Activities of Ulla TØRNÆS related to 2015/2354(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the Single Market Strategy
Amendments (34)
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Single Market Strategy (SMS), which will help to inject new life into Europe’s economies by opening up borders and removing barriers for goods and services; Welcomes the Commission's determination in the Better Regulation agenda including strengthened stakeholder involvement through for example the REFIT Platform, strengthened impact assessments and a strengthening of the REFIT programme; believes that better, more effective and simple legislation will reduce administrative burdens and boost growth and job-creation; regrets, however, that the SMS does not devote particular attention to skills-matching as skills- mismatches remain a barrier to growth and development of the European Single Market;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that barriers to doing business across borders are barriers to growth and job creation; believes that particular attention must be devoted to reduce administrative burdens through for example simplified VAT-requirements, one-stop-shops for digital public services for businesses with a particular focus for SME's and simplified rules for setting up businesses;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas, the single market makes a significant contribution to European economies and, according to Parliament’s own research, the anticipated gain from completing the single market stands at a trillion euros;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas fragmentation of the single market is one of the major impediments to higher structural economic growth;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas the completion of the single market in the product and services and the removal of barriers is a top priority which requires fast-track approach from Member States and the EU institutions;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the deepening of the single market and the digital single market will bring new opportunities and challenges, such as skills, new forms of employment and financial structures, which will have to be addressed; notes with concern that 47 % of the EU-population is insufficiently digitally skilled and that the demand for digitally skilled employees are growing by 4 % per year, underlines in this regard the importance of Member States investing in digital education;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E b (new)
Recital E b (new)
Eb. whereas barriers in the single market lead to less choice and more expensive products and services for consumers;
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes the potential of the collaborative economy for job creation and a more inclusive labour market across Member States; believes that a country-by-country taxation principle needs to be establishednotes the need to adapt and modernise legislation to reach the potential of the shared economy;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Supports the overall objectives of the Commission’s Single Market Strategy for goods and services, and welcomes its vision for howactions in key areas in order to unleash the full potential of the single market;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the fact that the strategy is complementary toordinated with efforts made in other areas, especially in the Digital Single Market Strategy; believes that, by building on the initiatives already being taken, the strategy has good potential to help ensure economic prosperity and make Europe more attractive for investments;
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Highlights that it is crucial for all Single Market Strategy initiatives to be based on better regulation principles and on most efficient tools such as harmonisation and mutual recognition;
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2b. Underlines that proposals should be evidence-based and reduce regulatory and administrative burden on businesses, in particular, SMEs;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the Commission’s support for dual education systems; stresses the importance of ensuring that the SMS does not in any way undermine dual education systems; believes that dual education systems within the EU could be strengthened by a European benchmark on dual education which could highlight the correlation between dual education and youth employment;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets that the services market remains fragmented; calls on the Commission to deliver the necessary reforms that will remove barriers in the service secton implementation of the Services Directive; underlines that assessments show that when administrative barriers are lower, more by adopting a targeted sector-specific approach for servicesusinesses are created and thereby is the potential for job-creation strengthened;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the strategy’s focus on aspects aimed at helping businesses, in particular SMEs, micro-enterprises and start-ups, to scale up their activities, grow and stay in the single market, thus facilitating their innovation and job creation; considerunderlines that all initiatives for SMEs and start-ups require immediate actions and should be treated as a priority;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to work with the Member States to simplify and speed up procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications, including by facilitating and encouraging the introduction of Common Training Frameworks and a Services Passport to facilitate cross-border recognition of qualifications;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support job creation in the collaborative economy by developing appropriate safeguardsadapting and modernising legislation, while at the same time providing a platform that will allow entrepreneurs to grow, innovate and create jobs.
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Believes that it is necessary to consider adoption of adopt a common definition of ‘innovative’ start- ups and SMEs, or objective criteria, that can be used as a point of reference for the adoption of related measures; calls on the Commission to propose such a definition;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. WHighlights the need for reduced compliance costs caused by VAT requirements; welcomes the Commission’s determination to address the difficulties faced by SMEs as a result of the complexity of differing national VAT regulations; extends its full support to the Commission in respect of the VAT reform; calls on the Commission to assess the feasibility of further coordination and, in particular, to assess the possibility of a single tax in the e-commerce sector;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the Commission to implement the Capital Markets Union and more particularly the framework for simple transparent standardised securitisation (STS), and swift adoption of the Prospectus Directive as fast as possible, as those measures will help SMEs to access finances;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Welcomes the legislative initiative on business insolvency, including early restructuring and second chances, which will ensure that Member States provide a regulatory environment that is able to accommodate failure without discouraging entrepreneurs from trying new ideas; calls on the Commission to ensure that this initiative will align insolvency proceedings across the EU and reduce the length and costs of proceedings;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the Commission’s Digital Single Market Strategy, and in particular the announced Single Digital Gateway; calls on the Commission to explore all ways of making the best use of the Single Digital Gateway to help European start- ups to scale up across Europensure that the Single Digital Gateway is the single entry point for businesses to all single market related information, assistance, problem solving and to national and EU-wide procedures, needed to operate cross- border in the EU;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. EWelcomes new sharing economy business models and recognises their enormous potential for innovation; emphasises that the collaborative (or sharing) economy is growing fast and changing the way that many services and assets are provided and consumed; underlines, furthermore, the strong link between these new business models and the performance of the single market;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the Commission’s announced initiative on the European agenda for the collaborative economy, and its intention to look at that economy in order to assess what needs to be done to accompany its growth and its major contribution to the economic system; calls on the Commission to ensure the best possible conditions for the collaborative economy to develop and thrive;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Draws attention to the important role of standards for innovation and progress in the single market; calls on the Commission to support and reinforce European standards and make the framework for standardization more efficient and fit for purpose, including by exploiting the opportunities offered by the ongoing negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP);
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. PCalls on the Commission to deepen its work on enforcements; points out that many measures have already been adopted but are not yet applied; points out, furthermore, that according to data provided by the Commission in mid-2015, around 1 090 infringement proceedings were pending in the area of the single market; calls on the Commission, therefore, to ensure that enforcement is prioritised at all levels; believes that with regard to national measures or implementation early intervention may be more effective and better results achieved than through infringements procedures; stresses, nevertheless, that if the early intervention proceeding do not give results, the Commission must use all available measures, including infringement procedures, to ensure full implementation of legislation on the single market;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Commission to further support the Member States in developing a strong culture of compliance and enforcement, including by developing implementation plans for new major legislation and organising compliance dialogues with Member States; calls on Member States to fully commit to implement and enforce EU legislation and apply mutual recognition principle; stresses that correct enforcement and better regulation are essential and should cover all business sectors and apply to existing and future legislation;
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Recalls the importance of strengthening and streamlining existing single market tools for SMEs in order to simplify their cross-border expansion; urges the Commission and Member States to place greater emphasis on streamlining and improving Product Contact Points and Single Points of Contacts;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Emphasises that it is necessary to reinforce the Solvit network and to improve awareness of the network and its role in solving interpretation problems relating to the single market; calls on Member States to appropriately equip and adequately position their national SOLVIT centres in order for them to fulfil their role;
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Takes note of the Commission proposal, as part of strengthening the single market for goods, to improve mutual recognition through action to increase awareness as well as ensuring better application and enforcement of the mutual recognition principle and through the revision of the Mutual Recognition Regulation;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Reiterates its call for the rapid adoptionHighlights the need for a new of the Product Safety and Market Surveillance Package by the Council; underlines the importance of the indication of country of origin, which is crucial to protect consumers and to strengthen the fight against counterfeitinglegislation at the European level;
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Stresses that regulatory differences between Member States regarding differing labelling requirements create unnecessary obstacles to the activities of suppliers of goods; calls on the Commission to consider introducing a mandatory scheme for the provision of key information for furniture, established at EU levelreview all labelling requirements, present a plan to reduce the number of EU and national labelling requirements, create a framework to assess which ones are essential to consume the product; highlights that all other information could be provided by digital means and not necessarily on the product; stresses that new requirements create additional costs for businesses, lead to confusion among consumers and diverging national requirements fragment the single market; considers that such an initiative would be beneficial for consumers, industries and trade operators, ensuring transparency, adequate recognition of European products and harmonised rules for operators in the single market;
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. SEmphasises the need to ensure consistent proportionality assessment of regulatory requirements and restrictions applicable to services; supports the Commission proposal to introduce a services passport to help service providers demonstrate that they satisfy the requirements applicable to them in the Member State where they wish to provide their service on a temporary basis; considers that this initiative should be aimed at reducing administrative burden for service providers and simplifying the procedures applicable to cross-border service provision;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Underlines the need for a fully electronic public procurement system; highlights the need for fast and comprehensive implementation of the Public Procurement Directive in its whole; highlights the wider use of the e- procurement to open the markets for SMEs;