Procedure completed
2016/2101(INI) European semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2016 priorities
Lead committee dossier: ECON/8/06422
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion | BUDG | ||
| Opinion | CULT | ZDROJEWSKI Bogdan Andrzej (EPP) | |
| Lead | ECON | SANT Alfred (S&D) | FERBER Markus (EPP), STARBATTY Joachim (ECR), TREMOSA I BALCELLS Ramon (ALDE), LÓPEZ BERMEJO Paloma (GUE/NGL), URTASUN Ernest (Verts/ALE), VALLI Marco (EFD), KAPPEL Barbara (ENF) |
| Opinion | EMPL | RIBEIRO Sofia (EPP) | |
| Opinion | IMCO | STIHLER Catherine (S&D) | |
| Opinion | REGI | RUAS Fernando (EPP) |
Activites
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2016/10/26
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
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T8-0416/2016
summary
The European Parliament adopted by 423 votes to 210, with 48 abstentions, a resolution on the European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2016 priorities. Members recalled that Europe still faces a major investment deficit. Moreover, the Commission’s spring 2016 forecast indicates expected growth rates of 1.6 % for the euro area and 1.8 % for the EU in 2016. Unemployment in general (and structural unemployment in particular) in the EU remains one of the main challenges that Member States are facing, as it currently stands at a very high rate (10.5 million long-term unemployed in the EU). Europe’s challenge in the context of the global economic slowdown: noting with concern that the EU economy will grow less than expected on the basis of the European economic spring forecast 2016, Parliament underlined the need to improve growth, cohesion, productivity and competitiveness while considering that lack of sustainable investment and the shortcomings in completing the single market are depriving the EU of its full growth potential. Members welcomed the Commission’s focus in its 2016 country-specific recommendations (CSRs) on the three main priorities to further strengthen economic growth: (i) supporting investment for innovation, (ii) growth and job creation, (iii) pursuing socially balanced structural reforms and encouraging responsible public finances. The Commission should do more to bolster fiscal sustainability in line with the Stability and Growth Pact, while making full use of its flexibility clauses, in line with the Commission communication of 13 January 2015. The resolution highlighted the need to facilitate investment in areas such as education, innovation and research and development, while enhancing the EU`s competitiveness by pursuing sustainable structural reforms to boost quality job creation, implementing responsible fiscal policies to create a better environment for jobs, businesses (especially SMEs) and investment. While recognising the importance of coherence between cohesion policy instruments and the wider economic governance framework, Members stressed that measures linking the effectiveness of European Structural and Investment Funds with sound economic governance should be applied judiciously and in a balanced way, but only as a last resort in order to avoid restricting regional and local investments, which are absolutely essential for the Member States’ economies. In order to increase national ownership and foster the effective implementation of CSRs, these should be clearly articulated around well-defined and structured priorities at European level, involving national parliaments, regional and local authorities where appropriate. Member States should ensure a proper democratic scrutiny of their National Reform Programmes in their respective national parliaments. Priorities and objectives of the 2016 recommendations: the Commission is called upon to continue to encourage responsible and sustainable budgetary policies that underpin growth and recovery in all Member States by putting more emphasis on investment and efficient public expenditure, and supporting sustainable and socially balanced structural reforms. Parliament noted that further measures are needed to increase financing opportunities, notably for SMEs, in order to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy. It also emphasised the importance of implementing the Banking Union and developing the Capital Markets Union. Members underline the fact that investment has so far lagged behind and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and to contribute to the improvement of the business environment. They underlined that investment policy instruments such as the European Funds for Strategic Investment (EFSI) and the ESI Funds require properly calibrated blending and complementarity between them in order to enhance the value added of Union spending by attracting additional resources from private investors. Policy responses and conclusions: Parliament emphasised the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to grow, create and sustain quality jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment. Migration could play a role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population, depending on the ability of the Member States to better use migrants' skills and to adapt labour migration management systems to labour market needs. The resolution underlined on the importance of: inclusive educational systems that foster innovation and creativity and teach skills relevant to the labour market, with particular reference to vocational education; giving priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows and trade, especially in the following fields: energy, transport, communications and the digital economy. Members noted the cumbersome legal systems, lack of transparency in the financial sector, the presence of barriers to the internal market in the banking and insurance sectors, and educational systems that remain out of sync with the requirements of the labour market; allowing for a more suitable mix oriented towards policies fostering sustainable growth, including a genuine focus on research and development spending; avoiding an excessive tax wedge on labour. Employment and Social Policies: Members highlighted that the European Semester process should help to provide answers to existing and emerging social challenges and that social investments in human capital must constitute core complementary action. Unemployment, and in particular youth unemployment, remains an overriding problem for European societies and there are huge differences among Member States. In this regard, Members called for: the introduction of a social imbalances procedure in the design of the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) so as to prevent a race to the bottom in terms of social standards, building on effective use of the social and employment indicators in macroeconomic surveillance; further investment in and development of education and training systems, providing society with the tools and capacities to readapt to changing labour market demands. Members welcomed the introduction of the three new headline employment indicators in the macroeconomic scoreboard. They called for these to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators. Members also called for urgent action to be taken ensure decent work with a living wage, access to an adequate minimum income and social protection. Moreover, Parliament regretted that more than three years after the launch of the Youth Employment Initiative, the results of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee are so uneven, and sometimes ineffective. The Commission is called on to present a thorough analysis of its implementation of the Youth Guarantee which can serve as the basis for the continuation of the programme. Internal market: stating that the single market is a backbone of the EU economy, Members called on the Commission to monitor the progress made by the Member States, and reiterated the importance of the formal inclusion of the single-market pillar in the European Semester. The Commission is called upon to assess the feasibility of further tax coordination and, in particular, to assess the possibility of a simplified VAT approach in the digital single market. Lastly, Parliament condemned the barriers which still exist, or have been created, that hinder a well-functioning and integrated single market. It drew attention to the partial transposition and implementation of the Services Directive by many Member States, and called on the Commission to enforce more effectively what Member States have signed up to under EU law.
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T8-0416/2016
summary
- 2016/10/25 Debate in Parliament
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2016/10/20
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
-
A8-0309/2016
summary
The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs adopted an own-initiative report by Alfred SANT (S&D, MT) on the European Semester for economic policy coordination: implementation of 2016 priorities. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, exercising its prerogative as associated committee in accordance with Article 54 of the Rules of Procedure, also gave its opinion on the report. Europe’s challenge in the context of the global economic slowdown: Members noted with concern that the EU economy will grow less than expected on the basis of the European economic spring forecast 2016, as GDP in the eurozone is expected to increase by only 1.6 %, reaching 1.8 % by 2017. They underlined the need to improve growth, cohesion, productivity and competitiveness while considering that lack of sustainable investment and the shortcomings in completing the single market are depriving the EU of its full growth potential. While recognising the importance of coherence between cohesion policy instruments and the wider economic governance framework, Members stressed that measures linking the effectiveness of ESI Funds with sound economic governance should be applied judiciously and in a balanced way, but only as a last resort in order to avoid restricting regional and local investments, which are absolutely essential for the Member States’ economies. The report highlighted the need to facilitate investment in areas such as education, innovation and research and development, while enhancing the EU`s competitiveness by pursuing sustainable structural reforms to boost quality job creation, implementing responsible fiscal policies to create a better environment for jobs, businesses (especially SMEs) and investment. Priorities and objectives of the 2016 recommendations: the Commission is called upon to continue to encourage responsible and sustainable budgetary policies that underpin growth and recovery in all Member States by putting more emphasis on investment and efficient public expenditure, and supporting sustainable and socially balanced structural reforms. Members noted that further measures are needed to increase financing opportunities, notably for SMEs, in order to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy. They considered that monetary policy needs to be accompanied by appropriate fiscal policies aimed at improving growth in the EU, in line with the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact, including its flexibility clauses. Investment policy instruments such as the EFSI and ESIF require properly calibrated blending and complementarity between them in order to enhance the value added of Union spending. Policy responses and conclusions: Members emphasised the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to grow, create and sustain quality jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment. Migration could play a role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population, depending on the ability of the Member States to better use migrants' skills and to adapt labour migration management systems to labour market needs. The report insisted on the importance of: inclusive educational systems that foster innovation and creativity and teach skills relevant to the labour market, with particular reference to vocational education; giving priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows and trade, especially in the following fields: energy, transport, communications and the digital economy. Members noted the cumbersome legal systems, lack of transparency in the financial sector, the presence of barriers to the internal market in the banking and insurance sectors, and educational systems that remain out of sync with the requirements of the labour market; allowing for a more suitable mix oriented towards policies fostering sustainable growth, including a genuine focus on research and development spending. Employment and Social Policies: Members highlighted that the European Semester process should help to provide answers to existing and emerging social challenges and that social investments in human capital must constitute core complementary action. Unemployment, and in particular youth unemployment, remains an overriding problem for European societies. According to the Commission, unemployment has continued to gradually decrease, but remains above 2008 levels, with 21.2 million unemployed in April 2016 and huge differences among Member States. In this regard, Members called for: the introduction of a social imbalances procedure in the design of the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) so as to prevent a race to the bottom in terms of social standards, building on effective use of the social and employment indicators in macroeconomic surveillance; further investment in and development of education and training systems, providing society with the tools and capacities to readapt to changing labour market demands. Members welcomed the introduction of the three new headline employment indicators in the macroeconomic scoreboard. They called for these to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators. Members also called for urgent action to be taken ensure decent work with a living wage, access to an adequate minimum income and social protection. Members regretted that more than three years after the launch of the Youth Employment Initiative, the results of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee are so uneven, and sometimes ineffective. The Commission is called on to present a thorough analysis of its implementation of the Youth Guarantee which can serve as the basis for the continuation of the programme. Internal market: stating that the single market is a backbone of the EU economy, Members called on the Commission to monitor the progress made by the Member States, and reiterated the importance of the formal inclusion of the single-market pillar in the European Semester. The recommendation condemned the barriers which still exist, or have been created, that hinder a well-functioning and integrated single market. It drew attention to the partial transposition and implementation of the Services Directive by many Member States, and called on the Commission to enforce more effectively what Member States have signed up to under EU law.
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A8-0309/2016
summary
- #3488
- 2016/10/11 Council Meeting
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2016/10/11
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
- #3480
- 2016/07/12 Council Meeting
- #3478
- 2016/06/24 Council Meeting
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2016/06/09
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
- Debate in Council: 3478
- Debate in Council: 3480
- Debate in Council: 3488
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A8-0309/2016
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T8-0416/2016
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 662 |
2016/2101(INI)
2016/07/13
IMCO
62 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the large number of CSRs that support a well-functioning and integrated Single Market, including financing and investment opportunities which support businesses and help create jobs, e-government, public procurement and mutual recognition of qualifications; stresses that enforcement is key if the impact from these policy areas is to be felt; considers it crucial, in this regard, that the Commission pay as much attention as possible, in connection with CSRs, to introducing long-term reforms which have a significant impact, especially in relation to social investments, quality employment and training;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Welcomes the large number of CSRs that support a well-functioning and integrated Single Market, including financing and investment opportunities which support businesses and help create jobs, e-government, public procurement and mutual recognition including mutual recognition of qualifications; stresses that enforcement is key if the impact from these policy areas is to be felt;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to monitor the progress made by the Member States
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to monitor the progress made by the Member States, and reiterates the importance of the formal inclusion of the Single Market pillar in the European Semester so as to enable continuous monitoring of Single Market indicators, allowing for systematic follow- up and assessment of Member States’ progress on CSRs; stresses that an inclusive Single Market, with enhanced governance which favours better regulation and competition, is a crucial instrument to improve growth, employment and competitiveness and to preserve the confidence of the business sector and consumers;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to monitor the progress made by the Member States, and reiterates the importance of the formal inclusion of the Single Market pillar in the European Semester so as to enable continuous monitoring of Single Market indicators, allowing for systematic follow- up and assessment of Member States’ progress on CSRs; draws attention, in this regard, to the social value of the European Single Market, the original goal of which was to create tools for growth, cohesion and investment;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Takes note that Member States play a crucial role in the good governance and proper functioning of the single market, and that they therefore need to jointly exercise proactive ownership and management of the single market, generating a new political impetus through consolidated state-of-health reports on the single market and the formal inclusion of the single market as a pillar of governance in the European Semester;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Acknowledges the new structure of CSRs in 2016, which allows for more effective targeting on key identified challenges; stresses, however, that progress by Member States on all CSRs should not be overlooked and existing difficulties of implementation should be thoroughly analysed;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Stresses the importance of ensuring consistency between ongoing and future Commission Single Market initiatives and the European Semester process, in particular those involving the Single Market and Digital Single Market Strategies; Calls on the Member States to fully cooperate in implementing the Digital Single Market and Single Market Strategies; urges the Commission and Member States to support the further development of the collaborative economy;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning and integrated Single Market to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Stresses the importance of ensuring consistency between ongoing and future Commission Single Market initiatives and the European Semester process, in particular those involving the Single Market and Digital Single Market Strategies; recalls the need to carry out appropriate and fair economic and social reforms and to tackle red tape and protectionism, in order to improve productivity and the competitiveness of the European economy;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Stresses the importance of ensuring consistency between ongoing and future Commission Single Market initiatives and the European Semester process, in particular those involving the Single Market and Digital Single Market Strategies; stresses, further, the need for investment to be concentrated on the priorities set in the Europe 2020 Strategy;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Stresses the importance of ensuring consistency between ongoing and future Commission Single Market initiatives and the European Semester process, in particular those involving the Single Market
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission to take into account future policies, such as those relating to the Capital Markets Union and the digital single market, as well as the situation on the ground in each country, when drawing up the CSRs, with a view to preparing the Member States in advance and hence ensuring smooth implementation of those policies;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Supports an inclusive and transparent process for the European Semester; stresses the importance of listening to the voices of social and democratic representatives, the majority of whom, over the past few years, have been calling for a review of the European Semester procedure, to the benefit, in particular, of investments, the quality of social spending and extraordinary measures for employment and training;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Supports an inclusive and transparent process for the European Semester as well as a continuous communication process;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States to do all they can to
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States to do all they can to foster a healthy business environment through innovation, R&D and digitalisation, in order to create jobs, particularly through micro-businesses
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States to do all they can to foster a healthy business environment by further reducing red tape and improving administrative efficiency and the quality of legislation, as well as through innovation, R&D and digitalisation, in order to create jobs, particularly through micro-businesses and SMEs;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning and integrated Single Market to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis; supports the inclusion of Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) which go beyond
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States to do all they can to foster a healthy business environment through innovation, energy efficiency, R&D and digitalisation, in order to create jobs, particularly through micro- businesses and SMEs, including enterprises in the social economy;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Calls on the Member States to do all they can to foster a healthy business environment through innovation, R&D and digitalisation, in order to create jobs, particularly through micro-businesses, startups and SMEs;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Welcomes the Commission's determination to address the lack of tax coordination within the EU, in particular the difficulties faced by SMEs as a result of the complexity of differing national VAT regulations; calls on the Commission to assess the feasibility of further coordination and, in particular, to assess the possibility of a simplified VAT approach in the Digital Single Market;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Welcomes the new rules on e-commerce brought forward by the Commission; believes these to be an essential precondition for prosperous cross-border e-commerce, to the benefit of SMEs and consumers in particular;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Calls on the Commission to establish an efficient monitoring system to ensure that procedures do not prevent SMEs from participating in public procurement;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8.
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Condemns the barriers which still exist, or have been created, that hinder a well-functioning and integrated Single Market; draws attention, in particular, to the partial transposition and implementation of the Services Directive by many Member States, and calls on the Commission to enforce more effectively what Member States have signed up to in European law;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Condemns the barriers which still exist that hinder a well-functioning and integrated Single Market, in particular the partial transposition and implementation of the Services Directive by many Member States, and calls on the Commission to enforce more effectively what Member States have signed up to in European law; recalls the Commission's promise to - if necessary - use infringement procedures to ensure full implementation of legislation on the single market of goods, services and in the digital sphere and to ensure structural reforms in product, services and labour markets in Member States;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Condemns the barriers which still exist that hinder a well-functioning and integrated Single Market, in particular the partial transposition and implementation of the Services Directive by many Member States, and calls on the Commission to enforce more effectively what Member States have signed up to in European law; highlights, among those existing barriers, the obstacles which prevent persons with disabilities from fully enjoying the benefits of the internal market; hopes that the Disability Act launched by the Commission may be promptly implemented and will focus effectively on specific measures to promote inclusion and access;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Condemns the barriers which still exist, which are being created and will be created in the future, that hinder a well- functioning and integrated Single Market, in particular the partial transposition and implementation of the Services Directive by many Member States, and calls on the Commission to enforce more effectively what Member States have signed up to in European law;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning and integrated Single Market to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis; supports the inclusion of Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) which go
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Condemns the barriers which still exist that hinder a well-functioning and integrated Single Market, in particular the partial transposition and implementation of the Services Directive by many Member States, and calls on the Commission to enforce more effectively what Member States have signed up to in European law in the interests of greater consumer protection;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Notes that further action is required to better implement mutual recognition of professional qualifications
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9.
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Notes that further action is required to better implement mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and welcomes the exercise of mapping regulated qualifications, which will create an interactive public database that can aid Member States’ National Action Plans; points out that the system relating to the recognition of professional qualifications is underpinned by the principles of reciprocal trust between legal systems and mutual checking of the quality of qualifications; calls, therefore, for greater efforts on the part of Member States and the Commission to speed up the process to approximate national systems for monitoring and issuing qualifications;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Notes that further action is required to better implement mutual recognition of professional qualifications,
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Notes that further action is required to better implement mutual recognition principle including mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and welcomes the exercise of mapping regulated qualifications, which will create an interactive public database that can aid Member States’ National Action Plans;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10.
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Regrets that CSRs continue to point to deficiencies in public procurement such as the lack of competition and transparency, with 21 Member States failing to fully transpose the legislative package; calls on the Commission to act swiftly to ensure that Member States meet their legal obligations by taking the necessary infringement procedures; reiterates, in this regard, the importance of systematically monitoring transparency in the general government sector as a crucial criterion for increasing trust in Europe and as a way of promoting a virtuous circle of growth and investment;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Regrets that CSRs continue to point to deficiencies in public procurement such as the lack of competition and transparency, with 21 Member States failing to fully transpose the legislative package, resulting in distortions in the market; calls on the Commission to act swiftly to ensure that Member States meet their legal obligations by taking the necessary infringement procedures;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Reminds the Commission that reducing administrative barriers for businesses and Member States and strict compliance with the principle of subsidiarity when proposing new EU laws will necessarily bring about more effective implementation of CSRs;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning, competitive and integrated Single Market, strictly based on all of the EU's four freedoms. to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis; supports the inclusion of Country- Specific Recommendations (CSRs) which go beyond narrow fiscal and macroeconomic targets and allow for a more balanced policy mix with the potential to help sustain a socially balanced recovery; welcomes this repositioning, as well as the streamlined structure of CSRs;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Supports the Member States in their endeavours to modernise public services, in particular through e-government, and calls for better cross-border cooperation and interoperability of public administrations to the benefit of all citizens; considers it to be of great importance, in order to facilitate structural reforms and long-term growth, to concentrate a substantial part of the Juncker Plan investments on digital distribution programmes for small companies and general government; calls, therefore, for a greater focus on this goal in the next strategic expenditure guidelines of the Plan;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Supports the Member States in their endeavours to modernise public services, in particular through e-government, and calls for better cross-border cooperation and interoperability of public administrations to the benefit of all citizens, and at the same time calls on the Commission, where digitalisation of public services is financed from the EU budget, to engage in more effective monitoring of the transparency and appropriate use of the funds, including checks on the related public procurement contracts;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Supports the Member States in their endeavours to modernise public services, in particular through e-government, and calls for better cross-border cooperation and interoperability of public administrations to the benefit of all citizens, always in accordance with the principle of personal data protection;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Supports the Member States in their endeavours to modernise public services, in particular through e-government, and calls for better cross-border cooperation, de-bureaucratization and interoperability of public administrations to the benefit of all citizens;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Supports the Member States in their endeavours to modernise public services, in particular through e-government, and calls for better cross-border cooperation and interoperability of public administrations to the benefit of all businesses and citizens;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Supports the Member States in their endeavours to modernise public administrations and their services, in particular through e-government, and calls for better cross-border cooperation and interoperability of public administrations to the benefit of all citizens;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Notes that several CSRs focus on skills and labour markets; stresses that the right skills are key to ensuring productivity and output growth; calls on the Commission and the Member States to pursue and adopt digital
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Notes that several CSRs focus on skills and labour markets; stresses that the right skills and good initial and lifelong training are key to ensuring productivity and
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Notes that several CSRs focus on skills and labour markets; stresses that the right skills are key to ensuring productivity and output growth; calls on the Commission and the Member States to pursue and adopt digital and lifelong learning programmes
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Notes that several CSRs focus on skills and labour markets; stresses that the right skills are key to ensuring productivity and output growth; calls on the Commission and the Member States to pursue and adopt digital and lifelong learning programmes as a matter of urgency; considers it vital, therefore, in order to achieve this goal, to grant Member States broad leeway for investing in vocational training and education, starting with greater national co- financing margins to support the main EU projects in these areas.
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning and integrated Single Market to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis; supports the
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Notes that several CSRs focus on skills and labour markets; stresses that the right skills are key to ensuring competitiveness and productivity and output growth; calls on the Commission and the Member States to pursue and adopt digital and lifelong learning programmes as a matter of urgency.
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Welcomes the greater emphasis placed on labour markets in the country reports, highlighting serious structural problems such as long-term unemployment and the poor implementation of active labour market policies; stresses the fact that too many of the problems identified have not been addressed by way of targeted recommendations.
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Notes that the full potential of public-private partnerships (PPP) has not yet been harnessed in the majority of EU Member States; calls for the harmonisation of Member State framework rules on PPPs, the dissemination of best practices and the promotion of PPPs;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning and integrated Single Market to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis; supports the inclusion of Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) which go beyond narrow fiscal and macroeconomic targets and allow for a more balanced policy mix with the potential to help sustain a socially balanced recovery; welcomes this repositioning, as well as the streamlined structure of CSRs; calls for efforts to combat tax fraud and tax evasion to be stepped up;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning and integrated Single Market to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis; supports the inclusion of Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) which go beyond narrow fiscal and macroeconomic targets and allow for a more balanced policy mix, such as, for example, quality indicators for public spending and social investments, with the potential to help sustain a socially balanced recovery; welcomes this repositioning, as well as the streamlined structure of CSRs;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Reiterates the importance of a well- functioning and integrated Single Market to the recovery of the European economy after the financial crisis; supports the inclusion of Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) which go beyond narrow fiscal and macroeconomic targets and allow for a more balanced policy mix with the potential to help sustain a socially balanced recovery to enable the development of new jobs and SMEs; welcomes this repositioning, as well as the streamlined structure of CSRs;
source: 585.806
2016/07/20
EMPL
145 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Recital - A (new) -A. whereas, according to the European Commission1a , economic growth remains relatively modest and the recovery remains uneven with some countries registering quarterly declines; __________________ 1a Employment and Social developments in Europe, summer 2016, quarterly review (June 2016)
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms that will strengthen their economic recovery,
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Regrets that the social economy has been overlooked by the Commission in its package of assessments/recommendations; points out that the sector encompasses 2 million businesses employing more than 14 million people and contributing to the achievement of the 2020 targets;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Calls on Member States to reduce the tax wedge on labour, particularly for low earners, in a budgetary neutral way to foster job creation and to implement tax rules that foster incentives on entrepreneurship and employment creation;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Strongly believes that a more business and employment friendly regulatory environment will encourage greater private investment, growth and job creation;
Amendment 103 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Points out that the economic and social crisis began in 2008 and has not yet been overcome; firmly believes that this crisis cannot be considered a temporary shock; whereas Euro-zone member states cannot devalue their own currency and therefor stresses the need for greater labour market flexibility; outlines that member states unable to regain their competitiveness should be able to temporarily withdraw from the Euro- zone;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Stresses the fact that the imbalances on pension systems are basically the consequence of unemployment, wage devaluation and labour precarisation; calls therefore for reforms which guarantee adequate financing for a strong first pension Pillar which ensures decent pensions, at the very least over the poverty threshold;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Recalls once again that free movement of people is fundamental to enhance convergence and integration between European countries;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 d (new) 4d. Welcomes the Commission statement that "The European Semester now has a stronger focus on employment and social performance"1a as well as the increase in the country specific recommendations on poverty, from 6 to 11 with regards to the previous cycle; nevertheless regrets the lack of global coherence to reach this goal taking into account the calls for cuts in public spending and the absence of promotion of social investment; calls for urgent action to ensure decent work with living wages, access to adequate minimum income and social protection (which already reduce poverty rate from 26.1% to 17.2%); and quality universal public services to help close the poverty and inequality gap that is also undermining inclusive growth and support for the EU. Such measures will also support the implementation of the new proposal by the European Commission on European Pillar of Social Rights; __________________ 1aCOM (2016) 321 final European Semester 2016: country specific recommendations 18.05.2016, page 5
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 e (new) Amendment 108 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 f (new) 4f. Notes the rapid increase in extreme poverty, such as homelessness in many EU Member States; calls for CSRs to be addressed to all member states on social inclusion strategies and to be issued in a consistent manner across the Member States; calls for greater emphasis on transnational exchanges of best practices and success stories to combat homelessness through the use of mutual learning, and acknowledge the role of the Employment and Social Innovation (EASI) program in this context;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 g (new) 4g. Is concerned about the increase in income inequalities linked partially to inefficient labour market reforms; calls on the Commission and Member States to implement measures improving job quality in order to reduce labour market segmentation combined with measures raising minimum wages to a decent level and strengthening collective bargaining and workers position in wage-setting systems in order to reduce wage dispersion; warns about the fact that in recent decades, corporate management has been taking a greater share of the economic share while workers' wages have stagnated or have been reduced; considers that this excessive dispersion in wages increases inequalities and damages productivity and competitiveness of companies;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms that will strengthen their economic recovery and job creation, making a commitment to investment, implementing structural
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 h (new) 4h. Is concerned about the fact that long-term unemployment is still high, with 10.5 million people in the EU and reminds that their integration in the labour market is crucial to guarantee the sustainability of social protection systems as well as for their self-confidence; therefore regrets the lack of action by the Member States when implementing the Council Recommendation on the integration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market; reiterates its call on the Commission to support efforts to create inclusive lifelong learning opportunities for workers and jobseekers at all ages and to take measures as soon as possible to improve access to EU funding and mobilise additional resources where possible;
Amendment 111 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 i (new) 4i. Considers that, social protection, including pensions and services such as healthcare, child care and long-term care, remain essential for balanced and inclusive growth, to contribute to a longer working-life, to create employment and to reduce inequalities; therefore calls on the Commission and the Member States to boost policies which guarantee sufficiency, adequacy, efficiency as well as quality of social protection systems throughout all the life cycle of a person, guaranteeing a decent life, fighting inequalities and boosting inclusion with the aim to eradicate poverty, especially for those excluded from the labour market and the most vulnerable groups;
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Regrets the fact that, in its package of recommendations, the Commission has disregarded Parliament’s request to strengthen the application of Article 349 TFEU, in particular through the adoption of specific measures, with a view to enhancing the outermost regions’ integration into the EU; notes that these regions have
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Regrets the fact that the Commission has disregarded Parliament
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Regrets the fact that the Commission has disregarded Parliament’s request to strengthen the application of Article 349 TFEU with a view to enhancing the outermost regions’ integration into the EU; notes that these regions have unemployment rates over 30 %; calls also on the Commission to pay particular attention to rural areas that are faced with a great many economic, environmental, demographic and social challenges;
Amendment 116 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 118 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to show greater commitment to combating demographic challenges through implementation of the cohesion policy, as laid down in Article 174 TFEU, especially in those regions which suffer from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps; considers that with reference to the European Semester, the focus on demographic problems should be widened to take in other aspects that go beyond the impact of ageing on national budgets; is of the opinion that these points should be included in the country-specific recommendations as a sign of not just national but also regional and local awareness; reiterates that territorial cohesion needs to be strengthened through strategic investment in areas suffering from serious demographic problems, in order to increase competitiveness, improve the industrial fabric and territorial cohesion, and, ultimately, maintain population levels;
Amendment 119 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Stresses that the implementation of labour-market and social policy related CSRs depends on the availability of sufficient public funding; opposes any further budget cuts in these areas and is concerned by the significant reduction of payments for Cohesion Policy and the Youth Employment Initiative proposed in the draft EU budget for 2017;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms that will strengthen their economic recovery, making a commitment to investment, implementing structural reforms and taking an approach based on fiscal and budgetary responsibility; social investments in human capital shall however constitute core complementary action, since human capital is one of the factors of growth and a motor of competitiveness and development;
Amendment 120 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls on the Member States for the establishment of a specific investment programme, for their subregions whose unemployment rates exceed 30 %; reiterates its call on the Commission to help those Member states in the design and the finance, within the MFF as agreed, of those investment programmes;
Amendment 121 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Believes that the lowering of administrative burdens and compliance costs on businesses, especially SMEs, and repealing unnecessary legislation, while continuing to ensure high standards of consumer, employee, health and environmental protection is key to delivering growth and jobs;
Amendment 122 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for account to be taken of the challenges that have been emerging in the EU since 2015,
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for account to be taken of the challenges that have been emerging in the EU since 2015, which have required serious adaptation efforts; calls on the
Amendment 125 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for account to be taken of the challenges that have been emerging in the EU since
Amendment 126 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for account to be taken of the challenges that have been emerging in the EU since 20
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment 128 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for
Amendment 129 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for account to be taken of the challenges that have been emerging in the EU since 2015, which have required serious adaptation efforts;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States and the difficulties in creating a one-size-fits all solution; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms tailored to their own policy bottlenecks that will strengthen their economic recovery, competitiveness and job creation by making a commitment to investment, implementing structural reforms and taking an approach based on fiscal and budgetary responsibility;
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for account to be taken of the challenges that have been emerging in the EU since 2015, which have required serious adaptation efforts; calls on the Commission
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Calls for account to be taken of the challenges that have been emerging in the
Amendment 132 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Stresses that more EU transfers might be expected to generate greater additional growth, but in reality, it appears there may be decreasing returns from investment and investment- stimulating transfers; More funds do not necessarily mean more growth and better results; A point may be reached where returns begin to decline and additional funds do not lead to higher growth; Transfers to regions should therefore not exceed maximum desirable levels if inefficiency and misuse are to be avoided;
Amendment 133 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Calls on the Commission to help and to exchange best practices with Member States to improve administrative capacity at national, regional and local level which is a key challenge for re- launching long-term investments and ensuring job creation and sustainable growth;
Amendment 134 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Stresses that Member States deficit levels may be increased due to the Member States need to co-finance projects financed by ESI funds; Having regard to budgetary restrictions, many deprived regions have less possibilities to benefit from ESIF. Asks the Commission to revise the requests of co-financing in areas with dramatic indebtment or deficit;
Amendment 135 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7.
Amendment 136 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that Parliament
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that Parliament’s position, after being adopted in plenary, will not have any possibility of influencing and indeed modifying the CSRs under discussion; calls for a stronger democratic component in the European Semester procedure, in particular the creation of an agenda in which Parliament’s position is strengthened and can be taken into consideration before the Council takes a decision;
Amendment 138 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that Parliament’s position, after being adopted in plenary, will not have any possibility of influencing the CSRs under discussion; calls for an agenda in which Parliament’s position is strengthened and
Amendment 139 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Points out, in this context, that it is the very people who never questioned the fact that the Treaties were not put to a popular vote and the consequent lack of democratic legitimacy, or the failure to respect the outcome of the referendums that were held, who are now calling for the democratic legitimacy of the economic governance framework and the European Semester to be strengthened by involving the European Parliament, with the aim of deepening economic governance and EMU, and in short continuing and intensifying the policies of austerity, exploitation and impoverishment;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States and the need for upward social and economic convergence; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms that will strengthen their social and economic recovery, making a commitment to investment,
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Regrets that stakeholder engagement in the European Semester at national and EU level is still insufficient, too low quality and inadequately monitored. Calls for the Commission and Council to give strong recommendations particularly on the involvement of civil society organizations in a quality structured dialogue, on a par with social partners, to ensure visibility, ownership and accountability to citizens which is essential for democratic engagement and societal understanding of the role of the Semester process;
Amendment 141 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Highlights the obstacles and barriers, both physical and digital, which persons with disabilities still encounter today; hopes that the Disability Act launched by the Commission may be promptly implemented and will focus effectively on specific measures to promote inclusion and access;
Amendment 142 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Acknowledges the position of the European semester in the overall Enhanced Economic Governance; deems it necessary that the European Parliament adopts its position on the Annual Growth Surveys and National Parliaments are directly involved in the adoption of the CSRs;
Amendment 143 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Notes that the Juncker Plan will be unable to support the Greek economy as long as the Troika imposes a straitjacket on it.
Amendment 144 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Stresses the importance of listening to the voices of social and democratic representatives, the majority of whom, over the past few years, have been calling for a review of the European Semester procedure, to the benefit, in particular, of investments, the quality of social spending and extraordinary measures for employment and training;
Amendment 145 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 b (new) 7b. Calls for the European Semester to be revoked and an intergovernmental conference convened with the aim of establishing an institutional basis for the reversibility of the treaties, the immediate suspension of the budget treaty and its repeal, and the repeal of the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms that will strengthen their economic recovery, making a commitment to investment,
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States under the European Semester framework; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms that will strengthen their economic recovery, making a commitment to growth-friendly investment, implementing necessary structural reforms and taking an approach based on fiscal and budgetary responsibility;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Points out that the EU-imposed austerity measures, strengthened in particular under the European Semester, are helping to exacerbate the social and economic crisis; highlights the fact that these measures have worsened working and social conditions throughout the EU, increasing rates of unemployment, poverty and inequality;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Recital - A (new) -A. whereas the main objective of the European Semester includes safeguarding national budgetary discipline and should thus ensure a more effective economy;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Despite producing results in skills and knowledge, European Union's education and training systems do not perform internationally and present growing skill shortages, leaving European employers unable to locally fill in the job vacancies; underlines the need to further invest and develop education and training systems, providing the society with the tools and capacities to readapt to changing labour market demands;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Calls on the Commission and the Council to provide stronger guidance on the implementation of the CSRs. Notes that the dialogue with Member States and other European institutions and social partners must continue to be intensified to enhance the ownership of CSRs in order to improve the unsatisfactory rate of reform implementation;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Underlines that unemployment and in particular youth unemployment remain an overriding problem for European societies; insists that in the CSRs greater priority is given to overcoming structural imbalances on the labour market including long-term unemployment and mismatch of skills;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Calls for a stronger effort from the Commission and Members States to reduce poverty, social exclusion and growing inequalities, for instance through Member States´ exchange of best practices on the implementation of national minimum income schemes; Reiterates that tackling economic inequalities is fundamental to achieve long lasting economic growth and a socially sustainable rhythm of implementation;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Notes that the number of poverty related CSRs has increased in comparison to 2015; stresses, however, that poverty and social exclusion remain the main concern of EU citizens and instead of declining, the number of people affected by poverty is constantly rising; is of the opinion that combating poverty and social exclusion and reducing inequalities should be a top priority reflected in CSRs;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Reminds the invite of the European Council2a to use the gender equality annual reports in the context of the European Semester to enhance gender mainstreaming; reiterates the goal of coordinating economic and fiscal policies in the Member States can only be achieved if policies on equality are also coordinated; __________________ 2aCouncil conclusions on Gender equality 337/16
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Calls for a completion of the European internal market as the most potential tool for growth and fight against unemployment in the EU, with a parallel control of law enforcement and respect for rules;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Recalls that the longer-term vision outlined in the Europe 2020 Strategy is a good first step, but these targets should be adapted to the reality and needs in different Member States, leaving sufficient political space for Member States to find their own contextually adapted path to reform in close consultation with stakeholders while ensuring that the 2020 Strategy remains central to their objectives;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Regrets the absence of gender mainstreaming in the Europe 2020 strategy, and calls on the Commission and the Council to introduce into the strategy a gender equality pillar and an overarching gender equality objective;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Recital - A (new) -A. whereas, based on country 1a reports , the gender gap is still significant, remaining one of the main barriers for achieving gender equality and an unacceptable form of gender discrimination, and urgent efforts are needed to narrow the gap in the employment rate between men and women; __________________ 1a COM(2016) 95 final/2
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) 1d. Reiterates its call for including a gender mainstreaming approach and policies targeted at equality between women and men throughout the European Semester process; calls on the Commission to continue to provide CSRs with regard to improved childcare services and long term care and with regard to flexible work arrangements that can have a positive impact on the labour market participation of women;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Recalls that, as stated by Parliament, socially responsible reforms must be based on solidarity, integration, social justice and a fair distribution of wealth, a model that ensures equality and social protection, protects vulnerable groups and improves living standards for all citizens;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new social indicators in the macroeconomic imbalances procedure; reiterates the call for these to be placed on an equal footing
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that sustainable economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; Calls for ex-ante and ex-post social impact assessments to be carried out on all economic policies and in the design of the CSRs; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline social indicators in the macroeconomic imbalances procedure; reiterates the call for these to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators, thereby guaranteeing that internal imbalances are better assessed and making structural reforms more effective; calls, in this connection, for a social imbalances procedure to be introduced without delay;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline social indicators in the macroeconomic imbalances procedure; reiterates the call for these to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators, thereby guaranteeing that internal imbalances are better assessed and making structural reforms more effective; calls, in this connection, for a
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Recital - A a (new) -Aa. whereas, according to the European Commission, unemployment has continued to gradually decrease, but remains above 2008 levels with 21.2 million unemployed people in April 2016 with huge differences among Member States; whereas the increase in the employment rate in many Member states can be explained by a distribution of the working time through the increase of precarious work and the decrease of the labour force;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline social indicators in the macroeconomic imbalances procedure; reiterates the call for these to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators, thereby guaranteeing that internal imbalances are better assessed
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that only economic growth
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new social indicators in the macroeconomic imbalances procedure; reiterates the call for these to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators, thereby guaranteeing that internal imbalances are better assessed
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline social indicators in the macroeconomic imbalances procedure; reiterates the call for these to be placed on an equal footing with existing economic indicators, thereby guaranteeing that internal imbalances are better assessed and making structural reforms more
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Notes that social protection, including pensions and services such as healthcare, child care and long-term care, are considered in the 2016 country specific recommendations3a to be essential for balanced and inclusive growth and can support to increase the employment rate and to reducing the gender gap; but reminds that the fiscal consolidation policies and structural reforms such as pensions systems and labour market reforms have disproportionately affected women and have increased gender inequalities in the EU; __________________ 3a COM(2016) 321 final
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Stresses that economic policies should adapt to social needs and should guarantee minimum social policies and basic services for its citizens; Highlights that a renewed process of upward economic and social convergence is needed, notably through investments in human capital and other social infrastructures, in order to tackle the economic and social disparities between Member States and within societies;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Argues that the balance between the economic and social dimension of the European Union must also be reflected in the European institutions; calls on the Council, in this connection, to consider reforming its organisational structure so that the activities of the EPSCO Council are given the same profile and importance as those of the ECOFIN Council;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Recital - A b (new) -Ab. whereas, since 2008, there are 4.2 million more Europeans 1a at risk of poverty and social exclusion, being now more than 22 million (22.3%) in the EU; whereas the European Commission has stated that "most of the Member States are still facing the acute social legacy from the crisis"2a hence this scenario leads to the non-compliance of the most important social objective of the EU2020 Strategy; __________________ 1aEurostat 2014. EC European Semester Thematic Fiche: Poverty and Social Exclusion (03.05.2016) 2aCOM (2016) 321 final 2016 European Semester: country specific recommendations 18.05.2016, page 3
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Reiterates that the introduction of social indicators, the construction of new pillars to support policies or more human statements of intent do not alter the austerity-based, federalist and antidemocratic nature of the policies advocated as part of the European Semester;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Recognises that the Commission has initiated work on the establishment of a European Pillar of Social Rights which seeks to deliver a deeper and fairer EMU; highlights in this regard the five Presidents Report which recognises that there are no one size fits all solution;
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. The introduction of the 3 employment indicators shows that the European Employment Strategy, including Employment Guidelines, plays an important role in the EU economic governance process, but more efforts need to be made, notably through the introduction of social indicators, like the gini coefficient, palma index and persistent-at-risk-of-poverty rate;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Calls on the Member States to incorporate the gender dimension and the principle of equality between women and men in their National Reform Programmes and stability and convergence programmes through the setting of qualitative targets and measures that address persisting gender gaps;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Recognises that setting of wages is a Member State competence which must be respected in line with the principle of subsidiarity;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Calls for the creation of an emergency plan to support the economy of those countries that were under the Troika’s intervention;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Calls on the Commission to deliver the results of the consultation and to move forward with new effective steps on the establishment of a European Pillar of Social Rights, which is fundamental to broader efforts to deliver a fairer Union;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Stresses that the provision and management of social security systems are a Member State competence which the Union coordinates but does not harmonise;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Suggests involving the European Institute for Gender Equality more closely in the European Semester;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Regrets the fact that, as stated by the Commission, investment has so far failed to emerge as a strong driver of the recovery; Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI), especially in Member States with a low level of participation; and considers that, as requested by Parliament, the projects should be focusing on quality and additionally, boosting the creation of quality employment and upward social convergence; reiterates its call on the importance of investments in human capital and other social investments, such as healthcare, childcare or affordable housing and on the need of the effective implementation of the Social Investment Package;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI) in Member States with a low level of participation; considers it to be of great importance, in order to facilitate structural reforms and long-term growth, to concentrate a substantial part of the Juncker Plan investments on digital distribution programmes for small companies and general government; calls, therefore, for a greater focus on this goal in the next strategic expenditure guidelines of the Plan;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI) in Member States with a low level of participation, particularly with regard to SMEs as the Plan does not just represent a new source of finance for them but also provides them with technical assistance and advice; calls at the same time on the Commission to continue its efforts to improve the business environment and conditions for obtaining business finance;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI) in Member States with a low level of participation; Calls for an increase in social and environmental investments and support for the participation of social actors in the operation of the fund;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI) in Member States with a low level of participation; stresses in this regard the importance of ensuring that the rules governing the EFSI funded programmes are fully adhered to;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI) in Member States with a low level of participation with a parallel analysis of the obstacles encountered;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI) and use of the resources earmarked for it in Member States with a low level of participation;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls for a strong commitment to promoting the Juncker Plan (EFSI) in Member States
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to give social enterprises greater recognition and a higher profile; considers that this lack of recognition makes it harder for them to access funding; calls on the Commission to come forward with a legal framework for social enterprises through, for example, a European statute for cooperatives, associations, foundations and mutual societies;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Notes the increase of CSR's on poverty from 6 to 11 in relation to the Europe 2020 poverty target, but underlines that nearly 1 in 4 people (122,3 millions) are still at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the EU, with wide variations across the EU and 12 Member States experiencing increases in income inequality (2008-2012). Calls for urgent action to address these inequalities, which cannot be done by only addressing the situation of those in greatest need but also requires measures to address the increasing concentration and levels of wealth of the most privileged; Stresses that the new proposal by the European Commission on the European Pillar of Social Rights should play an important role in addressing inequality;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Notes that the establishment of the 'European Semester', as a result of the proposals put forward by the Commission in 2010, is the umpteenth attack on the national sovereignty of Member States; points out that with the introduction of the European Semester, the coordination of national economic policies – both fiscal and structural – actually becomes ex ante rather than ex post, by implementing a system of governance that is totally lacking in transparency, undemocratic and does not take account of the subsidiarity principle;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Stresses that to date, the Juncker Plan (EFSI) has not achieved its intended results, as the projects it has financed concern exclusively major infrastructure, which does not create sustainable and lasting employment; highlights the fact, moreover, that there is a need for measures and investment for existing infrastructure that is currently obsolete, which needs to be secured and modernised;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the European Commission to closely monitor and control the investments under the Juncker Plan; A report should audit and measure the economic and employment impact of the investments in real terms;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on Member States to use their fiscal space to increase public investment in areas conducive to growth, such as infrastructure, education and research;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs)
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Firmly believes that urgent action is needed to ensure that Member States workforce has the necessary skills to keep pace with the fast-changing global labour market;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises th
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the significant progress made by the Member States in implementing structural reforms
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the significant progress made by the Member States in implementing structural reforms, while nevertheless taking the view that further progress is necessary
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the significant progress made by the Member States in implementing structural reforms, while nevertheless taking the view that further progress is necessary
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms that will strengthen their economic recovery,
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the significant progress
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises th
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the significant progress made by the Member States in implementing structural reforms, while nevertheless taking the view that further progress is necessary and that we must not go back on what has been achieved:
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Takes note of the fact that youth unemployment has decreased but points out that it is still at incredibly high levels with more than 4 million young persons (under 25) unemployed in the EU, of whom 2.885 million were in the euro area; regrets that more than 3 years after the launch of the Youth Employment Initiative, the results of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee are so uneven, and sometimes, inefficient; calls on the Commission to present in October a thorough analysis of its implementation so as to be the basis of the continuation of the programme with more fund allocation, a European framework to guarantee the quality of the job offers as well as the sustainability of the jobs created;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Highlighted the importance of private investment, but believes that public expenditure should be also promoted in an efficient and effective way; Member States should focus on sources of expenditure that will raise productivity capacity in the future and that will have strong positive spill-overs on the economy as a whole - especially through education and training (academic, professional and vocational), R&D and infrastructures (transport, energy and communication);
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Notes the importance of the structural reform support service and therefore calls for the necessary efforts to be made to swiftly convert it into a Union instrument, in the form of a structural reform support programme, enabling specialised technical support to be mobilised for the various areas in which reforms will be implemented;
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Considers it vital to grant Member States broad leeway for investing in vocational training and education, starting with greater national co-financing margins to support the main EU projects in these areas;
Amendment 97 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Notes that Member States should take on board the realities of the single market and the digital single market which will bring new opportunities and challenges, and that future reforms must be of benefit to workers, businesses and consumers alike;
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Recalls that in many member States unemployment benefits are decreasing year after year, as a result of, among other factors, long term unemployment, therefore increasing the number of people under the poverty and social exclusion threshold; calls for the guaranteeing of adequate unemployment benefits for people to live with dignity or actions for the smooth integration of these people in the labour market;
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Reiterates the importance of systematically monitoring transparency in the general government sector as a crucial criterion for increasing trust in Europe and as a way of promoting a virtuous circle of growth and investment;
source: 587.450
2016/07/27
REGI
53 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Citation 1 a (new) — having regard to the Council Conclusions of 7 December 2015 titled "The promotion of the social economy as a key driver of economical and social development in Europe" (1507/15),
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes that cohesion policy funds represent for many regions the main or only source of funding for investment in growth, development and employment;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Underlines the opportunities within the European semester to explore tools and mechanisms to ensure that the flexibility permitted by the Stability and Growth Pact could be used in strategic areas of investment to ensure growth and sustainable employment;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Is concerned by the cumulative lack of investments, which affects long-term growth and job creation; stresses the importance of swift and consistent implementation of cohesion policy 2014- 2020 operational programmes and other EU-funded programmes and initiatives;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Is concerned by the cumulative lack of investments, which affects long-term growth and job creation; stresses the importance of swift and consistent
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Is concerned by the cumulative lack of investments, which affects long-term growth and job creation; regrets the late adoption of the Operational programmes in the current programming period; stresses the importance of swift and consistent implementation of cohesion policy 2014-
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Is concerned by the cumulative lack of investments, which affects long-term sustainable growth and quality job creation; stresses the importance of swift and consistent implementation of cohesion policy 2014-
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission to take action to ensure that Member States fully use their fiscal space to support productive investments;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Re
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises the
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises the strong links that cohesion policy has established with the wider economic governance framework by providing support for recovery efforts to stimulate compliance with the European Semester rules; underlines, however, that the legitimacy of cohesion policy derives from the Treaties, and that this policy is the expression of European solidarity; is therefore of the opinion that measures linking the effectiveness of ESI Funds with sound economic governance should be applied judiciously
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises the strong links that cohesion policy has established with the wider economic governance framework by providing support for recovery efforts to stimulate compliance with the European Semester rules; underlines, however, that the legitimacy of cohesion policy derives from the Treaties, and that this policy is the expression of European solidarity having as main objectives strengthening economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU through reducing disparities between the levels of development of the various regions and financing investment linked to Europe 2020 goals; is therefore of the opinion that measures linking the effectiveness of ESI Funds with sound economic governance should be applied judiciously, with caution and only as a last resort; recalls, moreover, that the application of such measures should always take into consideration the specific socio-economic circumstances of the Member State concerned, in order to avoid restricting regional and local investments, which are absolutely essential for the Member States economies- particularly for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), maximising growth and job creation and stimulating competitiveness and productivity, especially in times of strong pressure on public expenditure;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises the strong links that cohesion policy has established with the wider economic governance framework by providing support for recovery efforts to stimulate compliance with the European Semester rules; underlines, however, that the legitimacy of cohesion policy derives from the Treaties, and that this policy is the expression of European solidarity as well as bringing the EU closer to its citizens; is therefore of the opinion that measures linking the effectiveness of ESI Funds with sound economic governance should be applied judiciously, with caution and only as a last resort; recalls, moreover, that the application of such measures should always take into consideration the specific socio-economic circumstances of the Member State concerned, in order to avoid restricting regional and local investments;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises the strong links that cohesion policy has established with the
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Recognises the strong links that cohesion policy has established with the wider economic governance framework by providing support for recovery efforts to stimulate compliance with the European Semester rules; underlines, however, that the legitimacy of cohesion policy derives from the Treaties, and that this policy is the expression of European solidarity; is therefore of the opinion that measures linking the effectiveness of ESI Funds with sound economic governance should be applied judiciously, if at all, with caution and only as a last resort; recalls, moreover, that the application of such measures should always take into consideration the specific socio-economic circumstances of the
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Commission to take better account of the Europe 2020 strategy and address its key targets properly by improving its implementation, carrying out a strategy analysis in the context of the European Semester and suggesting measures and a methodology for improved monitoring of the EU Funds expenditures related to Europe 2020 goals; believes that the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) review will provide an opportunity to analyse, evaluate and, where necessary, improve the added value of and support from ESI Funds, towards delivering the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy, having an indirect relation to European Semester processes;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Welcomes the European Commission 2016 Country Recommendations with focus on economic and budgetary recommendations tailored to each country and designed to boost growth, job creation, training and education opportunities, research and innovation; notes that boost of the social economy through projects that are encouraging growth of social enterprises could bring employment and prosperity to the regions;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Points out the importance to rebalance the economic asymmetries generated by the different monetary policies between euro-area and not in order to achieve the main goals of the territorial cohesion policy;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Regrets that the infringement procedure for excessive deficit against Spain and Portugal, recommended by the Commission, might lead to a fine and a partial suspension of the ESI Funds as a result of the macroeconomic conditionality; stresses that these two Member States have already carried out significant structural reforms in past years, as documented in their national reform programmes and in the Commission's dedicated Country Reports for Spain and Portugal;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Regrets the decision by Council from 12 July 2016 to trigger a macro- economic conditionality procedure following Article 126(8) of the Treaty and in accordance with Article 23(9) of the Common Provisions Regulation; stresses that the suspension of resources meant for investment in the real economy threatens the recovery process of the Member States concerned; recalls that as a result of such measures regions, local authorities and other beneficiaries suffering from suspension of ESI funds are punished for national budgetary policies which are beyond their reach;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Notes that Member States are still facing a high unemployment rate; stresses that the capacity to create jobs is still limited in many of them; calls on the Commission and Member States to better utilize the synergies between ESIF and EFSI in order to eliminate this handicap, maximize growth and reduce territorial disparities;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Believes that the Commission should involve all beneficiaries of the 2014-2020 Structural Funds when assessing the ongoing European Semester, in order to ensure an effective implementation of the Cohesion Policy;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Stresses that cohesion policy instruments could play a very important role in the implementation of the relevant CSRs, thus supporting structural reforms and contributing to the fulfillment of the EU´s strategic goals in line with the targets of the EU 2020 strategy;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 d (new) 3d. Encourage EU Member States to involve their local and regional authorities in making the most of the Structural Funds, as well as the Investment Plan for Europe (EFSI), which must be implemented flexibly and in a way that complements the Structural Funds, so that the full public and private investment potential can be harnessed;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of public expenditure is essential for creating a growth-friendly environment;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of public expenditure is essential for creating a
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of public expenditure is essential for creating a growth-friendly environment; welcomes
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of public expenditure is essential for creating a growth-friendly environment; welcomes the fact that several Member States have been able to address the CSRs in their operational programmes (OPs) by means of targeted investments or reforms undertaken in the context of ex-ante conditionalities; appreciates the fact that the ESI Fund investments already contribute to the implementation of structural reforms and improve overall economic performance in Member States, producing economic growth, quality jobs and sustainable development across the Union, including in regions or areas suffering from natural or geographical handicaps;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Believes that ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of public expenditure is essential for creating a growth-friendly environment; welcomes the fact that several Member States have been able to address the CSRs in their operational programmes (OPs) by means of targeted investments or reforms undertaken in the context of ex-ante conditionalities; appreciates the fact that the ESI Fund investments already contribute to the implementation of structural reforms and improve overall economic performance in Member States; make active use of the ESI Funds, the EaSI programme and Horizon 2020 to build up the investment capacity of the relevant intermediaries and the investment readiness of social economy enterprises;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges the greater coherence of the new mainstreamed European Semester, which allows for more opportunities to engage and communicate with Member States and stakeholders at all levels, reinforcing national ownership and proposing fewer recommendations focusing on key economic, social priorities and functioning as an important stabilization factor for the European Union;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Believes that simplification should be pursued more vigorously with a view to reducing the administrative burden of procedures and management for beneficiaries;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Is of the opinion that the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) should provide dedicated and targeted support to Member States on a voluntary basis to assist them with the design and implementation of institutional, structural and administrative reforms,
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Is of the opinion that the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) should provide dedicated and targeted support to Member States on a voluntary basis to assist them with the design and implementation of institutional, structural and administrative reforms,
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Is of the opinion that the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) should provide dedicated and targeted support to Member States on a voluntary basis to assist them with the design and implementation of institutional, structural and administrative reforms avoiding austerity measures, only when such reforms cannot be addressed by other instruments or supported by other types of technical assistance;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Is of the opinion that the proposal for a Structural
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Is of the opinion that the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) should provide dedicated and targeted support to Member States on a voluntary basis to assist them with the design and implementation of institutional, structural and administrative reforms, only when such reforms cannot be addressed by other instruments or supported by other types of technical assistance; stresses that the SRSP should be open to local and regional authorities as necessary; calls the European Commission to issue a single strategic document setting priorities and criteria to use the SRSP in coordination with other EU capacity- building measures; emphasises that the budgetary transfer from the technical assistance under cohesion policy to the SRSP at the initiative of the Commission should not be a precedent for any future proposals.
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Is of the opinion that the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) should provide dedicated and targeted support to Member States on a voluntary basis to assist them with the design and implementation of institutional, structural and administrative reforms, only when such reforms cannot be addressed by other instruments or supported by other types of technical assistance already in place; emphasises that the budgetary transfer from the technical assistance under cohesion policy to the SRSP at the initiative of the Commission should not be a precedent for any future proposals.
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Considering that structural reforms might have a negative impact on national budgets, notes that the mismatch between the flexibility granted by the Stability and Growth Pact and the temporal horizon needed to reap the benefits of structural reforms maturation is counterproductive.
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges the greater coherence of the new mainstreamed European Semester, which allows for more opportunities to engage and communicate with Member States and stakeholders at all levels
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Stresses the necessity to include local and regional authorities in the implementation of the guidance, commitments and good practices of the European Semester at local and regional levels.
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Notes that the Country Specific Recommendations could be a useful tool for the dissemination of investment opportunities including the promotion of synergies between European structural funds and all other EU funds; recognizes the effort of the Commission to explore all investment opportunities in Europe.
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Recognizes that further involvement of national parliaments would contribute to ensure legitimacy, ownership and democratic accountability of the European Semester as acceptance of the common rules and compliance in Member States are still low.
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 c (new) 5c. Believes that the division of the Semester into two phases – the European phase (from November to February) and the national phase (from February to June) would better identifies the different areas of responsibility and enables European social partners to take part in in depth consultations on reform processes in Europe.
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges the greater coherence of the new mainstreamed European Semester, which allows for more opportunities to engage and communicate with Member States and stakeholders at all levels; reiterates its call for a code of conduct the involvement of the local and regional authorities in the European Semester, similar to the one on partnership within cohesion policy1a; ____________________ 1aEuropean Parliament resolution of 28 October 2015 on cohesion policy and the review of the Europe 2020 strategy (2014/2246(INI))
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges the greater coherence of the new mainstreamed European Semester, which allows for more opportunities to engage and communicate with Member States and stakeholders at all levels; is of the opinion that the involvement of regional and local authorities still needs to be enhanced and procedures be adapted accordingly;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Emphasises the key role social economy enterprises play in generating a highly competitive and fairer regional development through its diverse range of business models with social and ecologic objectives; stresses the need to increase the visibility of the already existing partnerships between regional and local authorities and social economy organisations across the Member States; calls on the Commission to present a EU Action Plan for Social Economy Enterprises in order to unlock the full potential for a sustainable growth;
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes with great concern the high unemployment rates in some Member States, especially regarding youth and long-term unemployment; highlights the need to strongly support labour markets, education systems and financial services for SMEs through cohesion policy financial instruments at regional, national and EU level in order to boost quality employment opportunities;
source: 587.499
2016/08/30
ECON
328 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 3 Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4a (new) 4a. Stresses the need to reduce economic disparities between Member States and to achieve convergence; underlines that an EU-wide vision is necessary in order to properly coordinate national efforts towards convergence; welcomes in this regard the decision of the Commission to establish an advisory European Fiscal Board and to entrust it, inter alia, with advising the Commission on the prospective fiscal stance appropriate for the euro area as a whole, as this body could be in a position to have such EU-wide prospective; looks forward to the concrete setting up of the European Fiscal Board and calls for fully exploiting its potential;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater national ownership in the formulation and implementation of CSRs as an ongoing reform process; considers that, in order to increase national ownership and foster the implementation of CSRs, the latter should clearly be articulated around well-defined priorities at European level, in the areas of macroeconomic imbalances, EU 2020 strategy and upward social convergence; calls to the Members States to ensure a debate and approbation of their National Reform Programmes in their respective National Parliaments;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater national ownership in the formulation and implementation of CSRs as an ongoing reform process; highlights the need, given the new timetable of the European Semester, to involve national parliaments, regional authorities and local stakeholders in a more efficient and better-structured way in order to ensure effective implementation;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater national ownership in the formulation and implementation of CSRs as an ongoing reform process; stresses that the best way for the implementation of the CSR by the governments of the EU is their citizens to feel that they possess equity on the suggested reforms; these reforms should be progressive, socially sensitive and able to liberate the productive market forces;
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater national ownership in the formulation and implementation of CSRs as an ongoing reform process; stresses that more than half of CSRs are to be implemented by or relevant to local and regional authorities, and that therefore reform formulation and implementation must be ensured in partnership with the sub-national government levels;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Europe still faces a huge investment deficit,
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater national ownership in the formulation and implementation of CSRs as an ongoing reform process; recalls that CSRs are endorsed by the Heads of State and Government and adopted by the EU Finance Ministers; believes that to achieve greater national ownership CSRs should become part of a legally binding convergence code;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to ensure greater national ownership in the formulation and implementation of CSRs as an ongoing reform process, which requires that public threats or sanctions are not used to pressure governments into policies which were rejected;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Fully supports the efforts made to
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5a (new) 5a. Calls on Member States to implement the country specific recommendations from Commission, especially reforms creating more flexible labour markets and reforms reducing national regulation hindering investments; also underlines the importance of low taxes on labour and on companies;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5a (new) 5a. Notes that the structural reforms introduced by those Member States worst affected have not borne fruit; calls therefore for a review of the austerity policy in Europe and, given the context, for the encouragement of public investment;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown th
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to f
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Europe still faces a huge investment deficit, even though the current account surplus in the eurozone continues to rise,
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investment, in order to enhance the EU’s competitiveness; notes with concern the discrepancies in the extent to which the Member States have implemented the Country Specific Recommendations in recent years; stresses the importance of making implementation of the Country Specific Recommendations more binding to ensure the fair and unified implementation of the economic governance framework in all the Member States;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investment, in order to enhance the EU’s competitiveness; considers that internal demand – and especially improving purchasing power, the adoption of innovative measures and investment in the digital economy – is essential for tapping the full potential of the Single Market;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investment, in order to enhance the EU’s competitiveness; notes that the CSRs could be a useful tool for the dissemination of investment opportunities; encourages the Commission to explore all investment opportunities in Europe;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus equally on public and private investment, in order to enhance the EU’s competitiveness; underlines the need for increased bank lending in connection with private investment by SMEs;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investment, on innovation as well as on improving business environment, in order to enhance the EU’s competitiveness;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investment, in order to boost job creation as much as possible and to enhance the EU’s competitiveness;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investment, in order to boost growth, create jobs and enhance the EU’s competitiveness;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and private investment, in order to enhance the EU’s competitiveness and employment in its Member States;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Europe still faces a huge investment deficit,
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that Europe’s long economic crisis has shown that there is a strong need to focus on public and more important private
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6a (new) 6a. Highlights that one of the greatest challenges in EU is to increase competiveness and the level of investments; stresses the importance of making the European economy attractive to investments; notes that there is no lack of liquidity in Europe; calls therefore on Commission to continue with the initiative on creating a Capital Markets Union and reforming the internal market in order to increase investments in EU;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6a (new) 6a. Takes the view that it is essential to boost public investment in order to preserve and enhance the quality of health and education systems and the quality of services provided for the public, as well as to create favourable conditions for economic development;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6a (new) 6a. Notes the little focus of the CSRs on renewable energy sources, greater resource efficiency and energy efficiencies; call on the Commission to integrate a specific energy and environmental strategy into the European Semester;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6b (new) 6b. Notes the little focus of the CSRs on renewable energy sources, greater resource efficiency and energy efficiencies; calls on the Commission to integrate a specific energy and environmental strategy into the European Semester;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show th
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Europe still faces a huge investment deficit,
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates in some Member States show that the capacity to create jobs in
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with s
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall; notes that support measures to facilitate access to financing, particularly for SMEs, is vital if the continuing high unemployment in many Member States is to be tackled effectively;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall; express concerns on the fact the most of the new job created are low-quality jobs, characterised by low salary and precarious conditions, and are therefore unable to significantly stimulate consumption and internal demand;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall; stresses that the youth unemployment should not be left unaddressed considering that its effects are negative for the young people in the long-run and affects the period of their professional maturity;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall; stresses that the crisis has widened the economic gaps between EU regions, also within Member States, which is a main cause of increasing inequalities in the EU;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall; believes that the capacity to create jobs would increase if the EU had a single European labour market;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates, a consequence of the IMF’s mistaken policy on deflation and austerity measures, show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates, and high levels of youth unemployment especially, show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with employers, entrepreneurs and other social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Europe still faces a huge investment deficit, even though the current account surplus in the eurozone continues to rise, theoretically creating more favourable conditions for public and private investment due to the exceptionally low interest rates on government borrowing; whereas Europe continues to suffer from a lack of innovation, which is crucial for the growth and productivity needed to increase competitiveness internationally;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create quality and sustainable jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7a (new) 7a. Reiterates the importance of ensuring a quality workforce within the EU and ensuring full respect for the right to health and safety at work; recalls also the urgent need to adapt legislation concerning the posting of workers in order to put an end to the unacceptable practice of social dumping within the Union;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7a (new) 7a. Calls for a completion of the European internal market as the most potential tool for growth and fight against unemployment in the EU, with a parallel control of law enforcement and respect for rules;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7a (new) 7a. Underlines that the high unemployment rates in EU clearly shows the need for reforms creating flexible labour markets in Member States;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8.
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Expresses
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Expresses disquiet about the current ‘liquidity trap’ the EU economy seems to have fallen into, with
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Expresses disquiet about the current ‘liquidity trap’ the EU economy seems to have fallen into, with interest rates at the Zero Lower Bound (ZLB), weak demand prospects, and restricted investment and spending by households and companies,
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Expresses disquiet about the current
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Europe still faces a
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Expresses disquiet about the current ‘liquidity trap’ the EU economy seems to have fallen into, with interest rates at the Zero Lower Bound (ZLB), weak demand
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Expresses disquiet about the current ‘liquidity trap’ the EU economy seems to have fallen into, with interest rates at the Zero Lower Bound (ZLB), weak demand prospects, and restricted investment and spending by households and companies, not least in surplus countries; calls for exploring all possible and innovative monetary policy tools to channel liquidity towards the real economy;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Expresses disquiet about the current ‘liquidity trap’ the EU economy seems to have fallen into, with interest rates at the Zero Lower Bound (ZLB), weak demand prospects, and restricted investment and spending by households and companies, not least in surplus countries
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Points to the need for fiscal policies to stimulate economic growth; notes that debt renegotiation is necessary in some countries in order to bring down government and household debt to sustainable levels; draws attention to the disastrous effects of the austerity policies (not least in the countries being bailed out by the Troika), whereby fiscal consolidation strategies have put public investment, the social functions of the State, and economic growth in jeopardy;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8a (new) 8a. Underscores that a steadily increased number of European citizens are fallen in poverty traps undermining thus the preservation and development of the human and social capital in the EU;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP);
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that large and consistent current account surpluses reflect a clear need to stimulate demand and investment in order to cope with the challenges of the future regarding transport and communications, the digital economy, education, innovation and research, climate change, energy, environmental protection and the ageing population;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that large and consistent current account surpluses
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas the debt exposure that firms and households created in the previous economic cycle impairs their capacity to invest in new endeavours; whereas the process of deleveraging is very slow and creates further macroeconomic frictions in the investment incentives of firms and households;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that large and consistent current account surpluses
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that large and consistent current account surpluses reflect a clear need to stimulate
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that large and consistent current account surpluses reflect a clear need to stimulate demand and investment in order to cope with the challenges of the future regarding transport and communications, the digital economy, education and research, climate change, energy, environmental protection and the ageing population;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that large and consistent current account surpluses reflect a clear need to stimulate demand and investment, in particular long term investment, in order to cope with the challenges of the future regarding transport and communications, the digital economy, education and research, climate change, energy, environmental protection
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for three Member States to exit the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP); agrees with the Commission that large and consistent current account surpluses reflect a clear need to stimulate demand and investment in order to cope with the challenges of the future regarding transport and communications, the digital economy, education and research, climate change, energy, environmental protection and the ageing population; calls on the Commission to continue to support budgetary policies that underpin growth and recovery in all Member States and support sustainable and socially balanced structural reforms;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Welcomes the Commission
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas unemployment in the EU remains one of the main challenges that Member States are facing as
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9a (new) 9a. Deplores the asymmetrical and arbitrary approach taken by the Commission in its recommendations for deficit countries, onto which the entire burden of the adjustment is being offloaded, while some countries continue freely to accumulate excessive current account surpluses, preventing rebalancing among countries and helping to worsen the crisis and the macroeconomic imbalances within the eurozone; stresses that high and persistent current account surpluses in a monetary union primarily reflect the competitive advantages of an undervalued currency and deflationary policies designed to damage EU partners; calls on the Commission, therefore, to take decisive action to correct excessive surpluses through policies to support demand and significant public investments, and to impose appropriate sanctions;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9a (new) 9a. Calls on Member States to follow the rules in the stability and growth pact; calls on Commission to better monitoring that each member state follow the rules agreed on in the stability and growth pact; underlines that the fulfilment of the stability and growth pact is one of the most important steps in order to increase the financial stability;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9a (new) 9a. Is concerned about the Commission's lack of vigour when it comes to enforcing budgetary discipline in line with the provisions of the stability and growth pact; demands that the Commission applies the same standards to all Member States when evaluating and enforcing compliance with the stability and growth pact;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9d (new) 9d. Invites the Commission to take into account possible pro-cyclicality in SGP rules, noticing that some countries in EDP, after suffering from a recession in previous years, are now experiencing a pick-up in real GDP growth but also due low potential output and consequently rapid closing of the negative output gap, it does not lead to reduction of the structural budget deficit, while the nominal budget deficit is decreasing;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9a (new) 9a. Considering that structural reforms might have a negative impact on national budgets, notes that the mismatch between the flexibility granted by the Stability and Growth Pact and the temporal horizon needed to reap the benefits of structural reforms maturation is counterproductive;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9a (new) 9a. Endorse further reform in the national jobs markets, specifically targeting solutions to address youth unemployment in the form of increased incentives to hire young people through reduced social security charges or an effective implementation of the Youth Guarantee scheme;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9a (new) 9a. Notes with concern that no reference to the euro area aggregate fiscal stance and to fiscal space have been made in national 2016 CSRs;
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9b (new) 9b. Calls to increase the link between Euro area recommendations and national recommendations;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9c (new) 9c. Regrets the enforcement of the rules of the SGP has been discretionary with different treatment between Member States;
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10.
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas unemployment in the EU remains one of the main challenges that Member States are facing as it currently stands at a very high rate (10.5 million long-term unemployed in the EU), even if the numbers have improved slightly compared with previous years; whereas, however, this improvement is due in part to the fall in the working population caused by rising emigration, especially in the countries hardest hit by the crisis, and to the way in which unemployed workers in many countries are counted and defined for statistical purposes;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to increase financing opportunities, notably for SMEs, by reduc
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area and to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy, notably to SMEs, while having regard to their social and macroeconomic impact as well as to financial consumer protection; underlines that the conclusion of a functioning securitization regulation will help banks to gain access to the liquidity necessary for addressing the financial needs of the real sector;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area and to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy,
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10.
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area and to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy, notably to SMEs; emphasises the importance to complete the Banking Union and advancing on progress towards the establishment of a European Deposit Insurance Scheme;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area and to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy, notably to SMEs, which account for 99% of businesses in the EU and provide two thirds of jobs in the private sector;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 13 Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas unemployment in the EU remains one of the main challenges that Member States are facing as it currently stands at a very high rate (10.5 million long-term unemployed in the EU)
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area and to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy, notably to SMEs; stresses the need not to disincentivise banks to write off such a loans;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Notes that further urgent measures are needed to reduce non-performing loans (NPL) in the euro area in conformity with EU legislation, and to increase the ability of banks to lend to the real economy, notably to SMEs;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10a (new) 10a. Calls for neutralisation in the calculation of debt and deficit in public investment carried out by Member States’ public operators, particularly with regard to the impact of the new ESA 2010 system of accounts, which prevents Member States from paying their co-financing share to the Structural Funds (in particular the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative) and thus using these funds to escape from the economic crisis and re- launch growth and employment;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that private investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that a coordinated fiscal expansion is also needed in the EU, therefore,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas unemployment in the EU remains one of the main challenges that Member States are facing as it currently stands at a very high rate (10.5 million long-term unemployed in the EU), even if the numbers have improved slightly compared with previous years; whereas youth unemployment is significantly and persistently higher than the overall unemployment rate in the EU;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11.
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that a coordinated fiscal expansion is also needed in the EU, therefore, in line with the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact and its flexibility clauses, in order to
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that a coordinated fiscal expansion is also needed in the EU, therefore, in line with the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact and its flexibility clauses, in order to place emphasis on public and private investment; stresses that a more accommodative fiscal stance can only result from higher internal demand in surplus countries, which is essential, not only to comply with CSRs, but also to achieve a coherent and cooperative macroeconomic policy in the EU;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that a coordinated fiscal expansion is also needed in the EU, therefore, in line with the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact and its flexibility clauses, in order to place emphasis on public and private investment; reiterates that specifically investment-friendly rules, or those where public investment or other priority outlays are excluded from the perimeter of the rule, are the most effective way to increase counter cyclicality in fiscal policy;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU because measures to improve the business environment are missing and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that a coordinated fiscal expansion is also needed in the EU, therefore, in line with the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact and its flexibility clauses, in order to place emphasis on public and private investment;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11a (new) 11a. Points out that almost two thirds of the territory-related CSRs this year concerned administrative capacity issues and were addressed to vast majority of Member States; stresses therefore, that the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) should be open to local and regional authorities, involving them directly when putting together the structural reform project in question;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11a (new) 11a. Stresses that private investment through the European Fund for Strategic Investments (ESIF) should be encouraged and calls on the Member States to involve their local and regional authorities closely in developing project pipelines and launching investment platforms;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11a (new) 11a. Calls for continued investment in the Structural Funds across all regions including transition areas in order to ensure continuity in the effects of the funding and efforts already invested;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas unemployment in the EU remains one of the main challenges that Member States are facing as it currently stands at a very high rate (10.5 million long-term unemployed in the EU), even if the numbers have improved slightly compared with previous years; whereas 122 million people in the EU are considered to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11b (new) 11b. Notes that investments at sub- national governments level have decreased strongly in recent years, now counting for around sixty per cent of public investment in the EU; underlines that investment policy instruments such as the EFSI and ESIF require a territorial dimension and complementarity between each other;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Calls for an immediate end to the so-called memoranda of understanding and the counter-productive and socially devastating austerity and neo-liberal policies that they have imposed; takes the view that these memoranda have imposed unfair tax policies which violate the principle of proportional equality and progressive taxation; calls for emergency plans to be drawn up to support the economies of countries under the Troika regime in order to provide for financial resources and for the necessary exceptions to the operation of the single market and common policies;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 b (new) 11b. Urges the EU institutions to embark on and support a process to renegotiate government debt in the most heavily indebted countries (covering amounts, payment deadlines, and interest rates) with a view to substantially reducing debt levels and annual charges so as to restore sustainability, thereby making debt service compatible with economic and social development in the countries concerned;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 c (new) 11c. Recommends that measures be taken as a matter of urgency to aid the productive sectors which are vital to every economy and hence play an essential role in the potential development of individual countries; calls for the promotion of public projects and support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, and local government, and for Union funds to be boosted and channelled in that direction;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 d (new) 11d. Calls for support programmes to be set up for Member States should they wish – having realised that their participation in EMU has become unsustainable and intolerable – to negotiate their exit from the euro, and considers that programmes of this kind should provide for the compensation necessary to make good such social and economic damage as the countries in question might have suffered because they adopted the single currency;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain quality jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C C. whereas unemployment in general, and structural unemployment in particular, in the EU remains one of the main challenges that Member States are facing as it currently stands at a very high rate (10.5 million long-term unemployed in the EU), even if the numbers have improved slightly compared with previous years;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migration could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal challenges but that it should be complemented with efficient public expenditure
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Underlines the fact that investment has so far lagged and failed to lead to sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and that under the current circumstances, monetary policy alone is unlikely to bring about recovery, even though the rules made necessary by banking union have imposed more stringent financial criteria on banks; considers that a
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migration could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal challenges but that it should be complemented with efficient public expenditure, especially in high-quality social and environmentally sustainable investments and on the ability of the Member States to better use migrants' skills and to adapt labour migration management systems to employers' needs;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migration could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal challenges but that it should be complemented with efficient public expenditure, especially in high-quality social and environmentally sustainable investments and further progress in balancing overburdened pension and health care systems;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, which is liable to exacerbate social polarisation, while considering that migration could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal challenges but that it should be complemented with efficient public expenditure, especially in high-quality social and environmentally sustainable investments;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migration could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal challenges but that it should be complemented with efficient
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas it is imperative to break with the neo-liberal principles that have been governing the policies imposed by the EU on the peoples and workers of Member States, and whereas sustainable economic growth, that is to say, based on decent wages, work with rights, state control of strategic economic sectors, universal free access to all levels of education, and the promotion and socialisation of innovation, is the only way to boost the Member States’ economies and their competitiveness;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migration could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal challenges but that it should be complemented with efficient public expenditure, especially in high-quality social and environmentally sustainable growth enhancing investments;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Emphasises the need to improve the EU’s overall capacity to create and sustain jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migration, if properly handled, could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the ageing population; emphasises, however, that this alone cannot be the main response to address structural demographic, labour market or fiscal
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12a (new) 12a. Points out that the economic and monetary integration process has been at a standstill for many years due to political disagreements that are difficult to overcome and that the economic and social crisis has worsened, especially in the peripheral countries; in this regard, stresses the urgent need to provide for an opt-out procedure for any Member States which might democratically express the need to withdraw from the euro area; highlights the need, moreover, for a controlled monetary union dissolution plan to be organised, so as not to be taken unawares by an uncontrolled dissolution, while at the same time promoting friendly cooperation between European states in a manner that respects their respective national constitutions;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient and efficient labour markets
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient labour markets w
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient labour markets with an appropriate combination of flexibility and security and where an appropriate trade-off is maintained between economic, social and human costs in accordance with the EU values of solidarity and subsidiarity
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Ca (new) Ca. whereas the single currency, by preventing normal adjustments in competitiveness between countries and depriving them of the basic economic policy tools that would enable them to absorb asymmetric shocks, has hindered economic recovery and exacerbated the divergences and macroeconomic imbalances between core and periphery countries;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient labour markets where an appropriate trade-off is maintained between economic, social and human costs in accordance with the EU values of solidarity and subsidiarity, with a focus on the upgrading of educational systems and vocational education and their adaptation in response to new demands for aptitudes and skills on the European job market;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient labour markets where an appropriate trade-off is maintained between economic, social and human costs in accordance with the EU values of solidarity and subsidiarity, with a focus on the upgrading of educational systems and vocational education; while avoiding a race to the bottom in wages and working standards;
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient labour markets where an appropriate trade-off is maintained between economic, social and human costs in accordance with the EU values of solidarity and subsidiarity, with a focus on the upgrading of educational systems and vocational education and on the protection of workers' rights;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient labour markets where an appropriate trade-off is maintained between economic, social and human costs and where wages are in line with productivity in accordance with the EU values of solidarity and subsidiarity, with a focus on the upgrading of educational systems and vocational education;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient and competitive labour markets where an appropriate trade-off is maintained between economic, social and human costs in accordance with the EU values of solidarity and subsidiarity, with a focus on the upgrading of educational systems and vocational education;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Highlights the importance of resilient and efficient labour markets where an appropriate trade-off is maintained
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13a (new) 13a. Highlights the importance of innovation in order to foster productivity, create steady sustainable growth and help addressing current structural challenges; insists therefore on the need for well- designed policies to promote innovation and research and development in order to close the innovation gap with other economies without the systems established and policies implemented being vulnerable or conducive to abuses or misuses;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13a (new) 13a. Calls the Commission to focus more on its recommendations on the harmful effects of fiscal centralization for the effectiveness of economic reforms in many European regions and the importance of building a strong an sustainable productive economy less based on transfers and subsidies from the capital and more in innovation and economic policy flexibility;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13a (new) 13a. Highlights the importance of flexible labour markets in Member States in order to tackle the challenges related to high unemployment rates;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13b (new) 13b. Highlights that the decentralisation of expenditure without decentralisation of tax revenue control can increase economic divergences between regions and harm its fiscal sustainability;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Ca (new) Ca. whereas unemployment rates remain significantly higher in the Eurozone and the European periphery, which have suffered most from neoliberal policies; whereas these divergences are in fact much higher, but are disguised due to forced migration flows of the workforce in the periphery;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy, as well as from the effect on bank lending in the wake of the adoption of the banking union, and a national level from cumbersome legal systems, corruption, lack of transparency, outdated bureaucracy, and inadequate digitalisation of public services
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy, as well as from the effect on bank lending in the wake of the adoption of the banking union, and a national level from cumbersome legal systems, corruption, lack of transparency, outdated bureaucracy, inadequate digitalisation of public services,
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from the absence of a genuine CMU and a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy,
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy, as well as from the effect on bank lending in the wake of the adoption of the banking union, and a national level from cumbersome legal systems, corruption, lack of transparency, outdated bureaucracy, inadequate digitalisation of public services, lack of mutual recognition of academic and technical qualifications in the professions and certain services sectors, and educational systems that remain out of synch with modern requirements; Stresses the importance to complete the single market;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy, as well as from the effect on bank lending in the wake of the adoption of the
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas the European Semester and the related instruments, which are basically intended to make Member States, regardless of the letter of their constitutions and the will of the people, institutionalise austerity-based fiscal and economic policies in line with the debt and deficit targets laid down in the Stability and Growth Pact, the economic reform plans set out in their country- specific recommendations, and the Europe 2020 growth and employment targets, are by nature profoundly neo- liberal and anti-democratic;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy, as well as from the effect on bank lending in the wake of the adoption of the banking union, and at national level from the application of austerity policies, cumbersome legal systems,
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Invites the Commission to give priority to measures that reduce the obstacles to greater investment flows and commercial traffic, which arise at both an EU level from a lack of clarity regarding strategies that are to be followed, especially in the fields of energy, transport, communications and the digital economy, as well as from the effect on bank lending in the wake of the adoption of the banking union, and a national level from cumbersome legal systems, corruption, lack of transparency, outdated bureaucracy, inadequate digitalisation of public services, lack of mutual recognition of academic and technical qualifications in the professions and certain services sectors, and educational systems that remain out of synch with modern requirements;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14a (new) 14a. Points out that corruption, organised crime, money laundering, tax avoidance and evasion, excessive red tape and the opacity of the financial system are having the effect of discouraging investment and entrepreneurial activities and are distorting the normal functioning of the internal market; stresses the importance of taking effective action at EU level to combat these issues;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14a (new) 14a. Considers that negative sentiment about the EU and EMU ability to achieve effective cooperation and implement an efficient and coordinated policy strategy also affect private investment prospects; calls in this respect to move forward towards the completion of the EMU, in particular the budgetary capacity, to revamp the European Integration Project;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14a (new) 14a. Considers that the presence of barriers to the internal market in the banking and insurance sectors, and in certain postal communication sectors such as the certification of contents delivered, holds back the growth and efficiency of commercial traffic;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14b (new) 14b. Highlights, in addition, the negative impact on financial stability, the real economy and productive investment of the Capital Markets Union project which is focusing on the further liberalisation of capital flows, the expansion of the shadow banking system and the revival of securitisation, namely on the same mechanisms that caused the 2008 financial crisis;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14a (new) 14a. Calls for a full review of the European Fiscal Pact (TSCG) so as to include an economic recovery policy from which all European citizens and the European economy will benefit;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Deeply deplores the
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Cb (new) Cb. having regard to the social and human toll and the poor economic results of the austerity policy within the Union;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Deeply deplores the fact that with regard to the Europe 2020 strategy, the biggest failure to be recorded concerns the goal of reducing the scale of poverty in the Union, as
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Deeply deplores the fact that with
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. De
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Deeply deplores the fact that with regard to the Europe 2020 strategy, the biggest failure to be recorded concerns the goal of reducing the scale of poverty in the Union, as not only will the goal not be reached, but poverty will in fact have
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Greatly deplores the fact that Portugal and Spain are currently being blackmailed and consequently threatened with a series of penalties, resulting in intolerable instability incompatible with the need to revitalise economic growth and overcome the social crisis which the two countries are undergoing; calls, therefore, for the above process and the mechanisms underlying it to be halted immediately; maintains that the European institutions have to respect the sovereignty of each Member State and the decision taken by citizens to move towards development, growth, and social cohesion, and that no country should be penalised for stimulating its economy, whether through public investment plans or through redistributive fiscal and progressive tax policies;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Invites the Commission to make effective the use of social indicators in the macroeconomic imbalances procedure targeting specific policies to address social challenges, recognising the positive effect of progressive social standards on sustainable growth and competitiveness and assessing carefully possible negative spill overs on social indicators arising from other policy recommendations;
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 b (new) 15b. Rejects macroeconomic conditionality whereby cohesion policy is made subject to EU economic governance; stresses that regional policy is an important tool for promoting economic and social cohesion, as its main aims are to reduce disparities among regions – especially where poorer regions and the outermost regions are concerned – promote real convergence, and encourage growth and employment; maintains that cohesion policy should not be used as a means of financial punishment if a region or Member State rejects deregulation and privatisation policies;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15b (new) 15b. Calls to ensure the implementation of the landmark Paris Agreement; acknowledges the macroeconomic implications of failed climate policies; calls to add indicators on climate and energy to the main scoreboard of indicators in the Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure (MIP) to contribute to making national economies more sustainable and energy and resource efficient while recognising the macroeconomic relevance of missed climate policies;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15c (new) 15c. Welcomes the Commission initiatives to launch consultation over setting up a European pillar of social rights; considers crucial that this initiative will be able to trigger concrete corrective actions;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Ca (new) Ca. whereas continuing high levels of youth unemployment especially, are cause for concern;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by promoting a growth-friendly tax shift
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by promoting a growth-friendly tax shift towards
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by promoting a growth-friendly tax shift towards co
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by promoting a growth-friendly tax shift towards
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 17 a (new) - having regard to the protocol 26 of the Treaties,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas almost 125 million citizens of the EU are at risk of poverty;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by promoting a growth-friendly tax shift towards consumption
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better addressing the high tax wedge on labour given that high taxation diminishes incentives for the inactive, the unemployed, second earners and low-wage earners to return to employment, by promoting a growth-friendly tax shift towards consumption
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Underlines the importance of better
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16a (new) 16a. Calls for a coordinated EU approach in order to increase the progressivity of national tax system by ensuring progressive taxation of the wealthiest and of corporations where their income flows are generated and where their real assets are located; notes that the implementation of CCCTB in this regard can be successful only if it ensures a clear link between real production and corporate profits and minimum rates are set at a level that does not encourage further tax competition; stresses the need for further progressivity in capital, wealth and corporate taxes, as well as labour taxes, to fight inequality and reduce the financing needs of the public sector;
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16a (new) 16a. Highlights that a critical step toward the conclusion of the Fiscal Union in the EU is the gradual harmonization of the tax systems of the Member States considering also that taxation is not only a method of income redistribution but also an instrument for correction of market inefficiencies and distortions of intra-market competition;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16a (new) 16a. Considering that the output gap is a key measure in order to assess whether a government is meeting European Union budget rules, invites the Commission to speed up its work on a possible revision of the methodology for the calculation of the output gap;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16a (new) 16a. Underlines the importance of addressing the high tax wedges in Member States in order to increase competitiveness and the level of investments;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Points out that efforts should be made to remove remaining barriers to investment in the Member States and allow for a more suitable policy mix, including a genuine focus on research and development spending; believes that
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Points out that efforts should be made to remove
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Points out that efforts should be made to remove remaining barriers to investment in the Member States and allow for a more suitable policy mix, including a genuine focus on research and development spending; believes that p
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C c (new) Cc. whereas the EU must develop policies to help the victims of austerity;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Points out that efforts should be made to remove remaining barriers to investment in the Member States and allow for a more suitable policy mix, including a
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Points out that efforts should be made to remove remaining barriers to investment in the Member States and allow for a more suitable policy mix, including a genuine focus on research and development spending; believes that public and private spending and support for research and higher education institutions are crucial factors and that the weakness or absence of this infrastructure places certain countries at a massive disadvantage;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Points out that efforts should be made to remove remaining barriers to investment in the Member States and allow for a more suitable policy mix, including a genuine focus on research and development spending; believes that public and private spending and support for research and higher education institutions are crucial factors and that the weakness or absence of this infrastructure places certain countries at a massive disadvantage; stresses that there is no one-size-fits-all ideal EU innovation policy prescription but in order to close the innovation- capacity divide in the EU, sufficiently differentiated innovation policies in Member States, which are tailored to address each country's specific innovation capacity position are needed by building on the models of success stories that have already been attained;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Points out that efforts should be made to remove remaining barriers to investment in the Member States and allow for a more suitable policy mix towards policies fostering sustainable growth, including a genuine focus on research and development spending; believes that public and private spending and support for research and higher education institutions are crucial factors and that the weakness or absence of this infrastructure places certain countries at a massive disadvantage;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Points out that in 2014 only 10 of the 157 main recommendations made to Member States in the framework of the European Semester were fully implemented or showed substantial progress[1]; calls, in this context, for the recommendations on the European Semester in the Five Presidents' report on deepening the EMU to be followed, namely: more concrete and ambitious Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs) and a clearer focus on defined priorities while leaving the necessary room for manoeuvre to Member States in the implementation of CSRs, as well as a more systematic use of reporting, peer review and the 'comply-or-explain' approach in order to ensure proper implementation as well as a greater public debate leading to greater national ownership; [1] Success rate of around 6.5%: Zsolt Darvas and Alvaro Leandro, 'The Limitations of Policy Coordination in the Euro Area under the European Semester', Bruegel, November 2015;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Welcomes the continuation of the consultations regarding the improvement of European economic governance and the enchasing of the EU's budgetary capacity, as they are vital elements for the achievement of the Economic Union and the strengthening of the EU's capacity to manage and absorb internal, external symmetric and asymmetric macroeconomic shocks;
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17a (new) 17a. Underlines that, given the current distribution of powers and competences in most Member States, delivery on the Country-specific Recommendations will improve with the active participation of the local and regional authorities; to this aim, supports the proposal of a code of conduct for the involvement of the local and regional authorities in the European Semester;
Amendment 317 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17a (new) 17a. Requests a report from the Commission no later than three months after the adoption of this resolution, which lists all CSRs and Single Market laws by Member State that are not fully implemented and details concrete measures the Commission will undertake to ensure full implementation as well as a timetable by which full implementation will be achieved;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17a (new) 17a. Underlines that the initiative from Commission to create a Capital Markets Union is one important step in order to remove barriers to investments in Member States and in EU as a whole;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17a (new) 17a. Calls for the exclusion of public investment from the calculation of the deficit of the Member States in order to boost investment in the EU;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas depressed wage dynamics, slow economic growth and falling oil prices at the start of 2016 a
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Firmly rejects the idea that the EU economic governance framework would be improved by strengthening its social dimension;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Calls for the treaties governing integration to be made reversible, in particular the Lisbon Treaty with a view to its repeal, together with the repeal of the EMU Fiscal Compact and the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance, the European Semester, the six-pack, and the two-pack; calls, therefore, for an intergovernmental conference to be convened by the European Council to discuss the reversibility and repeal of the treaties; maintains that Member States must, as a matter of urgency, regain the ability to determine the economic policies best suited to their needs;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17b (new) 17b. Rejects the use of sanctions against Spain and Portugal by the European Commission as they will increase inequalities and prevent the recovery of their economy; underlines that any sanctions represents an undemocratic attempt to impose neoliberal measures; highlights the serious impact that the freeze of European funds will have on both economies, with negative cumulative effects over time; stresses that the proposed path of fiscal consolidation will further depress economic activity by reducing public spending and slowing down the de-leveraging of the private sector;
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17b (new) 17b. Stresses that private risk-sharing , e.g. through the capital and financial markets, alleviates the burden to governments to provide insurance and furthermore has, in fiscal terms, a smoothing potential; regrets, therefore, that private risk-sharing in the EMU is still relatively limited due also to the outstanding completion of the Banking Union and the Capital Markets Union, in particular the absence of a third pillar, through a privately funded European Deposit Insurance Scheme;
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17b (new) 17b. Emphasises the fact that the European Semester recommendations to MS have a similar responsiveness rate as the unilateral OECD recommendations (29% vs 30% in 2014), even though the compliance with the latter is based just on a voluntary basis; notes that, according to data, compliance in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic is systematically higher for OECD recommendations;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17b (new) 17b. Highlights the importance of removing obstacles and barriers in order to enable the financial sector to provide funding for companies;
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17c (new) 17c. Calls to the Commission and Member States to open a process of renegotiation of public debt in the most indebted countries, substantially reducing its level and the annual charges, and bringing it down to sustainable levels, thereby making the debt service compatible with economic and social development;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17c (new) 17c. Underlines the need for reducing national regulations hindering the well- functioning capital markets in EU;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17d (new) 17d. Underlines that new proposals from Commission must not lead to more complex regulation that can affect investments negatively, undermining banks possibilities to investment and market making, to their ability to facilitate liquidity on the single market, thereby hurting the functionality of the existing capital markets;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas falling oil prices at the start of 2016 appear to be
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas falling oil prices at the start of 2016 appear to be the key reason dragging down the inflation rate to below zero levels; whereas core inflation has so far failed to show an upward trend, as moderate economic growth and subdued wage developments have drag on domestic price dynamics;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas falling oil prices at the start of 2016 that have a positive impact on the EU economy appear to be the key reason dragging down the inflation rate to below zero levels;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas falling oil prices at the start of 2016 a
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 17 b (new) - having regard to the FMI report "Fiscal Monitor. Taxing times" of October 2013
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK’s membership of the Union, relations with Russia and
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK’s membership of the Union, relations with Russia
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK’s membership of the Union, relations with Russia and
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK’s
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK’s membership of the Union
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Recital E E. whereas political developments such as the question of the UK’s membership of the Union, relations with Russia, the economic crsis and the refugee crisis have compounded uncertainties and further
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Ea (new) Ea. whereas the immigration crisis in particular created extra costs and budgetary pressures for the Member States and the EU as a whole, reducing thus their necessary fiscal space and making for many of them very difficult to attain their macroeconomic targets;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas Parliament, in its resolution on the Annual Growth Survey 2016, requested an improved policy mix
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the Commission’s spring 2016 forecast indicates growth rates of 1.6 % for the eurozone and 1.8 % for the EU in 2016. whereas this growth rate is unequally distributed, with rising inequality both across and within Member States;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Recital F F. whereas European Parliament, in its resolution on the Annual Growth Survey 2016, requested an improved policy mix and a specific focus on the euro area;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Fa (new) Fa. whereas low implementation of key reforms is observed across all EU countries; whereas indicators show that those countries that have been under a Financial Assistance Programme have delivered stronger reform efforts; whereas many of these reforms have been proven inadequate to boost growth, having in parallel a negative impact for the fulfilment of the EU 2020 targets;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Fa (new) Fa. whereas putting an end to tax evasion and tax fraud of corporations and wealthy individuals would suffice to close the remaining public deficit; whereas public spending is not constrained but available resources, but by the political constraints imposed by the EU and particularly, its governance structure and the euro;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Fa (new) Fa. whereas austerity policies have had a major depressing and destabilising effect on the economy, causing a collapse in domestic demand, an increase in unemployment levels and absolute poverty and an explosion of social and economic inequalities;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Fb (new) Fb. whereas the current account surplus in Germany has further expanded in 2015 and is expected to remain at a level higher than 8% of GDP for 2016- 2017 too, having a severe negative impact on the entire European economy and hampering its recovery;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Fb (new) Fb. whereas Ireland has shown a 26% growth rate for 2015. Whereas this data demonstrates the way how a model of growth could be based in protect transnational capital interest and foster capital mobility with no impact on the real economy. Whereas Ireland has been a model country for the European Commission;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Recital Fc (new) Fc. whereas the Juncker Plan has failed to increase investment and has only served as another avenue for financial speculation, as many critics had noted before its implementation; whereas the funds diverted have had serious consequences for public spending through the EU budget, in programs such as Horizon 2020 and Connecting Europe Facility;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Subheading 1 Europe’s
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes with concern that the EU economy
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas the Commission’s spring 2016 forecast indicates expected growth rates of 1.6 % for the eurozone and 1.8 % for the
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes with concern that the EU economy will grow less than expected on the basis of the European economic winter forecast 2016, as GDP in the eurozone is expected to increase by
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Notes with concern that the EU
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1a (new) 1a. Strongly objects to the decision by the members of the euro area to support the European Commission's recommendation that Spain and Portugal be declared in breach of EU budget rules;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the deteriorating international environment and the
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the deteriorating international environment and the divergences in
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the deteriorating international environment and the divergences in the economic and social performance achieved in different parts of the Union; stresses that the deterioration in external demand put into question the export-driven growth strategy followed by the EU as a response to the crisis;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the deteriorating international environment and the divergences in the economic and social performance achieved in different parts of the Union due to a lack of structural reforms as well as the short-comings in completing the single market, which deprive the EU of its full growth potential;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) A. whereas the EU, along with its Member States, is continuing to struggle with the most serious economic and social crisis in its history; whereas neo-liberal EU policies and the austerity-oriented policies imposed by the EU for the purposes of economic governance have added to government debt and, as was to be expected, exacerbated socio-economic inequalities within and among Member States, reflected in the increase in the numbers at risk of poverty and social exclusion (who in 2015 accounted for 24.4% of the population in EU-28);
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the deteriorating international environment
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the challenges in the EU are linked to the deteriorating international economic and political environment and the divergences in the economic and social performance achieved in different parts of the Union;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Notes that the worsening global outlook means that domestic sources of growth need to be strengthened, involving a different policy mix to boost public and private investment, above all with a view to expanding and upgrading infrastructure, production equipment, and production and organisation methods and techniques, and to stimulate domestic demand, in particular by restoring the income lost as a result of so-called austerity policies and by implementing a genuinely redistributive and progressive tax policy;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2a (new) 2a. Stresses that some of the main challenges in EU is lack of investments and lack of competitiveness; underlines that they are linked to the high tax wedge on companies, investments and labour;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2b (new) 2b. Notes with concern that the level of taxes in EU are 10 to 15 percent higher than in any other competing region;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the Commission’s focus in its 2016 country-specific recommendations (CSRs) on the three main priorities to further strengthen economic growth: supporting investment, pursuing structural reforms and preserving responsible public finances; stresses that investment alone is not enough to drive the economic recovery of the European Economic Area; emphasises that necessary structural reforms must accompany monetary policy stimuli in the Member States if the economy is to be rebooted;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the Commission
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the Commission’s focus in its 2016 country-specific recommendations (CSRs) on the three main priorities to further strengthen economic growth: supporting investment, pursuing structural reforms and preserving responsible public finances; notes, however that macroeconomic targets should be accompanied by social and quality of life targets for the people residing in the EU;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the Commission’s focus in its 2016 country-specific recommendations (CSRs) on the three main priorities to further strengthen economic growth: supporting investment, pursuing structural reforms and preserving responsible public finances; stresses at the same time the need to consider social aspects when implementing these priorities;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Welcomes the Commission’s focus in its 2016 country-specific recommendations (CSRs) on the three main priorities to further strengthen economic growth: supporting investment, pursuing structural reforms and preserving responsible public finances contributing to economic growth and social equality;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3a (new) 3a. Calls to the Commission to align these three pillars of the Semester to decarbonise the economy, and thereby align public financial flows to the requirements of Article 2 in the Paris Agreement; Calls to the Finance Ministers to take into account Article 4 of the Paris Agreement and prepare long- term decarbonisation plans;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas Europe still
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3a (new) 3a. Recalls that the final objective of economic growth must be to create employment and improve the well-being of all citizens;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the Commission’s continuing approach to limit the number of recommendations and its effort to
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the Commission’s continuing approach to limit the number of recommendations and its effort to mainstream the semester by covering mainly key priority areas of macroeconomic and social relevance, when setting the policy objectives for the next 18 months;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the Commission’s continuing approach to limit the number of recommendations and focus its effort to mainstream the semester by covering mainly key priority areas of macroeconomic and social relevance, when
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the Commission’s continuing approach to limit the number of recommendations and its effort to mainstream the semester by covering mainly key priority areas of macroeconomic and social relevance, when setting the policy objectives for the next 18 months; reiterates that this facilitates the implementation of recommendations according to a comprehensive and meaningful range of social benchmarks; stresses that reduction of number of recommendation by merging thematically different recommendation under one point does not yield any benefits;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the Commission’s continuing approach to limit the number of recommendations and its effort to mainstream the semester by covering mainly key priority areas of macroeconomic and social relevance, when setting the policy objectives for the next 18 months; reiterates that this facilitates the implementation of recommendations according to a comprehensive and meaningful range of economic and social benchmarks;
source: 587.444
2016/09/08
CULT
60 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment, which is exceptionally high, is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms that would adapt education to market demands and tackle inequalities in education in line with the goals of the Europe 2020 Strategy; expresses, in this context, its further support for the Youth Employment Initiative;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Emphasizes the need of continuing the efforts of reducing early school leaving and fostering the education of disadvantaged young people in line with the targets set by the Europe 2020 Strategy; notes that the results of the Education and Training Monitor 2015 show that in spite of some advancements towards the achievement of the EU 2020 targets, there is a raising risk of increasing the inequalities gap by leaving out the most vulnerable people, including young people having different socio- economic backgrounds and disadvantaged groups; draws attention to the need to increase participation levels in the labour markets among young women – particularly women after maternity leave and single mothers – and young migrants, low-skilled, young people with disabilities and all youngsters at risk of discrimination;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Strongly rejects the European Semester process, since it is undemocratic and undermines the right of each Member State and its people to adopt policies in line with their economic and social situation and with their entitlements and aspirations; is deeply concerned that this process is seeking to introduce even harsher pay and pension cuts, encourage further exploitation of workers, increase the retirement age, and bring about additional privatisation and deregulation and the dismantling of public services and welfare entitlements;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Highlights that labour market policies generally, and skills matching in respect of VET policies specifically, must aim to create and promote high quality and secure jobs, in line with the ILO Decent Work agenda; notes that these policies must contribute to combatting the phenomena of precarious employment, zero-hour contracts, and unpaid internships;
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Welcomes the Commission initiatives to launch consultation over setting up a European pillar of social rights; considers crucial that this initiative will be able to trigger a more flexible skills and competences development, life- long learning actions and active support for quality employment;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Highlights that social entrepreneurship is a growing field that can boost the economy whilst simultaneously alleviating deprivation, social exclusion and other societal problems; therefore considers that entrepreneurship education should include a social dimension, and address such subjects as fair trade, social enterprises, and alternative business models, such as co-operatives, in order to strive towards a more social, inclusive and sustainable economy;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Calls for measures to facilitate the transition of young people from education to work by ensuring quality internships and apprenticeships, giving young people clearly defined rights that include access to social protection, written and binding contracts and fair remuneration in order to ensure that they are not discriminated when it comes to accessing the world of work;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b. Emphasises the huge innovation and employment potential of renewable energy sources, search for greater resource efficiency and energy efficiencies; calls on the Commission to integrate a specific energy and environmental strategy into the European Semester with a view also to education and employment;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Re
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that despite the serious damage brought by the current structural crisis to the once existing relationship between a good education and a quality job, investments in education and culture still reinforce employability and could contribute to bring back sustainable
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States; highlights the need to strengthen synergies between culture and education and promote arts education as a crucial tool for the development of critical thinking, creative and transferable skills and competences as well as civic values which enable learners to become active, responsible and open-minded members of society;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States; takes the view that it is essential to boost public investment in order to preserve and enhance the quality of health and education systems and the quality of services provided for the public, as well as in order to create favourable conditions for economic development;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; considers that promoting investment in lifelong education would also encourage retraining and thereby countering the risks of long-term unemployment, particularly in adulthood; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States; highlights the need to consider specific educational needs of minority and immigrant youth as well as young people with disabilities with due respect for cultural and linguistic diversity of the Union;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; regrets that austerity policies pushed by the European Semester did trigger heavy cuts in education and culture in those countries where education and lifelong learning are key to exit the crisis; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States in order to equip learners of all ages with competences, skills and knowledge they need to live and work in increasingly demanding and changing realities and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture must reinforce
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States, albeit always at the discretion of the Member States, according to their respective needs, and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education, technology, entrepreneurship and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Reiterates that investments in education and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Underlines that the still-too-high unemployment rates show that the capacity to create jobs in most Member States is still limited; emphasises that further action is needed, in consultation with social partners and in accordance with national practices, to make labour markets more inclusive overall; expresses concerns on the fact that most of the new jobs created are low-quality jobs, characterised by low salary and precarious conditions, and are therefore unable to significantly stimulate consumption and internal demand;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Reminds that the impact of the economic and financial crisis imposed austerity policies and measures in many Member States, which affected the right to education; underlines that the priority given to reduce macroeconomic imbalances has to be balanced with the need to ensure and maintain minimum standards in the field of education, which deserves special attention; stresses, moreover, that structural reforms should take into account the most vulnerable members of our societies;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a. Recalls the key role that non- formal education and informal learning can play in developing and sustaining necessary skills for youth employability such as entrepreneurship, leadership and capacity building, especially amongst marginalised groups;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Emphasises the need to improve the EU's overall capacity to create and sustain quality jobs and thus to tackle high levels of unemployment, while considering that migration could play an important role, including education schemes, complemented with efficient public expenditure, with a view to high- quality social and environmentally sustainable investments to integrate workers into the labour market and reduce unemployment;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b. Calls on Member States to increase the attractiveness of sciences, technologies, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programmes and studies in order to address the existing shortage in this field as well as to intensify the development of digital skills and media literacy at all level of education;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2 c. Underlines the fact that the education and training reforms have proved successful where social partners have been involved within the European Semester consultations;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better promotion and use of the European tools for transparency, mobility and recognition of skills and qualifications with a view to facilitating mobility as regards learning and working; stresses that mobility must be freely chosen by workers and job-seekers and never forced upon them by the economic and social hopelessness that has conquered their place of origin; reminds that most mobility among Member States, on the contrary, has been forced by the current structural crisis, and that it hits disproportionately young and middle-aged citizens of Mediterranean and Eastern Europe Member States, in a way often uncorrelated with their professional and academic achievements; warns that unless the European Union is able to stop such phenomena, the disaffection of its citizens towards the European project will continuously grow;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better promotion and use of the European tools for transparency, mobility and recognition of skills and qualifications with a view to facilitating mobility as regards learning and working; reaffirms the need to also ensure mobility opportunities for vocational training, disadvantaged young people and people suffering from different forms of discrimination;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms that would adapt education to market demands and tackle inequalities in education and notes the recent adoption by the Commission of the new skills agenda for Europe; expresses, in this context, its further support for the Youth Employment Initiative as a tool to assist Member States in offering tailored support to young people, based on their needs;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better promotion and use of the European tools for transparency, mobility and recognition at European level of skills and qualifications
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ as well as other EU mobility programmes in the field of education and youth boost employability, contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better promotion and use of the European tools for transparency, mobility and recognition of skills, competences, knowledge and qualifications with a view to facilitating mobility as regards learning and working;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better promotion and use of the European tools for transparency, mobility and recognition of skills and qualifications with a view to facilitating mobility as regards learning and working, while paying special attention to young people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better promotion and use of the European tools for transparency, mobility and recognition of skills and qualifications with a view to facilitating mobility as regards learning, training and working;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Highlights that Erasmus+ contributes to mobility and cultural exchange across the EU; calls for better promotion and use of the European tools for transparency, mobility and
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3 a. Stresses the importance of achieving validation of competences, skills and knowledge acquired through informal, non-formal and lifelong learning by 2018, as stated by the Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012; notes in this regard that the recognition is crucial in enhancing access to formal education and new professional opportunities, while reinforcing self- esteem and motivation to learn; emphasises the fact that some countries made significant progress in developing relevant legal framework, while others have difficulties in creating comprehensive validation strategies; highlights therefore the need of developing comprehensive strategies to enable validation;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls for debt and deficit calculations not to factor in public investment carried out by Member States’ public operators, particularly in view of the impact of the new ESA 2010 system of accounts, which is preventing Member States from putting up co-financing for projects eligible for structural funding (in particular under the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Youth Employment Initiative) and thus from using this important source of funding to help find a way out of the economic crisis and kick- start investment in the area of culture, growth and employment;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Specifies nevertheless that the scope of the Erasmus+ programme is far too wide, currently benefiting 'migrants' from outside Europe without EU citizenship; is alarmed at this hijacking of the Erasmus+ system that could lead to its eventual demise; calls for the programme to serve only students who are citizens of EU Member States, in line with the initial framework;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a serious and perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU, but that youth unemployment rates are still very high, at 18.8 % in the EU-28 and 21.1 % in the eurozone, according to 2016 Eurostat data; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms that would adapt education to market demands and tackle social and economic inequalities in education; expresses, in this context, its further support for the Youth Employment Initiative;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that the cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to the fight against youth unemployment, employing, on average, more young people than any other sector; stresses that further promotion of and investment in the cultural and creative industries will be beneficial in creating new jobs
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that the cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to youth employment, employing, on average, more young people than any other sector; stresses that further promotion of and investment in the cultural and creative industries will be beneficial in creating new jobs and combating youth unemployment
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that the cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to youth employment, employing, on average, more young people than any other sector; stresses that further promotion of and investment in the cultural and creative industries will be beneficial in creating new jobs and combating youth unemployment
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that the cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to youth employment, employing, on average, more young people than any other sector; recognises that more than 6 million people in the EU are working in the cultural sector; stresses that further promotion of and investment in the cultural and creative industries will be beneficial in creating new jobs and combating youth unemployment
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that the cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to youth employment, employing, on average, more young people than any other sector; stresses that further promotion of and investment in the cultural and creative industries
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that the arts, cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to youth employment, employing, on average, more young people than any other sector; stresses that further promotion of and investment in the cultural and creative industries will be beneficial in creating new jobs and combating youth unemployment.
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Emphasises that the cultural and creative
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4 a. Reiterates that the Programme Europe for Citizens is the only EU programme exclusively dedicated to promote active European citizenship, strengthening social cohesion and creating economic opportunities by the creation of transnational partnerships, town twinning and network of towns;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Furthermore encourages the Commission to facilitate the promotion and distribution of the works and products of the European cultural and creative industries in order to raise their profile and ensure sustainable and lasting employment;
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU; acknowledges the vulnerable situation of youth of Roma, other minority or immigrant origin and young people with disabilities in labour markets of most Member States; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms that would adapt education to market demands and tackle inequalities in education; expresses, in this context, its further support for the Youth Employment Initiative;
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4 b. Highlights the key role of research and science for building a sustainable economic growth; recommends therefore to continue to invest in higher education and research, in line with the Horizon 2020 agenda; emphasises the key role of science diplomacy in the EU's external relations to build international economic cooperation;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU, particularly in the southern European countries; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms that would adapt education to market demands and tackle inequalities in education; expresses, in this context, its further support for the Youth Employment Initiative and the implementation of youth entrepreneurship support policies;
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms, at the discretion of the EU Member States, that would adapt education to market demands and tackle inequalities in education; expresses, in this context, its
source: 587.634
2016/09/15
EMPL
14 amendments...
Amendment A #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) demonstrate the differences that exist between Member States under the European Semester framework and the need for upward social and economic convergence; argues that the Member States should continue to give priority to reforms tailored to their own policy bottlenecks that will strengthen their social and economic recovery
Amendment B #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a (new) Considers that the Council and the Commission should aim to achieve that the fiscal consolidation processes are accompanied by measures that help to reduce inequalities and highlight that the European Semester process should help to provide answers to existing and emerging social challenges, thus ensuring a more effective economy; Points out that social investments in human capital shall constitute core complementary action, since human capital is one of the factors of growth and a motor of competitiveness and development; request that major structural reforms advocated by CSRs should be accompanied by a social impact assessment regarding their short, medium-long term effects with the purpose to better understand the social, economic and employment consequences, especially the impact on job creation and economic growth;
Amendment C #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1 b (new) Underlines that unemployment and in particular youth unemployment remains an overriding problem for European societies and that according to the European Commission, unemployment has continued to gradually decrease, but remains above 2008 levels with 21.2 million unemployed people in April 2016 with huge differences among Member States) Points out the need of qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the employment created, in order to avoid an increase of employment rates as a mere consequence of precarious employment or by the decrease of the labour force level ); notes that despite producing results in skills and knowledge some Member States's education and training systems do not perform internationally and present growing skill shortages, which contributes to the fact that 39 % of companies still have difficulties in finding staff with the required skills; insists that in the CSRs greater priority is given to overcoming structural imbalances on the labour market including long-term unemployment and mismatch of skills and underlines the need to further invest and develop education and training systems, providing the society with the tools and capacities to readapt to changing labour market demands;
Amendment D #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1 c (new) Highlights the importance of private investment, but believes that public expenditure should be also promoted in an efficient and effective way; Considers it vital to grant Member States broad leeway for investing in quality vocational training and education, as well as in granting equal access to them, starting with greater national co-financing margins to support the main EU projects in these areas Member States should focus on sources of expenditure that will raise productive capacity in the future and that will have strong positive spill-overs on the economy as a whole- especially through education and training (academic, professional and vocational), R&D and infrastructures (transport, energy and communication);
Amendment E #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) 1 d (new) Points out that from 2008 to 2014, there were 4.2 million more Europeans 1a at risk of poverty and social exclusion, raising to more than 22 million (22.3%) in the EU; takes note that the European Commission has stated that "most of the Member States are still facing the acute social legacy from the crisis”; Calls for a stronger effort from the Commission and Members States to reduce poverty, social exclusion and growing inequalities, in order to tackle the economic and social disparities between Member States and within societies; is of the opinion that combating poverty and social exclusion and reducing inequalities should be one of the priorities reflected in CSRs, which is fundamental to achieve long lasting economic growth and a socially sustainable rhythm of implementation;
Amendment F #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Believes that economic growth should guarantee a positive social impact; welcomes the introduction of the three new headline
Amendment G #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2 a (new) Recognises that the Commission has initiated work on the establishment of a European Pillar of Social Rights; but recalls the need to deliver the results of the consultation process and to move forward with new effective steps which seeks to deliver a deeper and fairer EU and should play an important role in addressing inequality; highlights in this regard the five Presidents Report which calls for greater, economic and social convergence but recognises that there are no one size fits all solution ; in this sense each common policy should be adapted to each Member State; considers that the European action should also address inequalities and income differences within Member States and cannot be done by only addressing the situation of those in greatest need;
Amendment GA #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2 b (new) Recognizes that the European Semester has now a stronger focus on employment and social performance; respecting Member States own competences, calls on Member States for urgent action to ensure decent work with living wages, access to adequate minimum income and social protection , (which already reduced poverty rate from 26.1% to 17.2%) and quality public services and advocates the development and establishment of a proper sustainable social security systems; Calls on the Commission to help and to exchange best practices with Member States to improve administrative capacity at national, regional and local level, which is a key challenge for re-launching long-term investments and ensuring job creation and sustainable growth;
Amendment H #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment I #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Recognises the
Amendment J #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Regrets the fact that the Commission, in its package of recommendations, has disregarded Parliament’s request to strengthen the application of Article 349 TFEU, in particular through the adoption of specific measures, with a view to enhancing
Amendment L #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6.
Amendment M #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Regrets that Parliament’s position, after being adopted in plenary, will
Amendment N #
Paragraph 7 a (new) 7 a (new) Regrets that the social economy has been overlooked by the Commission in its package of assessments/recommendations; points out that the sector encompasses 2 million businesses employing more than 14 million people and contributing to the achievement of the 2020 targets; calls on the Commission and the Member States to give social enterprises greater recognition and a higher profile; considers that this lack of recognition makes it harder for them to access funding; calls on the Commission to come forward with a proposal on European statute for cooperatives, associations, foundations and mutual societies;
source: 589.268
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