2013/2154(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Welcomes the Commission’s efforts to continue to improve the effective work of the SOLVIT network on the informal, swift resolution of cross-border disputes related to the internal market using procedures which are as accessible as possible for ~~members of the public~~the citizens;

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls for a special focus on all cross- border labour law issues, paying particular attention to questions related to pensions;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls for Member States fruitful cooperation on providing information on national rules and procedures regarding EU rights; recommends that this information is practical, jargon free, up- to-date and available in relevant languages;

Amendment 12 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Encourages the establishment of a link between the national portals with Your Europe;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Proposes that SOLVIT centres performance should be continuously improved, especially as regards social security cases; encourages Member States to strengthen synergies between SOLVIT and the respective administration for the better co-ordination of Social Security Systems;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Welcomes all measures to improve quality control, to establish uniform minimum requirements for the SOLVIT centres, and to improve visible links with other EU advisory networks;

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on Member States to ensure adequate resources for the SOLVIT centres;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for a stepping-up of SOLVIT public relations ~~work that is in touch~~and linking SOLVIT with othe ~~people~~r related actors and platforms in order to significantly raise awareness of ~~the~~ SOLVIT ~~centres by 2020 at the latest~~by the year 2020 and create multiplier effects;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for a stepping-up of SOLVIT public relations work that is in touch with the people in order to significantly raise awareness of the SOLVIT centres by 2020 at the latest; welcomes the Commission's commitment to provide assistance to such activities;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Welcomes the Commission's recommendation regarding the need for providing information about alternative problem-solving networks or source of information, including other possible ways of redress, on both national and Union level, in cases ineligible for SOLVIT;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Underlines the importance of spreading the knowledge about the SOLVIT cases database;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Highlights in particular the importance of SOLVIT for mobile workers with regard to questions of equal treatment and the solving of cross-border problems;

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Suggests that Member States should work closely with the Commission to improve the SOLVIT system by securing a coherent approach throughout the European Union and improving its visibility especially for those people and countries facing a deep financial crisis, high records of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion; underlines that valid and accessible information could lead to decent work and decent life;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on Member States to increase the awareness of public authorities about SOLVIT in order to better inform citizens and enterprises how to assert their rights in the internal market;

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Proposes ~~that the network of SOLVIT centres be gradually developed in order, in particular, to give the~~, while being aware that the actual resolution of disputes needs to take place at the level of national administrations, to gradually develop the network of SOLVIT centres by giving European regions the opportunity to establish regional ~~and recognised~~SOLVIT centres (‘SolvitRegio’) ~~covering their own administrative competencies as thi~~, which can help to bring SOLVIT closer to citizens can ~~help to~~d raise awareness of the services offered ~~and bring these closer to citizens~~;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Particularly welcomes the protection of personal data demonstrated by ~~the~~ SOLVIT centres and calls for this protection to be continu~~ally increased in line with demand~~ously monitored and, whenever necessary, increased to meet the data protection demands of the users;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Recalls that, in times of social, economic and job crisis, SOLVIT services, free of charge and citizen-friendly, are necessary for the benefit of people living and working throughout the European Union;

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Takes the view that the home pages of all of the European institutions' websites should include a link to the SOLVIT site;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls on the Commission to set up an EU-wide SOLVIT awareness-raising campaign alongside the European Year of Citizens and the 2014 European election campaign;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Calls for the SOLVIT site to be made more user-friendly for the visually impaired.

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Calls on Member States and the Commission to ensure equal access to SOLVIT centres and online portals for all, and persons with a disability and elderly in particular, and to develop all options of establishing contact between users and SOLVIT centres in this context;

Amendment 4 #

Emer COSTELLO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Encourages the efforts made towards the clarification and broadening of the competencies to include all ‘structural cases’ which are at variance with EU ~~law and the principles of the~~ internal market law;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Highlights the role of transnational dispute settlement networks in enforcing, managing and ensuring the daily implementation of European legislation by national authorities;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Underlines that informal conflict resolution has become an important tool for addressing misapplications following transpositions;

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Believes that a pan European coordination is essential in supporting transnational dispute settlement networks, to improve further compliance of domestic authorities and the well-functioning of the single market;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls for a special focus on all cross- border labour law and social rights (unemployment benefits, recognition of diplomas, etc.) issues, paying particular attention to pensions;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls for a special focus on all cross- border labour law issues, paying particular attention e.g. to pensions and posting of workers;

source: PE-522.898

2013/12/06 IMCO 49 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the rights of citizens and businesses in the single market need to be used effectively, and whereas EU law guaranteeing these rights needs to be enforced effectively to ensure that citizens and businesses all benefit from the internal market’s potential;

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Takes the view that Member States should initiate more detailed and far- reaching exchanges of best practice, and stresses the importance of such exchanges between SOLVIT centres;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Highlights in particular the importance of SOLVIT for mobile and cross-border workers, and asks that the social rights in the European internal market be strengthened through the application of unemployment benefits, recognition of professional qualifications and diplomas, as well as pensions;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Considers that SOLVIT centres’ performance should be continuously improved, especially as regards social security cases, and encourages better co- ordination of national Social Security Systems;

Amendment 13 #

Inese VAIDERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Notes that the SOLVIT network has achieved tangible results and proved its usefulness; notes, however, that there is an ample room for improvement, in particular with regard to the time taken to resolve queries;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Notes that the SOLVIT network has achieved tangible results and proved its usefulness; notes, however, that there is an ample room for improvement, in particular as regards settling business- related disputes;

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Highlights in particular the importance of SOLVIT for mobile workers with regard to questions of equal treatment and the solving of cross-border problems;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Notes that a large majority of SOLVIT clients are citizens; stresses the need to unleash the large potential of SOLVIT as a problem-solving tool for businesses; stresses that more needs to be done to make businesses more aware of SOLVIT, educate them about its possibilities and enable them to make better use of it; encourages SOLVIT centres across the Union to share information on best practice and resources with regards to implementation and promotion of services provided; welcomes the recent update of the Your Europe business portal as a positive step in that direction;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Notes that a large majority of SOLVIT clients are citizens; stresses the need to unleash the large potential of SOLVIT as a problem-solving tool for businesses; stresses that more needs to be done, including through closer cooperation with trade associations and chambers of trade and commerce, to make businesses more aware of SOLVIT, educate them about its possibilities and enable them to make better use of it; welcomes the recent update of the Your Europe business portal as a positive step in that direction;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Notes that a large majority of SOLVIT clients are citizens; stresses the need to unleash the large potential of SOLVIT as a problem-solving tool for businesses; stresses that more needs to be done to make businesses, in particular small and medium-sized businesses, more aware of SOLVIT, educate them about its possibilities and enable them to make better use of it; welcomes the recent update of the Your Europe business portal as a positive step in that direction;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Draws attention to the fact that SOLVIT is still attracting a large volume of non-SOLVIT cases, and that this is slowing down the handling of SOLVIT complaints; stresses, therefore, the need for SOLVIT’s remit to be better explained to citizens and businesses;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas informing citizens about their rights and facilitating their enjoyment of those rights help to make the internal market work better;

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Calls on the Members States to ensure that adequate ~~budgetary and human~~ resources are made available to maintain the SOLVIT network, with reference to the conditions on the organisation of SOLVIT centres set out in Commission recommendation of 17 September 2013;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Stresses the importance of maintaining the quality of the service offered by SOLVIT in spite of budgetary restrictions and limited human resources; stresses the importance of ensuring that SOLVIT centres have sufficient numbers of well- trained staff, with adequate legal expertise and knowledge of the relevant Union languages, and that staff are accordingly provided with appropriate training in order to continually upgrade their skills and knowledge;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Stresses the importance of maintaining the quality of the service offered by SOLVIT ~~in spite of budgetary restrictions and limited human resources~~; stresses the importance of ensuring that SOLVIT centres have sufficient numbers of well- trained staff, with adequate legal expertise and knowledge of the relevant Union languages;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Emphasises the importance of the SOLVIT centres in the various Member States all providing a similar standard of service, as this is key to effective problem resolution;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Calls on Member States and the Commission to ensure equal access to SOLVIT portals for all, and elderly and persons with a disability in particular, and to develop the means of establishing contact with SOLVIT in such a way that all users can benefit; takes into account the Commission proposal for a Directive on the Accessibility of Public Sector Bodies’ Websites (COM(2012)0721);

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Stresses the importance of quick solutions to problems which only require clarification of the Union law and adequate communication with applicants in complicated cases;

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Suggests that Member States should work closely with the Commission to improve the SOLVIT system by securing a coherent approach throughout the European Union and improving its visibility especially for those people and countries facing a deep financial crisis, high records of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion; underlines that valid and accessible information could lead to decent work and decent life;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)

12b. Stresses the need to link and integrate SOLVIT portals with other related actors and platforms to increase the accessibility and visibility for all users;

Amendment 28 #

Claudette ABELA BALDACCHINO, Catherine STIHLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Stresses the importance of gearing SOLVIT towards handling more business- related cases; notes that this requires broader knowledge about SOLVIT within the business community, closer cooperation between SOLVIT and European and national business associations and a willingness in some SOLVIT centres to take on more complex cases;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16a. Stresses the importance of the exchange of information between SOLVIT centres and recommends that Member States invest in improving the cooperation between these centres;

Amendment 3 #

Andreas MÖLZER

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas interest in and use of Your Europe is growing fast, and whereas, according to the online Single Market Scoreboard, ~~last year~~ more than 11 000 visitors consulted the portal each day in 2012, as compared to 6 500 the year before;

Amendment 30 #

Andreas MÖLZER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Calls on SOLVIT centres to be bolder and more efficient in responding to complaints and, in particular, in handling more complex cases;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Believes that there should be closer cooperation between all levels of government in the Member States and SOLVIT;

Amendment 32 #

Claudette ABELA BALDACCHINO, Catherine STIHLER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Stresses the importance of increasing awareness of and the visibility of the SOLVIT network and of bringing it closer to people who are not aware of it; calls on Member States and the Commission to engage in awareness campaigns to ensure a wide outreach to citizens and businesses about how to enforce their rights;

Amendment 33 #

Inese VAIDERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Stresses the importance of increasing awareness of and the visibility of the SOLVIT network and of bringing it closer to people who are not aware of it; emphasizes the need to increase accessibility of SOLVIT services for persons with disabilities;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Calls on Members of the European Parliament to promote the role of SOLVIT in their constituencies;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Encourages SOLVIT centres to engage proactively by taking initiatives on their own to create contacts with citizens and businesses and national Parliaments;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Encourages SOLVIT centres to engage proactively by taking initiatives on their own to create contacts with citizens and businesses and by engaging in closer cooperation with trade associations and chambers of trade and commerce;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Proposes, while being aware that the actual resolution of disputes needs to take place at the level of national administrations, to gradually develop the network of SOLVIT centres by giving European regions and local authorities the opportunity to establish regional or local SOLVIT centres (‘SolvitRegio’) functioning as intermediaries, which can help to bring SOLVIT closer to citizens and raise awareness of the services offered;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to take further steps to disseminate information about the availability of these instruments among citizens, businesses and entrepreneurs, using all forms of media, including the internet, in order to ensure that the information reaches the largest possible number of citizens and businesses; calls on the Member States to organise information campaigns targeted at specific groups, including businesses – in particular small and medium-sized businesses;

Amendment 39 #

Inese VAIDERE

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas, if full use is made of it, the SOLVIT system can, in a large number of areas, become a useful way of preventing excessive use being made of court systems, which can be extremely complicated, thus making it difficult for citizens and businesses to resolve their problems;

Amendment 40 #

Andreas MÖLZER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls on the Commission to continue monitoring, within the annual report on the single market integration, the performance of the Union’s problem-solving mechanisms – in particular SOLVIT – as part of the Annual Growth Survey; reiterates, furthermore, its call on the Commission to strengthen single market governance by establishing a specific pillar of the European Semester, including dedicated country-specific recommendations;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Calls on the Commission to continue monitoring, within the annual report on the single market integration, the performance of the Union’s problem-solving mechanisms – in particular SOLVIT – as part of the Annual Growth Survey; reiterates, furthermore, its call on the Commission to strengthen single market governance by establishing a specific pillar of the European Semester~~, including dedicated country-specific recommendations~~;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Remains committed to monitoring the progress of SOLVIT closely; urges the Commission to set up measurable milestones for the desired development of SOLVIT; believes that, if these milestones are not reached, a replacement of the informal procedure by a legislative act should be reconsidered, taking into account existing mechanisms such as the Directive on Alternative Dispute Resolution (2013/11/EU) and the Regulation on Online Dispute Resolution ((EU)No 524/2013);

Amendment 43 #

Morten LØKKEGAARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Remains committed to monitoring the progress of SOLVIT closely; urges the Commission to set up measurable milestones for the desired development of SOLVIT; ~~believes that, if these milestones are not reached, a replacement of the informal procedure by a legislative act should be reconsidered~~further encourages the Member States to set their own measurable targets and deadlines for the development of case handling in the local SOLVIT centres; believes that, if these milestones are not reached, a replacement of the informal procedure by a legislative act should be reconsidered; urges the Council to follow the Parliament’s ambition in this respect; calls on the Commission and the Member States to monitor closely the progress made towards these Union and national SOLVIT targets within the European Semester;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Remains committed to monitoring the progress of SOLVIT closely; urges the Commission to set up measurable milestones for the desired development of SOLVIT; further asks to Member States to set targets and deadlines for development local SOLVIT centres; believes that, if these milestones are not reached, a replacement of the informal procedure by a legislative act should be reconsidered; urges the Council to follow the Parliament’s ambition in this respect;

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Remains committed to monitoring the progress of SOLVIT closely; urges the Commission to set ~~up measurable milestone~~short- and long-term targets for the desired development of SOLVIT; believes that, if these milestones are not reached, a replacement of the informal procedure by a legislative act should be reconsidered;

Amendment 46 #

Morten LØKKEGAARD, Claudette ABELA BALDACCHINO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Encourages the Commission and the Member States to make a clear difference between Your Europe and SOLVIT while coordinating their respective visibility campaigns;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Encourages the Commission to position Your Europe as a tool for businesses in a better way, and to increase its visibility; including by making better use of the social media; considers that through branding, and with the inclusion of SOLVIT, the Your Europe portal should become the single access point for European consumers and businesses when confronted with problems or when seeking information; believes that such a single access point could serve as the reference point of citizens and businesses and better facilitate their access to different information tools and specialised problem solving mechanisms, including SOLVIT;

Amendment 48 #

Morten LØKKEGAARD, Claudette ABELA BALDACCHINO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28a. Calls on the Commission to widen the scope of Your Europe so as to fully cover rights, obligations and opportunities in the single market and to make it as user-friendly as possible;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Urges the Member States to provide information on national rules and procedures regarding EU rights; calls on the Member States to ensure that this information is practical, free of jargon, equally accessible for all, up to date and available in the relevant languages, and to link their national portals (e-government) with Your Europe;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the effectiveness of the assistance provided by SOLVIT depends to a large extent on how well its staff are trained;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas citizens and businesses, in order to identify problems correctly when they occur and be able to resolve them, need to be aware of their rights within the single market, and whereas more still needs to be done to enhance that awareness;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Points out that many problems relating to the implementation of single market rules are detected through the SOLVIT network, and commends the contribution of SOLVIT to administrative and regulatory changes to remedy such problems; urges the Council to set measures to improve public administrations’ tasks in order to strengthen the cooperation between national authorities and the Commission;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses the need for SOLVIT to have an efficient means of alerting the Commission to internal-market problems arising from non-implementation of EU law that have come to its notice;

Amendment 9 #