70 Amendments of Beatrix von STORCH related to 2014/2248(INI)
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Believes that for the Union to meet the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy and to address current and new challenges effectively, it needs to be granted a budget that is commensurate with the mission it is called on to accomplish; considers that the number of tasks transferred to the Union is excessive; considers that the current level of the EU budget, which corresponds to 1 % of the EU-28 GDP, is not sufficientmuch too achieve these goalshigh and must be reduced;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is convinced that the EU budget needs toshould under no circumstances be endowed with a system of genuine own resources, with simplicity, fairness and transparency as guiding principles; considers that such a system should reduce the share of GNI contributions to the EU budget with a view to abandoning the ‘juste retour’ approach of Member States; insists, in this context, on the phasing-out of all forms of rebates; considers that the GNI contributions should be cut; insists, in this context, on gradual but drastic reduction of the EU budget;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital -A (new)
Recital -A (new)
-A. whereas the great diversity of the different national and regional traditions, both cultural and constitutional, belonging to all of the Member States of our continent;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines the need for the EU budget to be simple, clear and easily understood by EU citizens, and to be based on a structure that allows it to be compared and coordinated with national budgets; considers that these should be underpinning principles for both the expenditure and revenue sides ofemphasises, in particular, that the Member States should themselves designate the GNI contributions in the EUir budgets;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that the multiannual financial framework should not allow for maximumany flexibility sin order toce the respondse to crises cand evolving political priorities be triggered within the funds established for this purpose; stresses, in this context, the need to make available in the budgeensure that all extraordinary revenue resulting from decommitments under the EU budget or competition fines flows back to the Member States;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
Amendment 158 #
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 foreign and security policy (Article 24(1) TEU) and monetary and economic policy (Article 126(10) TFEU);
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas the decline of Europe’s defence capabilities has thankfully limited its ability to project stabilitywar, death, and destruction 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 responsibility; whereas this leads inevitably to the need for more intense 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 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q
Recital Q
Q. whereas clarifications are stillno longer needed as regards the European elections and on the matter of who leads the Union - namely, because only the Member States are legitimately in charge of the Union; whereas, despite the outcome of the 2014 European parliamentary elections having for the first time led directly to the nomination of the candidate for President of the Commission, a clear direct democratic link is still lacking, although the European Council has agreed to review the ‘Spitzenkandidat’ process in time for 201918; whereas, moreover, there is still confusion – not least among third parties – about the interrelationship of the Presidents of the Commission and the European Council; __________________ 18 EUCO conclusions of 27 June 2014.
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q
Recital Q
Q. whereas clarifications are still needed as regards the European elections and on the matter of who leads the Union; whereas, despite the outcome of the 2014 European parliamentary elections having for the first time led directly to the nomination of the candidate for President of the Commission, a clear direct democratic link is still lacking, although the European Council has agreed to review the so-called ‘Spitzenkandidat’ process used without any legal basis in 2014 in time for 201918; whereas, moreover, there is still confusion – not least among third parties – about the interrelationship of the Presidents of the Commission and the European Council; __________________ 18 EUCO conclusions of 27 June 2014.
Amendment 247 #
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 the Union; wherBrexit decision could at leas 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 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital T a (new)
Recital T a (new)
Ta. whereas the political elites have made an attempt to irreversibly develop the EU into a federation with the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992, and especially with its change to a ‘constitutional treaty’ at Lisbon in 2007 despite the referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005, and despite the fact that 7 Member States had to forego the referendum process;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital T b (new)
Recital T b (new)
Tb. whereas the vision of an ‘ever closer Union’ necessarily leads to the individual Member States and the people of said Member States to lose their national sovereignty in favour of the EU institutions;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Notes that only the national democracies, built by their nations through painful pasts, are able to offer their citizens the space for identity and safety which they need and want, and that only the national democracies can enable and adequately protect the greatest individual and collective liberties;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Notes that stable democratic nation states are the foundation of our peaceful world order and that international organisations with no national identity which depend on voluntary association can be of help in this regard;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the direction of the Union’s reform should lead it towards its modernisation by establishing new effective European capacities and instruments, rather than its renationalisation by means of greater intergovernmentalism;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
For a Europe of fatherlands, living together in friendship and neighbourliness
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that the fracturing process of ‘variable geometry’, which has found its way into the European decision-making process every time 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, complies with the ‘United in Diversity’ principle, because only intergovernmental methods do justice to the diversity of the Member States and make it possible for them to co-exist as good neighbours;
Amendment 348 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Notes that rule-of-law structures, economic prosperity and a stable, performance-focused social system fall within the national responsibility of the Member States;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Notes that policy in the Union is characterised by a creeping loss of democracy and that the Union has become an undemocratic construct, whose policy is shaped by bureaucracies without democratic controls; calls, therefore, for major reforms to the Union, so that the Member States can become the leading lights of freedom and democracy in the world once again;
Amendment 352 #
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 European interest, are taken into account; uUnderstands 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;
Amendment 361 #
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 European interest, are taken into account; 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 votingunanimity, and the Court of Justice oversees and provides ultimate judicial control;
Amendment 364 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls for a flexible network in which every Member State can participate as much as possible;
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers it essential in these circumstances to reaffirmconsider and reassess the mission of an ‘ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe’ (Article 1 TEU) 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 Unionake it possible for the Member States to guarantee the freedom and safety of their citizens, support their citizens’ well-being and contribute to a peaceful and prosperous Europe;
Amendment 377 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 427 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Notes that the appointment of Guy Verhofstadt MEP as ‘the European Parliament’s representative for the Brexit negotiations’ is the result of non- transparent backroom diplomacy within Parliament and was not decided in plenary;
Amendment 428 #
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 462 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Is greatly concerned by the lack of economic reform and convergence in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) as well as the loss of competitiveness of the economies of many of its Member States;
Amendment 491 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers that neitherRegrets that the Stability and Growth Pact nor theand ‘no bail-out’ clause (Article 125 TFEU) provide the intended solutions, and that they have furthermore lost credibility in their current form, ashave been persistently infringed and have thus lost credibility; the pact has been infringed by several Member States without political or legal consequences, while Greece has, in breach of the ‘no-bail-out clause’, been bailed out on a large scale on three occasions;
Amendment 496 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Acknowledges the improvements brought byat the European Semester, the six- pack and the two-pack aimed at addressing these issues, but concludes that they have not solved the problems; believes, moreover, that they have contributed to making the system overly complex, are not binding with regard to have brought no improvements, as they have been replaced by ineffective political 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 wholeol mechanisms through numerous weakened market control interventions;
Amendment 516 #
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 531 #
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 only compliance with this code would allow access to EU funds for investment projects or participation in new instruments that combine economic reform with fiscal incentives such as a fiscal capacity for the euro area or a common debt instrument; the coordination of economic policies as provided for in Article 5 TFEU would therefore become a ‘shared competence’ between the Union and the Member Statesintroducing an insolvency mechanism for the Member States of the Eurozone;
Amendment 548 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 565 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
Amendment 584 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls for the integration of the Fiscal Compact into the EU legal framework as well as the incorporation of the ESM and the Single Resolution Fund into EU law, with corresponding democratic oversight by Parliamentbe abolished;
Amendment 596 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
Amendment 615 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
Amendment 629 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 644 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
Amendment 677 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Considers it necessary to endowreinforce the European Central Bank with the status of lender of last resort enjoying the full powers of a federal reserve bank´s role in which it should not act as the lender of last resort in accord with its limited purpose and mission;
Amendment 678 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Considers it necessary, owing to the poor supervision of the ECB, which has gone beyond its mandate to set monetary policy multiple times, to introduce a mechanism which makes it possible for countries to withdraw from the Eurozone;
Amendment 680 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
Amendment 702 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls, finally, for the banking union to be completed as soon as possible on Notes that the banking union is a mistake, and that completing it will still not be able to prevent further basis of a fast-track timetablenking crises from occurring given the fact that the causes of the crisis lie in the failure of the euro itself;
Amendment 719 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
Amendment 734 #
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 including 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; iInsists 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 action;
Amendment 737 #
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 including 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 stresses that Article 79 should not expressly affect the right of the Member States to determine the volumes of admission of third-countrol, asylum and migration policies, and that the safeguarding of national security cannot be used as a pretext to circumvent European actiony nationals coming from third countries to their territory in order to seek work in accordance with Article 79(5) of the Treaty;
Amendment 741 #
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 including 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 action;
Amendment 756 #
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 of the Member States 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 capabilities must be strengthened;
Amendment 764 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Amendment 770 #
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 Treaty, 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 successfulNotes that efforts in initiating a common security and defence policy have not been particularly successful, and hence calls for jurisdiction over foreign policy to be devolved to the Member States;
Amendment 773 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Regrets, as stated in itslieved, in contrast to resolution of XXXXX on the improvement of the functioning of the European Union building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty, 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 successful;
Amendment 779 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Is of the opinion, while reiterating that more progress could and should be made under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty, including as regards use of the provisions to act by qualified majority voting, that the Vice-President / High Representative should be named EU Foreign Minister and be supported in her efforts to become the main external representative of the European Union in international fora, not least at the level of the UN; considers it essential that, owing to the broad and heavy workload, the Foreign Minister should be able to appoint political deputies; proposes a review of the functionality of the current European External Action Service;
Amendment 803 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses that for the Union to strengthen the defence of the EU 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 through non- intervention, the Treaties should provide forevent the possibility of establishing a European defence union;
Amendment 804 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses that for the Union to strengthen the defence of the EU territory, as a pillar within NATO, which remains the cornerstone of the European security architecture, and to enable the Union to act autonomousNATO shall also be the cornerstone of the international security architecture in future providing that NATO remains solely a defence union, and it calls on the Member States to strengthen the European section of the Atlantic alliance substantially inby operations abroad, mainly with a view to stabilising its neighbourhood, the Treaties should provide for the possibility of establishing a European defence uniontimising the military capabilities of the national armed forces of all the Member States in order to meet strategic and military requirements;
Amendment 811 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
Amendment 839 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
Amendment 866 #
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 871 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
Amendment 885 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37a. Notes that the procedure whereby European political parties promoted their top candidates for the 2014 European Parliament Elections neither had a solid political base, nor was it based on Community law, and as such should no longer be used in future;
Amendment 899 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Reiterates its call for a single seat for the European Parliament; proposes that Parliament and the Council each decide the location of their own seat after having obtained the consent of the other; further proposes that the seats of all the other EU institutions, agencies and bodies be determined by Parliament and the Council on a proposal by the European executive, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure; reiterates the fact that 13 EU institutions are based in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg;
Amendment 977 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
Amendment 990 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Insists that Parliament’s right of inquiry should be reinforced and be granted specific, genuine and clearly delimited powers which are more in line with its political stature and competences, including the right to summon witnesses, to have full access to documents, to conduct on-the-spot investigations and to impose sanctions for non-compliance;
Amendment 994 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Recalls its conviction that the financing of the EU budget should respect the letter and the spirit of the Treaty and return to a system of genuine, clear, simple and fair own resources; stresses that the reintroduction of such resources would put an end to the share of GNI- based contributions and thus lessen the burden on national treasuries; awaits with interest the proposals from the high-level group on own resources in this respect;
Amendment 1002 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Proposes in this regard that the decision-making procedures for both own resources and the MFF should be shifted from unanimity to qualified majority voting, thereby inducing real co-decision between the Council and Parliament on all budgetary mattersback to unanimity; repeats its call, furthermore, to make the MFF coterminous with the mandates of Parliament and the European executive, and insists that the finances of all Union agencies should become an integral part of the EU budget;
Amendment 1009 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52