2014/2233(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises that private investments and finance are likely to be the key engine for sustainable growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that for the developing countries the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on ~~poverty reduction~~the fulfilment of the millennium development goals, sustainable and a positive environmental and social change;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises that private investments and finance are likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on poverty reduction, climate change mitigation, energy and resource efficiency;

Amendment 12 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Encourages support for the emergence and development of small and medium-sized enterprises developed by local economic agents, in particular women, and recommends giving priority to enterprises that create jobs, in particular processors;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Notes with concern that many donor- funded PPP programs are only accessible for firms from donor countries; hence, fears that the promotion of PPP in developing countries could result in a new form of aid tying; recalls that development aid should be tied to the objective of poverty eradication only, not to the promotion of EU trade' interests policy;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Deems that a clear set of guidelines should be set to channel public support only to those private sector investments that deliver positive development outcomes and comply with principles of responsible financing, which entails among others that companies which are domiciled in secrecy jurisdictions shall be excluded;

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)

2d. Calls for EU companies participating in PPPs in developing countries, in projects as environmental protection, land protection and renewable energies to be in line with the policy coherence for development;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 e (new)

2e. Rejects public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a mechanism which is used to enforce developing countries to privatise state-run utilities and transfer the responsibility for improving public services into private hands;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 f (new)

2f. Notes that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are high on the development agenda and they are increasingly being promoted as a way of closing the infrastructure financing gap in developed and developing countries alike;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 g (new)

2g. Stresses that the use of PPPs have been problematic due to a lack of contract transparency regarding PPPs, lack of assessing methodologies and lack of clear and transparent regulatory framework to prevent corruption;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 h (new)

2h. Recalls that the delivery of high quality, cost-effective products and services to the public is essential to ensure successful implementation, viability and social benefits of PPPs projects;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses that EU trade, investment and development policies are interlinked , ~~and~~have a direct impact in the developing countries; reminds that Article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty establishes the principle of policy coherence for development, requiring that the objectives of development cooperation be taken into account in policies that are likely to affect developing countries;

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that properly structured and efficiently implemented PPPs can bring many benefits such as innovation; notes also that PPPs in developing countries need to be assessed on the basis of their capacity to deliver development outcomes and that a fair distribution of the risk burden between public/private sectors is needed; outlines that PPPs in developing countries are so far concentrated mostly in the energy and telecommunications sectors, whereas private engagement in social infrastructure remains rare;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that while properly structured and efficiently implemented PPPs can bring many benefits such as innovation, PPP are an expensive financing model, mainly due to higher costs of private sector borrowing when compared to government rates; outlines that PPPs in developing countries are so far concentrated mostly in the energy and telecommunications sectors, whereas private engagement i~~n social infrastructure remains rare~~s increasing in the provision of social infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals and health services;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that properly structured and efficiently implemented PPPs can bring many benefits such as innovation; outlines that PPPs in developing countries are so far concentrated mostly in the energy and telecommunications sectors, whereas private engagement in social infrastructure remains rare; hence, encourages in particular initiatives in the areas of health care, clean water supply and wastewater treatment, as well as education;

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that properly structured and efficiently implemented PPPs can bring many benefits such as innovation; outlines that PPPs in developing countries are so far concentrated mostly in the energy and telecommunications sectors, whereas private engagement in social infrastructure remains rare; however, the intention is to promote PPPs in other important sectors as substitute of public-funded projects, offering integrated solutions that can promote a sustainable development of these countries;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that properly structured and efficiently implemented PPPs can bring many benefits such as innovation, greater efficiency in the use of resources as well as better quality assurance and scrutiny; outlines that PPPs in developing countries are so far concentrated mostly in ~~the~~ energy and telecommunications sectors, whereas private engagement in social infrastructure remains rare;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 28 #

Judith SARGENTINI, Maria HEUBUCH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that properly structured and efficiently implemented PPPs can bring many benefits such as innovation, competitiveness and economic growth; outlines that PPPs in developing countries are so far concentrated mostly in the energy and telecommunications sectors, whereas private engagement in social infrastructure remains rare;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses that PPPs should not be diverted to subsidising Northern-based transnational companies which can access alternative sources of financing; takes the view that any decision to promote the use of PPPs in developing countries should be based on a thorough assessment of these mechanisms, and on the lessons learned from past experience; highlights in this context that existing research show that a large majority of PPPs is not based on robust impact analysis, while there are weak evidence on their development outcomes;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises that private investments and finance ~~are likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years;~~in developing economies can help to support local companies, local economies and provide decent jobs - and therefore lead to poverty eradication - provided that FDI is properly regulated and linked to concrete improvements in the domestic economy, i.e. in terms of transfer of technology, the creation of training opportunities for the local labour force, etc. ; stresses that private investment should not be a substitute to ODA, while PPP should in all circumstances be aligned on the host country National Plan of development; in particular, emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on poverty reduction;

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Notes with concern that the privatisation of basic utilities in Sub- Saharan Africa in the 1990s has i.e. hampered the achievement of MDGs on both water and sanitation, as the focus of investors on cost recovery has among others intensified inequalities in the provision of such services, at the expense of low-income households; underlines that, in light of the failure of water privatisation, the transfer of water services from private companies to local authorities is a growing trend in the water sector all around the world; takes the view that other alternatives should be explored to ensure efficient provision of services of general interest, such as Public-Public Partnerships;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Warns against using concessional loans for investments in social sectors such as health and education, as it can hamper the provision of services of general interests, especially for vulnerable population; emphasises that scarce public aid resources should support public investment in the host countries, which are not necessarily expected to yield short or medium term financial returns;

Amendment 32 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)

3d. Underlines that developing governments' capacities as regulator must be strengthened to successfully achieve a sustainable development based on distributive and social justice; stresses that, opposite to the negative impacts of PPPs, which allow private partners to have their risk almost completely covered by governments by transferring the business risk to the public sector, the increase of the public-public partnership is a mechanism to rehabilitate or improve government-operated infrastructure enterprises;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)

3e. Regrets that private engagement in social infrastructure remains rare; underlines the role for governments to incentivise the private engagement through adopting legislation and creating a stable and predictable policy framework the encourage long term for-profit investment in sustainable development;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 f (new)

3f. Stresses that the capacity of PPPs to deliver positive development outcomes cannot be assumed; PPPs should be promoted and designed in a way that delivers real results for the poor;

Amendment 35 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 g (new)

3g. Notes that PPPs must not be the way to transfer the risk from rich private companies taxpayers in poor countries;

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 h (new)

3h. Notes that PPPs may be problematic as the financial risks are often disproportionately carried by the public sector, whereas profits are enjoyed by private investors;

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 i (new)

3i. Stresses that PPPs should always comply with international agreed development principles such us the Development Effectiveness Principles and aligned with partner countries' national development and respect local knowledge and ownership are key ingredients of PPP models and implementation;

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 j (new)

3j. Calls to consider PPPs only when other less expensive and risky financing options are not available;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

~~4. Calls for increased technical assistance to the governments of the partner countries;~~deleted

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Recognises that private investments and finance are likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; e~~Emphasises that the future ~~public-private~~ partnerships ~~(PPPs)~~ within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on poverty reduction;

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for increased technical assistance to the ~~governments of the partner countrie~~partner countries governments to raise their capacity to claim the ownership of the PPPs and to assume their share of responsibility for the management of the PPP projects;

Amendment 41 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Calls for increased technical assistance to the governments of the partner countries~~Points out that past experience show that poorly negotiated PPP contracts could add to state indebtedness, since financial risks are often disproportionally carried by the public sector, while profits are mostly granted to the private sector; calls for increased technical assistance to the governments of the partner countries to set up a sound regulatory framework on responsible financing, including on costs recovery and benefit distribution;

Amendment 42 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for increased technical assistance to the governments of the partner countries to help them set up banking systems and tax administrations capable of providing financial governance for and managing public and private funds;

Amendment 43 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for increased technical assistance to the governments of the partner countries in order to share know-how and technical data, as well as to support the training of skills of local staff;

Amendment 44 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls for increased technical assistance toand technology sharing with the governments of the partner countries;

Amendment 45 #

Beatriz BECERRA BASTERRECHEA, Louis MICHEL, Charles GOERENS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Warns that the PPPs projects make it impossible to achieve the goal of food sovereignty as the PPPs harm to small farmers by requiring developing countries to change their policies to facilitate the expansion of agribusiness and land grabbing in exchange of investment;

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Strongly supports the effective and comprehensive dissemination and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights within and outside the EU and emphasises the need to take all necessary policy and legislative measures to address gaps in the effective implementation of the UNGPs, including on access to justice;

Amendment 47 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Stresses that key factors to promote PPPs in our partner third countries are good governance, rule of law, property rights, independence of the judiciary, control of corruption, transparency and accountability and a regulatory framework that facilitates a thriving private sector;

Amendment 48 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Is concerned that certain safeguards to guarantee the purposeful use of public finance are not always in place; ~~points out~~in particular, notes that the goals of PPP are often defined in a very general way, while criteria for specific, measurable, attainable and timely objectives are usually absent; stresses that PPP should be a tool which rewards responsible behaviour by private firms; accordingly, deems that a strong regulatory framework shall be put in place to ensure these investments comply with human rights, social and environmental standards, transparency, while ensuring that the private sector pays its fair share of taxes; points out equally that a pro-poor development mandatory ex-ante impact assessment is needed for each PPP project that benefits from official development aid; stresses that measurable output indicators and monitoring as well as evaluation mechanisms need to be agreed upon during the preparatory phase of the projects; highlights the importance of the formal consultative and scrutiny role for parliaments and civil society in order to ensure full transparency and accountability;

Amendment 49 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Is concerned that certain safeguards to guarantee the purposeful use of public finance are not always in place; points out that a ~~pro-poor~~ development-oriented ex-ante impact assessment is needed for each PPP project that benefits from official development aid; stresses that measurable output indicators and monitoring as well as evaluation mechanisms need to be agreed upon during the preparatory phase of the projects; ~~highlights the importance of the formal consultative and scrutiny role for parliaments and civil society in order to ensure full transparency and accountability;~~

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises that private investments and finance are likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on poverty reduction; recalls that such PPP schemes have potentially an even greater development impact in least developed countries, as the disproportionate investment risk does not incentivize sufficiently private investments;

Amendment 50 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Is concerned that certain safeguards to guarantee the purposeful use of public finance are not always in place; points out that a pro-poor development ex-ante impact assessment, ensuring the rights of the people, particularly access to land, water and basic social services, is needed for each PPP project that benefits from official development aid; stresses that measurable output indicators and monitoring as well as evaluation mechanisms need to be agreed upon during the preparatory phase of the projects; highlights the importance of the formal consultative and scrutiny role for parliaments and civil society in order to ensure full transparency and accountability;

Amendment 51 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Is concerned that certain safeguards to guarantee the purposeful use of public finance are not always in place; points out that a pro-poor development ex-ante impact assessment is needed for each PPP project that benefits from official development aid; stresses that measurable output indicators and monitoring as well as evaluation mechanisms need to be agreed, in consultation with civil society, upon during the preparatory phase of the projects; highlights the importance of the formal consultative and scrutiny role for parliaments and civil society in order to ensure full transparency and accountability;

Amendment 52 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Is concerned that certain safeguards to guarantee the purposeful use of public finance are not always in place; points out that a pro-poor development ex-ante impact assessment is needed for each PPP project that benefits from official development aid; stresses that measurable output indicators and monitoring as well as evaluation mechanisms need to be agreed upon during the preparatory phase of the projects and effectively implemented; highlights the fundamental importance of the prior formal consultative and scrutiny role for parliaments and civil society in order to ensure full transparency, legitimacy and accountability;

Amendment 53 #

Davor Ivo STIER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Considers that PPPs are needed innovative solution to the problem of the ever-growing lack of public investment; acknowledges that PPPs may present an organizational and institutional challenge for the public sector because they are complex in nature, requiring different types of skills and new enabling institutions; in this regards emphasises the importance of good governance, rule of law, and inclusive, open and transparent public institutions; reiterates the importance of EU's leadership in reinforcing Sustainable Development Goal 16 on justice and effective institutions in the context of intergovernmental negotiations of the Global development framework after 2015;

Amendment 54 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Urges the European Commission, in a context where it has indicated its wishes to extend considerably the use of blending in future years, to implement the recommendations made by the European Court of Auditors Special Report on the use of blending and to evaluate the mechanism of blending loans and grants, particularly in terms of development and financial additionality, transparency and accountability;

Amendment 55 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Notes that PPPs projects are opening up developing countries' health sector to the private sector what means a diversion of the scare public funds from primary healthcare services instead of strengthening the universal public healthcare delivery systems;

Amendment 56 #

Patrizia TOIA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that companies involved in PPPs respect corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles throughout the whole lifecycle of projects; demands also that, in accordance with the principles of corporate social responsibility, account should be taken throughout the life cycle of projects of the OECD Guidelines, in particular Chapter IV dedicated to respect for human rights;

Amendment 57 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Calls~~Believes that private sectors involved in PPPs shall i.e. commit to implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, ILO core labour standards as well as the UN Convention Against Corruption and embed these standards into their core business activities; calls equally on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that companies involved in PPPs respect binding corporate social responsibility (CSR) principles throughout the whole lifecycle of projects;

Amendment 58 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that companies involved in PPPs respect corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social accountability principles throughout the whole lifecycle of projects as PPPs cannot function effectively without an adequate regulatory framework;

Amendment 59 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Recognis~~Underlines that private investments and finance are most likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda ~~must have a greater focus on poverty reduction~~shall pursue development cooperation objectives; special attention in this sense shall be attributed to projects on access to drinking water, energy supply, infrastructure - especially optic fibre cables, roads and ports- and waste management;

Amendment 60 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

Amendment 61 #

Judith SARGENTINI, Maria HEUBUCH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Emphasises the obligation to respect the principles of the United Nations Global Compact on human rights, employment, the environment and the fight against corruption;

Amendment 62 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Encourages the EU to support the ongoing process of elaboration of an UN international legally binding instrument on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with respect to human rights, as it will clarify the obligations of transnational corporations in the field of human rights, as well as of corporations in relation to States, and provide for the establishment of effective remedies for victims in cases where domestic jurisdiction is clearly unable to prosecute effectively those companies;

Amendment 63 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

~~7. Considers it indispensable to increasingly engage with both local and European SMEs in PPPs;~~deleted

Amendment 64 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. CDraws attention to the fact that SMEs are the driving force of job and wealth creation in developing countries and considers it therefore indispensable to increasingly engage with both local and European SMEs in PPPs;

Amendment 65 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Considers it indispensable to increasingly engage with both local ~~and European SMEs in PPPs~~private sector- essential for domestic resource mobilisation and job creation- and European SMEs in PPPs in order to mobilize long term finance, generate innovation in technologies and business models and build mechanisms holding the private sector accountable;

Amendment 66 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Considers it indispensable to increasingly engage with both local and European SMEs in PPPs as the private sector constitutes the main engine of job creation and inclusive growth with generating about 90 percent of jobs in developing countries;

Amendment 67 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Considers it indispensable to increasingly engage with both local and European SMEs in PPPs; highlights that local economy in developing countries benefit particularly from PPPs with domestic enterprises;

Amendment 68 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Considers it indispensable to increasingly engage with both local and European SMEs and start-up companies in PPPs;

Amendment 69 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses that development agencies must ensure that public development finance is used to support the local economic networks in developing countries and is not diverted to promote private firms and multinationals from the donor countries; in particular, stresses that PPP should aim to build capacity of domestic Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs);

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises that private investments and finance are likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on poverty reduction, and that private investment should not be a substitute of ODA, while PPPs should in all circumstances be aligned with national development plans;

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Suggests that the Commission should facilitate multi-stakeholder structural dialogue platforms, involving, for instance, organisations representing workers, entrepreneurs and employers, to build trust and agree common goals among different stakeholders, such as governments, donors, the private sector, local authorities and civil society organisations (CSOs), so as to create certainty from an investment and administrative perspective.

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Suggests that the Commission should facilitate multi-stakeholder structural dialogue platforms to build trust and agree common goals among different stakeholders, such as governments, donors, the private sector, philanthropic foundations, local authorities and civil society organisations (CSOs), so as to create certainty from an investment and administrative perspective; underlines in this respect the important role of EU delegations in the respective countries as a facilitator of such dialogues.

Amendment 72 #

Patrizia TOIA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Suggests that the Commission should facilitate multi-stakeholder structural dialogue platforms to build trust and agree common goals among different stakeholders, such as governments, donors, the private sector, local authorities and civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-governmental organisations, so as to create certainty from an investment and administrative perspective.

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to establish a monitoring system aimed at strengthening prevention in order to eliminate active and passive corruption and ensure compliance with the principles underpinning the anti- corruption laws and best practices which serve as international points of reference.

Amendment 74 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Notes with concern that rules on investment protection, which give very strong rights to foreign investors, have reduced government policy space to regulate in the public interest; in this context, reasserts that governments and parliaments of developing countries must retain the right to regulate private investment, including the right to discriminate in favour of investors that support the country's development ; more broadly, urges the EU to strengthen the development dimension of international investment agreements (IIAs) and balancing the rights and obligations of States and investors;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises that private investments and finance are likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus on poverty reduction; and other sustainable development outcomes and be aligned with partner countries own national strategies and reform agendas;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recognises that private investments and finance are likely to be the key engine for growth, which is projected to be approximately 5 % in developing countries in the coming years; emphasises that the future public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the post-2015 development agenda must have a greater focus oin p~~overty reduction~~romoting greater social justice and other sustainable development outcomes and be aligned with partner countries own national strategies and reform agendas;

source: 552.099

2015/04/01 IMCO 46 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the importance of public- private partnerships (PPPs) as a vehicle for economic growth, both in the single market and abroad; notes that European companies are well equipped to compete for and operate such arrangements;deleted

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses that positive experiences of PPPs derive from improved delivery of projects, good quality ratio or value for cost, possibility for long-term financing of the costs, the stimulus provided for innovation and research, but also as regards more flexible and skilled management environment;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Takes account of the fact that PPPs are characterised by a long life-cycle sometimes extending from 10 to 30 years. Believes that the life-cycle of PPPs should be meaningful and consistent with the pursued objectives in terms of work, goods and services to be provided without artificially distorting the competition or creating higher costs and unnecessary burden for public administrations and tax-payers.

Amendment 12 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Recalls that in the building, infrastructures, environment, telecommunications or energy networks - there are number of risks inherent and that the government, through PPPs, transfers part of risk to the private contractor so that both can reap the benefits but also share the risks and responsibilities of projects; stresses furthermore that adequate risk sharing is essential to reduce the costs of a project and ensure its successful implementation and viability;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that PPPs are characterised by their high value and technical complexity, and by the parties’ long-term commitment; notes that they consequently require appropriate levels of both flexibility and procedural safeguards to ensure transparency, non-discrimination and equal treatment;deleted

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that PPPs are characterised by their high value ~~and~~, technical complexity, ~~and by~~ the parties’ long-term commitment~~; notes that they consequently require appropriate levels of both flexibility~~ and their frequently strategic value at local and national level; notes that they consequently require well thought-out and balanced levels of protection and procedural safeguards to ensure transparency, non- discrimination and equal treatment;

Amendment 15 #

Marc TARABELLA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that PPPs ~~are characterised by their high value and technical complexity, and by the parties’ long-term commitment; notes that they consequently require appro~~may be problematic as the financial risks are often disproportionately carried by the public sector, whereas profits are enjoyed by private investors and PPPs allow private ~~levels of both flexibility and procedural safeguards to ensure transparency, non-discrimination and equal treatment;~~partners to have their risk almost completely covered by governments by transferring the business risk to the public sector,

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Recalls that PPPs are characterised by their high value and technical complexity, and by the parties’' long-term commitment; notes that they consequently require appropriate levels of both flexibility and procedural safeguards to ensure transparency, non-discrimination and equal treatment; highlights the need to ensure fair competition and access for all parts implicated in the PPP, notably through fair and transparent selection procedures through which governments develop partnerships.

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Points out that public-private partnerships have effectively amounted, albeit indirectly, to nothing more than privatisation, with private 'partners' inevitably benefiting at the expense of the public sector and its users, undermining the quantity and quality of services provided; points out also that public- private partnerships have been a determining factor in destabilising employment and reducing the number of jobs;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Reminds that PPP´s should bring high added value to citizens and consumers, ensure quality services and/or goods and provide concrete competitive and economic advantages for public administrations, both at government and local levels, while avoiding to create additional burden or losses for the public sector;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that, while PPP arrangements may take various forms, single market legislation sets high procedural standards; notes that this legislation was revised and consolidated in Directives 2014/24/EU and 2014/25/EU on public procurement, in Directive 2014/23/EU on concessions, and in guidance on institutionalised PPPs; Calls on the Commission to consider the possibility of providing developing countries with technical assistance and advice on how to prepare and implement the EU standards on their markets.

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Urges the European Commission to assess without delay all circumstances surrounding public-private partnerships and endeavour to provide Member States accordingly with the means to renegotiate or terminate contracts that are manifestly detrimental to the public interest;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stress the capacity of PPS to deliver positive development outcomes cannot be assumed, PPPs should always comply with international agreed development principles such as the Development Effectiveness Principles and aligned with partner countries' national development and respect local knowledge and ownership are key ingredients of PPP models and implementation

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Stress~~Notes that EU markets are completely open, with rules ~~aim~~designed ato enhanc~~ing~~e fair ~~and effective~~ competition within the single market and providing a level playing field for international investors; recalls that there is no discrimination on the basis of foreign ownership or control, and that companies from abroad may establish themselves locally in order to participate in PPP; notes that, instead of optimising trade on the European market, these rules are, to an alarming degree, undermining the competitiveness of small and medium- sized enterprises and leading to relocations, with a disastrous effect on employment; notes that these rules provide a level playing field for international investors and European companies; urges therefore that Community preference be given priority under such partnerships, which are often of strategic importance for the Member States;

Amendment 27 #

Marc TARABELLA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that EU markets are open, with rules aimed at enhancing fair and effective competition within the single market, achieving inclusive growth based on the principle of contracts being awarded in line with the most competitive tenders and providing a level playing field for international investors; recalls that there is no discrimination on the basis of foreign ownership or control, and that companies from abroad may establish themselves locally in order to participate in PPPs;;

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that EU markets arshould be open, with rules aimed at enhancing fair and effective competition within the single market and providing a level playing field for international investors; ~~recalls that there is no discrimination on the basis of foreign ownership or control, and that companies from abroad may establish themselves locally in order to participate in PPPs;~~

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that EU markets ~~are ope~~for public procurement are largely open to international competition, with rules aimed at enhancing fair and effective competition within the single market and providing a level playing field for international investors; recalls that there is no discrimination on the basis of foreign ownership or control, and that companies from abroad may establish themselves locally in order to participate in PPPs;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a vehicle for economic growth~~, both in the single market and abroad~~; notes that European companies are still well equipped to compete for and operate such arrangements;

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Stresses that EU markets are open, with rules aimed at enhancing fair and effective competition within the single market and providing a level playing field for international investors; recalls that there is no discrimination on the basis of foreign ownership or control, and that companies from abroad may establish themselves locally in order to participate in PPPs; calls for reciprocity and fairness for all actors implicated in a PPP; reiterates the request for tendering and selection procedures, ensuring that SMEs gain concrete and fair access to PPPs; highlights in this respect the importance of specific rules allowing for cluster or grouped tendering by SMEs and the use of open and transparent subcontracting chains complying with social, environmental and labour requirements;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Urges the Commission to ensure that the Union’s trade agreements contain the necessary conditions to enable European companies to compete on equal terms with domestic companies abroad; considers that this includes access to related services, together with clear and equitable rules on access to tendering information and on award criteria; stresses that greater transparency is of particular importance for small and medium-sized enterprises;deleted

Amendment 32 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 33 #

Marc TARABELLA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Urges the Commission to ensure that the Union’s trade agreements contain the necessary conditions to enable European companies to compete on equal terms with domestic companies abroad; considers that this includes access to related services, together with clear and equitable rules on access to tendering information and on award criteria; stresses that greater transparency and the development of online procedures is of particular importance for small and medium-sized enterprises and for the conclusion of durable and inclusive PPPs;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Urges the Commission to ensure that the Union’s trade agreements, TTIP in particular, contain the necessary conditions to enable European companies to compete on equal terms with domestic companies abroad and to protect European companies which engage in cross border PPPs; considers that this includes access to related services, together with clear and equitable rules on access to tendering information and on award criteria; stresses that greater transparency is of particular importance for small and medium-sized enterprises;

Amendment 35 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

~~6. Stresses the need to ensure effective protection of investments and economic assets held by European companies as part of PPP arrangements outside the EU;~~deleted

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Stresses~~Underlines that, in order to attract private sector to PPPs, especially cross- border, it is paramount to provide the investors with enough assurances that their long term investment will benefit from secure environment, legal certainty and good governance; stresses therefore the need to ensure effective protection of investments and economic assets held by European companies as part of PPP arrangements outside the EU;

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Notes that PPPs have not given much importance to governance, as one of the main objectives has been to keep expenditure off the public institutions´ balance sheet. A transparent and simple legal framework which ensures a good and sound governance must be established. Such governance framework should be designed in a way to prevent corruption and fraud, tax evasion and avoidance, and to ensure compliance with requirements in relation to environmental, social and labour standards. Introduction of new accounting standards should be done with the help of the IASB (International Accounting Standards Board) and through the development of specific IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards).

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

~~7. Calls on the Commission to explore further opportunities to open up market access for European companies in the context of PPP arrangements outside the EU.~~deleted

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission to ~~explore further opportunit~~work within the realm of trade policies and agreements with a viesw to open up market access for European companies in the context of PPP arrangements outside the EU, notably through enhanced implementation of the reciprocity rules included in the directive on public procurements for the utilities sectors.

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a vehicle for economic growth and innovation, both in the single market and abroad; notes that European companies are well equipped to compete for and operate such arrangements;

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on the Commission, following the principle of reciprocity, to explore further opportunities to open up market access for European companies in the context of PPP arrangements outside the EU.

Amendment 41 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Calls on ~~the Commission to explore further opportunities to open up market access for European companies in the context of PPP arrangements outside the EU~~EU bodies to reconsider the entire framework and approach to PPPs.

Amendment 42 #

Ildikó GÁLL-PELCZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Invites the Commission to facilitate structural dialogue platforms in order to build trust and agree common goals among different stakeholders, so as to create certainty from an investment and administrative perspective.

Amendment 43 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that EU-backed bodies such as the European Agency for Small and Medium- sized Enterprises (EASME) and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) can also access and share information with SMEs on how to enter PPPs in states outside the EU and promote small and medium-sized companies' participation in PPPs in third countries.

Amendment 44 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on EU bodies to encourage Public Public Partnerships (PUP) as an alternative policy to privatisation or to Public-Private Partnerships in public services as well as a concrete tool to work with partners to reform public companies/utilities, improve services and realise the right to public services on the ground.

Amendment 45 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls on the Commission, while negotiating trade and investment agreements with other countries, to support dismantling barriers for EU companies and particularly SMEs to enter PPPs in these countries and support the mobility of EU professionals to these states, so that they can compete on equal footing with domestic companies as well as companies coming from third states.

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Given that a public-public partnership (PUP) is simply collaboration between two or more public authorities or organizations, based on solidarity, to improve the capacity and effectiveness of one partner in providing public services in a peer relationship forged around common values and objectives, which exclude profit-seeking. PUPs avoid the risks which are typically encountered in public-private partnerships: transaction costs, contract failure, renegotiation, the complexities of regulation, commercial opportunism, monopoly pricing, commercial secrecy, currency risk, and lack of public legitimacy. In general the objectives of PUPs are to improve the capacity of the assisted partner.

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a vehicle for economic growth, both in the single market and abroad; Stresses the strategic role PPP´s have in modernising infrastructures, in particular energy, water, road and digital infrastructures; notes that European companies are well equipped to compete for and operate such arrangements;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Rec~~Calls the importance of public- private partnerships (PPPs) as a vehicle for economic growth, both in the single market and abroad; notes that European companies are well equipped to compete for and operate such arrangementso consider PPPs only when other less expensive and risky financing options are not available ;

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Re~~calls the importance of~~jects public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a ~~vehicle for economic growth, both in the single market and abroad; notes that European companies are well equipped to compete for and operate such arrangements;~~mechanism which is used to enforce developing countries to privatise state-run utilities and transfer the responsibility for improving public services into private hands,

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a vehicle for economic growth, competitiveness and job creation both in the single market and abroad; notes that European companies are well equipped to compete for and operate such arrangements;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Points to the manifest failure of public-private partnerships to help improve and extend the provision of high- quality universal public services;

source: 554.635

2015/04/20 INTA 128 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation -1 (new)

- having regard to Article 208 of the Treaty of Lisbon, which enshrines the principle of consistency between the EU’s commercial and development policy,

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)

- having regard to the 1997 OECD Convention on combating bribery of foreign public officials in international business transactions,

Amendment 100 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

Amendment 101 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Commission to work towards gaining substantial market access commitments internationally in the World Trade Organisation and in ongoing bilateral negotiations with third countries in order to redress the asymmetries in the level of openness of EU government procurement markets as compared with those of other trading partneracknowledge the reluctance of WTO members and main trading partners to concede substantial market access commitments which would redress the asymmetries in the level of openness of EU government procurement markets as compared with those of other trading partners, while taking into account the lack of market competiveness of particularly least-developed countries and remaining consistent with its current strategy to grant preferential treatment to such countries;

Amendment 102 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

Amendment 103 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls on the Commission to work towards gaining substantial market access commitments internationally in the World Trade Organisation and in ongoing bilateral negotiations with third countries in a positive reciprocity approach, which allows international competition, in order to redress the asymmetries in the level of openness of EU government procurement markets as compared with those of other trading partners, including provisions relating to investments and access to public procurement, to ensure a level playing field for EU companies involved in PPP projects;

Amendment 104 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Asks the Commission to work to prevent all attempts to block European companies taking part in foreign PPPs through administrative, procedural and technical barriers;

Amendment 105 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission to monitor EU businesses abroad and draw conclusions on success stories, models and good practices, with a view to drawing up guidelines, and to consider creating virtual documentation centres or observatories, to promote user-friendly platforms and networks for informing EU SMEs about opportunities to participate in PPPs abroad and to provide technical support as regards the legal framework and expected challenges; also calls on the Commission to promote the use of clear and comprehensive accounting rules at the international level so as to reduce the uncertainties associated with PPPs, while at the same time promoting sound budgetary policies and the sustainability of projectproduce an assessment of their viability and protection, in order to inform EU SMEs;

Amendment 106 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission to monitor EU businesses abroad and draw conclusions on success stories, models and good practices, with a view to drawing up guidelines, and to consider creating virtual ~~documentation~~ centres or observatories~~, to promote~~ to help EU SMEs to gain access to documentation and to promote the setting up of user- friendly platforms and networks ~~for informing EU SMEs about~~, to provide information on opportunities to participate in PPPs abroad and to provide technical support as regards the legal framework and expected challenges; also calls on the Commission to promote the use of clear and comprehensive accounting rules at the international level so as to reduce the uncertainties associated with PPPs, while at the same time promoting sound budgetary policies and the sustainability of projects;

Amendment 107 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls on the Commission to monitor EU businesses abroad and draw conclusions on success stories, models and good practices, with a view to drawing up guidelines, and to consider creating virtual documentation centres or observatories, to promote user-friendly platforms and networks for informing EU SMEs about opportunitievelop a legally binding framework ensuring accountability of the EU companies for their actions in developing countries in cases when they violate standards on human rights, gender equality, decent work, union rights, environmental protection, universal access to ~~participate in PPPs abroad and to provide technical support as regards the legal framework and expected challenges~~quality public services, social protection, public and universal health coverage, universal access to medicines, and food and product safety; also calls on the Commission to promote the use of clear and comprehensive accounting rules at the international level so as to reduce the uncertainties associated with PPPs~~, while at the same time promoting sound budgetary policies and the sustainability of projects~~;

Amendment 108 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Asks the Commission to undertake a study on the effects of the Union’s FTAs and their implementation on the access to foreign PPPs by European companies; believes that such a study might give insight into their concrete impacts in the PPP field and eventually which barriers have not been addressed;

Amendment 109 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Urges the Commission also to promote platforms for structural dialogue between stakeholders in international PPPs, namely governments, donors, companies and civil-society organisations;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 b (new)

- having regard to paragraph 46 of the final document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Río+20),

Amendment 110 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that companies involved in PPPs respect corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social accountability principles throughout the whole lifecycle of projects as PPPs cannot function effectively without an adequate regulatory framework;

Amendment 111 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Calls on the Commission to promote the use of clear and comprehensive accounting rules at international level in order to reduce the uncertainties associated with PPPs, while at the same time promoting sound budgetary policies and project sustainability;

Amendment 112 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Given that in order to attract cross- border private-sector funds into PPPs, it is paramount to provide sufficient assurances that long-term investment will benefit from a clear, stable and secure environment, good governance and effective dispute settlement; calls on the Commission and the Council to collaborate to ensure that the necessary legal set-up in this area exists and is transparent, effective and cost-efficient (the new EU competence for investment allows synergies between investment and government procurement in a way that adds value in terms of market access and protection of acquired rights and assets);deleted

Amendment 113 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. ~~Given that in order~~Underlines that to attract cross- border private-sector funds into PPPs, it is paramount to provide sufficient assurances that these long-term investments will benefit from a clear, stable and secure environment, with good governance and effective dispute settlement; calls on the Commission and the Council to ~~collaborate~~work together to ensure that the necessary legal ~~set-up~~framework in this area exists and is transparent, effective and cost-efficient ~~(the new EU competence for investment allows synergies between investment and government procurement in a way that adds value in terms of market access and protection of acquired rights and assets)~~;

Amendment 114 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Given that ~~in order to attract~~ cross- border private-sector funds ~~into~~for PPPs, ~~it is paramount to provide sufficient assurances that long-term investment will~~ benefit from a clear, stable and secure environment, good governance and effective dispute settlement; calls on the Commission and the Council to collaborate to ensure that the necessary legal set-up in this area exists and is transparent, effective and cost-efficient (the new EU competence for investment allows synergies between investment and government procurement in a way that adds valuerules, calls on the Commission and the Council to collaborate to this end in the competent international fora and in ter~~ms of market access and protection of acquired rights and assets)~~national finance institutions;

Amendment 115 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Given that in order to attract cross- border private-sector funds into PPPs, it is paramount to provide sufficient assurances ~~that long-term investment will benefit from a clear, stable and secure environment, good governance and effective dispute settlement;~~as to legal certainty and good governance and adherence to the principles of transparency, equal treatment and non- discrimination, calls on the Commission and the Council to collaborate to ensure that the necessary legal set-up in this area exists and is democratic, transparent, ~~effective and cost-efficient~~fair, inclusive and effective (the new EU competence for investment allows synergies between investment and government procurement in a way that adds value in terms of market access and protection of acquired rights and assets);

Amendment 116 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Given that in order to attract cross- border private-sector funds into PPPs, it is paramount to provide sufficient assurances that long-term investment will benefit from a clear, stable and secure environment, good governance ~~and effective dispute settlement~~; calls on the Commission and the Council to collaborate to ensure that the necessary legal set-up in this area exists and is transparent, effective and cost- efficient ~~(the new EU competence for investment allows synergies between investment and government procurement in a way that adds value in terms of market access and protection of acquired rights and assets)~~;

Amendment 117 #

Christofer FJELLNER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Recalls the need for substantial investments in order to facilitate public- private partnerships outside the EU; considers comprehensive chapters on investment in free trade agreements, containing provisions on investment liberalisation, investment protection and investor-to-state dispute settlement, essential to encourage and safeguard investments related to public-private partnerships;

Amendment 118 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5

PPPs outside the EU: new decent jobs and ~~growth opportunities for EU companies~~equitable and sustainable growth

Amendment 119 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Is convinced that increased participation by EU companies in large- scale international PPPs would lead to substantial benefits in terms of job creation, productivity, competitiveness, technology and innovation development in Europe; recalls that the report ‘Internationalisation of European SMEs’ highlights the positive link between internationalisation and innovation in terms of product, service and processes;deleted

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 c (new)

- having regard to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, updated in May 2011,

Amendment 120 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Is convinced that increased participation by EU companies in large- scale international PPPs would lead to substantial benefits in terms of job creation, productivity, competitiveness, technologyical capabilities and innovation development in Europe, in line to what is proposed by the European Fund for Strategic Investment internally; recalls that the report ‘Internationalisation of European SMEs’ highlights the positive link between internationalisation and innovation in terms of product, service and processes;

Amendment 121 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Is convinced that increased participation by EU companies in large- scale international PPPs wcould lead to substantial benefits in terms of ~~job~~the creation of decent jobs, productivity, competitiveness, technology and innovation development in Europe; recalls that the report ‘Internationalisation of European SMEs’ highlights the positive link between internationalisation and innovation in terms of product, service and processes;

Amendment 122 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Is convinced that increased participation by EU companies in large- scale international PPPs would lead to substantial benefits in terms of job creation, productivity, competitiveness, technology and innovation development in Europe; recalls that the ~~report~~2010 Commission study entitled ‘Internationalisation of European SMEs’ highlights the positive link between internationalisation and innovation in terms of product, service and processes;

Amendment 123 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Is convinced that increased participation by EU companies in large- scale international PPPs would lead to substantial benefits in terms of decent job creation, productivity, competitiveness, technology and innovation development in Europe; ~~recalls that the report ‘Internationalisation of European SMEs’ highlights the positive link between internationalisation and innovation in terms of product, service and processes;~~

Amendment 124 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Stresses that the work in this area must take into account, in particular, the challenges for EU-based SMEs in competing on international markets as parts of PPP and the need to ensure that SMEs gain concrete and fair access; highlights in this respect the importance of specific rules allowing for cluster or grouped tendering by SMEs and the use of open and transparent subcontracting chains; believes that SMEs should be encourage to take part either as sub- contractors or as part of consortiums tendering for contracts;

Amendment 125 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Recalls the achievements in the EU through the use of PPPs in infrastructure development and vanguard fields of technology, research, e-learning and other high-added-value sectors, and encourages the Commission to identify those projects which have yielded the best results in the EU and to promote participation by EU companies in such ventures abroad;deleted

Amendment 126 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

Amendment 127 #

Daniel CASPARY

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

Amendment 128 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 d (new)

- having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘A renewed EU strategy 2011-2014 for Corporate Social Responsibility’ (COM(2011)0681),

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 e (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 29 January 2013 on corporate social responsibility: promoting society’s interests and a route to sustainable and inclusive recovery (2012/2097(INI)) PE 498.081v02-00; A7-0023/2013)1, __________________ 1 P7_TA(2013)0050

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 j (new)

- having regard to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles launched in March 2010, which offer guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community and are a result of collaboration between UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact,

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 j (new)

- having regard to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and to the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 8 December 2009,

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 k (new)

- having regard to paragraph 5 of the Commission communication entitled ‘Strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015’ (COM(2010)0491),

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 l (new)

- having regard to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted in 1998, and to the ILO conventions establishing universal core labour standards with regard to: the abolition of forced labour (Nos 29 (1930) and 105 (1957)); freedom of association and the right to bargain collectively (Nos 87 (1948) and 98 (1949)); the abolition of child labour (Nos 138 (1973) and 182 (1999)); and non-discrimination in employment (Nos 100 (1951) and 111 (1958)),

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 m (new)

- having regard to the ILO conventions on labour clauses (public contracts) (No 94) (1949) and collective bargaining (No 154),

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)

- having regard to Article 208 TFEU, which establishes eradication of poverty as the primary objective of the EU development policy and the principle of policy coherent for development,

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 n (new)

- having regard to the ILO Decent Work Agenda and to the ILO Global Jobs Pact, adopted by global consensus on 19 June 2009 at the International Labour Conference,

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 o (new)

- having regard to the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation, adopted by consensus of the ILO’s 183 member states on 10 June 2008,

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas countries’ societies and economic structures and the dynamism thereof benefit from environments which allow interaction between the public and private sectors and cooperation between public and private entities, for example through joint initiatives and ventures;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are high on the development agenda and they are increasingly being promoted as a way of closing the infrastructure financing gap in developed and developing countries alike;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)

Ab. whereas the EU´s support and cooperation with the private sector can and must contribute to reducing poverty and inequality and promote human rights, environmental standards and social dialogue;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas, although public-private partnerships (PPPs) are a long-term tool used in government policies at ~~feder~~international, national, regional and local level, there is no internationally recognised definition and comprehensive regulatory framework for them; whereas in practice PPPs are understood to refer to a ‘broad and varied spectrum of cooperative relationships between public actors (governments, agencies, and international organisations, or a combination thereof) and private actors (companies or not-for- profit entities)’ and usually imply supply by the private sector of infrastructure, or assets traditionally provided by governments;

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the global economic crisis has severely affected mature, emerging and developing countries since 2007 and has had an impact on budgetary policies and on the access of both institutional and private entities to the funds needed to carry out projects, affecting the development of infrastructure and other capital-intensive projects and the provision of basic services;deleted

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the global economic crisis has severely affected mature, emerging and developing countries since 2007 and has had an impact on budgetary policies and on the access of both institutional and private entities, particularly SMEs, to the funds needed to carry out projects, affecting the development of infrastructure and other capital-intensive projects and the provision of basic services;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the global economic crisis has severely affected all mature, emerging and developing countries since 2007 and has had an impact on budgetary policies and on the access of both institutional and private entities to the funds needed to carry out projects, affecting the development of infrastructure and other capital-intensive projects and the provision of basic services;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas, owing to public budgetary constraints exacerbated by the economic and public debt crisis, it is important to improve the costs, effectiveness, efficiency and quality of public services and to ensure the timely delivery of public infrastructure, and whereas appropriate involvement of public and private actors can contribute to this;deleted

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6

– having regard to the amendments it adopted on 15 January 2014 to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the access of third-country goods and services to the Union’s internal market in public procurement and procedures supporting negotiations on access of Union goods and services to the public procurement markets of third countries4 , __________________ 4deleted Texts adopted, P7_TA(2014)0027.

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas, owing to public budgetary constraints exacerbated by the economic and public debt crisis, ~~it is important~~a growing number of governments are adopting innovative solutions such as public-private partnerships which, if implemented appropriately, can help to improve the costs, effectiveness, efficiency and quality of public services and to ensure the timely delivery of public infrastructure~~, and w~~; whereas, however, therea is a~~ppropriate involvement of~~ serious risk that governments may opt for public ~~and~~ -private ~~actors can contribute to this~~initiatives because this instrument is not taken into account when calculating the public deficit, and not primarily because it is the option that is most likely to ensure that the project is properly managed;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas, owing to public budgetary constraints exacerbated by the economic and public debt crisis, it is important to improve the costs, effectiveness~~, efficiency~~ and quality of public services and to ensure the timely delivery of public infrastructure~~, and whereas appropriate involvement of public and private actors can contribute to this~~;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas, in addition, there are new areas to be developed which have not been provided in the past by public services, together with newly designed financial instruments and a network of free trade agreements which provide, or pave the way, for further participation in investment projects abroad bringing together private companies and public entities;deleted

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas, in addition, there are new areas to be developed which have not been provided in the past by public services, together with newly designed financial instruments and a network of free trade agreements which provide, or pave the way, for further participation in investmMember States should be invited to develop new areas which have not beent pro~~jects abroad bringing together private companies and~~vided in the past by public ~~entiti~~services;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E

E. whereas~~, in addition, there are new areas to be developed which have not been provided in the past by public serv~~ the liberalisation of trade and investment is not an end in itself but a tool which should help improve the quality of life for the world’s population, and in this context there is an opportunity to develop innovative policies, together with new instruments such as the newly designed financial instruments, and a network of free trade agreements which ~~provide~~are useful for third-country governments in guaranteeing the provision of infrastructure, goods and services of general interest, while providing, or paveing the way, for further participation by EU companies in investment projects abroad bringing together private companies and public entities;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas EU trade policy should neither encourage nor discourage the sovereign decision on whether or not to use a PPP, but once the decision has been taken, the EU has an obligation to ensure that our large, medium-sized and small enterprises and micro-enterprises have the best possible access to procurement markets in the partner country, bringing added value to the local community, in keeping with the principles of openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness and policy coherence;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas the fact that the private sector may undervalue social infrastructure and the cover it provides, the considerable costs associated with providing infrastructure, the position of some sectors as natural monopolies or their strategic importance mean that in many cases open competition and privatisation are not the most suitable policy option where the public interest must prevail;deleted

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas public-private partnerships for the provision of infrastructure, goods and basic services are technically complex; whereas they are not always the best policy response to public needs, and whereas it has been demonstrated that such partnerships can increase the cost of public services and reduce the coverage and quality of the services provided;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the purpose of PPPs is ~~therefore~~ to combine ~~the best of both worlds –~~ the provision of services and infrastructure of general interest~~, but throug~~ with enhanced participation by the private sector ~~rather than through privatisation processes~~; whereas this must not be regarded as a first step towards privatisation, and whereas governments retain the right to take over the management of projects wherever they consider this necessary;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)

- having regard to the 2010 report by EIM for the European Commission entitled ‘Internationalisation of European SMEs’,

Amendment 40 #

Jude KIRTON-DARLING

Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)

Ga. whereas the PPP model raises a number of concerns due to the fact that the provisions of a public good or service in this framework is conditioned by contractual conditions which can curtail the ability of national and local authorities to introduce, adopt, maintain or repeal some measures with regards to the commissioning, organisation, funding and provision of such goods and services;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas many emerging and developing countries face a mismatch between the dynamism of private businesses and the lack of reliable public infrastructure; whereas such gaps (which are striking in India or Brazil) have undermined potential growth, limiting export/import capacities or disturbing production lines owing to the absence of sufficient port infrastructure, deficiencies in internal transport (railways, freight or highways) or dysfunctional power generation units and power distribution grids; whereas they also have a negative impact on human welfare (owing to scarcity of sewage and water distribution networks); whereas PPPs allow integrated solutions whereby a partner or a consortium provides ‘building’ (construction, engineering and architecture services), ‘financing’ (injection of private funds, at least to pre- finance a project) and ‘exploitation’ (maintenance, surveillance and management services);deleted

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital H

H. whereas many emerging and developing countries face a mismatch between the dynamism of private businesses and the lack of reliable public infrastructure; whereas such gaps (which are striking in India or Brazil) have undermined potential growth, limiting export/import capacities or disturbing production lines owing to the absence of sufficient port infrastructure, deficiencies in internal transport (railways, freight or highways) or dysfunctional power generation units and power distribution grids; whereas theyse gaps also have a negative impact on human welfare (owing to scarcity of sewage and water distribution networks); whereas PPPs allow integrated solutions whereby a partner or a consortium provides ‘building’ (construction, engineering and architecture services), ‘financing’ (injection of private funds, at least to pre-finance a project) and ‘exploitation’ (maintenance, surveillance and management services);

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas intergovernmental organisations have also used PPPs to devote aid to least-developed countries through partnerships operating in the field of development and cooperation: the World Bank, regional reconstruction banks, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to name but a few, have used PPPs to implement actions; whereas, as regards geographical focus, the USA, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and other Asian and Latin American countries (led by Chile) have experience of PPPs; whereas OECD countries (Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain) also have relevant legislation; whereas the UK has the most developed programme in respect of PPPs (with the Private Finance Initiative accounting for around 20 % of public investment); whereas the EU leads the PPP infrastructure market, concentrating more than 45 % of the nominal value of PPPs;deleted

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I

I. whereas intergovernmental organisations have also used PPPs to devote aid to least-developed countries through partnerships operating in the field of development and cooperation: the World Bank, regional reconstruction banks, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to name but a few, have used PPPs to implement actions; whereas~~, as regards geographical focus, the USA, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirat~~ the experience with PPPs in developing countries - and ~~other Asian and Latin American countries (led by Chile) have experie~~in particular least-developed countries - is mixed, since of PPPs; whereas OECD countries (Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain) also have relevant legislation; whereas the UK has the most developed programme in respect of PPPs (with the Private Finance Initiative accounting for around 20 % of public investment); whereas the EU leads the PPP infrastructure market, concentrating more than 45 % of the nominal value of PPPs prove often to be more expensive in the long-term than standard procurement due to higher costs of private sector borrowing when compared to government rates; whereas therefore PPPs often fail to reach the public development goals, because they have to be oriented at short term financial amortisation criteria;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas PPPs are just one of several options for governments to attract private investment capital and should not be regarded as a one-size-fits-all solution for all purposes, especially in developing countries;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)

Ia. whereas, however, experience has demonstrated that PPPs have shown serious management deficiencies and governments have had to take on a heavy financial burden, in particular in the hospital and prison sectors;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital I b (new)

Ib. whereas still few diagnostic tools are available to measure the effectiveness of PPPs and to determine when and how PPPs represent a preferable option to conventional contract arrangements in developing and least-developed countries;

Amendment 49 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas PPPs have been used in the context of the Structural Funds, enlargement, the trans-European networks, Joint Technology Initiatives, Europe 2020, R&D (factories for the future, energy-efficient buildings, the green vehicles initiative, the sustainable process industry, photonics, robotics, high-performing computing, and 5G networks), e-learning, research projects with universities and other programmes in the health field (such as the innovative medicines initiative); whereas the European Investment Bank and the European PPP Expertise Centre have carried out projects in the EU, its neighbourhood and beyond; whereas the EU has also contributed through the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund; whereas the European Fund for Strategic Investments intends to support a number of PPPs in the EU, in which companies from trading partners may participate;deleted

Amendment 5 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)

- having regard to the Commission Communication entitled ‘Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ (COM(2010) 2020),

Amendment 50 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

Ja. whereas the EU has hitherto kept its public procurement markets wide open to international competition and has put in place rules seeking to ensure genuine and fair competition on the single market and to enable international investors to compete on an equal footing; whereas inside the EU there is no discrimination on grounds of foreign ownership or control, and whereas companies from abroad may set up a local base in order to participate in PPPs;

Amendment 51 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas EU free trade agreements include provisions which pave the way for companies to bid in PPPs via market access and pre-establishment; whereas the treatment and possibilities open in respect of Korea, Colombia/Peru, Central America, Singapore and Canada (and Vietnam and Japan) are defined differently and specifically; whereas there has to be a relatively flexible approach as regards negotiations with different partners; whereas, at the multilateral level, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) also establish a number of commitments, as may other plurilateral instruments such as the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA); whereas the environment in the EU is therefore becoming more competitive;deleted

Amendment 52 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K

K. whereas EU free trade agreements include provisions which pave the way for companies to bid in PPPs via market access and pre-establishment; whereas the treatment and possibilities open in respect of Korea, Colombia/Peru, Central America, Singapore and Canada (and Vietnam and Japan) are defined differently and specifically; whereas there has to be a relatively flexible approach as regards negotiations with different partners; whereas, however, the aim must continue to be to help foster social and economic development, environmental sustainability, democracy and good governance, the observance of human rights and the promotion of internationally recognised standards of protection, as well as the creation of decent jobs; whereas, at the multilateral level, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) also establish a number of commitments, as may other plurilateral instruments such as the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA); whereas the environment in the EU is therefore becoming more competitive;

Amendment 53 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)

Ka. whereas public procurement remains an important tool especially in developing countries to strengthen and diversify their industrial capacities, explaining their reluctance to accede to the GPA; whereas the EU should respect that cost effectiveness is only one among many factors for infrastructure procurement decisions, especially in least developed countries;

Amendment 54 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses the need to stimulate job creation, competitiveness and productivity through new endeavours designed to stimulate the activity of economic actors in order to re-launch growth, including via investments outside the Single Market;

Amendment 55 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses the need to stimulate job creation, competitiveness and productivity inside the EU and in third countries through new endeavours designed to stimulate the activity of economic actors in order to re-launch growth;

Amendment 56 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses the need to stimulate decent job creation, competitiveness and productivity through new endeavours designed to stimulate the activity of economic actors in order to re-launch growth; in a sustainable way;

Amendment 57 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Believes that PPPs could be a major potential source of grow for our European companies and in the case of development PPPs, a way that our European companies can help to do good works in the world;

Amendment 58 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls the EU to set up a regulatory framework that stimulates fair, responsible, transparent and accountable investment;

Amendment 59 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

Amendment 6 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 b (new)

- having regard to its resolution of 27 September 2011 on a New Trade Policy for Europe under the Europe 2020 Strategy (2010/2152(INI))1, __________________ 1 OJ C 56E, 26.2.2013, p. 87–98

Amendment 60 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that both SMEs and larger companies alike can provide unique private-sector know- how, experience, and networks involving public authorities in non-EU countries; considers that SMEs can best achieve their potential if they perform at the global level and enter markets outside Europe, inter alia through PPPs, often by acting as subcontractors for larger EU companies;

Amendment 61 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that SMEs and larger companies can provide unique private-sector know- how, experience, and networks involving public authorities in non-EU countries; considers that SMEs can achieve their potential if they set up networks and perform at the global level and enter markets outside Europe, inter alia through PPPs~~, often by acting as subcontract~~; suggests that the Commission should promote the establishment of consortiums and other forms ~~for larger EU companie~~of cooperation between large businesses and SMEs, with a view to helping the latter to become involved in PPPs;

Amendment 62 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Notes that SMEs and larger companies can provide unique private-sector know- how, experience, good practices and networks involving public authorities in non-EU countries;, helping to deliver vigorous sustainable development policies, considers that SMEs can achieve their potential if they perform at the global level and enter markets outside Europe, inter alia through PPPs, often by acting as subcontractors for larger EU companies;

Amendment 63 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Urges the Commission to promote a definition of PPPs that can gain international recognition as a long-term relationship between public entities and private investors geared to the provision of high-quality, accessible public services and infrastructure on the basis of terms and conditions clearly laid down in a contract, compliance with which may easily be assessed by means of indicators ensuring that such compliance is rewarded with fair and appropriate remuneration;

Amendment 64 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Rejects the use public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a mechanism used to enforce developing countries to privatise state-run utilities and transfer the responsibility for improving public services into private hands;

Amendment 65 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Considers it regrettable that while the EU has so far kept its government procurement markets largely open to international competition, many companies competing at EU level operate from protected countries, with such protection taking different forms such as state-owned enterprises, trade barriers in the field of government procurement, services or investment, preference for domestic bidders, restrictions on national treatment and market access, regulatory barriers to the establishment of branches or subsidiaries, and restrictions on access to financing;deleted

Amendment 66 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Considers it regrettable~~Notes that while the EU has so far kept its government procurement markets largely open to international competition, many companies competing at EU level operate from protected countries, with such protection taking different forms such as state-owned enterprises, trade barriers in the field of government procurement, services or investment, preference for domestic bidders, restrictions on national treatment and market access, regulatory barriers to the establishment of branches or subsidiaries, and restrictions on access to financing; calls on the Commission and the Council to reconsider the EU policy of open procurement markets by default;

Amendment 67 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Considers it regrettable that while ~~the EU has so far kept its government procurement markets largely open to international competition,~~ many companies competing at EU level operate from protected countries, with such protection taking different forms such as state-owned enterprises, trade barriers in the field of government procurement, services or investment, preference for domestic bidders, restrictions on national treatment and market access, regulatory barriers to the establishment of branches or subsidiaries, and restrictions on access to financing, the EU has so far kept its government procurement markets largely open to international competition;

Amendment 68 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Considers it regrettable~~Urges the Commission to ensure that EU trade agreements include provisions that while the EU has so far kept its government procurement markets largely open to international competition, many companies competing at EU level operate from protected countries, with such protection taking different forms such as state-owned enterprises,l ensure that our companies, in particular SMEs, can compete outside the EU on an equal footing with local companies, requiring there to be clear rules and easy access to information on procurement procedures and award criteria and stipulating the removal of any discriminatory and unjustified trade barriers in the field of government procurement, services or investment, including preference for domestic bidders, restrictions on national treatment and market access, tax discrimination, regulatory barriers to the establishment of branches or subsidiaries, and restrictions on access to financing; calls on the Commission also to promote legislation minimising the risk of conflicts of interest and of regulatory capture, where the public interest is subordinated to the interests of the industries that are being regulated, and to call on the authorities of partner countries to adhere to the principle of open government, in order to ensure that procurement procedures are transparent, fair and open;

Amendment 69 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls on the Commission also to ensure that trade agreements emphasise the importance of governments taking a suitably cautious approach to the use of PPPs and of them taking account not only of each project’s viability and value for money, but also of whether there is the technical and financial capacity required in order properly to supervise the provision of the service or the operation of the piece of infrastructure involved, which must be carried out in keeping with the public interest;

Amendment 7 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 b (new)

- having regard to the Communication from the Commission entitled ‘Trade, Growth and World Affairs – Trade Policy as a core component of the EU’s 2020 strategy’ (COM(2010)0612),

Amendment 70 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses that the use of PPPs has been problematic due to a lack of transparency regarding PPPs-contracts, lack of assessing methodologies and lack of a clear and transparent regulatory framework to prevent corruption;

Amendment 71 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Stress the link between PPPs and the risk of debt unsustainability; Notes that PPPs must not be the way to transfer the risk from rich private companies taxpayers in poor countries;

Amendment 72 #

Daniel CASPARY

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Acknowledges that PPP-related challenges can be overcome through principles of good governance, such as transparency of rules, decisions and implementation, adequate planning, medium- and long-term cost-effectiveness, stakeholder participation, reliability, accountability, fairness, efficiency and effectiveness, corruption deterrents, expertise of officials, appropriate risk assessment (from geopolitical contexts to interest rates) and allocation, and adequate, transparent and, at the same time, effective investment protection;

Amendment 73 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Acknowledges that PPP-related challenges can be overcome through principles of good governance, such as transparency ~~of rules, decisi~~and clarity of rules ons andward, implementation, a~~dequate planning,~~nd assessment from the early stages of the project, with particular reference to the definition of a risk transfer model, the assessment of medium- and long-term cost-effectiveness, stakeholder participation, reliability, accountability, fairness, efficiency and effectiveness, ~~corruption deterrents, expertise of~~measures to combat corruption and fraud, technical training for officials, a~~ppropriate risk assessment (from geopolitical contexts to interest rates) and allocation, and adequate investment protection;~~ nd adequate funding for departments responsible for proper planning and supervision of compliance with contractual terms and conditions, greater legal certainty and adequate investment protection, within a framework that enables the public authorities to exercise their legitimate powers;

Amendment 74 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Acknowledges that PPP-related challenges can be overcome through principles of good governance, such as transparency of rules, decisions and implementation, respect of countries sovereign policy space to take decisions in accordance to their populations’ demands, adequate planning, medium- and long-term cost-effectiveness, ~~stakeholder~~civil society organisations (CSOs) participation, reliability, accountability, fairness, efficiency and effectiveness, corruption deterrents, expertise of officials, debt risk assessments and appropriate overall risk assessment (from geopolitical contexts to interest rates) and allocation~~, and adequate investment protection~~;

Amendment 75 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Believes, therefore, the Commission and the Member States should work to promote these principles and good practices beyond our borders; underlines that the Member States are the vital parties in this regard;

Amendment 76 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Notes that PPPs projects are opening up developing countries’ health sector to the private sector leading to the diversion of the scarce public funds from primary healthcare services instead of strengthening the universal public healthcare delivery systems with catastrophic consequences as it was again revealed during the struggle against the Ebola disease;

Amendment 77 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Stresses that PPPs should always comply with internationally agreed development principles such us the Development Effectiveness Principles, and should aligned with the partner countries’ national development and should respect local knowledge and ownership as key ingredients of PPP models and implementation;

Amendment 78 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Warns that the PPPs projects make it impossible to achieve the goal of food sovereignty as the PPPs harm small farmers by requiring developing countries to change their policies to facilitate the expansion of agribusiness and land grabbing in exchange of investment;

Amendment 79 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that the delivery of high-quality, accessible and cost-effective services to the public is ~~essential in order to ensure~~a precondition for successful implementation and viability; recalls that the complex choice of models and contracts has an impact on a project’s evolution; warns of the risk of governments deciding to set up PPPs solely with a view to meeting deficit reduction targets, and points out that at some stages PPPs have been used to exploit loopholes in fiscal accounting and reporting, which has led Eurostat to adopt targeted accounting rules; highlights the need for an adequate institutional framework combining political commitment, good governance and adequate underlying legislation, in order to ensure that PPPs help to achieve the ultimate goal of securing public services of the highest possible quality and with the broadest possible coverage; stresses the importance, in this connection, of assessing the past record and experience of companies as regards quality of service and responsible business conduct;

Amendment 8 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 d (new)

- having regard to the Commission communication entitled “Towards a job rich recovery” (COM (2012)0173),

Amendment 80 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective services to the public, both inside and outside the EU, is essential in order to ensure successful implementation and viability; recalls that the complex choice of models and contracts has an impact on a project’'s evolution; ~~warns that at some stages PPPs have been used to exploit loopholes in fiscal accounting and reporting, which has led Eurostat to adopt targeted accounting rules;~~ highlights the need for an adequate institutional framework combining political commitment, good governance and adequate underlying legislation;

Amendment 81 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Recalls that the delivery of high-quality~~, cost-effective~~ public services to the public is essential ~~in order to ensure successful implementation and viability~~for reaching sustainable development; recalls that the complex choice of models and contracts has an impact on a project’s evolution; warns that at some stages PPPs have been used to exploit loopholes in fiscal accounting and reporting, which has led Eurostat to adopt targeted accounting rules; highlights the need for an adequate institutional framework combining political commitment, good governance and adequate underlying legislation;

Amendment 82 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Points out, furthermore, that, with a view to ensuring that PPPs are not, in practice, a step towards the privatisation of public services and that governments can take over full management of such services, it is important to ensure in each case that the public entity involved is not dependent on the contracting private entity;

Amendment 83 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the increasing potential of PPPs to foster innovative solutions mobilising long-term private finance and domestic resources for development objectives, given that massive investments are required in developing countries in terms of infrastructure, water supply and energy, the majority of which will need to come from the private sector; believes that PPPs can also generate innovation in technologies and business models, and build mechanisms for holding the private sector accountable;deleted

Amendment 84 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the increasing potential of PPPs to foster innovative solutions mobilising long-term private finance and domestic resources for development objectives, given that massive investments are required in developing countries in terms of infrastructure, water supply and energy, the majority of which will need to come from the private sector; believes thatBelieves that that only if properly regulated PPPs canould also generate innovation in technologies and business models, and build mechanisms for holding the private sector accountable;

Amendment 85 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the ~~increasing~~ potential of PPPs to foster innovative solutions mobilising long-term private finance and domestic resources for development objectives, given that massive investments are required in ~~developing countries in~~ terms of infrastructure, water supply and energy, ~~the majority of which will need to com~~and in many cases cannot be fpro~~m the private~~vided by the public sector alone; believes that PPPs can also generate innovation in technologies and business models~~, and build mechanisms for holding the private sector ac~~; points out, however, that private sector participation in PPPs in developing countries has in many cases proved ineffective and needs to be backed up by capacity-building support for those count~~able~~ries;

Amendment 86 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Stresses the increasi~~Considers PPPs as one option among pot~~ential of PPP~~hers to foster innovative solutions mobilising long-term private finance and domestic resources for development objectives, given that massive investments are required in developing countries in terms of infrastructure, water supply and energy, the majority of which w~~ill need to come from~~ould profit from an involvement of the private sector; believes that PPPs can also generate innovation in technologies and business models, and build mechanisms for holding the private sector accountable;

Amendment 87 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Urges EU bodies, in this connection, to support technical assistance programmes for developing countries in order to help strengthen the legal and institutional framework for PPPs and, in particular, enhance the ability of those counties properly to assess, plan and supervise the implementation of projects and to require companies to pay compensation in the event of non- performance;

Amendment 88 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Notes that PPPs are high on the development agenda and they are increasingly being promoted as a way of closing the infrastructure financing gap in developed and developing countries alike;

Amendment 89 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Stresses the need for the EU trade policy to respect developing country policy space for the maintenance of robust import tariffs that facilitate creation of skilled and decent jobs within local manufacturing and agro-processing industries as possible enablers of higher domestic value added, industrial growth and diversification which is a key component of economic and social upgrading; stresses that, opposite to the negative impacts of PPPs, which allow private partners to have their risk almost completely covered by governments by transferring the business risk to the public sector, the increase of the public-public partnership is a mechanism to rehabilitate or improve government-operated infrastructure enterprises;

Amendment 9 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)

- having regard to the systematic literature review by the Policy and Operations Evaluation Department (IOB) of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs entitled ‘Public-Private Partnerships in developing countries’

Amendment 90 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)

6c. Calls to consider PPPs only when other less expensive and risky financing options are not available

Amendment 91 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 d (new)

6d. Stress the capacity of PPPs to deliver positive development outcomes cannot be assumed; PPPs should be promoted and designed in a way that delivers real results for the poor;

Amendment 92 #