58 Amendments of Martina ANDERSON related to 2014/2248(INI)
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas progress towards a Union that can really deliver on and achieve its goals are impaired by a failure of governance owing to a continuous and systematic search for unanimn inability inof the Council (which is still based on the so- called Luxembourg Compromise) and the lack of a credible single executive authority enjoying full democratic legitimacy and compeEU and its institutions to listence to take effective action across a wide spectrum of policies; whereas recent examples such as the uncontrolled migration flow, the slow clean-upNation States and their citizens about the type of oEur banks after the outbreak of the financial crisis and the lack of an immediate common response to the intope they want and instead presses forward with a neo-libernal and externalgenda threat of terrorism have aptly demonstrated the Union’s incapacity to respond effectively and quicklyit received no mandate to implement;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas this problem, coupled with a lack of a common vision on the part of our Member States as regards the future of our continent, has given rise to unprecedented levels of ‘eurosceptthe de-industrialisation of the European economy, high unemployment, an inability to tackle in an equitable manner the financial crisis, and the punitive measures; taken by the Union in relation to indebted countries has an inability or unwillingness on behalf of the EU address social and economic ism’ that risksues which a return to nationalism and causing ‘euroscepticism’ risk the disintegration of the Union;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, instead of fostering the Union, the system whereby Member States make progress at different speeds in accordance with their different capacities and circumstances, further reinforced in the Lisbon Treaty, which introduced new formal methods of enhanced cooperation, has increased the complexity of the Union and accentuated its ‘variable geometry’is acceptable in a Union that respects the autonomy and sovereignty of Member States; whereas more and more Member States aresometimes declininge to agree on the goals and prefer ‘à la carte’ solutions, some of them even unilaterallycertain issues when it is not in their interest of the interest of their citizens, as is their right as sovereign nations to agree on;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas, as regards Schengen, the free movement of people and the resulting abolition of internal border controls, all formally integrated into the Treaties, ‘opt- outs’ were given to the UK and Ireland; whereas four other Member States are also not taking part, but have the obligation to do so, while ‘opt-ins’ were accorded to three countries outside the European Union; whereas this fragmentation not only prevents the total abolition of some remaining internal borders, but also hinders the establishment of a true internal market and of a fully integrated area of freedom, security and justice;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas, last but not least, this ‘variable geometry’ endangersthis situation is an expression of the uUniform application of EU law, leads to excessive complexity in terms of governance, jeopardises the cohesion of the Union and undermines solidarity among its citizenon’s respect of the sovereignty of Member States and shows compassion and understanding to the wishes of the citizens in those Member States;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas, since the Treaty of Lisbon, furtherwhich accelerated by the financial and migration crises, the European Council has widened its role to include day-to-day management through the adoption of intergovernmental instruments outside the framework of the EU such as the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG or the ‘Fiscal Compact’) and the deal with Turkey on migrationpolicy to de- industrialise the European economy, harmful free trade agreements, a movement away from a social and compassionate union, and also the financial and migration crises, Europe has been cast into the grips of a crisis which has been further extenuated by Britain’s decision to leave the EU;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas this new system of governance implies a genuine government equipped to formulate and implement the common monetary, fiscal and macro- economic policies that the euro area desperately needs and must be endowed with a treasury and budget commensurate with the scale of the tasks at hand; whereas this requires, in addition to measures within the existing primary law, a reform of the Lisbon Treatye means to implement the policies that are needed to address economic issues in the EU are there but the pursuit of profit, the agenda of austerity, and a lack of political will has hindered this;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the European Union is a constitutional system based on the rule of law; whereas the Treaties must be changed to give the European Court of Justice (ECJ) jurisdiction over all aspects of EU law, in particular common; whereas, foreign and security policy (Article 24(1) TEU) and monetary and economic policy (Article 126(10) TFEU)as well as economic and taxation policy must remain a competence of each member state and the wishes of Member States must be respected in this regard;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas this review is also needed to rebalanceassess the functioning of the Union, with the aim of less bureaucratic regulation and more effective policymaking; whereas this exercise also concerns the competences conferreanalysing regulation, bureaucracy, policymaking and on the Union that impair the ability to make progress towards some of its stated objectives such as the energy union, common migration management and security policyr areas of the EU;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas over the past decade the security situation in Europe has deteriorated markedly, especially in our neighbourhood: no longer can a singlecertain Member States; it has also become more difficult for Member States to guarantee itstheir internal and external security alonesecurity without information sharing from their counterparts in other Member States;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas, the decline of Europe’s defence capabilities has limited its ability to project stability beyond our immediate borders; whereas this goes hand in hand with the reluctance of our US allies to intervene if Europe is not ready to take its fair share of resstabilisation of the Middle East, which has occurred not least because of the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan by British, American, and other forces; resultantly, this has created a situation where Europe finds itself in a vulnerable ponsibilitytion; whereas this leads inevitably to the need for more intenseefficient cooperation among the Member States and an integration of some of their defence capacities into a European defence community, both in line with a new European security strategy;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
Recital P
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital R
Recital R
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
Recital S
S. whereas the UK’s decision creates an opportunity to reduce and drastically simplify the ‘variable geometry’ and complexity of theis symptomatic of a deeper malaise within the European Union; whereas it offers at least the opportunity to clarify what membership of the Union really means and what could be a clear structure in the future for the EU’s relationship with non- members in our periphery (the United Kingdom, Norway, Turkey, Ukraine, etc.); whereas the founding fathers of the Union had already envisaged a type of ‘associate status’;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the time of crisis management by means of ad hoc and incremental decisions has passed, as it only leads to measures that are too little, too lateat EU level has left a lot to be desired since the start of the crisis; is convinced that it is now time to address the shortcomings of the governance of the European Union by undertaking a comprehensive, in-depth reformview of the functioning of the Union over the past decade since the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the direction of the Union’'s reform should lead towards its modernisation by establishing new effbe decided by Member States and debated at European level; condemns any attempts by either individual politicians or Member States to dictate what directiveon European capacities and instruments, rather than its renationalisation by means of greater intergovernmentalism should go in before a big conversation is had on the issue and agreement reached; also notes that the sovereignty of Member States is paramount and reform of the Union should not be an attack on this sovereignty;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that recent Eurobarometer polling demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief, EU citizens are still fully aware of the importance of, and in support of, genuine European solutions19 ; notes the disconnect between the EU and the people it governs has increased significantly over the past number of years and was accentuated by the economic crisis and austerity; notes that many European citizens believe that their voice does not count; also notes that the rise in ‘euroscepticism’ has occurred in part due to the perceived ‘democratic deficit’ of EU institutions; __________________ 19 Standard Eurobarometer 84 - Autumn 2015 & Special Eurobarometer EP - June 2016.
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Observes with great concern the proliferation of subsets of Member States undermining the unity of the Union by causing a lack of transparency, as well as diminishing the trust of the people; also observes with great concern the proliferation of EU bodies and institutions undermining the unity of the European Union through operation in a closeted and opaque manner, as well as diminishing the trust of the people;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that a comprehensive democratic reflection on the reform of the Treaties can and must only be achieved through a Convention and referendums, which guarantees inclusiveness through its composition of representatives of national parliaments, governments of all the Member States, the Commission and the European Parliament, and also provides the proper platform for such reflection and engagement with European citizens;
Amendment 342 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that the fracturing process of ‘variable geometry’ has found its way intois sometimes present during the European decision-making process every time, often when the European Council decides to apply intergovernmental methods and to bypass the ‘Union method’ as defined in the Treaties; this not only leads to less effective policy-making but also contributes to a growing lack of transparency, democratic accountability and control;
Amendment 350 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers that the ‘Union method’ is the only method for legislating which ensures that all interests, especially the common Europeanfor legislating serves European interests, also notes that the process of ‘variable geometry’ serves the common Member States interests, are taken into accountnd that both are important in the decision making process of the EU; understands by ‘Union method’ that the Commission as the executive initiates legislation, Parliament and the Council representing respectively the citizens and the states decide by majority voting, and the Court of Justice oversees and provides ultimate judicial control; understands ‘variable geometry’ is the practice where different parts of the European Union integrate at different levels and pace depending on the political situation of each individual country; further understands this to be necessary as the Union is not a homogeneous state, but a Union of sovereign nations that share a common European identity, culture, and history, but are also are united in their diversity;
Amendment 367 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers it essential in these circumstances to reaffirm the mission of an ‘ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe’ (Article 1 TEU)Reaffirms the mission of a union among the peoples of Europe that celebrates and respects similarities as well as unique individualities, one that respects Member States and the wishes of their citizens, one that pursues a social and caring Europe, only through this can we work more harmoniously in order to mitigate any tendency towards disintegration and to clarify once more the moral, political and historical purpose, as well as the constitutional nature, of the European Union;
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Proposes that the next revision of the Treaties should rationalise the current disorderly ‘variable geometry’, i.e. ‘l’Europe à la carte’, by endingassess if these treaties are still fit for purpose in these testing times and if there are short fallings that dialogue needs to be started on those disruptive practice of opt-outs, opt-ins and exceptionssues and how we, as a Union of equals, can address them;
Amendment 398 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 417 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that this new type of ‘associate status’ could also be one of the possible outcomes to respect the will of the majority of the citizens of the United Kingdom to leave the EU; stresses that this wish must be respected, given that the withdrawal of the United Kingdom, as one of the larger Member States, and as the largest non-euro-area member, affects the strength and the institutional balance of the Union – a new situation that adds to the need for revision of the Treatiese vote of the United Kingdom to leave the EU does not represent all regions who voted; the majority decision to leave the EU must be respected, as must the wishes of the people in certain regions who voted to remain in the EU, stresses that the vote of the people in the north of Ireland and Scotland must be respected under the principle of consent;
Amendment 429 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Underlines the fact that, until the Treaties cease to apply to the United Kingdom, it will continue to participate in all decision-making of the Union throughout its institutions, with the exception of the negotiations and the agreement concerning its own withdrawal; considers that intermediate arrangements will need to be made concerning the UK’s participation in European decision- making, as it will be politically difficult to allow a Member State in the process of leaving to influence decisions affecting the Union of which it will soon cease to be a member;
Amendment 446 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Recognises the unique circumstances of the island of Ireland in the Brexit process and the potential threats to the Irish Peace Process; the EU must work with the Irish Government and the Northern Executive to avoid these threats by any means possible;
Amendment 455 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Is greatly concerned by the lack of economic reform and convergence inoss of competitiveness of the economies of many of its Member States; acknowledges that a loss of competiveness of the Eeconomic and Monetary Union (EMU) as well as thees of many of its Member States is a direct result of the austerity agenda that has emanated directly from Brussels; further acknowledges that poorly thought out trade agreements and a policy of deindustrialisation are also responsible for a loss of competitiveness of the economies of many of itssome Member States;
Amendment 478 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers that neither the Stability and Growth Pact nor the ‘no bail-out’ clause (Article 125 TFEU) provide the intended solutions, and that they have furthermore lost credibility in their current form, as the pact has been infringed by were administered in a draconian manner which only serveral Member States without political or legal consequences, while Greece has been bailed out on a large scaled the interests of the economies of some of the larger Member States and not the Member States who needed assistance; considers it shameful that some member States conspired to foist 42% of the total cost onf three occasionse European banking crisis upon Ireland;
Amendment 501 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Acknowledges the improvements brought by the European Semester, the six-pack and the two-pack aimed at addrEuropean Semester has put many Member Statess ing these issues, but concludes that they have not a fiscal ‘straight jacket’, and instead of solveding the problems; believes, moreover, that they hav it has in fact damaged the econtributed to making the system overly complex, are not binding with regard to country-specific recommendations and do not cover spill-over effects between one Member State and another, or to the euro area or the EU as a wholeomies of many Member States and hindered their ability to leverage through debt in a manner which is necessary to thereafter achieve growth;
Amendment 514 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is acutely aware of the need to review the efficacy of the many recent crisis-management measures taken by the EU, and to codify in primary law certain decision-making procedures – such as ‘reverse qualified majority voting’ – as well as the need to entrench the legal bases of the new regulatory framework for the financial sector; agrees with the Five Presidents’ Report that the ‘open method of coordination’ as the basis for Europe’s economic strategy does not function and needs to be elevated into binding legal acts;
Amendment 539 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Proposes therefore merging the deficit and debt procedures, the macroeconomic imbalance procedure and the country-specific recommendations into a single ‘convergence code’ of a legally binding nature, setting minimum and maximum standards, where onlyThe coordination of economic policies should never have become a ‘shared competence’ between the Union and the Member States, it should have remained the compliaetence with this code would allow access to EU funds for investment projects or participation in new instruments that combine economic reform with fiscal incentivof democratically elected government in Member States; taxation rates, including income and corporate tax rates, such as a fiscal capacity for the euro area or a common debt instrument; the coordination of economic policies as providehould always remain the competence of democratically elected governments in Member States; the Union and Member States should fwor in Article 5 TFEU would therefore become a ‘shak together to ensured competence’ between the Union and the Member Statesbating against tax avoidance and tax evasion;
Amendment 571 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
Amendment 580 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 605 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
Amendment 623 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Points out that, because compliance with the new code is crucial to the functioningstronger governmental institutions are not currently required or requested by a majority of Member States ofr the Economic and Monetary Union, stronger governmental institutions are required than those currently provided by the Commission and/or the Eurogroupir citizens, however, a broader dialogue is needed around the European Union institutions and the type of institutions that European citizens and member States wish to see;
Amendment 634 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 654 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 685 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 693 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
Amendment 740 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Notes that the Treaties provide ample means to set up a humane, well- functioning migration management system includBelieves in the parliamentary scrutiny of migration, asylum and refugee systems to ensure that they are humane and comply with all human rights laws and existing a European Border and Coast Guard; believes, however, that the Treaties, particularly Article 79(5) TFEU, are too restrictive regarding other aspects of migration, especially on the establishment of a genuine European legal migration system; insists that democratic scrutiny by Parliament is needed on the implementation of border control, asylum and migration policies, and that the safeguarding of national security cannot be used as a pretext to circumvent European actionlaw; believes that this humanitarian crisis can only be resolved with humanitarian solutions, including, but not limited to, safe passage for refugees, the proliferation of humanitarian visas, family and vulnerable persons relocation initiatives and collective European responsibility; notes that certain Member States which have seen a rise in far right political parties, xenophobia, and anti-immigrant sentiment are often the very states that have destabilised the countries which these refugees are coming from, either through military action or through the supply of arms and munitions to conflict areas;
Amendment 758 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Considers it necessary, in view of the intensity of the terrorist threat, to upgrade the EU’s capacities in the fight against terrorism and international organised crime; stresses that, beyond strengthening coordination between the competent authorities and agencies in the Member States, Europol and Eurojust must receive genuine investigation and prosecution competences and capabilitiesdefence to be a national, not an EU responsibility; Member States must retain the authority to decide whether they wish to involve themselves in a particular EU security initiative; the wishes of Member States, particularly those in neutral countries must be respected;
Amendment 772 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Regrets, as stated in its resolution of XXXXX on the improvement of the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treathat some Member States and MEPs as well as those in the Commission cannot accept that the Member States should retain the authority, that the EU has not made more progress in developing its capacity to agree and to implement a common foreign and security policy (CFSP); notes that its efforts in initiating a common security and defence policy have not been particularly successfulo decide whether they wish to involve themselves in particular EU security initiatives, and are instead engaged in a profoundly anti-European project of pressure, coercion, and fear mongering on the issue;
Amendment 777 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
Amendment 797 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses that for the UnionMember States to strengthen the defence of the EUir territory, as a pillar within NATO, which remains the cornerstone of the European security architecture, and to enable the Union to act autonomously in operations abroad, mainly with a view to stabilising its neighbourhood, the Treaties should provide for the possibility of establishing a European defence unionthere should be encouragement for cooperation and information sharing on criminals and criminality between Member States providing that data protection laws and the rights of individuals are respected;
Amendment 816 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Believes, finally, that it is essential that the restrictions in Article 24(1) TEU on the authorie best way to guarantee safety of the European Court of Justice in the field of CFSP be removed; calls, in the same spirit, for Parliament to gain greater powers of scrutiny and accountability over CFSP, including full co-decision powers over the budgetcitizens is for cooperation between member states police forces around information sharing on criminals and criminality, providing that data protection laws and the rights of individuals are respected;
Amendment 846 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Proposes transforming the Commission into the principle executive authority or government of the Union with the aim of strengthening the ‘Union method’, increasing transparency and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of action taken at the level of the European UnBelieves that the Commission suffers from a lack of democratic accountability in the eyes of European citizens; is further concerned that in the fallout the UK referendum, that in an attempt to ameliorate the situation in the remaining 27 Member States, an unwanted ‘vision’ for a federal Europe will be pushed by the EU institutions;
Amendment 859 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Reiterates its call for the size of the renewed Commission to be reduced substantially and for its vice-presidents to be reduced to two: the Finance Minister and the Foreign Minister; suggests that the same reduction be applied to the Court of Auditors;
Amendment 873 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
Amendment 918 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
Amendment 932 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
Amendment 968 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Recognises the significant role played by national parliaments in the constitutional order of the European Union, and in particular their role in transposing EU legislation into national law and the role they would play in both ex-ante and ex-post control of legislative decisions and policy choices made by their members of the new Council of States, including its specialised configurations; suggests therefore complementing and; suggests enhancing the powers of national parliaments by introducing a ‘green card’ procedure whereby national parliaments could submit legislative proposals to the Council for its consideration;
Amendment 993 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
Amendment 1000 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
Amendment 1020 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Believes, finally, that the current Treaty ratification procedure is too rigid to befit such a supranational polity as the European Unwhile rigid, is the best way for Treaty ratification; proposes allowing amendments to the Treaties to come into force if not by an EU-wide referendum then after being ratified by a qualified majority of four-fifths of thes; believes that if Member States, having obtained the consent of Parliament; correspondingly, once this threshold has been met, Member States which still decline to ratify the amended Treaty should decide, in accordance with their own constitutional requithrough the democratic will of its people choose not to ratify a Treaty, then that decision must be respected as that Treaty will have failed in one of its main responsibilities, to repremsents, whether to start the process of secession or to opt for an associate status the views of the citizens of Europe;
Amendment 1033 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Is of the opinion that the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome would be an appropriate moment to modernise the European Union and to start a Convention with the purpose of making the European Union ready for the decades aheadfit for purpose, currently and for the decades ahead; also sees this as an incredibly important time for the EU to address the many short fallings and irresponsible decisions which have created a never before seen disunity, mistrust, and bullying within the Union sees this as an opportunity to a social and caring Europe; hopes that this will also lead to a rejection of neoliberalism which has insidiously crept into the whole European project as well as EU institutions; further hopes that this ‘modernisation’ of the European Union will lead to an end to austerity and the repression of European citizens and democratically elected governments in the Member States;