2014/2020(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas Article 311 TFEU also stipulates that the budget shall, without prejudice to other revenue, be financed wholly from own resources and allows the Council to establish new categories of own resources or abolish an existing category, providing ~~thus the~~a legal basis for ~~an in- depth~~ reform of the own resources system;

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas Parliament has consistently manifested its support for the Commission proposals, presented in June 2011, which – by reducing the share of national contributions to the EU budget to a maximum of 40 %, abolishing the current VAT-based contribution and replacing it by a more modern VAT based resource, creating ~~two~~one new and genuine own resources and replacing all rebates and correction mechanisms by a system of lump sums for the period 2014- 2020 – took a step in the right direction by bringing the EU budget revenue side into line with the letter and spirit of the Treaty, and which, as such, from the outset gained the support of an overwhelming majority in Parliament;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas ~~despite its discontent with the inability of Council to progress on the reform of the system of own resources,~~ Parliament eventually gave its consent to the MFF regulation in November 2013, following also the agreement by Council on the establishment of the High-Level Group on Own Resources; whereas, on that occasion, the Lithuanian Presidency declared its commitment to organise the inaugural meeting of this Group on 18-19 December 2013; whereas, due to delay within the Council ~~to decide on its three representatives to this High-Level Group~~, this meeting has not yet taken place;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas despite its discontent with the inability of Council to progress on the reform of the system of own resources, Parliament eventually gave its consent to the MFF r2014 -20 Regulation in November 2013, following also the agreement ~~by Council~~with the Council on a Joint Declaration on the establishment of the High-Level Group on Own Resources; whereas, on that occasion, the Lithuanian Presidency declared its commitment to organise the inaugural meeting of this Group on 18-19 December 2013; whereas, due to delay within the Council to decide on its three ~~representativ~~nominees to this High-Level Group, this meeting has not yet taken place;

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the High-Level Group on Own Resources aims at producing a first assessment of the current system’s shortcomings by the end of 2014, with a final outcome in 2016 to be assessed at an inter-institutional conference inwith the p~~resence~~articipation of national parliaments; whereas the High-Level Group shall examine all aspects of the reform of the own resources system with a view of providing the Commission with the necessary means to asses if new own resource initiatives are appropriate in parallel to the post electoral review / revision of the 2014 -2020 MFF ( to be launched by end 2016 at the latest) and to propose a successful reform for the period covered by the ~~next~~post 2020 Multiannual Financial Framework;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the High-Level Group on Own Resources aims at producing a first assessment of the current system’s shortcomings by the end of 2014, with a final outcome in 2016 to be assessed at an inter-institutional conference inwith the ~~presence~~active participation of national parliaments; whereas the High-Level Group sh~~all~~ould examine all aspects of the reform of the own resources system with a view of providing the Commission with the necessary means to propose a successful reform for the period covered by the next Multiannual Financial Framework;

Amendment 15 #

G. whereas the High-Level Group on Own Resources aims at producing a first assessment of the current system~~’s shortcomings~~ by the end of 2014, with a final outcome in 2016 to be assessed at an inter-institutional conference in the presence of national parliaments; whereas the High-Level Group shall examine all aspects of the reform of the own resources system with a view of providing the Commission with the necessary means to propose a successful reform for the period covered by the next Multiannual Financial Framework;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Welcom~~Notes the Council’s agreement to lay down implementing measures for the Union’s own resources as provided for in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;

Amendment 17 #

Anne E. JENSEN

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Regrets, however, the Council's decision to transfer the provisions related to the calculation of the GNI resources back to the own resources Decision; is of the opinion that this represents a missed opportunity to regroup all provisions of an implementing nature in a single text, and also that article 311 of the Treaty of Lisbon does not provide for an objective justification to this split;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Deplores the fact~~Notes that the Council has not been able to make any progress on the reform of the own resources system on the basis of the legislative proposals put forward by the Commission;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Maintains its call for reform of the own resources system of the European Union in order to make it simple, transparent, visible and understandable to EU citizens~~, thereby reinforcing the EU citizens’ link to the European project and, at the same time, reducing the burden on Member States’ national treasuries~~;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas Parliament has continuously called for the EU budget to be financed wholly by ~~genuine~~ own resources, as ~~stipulated~~provided for in the Treaty; whereas it has regularly highlighted the shortcomings and limits of the existing system of own resources, the lack of transparency and high complexity of which make it ~~totally~~ incomprehensible to ~~European citizens, who ultimately bear the consequences~~citizens of the member states who do not at present see a deduction on their payslip or a specific tax on their fuel, alcohol or financial transactions to fund the EU;

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Maintains its call for reform of the own resources system of the European Union in order to make it simple, transparent, fair, visible and understandable to EU citizens, thereby reinforcing the EU citizens’ link to the European project ~~and,~~while at the same time, reducing the burden on Member States’ national treasuries;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Places high expectations on the work of the High-Level Group on Own Resources, which it believes offers a unique opportunity to overcome the current blockage of the reform of the system of own resources; strongly regrets that the High-Level Group has not yet started its work; calls for its inaugural meeting to be convened without delay, in compliance with the objectives and the calendar set out in the joint declaration establishing the High Level Group on Own Resources annexed to the MFF (2014-2020) regulation;delete

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Places high expectations on the work of the High-Level Group on Own Resources, which it believes offers a unique opportunity to overcome the current blockage of the reform of the system of own resources; strongly regrets that the High-Level Group has not yet started its work; calls for its inaugural meeting to be convened without delay, in ~~compliance~~order to comply with the objectives and the calendar set out in the joint declaration establishing the High Level Group on Own Resources ~~annexed to the MFF (2014-2020) regulation~~;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas Parliament has continuously called for the ~~EU budget to be financed wholly by genuine~~financing of the EU budget to return to a genuine system of own resources, as stipulated in the Treaty; whereas it has regularly highlighted the shortcomings and limits of the existing system of own resources, the lack of transparency and high complexity of which make it totally incomprehensible to European citizens, who ultimately bear the consequences;

Amendment 4 #

Marian-Jean MARINESCU

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas Parliament has continuously called for the EU budget to be financed wholly by genuine own resources, as stipulated in the Treaty; whereas it has regularly highlighted the shortcomings and limits of the existing system of own resources, the lack of transparency and high complexity of which make it totally incomprehensible to European citizens, who ultimately bear the consequences; whereas it is imperative to ensure a comprehensive reform of the EU budget financing system in favour of a simple, transparent, fair and sustainable system for the European citizens;

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas national contributions to the EU budget, which amount nowadays to around 85 % of the total EU revenue, cannot be considered as a ~~genuine~~n own resource as they ~~simply~~ constitute transfers from national treasuries; whereas this situation has reinforced, over decades, the logic of ‘fair return’ that has also clearly prevailed in the conclusions of the European Council of 7-8 February 2013 on the MFF 2014-2020 and has largely prevented a structural reform of the EU budgetin fact been beneficial as it has enabled some restraint to be exercised in difficult times;

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas national contributions to the EU budget, which amount nowadays to around 85 % of the total EU revenue (GNI based and VAT based) , cannot be considered as a genuine own resources as they simply constitute transfers from national treasuries to the EU budget; whereas this situation has reinforced, over decades, the logic of ‘fair return’ that has also clearly prevailed in the conclusions of the European Council of 7-8 February 2013 on the MFF 2014-2020 and has largely prevented a structural reform of the EU budget;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas national contributions to the EU budget~~, which~~ based on GNI amount nowadays to around 8574 % of the total EU revenue~~, cannot be considered as a genuine own resource as they simply constitute transfers from national treasuries~~; whereas this situation has reinforced, over decades, the logic of ‘fair return’ that has also clearly prevailed in the conclusions of the European Council of 7-8 February 2013 on the MFF 2014-2020 and has largely prevented a structural reform of the EU budget;

Amendment 8 #

Marian-Jean MARINESCU

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

D a.whereas, because of austerity measures, Member States are reluctant to increase their contributions to the EU budget, despite the undisputed benefit they receive from EU budget-funded programmes, and whereas a system of direct own resources for the EU is the only viable solution in this case;

Amendment 9 #