34 Amendments of Ernest URTASUN related to 2017/2114(INI)
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the GDP growth rate for the euro area was 1.8 % in 2016 and is set to remain steady at 1.7 % in 2017 and at 1.9 % in the EU overall, surpassing pre- crisis levels while still being insufficientlow the pre-crisis level on a per capita basis;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the euro area and EU28 unemployment rates were 9.3 % and 7.8 % respectively in April 2017, their lowest rates since March 2009 and December 2008; whereas significant differences in unemployment rates and more specifically on youth unemployment remain across the EU ranging between 3.2 % and 23.2 %;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the EU’'s excessively low productivity and global competitiveness calls forrequires socially balanced structural reforms, continued fiscal efforts and investment in Member States in order to bring about sustained growth and employment and achieve upward convergence with other global economies and within the EU;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the good performance of the European economyNotes that the recovery of the European economy is becoming more broadly based, supported by moderate GDP growth and decreasing, yet still unacceptably high, unemployment rates; notes that the thanks in particular to the continuous, unprecedented and unconventional support of the European Central Bank in a context or historically low real interest rate across the yield curve; notes that such modest recovery remains fragile and that the development of GDP per capita is close to stagnation;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Underlines nevertheless that there should be no complacency on the current state of play as macroeconomic and financial imbalances remain wide and the EMU still needs ambitious and far reaching reforms of its economic governance in order to fulfil the necessary conditions for its medium to long-term sustainability;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that Europe harbours untapped economic potential as growth and employment are advancing unevenly; underlines that this is the result of the heterogeneous performance of the Member States’' economies; emphasises thatnotes that according to some estimations the implementation of socially balanced structural reforms in the Member States could facilitate at least 1 % higher growth although such estimations are subject to strong reservations given their generally acknowledged lack of accuracy and robustness;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes the view that a greater degree of upward convergence would beis needed to sustain the economic recovery inand more generally the overall viability of the EU and the euro area in the longer term;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that for Stresses that GDP growth is to materialise the structural conditions for growth need to be improved; takes the view that the potential growth of all Member States should increase in the long term to at least 3 %; for thisnot an end in itself but rather a means for achieving overall sustainability and prosperity for all; underlines the need to assess thoroughly to whappen, establishing clear benchmarks on how to improve the potential growth of Member States could provide the necessary guidance for policy actions; points out that such a regular benchmarking exercise would have to take due account of individual structural strengths and weaknesses of Member Statest extent economic growth contributes to such objectives and urges the Commission to put forward country-specific recommendations and a regular benchmarking exercise aiming at monitoring indicators identified in the framework of the 'Beyond GDP' initiative;
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that this would complement ongoing efforts on improving the quality and management of national budgets by addressing the triggers for growth in line with Union fiscal rules and the EU 2020 framework;
Amendment 129 #
6. Considers that the uneven growth and employment situation in the euro area requires better coordination of structural reformseconomic policy, in particular through improved implementation of the comply or explain rule underpinning country- specific recommendations (CSR);
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Is of the opinion that legacies from the crisis such as a high level of indebtedness in all sectors of the economy still act as a drag on sustainable growth and pose potential systemic risks; is concerned in this regard that the persistently high level of non- performing loans in some Member States could have significant spill-over effects from one Member State to another, presenting a risk to financial stability in Europe;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes the view that reforms to improve the business climate and overall resources efficiency are needed to boost productivity and employment in the euro area and trigger the ecological transformation of the EU economy; underlines in this context the importance of well-designed and context adapted supply- side reformsand future oriented reforms as well as the need to provide for an appropriate aggregate fiscal stance in the euro area; welcomes in that respect the Commission's communication towards a positive fiscal stance for the euro area (COM(2016) 727 final);
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. SharesTakes note of the Commission’'s view on the need for changetargeted reforms in labour market legislation thatin order to provide flexibility and security for both employees and employers, as well as increasing job quality thereby increasing employment and ensuring sustainable growth; notes with concern the negative social impact, the decrease of wages and the increased number of temporal contracts in some Member States as a result of several labour market reforms;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the importance of wage developments in line with productivity and asks the Commission to put forward specific recommendations with that purpose;
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the lack of competitivenessow productivity growth and investment in the EU is linked to a geninter al tax burden that is 10 to 15 % higher thania to an unfair burden on capital in competing markets, creating hindering tax wedges on companies, investments and laboure as well on tax expenditures and allowances;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Calls to the Commission to align the Semester to decarbonise the economy, and thereby align public financial flows to the requirements of Article 2 in the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Calls on the Commission to include in the next AGS a fourth pillar based on a comprehensive strategy to move towards a low-carbon economy, in order to translate in concrete policy actions the results of the COP21 for the purpose of fighting climate change and promoting sustainable growth based on innovation, an efficient use of energy and resources, renewable energy, green investment and new employment opportunities;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Agrees that the economic upswingmodest recovery needs to be supported by investment and notes that there is still an significant investment gap in the euro area; recognises, however, that in some Member States investments already exceed the pre-crisis level;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that reforms removing investment bottlenecks as well as more robust level of aggregate demand would allow for immediate support for economic activity and at the same time set the conditions for long-term growth;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes the view that a timely agreement in the on-going negotiations on the revised European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) could help to improve the effectiveness of this instrument and to address shortcomings experienced in its implementation so far by facilitating the financing of near viable projects with strong potential of spreading positive externalities and reducing negative externalities while respecting a strict enforcement of the additionnality concept;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14 a. Considers that, after a long period of nominal adjustment, focus should be put on investments aimed at fostering a sustainable transition of Member States' economies towards a decarbonised economy and reduced use of natural resources, promoting fair and sustainable welfare systems and reducing social inequalities;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers that prudentcountercyclical fiscal policies play a fundamental role for the stability of the euro area and the Union as a whole; underlines that strong coordination of fiscal policies and compliance with the Unionbroader economic policies rules in this area are a legal requirement and key to the proper functioning of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); notes that the Stability and Growth Pact has proven inefficient for a proper functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union and needs to be revised;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. WelcomUnderlines the fact that deficits in the euro area are projected to decline; isn a concerned, however, that this process is slowing down andtext of moderated economic growth and negative output gap agrees that government debt remains too high in some Member States; calls on the European Commission to urgently convene an EU conference on the debt which should openly discuss the issue of overall debt sustainability in the EMU;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Warns that low interest rate payments, accommodative monetary policies, one-off measures and other factors alleviating the current debt burden are only temporary and that sound fiscal policiboth public and private finances must be self- sustaining and take into account future liabilities;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines that the fiscal stances at national and euro-area level must balance the long-term sustainability of public finances in full compliance with the Stability and Growth Pact with short-termby providing a countercyclical macroeconomic stabilisation as appropriate;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Points out that the current aggregate fiscal stance for the euro is broadly neutral and presentsthat it should at all times provide for an appropriate balance of debt sustainability requirements with support for investment;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Emphasises, however, that the aggregate view ignores the heterogeneous situation across Member States and the need to differentiate the fiscal efforts required by each Member State while delivering an aggregate stance appropriate to the business cycle;
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recognises that Member States have made progresimproved their level of compliance with CSRs in the area of fiscal policy and active labour market policies, while least progress was made in areas such as competition in services and the business environment; expects a greater commitment on the part of Member States to take the necessary policy actions based on the CSRs;
Amendment 367 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Takes note of the Commission’'s recommendation to close the Excessive Deficit Procedures for several Member States; welcomes past and ongoing fiscal and reform efforts, yet insists that these efforts will need toinsists that the correction of the excessive is better and more sustainably achieved whenever smart and calibrated countinue to ensure the durability of the correction of the excessive deficiter-cyclical policies are implemented and coordinated within the EMU;
Amendment 375 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. NotesIs concerned that 12 Member States are experiencing macroeconomic imbalances of varying nature and severity, while excessive imbalances exist in six Member States;
Amendment 394 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Considers it of great importance therefore that all Member States take the necessary policy action to address imbalances, in particular high levels of indebtedness, and commit to and excessive current account surpluses, and commit to socially balanced structural reforms ensuring the economic sustainability of each individual Member State, thereby ensuring the overall competitiveness, resource efficiency, sustainability and resilience of the European economy;
Amendment 404 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Notes with concern the increasing economic impact of growing corruption in some Member States and asks the Commission to specifically monitor this situation through the Country-specific Recommendations;
Amendment 406 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25 b. Regrets that, contrary to the demand of the European Parliament Resolution on the 2016 Annual Growth Survey, environmental fiscal reforms are not properly addressed in country-specific recommendations;
Amendment 408 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25 c. Highlights the importance of renewable energy sources, greater resource and energy efficiency, including through the development of the circular economy;calls on the Commission to include country specific recommendations in these areas;