68 Amendments of Laura AGEA related to 2018/0231(COD)
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The substantial body of Union legislation underpins the functioning of the internal market. This concerns, in particular, competitiveness, standardisation, conformity assessment, consumer protection, market surveillance and food chain regulation but also rules concerning business, trade and financial transactions and the promotion of fair competition providing for a level playing field essential for the functioning of the internal market.
Amendment 55 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Still, barriers to the proper functioning of the internal market remain and the new obstacles emerge. Adopting rules is only a first step, but making them work is as important. This is ultimately a matter of citizens'’ trust in the Union, in its capacity to deliver, and in its ability to create jobs and growthprosperity and quality jobs, while protecting the public interest. Or. it (Technical note: this amendment applies throughout the text. Adopting it will necessitate corresponding changes throughout.)
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) In order not to place further burdens on the budgets of the Member States, national contributions to the Union budget should be deducted from the deficit calculation. Furthermore, it is essential that the contributions of individual Member States to the financing of the Union budget for the period 2021- 2027 are not increased compared to the resources allocated in the 2014-2020 multiannual plan. Instead, the necessary resources should be found for the implementation of the programme through a thorough spending review, allowing actions to be taken to identify and rationalise expenditure and programmes that have had little benefit for citizens, so as to channel resources from inefficient sectors with no real added value towards efficient sectors.
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) It is therefore appropriate to establish a Programme for the internal market and for consumer protection, standardisation processes, product monitoring and safety, competitiveness of enterprises, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the protection of the health and safety of humans, animals and plants throughout the food chain, and European statistics (the '‘Programme'’). The Programme should be established for the duration of seven years from 2021 to 2027.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The Programme should support the design, implementation and enforcement of Union legislation underpinning the proper functioning of the internal market. The Programme should support the creation of the right conditions to empower all actors of the internal market: businesses, citizens including consumers, civil society and public authorities. To that end, the Programme should aim to ensure the competitiveness of businesses, notably SMEsmicro and SMEs, including those in the tourism sector, but also supporting the enforcement of consumer protection and safety rules and by raising the awareness of businesses and individuals by providing them with the right tools, knowledge and competence to make informed decisions and strengthen their participation in Union’s policy- making. Furthermore, the Programme should aim to enhance regulatory and administrative cooperation, notably through exchange of best practices, building of knowledge and competence bases, including the use of strategic public procurement. The Programme should also aim to support the development of high- quality international standards that underpin the implementation of Union legislation. This also includes standard setting in the field of financial reporting and audit, thereby contributing to the transparency and well-functioning of the Union’s capital markets and to enhancing investor protection. The Programme should support rulemaking and standard setting also by ensuring the broadest possible stakeholder involvement. The objective of the Programme should also be to support the implementation and enforcement of Union legislation providing for a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain and the improvement of the welfare of animals. (Technical note: this amendment applies throughout the text. Adopting it will necessitateOr. it corresponding changes throughout.)
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) A modern internal market promotes competition and benefits consumers, businesses and employees. Making better use of the ever evolving internal market in services should help European businesses create jobs and grow across borders, offer wider choice of services at better prices, and maintain high standards for consumers and workers. To achieve this, the Programme should contribute to the removal of remaining barriers, and to ensure a regulatory framework that can accommodate new innovative business models, including collaborative economy models, especially those with social objectives.
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Regulatory obstacles in the internal market have been removed for many industrial products through prevention mechanisms, the adoption of common rules and, where no such Union rules exist, through the principle of mutual recognition. In areas where no Union legislation exists, the principle of mutual recognition means that goods that are lawfully marketed in one Member State enjoy the right to free movement and can be sold in another Member State, always in accordance with the highest European standards and the precautionary principle. However, inadequate application of mutual recognition makes it harder for companies to access markets in other Member States. Despite the high degree of market integration in the area of goods, this leads to lost opportunities for the economy at large. The Programme should therefore aim to improve the application of mutual recognition in the area of goods and to reduce the number of illegal and non- compliant goods entering the market. by strengthening market surveillance and implementing specific provisions on product traceability, so as to identify the country in which they were manufactured and to contribute to the fight against fraud. To ensure that only safe and compliant goods are available in the internal market, it is essential to train staff in online investigations, create points of contact for cooperation with major sales and social media platforms, and cooperate with payment service providers.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) New regulatory and enforcement challenges relate to a rapidly changing environment of the digital revolution, concerning issues such as cybersecurity, data protection and privacy, internet of things or artificial intelligence. Should damage occur, stringent rules on product safety and liability are essential to ensure a policy response that allows European citizens, including consumers and businesses, to benefit from such rules. The Programme should therefore contribute to the rapid adaptation and enforcement of a Union product liability regime which fosters innovation.
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Placing on the market of products that are not compliant with Union law puts those who comply at disadvantage and may endanger consumers. Many entrepreneurs disregard the rules either through lack of knowledge or intentionally to gain a competitive advantage. Market surveillance authorities are often underfunded and constrained by national boundaries, while entrepreneurs trade at Union or even global level. In particular, in the case of e-commerce, market surveillance authorities have great difficulties in tracing non-compliant products imported from third countries and identifying the responsible entity within their jurisdiction. The Programme should therefore seek to strengthen product compliance by providing the right incentives to entrepreneurs, intensifying compliance checks and promoting closer cross-border cooperation among enforcement authorities, including through spot checks, which should include anonymous checks by market surveillance authorities, imposing effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties, and promoting closer cross-border cooperation among enforcement authorities following a risk-based approach and taking the precautionary principle into account. The Programme should also contribute to the consolidation of the existing framework for market surveillance activities, encourage joint actions of market surveillance authorities from different Member States, improve the exchange of information and promote convergence and closer integration of market surveillance activities, insuring the implementation of rules in specific sectors of particular concern to consumers, such as type approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Product safety is a common concern. The conformity assessment bodies verify whether products meet the safety requirements before they are placed on the market. It is therefore of paramount importance that the conformity assessment bodies are reliable and competent. The Union has put in place a system of accreditation of the conformity assessment bodies, verifying their competence, impartiality and independence. The main challenge is now to keep the accreditation system in line with the latest state of the art and to ensure that it is applied with the same stringency across the Union. The Programme should therefore support measures to ensure that conformity assessment bodies continue fulfilling the regulatory requirements and to enhance the European accreditation system, in particular in new policy areas, by supporting the uniformity of checks and sanctions, as well as the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA) referred to in Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council48 and by supporting the creation of a European database of defective products and related accidents.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) As consumer markets know no borders with the development of online trade and travel services, it is important to ensure that consumers residing in the Union can benefit from adequatethe same level of protection when importing goods and services from economic operators based in third countries, compared to the goods and services offered by operators located within the internal market. The Programme should therefore allow supporting cooperation with relevant bodies located in key trading third country partners of the Union where necessary.
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Public procurement is used by public authorities to ensure value for public money spent and to contribute to a more innovative, sustainable, inclusive and competitive internal market. Directive 2014/23/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council49, Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council50 and Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council51 provide the legal framework for the integration and effective functioning of the public procurement markets representing 14 % of Union’s gross domestic product, to the benefit of public authorities, businesses as well as citizens, including consumers. The Programme should therefore support measures to ensure a wider uptake of strategic public procurement, the professionalisation of public buyers, improved access to procurement markets for SMEs, facilitate the division of tenders into lots for large infrastructure works and ensure that the practice of maximum reductions is eliminated and that the most economically advantageous tender is respected in award procedures, so as to take due account of qualitative elements such as environmental considerations, social factors and innovation. The Programme should also aim to ensure increase of transparency, integrity and better data, boosting the digital transformation of procurement and promotion of joint procurement, through strengthening a partnership approach with the Member States, improving data gathering and data analysis including through development of dedicated IT tools, supporting exchange of experiences and good practices, providing guidance, pursuing beneficial trade agreements, strengthening cooperation among national authorities and launching pilot projects.
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) In order to meet the objectives of the Programme and to facilitate the lives of citizens and businesses, high-quality user- centric public services need to be put in placethat are increasingly digitally orientated and fully accessible need to be put in place, in accordance with Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies. This implies that public administrations will need to start working in new ways, bring down silos between the different parts of their administrations, and to engage in the co-creation of these public services with citizens and businesses. Moreover, tIn addition, it is essential to introduce an effective system for evaluating the performance of public administration as a whole and of its staff and management, also by involving users. The continuous and steady increase of cross-border activities in the internal market requires provision of up-to- date information on the rights of businesses and citizens, but also information explainadministrative formalities to be completed, as well as on the rights of businesses and citizens, including the rights of businesses with respect to creditors in the event of late payment and the rights of citizens ing the administrative formalitiesevent of the purchase of unsafe or non-compliant products, as well as their right to take part in a class action. In addition, provision of legal advice and helping to solve problems which occur at cross national level becomes essential. Furthermore, connecting national administrations in a simple and efficient manner as well as evaluating how the internal market works on the ground is necessary. The Programme should therefore support the following existing internal market governance tools: the Your Europe Portal which should be a backbone of the upcoming Single Digital Gateway, Your Europe Advice, SOLVIT, the Internal Market Information system and the Single Market Scoreboard in order to improve citizens' daily lives and businesses' ability to trade across borders.
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) The Programme should also promote the correct and full implementation and application of the Union legal framework for combating corruption, anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing by the Member States and the development of future policies to address new challenges in the field. It should also support the relevant activities of the international organisations of European interest, such as the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism of the Council of Europe.
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) Many of the Union's competitiveness problems involve SMEs' difficulties in obtaining access to finance because they struggle to demonstrate their credit-worthiness and have insufficient collateral. It is therefore essential to support programmes that aim to reduce payment delays, so as to support the development of businesses, particularly SMEs. Additional financing challenges arise from SMEs' need to stay competitive by engaging e.g. in digitization, internationalization and innovation activities and skilling up their workforce. Limited access to finance has a negative effect on businesses creation, growth and survival rates, as well as on the readiness of new entrepreneurs to take over viable companies in the context of a business succession.
Amendment 110 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24 a (new)
Recital 24 a (new)
(24a) In the application of this Regulation, the Commission should consult all relevant stakeholders, including public and private organisations representing SMEs. Particular attention should be paid to micro enterprises, enterprises engaged in craft activities, the self-employed, the liberal professions and social enterprises. Attention should also be paid to young entrepreneurs and female entrepreneurs, as well as to entrepreneurs belonging to socially disadvantaged or vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and the elderly.
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) The policy objectives of this Programme will be also addressed through financial instruments and budgetary guarantee under the SME window of the InvestEU Fund, provided that overly risky operations are avoided. Financial support should be used to address market failures or sub- optimal investment situations, in a proportionate manner and actions should not duplicate or crowd out private financing or distort competition in the internal market. Actions should have a clear European added value.
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Programme should provide effective support for SMEs, including those in the tourism sector, throughout their life-cycle. It should build on the unique knowledge and expertise developed with regard to SMEs and industrial sectors and on a long experience in working with European, national and regional stakeholders. This support should build on the successful experience of the Enterprise Europe Network as a one-stop-shop to improve SMEs competitiveness and develop their business in the Single Market and beyond. The Network plans to continue delivering services on behalf of other Union programmes, notably for the Horizon2020 programme, using the financial resources of these programmes. Also the mentoring scheErasmus programme for newyoung entrepreneurs should remain the tool to enable new or aspiring entrepreneurs to gain business experience by matching with an experienced entrepreneur from another country and thus allow strengthening entrepreneurial talents. The Programme should further strive to grow and extend its geographical coverage and thus offer wider range of matching possibilities to entrepreneurs in complementarity with other Union initiatives where relevant, and should be able to respond to new challenges for SMEs in the single market, such as those posed by digitalisation.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Clusters are a strategic tool for supporting the competitiveness and scaling-up of SMEs as they offer favourable business environments. Joint Cluster Initiatives should achieve critical mass to accelerate the growth of SMEs. By connecting specialised eco-systems, clusters create new business opportunities for SMEs and integrate them better in European and global strategic value chains. Support should be provided for the development of transnational partnership strategies and the implementation of joint activities, supported by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform. Sustainable partnering should be encouraged with continuation funding if performance and participation milestones are reached. Direct support to SMEs should be channelled through cluster organisations for the following: uptake of advanced technologies, new business models, low- carbon and resource-efficient solutions, in order to facilitate the transition to a zero- carbon economy by 2050, creativity and design, skills upgrading, talent attraction, entrepreneurship acceleration, and internationalisation. Other specialised SME support actors should be associated to facilitate industrial transformation and implementations of smart specialisation strategies. The Programme should thus contribute to growth and build linkages with the Union's (digital) innovation hubs and investments made under Cohesion Policy and Horizon Europe. Synergies with the Erasmus programme can also be explored.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) Creativity and innovation are crucial for the competitiveness of the Union's industrial value chains. They represent catalysts for industrial modernisation and contribute to smart, inclusive sustainable growth. However, uptake by SMEs is still lagging behind. The Programme should therefore support targeted actions, networks and partnerships for creativity-driven innovationinnovation based on digital innovation and creativity throughout the societal and industrial value chain.
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32
Recital 32
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) The Union contributes to ensuring a high level of consumer protection, empowering consumers and putting them at the heart of the internal market by supporting and complementing Member States’ policies in seeking to ensure that citizens when acting as consumers and prosumers can fully reap the benefits of the internal market and that, in so doing, their safety and legal and economic interests are properly protected by means of concrete actions. The Union has also to ensure that consumer and product safety laws are properly and equally enforced on the ground and that businesses enjoy a level playing field with fair competition in the internal market. Moreover, it is necessary to empower, encourage and assist consumers in making sustainable choices, thus contributing to a sustainable, energy and resource efficient and circular economy.
Amendment 125 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37
Recital 37
(37) The Programme should aim to raise the awareness of consumers, businesses, civil society and authorities on Union consumer and safety laws and to empower consumers and their representative organisations at national level and at the Union level notably by supporting the Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC) which is the long established and recognised NGO representing consumer interests in relation to all relevant Union policies, and the European Association for the Co- ordination of Consumer Representation in Standardisation (ANEC) which represents consumers interest in relation to standardisation issues. In doing so, particular attention should be given to new market needs regarding the promotion of sustainable consumption and the prevention of vulnerabilities as well as challenges created by the digitisation of the economy or the development of new consumption patterns and business models, such as the collaborative economy and social entrepreneurship. The Programme should support the development of relevant and exhaustive information on markets, policy challenges, emerging issues and behaviours, and the publication of the Union consumer scoreboards.
Amendment 127 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 38
Recital 38
(38) The Programme should support national competent authorities, including those responsible for monitoring product safety, who cooperate notably via the Union’s rapid alert system for dangerous products. It should also support the enforcement of Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council58 and Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 regarding consumer protection and product safety, and the Consumer Protection Cooperation network and international cooperation between the relevant authorities in third countries and in the Union. The Programme should also aim to ensure access for all consumers and traderpromote information campaigns for consumer rights, in particular in cases of involving the purchase of products and services and in cases of fraud and unfair commercial practices, and should aim to ensure access for all consumers and traders to the process for participating in a class action, as well as to quality out of court dispute resolution and online dispute resolution and information on redress possibilities.
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 40
Recital 40
(40) The fitness check of Union consumer and marketing law carried out by the Commission in May 2017 exposed the need to better enforce rules and facilitate redress when consumers have been harmed by breaches to consumer laws. As a result the Commission adopted a "New Deal for Consumers" in April 2018 to ensure, inter alia, the equal treatment of consumers across the internal market in relation to dual quality standards, stronger enforcement capacities of Member States, enhanced product safety, including through effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions, increased international cooperation and new possibilities for redress notably through representative actions by qualified entities, and to bring standards up to date with the digital age by requiring platforms where products and services are sold or traded to be much more transparent to users about a range of key data. The Programme should aim to support consumer policy with awareness raising and knowledge building, capacity building and exchange of best practices of the consumer organisations and consumer protection authorities, networking and development of market intelligence, strengthening the evidence base on the functioning of the internal market for consumers, IT systems and communication tools, inter alia.
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 41
Recital 41
(41) Citizens are particularly affected by the functioning of financial services markets. These are a key component of the internal market and require a solid framework for regulation and supervision which ensures not only financial stability and a sustainable economy, but also provides a high level of protection to consumers and other financial services end users, including retail investors, savers, insurance policyholders, pension fund members and beneficiaries, individual shareholders, borrowers and SMEs. It is important to enhance their capacity to participate in policy making for the financial sector and to understand its development.
Amendment 136 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 45
Recital 45
(45) The general objective of Union law in the food chain area is to contribute to a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain, to support the improvement of the welfare of animals, to contribute to a high level of protection and information for consumers and a high level of protection of the environment, including the preservation of biodiversity, while improving the sustainability of European food and feed productions, increasing quality standards across the Union, enhancing the competitiveness and the quality of the products of the Union food and feed industry and favouring the creation of jobs.
Amendment 141 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) Official controls carried out by the Member States are an essential tool for verifying and monitoring that relevant Union requirements are being implemented, complied with and enforced. The effectiveness and efficiency of official control systems is vital for maintaining a high level of safety for humans, animals and plants along the food chain whilst ensuring a high level of protection of the environment and of animal welfare, including upstream of industrial processes, while monitoring and minimising the impact of environmental determinants on human health, animal health and the food chain. Union financial support should be made available for such control measures. In particular, a financial contribution should be available to Union reference laboratories in order to help them bear the costs arising from the implementation of work programmes approved by the Commission. Moreover, since the effectiveness of official controls also depends on the availability to the control authorities of well trained staff with an appropriate knowledge of Union law, the Union should be able to contribute to their training and relevant exchange programmes organised by competent authorities.
Amendment 144 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 55
Recital 55
(55) The Agreement on the European Economic Area provides for cooperation in the fields subject to the Programme between the Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and the countries of the European Free Trade Association participating in the European Economic Area, on the other. Provision should also be made to open the Programme to participation by other countries, including the neighbouring countries of the Union and countries which are applying for, are candidates for or are acceding to, membership of the Union, provided that they respect the principles and the values contained in the Union Treaties. In addition, in the field of European statistics, the Programme should be open to Switzerland in accordance with the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on cooperation in the field of statistics64.
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 70
Recital 70
(70) Finally, food chain actions such as veterinary and phytosanitary measures in case of animal and plant health crises could be complemented by market based interventions from the Union’s Common Agriculture Policy programming established by Regulation (EU) […] of the European Parliament and of the Council78, as well as by measures to monitor and address the level of environmental determinants.
Amendment 151 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 74
Recital 74
(74) To ensure regular monitoring and reporting, a proper framework for monitoring the actions and results of the Programme should be put in place from the very beginning, including through the committees dealing with the individual work programmes. Such monitoring and reporting should be based on indicators, measuring the effects of the actions under the Programme against pre-defined baselines.
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 81
Recital 81
(81) Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council90 governs the processing of personal data carried out in the Member States in the context of this Regulation and under the supervision of the Member States competent authorities. Regulation (EC) 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council91 governs the processing of personal data carried out by the Commission within the framework of this Regulation and under the supervision of the European Data Protection Supervisor. Any exchange or transmission of information by competent authorities is to comply with the rules on the transfer of personal data as laid down in Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and in Regulation XXX [Regulation on privacy and electronic communications] and any exchange or transmission of information by the Commission is to comply with the rules on the transfer of personal data as laid down in Regulation (EC) No 45/2001.
Amendment 162 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
This Regulation establishes the programme for improving the functioning of the internal market and the competitiveness of enterprises, including particular micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including those in the tourism sector, and the framework for financing of development, production and dissemination of European statistics within the meaning of Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 (the 'Programme').
Amendment 168 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) to improve the functioning of the internal market, and especially to protect and empower citizens, consumers and businesses, in particular micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), by enforcement of Union law, facilitation of market access, promoting a level playing field through fair competition between enterprises, standard setting, and by promoting human, animal and plant health and animal welfare; as well as to enhance cooperation between the competent authorities of Member States and between the competent authorities of Member States and the Commission and the decentralised Union agencies;
Amendment 170 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) to provide high-quality, comparable and reliable statistics on the European Union which underpin the design, monitoring and evaluation of all the Union policies and help policy makers, businesses, academia, citizens and media to make rapid and informed decisions and actively participate in the democratic process.
Amendment 174 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) making the internal market more effective, facilitating the prevention andof market disparities which create inequalities between companies and damage competition, promoting the removal of obstacles, supporting the development, implementation and enforcement of the Union law in the areas of the internal market for goods and services, public procurement, market surveillance as well as in the areas of company law and contract and extra- contractual law, anti-money laundering, free movement of capital, financial services and competition, including the development of governance tools, promoting market surveillance, implementing specific provisions on product traceability so as to identify the country in which they were manufactured and contributing to the fight against fraud;
Amendment 179 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) improving the competitiveness of enterprises with special emphasis on SMEs, including those in the tourism sector, and achieving additionality through the provision of measures that provide various forms of support to SMEs, access to markets including the internationalisation of SMEs, favourable business environment for SMEs, the competitiveness of sectors, the modernisation of industry and the promotion of entrepreneurship;
Amendment 184 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point i
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point i
(i) empowering, assisting and educating consumers, businesses and civil society; ensuring a high level of consumer protection, especially for the most vulnerable consumers, sustainable consumption and product safety and healthiness, notably by supporting competent enforcement authorities and consumer representative organisations and cooperation actions, both between Member States and with third countries, in order to combat fraud more effectively, particularly in the online sales sector, by implementing specific provisions on product traceability, so as to identify their country of origin and increase consumer confidence in digital transactions; ensuring that all consumers have access to redress and; provision of adequate information on markets and consumers; must also be ensured;
Amendment 186 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point ii
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point d – point ii
(ii) enhancing the participation of consumers, other financial services end- users and civil society in financial services policy-making; promoting a better understanding ofand a secure use of the opportunities given by the financial sector;
Amendment 190 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) contributing to a high level of health and safety for humans, animals and plants along the food chain and in related areas, including by preventing and eradicating diseases and pests, and to support the improvement of the welfare of animals as well as a sustainable food production and consumption, including through monitoring and addressing environmental determinants;
Amendment 199 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
6. Resources allocated to Member States under shared management may, at their request, be transferred to the Programme. The Commission shall implement those resources directly in accordance with point (a) of Article 62(1) of the Financial Regulation or indirectly in accordance with point (c) of that Article. Where possible tThose resources shall be used for the benefit of the Member State concerned.
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) The programme shall be open to countries described by points (b), (c) and (d) provided that the principles and rights enshrined in the European treaties and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union are respected.
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) creation of the right conditions to empower all actors of the internal market, including businesses, citizens and con, consumers, prosumers, civil society and public authorities through transparent information and awareness raising campaigns, best practice exchange, promotion of good practices, exchange and dissemination of expertise and knowledge and organization of trainings;
Amendment 211 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) support for the effective enforcement and modernisation of the Union legal framework and its rapid adaptation to the ever-changing environment, including through data gathering and analyses; studies, evaluations and policy recommendations; organization of demonstration activities and pilot projects; promoting digital literacy among citizens and companies; communication activities; development of dedicated IT tools ensuring transparent, fair and efficient functioning of the internal market, including through the efforts to combat fraud, particularly in online markets, by implementing specific provisions on product traceability.
Amendment 214 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) promotion of information campaigns for consumer rights, in particular in cases of involving the purchase of products and services and in cases of fraud and unfair commercial practices; facilitation of the process participating in a class action and access to quick and efficient out-of-court dispute resolution.
Amendment 216 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point d
(d) facilitating the growth of businesses, including skills development, especially digital skills, and industrial transformation across manufacturing and service sectors, including the tourism sector;
Amendment 217 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point e
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point e
(e) supporting the competitiveness of enterprises and whole sectors of the economy, and supporting SMEs' uptake of innovation, with a particular focus on collaborative economy models, including social entrepreneurship and e-commerce models, and value chain collaboration through strategically connecting ecosystems and clusters, including the joint cluster initiative;
Amendment 218 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point f
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point f
(f) fostering an entrepreneurial business environment and entrepreneurial culture, including the mentoring scheErasmus programme for newyoung entrepreneurs and supporting start- ups, business sustainability and scale- ups.
Amendment 220 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point f a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 3 – point f a (new)
(fa) supporting programmes that aim to reduce payment delays, so as to encourage the development of European businesses, particularly SMEs.
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point g – point i
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point g – point i
(i) the competent authorities of the Member States and their affiliated entities, including environmental protection authorities, the European Union Reference Laboratories and the European Union Reference Centres referred to in Articles 92, 95 and 97 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council98 and international organisations;
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – title
Article 11 – title
11 Evaluation and award criteriacommittees
Amendment 237 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1
Article 16 – paragraph 1
1. The Programme shall be implemented by work programme(s) referred to in Article 110 of the Financial Regulation. Work programmes shall set out, where applicable, the overall amount reserved for blending operations. The work programmes shall be drawn up by the specific reference committees, bringing together experts from the Member States and acting in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 and established by the individual basic acts. They shall set out in detail a description of the actions to be financed, the objectives of those actions and the amount allocated to each action. The programmes shall also set out the method and timing of implementation of each action and the indicators that will be used to monitor the actual correspondence with the expected results.
Amendment 245 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2
2. The interim evaluation of the Programme shall be performedcarried out once there is sufficient information available about the implementation of the Programme, but no later than fourthree years after the start of the Pprogramme implementation.
Amendment 246 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 18 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2a The Commission shall monitor the implementation and management of each work programme on an annual basis and shall publish on its web portal a report on the actual implementation of the supported actions, including an assessment of the costs and benefits of the individual actions.
Amendment 249 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 6
Article 18 – paragraph 6
6. The Commission shall communicate and publish on its online portal the conclusions of the evaluations accompanied by its observations, to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
Amendment 259 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1
Article 21 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Healthin each work programme by the specific reference committees established by Article 58 of Regulation (ECU) No 1782/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council99. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/201111 and established by the individual basic acts.
Amendment 262 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
1. The recipients of Union funding shall operate in a transparent manner, acknowledge the origin and ensure the visibility of the Union funding (in particular when promoting the actions and their results), by providing coherent, effective and proportionate targeted information to multiple audiences, including the media and the public.
Amendment 265 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point 1.3 – point 1.3.1
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point 1.3 – point 1.3.1
1.3.1. Protection measures taken in the case of a direct threat to the health status of the Union as a result of the occurrence or development, in the territory of a third country, a Member State or an OCT, of one of the animal diseases and zoonoses listed in Annex III as well as protection measures, or other relevant activities, taken in support of the plant health status of the Union, such as the adoption of multiannual plans based on best agronomic practices;
Amendment 266 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point 1.3 – point 1.3.4 a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point 1.3 – point 1.3.4 a (new)
1.3.4a measures to combat epidemic and environmental emergencies resulting from the harmful impact of environmental determinants.
Amendment 267 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point 2.3 – point b a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point 2.3 – point b a (new)
(ba) investigations for specific periods of time with the aim of monitoring and counteracting the level of environmental determinants in situations of threat to the food supply chain;
Amendment 268 #
(ea) additional protection measures to limit the spread of environmental determinants that have not yet been eradicated to other areas;
Amendment 270 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 7
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 7
7. Activities supporting a sustainable food production and consumption, in particular at local level.
Amendment 271 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – indent 1
Annex II – indent 1
– providing high-quality statistics and disaggregated data underpinning the Excessive Deficit Procedure, Reform Support Programme and the Union'’s annual cycle of economic monitoring and guidance;
Amendment 272 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – indent 2
Annex II – indent 2
– providing and where necessary, enhancing the Principal European Economic Indicators (PEEIs), also including data for monitoring the Social Progress Index and of the Genuine Progress Indicator;
Amendment 273 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – indent 8
Annex II – indent 8
– providing high quality, timely and reliable statistics to support the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Union Skills Policy, including statistics on the labour market, and employment, with disaggregated data for precarious contracts and good quality jobs, statistics on education and training, income, living conditions, poverty, inequality, social protection, undeclared work and satellite accounts on skills;
Amendment 274 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – indent 15
Annex II – indent 15
– providing key environmental statistics and indicators including on waste, water, biodiversity, forests, land use and land cover and environmental determinants, as well as climate-related statistics and environmental economic accounts, with particular focus on climate change, the Paris Agreement, the ‘energy efficiency first’ principle and the transition to a carbon neutral economy by 2050;
Amendment 276 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex II – indent 19
Annex II – indent 19
– providing timely, disaggregated and comprehensive statistical indicators on regions, including the Union outermost regions, cities and rural areas to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of territorial development policies, including technical assistance, and to evaluate the territorial impacts of sectoral policies;
Amendment 277 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex III – point 29 a (new)
Annex III – point 29 a (new)
(29a) Borreliosis infection [Lyme disease]