment acquisition among Member States, thus creating the conditions for a successful demand driven transnational restructuring of the defence industry in the EU; recognises the potential of the defence sector in creating jobs and thus enhancing EU's efforts in reducing unemployment;

Amendment 31 #

Luis YÁÑEZ-BARNUEVO GARCÍA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Calls on the Member States to synchronise and jointly plan the life-cycle management of their defence capabilities in cooperation with the EDA; considers that a common European capabilities and armaments policy would be a prerequisite for turning the harmonisation of military requirements into harmonised equipment acquisition among Member States, thus creating the conditions for a successful demand driven transnational restructuring of the defence industry in the EU;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Considers that the EU should fully integrate its defence policy and industry and create new synergies between the EU’s R+D initiatives outside the sphere of defence, space R+D, and security and defence R+D.

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Supports the EDA in its endeavour to promote regional clusters;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Emphasises that a common system of standardisation and certification would be of benefit to European companies, including SMEs, as it would improve their access to European and international markets, create employment and expand their access to EU funding.

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Recalls that there is a proliferation of competing industrial standards for civilian and military products; calls on the Commission to ~~develop~~ promorte ~~industrial~~common standards with the early integration of military aspects provided by the EDA; ~~calls on the Member States to ensure that their future steps to set defence standards are based on the civilian suggestions made by the Commission and European standardisation organisations;~~

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Recalls that there is a proliferation of competing industrial standards for civilian and military products; ~~calls on the Commission to develop more industrial standards with the early integration of military aspects provided by the EDA~~regrets the limited success of the implementation of NATO's standardization agreements (STANAG) and recommendations (STANREC); calls on the Commission and EDA to promote the use of common standards in defence and to develop 'hybrid standards' in dual- use areas; calls on the Member States to ensure that their future steps to set defence standards are based on the civilian suggestions made by the Commission and European standardisation organisations;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Recalls that there is a proliferation of competing industrial standards for civilian and military products; calls on the Commission to develop more industrial standards with the early integration of military aspects provided by the EDA; calls on the Member States to ensure that their future steps to set defence standards are based on the civilian suggestions made by the Commission and European standardisation organisations;deleted

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. ~~Recalls that there is a proliferation of competing industrial standards for civilian and military products; calls on the Commission to develop more industrial standards with~~Calls on the Commission to develop a coherent set of framework standards facilitating the early integration of military aspects provided by the EDA; calls on the Member States to ensure that their future steps to set defence standards are based on the civilian suggestions made by the Commission and European standardisation organisations;

Amendment 39 #

Luis YÁÑEZ-BARNUEVO GARCÍA

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Calls on the Member States to streamline European certification procedures with the mutual recognition of certificates and the ~~future~~ development of common civilian and military European certification procedures;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Notes that while some third countries such as China, India, Brazil or Russia are increasing their defence spending, EU defence budgets are being cut back.

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Highlights, in the context of the industry's restructuring, the importance of ensuring that security of supply is not put at risk; calls on the Member States, EDA and the Commission rapidly to develop a comprehensive and ambitious EU-wide security-of-supply regime based on a system of mutual guarantees, possibly using the legal basis of permanent structured cooperation;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Highlights, in the context of thany defence industr~~y's~~ial restructuring, the importance of ensuring that security of supply is not put at risk; calls on the Member States and the Commission rapidly to develop a comprehensive and ambitious EU-wide security-of-supply regime based on a system of mutual guarantees, possibly using the legal basis of permanent structured cooperation;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14a. Calls on the Member States to provide the European Defence Agency with a single purchasing budget serving all the member countries, and for the timetable and scope of military requirements to be harmonised.

Amendment 43 #

Sampo TERHO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Calls on the EDA and the Commission to submit a joint non-dependency strategy on critical technologies, in particular as regards unlimited access to and availability of civilian and military (dual-use) emerging and key enabling technologies, such as cutting-edge micro-/nano- electronics, artificial intelligence and photonics, which must be considered as critical to CSDP missions;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Encourages the Member States to address the industrial overcapacities that result from declining demand by launching new joint projects, and in particular to develop key enablers with civil-military applications such as remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), fostering the development of high technologies and helping sustain key competencies within Europe; encourages EU participation in joint projects through ~~the~~leasing and/or acquisition of dual-use capabilities and the possible procurement of prototypes;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Encourages the Member States to explore the possibilities offered by the European Defence Agency (EDA) in terms of drafting European standards for military products and applications; e.g. for the construction of hospital ships or in the field of remote-controlled aerial systems.

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the European Council to enable the EDA fully to assume its institutional role; reiterates the urgent need for Member States to provide the EDA with adequate funding for the full range of its missions and tasks; takes the view that this would best be done by financing the Agency's staffing and running costs from the Union budget, starting with the forthcoming multiannual financial framework;deleted

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the European Council to enable the EDA fully to assume its institutional role; reiterates the urgent need for Member States to provide the EDA with adequate funding for the full range of its missions and tasks; ~~takes the view that this would best be done by financing the Agency’s staffing and running costs from the Union budget, starting with the forthcoming multiannual financial framework;~~

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the European Council to enable the EDA fully to assume its institutional role; reiterates the urgent need for Member States to provide the EDA with adequate funding for the full range of its missions and tasks; ~~takes the view that this would best be done by financing the Agency's staffing and running costs from the Union budget, starting with the forthcoming multiannual financial framework;~~

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the European Council to enable the EDA fully to assume its institutional role as outlined in articles 42 (3) and 45 TEU; reiterates the urgent need for Member States to provide the EDA with adequate funding for the full range of its missions and tasks; takes the view that this would best be done by financing the Agency's staffing and running costs from the Union budget, starting with the forthcoming multiannual financial framework;

Amendment 5 #

Sampo TERHO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Draws attention to the changing strategic global landscape, reduced defence budgets, the quickening pace of technological development and the fact that European defence companies are adjusting to this situation by putting an emphasis on exports to third countries, at the cost of transferring sensitive technologies, and intellectual property rights, and moving production outside the EU; is concerned about the reductions in defence investment which will increasingly expose the EDTIB to the risk of being controlled and constrained in its activities by third powers with different strategic interests;

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Calls on the European Council to enable the EDA fully to assume its institutional role by giving it the necessary resources; reiterates the urgent need for Member States to provide the EDA with adequate funding for the full range of its missions and tasks; takes the view that this would best be done by financing the Agency’s staffing and running costs from the Union budget, starting with the forthcoming multiannual financial framework;

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Recalls that opening the EU budget for defence research or for procuring military goods and technology represents a strategic mistake as introducing fresh money would only prolong the current structural deficits such as inefficiency, duplication, corruption and the procurement of useless military goods and technology;

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Welcomes the Commission's intention to launch a preparatory action for EU- funded research in support of CSDP missions and invites the Commission to make a specific proposal as a precursor to such programmes early in the forthcoming multiannual financial framework;deleted

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Considers that EDTIB-related defence research and innovation remains on a valid ethical basis; notes that a whole chapter of the Treaty of Lisbon is devoted to the common security and defence policy, which includes defence technology research and the framing of a common Union defence; calls on the Member States and EDA to significantly increase quantity and quality of joint research and development projects;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Encourages the EDA to build on its track record of successful joint investment programmes ~~and to work in liaison with the Commission in order to launch research and development programmes, based on Article 185 TFEU~~;

Amendment 57 #

Norica NICOLAI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Calls on the EDA and the Member States to support more innovative joint programmes, such as the Air to Air Refuelling and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems ones, with a need to focus on highly cost effective, new generation technologies which are sorely lacking in the majority of EU Member States;

Amendment 58 #

Arnaud DANJEAN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. CStresses the specific nature of defence procurement, pointing out that it affects vital national security interests and cannot therefore be placed on the same footing as other sectors; calls on the Member States and the Commission to make sure that the 2009 directives on defence procurement and transfers are correctly and coherently applied, in particular with regard to any exemptions from EU rules under Article 346 TFEU;« urges the Commission to step up efforts to build a level playing field in the defence market, limiting the use of market distorting practices to the strict minimum of duly justified derogations; points out, in particular, the need to strengthen state aid control;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Is concerned by the fact that a number of Member States are preparing to buy used F-16 fighter jets without giving European companies a fair chance to compete; considers that such a practice stands in contrast to the objective of the European Council to strengthen the European Defence Industrial Base; reminds these Member States of the need to implement the principles of non- discrimination and transparency as laid down in the Treaty of Lisbon also to government-to-government sales;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Draws attention to the changing strategic global landscape, and reduced defence budgets and welcomes the fact that European defence companies are adjusting to this situation by putting an emphasis on exports to third countries, ~~at the cost of transferring~~but cautions the need to protect sensitive technologies, and intellectual property rights, and moving production outside the EU; is concerned about the reductions in defence investment which will increasingly expose the EDTIB to the risk of being controlled and constrained in its activities by third powers with different strategic interests;

Amendment 60 #

Marietta GIANNAKOU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Takes the view that small and medium-sized enterprises, which design and manufacture many innovative products, play a vital part in maintaining and consolidating the EDTIB;

Amendment 61 #

Marietta GIANNAKOU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)

23b. Calls on the Member States, the EDA and the Commission to work together to develop ways and means of consolidating small and medium-sized enterprises and facilitating their access to defence procurement;

Amendment 62 #

Janusz ZEMKE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls on the Member States, the EDA and the Commission to work together towards the gradual phasing-out of offset requirements, while fostering the integration of smaller Member States' industries into the European defence technological and industrial base by means other than offsets; encourages Member States in particular to make full use of the Directives provisions on subcontracting and General Licences to achieve this objective;

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Calls on the Member States, the EDA and the Commission to devote particular attention to the development of SMEs in the field of defence technology and industrial development;

Amendment 65 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Calls for an urgent restructuring of European companies to overcome national barriers and adopt a global outlook.

Amendment 66 #

Norica NICOLAI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Calls on the Member States to give preference, when exploring large scale defence technology acquisitions, to intra- EU projects or joint schemes, or European based new technologies, which can both foster more European trade, increased cooperation and at the same time competition on the quality and prices of the global defence market;

Amendment 7 #

Elena BĂSESCU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Draws attention to the changing strategic global landscape, reduced defence budgets, caused especially by the economic and financial crisis, and the fact that European defence companies are adjusting to this situation by putting an emphasis on exports to third countries, at the cost of transferring sensitive technologies, and intellectual property rights, and moving production outside the EU; is concerned about the reductions in defence investment which will increasingly expose the EDTIB to the risk of being controlled and constrained in its activities by third powers with different strategic interests;

Amendment 8 #

Marietta GIANNAKOU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Draws attention to the changing strategic global landscape, reduced defence budgets and the fact that European defence companies are adjusting to this situation by putting an emphasis on exports to third countries, at the cost of transferring sensitive technologies, and intellectual property rights, and moving production outside the EU~~; is concerned about the reductions in defence investment which will~~ at the expense of European small and medium-sized enterprises; is concerned about the reductions in defence investment and calls on the Member States, the EDA and the Commission to take countermeasures in response to the increasingly exposeure of the EDTIB in future to the risk of being controlled and constrained in its activities by third powers with different strategic interests;

Amendment 9 #