Activities of Joachim SCHUSTER related to 2020/2075(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Review of the macroeconomic legislative framework (debate)
Amendments (55)
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas the challenge of the dual transformation (climate protection and digitalisation) requires additional annual public investment in the three digit billion range, which cannot be provided for under current fiscal policy; whereas in both public and private sector investment was already clearly insufficient before the crisis, despite historically low interest rates;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas national expansionary fiscal policies have both negative externalities due to an increased bail-out risk for other EU countries and positive externalities due to an increase in total demand In neighbouring countries; whereas this implies that fiscal policy could be too timid compared to the optimum outcome;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A (new)
Recital A (new)
A. whereas the EU has committed to climate neutrality by 2050 and it is the ECB’s mission to help achieve it ; Whereas the missions of the ECB are not limited to price stability but also include the safety and soundness of the banking system and the stability of the financial system;
Amendment 24 #
A. whereas over the past 30 years the economic governance framework has undergone a number of changes to resolve its design and implementation flaws and adapt it to new economic challenges;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C (new)
Recital C (new)
C. whereas in 2015 the European Commission (EC) adopted guidance on the best use of the flexibility in the rules of the SGP strengthening the link between structural reforms, investment and fiscal responsibility;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D (new)
Recital D (new)
D. whereas the current governance framework presents conceptual and practical weaknesses that lead to rules overly complex, weak enforcement, lack of ownership and of incentives to pursue symmetrical counter-cyclical policies and it did not succeed to reduce divergences between in the EU nor to protect or stimulate growth enhancing public investment;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E (new)
Recital E (new)
E. whereas gross public investment was severely cut following the financial and sovereign debt crisis, and in many Member States net public investment is even negative implying that the current fiscal framework leads to too recessive consolidation measures and facilitates the decline of public investment during the periods of fiscal consolidation;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F (new)
Recital F (new)
F. whereas there are significant investment funding gaps that should be addressed: €470 billion a year until 2030 to meet EU environmental objectives 20a; €142billion a year for social infrastructure such as hospitals or schools 21a ; along with €190 billion a year to stabilise the stock of public capital 22a; _________________ 20aEuropean Commission, “SWD(2020) 98 final - Identifying Europe’s recovery needs”, 27.5.2020, p.14-16. 21aThis estimation only cover health and long-term care (EUR 70 billion), education and life-long learnings (EUR 15 billion) and affordable housing (EUR 57 billion). Source: FRANSEN, L., BUFALO, G., REVIGLIO, E., “Boosting Investment in Social Infrastructure in Europe - Report of the High-Level Task Force on Financing Social Infrastructure in Europe”, 2018, 116p. 22aEuropean Commission, “SWD(2020) 98 final - Identifying Europe’s recovery needs”, 27.5.2020, p. 18-20
Amendment 30 #
G. whereas in 2020, the European Commission started a public consultation on the review of effectiveness of economic governance framework which was disrupted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H (new)
Recital H (new)
H. whereas the pandemic is causing an unprecedented exogenous shock with large asymmetric impacts, weighting negatively on the EU economic outlook and enlarging divergences between Member States;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I (new)
Recital I (new)
I. whereas the pandemic has amplified pre-existing inequalities and poverty and has demonstrated the importance of European social model and its existing social safety nets;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K (new)
Recital K (new)
K. whereas the discretionary fiscal support differed in size and composition across Member States with a clear positive correlation between fiscal space and the size of policy response leading to an asymmetric response, creating risks of an unequal level playing field in the internal market and further differentiate the speed of recovery;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L (new)
Recital L (new)
L. whereas public debt levels at the beginning of the pandemic were high, the unprecedented economic recession, the unprecedented national fiscal measures taken in response to the pandemic and the need to support a sustainable and inclusive recovery will impact public finances pushing EU debt-to-GDP to a new peak above 100% of GDP;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M (new)
Recital M (new)
M. whereas environmental 25a and social sustainability are interconnected with long-term fiscal sustainability; _________________ 25aExtreme disaster tend to lower economic output (Botzen, Deschenes and Sanders, 2019); IMF forecasts that major weather-related disasters could have a negative impact in real GDP per capita and countries that are better equipped to address major natural disasters could more easily cushion the impact.
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N (new)
Recital N (new)
N. whereas the crisis response of the EU 26a has strengthened the EMU and, so far, succeeded to create trust and confidence, tame financial markets volatility; underlines for this effect the importance of the issuance of EU bonds; _________________ 26a Through in particular the Recovery Package and the SURE instrument.
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission communication of 3 March 2021 entitled ‘One year since the outbreak of COVID- 19: fiscal policy response’ and takes note of the proposed conditions for deactivating the general escape clause (GEC); highlights that deactivation of the GEC should be conditional upon the health, social and economic situation across Member States in order to ensure that fiscal support is provided for as long as needed; Recalls that a continued strong fiscal stimulus is needed to support recovery;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Calls for fiscal policy to enhance the capacity of our economies, not to hold them back. Stresses that the fiscal framework must support the objectives of full employment and environmental protection set out in the EU Treaty;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Supports policies that are tailored to the stage of the pandemic, the path to the economic recovery and to countries´ individual circumstances;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Stresses the importance to continue to fight the pandemic, to limit the long-term impact of the crisis and to secure the recovery by prioritising health spending together with fiscal support to affected households and firms; considers that, at this stage, too little support would lead to a weak recovery with risks of permanent damages to the society and the economy;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Member States to embed the high-quality fiscal support in credible medium-term frameworks, to ensure where expansionary fiscal measures are needed, these are supported by growth and inclusive measures bearing in mind that emergency measures are temporary, limited and targeted; calls on the Member States to monitor fiscal risks, namely contingent liabilities, as appropriate for instance guarantee programmes, as appropriate; notes that such good public financial management practices would improve transparency and accountability;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Points out that for as long as differences in the pace of recovery are economically significant, fiscal policy should limit the scarring and reduce inequalities by supporting those segments of the economy and society that are at a higher risk of divergence; notes that income inequalities are likely to increase notably within young workers, women and low-skilled workers;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the policy response of governments aimed at avoiding a sharp increase in corporate insolvencies and unemployment; warns that an abrupt and uncoordinated withdrawal of support measures could lead to financial distress and recommends that more general support is replaced gradually by more targeted schemes including solvency measures; further recommends fiscal measures to facilitate job creation and reallocation namely through retraining and reskilling programmes, together with income support as needed;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Reiterates the IMF call to consider a temporary COVID-19 recovery contribution levied on high incomes or wealth as well as the need to implement domestic and international tax reforms;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Recalls the importance of the swift, responsible and efficient implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility to address the EU´s long term challenges by focusing on building a resilient, inclusive and greener economy, by supporting the recovery and by boosting productivity and investment;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
Paragraph 7 c (new)
7c. Highlights that monetary policy has been carrying the main burden of stabilisation in the past years and crisis; notes that the crisis caused by the pandemic showed that monetary policy is not enough for stabilisation purposes and fiscal policy should play an increasing role;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses that national fiscal policies, together with Community policies, will be decisive in achieving the social, carbon neutrality and environmental protection objectives, in particular those relating to biodiversity; to this end, national budgetary policies, public spending and taxation, must support public policies in the key sectors of the transition, namely renewable energies, mobility and freight, thermal insulation of buildings, agriculture, the circular economy, and the industrial sectors that emit the most greenhouse gases;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls for an appropriate fiscal and monetary policy mix that works together towards achieving the EU’s objectives; considers a credible fiscal framework a necessary requirement for a strong and mutually supporting coordination of fiscal and monetary policies, to avoid that pro- cyclical policies will counteract the stimulus of the recovery programme and in order to ensure improved and transparent governance;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Notes that some Member States will have, also as result of the pandemic, significantly higher debt levels than 60% of their GDP, and that meeting the commitment enshrined in the Stability and Growth Pact to reduce their debt to the level of 60% of GDP within 20 years would result in an irresponsible worsening of the economic crisis in these countries; considers that for the highly indebted countries it is insufficient to extend the adjustment period, because in this case, the economic crisis is likely to worsen and be prolonged;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Calls for a permanent suspension of the debt target of 60% of GDP and for a distinction to be made in the fiscal policy framework between rules on old debt and rules on new debt; in this context, calls on the Commission to submit a separate proposal on how to proceed with old debt;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses that debt service costs are expected to remain low for the foreseeable future thanks to a large share of debt burden covered by long maturities and sometimes negative yielding bonds, and primary deficits are likely to be offset by favourable interest-growth differentials; further considers that as long as the differentials are negative it is possiblewill ensure the ability to sustain and progressively reduce high debt levels;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses that debt service costs are expected to remain low for the foreseeable future and primary deficits are likely to be offset by favourable interest-growth differentials; further considers that as long as the differentials are negative it is possible to sustain and progressively reduce high debt levels; despite this is very concerned about the overall high level of debt in the EU as a whole and in some MS in particular and the lack of effective economic growth over the last decade in the EU in general and in some MS in particular;
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Stresses that, following the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the public debt levels, the new fiscal framework must establish a slower pace for debt reduction, thus allowing Member States to build sustainable public finances without implementing austerity measures;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls the importance of growth- enhancing policies and public investment aimed at increasing sustainable growth potential and achieving the EU’s objectives; reiterates that future-oriented investment and expenditure has positive spill overs in the medium-to-long-term debt sustainability;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the importance of pursuing a broad and transparent DSA in orderebt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) in order to support policymakers´ decision to set an appropriate country-specific path, using innovative tools and techniques such as stress tests and stochastic analysis to better reflect risks to public debt dynamics; (such as interest-growth differentials, debt composition, demographics and climate change) and the quality of public expenditure;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for the renewed fiscal framework to promote sustainability and cyclical stabilisation and to improve the quality of public expenditure throughby applying, if appropriate, the "do no significant harm" (DNSH) principle and by favouring sustainable investments and reforms; calls for well-defined, transparent, simple, flexible and enforceable rules embedded in a credible and democratic framework that take into account the specificities of Member States and promote upward economic and social convergence;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Calls for the creation of a Climate Pact to be integrated in the European semester, with the effect that the EU Commission assesses the Member States’ climate policies on an annual basis and gives country specific recommendations for how to reach the reduction target laid down by the Climate Law in case a Member State is off track to reach the target;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16b. Notes that while the EU’s macroeconomic framework is build up around the concept of GDP, a reform should move away from only using GDP as a key indicator and instead put factors such as economic equality and sustainability of the economy at the centre;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Proposes an expenditure rule with a ceiling20 on nominal public expenditure when a country’s public debt exceeds a certain thresholdis no longer seen as sustainable with a high probability; _________________ 20 A ceiling fixed for 3-5 years that would depend on the expected potential output growth, expected inflation and the distance from the debt anchor.
Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Proposes, in line with the EFB, ‘ onethe adoption of a general escape clause, triggered based on independent economic judgement’ proposed by the Commission supported by an opinion based on independent economic judgement in order to reduce complexity and to preserve the ability to act in case of unforeseeable circumstances;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Shares the EFB’s opinion that sustainable growth-enhancing public investments should be exempt from the expenditure rule, in particular those investments that are aligned with the EU’s long-term objectives of the NGEU; calls for a revamped fiscal framework that promotes the increase and stabilisation of growth-enhancing public investment related namely to social resilience, climate change and digitalisation;
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Underlines that not just the quantity but also the quality of public expenditure is essential in determining the sustainability of public finances; highlights that investments in creating an environmentally and socially sustainable economy improve the country’s long-term debt sustainability; wishes to see such expenditures stimulated at all levels of the EU economic framework; calls also for independent assessment of investment programmes through social a cost-benefit analysis by IFIs based on a broad concept of wellbeing;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that governments’ revenues are essential to guarantee the sustainability of public finances; as well as to finance the post-pandemic recovery, restoring the EU's sustainable competitiveness and to support the just transition to a sustainable economy; considers it therefore necessary to subject the level of taxes and duties in the Member States to greater European coordination inter alia to avoid competition to lower taxes; believes that Member States must ensure through their tax policies that there is no reduction in government revenues if debt rules are not respected; recalls that tax evasion and tax avoidance at EU level amount to up to EUR 160-190 billion each year, constituting missing revenues for the treasuries; therefore, calls on the Member States to take action to tackle tax fraud, tax avoidance, and tax evasion, as well as money laundering;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that governments’ revenues are essential to guarantee the sustainability of public finances; calls on the Member States to take action to tackle tax fraud, tax avoidance, and tax evasion, as well as money laundering; looks forward to a very ambitious EC proposal to tackle AML, in line with the priorities set by the EP resolution of July 2020; stresses that any further macro-economic reform can only be successful in the long run, provided existing tax loopholes are properly tackled in the Member States; it is therefore essential that progress around that is assessed in the country specific path as outlined in par 19, and should be a key element in assessing the exemptions from the expenditure rule per Member State;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls for the creation of an Anti- Tax Haven Pact to be integrated in the European semester, with the effect that the EU Commission assesses the tax rules of the Member States on an annual basis and gives country specific recommendations for how to reform the tax rules in the case a Member State facilitates harmful tax practices;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Highlights that, in addition to the review of the fiscal framework, further efforts should be taken to improve and complete the Economic and Monetary Union, including the completion of the banking union with a fully-fledged European Deposit Insurance Scheme, an effective capital markets union, a permanent budgetary instrument for the Euro Area, and a more effective cooperation and coordination on tax affairs, notably regarding harmful tax practices and tax competition;
Amendment 344 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Calls for the establishment of an EU Investment Fund of 1% of EU GDP per year, financed by EU borrowing in analogy to the Recovery Fund and an increase of the EU's own resources, with the objective of providing funding for investments in the digital and climate- neutral transformation in the Member States;
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Stresses the importance of the MIP in identifying and taking preventive and corrective actions against emerging imbalances; points out, however, that the potential of this mechanism has not been fully exploited on account of its structural weaknesses notably the asymmetry of the indicators in the Alert Mechanism, indicators lacking a clear prioritization and the lack of clear accountability;
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Calls for the MIP to be reformed to make its indicators and recommendations more forward-looking and symmetrical with regard to over- and undershooting target values, and to focus on indicators under the control of policymakers and geared towards reducing intra-euro area imbalances and driving the economic cycle of the eurozone from a consolidated point of view; considers that greater compliance with pared-back recommendations must be achieved and MIP-relevant country-specific recommendations should focus on policy actions that can have a direct impact on imbalances;
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29b. Believes that any future EU Investment Fund should create incentives for better compliance with EU fiscal policies;
Amendment 394 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls for a renewed European Semester as the main economic and social policy coordination framework supporting the EU’s long-standing goals of sustainability and upward convergence with stronger national ownership; calls for a more balanced institutional role of the European Parliament in the European Semester to ensure a more rigorous democratic scrutiny ; demands for the European Parliament’s full involvement in defining the overarching goals and the guidance;, in particular the ones related to the euro area; stresses the importance of a stronger balance in policy coordination between employment and social affairs ministers and finance ministers namely in the euro area.
Amendment 409 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 b (new)
Paragraph 30 b (new)
30b. Points towards the lack of ownership as one the main weaknesses of the European Semester; notes that the design of this framework must respect a set of long-term objectives and guidance at EU level, reflected in national plans, policy recommendations on a variety of policy objectives which should allow for policy choices properly reflecting national needs and priorities underpinned by an open and inclusive policy dialogue between the EU and national institutions and stakeholders;
Amendment 419 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32a. Underlines the importance of ensuring a proper balance of responsibilities between the different institutions in the implementation of the EU fiscal framework; calls for a higher involvement of the European Parliament when discussing medium to long-term budgetary guidelines; in order to ensure greater transparency and accountability, it should be enhanced the involvement of the national parliaments;
Amendment 435 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Calls on the Commission to further reflect on the design and implementation of Macroeconomic Adjustment Programmes; is firmly convinced that the way macroeconomic adjustment programmes were implemented had serious consequences on the social fabric of the countries, led to permanent losses of output, raised serious doubt of external political interference and presented a lack of national ownership;
Amendment 436 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 b (new)
Paragraph 34 b (new)
34b. Calls on the Commission to assess the effectiveness and the added value of post-programme surveillance in those euro area Member States that are no longer subject to a macroeconomic adjustment programme; notes that Member States exiting a macroeconomic adjustment programme are also under enhance surveillance in the European Semester and, where relevant, in-depth reviews can be conducted; considers that this double surveillance does not bring any additional benefits for the process of multilateral surveillance;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Recalls that the creation of the ESM outside the institutions of the Union represents a setback in the development of the Union; recalls its call for the ESM to be integrated into EU law under the Community method;