1597 Amendments of Eleftherios SYNADINOS
Amendment 36 #
2017/2127(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Underlines that it is of pivotal importance to support families of people with disabilities and/or special educational needs, especially those of children; within that context, requests for those relevant and suitable actions to be taken accordingly, aiming to support affected families with the proposal and adoption of specific targeted measures in order to facilitate them and strengthen their position to adequately respond to the increased needs of those people;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 a (new)
Citation 2 a (new)
- having regard to the positions of national governments and the resolutions of Member States’ parliaments,
Amendment 6 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 b (new)
Citation 2 b (new)
- having regard to EU case-law as set out in the judgments of the European Court of Justice (ECJ),
Amendment 7 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 c (new)
Citation 2 c (new)
- having regard to the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR),
Amendment 8 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 d (new)
Citation 2 d (new)
- having regard to the European Union Guidelines on Human Rights,
Amendment 9 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 e (new)
Citation 2 e (new)
- having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
Amendment 10 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 f (new)
Citation 2 f (new)
- having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,
Amendment 11 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 g (new)
Citation 2 g (new)
- having regard to Articles 2, 3, 6, and 7 of the consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union,
Amendment 12 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2 h (new)
Citation 2 h (new)
- having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other United Nations (UN) human rights treaties and instruments,
Amendment 14 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3
Citation 3
Amendment 16 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4
Citation 4
— having regard to the work carried out by the Agency for Fundamental Rights, and the Council of Europe and the Venice Commissionits committees, in spite of the recent confirmed and widespread cases of corruption in the latter,
Amendment 32 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 5
Citation 5
— having regard to the work of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Petitions, and, in general, the work of all the committees of the European Parliament where the subject, the work and the final conclusions or results have a direct or indirect connection with fundamental rights within the EU, or with the situation, exercise or protection of such rights,
Amendment 56 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
Α. whereas the basis for European integration is the upholding and promotion of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the values and principles enshrined in the European treaties and international human rights instruments; whereas the upholding and promotion of those values is a fundamental element of the identity of the European Union and a prerequisite for accession to the EU, on the basis of the Copenhagen criteria and maintenance of full membership privileges;
Amendment 65 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α a (new)
Recital Α a (new)
Aa. whereas social and economic rights are essential elements of the Charter and, as such, should be given prominent recognition in any analysis of the situation of human rights in the Union;
Amendment 68 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α b (new)
Recital Α b (new)
Ab. whereas citizens can enjoy their rights fully only if fundamental values and principles, such as the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, freedom of the media and freedom of speech, are upheld;
Amendment 73 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
B. whereas Article 2 TEU states that the EU is founded on respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the primacy of the law and, human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minoritiesnon- discrimination, tolerance, justice and solidarity – values which are shared by all the Member States and which must also be upheld by the EU and each Member State individually in all their policies, both internally and externally; whereas Article 17 TEU sta; whereas Article 17 TEU states that the Commission, like the other bodies and institutions, is bound by the Treaties to exercise coordinating, executive and management functions so as to promotes that the Commissione general interest of the Union , and must ensure the application of the Treaties; and oversee the application of Union law;
Amendment 75 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β a (new)
Recital Β a (new)
Ba. whereas the effective safeguarding and promotion of rights must constitute an overall objective of all the policies of Member States and the EU, and whereas observing the duty to protect, promote and fulfil does not require new competences for the EU but rather proactive institutional engagement with human rights, developing and reinforcing a genuine culture of fundamental rights in the institutions of the Union and in Member States;
Amendment 86 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the aberrant governance practices seen in some Member States reflect a selective approach to and an aberrant interpretation of the benefits and responsibilities of EU membership, and whereas the refusal by thosedemocratically ratified opposition of Member States to fully uphold EU law, the separation of powers, the independence of the judiciarying European policies may undermine the credibility of the EU itself and the predictability of Stateits actions is undermining the credibility of the EU as a legal areaoverall; notes, nonetheless, that the actions and choices of those Member States do comply with the constitutional order and the provisions of the Treaties;
Amendment 108 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the mass influx of illegal migrants into Europe is continuing on the basis of piecemeal and opportunistic agreements and criteria and in the context of political indifference and unwillingness to act; whereas many of these illegal migrants place their lives in the hands of traffickers and criminals; whereas , according to UNHCR data, 27 % of the migrants arriving in Europe via the Mediterranean are children; whereas , according to the IOM, 23 % of these children stated that they had never been to schooland those seeking selective lodging of an asylum request place their lives in the hands of people smugglers and organised crime; whereas the data shows that a large proportion of the asylum seekers in question and the illegal migrants are, according to their own statements, juveniles; whereas , in very many cases, they have a low level of education and European humanitarian values make it imperative for these individuals to be educated;
Amendment 118 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
Ε. whereas the dangers faced by refugee and migrant childrenand the adverse conditions to which illegal migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are exposed include separation from their families, illegal detention, sexual and gender-based by hired people smugglers, sexual violence, exploitation and temporary or permanent physical and psychological damage;
Amendment 133 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the ongoing wave of terrorist attacks across the EU has fuelve led to the rational-seeming and justifiabled widespread mistrust of illegal Muslim migrants, and whereas certain political parties are employing the rhetoric of cultural isolationism and hatred of those who are different and of the predominantly Muslim communities which fostered the phenomenon through their inaction and indifference to anti- Christian and antisocial conduct regarding common European heritage and European standards, and whereas certain political parties are employing an unjustifiable and vote-catching rhetoric of denial and opposition to our national character, identity and awareness;
Amendment 151 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the systematic use of states of emergency and internal border controls does very little to deter terrorists, who have all, thus far, been long-term residents of EU Member Stateshas become a systematic practice, instead of an exceptional or extraordinary one, running counter to the desires of the Commission and the spirit of certain regulations, but in practice this assists law enforcement authorities and security agencies and supports citizens’ feelings of security;
Amendment 154 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Η
Recital Η
Η. whereas the political measures taken by a number of Member States in response to the ongoing influx of migrants include the reintroduction of internal border controls in the Schengen area, a step which is increasingly seen as permanent rather than just temporarya number of Member States, as the primary and necessary response to the ongoing and massive influx of illegal migrants, have taken measures which include the reintroduction of internal border controls in the Schengen area, the guarding of internal borders by armed forces and security forces and the erection of fences, steps which it appears will be maintained unofficially or officially for a lengthy period of time;
Amendment 161 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas hate speech includes all forms of expression which knowingly, deliberately and systematically propagate, encourage, or promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of hatred based on intolerance; whereas the development of new kinds of media is making it easier to engage in onlhatred which is based on political or religious intolerance; whereas the development of new kinds of media, particularly on the internet, is making it easier for religious fundamentalists, extremists and jihadists to engage ine hate speech;
Amendment 176 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas there is a risk that the increased levels of hatred, xenophobia and Afrophobia, whether expressed in the form of hate crimes, anonymous messages spread on social networks, protests or political propaganda, will come to be seen as normal in the Member States concept of racism and possible expressions of racism are becoming a political tool and device in games of unethical political propaganda, persecution of political opponents and attempts at gagging and exclusion;
Amendment 187 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
Amendment 196 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas modern societies cannot function and develop without a free, independent, ethically sound, politically neutral, impartial and professional press based on principles such as fact-checking, the willingness to reflect a range of informed opinions, the protection of the confidentiality of media sources and the safety of journalists;
Amendment 207 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Asserts that neither national sovereignty northe EU should respect the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity can justify or legitimised every body or institution should fulfil its duties and responsibilities within the limits and frameworks laid down by the Treaties, while at the same time nothing can justify the systematic and deliberate refusal on the part of a Member State to comply with the principles of governance which inspiredfor as long as it remains a member of the Union or on the part of an EU body to comply with the value system and fundamental principles which derive from the introductory articles of the European Treaties;
Amendment 212 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Considers that genuine participation in decision-making on the basis of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality is one of the most successful ways of addressing the problems that arise concerning the protection of fundamental rights, following best existing practices in the Union;
Amendment 213 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Notes that there remains room for improvement regarding the steps taken by the Commission to ensure that its legislative proposals comply with the Charter, as proposals continue to emerge that fail to consider at all, or fail to consider adequately, the impact of proposed measures on fundamental rights; calls on the Commission to take further tangible steps towards improving the verification of its proposals with the Charter, including ensuring adequate expertise across all Commission services; highlights Parliament’s fundamental role in checking and controlling the drawing- up and implementation of European law and insists, therefore, that Parliament should also strengthen its autonomous impact assessment on fundamental rights in relation to legislative texts and amendments under examination in the legislative process and make it more systematic;
Amendment 216 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Supports national parliaments in their attempts to enhance their role in human rights scrutiny of EU activities and national implementation of EU law and fully agrees with the holding of periodic meetings focused on the strategies to be developed to implement the Charter and the caselaw of the EU courts;
Amendment 218 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 d (new)
Paragraph 1 d (new)
1d. Notes that Parliament, the only directly elected institutional body of the EU and the co-legislator of the EU in most of its policies, is not given full and unrestricted capacity and respect for its entitlement to determine and to scrutinise the state of fundamental rights and the protection of those rights through the organisations and other bodies of the European Union;
Amendment 222 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes the steps being taken by the Commission’s efforts to ensure that all Member States fully uphold the rule of law as the Commission itself understands it, but also the ineffectiveness of the instruments used thus far; insist and notes the inactivity of the Council, with the result that the efforts of the Commission are not being supported; notes that Article 7 of the TEU should no longert be regarded merely as a hypothetical tool, butas is envisaged, but its application should be employconsidered if all other remedies have failedcompletely failed; points out that the procedure provided for is completely unsuccessful and insufficient;
Amendment 230 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. StresseUrgently warns that the EU needs a commonnvergent approach to governance with transparency and without democratic deficits, which does not yet exist, and which must be developed by pooling experiences of European governance primarily of the Member States, partners and the Union;
Amendment 243 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points tout that in its resolution of 25 October 20161 in which it recommends the establishment of a European mechanism for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights; points out that this mechanism would be central to the coordinated European approach to governance which is currently lacking; _________________ 1 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0409.
Amendment 247 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges the Commission to put forward a proposal to establish such a mechanism for democratic debate by Parliament, and to heed its proposals and instructions, as the resolution of 25 October 2016 once again calls on it to do;
Amendment 252 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out that corruption constitutes a violation of human rights; notes that corruption undermines the rule of law, democracy and human rights, poses a threat to good governance and the existence of a just and socially equitable judicial system and slows economic developmentquitable development; encourages Europol to develop more strategies and joint initiatives with a view to more successfully combating corruption and organised crime;
Amendment 255 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Is extremely worried about the situation of democracy, the rule of law, checks and balances, media and fundamental rights in some Member States and, in particular, about the practice by those in power of monitoring, selecting, appointing or dismissing people occupying independent positions in, for example, public broadcasting media, media regulatory bodies and the judiciary, merely on the basis of political affiliation rather than on that of competence, experience and independence;
Amendment 259 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Reaffirms that the right of self- determination over personal data and the right to privacy constitute fundamental elements of a person’s personality, human dignity and liberty; is concerned about the existing tendency to undermine the independence of data protection authorities, and calls for vigilance on the part of Member States and the EU; notes the Commission’s undertaking to take into account the above facts in negotiations during the conclusion or renegotiation of agreements between the European Union and third parties concerning the transfer and/or use of data, including any agreements concerning the combating of terrorism and other serious cross-border crimes;
Amendment 276 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that the flow of illegal migration towards the EU is continuing and that it mostly consists ofin to gain ground in practice, without the EU understanding the urgency of the crisis and making adjustments accordingly by implementing a plan to keep Europe safe, and condemns the EU and the demagogues and profit-seeking heads of NGOs who claim that they are protecting the rights of asylum seekers, since now the issue mainly comes down to people from Africa who have not left a country which is at war or where their lives are at risk, but who have come to Europe in search of a better life, driven by economic motivations, at the expense of the indigenous residents of a Europe that is comparatively wealthy and mainly developed;
Amendment 293 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Takes the view, therefore, that a clear distinction should be drawn between migrantsthose who can legitimately claim refugee status and those who cannot; calls for migrants to be identified and for their requests for entry into the EU to be processed before they come; as early as possible and while the Member States still have the best capacity to choose their initial responses; calls on the countries of origin to make all appropriate efforts for the readmission and reintegration of their citizens who have been illegally staying in the EU and those who have exhausted the remedies and procedures for the examination of their applications and clearly looks forward to their compliance through notification and utilisation of every available legal means to exert pressure so that they keep to their binding obligations;
Amendment 313 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Strongly condemns the upsurge in the trafficking of human beings in Africa and towards Europe, the perpetrators of which – including official and governmental players – should be made to feel the full force ofdealt with through rigorous implementation and comprehensive use of applicable legislation and the law;
Amendment 319 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Takes the view that the existing legal channels should be available for migration, including from Africa, but not for all the men and women hoping to come tofor migration more than cover the needs and desires of the Member States and that clearly, given the attractiveness of the EU, these channels are not sufficient to satisfy all those hoping to come and remain permanently in Europe; takes the view that the best way to protect the rights of persons who cannot legally enter Europeall would be to bring about the rapid and robust development of Africa, which Europe could promote by stepping up its involvement on the Afric, robust and equal global development, the positive effects of which would spread throughout all social classes of all States; considers that the EU must by definition promote that development, first and foremost, for the benefit of European conitinzents of the Member States;
Amendment 339 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses the imperative need for persto ensure the full integrations of Islamic faith and culture, including those who have already been living here for a long time, to be integrated as effectively as possible into European society; stresses that integration of this kind will be the best way to tackle Islamic radicalisation in Europemigrants by local society as well as the acceptance of the corresponding culture of the Member State and of the rule of law by those migrants legally living in Europe with permanent residence status or a permit of comparable value, who are not European citizens, in accordance with the standards, desires and priorities of the Member States; stresses that integration of this kind will be the best way to tackle Islamic radicalisation and religious fundamentalism in Europe, after the more desirable option of returning illegal migrants and those illegally resident in Europe to their countries of origin;
Amendment 357 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Stresses the need for measures to be taken as a matter of priority in all the Member Statin all the Member States, in accordance with the needs of society as a whole and with individual national priorities, to give imlegal migrant childrens access to education, language learning, healthcare, good living conditions and the opportunity to be reunited with their family provided that these do not go beyond the corresponding provision given to indigenous citizens of the Member State or other European citizens legally resident there;
Amendment 368 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 382 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Expresses its disappointment at the fact that many illegal migrants and asylum seekers who attempt to reach Europe, mainly for economic reasons, are given benefits and allowances which go beyond what is needed at the expense of indigenous citizens and regards this as unacceptable;
Amendment 390 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Notes the importance of conducting further negotiations to satisfactorily amend the Dublin II Regulation and stresses the imperative need to seek more effective procedures which will not expand rights already granted to applicants, particularly at the expense of European citizens, thereby causing resentment among them;
Amendment 393 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Expresses concern about recent events surrounding incidents of sexual harassment and infringements of common law by a segment of the irregular migrant population, and calls on the EU and the Member States to ensure that impunity will not be tolerated in investigating potential crimes, particularly in cases involving the use of violence or torture, or inhumane or humiliating treatment;
Amendment 439 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Takes the view that particular attention should be paid to the situation of women and the rights of women in the EU, be they immigrants, victims of abuse or modern slavery, alone or accompanied by childrencitizens of Member States so that they do not become victims of discrimination, regardless of place of work or permanent residence, citing examples such as the right of European citizens to vote in different Member States, and the need for just assurance of an equal level of protection for posted workers throughout the EU; points out that bothe EU and the Member States mustinvolved and the EU must, as far as they are able to do so, set an example in this regard;
Amendment 448 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the EU to ensure that trade agreements signed with third countries facilitate their economic and social development and ensure that their natural resources – including land and water – are well managed; reiterates its call for the systematic inclusion of binding, enforceable and non-negotiable human rights clauses in the EU's international agreements, including trade and investment agreements concluded or to be concluded with third countries, and calls for improved consultation of Parliament in the early stages of the negotiation process for trade and investment agreements, for effective monitoring of the application of human rights clauses and for reporting back to Parliament on the human rights aspects of the agreements; notes that courts have found that sections of these agreements run counter to the protection of European citizens’ fundamental rights, including issues related to data transfer and storage;
Amendment 452 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Strongly condemns the attacks against Christians in Member States and expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims; is deeply concerned about the growing number of episodes of repression, discrimination, intolerance and violent attacks against Christian communities; calls on the EU and Member States to ensure respect for freedom of thought, conscience and religion or beliefs;
Amendment 455 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
14c. Notes that current economic, budgetary and social policies in the European Union are having serious consequences, including on the working conditions, remuneration and social protection of EU workers; stresses that the economic, financial and social crisis should not serve as an excuse to continue undermining social and wage rights; points out that the right to work, protection of individuals, improvement of living standards and individual prosperity are included in the EU’s founding principles and must continue to belong there;
Amendment 458 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Expresses serious concern about the continued increase in inequality and extreme poverty which comprise the social consequences of measures addressing the economic and financial crisis implemented at both EU and Member State level as part of post-MOU surveillance, which is the direct descendant of the structural architecture of a single currency and the imposition of the national interests of certain hardcore euro area Member States at the expense of shared priorities;
Amendment 461 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 e (new)
Paragraph 14 e (new)
Amendment 463 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Expresses concern at the rhetoric of hatred and fear directed at migrants entering Europe and the upsurge in anti- Islamic, anti-Semitic and anti-African rhetoric; inability to understand and properly apply definitions, and notes that racism differs significantly from the simple acceptance or scientific and objective study of the existence of races and human groups with possible biological inequalities, as racists believe any inequality to be absolute and unchanging, and that a race or group is inherently either superior or inferior to another, regardless of physical environmental conditions or other social factors producing this apparent result; notes that forms and types of racism vary and discrimination occurs on the basis of all types of actual or apparent racial, national, religious, cultural, socio- economic or political traits or characteristics; observes, however, that expressions of racism in the social sphere are unfortunately observed, judged and addressed based on expediency and not objectively or with a neutral and universally applied methodology or models, while by invoking the need to ‘address’ racism in terms of political correctness, countless citizens are made potential targets of unfair and generalised discrimination while freedom of speech, thought, conscience, expression, information and science are attacked, condemned and repressed;
Amendment 482 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Points out that social networks and the anonymity guaranteed by many different media platforms encourage many forms of expression of hatred, from jihadist preaching to anti-Islam speech, and calls for this phenomenon to be curbed through closer monitoring and the identificatand religious fundamentalist preaching to the seemingly politically correct speech of guided politicians who, in the name of democracy, impose the levelling of morality, violate countries’ national cohesion and prosecution of the authstop any form of contradictorsy of statements or words incompatible with European culture and lawpinion, belief or ideology, and calls for this phenomenon to be curbed through close monitoring, identification and legal prosecution;
Amendment 494 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Expresses outrage at the misuse by governments of, mainly Muslim, countries outside Europe of structures and mechanisms for police cooperation in order to intimidate EU citizens; notes the need for the urgent investigation of potential violations of to the right to liberty and security, the prohibition of torture and inhumane or humiliating penalties or treatment, and the right to life; expresses disappointment in the lack of satisfactory, timely safeguards in some Member States against the abuse of these mechanisms, and calls on the Member States to be much more severe in their diplomacy with the countries concerned, in particular when those countries pose a threat to the freedom and physical integrity of EU citizens;
Amendment 513 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Stresses the importance of maintaining and stepping up efforts in the areas of data protection, safeguards for children, the protection of victims of criminal acts, Roma people, violence against women, freedom of religipublic health, the rights of persons with a disability, the rights of elderly persons and belief, public health, the recognition of marital status in the EU, gender equality, the rights of persons with a disability and the rights of elderly persin general, the protection of equality before the law, and is acutely and painfully aware of risks posed to the unity and cohesion of every homogeneous society when it is divided into numerous sections and split into different and potentially rival factions ;
Amendment 523 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Reiterates its commitment to the continued improvement of Parliament’s own procedures, processes and structures in order to ensure that human rights, justice and democracy are at the core of its actions and policies; recalls Parliament’s longstanding commitment to protecting human rights;
Amendment 532 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 b (new)
Paragraph 18 b (new)
18b. Recalls that fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law, equality, isonomy, and Christian tradition constitute the core of European democratic and fundamental values; calls on Member States to reaffirm these values and to safeguard them from any attack;
Amendment 547 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 c (new)
Paragraph 18 c (new)
18c. Calls for more transparency in the Commission’s dialogue with Member States and in the work of EU agencies, when fundamental rights or the interests of European citizens are at stake;
Amendment 548 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 d (new)
Paragraph 18 d (new)
18d. Demands greater transparency in the Commission’s current decision- making process (‘commitology’), supports the endeavour to amend and adapt procedures and regulations by which decisions are taken at the commitology level and expresses anger at the obstacles raised by those opposed to Member States’ transparent assumption of more responsibilities at the commitology stage, particularly when fundamental rights or the interests of European citizens are at stake;
Amendment 557 #
2017/2125(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 e (new)
Paragraph 18 e (new)
Amendment 6 #
2017/2086(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that gender disparities in the ownership of and access to resources (such as land, credit and technology), coupled with sociocultural barriers, increase the exposure of those resources to climatic risks; points out that women can help to bring about change through the adoption of innovative practices to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change;
Amendment 15 #
2017/2086(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Deplores the fact that the role of women ‘as agents of change to drivecontribute to climate decisions and investment, and to benefit from them accordingly, has so far been modest; considers that a paradigm shift and a new approach is needed that puts gender concerns at the centre of climate management efforts and investments;
Amendment 18 #
2017/2086(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the need to make climate finance gender-responsive; encourages the private sector and other climate finance mechanisms at national and global level to engage in gender mainstreaming during all phases of the project cycle, namely design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation by promoting business initiatives by women;
Amendment 43 #
2017/2086(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recalls the pivotal role of forests in terms of environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, the delivery of ecosystem services and the safeguarding of livelihoods; considers that REDD+ action should address structural inequalities around land and forest tenure;
Amendment 2 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that, once implemented, the EU-Africa strategy should address all aspects of migration, international protectackle all root causes and radically reduce illegal migration and forced displacement, with a focus on the principles of solidarity,fair and honest partnership and shared responsibility, and mutual accountability in respect ofrespect of legal commitments with regards to international protection provisions for displaced persons, as well as the continuous, inalienable and non- negotiable respect of democratic principles, the rule of law, good governance, and human rights;
Amendment 17 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that migration and mobility within Africa and between Africa and the EU are beneficial to both continents, and that a holistic approach to migration and mobility is paramount for boosting sustainable development, promoting democracy, the rule of law, good governance and human rightconcern and fall within the remit of the African Union and its sovereign member states, while migratory flows from Africa to the EU should be subject to extensive discussion between the Union and the African states;
Amendment 26 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. RecognisesPoints out that violent conflicts, persecution, inequality, terrorism, repressive regimes, natural disasters and chronic poverty have led to increased mobility in recent years; stresses that refugees and migrants have the same universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, which is still fuelled by the same root causes and pressures; stresses that human rights and fundamental freedoms merit universal recognition and respect, but the applied practice over time is far from the desirable state;
Amendment 37 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates the importance of addressing illegal migration and the root causes of large movements of refugees and seekers and illegal migrants;
Amendment 43 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Draws attention to the factRecommends that the Africa-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue should facilitocus on legal, controlled and coordinated mobility and free movement of people in Africa and between Africa and the EU on the basis of a well-managed rights-based approach including safe and legaligration between the two regions and shall facilitate mutual movement and mobility of people in Africa and between Africa and the EU on the basis of the internal needs and sovereign will and desire of member states, with absolute respect to rule of law and fundamental rights, while robustly repressing smuggling and trafficking acts and preventing use of any chlannels for migrationdestine or irregular migratory channels;
Amendment 58 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls forExpects effective, strengthened and, systematic and binding cooperation with countries of origin, transit and destination, including a strong and real, enforceable, conditional, and compulsory resettlement policy and financial investigation of suspect transactions, in the fight against trafficking and smuggling of human beings;
Amendment 69 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. RecognisesPoints out the strategic potentialcontribution of the African diaspora worldwide in terms of bottowards their countries of origin and the African continent due to the influx of foreign exchange through financial remittances, and non- financial values, as regards capacity to build and promote peace, democracy, good governance and social stabilityrecognises the additionally negative or destabilising dynamic that this transactional activity could potentially pose for the common currency on macroeconomic terms;
Amendment 76 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recallommends that African leaders made apractically and actually pledge to accelerate growth, development, prosperity and good governance on the African continent by 2063to the benefit of their citizens;
Amendment 78 #
2017/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recommends further efforts to impNotes the Valletta Action Plan for sustainable management of migration on both sides of the Mediterranean; recommends the revaluation of the various available ment the Valletta Action Plan for humane and sustainable management of migration on both sides of the Mediterraneanans and solutions to minimise illegal migration and its causes, mainly via effectively combating smuggling and trafficking networks and disrupting the activities thereof, reinforcing the national coast guards and security forces of the Mediterranean countries that ensure enforcement principles of rule of law, and verifying the legality of actions and activities of NGO vessels.
Amendment 24 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
A. whereas cybercrime is causing increasingly significant social and economic damage affecting the fundamental rights of individuals, and posing threats to the rule of law in cyberspace and endangering the stability of democratic societies;
Amendment 26 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α a (new)
Recital Α a (new)
Aa. whereas, although technological innovation in cyberspace can be used to benefit society as a whole, it also offers opportunities for illegal and criminal practices; recalling that cybercrime is by definition more pronounced in those countries with well developed internet infrastructures and functioning online payment systems;
Amendment 35 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
B. whereas the lines betweenattacks against information security systems can take different forms, such as cybercrime, cyber espionage, cyber warfare, cyber sabotage and cyber terrorism are becoming increasingly blurred, etc; whereas cybercrimes can target individuals, public or private entities and cover a wide range of offences, including privacy breaches, copyright infringement, child pornography, online incitement to hate, the dissemination of fake news with malicious intent, financial crime andcriminal and civil offences; whereas, to fall under the definition of cybercrime, however, they must arise from, and be essentially caused by, the existence and use of digital media and be inherently linked to the digital domain; whereas they include infringements of internet privacy, unauthorised data dissemination using digital technology, copyright infringement, the dissemination of child pornography, industrial espionage and digital fraud, as well as illegal system interference;
Amendment 43 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas the 2016 IOCTA reveals that, over time and with the expansion of digital applications and capabilities, cybercrime is increasing in intensity, aggressiveness, complexity and magnitude, that reported cybercrime quite possibly exceeds traditional crime in some EU countries, there being no tangible or comparable data, while the definition is very broad and encompasses economic fraud and misuse of digital technology, that it extends to and encourages other areas of crime, such as human trafficking, that there has been a growing misuse of encryption, and anonymisation and pseudonymisation tools and that ransomware attacks outnumber traditional malware threats for the misappropriation and exploitation of personal and sensitive banking data, such as Trojans;
Amendment 52 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Δ
Recital Δ
D. whereas the key focus of cyber- attacks remains on sensitive personal information such as health or financial records, but attacks and on industrial control systems and networks aimed at destroying, the aim of such attacks differing in accordance with the source thereof, with motivations ranging from personal satisfaction and/or enrichment to the destruction of economic structures and the destabilisingation of societies are growing in number; whereas the majority; whereas the an exceptionally high number of international requests for data are related to fraud and financial crime, followed by violent and serious crime in the digital domain;
Amendment 57 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
E. whereas a considerable number of cybercrimes remain unprosecuted and unpunished, due in part to significant underreporting , long detection periods allowthe legal procedures that must be followed at the detection stage, inevitably giving cybercriminals time to develop multiple entries/exits or backdoors, difficult access to e-evidence, probinstitutional and procedural obstaclems into obtaining it and with its admissibility in court, as well as complex procedures and jurisdictional challengequestions related to the cross-border nature of cybercrimes;
Amendment 61 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΣΤ
Recital ΣΤ
F. whereas the TELE2 judgment of the CJEU imposes stringent limits on police and judicial access to the data of cybercrime suspects, given that Member States are not entitled to require the general and indiscriminate storage by service providers of electronic messaging data, since this would be in breach of Articles 7, 8 and 52(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; the admissibility of data retention must be assessed in the light of the principles of necessity and proportionality, as well as the rules governing data access, protection and security and the length of time for which data may be stored;
Amendment 69 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ζ
Recital Ζ
G. whereas children are particularly vulnerable to online groomingwhen exposed to certain risks arising from unsupervised use of the Internet, including online sexual advances and other forms of sexual exploitation onlin the digital domaine, and therefore require special protection;
Amendment 80 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Η
Recital Η
H. whereas awareness about the risks posed by cybercrime has increased, but adequate precautionary measures backed- up by deterrents, both on the part of individual users and of business, remain absent; whereas, despite the action taken in response to this by individuals, companies or other legal persons using the net, this is does not provide sufficient protection or deterrence against the new methods being used by cybercriminals, particularly given the technical resources already available and the exponential development of technology in this field;
Amendment 84 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Θ
Recital Θ
I. whereas the constantly growing interconnectedness of people, places and things makessymbiosis between people, devices and other objects, including the resulting data output on the Internet of Things within the shared global system of interconnected networks and even more so on private or more limited Interanet of Things (IoT) devices an ideal target for cybercriminals; networks, using frequently classified online technologies and providing comparatively more valuable data, make the system a target for cybercriminals, particularly where weak or vulnerable areas can be identified, and all the more so where security systems are inadequate, have not been upgraded or updated or are not being properly deployed by users;
Amendment 97 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the sharp increase in ransomware, botnets and using malicious bots or, more frequently, various types of automated network (botnets) , which may be used to launch a coordinated digital attack or for the unauthorised impairment of, or interference with, computer systems has an impact on the availability and integrity of personal data, as well as on the protection of privacy and fundamental freedoms; that varies widely depending on the specific circumstances; stresses that such incidents may temporarily or permanently affect the availability and integrity of personal data or other sensitive data, including data relating to industrial property, security, the protection of privacy and fundamental freedoms, the economic and logistical sustainability of companies and businesses because of the expected direct and indirect damage sustained and related costs incurred, possibly harming the reputation and prestige of victims, the availability of digital and online services, confidence in private and public security efforts, innovation and creativity in sectors coming under attack and public receptiveness to both specific services and digital innovation in general;
Amendment 103 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Reiterates the importance of the legall measures taken at European level to harmonise the definition of offences linked to attacks against information systems as well as to child sexual exploitation online and to oblige the Member States to set up as related to cybercrime in general and, more specifically, offences linked to attacks against information systems, under the supervision of the of the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) of the European Police Office (Europol) and with the effective participation and assistance of users, more particularly professionals and researchers in the digital and technological sectors concerned, with particular emphasis on security; calls on all the Member State authorities and their European institutional counterparts, including the judiciary, police, prosecution authorities and intelligence services, to examine whether the setting up of system for the recording, production and provision of statistical data on these offences; would be appropriate or fit for purpose and in what form;
Amendment 109 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Member State and EU authorities, under the guidance of ENISA and Europol's EC3, acting as a hub of information and expertise, to identify shortcomings in cooperation between the security services of the Union, highlighting those areas where duplication of effort is proving detrimental to rapid, smooth and trouble- free cooperation and to come up with joint proposals regarding the legal aspects of cybersecurity that are in need of clarification;
Amendment 112 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. DeploresExpresses its concern that cyber- attacks against businesses often remain undetected or unreported; believes that the obligation to disclose security breaches introduced by the GDPR will help to address this problem; strongly regrets the fact that companies providing digital services or managing electronic data often do not immediately notify users directly involved or concerned that the security of their network and, quite possibly, their data security have been compromised, thereby enabling them to take remedial action and decide on a course of action in full knowledge of the facts; considers that companies have an obligation to notify users of security breaches affecting them and to facilitate law enforcement while ensuring the protection of data, including confidential corporate or industrial data, insofar as such cooperation does not adversely affect the company, does not create disproportionate costs or administrative burdens in relation to the size of the company and is in proportion to the extent, gravity and impact of cyber- attack;
Amendment 122 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that the constantly changing nature of the cyber-threat landscape presents all stakeholders with serious legal and technological challenges; points, in particular, to the increasing misuse of privacy-enhancing technologies such as onion-routing and the Darknet, as well as to the growing threats posed by hackers sponsored by non-friendly foreign states or extremist political or religious organisationschallenges in different areas, including, but not limited to, questions of a moral, ethical, legal, technical, technological, institutional and political nature;
Amendment 128 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Notes that enhanced privacy applications may be misused for criminal purposes and it is therefore essential to develop appropriate methods and devices to counter this; calls for necessary investments in security to be continued so as to ensure that these applications are fit for purpose, up to date and more widely utilised;
Amendment 130 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Points out that we are now in a rapidly changing environment in which the networks used by cybercriminals immediately seek to take advantage of new technological and non-technological loopholes to evade traditional law enforcement procedures; stresses that new challenges require innovative and flexible responses on the part of the institutions and regulatory bodies involved;
Amendment 133 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the recourse of, despite the a number of indications relating to isolated incidents, systematic recourse by terrorist extremists to cybercrime tools and services is still limited; highlights, however, that this is likely to change in light of theoffered by other cybercriminal networks has not been flagged in reports or suggested by evidence to date; notes, however the existing and growing direct links between terrorism and organised crime and the wide availability of firearms and explosive precursors on the Darknet, making it probable that instruments suitable for this purpose that are available in cyberspace or on the Dark Net are being used mainly by isolated terrorists operating independently under an indirect chain of command; stresses that the use of cyberspace, and especially the Dark Net by terrorist and other organised criminal networks is focused primarily on cash- flow management, including money laundering and measures to generate revenue;
Amendment 135 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Acknowledges the increased risks posed by cybercriminals and hackers serving or protected by hostile foreign powers or extremist organisations; observes that criminals can cause disproportionate harm to key infrastructures, as well as financial losses and other damage, with a comparatively small logistical and cash outlay, in return for benefits or financial gain, depending on the resources deployed and objectives sought;
Amendment 139 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Acknowledgesstresses that, despite their excellent, desirable and judicious applications, privacy protection devices using various enhanced encryption, anonymisation and pseudonymisation technologies, which are not by definition unlawful, could, given their potential, be widely misused in order to conceal or disguise a wide range of illegal or criminal activities; accepts that, for many individuals, the use of privacy enhancing technologies in cyberspace is one of the few sufficiently powerful and effective tools at their disposal in order to ensure, for example, the confidentiality of their communications and the safety of their banking or financial transactions; acknowledges in any case that technological advances in encryption allow legitimate users to better protect their data, butwhile pointsing out that malicious users deploy the same techniques to conceal their criminal activities and identities;
Amendment 151 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Member States to step upcontinue their efforts in relation to victim identification and victim-centred assistance and support services;
Amendment 163 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission, in the context of the review of the European cybersecurity strategy, to assess the situation regarding the fight against cybercrime in the European Union and the Member States and the risks it poses, in order to achieve a better understanding of the trends and developments in relation to offences in cyberspace; cybercrime, establish a vulnerability and security index for critical information and digital systems in the Union, draw up an in-depth and strictly confidential internal report on priorities for the enhancement of vulnerable systems and identify weaknesses in the light of current technological possibilities and requirements;
Amendment 166 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls on the Commission not to seek the concentration of power or the conferral and exercise of competences belonging to the Member States by adducing the undeniable need for European and international cooperation in response to cybercrime; urges the national parliaments to ensure compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, under which, in areas outside its exclusive competence, the Union shall act only if and in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, but can be better achieved at Union level by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action;
Amendment 168 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that cyber-resilience is a key inelement of cyber-security when it comes to preventing cybercrime and should therefore be given the highest priority by the Member States and the Union the security sector ; calls for a comprehensive Eupropean approach on the fight against cybercrime that is compatible with fundamental rights, data protection, cybersecurity, consumer protection and e-commeosal regarding appropriate and available options at Union level for the fight against cybercrime, given the current challenges and any foreseeable future needs or requirements that are compatible with the provisions of the Treaties, the legislation applicable, the constitutional requirements of the Member States and the Union and modern case-law in the field of fundamental rights, freedoms, security, law and order, the protection of personal and other sensitive data, consumer protection, the digital market and researceh;
Amendment 172 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes, in this regard, the investment of EU funds in research projects such as the public-Member State and EU funds in cybersecurity research projects to foster, where approprivate partnership (PPP) on cybersecur, national and European cyber-resilience and the ability, to foster Europewithstand cyber-resilienceattacks through innovation and digital capacity building and skills enhancement; urges Member States to continue to invest available EU funding also, so as to enhance the security of critical infrastructures and protect data contained therein;
Amendment 179 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Urges the Member States to step up information exchanges on the challenges they face in the fight against cybercrime, as well as on solutions to address themexchanges of information and expertise regarding the challenges they are facing in their efforts to combat cybercrime, as well as related innovative approaches and solutions;
Amendment 189 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Is concerned byStresses the Europol finding that the majority of successful attacks are attributable to a lack of user- awareness, as well as insufficient security; strongly supports effective, agreed and coordinated efforts to raise user awareness;
Amendment 200 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to launchto launch pan-European public awareness- raising campaigns to ensure that citizens, in particular children and other vulnerable users, and the private sector are awareinitiatives, targeted at individuals and undertakings, regarding cybercrime and associated risks, with a particular focus ofn the risks posed by cybercrime, and to promote the use of security measures such as encryptionesources being deployed by them and ways of countering digital threats;
Amendment 204 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that members of the public, in particular children and other vulnerable users and private sector users, have guided and unhindered access to adequate security measures such as encryption;
Amendment 210 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that businesses should conduct regular vulnerability assessments, fix existing vulnerabilities in their products or services and consistently reportwhere these are identified and, where necessary, notify affected users and the authorities of any cyber- attacks and provide any information necessitated and dictated by the circumstances;
Amendment 219 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 232 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Considers enhanced and closer cooperation with service providers to be a key factor inmeans of prevention and a key pillar for accelerating and streamrationalinsing mutual legal assistance and mutual recognition procedurescompany assistance procedures through the provision of data to law enforcement and judicial authorities and the corresponding use of digital evidence;
Amendment 244 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Believes that innovation should not be hampered by unnecessary red tape for, chiefly in the case of software developers and hardware producers; encourages the private sector, through a cooperative approach, to implement voluntaryessential measures aimed at bolstering trust in the security of software and devices, such as the IoT trust label in cooperation with institutional bodies;
Amendment 254 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls on the Commission to put forward legislative measures setting out clear definitions and minimumappropriate penalties for the dissemination of fake news and online incitement to hate,of a fraudulent and criminal nature, the online incitement to criminal activities, as well as the related obligations of internet service providers and penalties in the event of non- compliance, with due respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and to a degree that is proportionate with the goal of preserving these rights and freedoms;
Amendment 266 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls on the Commission to investigateclarify the legal scope for improving the accountability of service providers and forto investigate the need to imposinge an obligation to respond to foreign EU law- enforcement requests, with due respect for the principle of reciprocity;
Amendment 280 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Member States to impose the sameestablish encryption obligations onfor online service providers as those, which apply to; considers that basic rules and requirements regarding encryption must exist for every providers of traditional telecommunications services, whether 'traditional' or on-line;
Amendment 286 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines that illegal online content should be removed immediately; welcomes, in this context, the progress achieved concerning the blocking and removal of illegal content online, but stresses the need for a stronger commitment on the part of platform service providers to respond quickly and effectivelyndered inaccessible and, wherever possible, deleted; welcomes, in this context, the progress achieved, but stresses the need for a stronger commitment on the part of platform service providers to respond quickly and effectively, without prejudice to the rights of the creators to compensation for injury or damage or the possible imposition of administrative fines by the supervisory bodies if the response is not in accordance with objective requirements and without ignoring possible technical challenges;
Amendment 301 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Is concerned that a considerable number of cybercrimes remain unpunished; emphasises the need to continue to allow lawful access to relevant information, even if it has been encrypted, if such access is imperative for reasons of security and justice and in so far as the existing legal pathways and procedures permit, and for the regulatory authorities to clarify the procedural manner and access framework where necessary;
Amendment 309 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 319 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses that lawful hacking must be a measure of last resort,n available instrument and tool which has to be necessary, proportionate, and in full compliance with fundamental rights and EU data protection and case law; calls on all Member States to establish clear rules regarding the authorisation process for lawful hacking activities, including restrictions on the use and duration of lawful hacking tools, to set up anwith internal oversight mechanisms, and to provide effective legal remedies for the targets of these hacking activities if this is deemed appropriate by an independent judicial body;
Amendment 327 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls on the Member States to notify each other about breaches of their territori digital sovphereignty as part of investigations conducted due to lack of information about the location of the hacked device within their national territory and to exchange data relating to intra-Community cybercrime of a cross- border nature within the framework of ongoing investigations;
Amendment 331 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Stresses the need to minimise the risks posed tofor the privacy and security of internet users by leaks of exploits or other tools used by law- enforcement authorities as part of their legitimate investigations;
Amendment 332 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Emphasises that judicial and law enforcement authorities have to be equipped with sufficient capabilities in terms of specialised personnel and logistical digital infrastructure and funding to respond effectively toinvestigate cybercrime;
Amendment 334 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Underlines that the patchwork of separate, territorially defined national jurisdictionsfragmented judicial framework, if not correctly regulated or defined, will causes difficultieelays in determining the applicable law in transnational interactions and may gives rise to related legal uncertainty, thereby preventing the unrestricted and the maximum possible and most effective cooperation across borders, which is necessary to deal efficiently with misuses onlinrapidly with possible criminal abuses in cyberspace;
Amendment 347 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Underlines that a commonordinated European approach by the Member States to criminal justice in cyberspace is a matter of priority, as it willprecondition for improveing the enforcement of the rule of law in cyberspace and facilitateing the obtaining of e-evidence that can be used in court in criminal proceedings;
Amendment 353 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Underlines the importancvalue of close cooperation between law enforcement authorities and the private sector on the issue of access to e-evidence; recalls the value of mutual cooperation between national law enforcement authorities; urges the Member States concerned to eliminate criminal law provisions prohibiting domestic service providers from responding to foreign law enforcement requests, in so far as the ban is not adequately justified;
Amendment 364 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Calls on the Commission to put forward a Europeaclarify the common legal framework for e- evidence, including harmonised rules to determine the status of a provider as domestic or foreign, and to impose an specific obligation on service providers to respond to requests from third countriesStates only in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, with a view to ensuring legal certainty for stakeholders and removing obstacles to cooperation;
Amendment 372 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Calls on the Member States to implement fully the EIO Directive for the purposes ofensure the effective securing and obtaining of e-evidence in the EU, as well as to include specific provisions relating to cyberspace in their national penal codes in order to facilitate the admissibility of e- evidence in court and to issue clearer guidance to judges regarding the penalisation of cybercrime by determining the corresponding national legal framework, which the judicial and prosecution body will be called upon to interpret and implement;
Amendment 376 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Recognises the important contribution of the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies, especially the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) of Europol and Eurojust, as well as the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), to the fight against cybercrime of the European Union;
Amendment 378 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33a. Recognises that one of the nine thematic areas of Europol's EMPACT Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2013-2017 prioritises the fight against cybercrime, which is committed by organised crime groups and is a particularly lucrative activity for the members of these gangs, causes serious harm to its victims and affects critical infrastructure and information systems in the Union; calls on Europol to regularly review and update or re-adjust its strategic plan on the basis of the latest data;
Amendment 383 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls on Europol to continue to support national law enforcement authorities in setting up secure and adequate transmission channels within the limits of the agency's mandate;
Amendment 388 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Calls on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) and the European Judicial Training Network to extend their offer of training courses dedicated to cybercrime- related topics to competent law enforcement bodies and judicial athe judges and prosecuthorities across the Unions of the Member States dealing with cases of this kind;
Amendment 389 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)
Paragraph 35 a (new)
5a. Calls on the competent bodies of the Member States and the Union, under the guidance of staff of the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) of Europol and Eurojust, and of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), as information and expertise centres, to make costed proposals to be carried out under their own executive supervision and within the limits of the mandate given to them which, at European level, will have as their object the practical training of appropriately specialised staff of police prosecution services in key principles of identifying and handling digital evidence, in tried-and-tested and legitimate ways of harnessing the social media, in the best ways and procedures for reporting cyberattacks and in understanding practical aspects of protecting the privacy of communications and personal data on the Internet;
Amendment 394 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Calls for sufficient funding and postsconsideration of whether it would be necessary, appropriate and efficient to be madke available further funding and posts to the European Union’s Judicial Cooperation Unit (Eurojust) to allow the agency to cope with its increasing workload, as well as to develop and strengthen further its support to national cybercrime prosecutors in cross-border cases, including viathe potential increase in its workload related to the recently established European Judicial Cybercrime Network;
Amendment 397 #
2017/2068(INI)
37. Highlights the importance of close cooperation with third countries in the global fight against cybercrime, including through the exchange of best practices, joint investigations, capacity-building, and mutual legal assistancethe adoption of common definitions, the convergence of efforts to tackle common cross-border threats and crimes relating to the cyberspace and the digital sphere, possibly through joint investigations, capacity-building and the development of skills and mutual assistance in providing adequate and secure data to facilitate the task of, and be used by, law enforcement and judicial authorities;
Amendment 409 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Underlines that strategic and operational cooperation agreements between Europol and third countries facilitate bothallow the exchange of information and practical cooperation, but there are still administrative and institutional barriers to the rapid response of all parties despite the facilitation provided by the Agency as an interface; invites Europol to conclude realistic agreements of practical value with all countries listed in the annex to the Europol regulation in due course; and subject them to approval, consideration and ratification by the European Parliament in consultation with the national parliaments of Member States before they are put into effect;
Amendment 419 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Takes note of the fact that the highest numberStresses that the overwhelming majority of law enforcement requests is sent to the United States and Canada; is concernednotes that the voluntary disclosure rate of big US digital service providers in response to requests from European criminal justice authorities falls short of 60 %;
Amendment 424 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Calls on the Commission to put forward concrete measures to address impediments to the exchange of information between European law enforcement authorities and third countries, in particular Canada and the USA notably the quick obtaining, upon a court decision, of relevant evidence, subscriber- related information as well as detailed meta- and content data (if not encrypted)which have been recorded or are otherwise available from law- enforcement authorities and/or service providers with a view to improving mutual legal assistance, with due respect for the principle of subsidiarity;
Amendment 430 #
2017/2068(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Supports the capacity-building assistance provided by the EU to Eastern Neighbourhood countries, given that manywhatever assistance is needed to develop the cyber resilience of the Member States and the Union as a whole and the Union's ability to respond to cyber-attacks originate in them attacks against information or digital systems of whatever origin;
Amendment 1 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the EU is bound to respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, notably Articles 7, 8, 13 and 821 on the right to privacy and, the protection of personal data, the freedom of the arts and sciences and non- discrimination, respectively;
Amendment 2 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the data broadcast by Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) is personal data relating to an identified or identifiable person, and whereas the C-ITS messages will be transmitted forto system operators and users and, more generally, to a wide range of services and between an array of actors, provided mainly in real time;
Amendment 3 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas C-ITS are based on the collection, processing and exchange of a wide variety of data from public and private sources, vehicles, users and infrastructure, and whereas it is essential to choose the most optimala representative list of cooperative ITS services related to the intended objectives for consideration in early consultations with Member States, local or regional authorities, vehicle manufacturers and roadnational management authorities, research institutes or bodies, the related manufacturing industries, and the respective transport operators;
Amendment 4 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the implementation of the systems will, in addition to the development and accessibility of the necessary technological and technical infrastructure, will also be based on geolocation technologies, such as satellite positioning, and non-contact technologies that will facilitate the provision of a wide range of public and/or commercial servicesprivate services, commercial or otherwise, and whereas and they must comply with the EU acquisnational rules in each case and the EU acquis as a whole and case-law on privacy and data protection, have strict rules on confidentiality, and also work with the objectives and practiccontribute to the objectives of the Space Strategy for Europe;
Amendment 5 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas cooperative and intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) fall under a large number of underlying regulatory and regulatory provisions in so far as they concern road, rail, water (maritime or river) or air transport systems also by virtue of the fact that they constitute an innovative combination and application of already regulated sectors such as telematics, telecommunications and IT, which may need to be updated accordingly;
Amendment 6 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas cyber-security of the cooperative ITS, and in particular the physical infrastructure, the IT information structure, the data, the interconnecting networks and the computer structures, is a key element of implementation, in cyberspace, whereas fragmented, post-hoc security solutions would possibly jeopardise the necessary interoperability and safety of the end-users, and whereas there is therefore a clear need for an EU level actioncoordinated regulatory and other actions at Union level;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the e- Privacy legislation are from the outset fully applicable in all aspects of the processing of personal data for C-ITS, in particular as regards the principles of purpose limitation, data minimisation and the rights of data subjects;
Amendment 13 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Draws attention to the fact that if the service provided is based on location data, it must provide relevant and comprehensible information to the user, who must be able to withdraw his/her consent at any time;
Amendment 16 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that safety issues should be taken into account not only during the C- ITS device operation itself, but also in thedatabases or data bases in which the data are processed and / or stored; stresses further that appropriate technical, administrative and organisational requirements must be defined for all stages of the processing, ensuring an adequate level of securitynks or related data management systems in which the data are processed, such as collection, registration, organisation, preservation or storage, modification, export, use, transmission, dissemination, correlation or combination, interconnection, capture, erasure and destruction; stresses further that appropriate technical, administrative and organisational requirements must be defined for all stages of the processing, ensuring the most practicable level of security, while the processing of personal data is strictly permitted only where the person has consciously given his or her explicit consent;
Amendment 20 #
2017/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Draws attention to the fact that data protection and confidentiality must be taken into account throughout the whole processing; stresses that the implementation of ‘privacy and data protection by design and default’ should be the starting point forin the design, development and evolution of ITS applications and systems.
Amendment 21 #
2017/2067(INI)
4a. Recognises the dynamic yield of practical results of the C-Roads platform over the medium term that will improve the safety and efficiency of road transport and the road network, but also points out that the implementation of Member States' participation in the C-Roads platform should be done in a technologically neutral way so that the future broadening of the use of these systems takes place without discrimination in terms of accessibility or compromises on the security of users' personal data;
Amendment 8 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Α a (new)
Recital Α a (new)
Αa. whereas data protection concerns all citizens and their fundamental rights and not only consumers or users;
Amendment 9 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Β
Recital Β
Amendment 12 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the EU data protection framework already allows for the ‘free flow’ of data within the EU and with third countries, provided that its requirements are fulfilled, without the possibility of verifying their implementation, while at the same time placing at odds with personal data processing certain provisions regarding the protection of individuals, which must be stepped up and possibly extended;
Amendment 14 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) not only clarifies the rules for assessing the level of protection of third countries (adequacy decisions), but also codifies one of the tools already used for international transfers (binding corporate rules) and provides two additional options to facilitate transfers of personal data (certifications and codes of conduct); whereas the GDPR should be regularly updated so as to ensure that its effectiveness is at least not eroded and, ideally, that it enhances citizens’ rights, giving them the necessary protection and better control of their personal data and ensuring that their privacy is still protected in the digital age at a time of shifting data parameters;
Amendment 16 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
Ε. whereas the protection of personal data is a fundamental right and high standards in this field help to build trust in the digital economy and thus foster the development of digital tradeensure the more effective protection and consistent implementation of this established fundamental right; whereas, promoting specific high data protection standards and facilitating international trade must go hand in hand in the digital era; urther intervention regarding the rules governing the integrated digital market and international trade in their present form must go hand in hand in the digital era, bearing in mind that we operate in a global society characterised by rapid technological shifts, some of which occur automatically and many of which are conditioned by unregulated artificial intelligence parameters;
Amendment 18 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas trade agreements can be a lever to improve digital rights, while frequently serving to underpin EU policies in the field of law enforcement, crime prevention strategies and international relations, for example; whereas the inclusion of provisions on net neutrality, forced data localisation, encryption and intermediary liability in trade agreements can strengthen the protection of freedom of speech in particularnot, in the absence of adequate endorsement, ensure a high level of protection where data is still being transferred and processed for commercial and other purposes, while the Member States and the Union still lack the necessary legal instruments and guaranteed terms of reference to verify compliance or to require third parties to respect the stated objectives of these provisions;
Amendment 25 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that any European digital trade strategy or provisions for cross- border data flows and agreements on a free flow legal provision should fully respect the EU data protection acquis and comply with EU fundamental rights standards; highlights the need for documented justification of the need for data collection and transfer, as well as specific and binding parameters in the form of a restrictive/exhaustive list of the objectives being served;
Amendment 26 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that it is essential for the general public, as well as contracting parties, to be given ready access to comprehensible information concerning business, commercial or other models necessitating unrestricted data flows, accompanied by an open and transparent overview of services or benefits provided free of charge thanks to funding generated by data collected or made available; stresses that users must be informed as to how many and which third parties have access to data generated or transferred by them if consent is given;
Amendment 28 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Advocates the use of all instruments provided for under the GDPR, while acknowledging the fact that EU rules on the transfer of personal data may, which are still inadequate and not fully satisfactory, may in fact prohibit the processing of such data in third countries if they do not meet the EU adequacy standard;
Amendment 32 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines the need to tackle all forms of digital protectionism, including unjustified data localisation requirements, as such protectionism is contrary to the EU’s data protection rules, with the exception of data localisation requirements generally applicable in the EU;
Amendment 40 #
2017/2065(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Urges the Commission to act as the benchmark for setting high data protection standards on data flows at international level and to consult the appropriate EU and Member State data protection institutions and bodies during the negotiation process of international or trade agreements that may potentially impact data protection.
Amendment 3 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Deplores strongly the fact that the EUR 200 million top-up for Erasmus+ proposed under the MFF revision for 2017- 2020 has been reduced by Council to EUR 100 million, with EUR 50 million already allocated in 2017; recalls that Erasmus+ helps to deliver growth and is a strategic long-term investment in Europe’s young people with particular added value;
Amendment 10 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that proposed funding for the new and already controversial Solidarity Corps draws heavimainly on Erasmus+ (circa EUR 58 million in 2017) and secondarily on Europe for Citizens (around EUR 3.5 million a year); insists that new initiatives require a legal base and clear policy design and must be coordinated with other programmes; stresses that the future roll- out of the Solidarity Corps must notolerating the maintenance of the Solidarity Corps, as a tool for pursuing political ends, indulging in high-cost political rhetoric and promoting new channels of illegal migration, must not, in addition, undermine funding for priority and substantive education and culture programmes;
Amendment 11 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that in generalvery broad terms the Commission proposal corresponds to Parliament’s view that the 2018 EU budget must enable the EU to continue to generate growth and jobs while ensuring the security of its citizens, though further adjustments are expected;
Amendment 16 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that both the Culture sub-programme under Creative Europe and the Europe for Citizens programme continue to have low project success rates (11 % and 16 % respectively in 2016), cauraising frustraquestions among applicants and hampering programme functioning; calls for more funds to be allocated to the programmes in 2018bout the soundness of the initial planning and the real objectives of the programmes; calls for funds for the programmes in 2018 and the allocation of these funds to be re-examined in order to ensure targeted and effective delivery;
Amendment 19 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the decision of the Commission to already include in the draft budget the results of the mid-term revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020; is convinced that while the formal adoption is still blocked in the Council, the proposal of the Commission sends a strong signal about the importance of this MFF revision, and the need for increased flexibility in the EU budget that could enable the Union to effectively respond to new emergencies and finance its political priorities; underlines that the European Parliament acted swiftly to grant its consent to the revised MFF Regulation, and expects that the Council will finalise without any further delay the adoption of the MFF revision, following the UK elections on 8 June 2017; reiterates that the current state of play is a mid-term arrangement before substituting the MFF with a more facilitative and purpose- oriented tool;
Amendment 21 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for significantly greater synergies and the further development thereof between culture and education programmes and EFSI and the ESI Funds; urges the Commission to frontload the Creative Europe Guarantee Facility through EFSI to support the cultural and creative sector and thereby drivee of the nations that make up the European Union and the dormant creativity in the Member States, thereby providing a further means to support growth;
Amendment 22 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomNotes the agreement reached on the European Year of Cultural Heritage (EYCH) 2018 with a budget of EUR 7 million in 2018, 4 million of which is; stresses that EUR 4 million of the EUR 7 million are fresh money; reiterates that funding for the EYCH must neither have noa negative impact on Cother programmes nor, because of its title or any relative Europeed actions, cast doubt on the only apposite term relating to the respective cultural heritage of the Member States;
Amendment 27 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates its firm conviction that in order to achieve sustainable growth and job creation in the EU, investments in research, innovation, infrastructure, education and SMEs are key; welcomes in this respect the proposed reinforcements to Horizon 2020, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and Erasmus+ as these programmes will contribute directly toand indirectly to partly reaching these goals; regrets, however, that the proposed allocation for COSME is lower in comparison with the 2017 budget and points to the need to furthersignificantly reinforce SMEs, which are the main source of job creation and innovation in the EU and have a broader crucial role in reducing the investment gap and potentially contributing to the prosperity of the EUsome member states;
Amendment 30 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes the successinitiative of the New Narrative for Europe, now in its final year as a Preparatory Action; stresses that the initiative has protheoretical objectiven its worth,to fostering debate and fresh thinking among young people on thespecific challenges facing the EU; calls, in light of those challenges, for the initiative to be re-examined and potentially continued through the Youth strand of Erasmus+.
Amendment 34 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. CommendsDoubts about the role of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in bridging the investment gap across the EU and does not supports its extension until 2020; underlines its position in the on-going legislative negotiations that no further cuts should be incurred on existing EU programmes in order to finance this extension;
Amendment 54 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. WelcomesStresses that the EU initiatives in the field of defence research, which will contribute to achieving economies of scale in the sector and thus lead to greater coordination among Member States in the field should be overall revised; notes that smaller national defence industries will struggle ineffectively to adjust and remain competitive;
Amendment 56 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 78 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that in 2018, cohesion policy programmes are expected to reach cruising speed and emphasises Parliament’s commitment to ensuring adequate appropriations for these programmes; is however preoccupied by the unacceptable delays in the implementation of operational programmes at national level due to inadequate technical assistance and expertise provision; calls on Member States to ensure that the designation of managing, auditing and certifying authorities is concluded and implementation is accelerateddequate, according to nationally set prioritization criteria;
Amendment 98 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Reiterates that while growth and jobs should remain the underlying priority of the EU budget, obtaining sustainable progress in these fields will be impossible if the citizens feel unsafe or insecure; emphasises, moreover, that the unprecedented mobilisation of special instruments has shown that the EU budget was not initially designed to address the magnitude of the migrationillegal immigration, other migration flows and refugee crisis; believes that moving to a post-crisis approach is premature given the volatility of the situation in the EU Neighbourhood and the terrorist threat within the EU; questions therefore the proposed cuts in Heading 3 compared to the 2017 Budget which do not seem to be in line with the EU pledge to deal in an efficient manner with the migration and refugee crisis,on enforceing security, and tackleing terrorism and radicalisation;
Amendment 112 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. WelcomAcknowledges the increase proposed for the eastern component of the European Neighbourhood Instrument responding to Parliament’s previous calls; is convinced that in order to counter the activities of an increasingly aggressive Russian Federation, the EU’s suppt is of pivotal importance to provide essential support towards member states and the EU's interests in order to counter hostile or aggressive activities of foreign third actorts, especially for in collaboration withe countries that have signed Association Agreements, is essential as required;
Amendment 120 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. NotStresses that the draft budget 2018 leaves very limited margins or no margin under the MFF ceilings throughout Headings 1a, 1b, 3, 4 and 5; considers this as a logical but unfortunate consequence of the significant new initiatives taken since 2014 (EFSI, migration-related proposals, and lately defence research and the European Solidarity Corps), which have been squeezed within the MFF ceilings agreed in 2013; recalls that the MFF, in particular, once its revision is finalised by the Council, provides for flexibility provisions which, albeit limited, should be used to their fullest in order to maintain the level of ambition of successful programmes and tackle the new challenges; expresses Parliament’s intention to further mobilise such flexibility provisions as part of the amending process;
Amendment 126 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes in this respect the numerous references in the draft budget to the necessity of a letter of amendment which may partially pre-empt Parliament’s position in the budgetary procedure; regrets that, instead of already including them in the draft budget, the Commission has announced that possible new initiatives in the area of security and handling illegal immigration and a possible extension of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey may be proposed as part of an upcoming letter of amendment; urges the Commission to prorevidse details as to these upcoming proposals in a timely manner so that the budgetary authority can properly examine them, especially the extension of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, since nominal goals have not been achieved to an adequate degree; stresses that these potential initiatives should not disregard, let alone replace, requests and amendments put forward by Parliament in the context of this budgetary procedure;
Amendment 129 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. NoteHighlights that in comparison with 2017, the Commission proposal for 2018 corresponds to an substantial increase in commitments under subheading 1a of +2.5 % to EUR 21 841.3 million; welcomes the factnotes that Horizon 2020, the Connecting Europe Facility and Erasmus+ account for an important part of this increase as their commitment appropriations rise by respectively 7.3 %, 8.7 % and 9.5 %, but notes still that this is slightly below their overall financial programming as it currently stands;
Amendment 130 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Is surprised, however,Stresses that COSME commitment and payment appropriations have been reduced respectively by 2.9 % and 31.3 %, although support to SMEs is nominally identified as one of the top priorities of the EU; expresses its intention to further reinforce this programmecommitment to safeguard this programme's commitments and payment appropriations in the 2018 budget;
Amendment 137 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Takes note of the Commission’s proposal to set up a European Solidarity Corps (ESC); notes, however, with concern that, despite Parliament’s warnings, the legislative proposal adopted on 30 May 2017 envisages that three fourths of the ESC budget would be financed by redeployments from existing programmes, and mainly from Erasmus+ (EUR 197.7 million); is concerned by the risk that this situation would pose to those EU programmes; is concerned about the effective use of funds when duplicating structures supportive of volunteering and by dealing with volunteering on the basis of a co-financed operation; is additionally apprehensive on potential hidden costs by opening up channels of "volunteers" from thirds countries settling in Europe, leading to the need of further fund allocation on operations supporting security and tackling illegal immigration;
Amendment 145 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
Amendment 157 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses the need forof revising the implementation of the 2014-2020 programmes to reach full speed, and ; strongly believes that any ‘abnormal’ build-up of unpaid bills must be avoided in the future; calls, in this context, on the Commission and the Member States to resolve, as a priority, any outstanding issues linked with the delayed designation of national managing and certifying authorities, as well as other bottlenecks for the submission of payment applications; sincerely hopes that both the national authorities and the Commission have improved their estimates of the payment needs in the 2018 budget and that the proposed level of payment appropriations will be fully executed;
Amendment 165 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Notes that the Commission has left a EUR 713.5 million margin under the ceilings of Heading 2; points to the fact that increased and speculative volatility of agricultural markets, as was the case with the dairy sector crisis in the pastwhich is severely counter-productive and unjust to producers, might envisage recourse to this margin; calls on the Commission to ensure that the margin left under the ceilings is sufficient to addressly appropriate to avert, address or contain any crises that may arise;
Amendment 167 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. HighlightNotes the prolongation of exceptional support measures for certain fruits for which the market situation is still difficult, but regretsis saddened that support measures in the livestock sectors related to the Russian ban on EU imports will not be extended; stresses that it would be far more effective if the Commission substantially re-evaluated the approach to the Russian embargo-style measures and similar unjustifiable distortions to the relevant markets, which result to the very need to adopt support measures to counteract the negative economic impact on specific Union sectors; awaits the Commission’s letter of amendment, expected in October, which should be based on updated information on the EAGF funding to verify the real needs in the agricultural sector;
Amendment 171 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Notes the proposed EUR 3 473.1 million in commitment appropriations for Heading 3; emphasises the need for joint, comprehensive and sustainable solutions to the current migration and refugee crisis, and to address, long-term and security- focused solutions to the current illegal immigration issues along with the refugee crisis, and to attempting to address certaing safety and security concerns; welcomes, therefore, the Commission’s proposal for an additional EUR 800 million dedicated to tackling these issues;
Amendment 175 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Is of the opinion that the importance and urgency of these issues is not in line with the significant decreases in commitment (-18.9 %) and payment appropriations (-21.7 %) proposed for Heading 3 compared with the 2017 budget, notably on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), the Internal Security Fund (ISF) and the Justice programme; considers that those cuts are not fully justifiable given the delays in implementation of the agreed measures and the delays in the adoption of the new legal proposals; calls therefore on the Commission to ensure that adequate budgetary resources are provided for and that any additional needs will be swiftly addressed, along with sufficient margins, are provided prior to facing and needing to address yet more additional urgent challenges that threaten security of the Union and its Member States;
Amendment 179 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Furthermore believes that cooperation among Member States in security related matters could be further enhanced through increased support from the EU budget, in addition to technical assistance; questions how such an objective could be adequately reached while relevant budgetary lines of the ISF are significantly decreased compared to 2017 Budget;
Amendment 182 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Considers that 2018 will be a pivotal year in the viable establishment of the European Agenda on Migration, with several of its key components under development; underlines the need to carefully assess the budgetary implications of a number of legislative proposals on the table, such as the reform of the Dublin common asylum system, the new Entry- Exit and European Travel Information and Authorisation Systems, including the possibility of their late adoption; stresses the importance of adequate financing to match the Union’s ambition in this regard and urgently achieve the set-up of an effective European asylum and migration policyachieve policy changes and implementation thereof;
Amendment 188 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. RecallNotes Parliament’s consistently strong support forsupport for member states' culture and media programmes; welcomacknowledges the proposed increases for the Creative Europe Programme compared with the 2017 budget, including for the European Year for Cultural Heritage under ‘Multimedia actions’; furthermore, insists onasks for sufficient funding for the programme ‘Europe for Citizens’ while refocusing the scope of the programme itself; appreciates, finally, the increases in commitment appropriations for the Food and Feed programme, the Health programme and the Consumer programme compared with the 2017 budget;
Amendment 190 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
Amendment 196 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
Amendment 197 #
2017/2043(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
Amendment 3 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that 175 million people are living in poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC); notes that inequality is the mainone of the primary obstacles to the region’s development; stresses that inclusive of the region, behind corruption and impunity; believes that social development ison the key to addressing itwidest possible basis is the fairest solution;
Amendment 6 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must be the foremostone of the objectives of cooperation between LAC and the EU; calls on the Commission and the EEAS to cooperate with the LAC countries to agree efficient and fair institutional strategies with which to achieve the SDGs, while fully respecting the will of the peoples of Latin America;
Amendment 8 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that since the European Union is the largest donor of aid to the LAC region, withdrawing it, including aid to middle-income countries, would be a backward step that would impedemight have an adverse impact and result in the financial programming of these states being restructured, thereby affecting the region’s future development; calls on the Commission and Council to make an unambiguous commitment with LAC (particularly MSME) to leave no one behind and alleviate the impact on countries that have recently achieved middle-income status or are in a process of transition towards it; recognises that these commitments require political decisions and that it is frequently difficult to justify fully ongoing payments to middle-income third countries, given the wide range of challenges arising within the Union itself;
Amendment 15 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to identify the best instruments available and endow them with sufficientitable resources to help LAC sufficiently to address the challenges facing it and to prepare itself for a possible future reduction in official development assistance (ODA); notes that the mechanisms and instruments are not limited to direct financial assistance alone but may also include technocratic support and added know-how;
Amendment 18 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores the cuts toIs alarmed at the effects on the vulnerable local population of reducing humanitarian aidssistance to the areas most in need of it (Northern Triangle of Central America, Haiti and Colombia);
Amendment 22 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the objective need to step up efforts to combat corruption and impunity, to ensure thde facto as well as de jure separation of powers and equal access to an independent, unconstrained and impartial judicial system and generally to strengthen administration;
Amendment 36 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes public policies opening up genuine, sustainable and durable opportunities for the nearly 30 million young people not in employment, education or training to be fundamental;
Amendment 40 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Highlights the importance of looking into ways of increasing the involvement of the private sector, within a framework upholding human, environmental and labour rights and in which to the extent that investors sign up to and apply the United Nations principles for responsible investment;
Amendment 46 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses the importance of coordinating the various public policy areas and encourages the involvement of all actors, including companies, trade unions and other civil society organisations, both at central and local level, in achieving the SDGs;
Amendment 50 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that economic growth and trade alone without institutional guidance and not designed to underpin social policy or prevent the widening of inequalities, are not sufficient to reduce poverty and inequality; calls for policies that contribute to achieving diversified, sustainable and suitably inclusive growth, with a strong emphasis on social issues;
Amendment 57 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Points out that LAC is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, a majority of which are attributable to climate change and that countermeasures are necessary; calls on the Commission and the LAC countries to tackle the underlying causes and to take climate-resilience measures as soon as possible;
Amendment 65 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls for development programmes in LAC to guarantee women’s fundamental rights and freedoms;
Amendment 68 #
2017/2027(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges for better coordination between policies and programmes supporting the LAC region; calls for the political commitments made at the EU- LAC regional summits to be fully honoured, and, to that end, for the necessary financial resources to be provided.
Amendment 6 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas the credibility and moral integrity of Parliament as one arm of the budgetary authority admittedly depends to a large extent on its ability to bringeffectively manage its own spending under controlwithin budgetary provisions;
Amendment 15 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the amount set aside for extraordinary investment and expenditure in 2018 is EUR 47,6 million, maintaining the same level as in 2017; considers thatquestions whether the 2019 communication campaign ought to not be considered as extraordinary expenditure;
Amendment 21 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. EmphasisUnderlines that the largest part of Parliament's budget is regularly fixed by statutory or contractual obligations and is subject to annual indexation;
Amendment 22 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the Parliament’s key functions are to legislate, represent citizens and scrurepresent citizens, co- legislate, scrutinise the work of other Union institutions and certain agencies and bodies, nominally approve decisions of the Commission and the Council and legitinmise the work of other instituCollege of Commissioners, while the core aim of parliamentary services is to fully support all the elected representatives in their work with respect to the aforementioned functions;
Amendment 27 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that savings compared to the proposal of the Secretary-General are required in areas which are not related to these key functions, and all and aims, and all effective efforts to strive for a more efficient use of public money are strongly encouragupported;
Amendment 28 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. WelcomAcknowledges the response to the request from the Committee on Budgets, in its resolution of 14 April 2016 on Parliament’s estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 20178 , and repeated in its resolution on the Council’s position on the draft general budget of the Union for the financial year 20179 , concerning medium and long-term budgetary planning, including a clear distinction between investments and operational expenditure relating to the functioning of Parliament as well as its statutory obligations (including on rents and acquisitions); __________________ 8 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0132. 9 Texts adopted , P8_TA(2016)0411.
Amendment 29 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the creation of a working group on the procedures establishing the Parliament’s estimates of revenue and expenditure; notes that Parliament has called for consideration to be given to a further revision of the Rules regarding internal budgetary procedures10 ; underlines the need for Members of the Bureau and the Committee on Budgets to receive unhindered relevant information relating to the estimates procedure in a timely and intelligible manner and with the necessary level of detail, in order to allow the Bureau and the Committee on Budgets to take prompt and appropriate decisions with a comprehensive picture of the state and needs of Parliament's budget; __________________ 10 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0484. Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0484.
Amendment 31 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates its call on the Secretary- General to make, without undue delay, a proposal for presenting the budget to the general public in appropriate detail and in an intelligible and user-friendly manner on the website of the Parliament in order to enable all citizens tosupport citizens on making informed political decisions and further enable them to scrutinise and develop a better understanding of Parliament's activities, priorities and corresponding spending patterns;
Amendment 34 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Takes note ofWelcomes the ongoing measendeavoures to continue to empower Parliament's security, relating to buildings, equipment and staff, cyber- security and communication security; requests the Secretary-General and the Bureau to carry onpersevere with the Global Security Concept to continue to provide structural, operational and cultural improvements in Parliament's security;
Amendment 36 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Believes that recent events demonstrate the likelihood of cyber- attacks is constant and persistent, while the impact of potential effects has increased dramasubstantically, with the technology behind such attacks often outpacing the cybersecurity measures to combat them; considers that IT tools have become important instruments for Members and staff to carry out their workpolitical functions, but are nevertheless vulnerable to such attacks; welcomes therefore the embedding of cybersecurity in Parliament’s overall strategic management framework, and considers this will enablimprove the institution to better protect its assets and information's capacity to withstand such attacks and better protect its assets and information; warns that the Parliament will nevertheless remain vulnerable to a sustained organised attack, especially one with subversive intent;
Amendment 38 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers that despite the installation of SECure EMail system (SECEM) the Parliament is nevertheless unable to receive restricted and non- classified briefings from other institutions; notes that Parliament is not in a position to develop its own Classified Information System (CIS) alone and; requests ongoing negotiations are ongoing with other institutions on this matter to intensify; invites the Secretary- General to presenport to the Committee on Budgets more information regarding the ongoing negotiations, before the Parliament's reading of the budget in autumn 2017;
Amendment 42 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. WelcomNotes the signature of a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding between the Belgian Government and the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the European External Action Service, and other institutions based in Brussels, on comprehensive security verifications for all external contractors’ staff wishing toprior to fully accessing the Union institutions;
Amendment 47 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Recalls that the last mid-term building strategy was adopted by the Bureau in 2010; questions, with much regret, why the Bureau has miserably failed to present a long-term strategy for Parliament buildings during this legislature, despite the Parliament’s previous robust resolutions; invites the Secretary- General and Vice-Presidents to present in good faith to the Committee on Budgets the new mid- term strategy on buildings as soon as possible, before the Parliament's reading of the budget in autumn 2017;
Amendment 48 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Reiterates its call for a more transparent decision-making and implementation process in the field of buildings policy, based on early information, having due regard to Article 203 of the Financial Regulation; calls in this regard for more information on the extension of the WAYENBERG crèche;
Amendment 53 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for substantially more information on the project to renovate the Paul Henri Spaak (PHS) building, specifically any opinions from external contractors on the necessity to renovate the building, which has had a short 25-year lifespan; notes the level of appropriations proposed by the Secretary- General in 2018 concerning studies, preparatory projects and works, and the provision of assistance to the project management team; expresses major concern at the possible confusion regarding the amounts to be spent on studies and removals; urges the Bureau and Secretary- General to appropriately and comprehensively inform the Committee on Budgets on all subsequent steps and provide a clear breakdown of costs as soon as possible;
Amendment 57 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers 2018 to be a critical year for the Konrad Adenauer (KAD) building, as it will mark the end of the work on the East site and the start of work on the West site; notes that the budget allocated to cover the management of this large-scale project has had to be revised in order to strengthen the teams which monitor the progress of the work; notrecognizes the on- going practice of using the year-end ‘mopping up transfer’ (ramassage) to contribute to current building projects; considerunderstands that while this may be a pragmatic solution to reduce interest rate payments, it nevertheless exists in tension with the transparency of building projects within the Parliament’s budget and could evenpose the potential risk of incentiviseing over-budgeting in certain areas;
Amendment 61 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Invites the Vice-Presidents responsible and the Secretary-General to presenomptly report to the Committee on Budgets awith a full progress report on the KAD building;
Amendment 74 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. WelcomNotes the communication campaign as a helpful effort to explaintool for a presentation of the purpose of the Union and the Parliament to the citizens; underlines, however, that this campaign should be largely limited to explaining the role of the European Union and the Parliament;
Amendment 79 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes that in advance of the forthcoming 2019 European elections, preparatory work on the communication campaign is already due to begin this year; welcomes asupports the shorter two year pre-election period for the communication campaign compared to the three year pre-election period for the 2014 European elections;
Amendment 89 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Believes the Directorate-General for Communication (DG COMM) should act ondopt and implement the recommendations from the evaluation of the 2014 European election campaign11 , and prioritise the collection of data for campaign projects, per unit, based on predefined key indicators in order to measure their impact; __________________ 11 Deloitte, December 2015 study. Deloitte, December 2015 study.
Amendment 92 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. WelcomesNotes that the work of the Parliament’s Secretariat is also aimed at empowering all Members equally in their mandates; encourages the continued development of those services which enhance Members’ ability tothe ability of all Members to perform their expected functions, in particular scrutiniseing the work of the Commission and Council and representing citizens without prejudice;
Amendment 97 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Welcomes in particular the ever increasing quality ofNotes the advice and research provided to Members and committees through the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) and the policy departments; approves of the four specific projects being developed over the medium- term in the European Parliament library, namely the digital library, improved resources for research, comparative law sources and open library; considers these projects as a means to improve support to both Members and staff, as well as facilitating access to the external research community and citizens; notes the need to maintain the corpus of the provided research and advice organised in a user- friendly and easily accessible manner;
Amendment 100 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Notes that the recently revised Rules of Procedure12 have limited Members to a maximum of three oral explanations of vote per part-session, but remains concerned about the additional costs required for interpretation that they generate; urg; invites the Secretary-General to provide a detailed breakdown of the costs related to oral explanations of vote; indicates the availability of alternatives such as written explanations of vote as well as a wealth of public communications facilities within Parliament’s premises for Members to explain their voting positions; calls, as an interim measure, for the purposes of clarifying whether disproportional additional costs are required for interpretation that they generate; indicates the availability of alternatives as provided on and stipulated by the Rules of Procedure, such as written explanations of vote; calls for oral explanation of votes to be regularly placed at the end of business each day on the plenary agenda; __________________ 12 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0484 - Rule 183(1).
Amendment 118 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Considers that the current envelope of EUR 24 164 per month for parliamentary assistance per Member is more than adequate and should not be increasedoverall adequate;
Amendment 133 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. NotStresses that, while political groups have been exempted from these annual staff reduction measures since 201414 , the conciliation agreement on the 2017 budget included an increase of 76 posts for political groups, fully compensated by an equal decrease in posts from the establishment plan of Parliament's Secretariat; __________________ 14 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0437; Texts adopted, P8_TA(2014)0036; Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0376; Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0411.
Amendment 141 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Considers that the regretful loss of 136 posts from the Parliament’s Secretariat in 2016, due to the annual staff reduction and the respective increase of political group staff posts, may create difficulties foraffect the provision of services by the Parliament’s administration; calls on the Secretary- General to provide more information regarding staff reduction measures last year, and to evaluate the consequences of budgetary decisions on the functioning of the institution;
Amendment 145 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Welcomes, in light of these reduction measures,Notes the proposal to convert 50 permanent AST posts into 50 permanent AD posts, which has a negligent budgetary impact, albeit limited; notes in addition, the proposal to convert three temporary AST posts into three temporary AD post’s in the President’s cabinet;
Amendment 150 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Considers that interpretation and translation are essentiparamount to the effectiveness and pivotal to the functioning of the House; re-iterates Parliament’s position expressed in its abovementioned resolution of 14 April 2016 that the Secretary-General should make further rationalisation efforts and proposals, such as extending the use of translation and interpretation on demand, as well as examining the potential efficiency gains from utilising and investing on latest language technologies, and assessing the impact of the revised framework for staff interpreters in improving resource- efficiency and productivity;
Amendment 151 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Welcomes the continuation ofNotes the measures taken by the Parliament to introduce Irish as a full official language by 1 January 2021; notes in this regard that no further posts will be required in 2018; nevertheless askinvites the Secretary-General to continue to consult Irish Members with a view to possible resource-efficiencies, without compromising the guaranteed rights of Members;
Amendment 153 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Urges the Secretary-General to build on the existing cooperation agreements between the Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, with a view to maximising synergies by identifying other areas in which back office functions could be shared; calls in addition, for the Secretary- General to undertake a study on possible proposals on synergies in back office functions and services that can also be made between the Parliament, the Commission and the Council and consequently proceed with initiating the establishment of the respective cooperation agreements;
Amendment 167 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Considers that recent justified controversies surrounding the ad hoc interpretation of the rules regarding the funding of European political parties and political foundations have exposed weaknesses in existing management and control systems which could lead to accusations of bias; notes that those potential failings directly lead to questions on how the system of checks and balances is best served;
Amendment 171 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Believes that the entry into force of Regulations (EU) No 1141/201415 and (EU) No 1142/201416 will provide additional control mechanisms and disillusioning bureaucratic layers, such as the requirement to register with the Authority for European political parties and political foundations; considers however that there is furthersubstantial room for improvement to these measures; notes that parties and foundations will begin to apply for funding under the new rules in the budgetary year 2018; believes that the fairness and the balanced and non- partisan nature of the new rules remains to be seen upon their application; __________________ 15 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (OJ L 317, 4.11.2014, p. 1). 16 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1142/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 as regards the financing of European political parties (OJ L 317, 4.11.2014, p. 28).
Amendment 175 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Highlights that a number ofcertain issues have been identified with the current system of co-financing, in which contributions and grants from the Parliament’s budget for both parties and foundations cannot exceed 85% of eligible expenditure, with the remaining 15% to be covered by own resources; notes for instance that shortfalls in membership contributions and donations are often balanced by contributions-in- kind, despite difficulties in determining both their value and their necessity in realising the work programme of a party or foundation;
Amendment 178 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. BelievesSupports the idea that European political parties and foundations should become more reliant on transparent own resources, including donations and membership contributions, and reduce their dependency on the Parliament’s budget; considers that the generous 85% upper limit of contributions or grants should be progressively lowered; maintainbelieves that an increasing reliance on own resources would loweris ethically justified; notes that the risk to the Parliament’s budget in recovering amounts erroneously or fraudulently spent; would also be decreased if the percentage contributions or the amounts per se also decreased; notes that any decisions on increasing reliability on own resources is based solely on an understanding of how political parties should ethically function and should not impact on the pluralistic nature of democratic participation;
Amendment 183 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Notes the ongoing dialogue between the European Parliament and national parliaments; calls onfor this to be strengthened in order to develop a better understanding of the contribution of the European Parliament and the Union in Member Statesignificantly strengthened and further normalised;
Amendment 186 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Notes the request for external studies and opinions in order to support the work of committees and other political bodies in analysing the possible impact of Brexit; emphasises that until the negotiations on the UK’s exit from the Union are concluded the UK remains a full member of the Union and all the rights and obligations of membership remainas stipulated by the Treaties and other agreements remain fully binding and in force; underlineexpects therefore that the decision of the UK to withdraw from the Union is unUK's withdrawal procedures are not likely to have an impact on the Parliament’s 2018 budget effective on 2018;
Amendment 190 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Recalls Parliament’s resolution of 20 November 2013 on the location of the seats of the European Union’s Institutions17, which estimated the costs of the geographic dispersion of the Parliament to be between EUR 156 million and EUR 204 million and equivalent to 10% of the Parliament's budget; emphasises the environmental impact of the geographic dispersion is estimated to be between 11,000 to 19,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions; believes that there is an impact on both the productivity and the effective and rational functioning of Parliament; underlines the negative public perception caused by this dispersion, and therefore; reiterates its position in calling for a mutually agreed roadmap to a single seat; __________________ 17 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0498.
Amendment 195 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Continues to stably question the added value of the LUX Prize, particularly given that the participants in a survey to determine the awareness and perceptionawareness of the prize wereis largely limited to some Members and film-makers;
Amendment 204 #
2017/2022(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45
Paragraph 45
45. Calls upon the Secretary-General and the Bureau to instil a culture of cost effectiveness and performance-based budgeting across Parliament’s administration, following the positive example already put into practice by the Directorate-General for Finance (DG FINS); urginvites all parties involved in the drafting of the Parliament's estimates to identify and propose negative priorities in order to free up spending for the Parliament's core responsibilities; considers this exercise particularly vital in the context of maintaining Parliament's role, key functions to legislate, represent citizens and scrutinise the work of other institutionand overarching aims;
Amendment 18 #
2017/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Commission to draw up an updated, ambitious and overarching strategy bringing together existing initiatives, re-setting new priorities based on identified gaps and providing guidance for both the EU institutions and the Member States in their implementation, monitoring and review of the 2030 Agenda, ensuring that both EU internal and external policies are in line with the agenda;
Amendment 20 #
2017/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to define a clear and detailed EU-wide Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) implementation plan with specific targets, deadlines, and methodology for coordination between the EU and its Member States, underpinned by a transparent and robust monitoring, accountability, examination of non- compliance clauses and review framework with the close involvement of Parliament, and the Council on the basis of a comprehensive set of indicators covering social, economic, growth and environmental factors;
Amendment 30 #
2017/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) should be designed in a way that enables the implementation of the EU’s strategy and SDG implementation plan and ensures a substantial EU contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at local and regional level and worldwide;
Amendment 37 #
2017/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines the importance of Official Development Assistance (ODA) as a key instrument for eradicating poverty and inequalities; calls on the EU and its Member States to recommit without delay to the 0.7 % of the gross national income target and to submit a timeline for gradually increasing ODA in order to reach this target;
Amendment 62 #
2017/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Takes note of the role of the private sector in implementing the 2030 Agenda, in particular its responsibility forn transitioning towards sustainable consumption and production patterns in Europe and globally;
Amendment 75 #
2017/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines the importance of fair and properly regulated trade for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and urges the EU to frameinclude SDGs in its trade policy strategy in line with the SDGs;
Amendment 83 #
2017/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to re-adjust their approach to migration with a view to developing a policy of legal migration policy in line with the SDG 10 and a positive, evidence-based narrative on migrants and asylum-seekers;
Amendment 7 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Recital A
A. whereas the use of conventional plant protection products is increasingly contentious, due to the risks that they pose for human health and the environment, the environment, biodiversity and the robustness of food chains and food webs in the medium and long term;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Recital B
B. whereas the term “low-risk pesticides” covers both biological and synthetic chemical pesticides, but it is a general term which may prove deceptive;
Amendment 21 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Recital Γ
C. whereas biological pesticides are generally understood to be pesticides based on microorganisms, botanicals or semiochemicals (such as pheromones and rotenone), but also substances and processes derived naturally from them, such as RNA interference (RNAi); whereas the present regulatory framework for pesticides (plant protection products) does not differentiate between biological and synthetic chemical plant protection products;
Amendment 28 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Recital Δ
D. whereas biological low-risk pesticides may constitute a viable alternative to conventional plant protection products, both for conventional and for organic farmers, and contribute to a more sustainable agriculture; whereas some biological pesticides possess newinnovative and extremely varied modes of action, which is legitimate and probably beneficial with a view to evolving resistance to conventional pesticides and limits the impact on non- target organisms; whereas biological low- risk pesticides should be the preferred option, and the one to be encouraged, for non-professional users and home gardening;
Amendment 38 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Recital E
E. whereas the long approval and registration process before commercialization of biological low-risk pesticides represents an important economic barrier to manufacturerseconomic and administrative barrier to manufacturers, and whereas this is an artificial, institutional barrier which might be necessary in order to maximise the protection of public health;
Amendment 45 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Recital ΣΤ
F. whereas there are two parallel, complementary structures, because under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, active substances are approved at Union level, while the authorisation of plant protection products containing those active substances lies within the remit of the Member States;
Amendment 51 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Recital Θ
I. whereas biological low-risk pesticides are often refused authorisation by Member StatMember States are reluctant to authorise biological low-risk pesticides due to their lower efficacy as compared to synthetic chemical pesticides;
Amendment 57 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the need to increase the availability of biological low-risk pesticides without any further delay, assigning absolute priority to specific areas such as those used by the general public and conservation areas;
Amendment 66 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that farmers need to have a bigger toolbox at hand to protect their crops and to decide which measure will most sustainably protect their crops; therefore encourages wider use of various alternatives to synthetic chemical pesticides, including biological pesticides, as a component of integrated pest management, and considers that farmers should be informed in an informal, coordinated and institutional manner of the options available to them;
Amendment 75 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that in order to promote the development of new biological low-risk pesticides, the evaluation of efficacy in comparison with existing chemical pesticides should be designed in a way not to hinder their development and market entry; stresses that their market entry should not in general be artificially hindered in any way whatsoever, for example because of chemical pesticides already on the market;
Amendment 92 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the “Implementation Plan on increasing low-risk plant protection product availability and accelerating representative, integrated pest management implementation in Member States” as endorsed by the Council and gives its support to this plan; calls on the Member States, the Commission and the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) to follow up on the implementation of this plan;
Amendment 99 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to give priority tostep up efforts regarding the evaluation, authorisation and registration of biological low-risk plant protection products;
Amendment 121 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission to submit a legislative proposal for the revision of Regulation 1107/2009 with a view to a fast-trackn evaluation, authorisation and registration process of biological low-risk pesticides which is fast-track but at the same time has adequate safety guarantees; calls for open-ended approval of biological low-risk active substances as an importantadditional incentive for the development of biological low-risk pesticides, accompanied by a requirement for the periodic confirmation and updating of the information which appears in the authorisation report;
Amendment 128 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 11
11. Highlights the need for a detailed and comprehensive definition of “biological plant protection product”, covering plant protection products the active substance of which is a microorganism or a molecule or a combination of molecules and polymers existing in nature, either obtained from a natural process or synthetizsed as identical to the natural moleculeversion, in contrast to “synthetic chemical plant protection products”, meaning plant protection products the active substance of which is a synthetic molecule not existing in nature;
Amendment 130 #
2016/2903(RSP)
Paragraph 12
12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States, whose input it requests and whom it invites to engage in dialogue.
Amendment 33 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomesExpresses doubts about the importantce of the role played by the EU budget in delivering concrete answers to the challenges the EU is facing; stresses that jobs, economic growth, illegal migration, security and tackling leftist populism are the main concerns at EU level and that the EU budget still remains part of the problem and not the solution, to these issues; underlines that a strongflexible EU budget will benefit Member States and EU citizens alike; expects that the Commission will put forward a draft 2018 budget that enables the EU to continue toswift to actual generateion of prosperity and finally ensure the safety and security of its citizens;
Amendment 49 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that the EU budget must be equipped with the right tools to enable it to respond quickly and effectively to multiple crises simultaneously; is of the opinion that, while growth and jobs, jobs and economic normality continue to remain the core priorities of the EU budget, obtaining sustainable progress in these fields will not be possible should EU citizens feel unsafe or insecure;
Amendment 68 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that enhancing the competitiveness of the EU economy is key to ensuring economic growth and job creation; believes that the creation of socially sustainable, well-paid jobs must be one of the main priorities of the EU budget; argues that, although jobs are created mainly by the private sector, and that adequate budgetary support therefore needs to be devoted to supporting private sector investments; consequently, underlines the importance of Heading 1a, which delivers real added value for European citizens and business, and calls for an increase of its share in the global budgetit is neither economically viable nor desirable to allow private sector companies to overrule member states' authority; adequate budgetary support shall therefore be devoted to support private and public sector investments in equal measure;
Amendment 82 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that investments in research and innovation represent a pre- condition for achieving genuine competitiveness in the EU; regretnotes the fact that, as a result of an alarmingly low success rate of applications, fewer high- quality projects in the field of research and innovation are receiving EU funding; calls in this respect for an adequate level of appropriations to be ensured for Horizon 2020;
Amendment 102 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. UnderlinesExpresses reservations about the importantce of the role and potential of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in reducing the investment gap in Europe, and recognises the positive results achieved so far; welcomes also the Commission proposal for extending the EFSI until 2020, which will serve to further improve its functioning, especially as regards the additionality principle and the geographical balance; regrets about the Commission proposal for extending the EFSI until 2020;
Amendment 111 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers education to be a prerequisite for well-paid, stable jobs; welcomes in this respect the role played by Erasmus+ in facilitating intra-European mobility of young students; calls, in this context, for the financing of this programme to continue to be increased in 2018; underlines the security vulnerabilities posed through this project in the light of intra-European mobility of potential terrorist young persons, who use this programme as a platform to expand Islamic radicalisation; calls in this respect for the necessary measures to be taken by the Commission for the purposes of minimising this novel security risk;
Amendment 117 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Underlines that youth unemployment is one of the main concerns at European level and that it puts at risk an entire generation of young Europeans, especially after the arrival of an excessively large number of immigrants, most of whom are illegal migrants; stresses that, as part of the conciliation agreement for the 2017 EU budget, a EUR 500 million allocation will be granted to the Youth Employment Initiative through an amending budget in 2017; remains firmly committed to securing adequate funding for the continuation of the Youth Employment Initiative until the end of the current MFF, while at the same time improving its functioning and implementation;
Amendment 127 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 158 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recognises the importance of the European agricultural sector in maintaining food security in the European Union; expresses its full support to the farmers affected by the Russian embargo or the dairy sector crestrictive measures (sanctions) in force against third countries and/or enterprisies; calls on the Commission therefore to continue to support farmers across Europe in coping with unexpected market volatilityby revising these measures;
Amendment 177 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the role played by instruments such as the Internal Security Fund (ISF) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in addressing the effects of the migratory and refugee crisis, and calls for adequate budgeting in the coming years for these funds; welcomes alsoexpresses reservations about the role of EU agencies in the area of justice and home affairs, such as Europol and the European Border and Coast Guard, and calls, in this context, for their to revise their missions; the newly revised mandate toshall be executed through adequate budgeting and staffing; is convinced that the EU needs to invest more in strengthening its border, safeguarding and securing its borders, in full respect of member states' authority and national competencies, enhancing cooperation between them and the law enforcement agencies, fighting terrorism and radicalisation and ensuring sound return operations; ;
Amendment 194 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Strongly supports initiatives in the field of defence research with the aim of encouraging better cooperation between Member States; recalls that, while respecting provisions enshrined in the Treaties, strengthened cooperation in the field of defence is needed in order to meet the security challenges that the EU is facing, which are generated by prolonged instability in the EU neighbourhood and uncertainty regarding the commitment ofupon certain EU partners towards NATO objectives;
Amendment 197 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15 a. Strongly regrets that the EU is not willing to address, in a concrete and solid manner, the economic and financial crisis that Hellas still faces; in this respect, countries facing problems and difficulties of similar nature inevitably consider leaving the EU;
Amendment 209 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reaffirms its conviction that in order to tackle the root causes of the migratory and refugee crisis, the EU needs to step up its role throughmainly through securing its borders and investments in the countries of origin of the refugees and migrants, alongside with imposing penalties to those counties that grossly fail to fulfil obligations originating from bilateral or multilateral agreements; notes that investments in infrastructure, housing, education, medical services and support for SMEs are part of the solution to tackle the root causes of illegal migration; welcomes therefore the External Investment Plan as a coherent and coordinated framework to promote investments in Africa and the Neighbourhood countries;
Amendment 221 #
2016/2323(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines that one of the conditions for preserving stability and prosperity in the EU is a stable EU Neighbourhood; calls on the Commission therefore to ensure that priority is given to specific investments in the EU Neighbourhoodstates in those regions in order to support efforts to tackle the main issues that this area is facing: the illegal/irregular migration and refugee crisis in the Southern Neighbourhood and Russian aggression in the Eastern Neighbourhood; reiterates that supporting countries which are implementing association agreements with the EU is key to facilitating political and economic reforms;
Amendment 24 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
A. whereas the EU, with major reservations, remains committed to BiH’s EU perspective, to its territorial integrity, sovereignty and unity; whereas the Council asked the Commission to prepare its opinion on BiH’s application for membership;
Amendment 33 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
B. whereas BiH has failed to demonstrated in practice its commitment and readiness to embark on further socio- economic reforms;
Amendment 36 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas an independent, functional and stable judiciary is importantndisputably of the essence when it comes to ensureing the rule of law and progress on the path to EU accession;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Δ
Recital Δ
D. whereas challenges remain as to the sustainability of the reconciliation procthe reconciliation process has in practice proved fruitless;: whereas progress in the EU accession process will enabldoes not guarantee further reconciliation;
Amendment 43 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
E. whereas corruption, including at the highesparticularly at senior government level, continues to be widespread;
Amendment 63 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the consideration of BiH’s EU membership application by the Council and looks forward to the Commission’s opinion on the merits of the application for membership; calls on competent BiH authorities at all levels to cooperate and coordinate in participating in the Commission’s Opinion process by providing a single set of frank replies to the Commission’s inquiries;
Amendment 67 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes theReserves judgement regarding progress on the implementation of the 2015-2018 Reform Agenda, as well as the country’s avowed determination to pursue further institutional and socio-economic reforms; stresses that harmonised implementation of the Reform Agenda is needed toof vital importance in achieveing real change across the country and to improve the lives of all BiH citizens; calls for the reform momentum to be maintained in order to transform BiH into a fully effective, inclusive and functional state; regrets that common reform efforts often continue to be hampered by ethnic and political divisions; considers it essential to maintain consensus on EU integration and to advance in a concerted manner on the rule of law, including the fight against corruption and organised crime, the reform of the judiciary and public administration;
Amendment 89 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes agreement on setting up a coordination mechanism for EU matters; calls on both the state and entities to ensure effective cooperation and communication between all levels of government and with the EU, in order to facilitate the alignment and implementation of the acquis, and to provide satisfactory and realistic replies to the Commission’s inquiries throughout the Investigation and Opinion process; calls for the role and capacities of the Directorate for European Integration to be further enhanced with a view to it assuming fully its coordinating functions within the implementation of the SAA and, overall, in the accession process;
Amendment 102 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. RegretsExpresses its regret and concern that the declared political commitment to combat corruption did not translate into tangible results; acknowledges progressnotes that some progress has been made in adopting anti- corruption action plans and setting up corruption prevention bodies at various levels of governance; notes with concern that deliberate fragmentation and weak inter-agency cooperation hamperis undermining the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures; calls forurges greater professional specialisation within the police and the judiciary by means of appropriate coordination channels; stresses the need to establish a track record of effective scrutiny of political party and electoral campaign financing;
Amendment 114 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is concerned about the continued fragmentation, corruption and politicisation of public administration, which hampers institutional and legislative reforms and makes the delivery of public service to citizens cumbersome and expensive; calls, as a matter of urgency, for a more harmonised approach to policy development and implementation and coordination between all levels of government, and better medium- and long- term planning;
Amendment 122 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Reiterates its concern aboutobjections to the continued fragmentation into four different legal systems; stresses the need to strengthen judicial independence, including from political pressure, and to fight corruption in the judiciary; urges the rapid adoption of the action plan for the implementation of the 2014-2018 justice sector reform; welcomes the adoption of the law on free legal aid at state level and the introduction by the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of guidelines on prevention of conflict of interest, the drafting of integrity plans and disciplinary measures; notes the important role of the Structured Dialogue on Justice in addressing the shortcomings in the BiH judiciary;
Amendment 136 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Regrets that a high number of constitutional court decisions are not being implemented, including in particularapart from the decision on the RS day, which was contested in the referendum held on 25 September 2016; emphasises that respect for the rule of law and the country’s constitutional frameworkwill of the people is of paramount importance for advancing on the EU path;
Amendment 144 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes satisfactory cooperation on war crimes cases with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and encourages more regional cooperation with regard to processing war crimes cases; welcomes the fact that the backlog of domestic war crimes cases is being tackled and that some further progress was achieved in the successful prosecution of war crimes involving sexual violence; strongly condemns the decision of the RS National Assembly in October 2016 to express appreciation tocalls urgently, for mer leaders of the RS convicted of war crimes; calls, as a matter of urgency, forasures to promote respect for the victims of war crimes and for reconciliation to be promotedhelp bring about reconciliation;
Amendment 158 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes some progress with regard to refugees and internally displaced persons in terms of repossession of property and occupancy rights as well as the reconstruction of houses; calls on the competent authorities to facilitate their access to healthcare, employment, social protection, insurance and education;
Amendment 163 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that some progress has been made in fighting organised crime; is concerned, however, about the absence of a consistent approach in tackling organised and cross-border crime owing to the numerous action plans by the various law enforcement agencies at different levels; highlights the need to strengthen the framework for inter-agency cooperation; welcomes joint investigations but calls for more coordinated operations, action and better exchange of information; calls for enhancing capacities of law enforcement bodies including on counter-terrorism; welcomes the signing of the operational and strategic cooperation agreement with Europol aimed at combating cross-border criminality;
Amendment 175 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls forUrges the boosting of efforts to combat radicalisation and islamic fundamentalism and further measures to identify, prevent and disrupt the flow of foreign fighters, including by close cooperation with relevant services of the Member States and countries in the region; calls for the introduction of programmes on de-radicalisation and preventing youth radicalisation;
Amendment 200 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Underlines the need for a substantial improvement in the strategic, legal, institutional and policy frameworks on the observance of human rights; calls for the adoption of a countrywide strategy on human rights and non-discrimination; is concerned about continued discrimination against persons with disabilities in the fields of employment, education and access to health care; calls for developing a comprehensive and integrated approach to the social inclusion of Roma; welcomes the fact that some governments and parliaments have begun discussing LGBTI rights and drawing up specific measures for their protection; welcomes changes to the BiH anti-discrimination law extending the listed grounds for discrimination to age, and disability, sexual orientation and gender identity;
Amendment 246 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Remains concerned by the continued fragmentation, inefficiency and complexity of the education system; calls for countrywide common core curricula and better coordination between the different levels of education governance; continues to be concerned aboutmonitor the persistently high school-drop-out rates of Roma pupils because of Roma attitudes to education; regrets the slow progress in addressing and resolving the issue of ‘two schools under one roof’ and other forms of segregation and discrimination in schools;
Amendment 270 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Welcomes the slight reduction in unemployment; remains concerned, however, that unemployment continues to be largely of a structural nature and that youth unemployment continues to be high, resulting in very high levels of brain drain; calls on the competent authorities to introduce active labour market policies targeting in particular the youth, women and the long-term unemployed as well as reinforcing the capacities of the employment and job-hunting services;
Amendment 278 #
2016/2313(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes BiH’s continued constructive and Expresses its concern at the appro-active role inh adopted by BiH to promoting bilateral and regional cooperation; calls for further efforts to resolve outstanding bilateral issues, including on border demarcation with Serbia and Croatia; commends BiH for further increasing its alignment with relevant EU statements and decisions under the Common Foreign and Security Policy from 62 % to 77 %; considers it important to coordinate BiH foreign policy with EU foreign policy and that the EU remain actively engaged in preserving safety and security in BiH;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2
Citation 2
— having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Thessaloniki European Council of 19-20 June 2003 concerning the decision on the prospect of the Western Balkan countries joining the EU,
Amendment 12 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
A. whereas Albania has not made steady or satisfactory progress in its EU accession process; whereas further implementation of, inter alia, the judicial reform package, electoral reform and the so-called decriminalisation law is important in strengthening citizens’ trust in their public institutions and political representatives;
Amendment 25 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas presidential and parliamentary elections willare planned to take place in Albania in 2017;
Amendment 31 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes Albania’s continuousIs concerned at the very slow progress onf EU-related reforms, in particularAlbania, such as the adoption of constitutional amendments paving the way for a comprehensive judicial reform; stresses that not only consistent adoption but also full and timely implementation of reforms and sustained political commitment are essential in order to further advance the EU accession process;
Amendment 43 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Fully sSupports Albania’s potential accession to the EU, and calls for the should it meet the criteria, and calls for the possibility of opening accession negotiations to be opened as soon asreconsidered when there is credible progress in the implementation of judicial reform, in order to keep and only when fundamental rights, such as the right of the Greform momentumek minority to property, are safeguarded by the spirit of the law; expects Albania to consolidate thewhatever progress is achieved and at least to maintain the pace of progress onin the implementation of all key priorities;
Amendment 56 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Reiterates that a constructive dialogue, sustainable political cooperation and a willingness to compromise is crucial for the success of the reforms and for the entire EU accession process, conditions which in the present case are not yet met;
Amendment 61 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. CommendAscertains the consensual adoption of the constitutional amendments for judicial reform and the adoption of laws on the institutional reorganisation of the judiciary; calls for the swift adoption and implementation of all relevant accompanying laws and by-laws, in particular the law on the re-evaluation (vetting) of judges, prosecutors and legal advisors; notes that the application of the vetting law has been suspended by the Constitutional Court, and that the latter has requested the opinion of the Venice Commission on its constitutionality; reiterates that a comprehensive judicial reform is aone of the major demands by Albania’s citizens for re-establishing trust in their political representatives and public institutions, and that the credibility and effectiveness of the overall reform process, including the fight against corruption and organised crime, dependagainst organised crime, human trafficking, arms trafficking, corruption in the judiciary and across the whole spectrum of public administration and the the state apparatus, the feebleness of law enforcement and structural weaknesses in the governance system, all depend in principle on the success of the vetting process and judicial reform;
Amendment 68 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the new justice reform strategy 2017-2020 and its action plan, as well as the increased budgetary means for implementation; calls for any shortcomings in the functioning of the judicial system to be further addressed, including lack of independence from other branches of power, selective justice, limited accountability, ineffective oversight mechanisms, corruption, interventions in the work of the courts, the inability of judges to administer the laws, the shamefully small number of staff in key points of the judicial system, the lack of fully adequate equipment and systems for recording and archiving judicial proceedings, the lack of effective decision- making process in courts and the overall length of judicial proceedings and enforcements;
Amendment 79 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Ad-Hoc Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform to finalise its review of the electoral code while addressing all previous OSCE/ODIHR recommendations and the spirit of the European Parliament and Commission reports; calls on the competent authorities to ensure implementation in due time before the upcoming parliamentary elections of June 2017; recalls that all political parties are responsible for ensuring that democratic elections are conducted in compliance with international standards and above all without the partisan composition of committees, without undue or disproportionate restrictions and interventions that negatively affect the electoral climate and without procedural irregularities or omissions before and during the voting, the counting and recording of votes; calls on Albania’s political parties to respect the law, in spirit and in letter, on the exclusion of criminal offenders from public office when drawing up their candidate lists;
Amendment 87 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the apparently improved transparency and inclusivity of parliamentary activities, but calls for parliamentary capacities to be enhanced in order to monitor the implementation of reforms and their compliance with EU standards and to make better use of the various oversight mechanisms and institutions in order to hold the government officially to account; calls for the parliamentary code of ethics to be approved and for the rules of procedure to reflect the law on the role of parliament in the EU integration process along with the publication of the code and the rules as part of measures to ensure unbiased and merit-based procedures; offers to explore ways for closer cooperation with the Parliament of Albania within the framework of the European Parliament support programme for parliaments of the enlargement countries in order to enhance its capacity to produce quality legislation in line with the EU acquis and to exercise its oversight role in the implementation of reforms;
Amendment 92 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes the efforts towards a more citizen-friendly public administration and steady progress in the implementation of public administration reform; calls for further progress in strengthening the application of the Civil Service Law and the Law on Administrative Procedures, in order to safeguard the independence of regulatory bodies, improve recruitment procedures based on merit and performance, and enhance institutional and human resource capacities, with a view to ensuring efficient conduct ofthe way to EU accession negotiations; commends the National Council for European Integration on its initiatives to enhance the capacities of public administration and civil society in monitoring the implementation of accession-related reforms;
Amendment 106 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the adoption of key pieces of anti-corruption legislation, including on the protection of whistle- blowers; is concerned, however, that key anti-corruption institutions continue to be subject to political interference and have limited administrative capacities; stresses the need for a more adequate legal framework for conflicts of interest, regulating lobbying and better interinstitutional cooperation, especially between police and prosecution services, with a view to improving their track record as regards investigation, prosecution and conviction, including in high level cases; is concerned about the wider cost to the economy, society and institutions caused by the widespread corruption and the failure of anti-corruption bodies which involves, inter alia, a failure to implement decisions properly; particularly in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections, calls for effective oversight of political party financing;
Amendment 109 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Welcomes the continuedAcknowledges the nominal will to implementation of the strategy and action plan on the fight against organised crime and intensified international police cooperation; welcomes recent operations against drug plantations, but the range of these measures is unsatisfactory and they need to acquire a dynamic of their own, since national authorities are aware of the inadmissibility of the cultivation and trafficking of drug plants, preparations, substances and derivatives; calls also for organised crime networks to be dismantled and for the number of final, legally fully safe convictions in recognised organised crime cases to be increased, by enhancing cooperation between police and prosecution services and by strengthening institutional and operational capacities; underlines the need to step upfor substantive efforts to prevent human trafficking, in particular as regards unaccompanied children and child victims of trafficking;
Amendment 133 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Urges the competent authorities to continue improving the climate of inclusion and tolerance for all minorities in the country, including by enhancing the role of the State Committee on Minorities; as regards Roma and Egyptians, in which members of the minorities must have a strong say and be properly represented; calls for recognition of the need for protection of minority rights throughout its territory, not only in government-recognised minority areas; reiterates that the protection of minority rights is directly connected with property rights; calls for continued efforts in improving their access to employment, education, health, social housing and legal aid; is concerned that, despite improvements, the inclusion of Roma children in the education system remains the lowest in the region;
Amendment 160 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. CommendsStresses the scope for greater religious tolerance and goodbetter cooperation among religious communities; encourages the competent authorities and religious communities to cooperate in preserving and fostering religious harmony; considers it essential to prevent Islamic radicalisationabsolutely vital to address Islamic radicalisation and to prevent its spread, particularly in regions outside the urban centres, including through disengagement and reintegration of returning foreign fighters after exhausting the penal and legal provisions, to counter violent extremism in cooperation with CSOs and religious communities, and to intensify regional and international cooperation in this area;
Amendment 174 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates the critical importance of professional and independent private and public service media which should serve to inform citizens in an impartial manner, ensuring pluralism in a more proportionate way; is concerned about unrestrained political influence in the media and widespread self-censorship among journalists; notes the slow implementation of the law on audiovisual media and the delays in filling vacancies in the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA); calls for measures to raise the professional and ethical standards of and prevalence of regular work contracts for journalists, to enhance the transparency of government advertising in the media and to ensure the independence of the regulatory authority and the public broadcaster;
Amendment 177 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes improvements in fiscal consolidation, better scores in doing business, and efforts to fightcontrol the informal economy; still notes, however, extensive shortcomings in the rule of law and a cumbersome regulatory environment, which deter investment and openly favour corruption; urges the competent authorities to take measures for improved enforcement of contracts and better tax collection, and to continue implementing judicial reform with a view to improving the business environment;
Amendment 190 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for the process of property registration, restitution and genuine and reasonable compensation to be completed especially regarding properties that have been confiscated or misappropriated with the connivance of the State authorities at the expense of minority population groups, and for the 2012-2020 strategy on property rights to be implemented effectively;
Amendment 202 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 212 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Commends Albania on its continued full alignment with relevant EU declarations and Council conclusions, thereby demonstrating its clear commitment to European integration and solidarity; commends both Albania and SerbiaExpresses its concern at the escalation of tension in bilateral relations with Greece regarding the delimitation of the EEZ, the Cham issue and biased and unjust attitude of the authorities towards the property onf their continued commitment Greek minority; takes into account efforts to improvinge bilateral relations andwith Serbia and the strengthening of regional cooperation at political and societal level, for example through the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) headquartered in Tirana; encourages both countries to continue their good cooperAlbania to take seriously the issue of good neighbourly relations in order to promote reconciliation in the region;
Amendment 231 #
2016/2312(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Reiterates its request that the Commission include information about IPA support for Albania and the effectiveness of implemented measures in its reports, in particular the IPA support allocated for implementation of the key priorities and relevant projects with a view to a re-assessment thereof;
Amendment 3 #
2016/2306(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the European Semester debate is of particular importance in view of the need to find a new development model for structural reforms and selective investments, investing in strategic areaa coordinated manner in strategic areas as determined by recognised needs and priorities;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2306(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out and recognises that climate change is undoubtedly a very serious global challenge and that swift action should remain a priority for the EU and firmly supports relevant actions to halt climate change; underlines, in this connection, the importance of the Paris Agreement adopted in December 2015 at the COP21, a global milestone for enhancing global collective action and accelerating the global transformation to a low-carbon and climate resilient society; notes that the agreement sets out a qualitative long-term emissions reduction goal in line with the objective of keeping the global temperature increase well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to keep it to 1.5°C;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2306(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that ensuring sustainable growth, climate protection and job creation in the EU means using our resources in a smarter, innovative and more sustainable way and reducing dependence on imports of raw materials; considers that the focus should be on waste prevention, as a priority and the significantly greater recycling and re-use of products; notes that it is estimated that the circular economy could theoretically provide EU companies with savings of aboutup to EUR 600 billion per year; reiterates therefore its call for the principles of the circular economy to be incorporated into the European Semester;
Amendment 24 #
2016/2306(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that the more efficient use of resources, reducing foreign energy dependence beyond the borders of the Member States of the Union and the induction of production patterns and more sustainable consumption patterns involves promoting entrepreneurship and job creation and effectively implementing international commitments, targets and objectives and diversifying revenue sources, in a context of fiscal responsibility and economic competitiveness;
Amendment 42 #
2016/2306(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that effective and rational investment in health and in health facilities is an essential condition for ensuring long-term economic prosperity and growth promotion, producing results in terms of productivity, labour supply, human capital and public spending.
Amendment 15 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the need for adequate private investment, including with State support and guidance, in research and innovation, infrastructures, cybersecurity and digital skills;
Amendment 30 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the need to accelerate an effective plan for standardisation and to ensure full interoperability in the digital domain; calls on the Commission to promote the development of open standards in all key domains, and welcomes its intention to guarantee easy access to standard essential patents under FRAND (fair, reasonable and non- discriminatory) conditions and in a comprehensible manner; reminds the Commission of the need to consider social and environmental aspects in the development of standards, and to ensure adequate participation of social partners and stakeholders;
Amendment 41 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that citizens’ and businesses’ trust in the digital environment is necessary for unlocking the full potential of industry digitalisation as well as capitalising and disseminating its benefits;
Amendment 45 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deems it necessary to ensure the full respect ofand the fulfilment of those obligations and requirements that derive from workers’ and consumers’ right to privacy and to protection of their personal data in the digital environment; emphasises the importance of the correct implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation, ensuring the full application of the principle of ‘privacy by design and by default’;
Amendment 51 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Highlights the very important consequences of industry digitalisation for society, business models, working conditions and jobs demand; regretswishes to remedy the lack of analysis on the part of the Commission of the probable social effects, both positive and negative, of the digitisation of industry;
Amendment 60 #
2016/2271(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers it necessary to ensure high-quality education, lifelong learning and vocational training, including in the field of basic and advanced digital qualifications and skills. that will assist the adjustment of society in the desired manner during the digitisation of industry, centred both on the workforce and the general population;
Amendment 7 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that 100% of the investment, however, comes from the franchisee; purchasing or leasing the premises, furnishings, interior and exterior decorations and stock, and, in addition, frequently providing insurance and legal cover, all of which is imposed by the franchiser, who is often also the seller of those items, and at a high price;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indent 1
Paragraph 4 – indent 1
- the franchiser should set up the franchisee (furniture, interior and exterior decoration, advertising, packaging, etc.) on reasonable terms and at market prices;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indent 2
Paragraph 4 – indent 2
- unless they give a commitment to take back unsold stock, franchisers should no longer be able to impose the type anda volume of stocks in a way that risks strangling the franchisee financiallythat is greater than the franchisees wish or likely to cause liquidity problems; the type and volume of stocks must be such as to guarantee adequate availability thereof;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indent 3
Paragraph 4 – indent 3
- the franchiser must guarantee and ensure brand and product exclusivity for the franchisee within a viable catchment area;
Amendment 15 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indent 4
Paragraph 4 – indent 4
- modification of the contractual conditions by the franchiser without proper consultation with the franchisee must be prohibited, as well as any modification with retroactive effect;
Amendment 16 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
- it must be possible to terminate the franchise contract, in a coordinated and manageable way, within a reasonable period, especially where the franchiser falsified the market research;
Amendment 18 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indent 6
Paragraph 4 – indent 6
- national rules should be harmonised across all Member Statesthe possible harmonization of national rules across all Member States and the impact thereof should be considered;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2244(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 – indent 7
Paragraph 4 – indent 7
- the (weak) representation of franchisees in representative organisations should be aided and enhanced against the (powerful) representation of franchisers; representation of each of the parties must be properly balanced.
Amendment 5 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. StressNotes that the Youth Guarantee (YG) has an im supportanting role in supporrespect of actions by Member States aimed at promoting measures additionally to provide unemployed young people with the skills and experience needed to engage in employment and to become entrepreneurs, and also provides an opportunity to address skills mismatch;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights the imsupportanting and complementary role of education and comprehensive career guidance in preparing young people with the work ethics and skills needed by the job market beyond the essential task of education which is to educate young people and prepare them to become useful members of society;
Amendment 17 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Indicates that measures supported by the YG also need to address structural challenges which young people not in education, employment or training (NEETS) face so as to ensure that they have a broad, comprehensive and long- term impact;
Amendment 24 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that measures under the YG are most likely to be effective when young people are assisted in entering the labour market in a way that can clearly provide them with sustainable employment opportunities and salarytable salary and professional progression;
Amendment 29 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. NotStresses that financial support schemes are also needed to addressunfortunately continue to be necessary to assist young people at risk of becoming NEETs;
Amendment 40 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the manner in which Member States implement as they see fit schemes approved under the YG and to put in place a comprehensive monitoring system that covers cost efficiency, structural reforms and measures targeting individualn informal and voluntary monitoring system that helps Member States reliably evaluate the cost effectiveness and the benefits of structural reforms;
Amendment 43 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls for a strong partnership approach in which social partners, youth organisations, schools and training institutions, private employment providers and thirorganisations of all related sectors organisationsf the economy get involved in the design, support, implementation, delivering and monitoring of the YG scheme;
Amendment 44 #
2016/2242(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. StressNotes that ICT skills and experience could offer great potential for the creation of sustainable jobs, and therefore calls on the Member States to include effective measures for substantially enhancing ICT/digital skills in their YG Implementation Plans.
Amendment 7 #
2016/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Β
Recital Β
Β. whereas the safeguardingprotection of confidentiality under statute law and European and national case law contributes to the creation of more effective and more fully defined channels for reporting fraud, corruption or other serious infringements, and whereas, given the sensitivity of the information, mismanagement of confidentiality may lead to undesired information leaks and a violation of the public interest of the Unioninterests of those directly concerned, the interests of EU citizens and the public interest of the Union Member States and of the Union itself;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas reporting by whistle- blowers of information that could threaten or harm the public interest is done indirectly indirectly, ostensibly on the basis of their freedom of expression and information, both rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and with a strongwhat is a personally defined and perceived sense of responsibility and civic morality; whereas these rights and personal interpretations are subject to restrictions; whereas the principle of proportionality must be respected in exercise thereof, essentially remaining within certain limits and subject to interpretation and clarification; whereas the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union expressly stipulates that national laws and practices must be taken into account; whereas, in addition, the exercise of such rights or principles may in no case entail acts or practices wrongfully negating or restricting other acknowledged or more widely applicable rights or freedoms;
Amendment 22 #
2016/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises that whistle-blowingPoints out that targeted and legitimate whistle-blowing that is not motivated by self-interest or malice plays a crucial role in the fight against corruption and other serious crimes; points out that adequate protection of whistle-blowers should not be limited only to cases where confidential information is revealed but to all cases of disclosure of misconduct, wrongdoing or involvement in illegal activities; points out that the existing Union legislation on protection of whistle- blowers is scattered and that the protection of whistle-blowers across the Member States is uneven, which undoubtedly often impacts negatively on EU policithe common policies, ambitions and interests of the Member States;
Amendment 34 #
2016/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. StressNotes that protection of whistle- blowers shcould be harmonised at EU level in line with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity; is of the opinion that a horizontal EU legal instrument providing protection for whistle-blowers in the public and private sectors and complemented by sectoral rules would be the most efficientis one of a number of possible approaches in order to ensure comprehensive and genuine protection of whistle-blowers; reiterates in this regard its call on the Commission to present by the end of 2017 a legislative proposal defining whistle- blowing and setting out common rules for the protection of whistle-blowers1; _________________ 1 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2016)0403.
Amendment 41 #
2016/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Expresses its concern aNotes the frequent retaliation against whistle-blowers in their personal and professional lives, and at thebuse of the legal possibility of initiating criminal and civil judicial proceedings against whistle- blowers; calls for the creation of a clear horizontal legal framework that includes definitions, protection against differentcertain excessive forms of reprisals, and exemptions from criminal and civil proceedings, according to criteria to be established, in certain cases and where appropriate from criminal and civil proceedings, or recognition of extenuating circumstances, according to criteria to be established, in line with the spirit of existing national laws and practices; recognition of extenuating circumstances and exemptions should be entrusted to a duly established independent and impartial court, ensuring that matters can be referred to it and decisions reached by it within a reasonable period of time;
Amendment 50 #
2016/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for the creation of legal and secure disclosure channels at national level to facilitate reporting to the competent authoritieor other procedures for reporting misdeeds, criminal offences or involvement in illicit activities at national and European level, depending on jurisdiction, making it easier to bring the allegations ofr information on threats to the public interin question to the attention of the competent authoritiest;
Amendment 73 #
2016/2224(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises that freedom of expression and information, as well as the strong substrate component of civic morality, must be taken into accounttogether with any other fundamental right, is subject to certain limits and interpretations must be taken into account in a fair, open, independent and impartial manner when assessing the protection of the public interest.
Amendment 6 #
2016/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Firmly believes that development and human rights are interdependent, and that respect for and protection and fulfilment of human rights are prerequisites for reducing poverty, eliminating inequality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
Amendment 22 #
2016/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that human rights must be a cross-cutting feature in the achievement of all goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda; calls for a human-rights- sensitive SDG indicator-parameter framework to be established at national and international level to ensure strong transparency and accountability in this regard;
Amendment 34 #
2016/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the paramount importance of SDG 16; stresses that respect for human rights, consolidation of the rule of law, sound and good governance and stability should be key objectives of all EU external policies;
Amendment 49 #
2016/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls the introduction of a human-rights-based approach (HRBA) in EU development and economic policy aimed at integrating human rights principles into EU operational activities for development; calls for greater dissemination of the HRBA toolbox among our partners, and for its implementation to be closely monitored by the Commission;
Amendment 66 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas human rights and democracy support policies should be mainstreamed across all other EU policies with an external dimension, such as development, migration, security, counter- terrorism, combating poverty, enlargement and trade;
Amendment 76 #
2016/2219(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to carry out an evaluation of the use and results of the HRBA toolbox in delegations;
Amendment 80 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas respect for human rights is under threat worldwide, and whereas the universality of human rights is increasingly, and seriously, being challenged by a number of authoritarian and/or terrorist regimes; whereas there are numerous attempts worldwide to shrink the space of civil society, including in multilateral fora;
Amendment 139 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q
Recital Q
Q. whereas millions of children around the world continue to suffer from all forms of violence, including the consequences and burden of war and its atrocities, domestic violence, discrimination and poverty;
Amendment 155 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
Recital S
S. whereas reports of violations of civil and political, economic, insurance, social and cultural rights resulting from corporate behaviour continue to be heard from around the world;
Amendment 175 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its serious concern that the promotion and protection of human rights and democratic values are under threat worldwide, that the universality of human rights is increasingly, and seriously, being challenged by a number of authoritarian and/or terrorist regimes;
Amendment 234 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Encourages the EU to develop a work plan, with a clear timetable, measurable benchmarks, and a clear division of roles, actions and responsibilities, for the implementation of the Action Plan;
Amendment 311 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Requests that the EU strengthens its cooperation with the UN in the context of formulating a common strategic vision on security on the basis of, on the one hand, the new EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy and, on the other, the UN’s revision of its peace operations and its peacebuilding architecture; insists that there be cooperation with the UN in strengthening the role and capacity of regional and sub-regional organisations in peacekeeping and/or imposing peace, conflict prevention, civilian and military crisis management, and conflict resolution, and that procedures for the use of the CSDP in support of UN operations be developed further, including through the deployment of EU battlegroups, or through capacity-building and Security Sector Reform initiatives, while human rights and gender are mainstreamed into the work of the mission and operation;
Amendment 396 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Recalls that criminal networks are taking advantage of the lack of safe migration channels, and of the vulnerability of women, girls and children, in order to subject them to trafficking and sexual exploitation and stresses the lack of any plan to address illegal migration;
Amendment 419 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Reiterates its call on the EU to ensure that all migration cooperation and readmission agreements with non-EU states comply with international human rights, refugee law and international maritime law; and calls on the European institutions to intensify their efforts to obtain the readmission of illegal migrants to third countries;
Amendment 456 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
Amendment 656 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 20
Subheading 20
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion or political belief
Amendment 660 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 73
Paragraph 73
73. Condemns, in keeping with Article 10 TFEU, all acts of violence and discrimination on the basis of ideology, religion or political belief; expresses its serious concern over the continued reports of violence and discrimination against religious minorities around the world;
Amendment 672 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 74
Paragraph 74
74. Stresses that the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or political belief is a fundamental human right, interrelated with other human rights and fundamental freedoms and encompassing the right to believe or not to believe, the right to manifest or not to manifest any religion or belief, and the right to adopt, change and abandon or return to a belief of one’s choice, as enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Amendment 684 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Calls on the EU and its Member States to ensure that religious minorities are respected worldwide, including in the Middle East, where Yazidis, Peshmerga, Alevis, Christians and Muslim minorities are being persecuted by ISIS and other terrorist groups;
Amendment 765 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 89
Paragraph 89
89. Reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of terrorism and its full support for actions aimed at the eradication of terrorist organisations, in particular ISIS, as well as Boko Haram and al-Nusra, which poses a clear threat to regional and international security, while recalling that such actions should always be in full respect of international human rights law; supports the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014) on countering threats posed by foreign terrorist fighters, and of the Madrid Guiding Principles on stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters;
Amendment 785 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94
Paragraph 94
94. Is deeply concerned about the reinstatement of executions in some countries in recent years or their planned reinstatement (in Turkey for example); expresses its grave concern at the reported rise in the number of death sentences handed down worldwide in 2015, in particular in China, Egypt, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia; reminds the authorities of these countries that they are state parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child which strictly prohibits the death penalty for crimes committed by anyone below the age of 18;
Amendment 804 #
2016/2219(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 103
Paragraph 103
103. Urges the EEAS to continue to raise concerns, in a systematic way, about torture and ill-treatment in political and human rights dialogues with the countries concerned, and in public statements, and calls on EU delegations, and on Member State embassies on the ground, to monitor torture and ill-treatment cases, to observe related criminal trials and to use all the instruments available to them to assist the individuals concerned, in response to the recent cases of torture and ill-treatment in Turkey, for example;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2206(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the Courts of Auditor’s conclusions that the final annual accounts of all agencies in the area of justice and home affairs (JHA Agencies) present fairly, in all material respects, their financial position on 31 December 2015 and that their transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 5 #
2016/2206(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. WelcomNotes the solid output of all agencies in the area of freedom, security and justice; welcomesis sceptical as to their flexibility to adapt to evolving political priorities and to respond to unforeseen events; regrets, however, the lack of effective indicators reflecting their impact on the maintenance of internal security, control of external borders, management of migration flows and respect of fundamental rights;
Amendment 15 #
2016/2206(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the commitment of all JHA Agencies to continue to further fine- tune budgetary procedures but stresses, however, that their priority should be to improve operational efficiency on the ground and to address the rather structural issues identified by the Court of Auditors and the IAS; requests that FRONTEX streamline its financial management procedures by obtaining rights of using “simplified cost options” for the reimbursement of Member States’ expenditure and by using “other funding mechanisms” in addition to grants; requests that EU-LISA better address the risks involved with the implementation of high cost infrastructure projects by fully adopting the financial regulation of the Union; requests that EUROJUST avoid sub-optimal budget management due to uncertainties as to; requests that EUROJUST, in implementing the budget, take account of the availability of funds in order to implement its on-going projects and to procure its essential services;
Amendment 4 #
2016/2202(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes, in principle, the setting- up of the EU Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa but regrets that no prior consultation of Parliament took place although Parliament enjoys reinforced oversight of EDF programming based on a political commitment made by the Commission; notes that the Commission announced it was committing a total of EUR 1,5 billion from the 11th EDF to the EUTF while other donors pledged EUR 81,5 million but that by mid-November 2016 it had paid only EUR 47,14 million; welcomes the efforts to enhance the transparency of decisions and accountability with regard ton EUTF projects but underlines the fact that an adequate format for the regular consultation of Parliament is still lacking;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2202(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Observes that while the Commission has proposed substantial simplifications to the Financial Regulation applicable to the General Budget, each EDF is still governed by its own respective financial regulation; believes that a single financial regulation would reduce the complexity in managplanning managing, monitoring and implementing the various EDFs; stresses, furthermore, that Parliament has long called for the integration of EDFs into the EU budget;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2202(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Supports the use of budget support but stresses that the contribution to desired development outcomes must be clearly demonstrated, for example through performance clauses, and its use must be made conditional on the improvement of public finance management and on democratic oversight and accountability as well as full transparency towards national parliaments, the supervisory authorities and citizens of recipient countries;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2202(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to incorporate an incentive-based approach to development by introducing the more-for- more principle taking as an example the European Neighbourhood Policy and development funding; believes that the more and the faster a country progresses in its internal reforms to the building and consolidation of democratic institutions, the respect for human rights and the rule of law, the more support it should accordingly receive from the EU; stresses that this “positive conditionality” approach, accompanied with a strong focus on financing small-scale projects for rural and semi-urban communities, can bring a real change and guarantee that EU tax payers’ money is spent in a more sustainable and effective manner;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2193(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomAcknowledges the Court of Auditors' conclusions that the annual accounts of EU-LISA fairly present its financial position on 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 3 #
2016/2193(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. RegretsIs concerned that the agency outsourced procurement of services to a third party without ensuring that it acted in compliance with the financial regulation of the Union; regretsis displeased that a call for expression of interest for participation in a negotiated procedure took place without a delegation by the authorising officer; regrets that the agency engaged in contractual agreements or negotiations with a single contractor without precisely defining the services requested; acknowledges that the agency acted in compliance with its own financial regulation; requests however that given the very high financial amounts involved with the development and maintenance of JHA systems and the associated risks, the agency fullyadopt and compliesy with the general principles set out in financial regulation of the Union;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2193(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages the agency to develop appropriate key performance indicators better reflecting the effects and impact of its actions on the maintenance of security within the Union, the control of Union external borders and the management of illegal migration flows.
Amendment 1 #
2016/2192(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomAcknowledges the Court of Auditors' conclusions that the annual accounts of the EASO present fairly its financial position on 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 5 #
2016/2192(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the EASO committed only 93,7 % of its approved budget and that 36,9 % of committed appropriations were carried over for administrative expenditure; acknowledges that these sub- optimal figures do not reflect structural issues within the EASO but are indirectly related to rapid staff and budget increases in 2015 due to its key role in assisting Member States, in particular through emergency support, in the context of the current irregular migration flow; welcomes the approval of a new policy for the recruitment of temporary and contract agents that addresses most issues identified by the Court of Auditors in past audits;
Amendment 14 #
2016/2192(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that in 2015, a record number of more than 1 392 155 applications for international protection were made; recognises that the EASO invested significant efforts in implementing the activities assigned to it in the European Agenda on Irregular Migration, in particular as part of the development of the ‘hotspots’ approach;
Amendment 16 #
2016/2192(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages especiallyNotes the support and practical cooperation offered on issues relating to asylum seeking children including unaccompanied minors; welcomes the launch of the EASO Network on the Activities on Children;
Amendment 20 #
2016/2192(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the very solid output of the Agency, with over 117 meetings and workshops organised, 3 764 national staff trained, 272 persons relocated and more than 100 civil society organisations consulted; regrets that only 272 people were relocated; acknowledges the results of the independent audit of EY and the commitment of the EASO to develop a corresponding action plan; agrees on the need for the EASO to better communicate on the effects and impacts of its activities.
Amendment 1 #
2016/2184(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the Court of Auditors' conclusions that the annual accounts of Europol (the Agency) present fairly its financial position on 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 3 #
2016/2184(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the high implementation rate of the budget of 99,8 % for commitment appropriations and 89 % for payment appropriations; notes, however, that carry- overs of committed appropriations reached 41 % for administrative expenditure; stressnotes the importance of the respect of thegeneral principle of annuality of the budget; welcomendorses the commitment of the Agency to continue its efforts to ensure efficient and compliant budget implementation;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2184(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Agrees with the Management Board that, generally speaking, Europol is effectively and efficiently delivering the expected products and services by the competent law enforcement authorities of the Member States and cooperation partners; acknowledges that over 732 000 operational messages were processed through the Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA) and that almost 40 000 related cases were initiated, that the Europol Information System (EIS) processed over 633 000 searches, that the Agency supported 812 operations, produced over 4 000 operational reports and coordinated 98 joint actions, with room for improvement;
Amendment 21 #
2016/2184(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Encourages Europol to continue to improve information sharing among its partners for the purposes of counter- terrorism and meeting actual demand and needs on the ground.
Amendment 2 #
2016/2182(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that European Chemicals Agency ('the Agency') is a consolidated entity, in accordance with Article 185 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council1 (Financial Regulation), and it is the driving force among regulatory authorities in implementing the Union's chemicals legislation for the benefit of human safety and health and the environment as well as for innovation and competitiveness; notes that the Agency helps companies to comply with the legislation, advances the safe use of chemicals and provides information on chemicals and addresses chemicals of concern; _________________ 1 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 298 26.10.2012, p. 1).
Amendment 3 #
2016/2182(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council2 (REACH Regulation), the Agency is financed through fees paid by industry and by an Union´s balancing subsidy as referred to in Article 208 of the Financial Regulation; welcomes emphatically that in 2015 and contrary to the original assumption and provisions, the Agency was fully financed through higher than expected fee income and by using some of the reserve from the income of previous years for its REACH/CLP operations; _________________ 2 Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC (OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1).
Amendment 6 #
2016/2182(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the qualitative improvement of the way in which information on chemicals is presented on the Agency´s website which helps companies and consumers to make more use of ithis accessible medium;
Amendment 7 #
2016/2182(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. With regard to biocidal products notes that, as referred to in Article 208 of the Financial Regulation, in 2015 the Agency collected fee income totalling EUR 5 423 667 (in comparison to just EUR 1 265 774 in 2014), while the Union subsidy amounted to EUR 5 789 000 (in comparison to EUR 5 064 194 in 2014) and that additionally, the received EFTA contributions, including Switzerland, totalled in 2015 EUR 307 791;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2182(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that, in 2015, the recruitment target of the Agency was fully achieved with 98% of posts filled at the end of that year for REACH/CLP and Prior Informed Consent (PIC); notes also that the unexpected high workload in the area of biocides posed a challenge due to limited staffing resources as the percentage of posts filled for biocides was 83%; highlights that since the Agency’s total workload has not decreased during 2015, sufficient human and, financial resourceand logistical resources and appropriations should be allocated;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2179(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the factAcknowledges that the annual accounts of Frontex (“the Agency”) present fairly, in all material respects, its financial position on 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular; notes that costs incurred for pre-financed services related to maritime surveillance were underestimated by EUR 1 723 336; regretsis concerned that this underestimation resulted in a material misstatement in the Agency’s balance sheet; welcomes the Agency’s commitment to improving its procedure for estimating costs to be accrued;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2179(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. RegretNotes that the Agency reimbursed depreciation charges for a vessel that had exceeded its useful life; notes that the Agency recovered only the payments from 2015; noteaccepts the Agency’s statement that this cost recovery was made in line with the principle of proportionality; highlights the risk of double funding for the reimbursement of vessels and fuel consumption under “Commission ISF Borders” and “Frontex joint operations”; notes that rules for reimbursing costs are complex and calculated differently for every Member State; encourages the Agency to obtain rights to use simplified cost options and other funding mechanisms in addition to grants;
Amendment 15 #
2016/2179(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. WelcomNotes the contribution of the Agency to recovering and saving more than 250 000 people at sea in 2015; welcomacknowledges the increase of the Agency’s search and rescue capacity following the tragic events of spring 2015; welcomerecalls the signature of an important agreement with CSDP Mission EUNAVFOR Med regarding maritime surveillance;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2179(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes theIs concerned at the lack of support provided to national authorities in hotspot areas in relation to identification and registration of migrants, return-related activities and Union internal security; welcomesexpresses restrained satisfaction at the signature of an operational cooperation agreement with Europol to deter cross- border crime and migrant smuggling.
Amendment 1 #
2016/2178(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the Court of Auditors' conclusions that the annual accounts of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training CEPOL fairly present its financial position on 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2178(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. WelcomeApplauds the high implementation rate of the 2015 budget that reached 95.5% out of which 79% has been paid; notes, however, that according to the Court of Auditors, the level of committed appropriations for administrative expenditure carried over from 2014 to 2015 reached 49 % at the end of 2015, which is relatively high, although admittedly lower than in 2014 (59%); welcomendorses, therefore, the commitment of CEPOL to continue to improve its budget management procedures and to better comply with the budgetary principle of annuity provided in the Financial Regulation;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2175(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that the Ebola epidemic provided a test case for the implementation of the Union’s preparedness arrangements and legal framework and that the Health Security Committee met regularly to discuss appropriate measures based on rapid risk assessments and guidance from the Centre;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2175(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recalls that, as a Union agency, the Centre has a budget which is denominated in euro; however, since it is located in Sweden, and therefore in a non-Eurozone country, a lot of its expenses are incurred in Swedish krona (SEK) ; furthermore, the Centre is exposed to exceptional, unforeseen and unpredictable exchange rate fluctuations since not only does it have bank accounts in Swedish krona but also carries out certain transactions in other foreign currencies;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2174(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that 2015 was the second year of operation under the Union Multiannual Financial Framework; notes that the level of execution in the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) amounts to 98,6 % and that the amount of unused appropriations was EUR 1 089 million; stresses that this under- execution corresponds to the unused assigned revenue (the Authority’s outturn of 2014), which was reused in the year 2016;
Amendment 5 #
2016/2174(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the Authority produced more than 600 scientific outputs covering the entire food chain and contributing to the protection and possible improvement of public health;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2174(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes that in 2015 the AuthoritySupports the 2015 initiative by the Authority in launching launched a multi- annual project to assess bee stressors and attributes of healthy honey bee colonies, also with a view to establishing a framework for robust and harmonised measurement of the health status of honey bee colonies in field surveys;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2174(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that the Authority should continue paying special attention to the needs of the general public and and those possibly voiced by public opinion, and commit itself, as much as possible, to openness and transparency; welcomes, in this respect, that in 2015, the Authority successfully tested its new methodological approach to the use of scientific evidence; also welcomes, in this context, the improvements in sharing data by opening up the data warehouse of the Authority to a growing number of stakeholders; encourages the Authority to further progress on this path;
Amendment 25 #
2016/2174(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Acknowledges with satisfaction that in 2015, the Authority established a liaison office in Brussels to improve communication and dialogue with Union institutions, the media and stakeholders;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2171(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its satisfactionAcknowledges that the Court of Auditors has declared the transactions underlying the Foundation’s annual accounts for the financial year 2015 to be legal and regular and that its financial position as at 31 December 2015 is fairly represented;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2171(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. CommendNotes the Foundation’s high achievement rate of 96 % in respect of the target set out in its work programme;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2170(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomAcknowledges the Court of Auditors' conclusions that the annual accounts of Eurojust present fairly its financial position onat 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2170(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Encourages Eurojust to continue to treat terrorism, irregular migration and cybercrime as priorities; welcomes the fact thatregrets that, while Member States increasingly made use of coordination meetings and coordination centres and that they value, they failed to do so sufficiently; supports the increased involvement of third countries in joint investigation teams; acknowledges that the number of cases for which Member States requested Eurojust's assistance continues to grow and increased by 23 % compared to 2014;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2170(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Regrets that Eurojust faced budgetary availability issues due to known structural problems with its funding; stresses that for the second successive year, Eurojust was forced to resort to mitigation measures subject to an amending budget; regrets that the financial uncertainty with which Eurojust was confronted required the postponement of some of its on-going activities and the deferral of valuable technological developments; requests that Eurojust and the Commission solve these known structural problems and secure a proper level of regular funding for the coming years;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2169(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that in 2015 the total budget of the Agency was EUR 304 000 000, of which only EUR 18 669 000 had been made available through the core funding directly from the general budget of the European Union;
Amendment 7 #
2016/2169(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. NoteRecalls that 2015 marked the 20th anniversary of the Agency and the 50th anniversary of pharmaceutical legislation in the Union;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2169(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes that in 2015 the Agency recommended 93 medicines for marketing authorisation and that those include 39 new active substances; stresses that those substances have previously never been authorised in a medicine in the Union and are not related to the chemical structure of any other substance authorised substaby the Agencey;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2169(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Reiterates the importantkey role of the Agency in protecting and promoting public and animal health by assessing and supervising medicines for human or veterinary use;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2167(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its satisfactionNotes that the Court of Auditors has declared the transactions underlying the Agency’s annual accounts for the financial year 2015 to be legal and regular and that its financial position as at 31 December 2015 is fairly represented;
Amendment 6 #
2016/2167(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges that the implementation rate of the budget remained high in 2015 (97.5%) although it slightly decreased in comparison to 2014 (99%); notes, however, that the level of appropriations carried over remained high for Title II (26%) and Title III (41%), although Title II appropriations that were carried over were reduced from 2014 were reduced without any real or adequate justification;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2167(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 2 #
2016/2166(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes note that the Agency successfully reduced the number of staff in line with the overall principles laid down for Union institutions (a 5% reduction in the period 2013–2018); stresses that the Commission classified the Agency as a ‘cruising speed agency’, implying an mandatory additional 5% reduction;
Amendment 6 #
2016/2166(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomAcknowledges that the Court of Auditors has announced that the transactions underlying the annual accounts of the Agency for the financial year 2015 were legal and regular in all material respects;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2164(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomAcknowledges the Court of Auditors' conclusions that the annual accounts of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (“the Agency”) present fairly its financial position on 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2164(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. WelcomNotes the outstanding budget execution of 99,83 % for commitment appropriations, 97,35 % for payment appropriations, 93,70 % for appropriations carried forward from 2014 and 0,2 % for cancelled/non-used payment appropriations;
Amendment 6 #
2016/2164(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. RegretsIs concerned that expenses on a given framework contract exceeded the estimate published by more than 50 %; welcomesexpresses measured satisfaction, therefore, regarding the cancellation of that contract and the launch of a new public procurement procedure; acknowledgesplaces its hopes in the commitment of the Agency to improve the central planning and monitoring of its procurements;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2164(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recognises thatObserves that, generally speaking, the Agency was successful in its different missions; welcomesupports the new strategy and work programme for 2016–2018; encourages wholeheartedly, however, the development and implementation of a much longer-term strategy as committed by its Director;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2164(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Emphasises role of the Agency in recognising and detecting new trends and assessing threats posed by drugs to the health and security of young Europeans; welcomobserves the notification 98 new psychoactive substances (NPS); encourages sustained efforts to monitor the use of the internet as a vehicle for drug supply and fresh developments in this area;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2164(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Acknowledges that the Agency released 45 publications, contributed its expertise to around 300 key external scientific and institutional events and that its staff contributed 27 scientific articles; encourage, the quality, number and impact of which could be enhanced; strongly supports the dissemination of results through social media and online tools;
Amendment 15 #
2016/2164(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes findings of the IAS audit report on “IT project Management”; stresses especially the importancethe potential benefits of developing an ICT strategy to fully support the core mission of the Agency.
Amendment 1 #
2016/2163(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomAcknowledges the Court of Auditors' conclusions that the annual accounts of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (“the Agency”) present fairly its financial position on 31 December 2015 and that its transactions are legal and regular;
Amendment 3 #
2016/2163(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the very low level of cancelled carry-overs (less than 2 %) and the very high level of consumption of its Union subsidies (99 %); agrees that this is an indicator of good planning and management; notstresses, however, that the level of carry-overs of committed appropriations was exceptionally high (70 %) for expenditures but acknowledges that this is as a result of the nature of activities of the Agency that involve procuring studies that span over many months, often beyond year-end;
Amendment 4 #
2016/2163(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. WelcomNotes that during 2015, the Agency strongly focused on fundamental rights challenges arising from the significantexcessive increase in refugees and irregular migrants coming to the Union; acknowledges especially that the Agency considerably stepped up its activities in the area of immigration and integration of migrants, visa and border control and asylum procedures;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2163(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. WelcomAcknowledges the solid output of the Agency; notes that it organised 60 events bringing together its key partners and stakeholders to discuss fundamental rights issues in various thematic areas; acknowledges that the Agency offered its expertise at 240 presentations and hearings and that it published its research in 32 reports and papers; recallswelcomes the fact that the Agency formulated 122 opinions in response to requests from Member States, Union institutions and other international organisations;
Amendment 15 #
2016/2163(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the continued efforts of the Agency to present its findings in an accessible manner via social media platforms, reaching a wide audience; strongly; encourages further dissemination of the works of the Agency via online platforms.
Amendment 2 #
2016/2162(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its satisfactionRecognises that the Court of Auditors has declared the transactions underlying the Foundation’s annual accounts for the financial year 2015 to be legal and regular and that its financial position as at 31 December 2015 is fairly represented;
Amendment 4 #
2016/2162(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Acknowledges the Foundation’s progress in the implementation of the current four-year programme for 2013 to 2016; welcomes its input to policy development through a consistently high number and quality of surveys, studies, presentations, events and projects; notes the start of the European Parliament’s pilot project, ‘The future of manufacturing in Europe’;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2162(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. CommendNotes the high budget implementation rate in 2015 (99,9%) and the good overallsatisfactory overall budgeted and planned target delivery;
Amendment 16 #
2016/2162(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the level of committed appropriations carried over to 2016 was very high for Title III (31,2%); notes that this is mainly related to multi-annual projects implemented according to schedule; notes, however, that further efforts are needed to meet the final target of a timely delivery of planned activities;
Amendment 20 #
2016/2162(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. WelcomNotes the conclusion of a headquarters agreement between Ireland and the Foundation in November 2015.
Amendment 1 #
2016/2159(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomAcknowledges the reception of a clean report from the Court of Auditors for the fourth consecutive year; notes that 5 recruitment procedures, 5 procurement procedures and a single financial transaction were audited and did not reveal any serious weaknesses; notes also the lack of findings about particular internal control weaknesses of the institution;
Amendment 3 #
2016/2159(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that in 2015 the EDPS was allocated a budget of EUR 8 760 417, an increase of 1,09 % compared to the 2014 budget; welcomes, therefore, the high implementation rates of the budget (94,5 %) and of payment appropriations (86,5 %); notes the commitment of the EDPS to completeregarding the 5 % staff reduction target during the course of 2016;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2159(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. NotStresses, however, that the IAS audit report revealed that for 3 out of the 14 ICS objectives some significant implementations efforts are still required by the EDPS; welcomes the commitment of the EDPS to implement all recommendations;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that 2015 was the target year for the Millennium Development Goals and for the EU's collective commitment to raise official development assistance (ODA) to 0,7 % of combined gross national income (GNI); deplores the fact that EU collective ODA reached only 0,47% of GNI and that the target was therefore missed despite a considerable increase; notes further that, according to data published by the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee, the ODA from Union institutions decreased in 2015; regrets the unjustifiably late publication of the Commission’s annual report on external assistance; calls on the Commission to expedite the publication of its overdue Annual EUnion Accountability Report on Financing for Development for 2015; urges the Commission to give more weight to ODA funding, concerning as it does not only the citizens of developing countries but also European taxpayers;
Amendment 2 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomAcknowledges the conclusion of the Court of Auditors that the consolidated accounts of the Union present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Union as at 31 December 2015; notes that payments were materially affected by an estimated error rate of 3,8 %; welcomesexpresses measured satisfaction regarding the reduction from the figure of 4,4 % in 2014; encourages the futurestresses the need for simplification of the financial regulation of the Union in order to succeed in attaining the target rate of 2 %;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Supports the justified and targeted use of budget support but calls on the Commission to more clearly assess and define the development outcomes to be achieved through budget support in each case and to enhance human resource capacity in EUnion Delegations implementing budget support; expresses deep concern about the potential use of budget support in countries lacking democratic oversight and where the rule of law is absent, either due to the lack of a functioning parliamentary democracy, freedoms for civil society and the media, or due to a lack of capacity of both government services and oversight bodies;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to incorporate an incentive-based approach to development by introducing the more-for- more principle, taking as an example the European Neighbourhood Policy and development funding; believes that the more and the faster a country progresses in its internal reforms to the building and consolidation of democratic institutions, the respect for human rights and the rule of law, the more support it should accordingly receive from the EUnion; stresses that this “positive conditionality” approach, accompanied with a strong focus on financing small-scale projects for rural and semi-urban communities, can bring a real change and guarantee that EUnion tax payers’ money is spent in a more sustainable and effective manner;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that 2015 was extraordinarily challenging for Union home affairs policies, particularly in the field of migrationirregular migration management, with 1,8 million irregular arrivals at the Union’s borders, as well as in the field of security, with a series of terror attacks in several Member States; acknowledges the central role of DG- HOME in developing policy responses and in mobilising staff and emergency funding to support the most affected Member States;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Regrets that key performance indicators in DG-HOME’s annual activity report do not coverdisclose the volume of people assisted, and the very low numbers resettled, relocated and returned in 2015; regrets the lack of indicators to evaluate the effect of measures adopted to reinforce coordination and cooperation between national law enforcement authorities;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. EncouragNotes the development of clearer political priorities with more concrete translation into operational priorities;
Amendment 20 #
2016/2151(DEC)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. StressNotes that financial amounts due to be paid in the coming years are high; recalls that the Commission has not yet provided a cash flow forecast for the next 7 to 10 years and encourages the Commission to do so, especially following the UK decision to leave the EU and the possibility of further similar decisions;
Amendment 5 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) are the EU Cohesion Policy’s main financial instruments; underlines the importance of equal access to education and training in delivering genuine convergence and reducing disparities and socioeconomic inequalities within Member States and among European regions;
Amendment 6 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is of the opinion that the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) must be used to boost quality jobs, sustainable an inclusive growth and shared prosperity across Europe, with a special focus on supporting the most vulnerable groups in society, taking account of all relevant opinions in identifying priorities for funding, planning and implementing the most effective investment strategies;
Amendment 7 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the significant contribution made by the European Structural and Investment Funds to the construction of an up-to-date, efficient and safe European transport network; Stresses the importance of synergies between the various funds;
Amendment 7 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is of the opinion that the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) are crucial investment tools, including for rural areas, and that the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) is the main financing vehicle for boosting rural development in many Member States in addition to ad hoc payments from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF);
Amendment 20 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Regrets that the overall level of the MFF 2014-2020 is lower compared with the MFF 2007-2013; stresses that in a period of austerity policies and extreme fiscal adjustments, pressure on Member States’ budgets increases; highlights the fact that such pressure has led to a decrease in public financing for education and the development of innovative technologies and has generated high and persistent unemployment, especially among young people;
Amendment 25 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Expects the Commission to present to Parliament at the earliest opportunity a detailed assessment of the complementarity, additionality and synergies achieved so far between the ESI Funds and the EFSI, and calls for steps to be taken to ensure full coherence and synergies between the ESI Funds and other EU instruments;
Amendment 28 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the need to use European Structural and Investment Funds to complement the gaps that exist between completed infrastructure projectste infrastructure projects and complement the gaps that exist, particularly in cross-border regions;
Amendment 31 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the priority nature of the challenges that the ESF is charged with tackling, this being reflected in the sum of EUR 86.4 billion dedicated to ESF measures under the relevant thematic objectives, giving priority to measures seeking to promote economic restructuring and greater competitiveness, the upgrading of human resources, measures to promote employment and social cohesion, environmental protection and the efficient use of resources;
Amendment 32 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that the budget initially allocated for the current programming period under Pillar II was EUR 99.6 billion, which represents a decrease in real terms compared with the previous period of more than the EUR 95.6 billion announced one year ago because of transfers from the 1st pillar, but because of provisions for additional national financing, variable co-financing rates and the possibility of fund-switching between CAP pillars, the final amount shows a slight overall increase at present;
Amendment 35 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that migration has become a structural phenomenon in Europe and calls for further use to be made of ESI Funds, especially in order to promote the integration of asylum seekers and refugees into societyreduce youth unemployment figures in the EU;
Amendment 38 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Deplores the fact that, despite growing unemployment in Europe, the institutions are more concerned with the integration of migrants and asylum- seekers and have failed to adopt the necessary legislative provisions beforehand for action to ensure employment for European citizens;
Amendment 38 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes the need to provide professional, technical and/or technological support to Member States during planning and implementation of the most capital-intensive infrastructure projects.
Amendment 39 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is concerned by the long adoption process of the Rural Development Programmes (RDPs), which is due to the lengthy bureaucratic practices and time- consuming systematic consultation between the partners and the Commission for preparation of draft national RDPs; expects the Commission and the Member States to have drawn lessons from this process with a view to preventing similar delays in the future;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) has failed to date to address the persisting problem of high levels of youth unemployment, which in several Member States remains at over 40 %, particularly in the south of Europe; calls for an evaluation of the YEI following a fully fledged assessment of its performance; asks the Commission to take all necessary actions to ensure its continuation and its revision in order to promote the creation of new high-quality jobs and decent social protection for young people;
Amendment 55 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that the current migration crisis poses many challenges for the educational and training systems of the host Member States; calls on the EU institutions to provide, via ESIF and other Union programmes, adequate funding to host countries in order to substantially support the legal and potential integration of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers into education and training systems;
Amendment 57 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that the successful achievement of PA and OP objectives is greatly facilitated by the active involvement of the social partners and other relevant actors as a means of helping national authorities and for the purposes of cooperation at cross-border, transnational and interregional level;
Amendment 59 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that funding under the cohesion policy, job creation, sustainable development and the implementation of innovative technologies is exceptionally important for the development of transport infrastructure in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe; calls for the necessary resources to be secured and for the level of financing to be maintained in the next multiannual financial framework;
Amendment 75 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that resources dedicated to technical assistance at the initiative of the Commission are focused exclusively on support for overcoming the various obstacles to ESF/YEI implementation, and on the successful fulfilment of remaining ex ante conditionality.convergence of National Strategic Reference Frameworks and Operational Programmes with the Community Strategic Guidelines;
Amendment 76 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that major administrative and bureaucratic barriers to accessing European Structural and Investment Funds exist, particularly for SMEs;
Amendment 83 #
2016/2148(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urges the Member States to avoid gold-plating or adding unnecessary guidelines and procedures which could interfere with efficient implementation of the EAFRD; stresses in particular the need for vigilance and good organisation on the part of the regions and willingness on the part of the municipalities (first- level local government) also, as potential beneficiaries, to assume responsibility for the preparation of files and project implementation; asks the Commission to continue the simplification of the CAP and, where feasible and necessary, to adapt the basic legislation to this effect; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that sufficient resources are dedicated to successful fulfilment of remaining ex-ante conditionalities;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Heading 1
Heading 1
on EU funds forgender equality between women and men
Amendment 8 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas one of the most telling measures of gender equality between men and women is equal pay;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas gender equality budgeting implies the introduction of the gender equality perspective at all levels of the budgetary process;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
B. whereas the Commission’s Strategic Engagement for Gender Equality 2016-2019, published in December 2015, highlights the key role of EU funding in support for gender equality between women and men;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the lack of specific gender indicators and of collection of gender- disaggregseparated data for men and women respectively makes it impossible to achieve correct financial and budgetary accountability with a view to evaluating the gender equality impact of EU policies;
Amendment 16 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that gender budgeting should be an suitable instrument of democratic governance that will help to ensure that gender equalityto ensure that equality between men and women becomes a reality; is of the opinion that the current gulf between male and female pay for the same work is totally unacceptableand equivalent work cannot be justified;
Amendment 17 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas in order to balance professional and private life affordable and accessible public care facilities have to be provided and expenditures for these facilities are to be considered as part of infrastructure investments; whereas these services are a precondition for women’s participation in the labour market, in leading positions, in science and research and thus for gender equality between women and men;
Amendment 20 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for all budget titles to pursue equally strong gender targets and gender mainstreaming standards,hat might relate to gender equality to pursue equally strong gender equality targets and to specify the amount to be allocated to individual policy objectives and actions in order to become more transparent and not to overshadow gender equality objectives;
Amendment 22 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Δ
Recital Δ
D. whereas the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council calls for the annual budgetary procedures applied for the MFF 2014-2020 to integrate, as appropriate, gender-responsive elements, taking into account the ways in which the overall financial framework of the Union contributes to increased gender equality between women and men and ensures gender mainstreaming;
Amendment 23 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that gender budgeting is considered in certain policy areas (employment, social affairs and inclusion, home affairs, justice, development and cooperation, research and innovation, education and culture), but believes it shcould be included in allextended to other policy areas also;
Amendment 25 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for gender-specific indicatorsindicators relating specifically to men and women respectively to be applied in the project selection, monitoring and evaluation phases of all actions that receive funding from the EU budget, and for the systematic collection of gender-disaggregated data on beneficiaries and participants;
Amendment 27 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
E. whereas since the 2008 crisis a downgrading of gender equality between women and men in the public debate and policy agenda is evident both at EU and national level; whereas the fiscal consolidation and budget constraints imposed by the crisis are likely to further reduce the available resources for gender equality strategies and bodies that promote equality between women and men;
Amendment 29 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Looks upon the EU-level funding of EUR 6.17 billion allocated in the current MFF to achieving the objectives of this gender-strategic engagement for gender equality as a first step, and asks for an increase in this amount in the next MFF;
Amendment 29 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that properly implemented gender budgeting has a positive effect, improving employment prospects and remuneration for women generally, while also broadening the labour base accordingly;
Amendment 34 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that gender equality goals are too often subsumed by other policy goals that are addressed within the same budget line;
Amendment 36 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for strong gender equality budgeting and gender mainstreaming to be taken into account in preparing the post-2020 generation of EU funding programmes.
Amendment 36 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomNotes the intended mainstreaming of gender equality between women and men as a cross-cutting policy choice objective of the EU budget in EU funds and programmes;
Amendment 38 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets the lack of gender- aggregated data and gender-specific indicatorsdata and indicators for males and females respectively that are required to monitor and evaluate the action receiving funding from the EU budget to tackle gender equality;
Amendment 41 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Deplores, however, the factNotes that the EU’s political commitment to gender equality and gender mainstreaming is not yet internalised in the budget allocations and spending decisions of all EU policy areas because universal and compulsory mainstreaming would be counterproductive, ineffective and mainly inappropriate for a large share of spending;
Amendment 43 #
2016/2144(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Asks the Commission and the Member States to promote a holistic debate on policies and budgetary choices with a view to strengthening the policies contributing to gender equality between men and women and eventually achieving the ultimate goal of equal pay for equal work for all.
Amendment 49 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that some EU programmes (e.g. ESF, REC, Horizon 2020, IPA II, Humanitarian aid, DCI and EIDHR) include specific actions related to gender equality between women and men, while others (e.g. EaSI, FEAD, EMFF, and EGF) contain references to the general principles, of gender equality between women and men, but very few programmes lay down clear targets and dedicated resources or provide for systematic implementation and monitoring;
Amendment 54 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that gender equality between women and men is not recognised as a policy objective in all EU budget titles, and that several of those titles are not fully transparent in the sense that they do not specify the amount allocated to individual policy objectives and actions;
Amendment 57 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. RegretNotes that tools for gender mainstreaming such as gender indicators, gender impact assessment (GIA) and gender budgeting (GB) are very rarely used in policy design and implementation, whether at EU level or by national institutions; highlights the fact that the lack of specific gender indicators and of collection of gender-disaggregated data makes it impossibledifficult to estimate the gender equality impact of EU policies on equality between women and men;
Amendment 64 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Highlights the fact that no clear gender equality strategystrategy for equality between women and men with specific objectives, concrete targets and allocations, has emerged from the MFF 2014-2020;
Amendment 73 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
EU funding forgender equality between women and men in employment, social affairs and inclusion through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds)
Amendment 76 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Points out that the ESI Funds constitute the most important financial support for the implementation of gender equality policythe policy for equality between women and men in the EU, especially in the case of the ESF (European Social Fund), which aims to foster the full integration of women in the labour market; underlines that Regulation 1304/2013 makes gender mainstreaming a compulsory part of all phases of programmes and projects financed by the ESF, including preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
Amendment 81 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that ensuring the necessary infrastructure funding for quality, affordable and accessible care services for children and the elderly will support female participation in the labour market and women’s economic independence, and thus foster gender equality between women and men;
Amendment 88 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that EUR 5.85 billion EUR will be spent in 2014-2020 on measures promoting gender equality between women and men, of which 1.6% under the ESF for the specific investment priority ‘Equality between men and women in all areas including access to employment, career progression, reconciliation of work and private life and promotion of equal pay for equal work’;
Amendment 99 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls the importance of close monitoring and evaluation of the Operational Programmes of the ESI Funds, in order to avoid the downgrading of gender equality between women and men in the implementation phase;
Amendment 104 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Deplores that despite efforts to create a ‘standard’ in this field, a systematic method for the implementation of gender mainstreaming within the ESF has not yet been established; calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase resources for gender equality assessthe assessment of equality between women and ment and to follow consistently the implementation of gender mainstreaming;
Amendment 111 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls for the creation of permanent gendebodies for equality bodiesetween women and men at Member State level, which would provide technical support for gender mainstreaming at the planning and implementation stages, and strongly welcomes, in this context, national best practices such as the Gender CoP network in Swedenwelcomes the existence of national best practices;
Amendment 119 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
EU funding forgender equality between women and men in the area of fundamental rights, equality and citizenship via the Rights, Equality and Citizenship 2014-2020 Programme (REC)
Amendment 123 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that the two objectives related to gender equality between women and men and to the Daphne programme for combating violence against women currently account for around 35 % of the REC funds; points out that a majority of funds have been allocated under the Daphne objective compared to the gender equality objectiveobjective of equality between women and men;
Amendment 128 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Notes that under the gender equality objectiveobjective of equality between women and men, the following priorities were addressed: equal economic independence of women and men and work-life balance (44 % of resources earmarked); promoting good practices regarding genderthe roles of women and men and overcoming gender stereotypes in education and training and in the workplace (44 %) and support for EU-level networks on genderthemes of equality themesbetween women and men (12 %);
Amendment 141 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
Subheading 4
EU funding forgender equality between women and men in the area of research and innovation via Horizon 2020
Amendment 144 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Highlights the fact that the Horizon 2020 programme (hereinafter ‘this programme’), in line with the requirements of Article 16 of its Regulation, mainstreams gender equality between women and men and the gender dimension in research as a cross- cutting issue in each of the different parts of the work programme;
Amendment 148 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Draws attention to the threeprincipal mainstreaming objectives under this programme, namely:which should be to foster equal opportunities and gender balancefor women and men in project teams; and to ensure gender balance in decision-making; and to integrate a gender dimension in research contentthat both women and men are represented in decision-making;
Amendment 151 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Welcomes the fact that this programme provides support for research bodies in implementing gendeplans for equality plans; also welcomes the joint projectbetween women and men; also refers to the endeavour of the Commission and the European Institute for with the joint project of "Gender Equality" for creating an on-line tool for gendeplans for equality plansbetween women and men, as a means of identifying and sharing best practices with relevant stakeholders;
Amendment 157 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Welcomes the specific indicators used to monitor the implementation of a gender equality perspectiveperspective for equality between women and men in Horizon 2020, as well as the fact that, regarding genderthe balance between women and men in Horizon 2020 advisory groups in 2014, women’s participation was 52 %4 ; _________________ 4 Commission staff working document ‘Horizon 2020 annual monitoring report 2014’
Amendment 165 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls for gender mainstreaming to be further strengthened under all pillars of Horizon 2020, and for the development of gendetargets for equality targetsbetween women and men in strategies, programmes and projects at all stages of the research cycle;
Amendment 169 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Calls for the maintenance of an independent line of funding for gender- specific structural change projects (such as GERI for 2014-2016), as well as of other gender equality topicstopics relating to equality between women and men in research and innovation;
Amendment 175 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. OpposesCalls for a re-examination of the changes envisaged in the ‘New Science with and for Society Scoping Paper 2018- 2020’ subsuming gender equality funding under the more general heading of RRI (Responsible Research and Innovation), as being inconsistent with the specific and distinct requirements for gender equality between women and men in the Horizon 2020 regulation;
Amendment 179 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Other programmes and funds including specific objectives ongender equality between women and men
Amendment 184 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Notes that in the field of external actions and development cooperation, the Gender Action Plan (GAP) established for the period 2016-2020 covers the EU’s activities in third countries, and that there are several external assistance instruments that support gender equality objectivesthe objectives of equality between women and men;
Amendment 219 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Calls for the amount to be allocated to individual policy objectives and actions dedicated to gender equality between women and men to be clearly specified in order to increase transparency and accountability;
Amendment 226 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Looks upon the EU-level funding of EUR 6.17 billion allocated in the current MFF to achieving the objectives of gender-a strategic engagement for equality between women and men as a first step, and asks for an increase in this amount in the next MFF;
Amendment 228 #
2016/2144(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Believes that the mid-term review of the MFF could have been an opportunity to improve the results achieved by the EU budget in the pursuit of gender equality between women and men, and to demonstrate those achievements to the public;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
A. whereas education systems are struggling to respond to the profound and complex changes that our societies and economies are undergoingo the economy and the violent upheavals that are impacting our societies, including the technological innovationrevolution of automation, robotics and digital platforms;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
B. whereas lifelong learning, which promotes both active citizenshipas an approach and vision aimed at enhancing knowledge, skills and resources at a personal, social and professional level, which, in terms of promoting the employability of working citizens, takes the form of further training and ecomployabilityementary education, is a key aspect of education affected by these changes;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas, by 2025, it is estimated that 49 % of all job openings in the EU (including both new and replacement jobs) will require high qualifications, 40 % will require medium- level qualifications and only 11 % low or no qualifications;
Amendment 20 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ a (new)
Recital Γ a (new)
Ca. whereas the retraining of unemployed persons, whose jobs will be cut back or eliminated due to the ongoing economic downturn and above all to the development of robotics and artificial intelligence, will intensify the need to cultivate lifelong learning principles and whereas distance learning can provide these citizens with further possibilities and opportunities;
Amendment 24 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Δ
Recital Δ
D. whereas distance education and academic further education are important tools in providing additional education opportunities for all without discrimination by country, region, class, age or gendercitizens of the Union;
Amendment 28 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Δ a (new)
Recital Δ a (new)
Da. whereas distance learning and academic further education are important tools for the development of European know-how and a scientific knowledge base with effects that are not limited to European societies alone, but also provide a new and innovative field of activity with significant potential for growth and exploitation as an exportable product, which will further support the economy and the inflow of foreign exchange, subject to specific, high quality criteria and robust safeguards;
Amendment 37 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
E. whereas distance education refers to a method of teaching which offers flexibility in learning through the use of emerging technologies, not as a replacement to on-campus education, but offering an alternative for learners who are unable to participate in on-campus education, in so far as this alternative is of comparable quality and has the same standards as 'classical' university education;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΣΤ
Recital ΣΤ
F. whereas today's academic further education refers to education at an academic institution which is often pursued part time and/or parallel to full-time work, ideally and generally building on professional experience and usually requiring a university degree or long-term work experience in the relevant field of knowledge;
Amendment 45 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ζ
Recital Ζ
G. whereas academic distance education provides for flexible study formats that thelporetically assist people to attain a better work-life balancbalance between working and personal life;
Amendment 50 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Η
Recital Η
H. whereas many barriers tothere are many very broad barriers to, and issues and questions regarding, academic distance education remain;
Amendment 54 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Θ
Recital Θ
I. whereas the obvious tendency for academic institutions to be static makes curricula reform challenging; because of their accumulated higher academic experience and physical presence in determined locations by definition sets specific conditions for and, necessarily, restrictions on the necessary reform of the curricula which are adapted to the present and future needs of society and citizens;
Amendment 64 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΑ
Recital ΙΑ
K. whereas equality between women and mencitizens is a fundamental principle of the European Union which is enshrined in the Treaties and forms one of the objectives and tasks of the Union; whereas equality in education offers womeneveryone greater opportunities and contributes to the social, cultural and economic development of society; and productive citizenship.
Amendment 66 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges that online and open education is changing the way that education is resourced, delivered and taken up;
Amendment 70 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that many schools are struggling to respond to the profound and complex changes that our societies and economiehave been imposed and have arisen and affect the societies of the Union on the ground and its vare undergoingious economies;
Amendment 77 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. RecognisNotes that digitalisation and the establishment of common educational platforms are keyprobably key to beginning to addressing these challenges;
Amendment 86 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that academic institutions must prepare students for the real conditions they will encounctertainty in their working and social lives and provide them with suitable tools such as entrepreneurial skills, professional ethical standards and adaptability skills to explore their own pathways;
Amendment 90 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. AcknowledgNotes that personalisation – i.e. tailoring education to the individual needs of students – has lowered dropout rates andprobably contributes to a lowering of dropout rates and, in ideal conditions, can enable students to achieve their full potential;
Amendment 97 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recognises the potential of knowledge sharing to improve theat sharing data, knowledge and views can make a positive contribution to a quality, active participation of citizens in ever-changing societies;
Amendment 111 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Acknowledges that access to quality, essential education is a key concern – particularly for vulnerable people, those from disadvantage backgrounds or people with special needsfor every conscientious parent and guardian and therefore considers that Member States' actions vis-à-vis citizens on the basis of equal and safe access to education should support that aim;
Amendment 128 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises the particular importance of quality teaching for the outcomes of education, which requires a suitable workforce and, as a minimum, essential resources, instruments and infrastructure;
Amendment 133 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recognises that flexible learning formats probably enable people in employment to enjoy a better work-life bbalance between working and personal life and assume extra commitments towards new educational anced learning objectives;
Amendment 139 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Promotes the idea of appropriately tailor-made learning and courses bridging coursesome gaps designed for those wishing to enter tertiary-level education who need to gain some further qualifications in order to meet high entry requirements where appropriate;
Amendment 146 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Acknowledges that further and distance education creates development opportunities for universities to broaden their field of competencactivities and diversify their revenues with non-profit incentives, but by serving in a fair and mutually beneficial way the requirements of the real economy and the needs of the citizens of local communities;
Amendment 152 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recognises the roleCalls for a re-examination of the role and effect of the smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) in developing key regional potential based on the needs of the labour market;
Amendment 154 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Recognises the need to keep up with rapid technological change, if not to pre-empt and help shape it,in particular for distance education, and thatstresses the importance of ICT cannot be overstressed;
Amendment 163 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Highlights the fact that overall only one quarter of schoolchildren in Europe are taught by digitally confident teachers, which is a major obstacle preventing the flourishing of new methods of teachingo are sufficiently familiar with digital technology, which in some cases is an artificial obstacle; calls therefore on schools to provide stronger support for teachers and school leaders in terms of accessibility to substantive lifelong learning activities and programmes;
Amendment 170 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Acknowledges the importance of new digital platforms in education, while also highlighting the likely security and privacy issues and dangers that both academic institutions and students faceoften face as a result of the incorrect or non- optimal use of the platforms concerned or the poor management of these platforms and the data being handled or generated;
Amendment 173 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Acknowledges the costs of quality education and tailor-made learninghe pressures that the shortage thereof creates and considers it essential to provide it;
Amendment 192 #
2016/2142(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Acknowledges the need topossibility of further developing eTwinning and the School Education Gateway to support constructive exchanges between teachers and other practitioners as they and school administrations see fit and choose, with the assent and recommendation of the supervising educational authority;
Amendment 80 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Η
Recital Η
H. whereas the aim of Europe’s agricultural policy is a multi-functional agriculture with a balanced output characterised by capital-owning family and cooperative farms, a broad distribution of assets and a diverse, residence-based agricultural structure with traditions, legal certainty and responsibility;
Amendment 89 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Θ
Recital Θ
I. whereas the concentration of farmland may result in the loss of agricultural jobs and an increase in social inequality;
Amendment 95 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ι
Recital Ι
J. whereas, if the agricultural sector is to have a future, it depends on the younger generation, as this is the only way to halt the ageing of the farming population and above all to secure farm succession and the continuity of know-how from one generation to the next, and whereas on the other hand it is particularly difficult for young farmers and new entrepreneurs to gain access to land;
Amendment 104 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΑ
Recital ΙΑ
K. whereas farmland prices and rents have risen in many regions to a level which makes it economically impossibleand operationally inexpedient for many farms to hold on to unified rented land or acquire the additional land needed to keep farms viable, as there is hardly any land on the market;
Amendment 119 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΒ
Recital ΙΒ
L. whereas EU policies and subsidies encourage concentration phenomena, as direct area payments disproportionultimately benefit large farms, and the use of these funds leads to a rise in land prices and unfair speculation on the value of land, which tends in practice to exclude small and medium-sized undertakings from the land market;
Amendment 129 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΓ
Recital ΙΓ
M. whereas, particularly since the 2007 financial and economic crisis, purchases of farmland have been regarded as a safe investment and farmland has been bought up by institutional, non-agricultural investors, and whereas land ownership will remain a relatively safe investment even in the event of futurewhen inflation rises;
Amendment 146 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for the creation of a central observatory or body tasked with recmonitording the level of farmland concentration in the EU, changes in land use overall and the market behaviour of owners and tenants, and with issuing regular reportsports, when so tasked, to European Union institutions and also regularly on an annual basis to the European Parliament and the Commission;
Amendment 164 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to create athe legal basisframework in order to ensure, by means of a data bank, the regular collection of data of comparable quality on rent levels and land prices in connection with all sales of farmland and farm shares by agricultural undertakings in all Member States;
Amendment 184 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers it essensible to createtial to support the existence of a uniform, Europe-wide land inventory in which all ownership rights and rights of use in respect of farm landthe rights of use and ownership are recorded in an up- to-date and accurate manner and presented in a comprehensible form in a publicly accessible; calls for provision to be made for the additional presentation of the rights of use and ownership in respect of farm land in the form of a single public digital data bank;
Amendment 195 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that land consolidation, with differing types of procedure in the framework of an integrated land management system, is an indispensa possible instrument for settling land use disputes and improving agricultural structure and settling land use disputesfor the benefit of local communities, the proper functioning of the market and the long-term solvency of the best agricultural practices and as a way of ensuring a sustainable structure of food production;
Amendment 221 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Recommends that the Member States give farmers, in particular young people engaged in cultivating the land, priority in the purchase of corresponding farmland, particularly at a time when non- farmers are increasingly interested in purchasing agricultural plots;
Amendment 258 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Member States to shape their land market policy in such a way as to curb the rise in farmland prices and rents; further calls for these prices to be subject to an authorisation procedure which would also apply to mergers, splits and the establishment of foundations; takes the view that there should be stricter checks on lease contracts, a requirement to report irregularities, and the possibility of penalties in the event of unfair practices, since renting is often the first step to purchasing;
Amendment 292 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Proposes, a mandatoryfter consultation with those directly concerned, that consideration be given as a possible instrument to a cap on the part of direct payments exceeding the upper limit of EUR 150 000, as set out in Article 11 of Regulation No 1307/2013 (the Direct Payments Regulation), as well as the compulsory reduction by at least 5% of the part of the basic payment due to the farmer which exceeds EUR 150 000;
Amendment 306 #
2016/2141(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Takes the view thaProposes that at least 30% of direct payments should be payable on the first hectare, provided that the requirements of Articles 41 and 42 of the Direct Payments Regulation are complied with;
Amendment 88 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that EU trade and investment policies are interlinked with social protection, the sustainability of insurance funds, sustainable development, human rights and environmental protection policies; reiterates its call on the Commission and the Member States to guarantee policy coherence for development on business and human rights at all levels, in particular in relation to the Union’s trade and investment policy;
Amendment 95 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for the Commission to be committed to promoting binding and non- negotiable human rights and social and environmental clauses in the negotiation and signature of international agreements; regrets that current human rights clauses in free trade agreements and other economic partnership agreements are usually not respected;
Amendment 112 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to present a legislative proposal on binding due diligence obligations for supply chains in the garment and footwear sector aligned with OECD guidelines and internationally agreed standards on human rights and social and environmental standards and rules; this proposal should focus on the core problems garment and footwear workers face (occupational health and safety, a living wage, sustainable insurance system, satisfactory healthcare, freedom of association, sexual harassment and violence) and should address the following matters: key criteria for sustainable production, transparency and traceability, including collection of data and tools for consumer information, due diligence checks and auditing, access to remedy; gender equality between men and women, supply-chain due diligence reporting; awareness raising; notes, however, with concern that a lot more needs to be done and urges the Commission to take further actions which have a direct impact on workers’ lives;
Amendment 121 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates its call on the Commission to extend corporate social responsibility and binding due diligence initiatives beyond existing frameworks for the garment and footwear sector so as to ensure that the EU and its trading partners and operators live up to the obligation to respect both human rights and the highest social and environmental standards;
Amendment 125 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Encourages the EU and its Member States to promote, through policy dialogue and capacity building, the take-up and effective enforcement of international labour standards and human rights by partner countries based on ILO Conventions and recommendations; stresses in this context that respecting the right to joinform and formjoin a union and engageto representation in collective bargaining is a key criterion for business accountability;
Amendment 138 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the Commission to deliver on its objective to foster improvements in the ready-made garment sector, including through a strong gender focus; calls on the Commission to make gender equality between men and women a central focus of its flagship legislative initiative;
Amendment 153 #
2016/2140(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Calls on the Commission to put in place specific measures and rules for small and medium-sized European enterprises to have access to tools to invest in the sustainability and fairness of their supply chains by, inter-alia, supporting match- making business platforms to connect them with fair trade and ethical fashion importers and suppliers in the EU and in its partner countries;
Amendment 869 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 2 – paragraph 1
Rule 2 – paragraph 1
Members of the European Parliament shall exercise their mandate independently. They shall not be bound by any instructions, guidelines from political groups or lobbying and shall not receive a binding mandate.
Amendment 871 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Rule 3 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
At the same time, the President shall draw the attention of those authorities to the relevant provisions of the Act of 20 September 1976 and invite them to take the necessary measures to avoid any incompatibility with and/or impediment to the office of Member of the European Parliament.
Amendment 872 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Rule 3 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Members whose election has been notified to Parliament shall declare in writing, before taking their seat in Parliament, that they do not hold any office incompatible with that of Member of the European Parliament within the meaning of Article 7(1) or (2) of the Act of 20 September 1976. Following general elections, the declaration shall be made, where possible, no later than six working days prior to Parliament's constitutive sitting. Until such time as Members' credentials have been verified or a ruling has been given on any dispute, and provided that they have previously signed the above-mentioned written declaration, they shall take their seat in Parliament and on its bodies and shall enjoy all the rights attaching thereto.
Amendment 873 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 3 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Rule 3 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Amendment 875 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 4 – paragraph 1
Rule 4 – paragraph 1
1. A Member's term of office shall begin and end as laid down in the Act of 20 September 1976. It shall also end on death or resignation or incompatibility with the mandate of Member of the European Parliament.
Amendment 881 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 7 – paragraph 2
Rule 7 – paragraph 2
2. In particular, such a request for the defence of privileges and immunities may be made if it is considered that the circumstances constitute an administrative or other restriction on the free movement of Members travelling to or from the place of meeting of Parliament or on an opinion expressed, political statement made or a vote cast in the performance of their duties, or that they fall within the scope of Article 9 of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Union.
Amendment 883 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 9 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
Rule 9 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 2
The Member shall notmay be present during debates on the request for waiver or defence of his or her immunity, except for the hearing itself.
Amendment 884 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 9 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 4
Rule 9 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 4
If the Member fails to attend the hearing pursuant to that invitation, he or she shall be deemed to have renounced the right to be heard, unless he or she has asked to be excused from being heard on the date and at the time proposed, giving reasons. The chair of the committee shall rule on whether such a request to be excused is to be accepted in view of the reasons given, and no appeals shall be permitted on this point.
Amendment 891 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 11 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Rule 11 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Members’ conduct shall be characterised by mutual respect, be based on the values and principles laid down in the basic texts on which the European Union is founded, respect the dignity of Parliament and not compromise the smooth conduct of parliamentary business or disturb the peace and quiet of any of Parliament's premises. Members shall comply with Parliament's rules on the treatment of confidential information and documents.
Amendment 893 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Rule 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
The application of this Rule shall in no way detract from the liveliness of parliamentary debates or political clashes nor undermine Members’ freedom of speech.
Amendment 900 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 15 – paragraph 1
Rule 15 – paragraph 1
The President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors shall be elected by secret ballot, in accordance with Rule 182. Nominations shall be with consent. They may only be made by a political group or by at least 40 Members. However, if the number of nominations does not exceed the number of seats to be filled, the candidates may be elected by acclamation. Members shall be permitted to serve a maximum of two terms in the office of President pursuant to Rule 19(1), regardless of whether they are served consecutively or not.
Amendment 908 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 15 – paragraph 2
Rule 15 – paragraph 2
2. In the election of the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors, account should be taken of the need to ensure an overall fair representation of Member States and political groups and views.
Amendment 913 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 22 – paragraph 1
Rule 22 – paragraph 1
The President shall direct all the activities of Parliament and its bodies under the conditions laid down in these Rules. He shall enjoy all the powers and the resulting obligations necessary to preside over the proceedings of Parliament and to ensure that they are properly conducted.
Amendment 924 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 26 – paragraph 2
Rule 26 – paragraph 2
2. The President of Parliament shall, following a proposal by the secretary of the non-attached Members, invite one of the non-attached Members to attend meetings of the Conference of Presidents, without having the right to vote.
Amendment 952 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 35 – paragraph 2
Rule 35 – paragraph 2
2. The Bureau shall determine the status and parliamentary rights of such Members which, in a spirit of equality and solidarity, shall be balanced similar to those of other Members.
Amendment 991 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 71 – paragraph 2
Rule 71 – paragraph 2
2. The political composition of the delegation shall correspond to the composition of Parliament by political groups and the non-attached Members. The Conference of Presidents shall determine the exact number of Members from each political group.
Amendment 1089 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 165 – paragraph 3
Rule 165 – paragraph 3
3. Should the disturbance continue, or if a further offence is committed, the offender may be denied the right to speak and may be excluded from the Chamber by the President for the remainder of the sitting, without the exercise of the right to vote in plenary being affected. The President may also resort to the latter measure immediately and without a second call to order in cases of exceptional seriousness. The Secretary-General shall, without delay, see to it that such disciplinary measures are carried out, with the assistance of the ushers and, if necessary, of Parliament's Security Service.
Amendment 1153 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 205 – paragraph 1
Rule 205 – paragraph 1
1. The political groups and non- attached Members may designate one of their members as coordinator.
Amendment 1155 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 205 – paragraph 4
Rule 205 – paragraph 4
The political groups may designate a shadow rapporteur for each report to follow the progress of the relevant report and find compromises within the committee on behalf of the group. Their names shall be communicated to the committee Chair. The committee, on a proposal from the coordinators, may in particular decide to involve the shadow rapporteurs in seeking an agreement with the Council in ordinary legislative procedures. Non-attached Members may appoint a shadow rapporteur after internal consultation amongst themselves.
Amendment 1160 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 205 – paragraph 4 – interpretation – subparagraph 1
Rule 205 – paragraph 4 – interpretation – subparagraph 1
Amendment 1161 #
2016/2114(REG)
Parliament's Rules of Procedure
Rule 205 – paragraph 4 – interpretation – subparagraph 3
Rule 205 – paragraph 4 – interpretation – subparagraph 3
In all cases, non-attached Members must be guaranteed access to information, in accordance with the principle of non- discrimination, through the supply of information and the presence of a Member of Parliament or a member of the non- attached Members’ secretariat at coordinator meetings.
Amendment 7 #
2016/2101(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges that youth unemployment is a perpetual challenge for Europe; notes that the employment situation varies significantly across the EU, particularly in the southern European countries; points therefore to the need for labour market reforms that would adapt education to market demands and tackle inequalities in education; expresses, in this context, its further support for the Youth Employment Initiative and the implementation of youth entrepreneurship support policies;
Amendment 30 #
2016/2101(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Reiterates that investments in education, technology, entrepreneurship and culture reinforce employability and contribute to sustainable growth and job creation in the EU; underlines the need for structural reforms of the education and training systems in the Member States and the need to foster better interaction between the EU and the Member States and to facilitate the exchange of best practices among the Member States;
Amendment 56 #
2016/2101(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that the arts, cultural and creative industries contribute significantly to youth employment, employing, on average, more young people than any other sector; stresses that further promotion of and investment in the cultural and creative industries will be beneficial in creating new jobs and combating youth unemployment.
Amendment 1 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the EIB, which markets itself as ‘the EU bank’ and is incorporated and fully governed by the Treaties and relevant annexed Protocol, must live up to this particular status, which entails particular rights and responsibilities; observes that the bank is playing a key role in implementing an ever greater number of financial instruments leveraging on EU budgetary funds for the benefit of the Member States and that these resources should be used to support the real economy;
Amendment 8 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that the information currently made available to citizens and to the budgetary authority on financial instruments lacks completeness,is inadequate and lacks timeliness and real exploitability for making informed decisions on budgetary allocations, future EU financial rules and the future EU financial framework; expects the EIB to contribute actively and effectively to the EU budget’s legibility for the benefit of the Member State citizens, given its unique expertise and, know-how and key position;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Β
Recital Β
Β. whereas decarbonising transport is a major challenge, and significant reductions in CO2 emissions from transport are needed if the EU is to achieve its long-term climate and environmental goals; whereas congestion and air pollution are major problems in developing urban mobility;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Understands that the current EIB ‘Resilience’ initiative, the future EU External Investment Plan and the revision of the EIB external mandate cannot be entirely coordinated, as swift answers are needednotwithstanding actual requirements and guidelines, as swift and effective answers are needed to situations arising in times of crisis; insists, however, on the coherence and, streamlining and coordination of all EU external action financial instruments; expects in particular the updated regional technical operational guidelines or any future equivalent document used to link EU objectives and EIB external action to be more detailed than hitherto;
Amendment 18 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomesIs concerned at Commission President Juncker’s plan to increase the capacity of the Investment Plan for Europe from EUR 315 billion to EUR 630 billion, although this plan has not proved sufficient to solve the problems of entrepreneurship, especially in economically weak countries; underlines, however, that it should not lead to a reduction in well-functioning sources of transport infrastructure and services funding;
Amendment 20 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the EIB to establish a new, responsible taxation policy and to transpose good governance requirements in its contracts with all selected financial intermediaries in line with the ‘External Strategy for Effective Taxation’; reiterates that the EIB should improve effectively and immediately the quality of information on ultimate beneficiaries and prevent transactions with financial intermediaries that have a negative record in terms of transparency, fraud or corruption, or are registered in offshore financial centres or tax havens or might compromise the credibility, authority or particular influence of the EIB.
Amendment 33 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Encourages the EIB to continue to support sustainable, safe, climate-friendly, technologically advanced and innovative transport; underlines that it is the European Parliament’s priority to provide sufficient funding for projects with European added value, including the cross- border transport links;
Amendment 46 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that an innovative and effective economy needs advanced infrastructure and that transport infrastructure should be among the priorities, with a special focus on innovative multimodal infrastructure solutions such as short multimodal and multi-operable tunnels or bridges in sparsely populated areas or local communities;
Amendment 66 #
2016/2099(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the importance in combating climate change and protecting biodiversity of the goals set by COP 21 with regard to transport; underlines that the financial means should be available to bring about a modal shift from road to rail and waterborne and inland waterway transport; insists also that attention should be paid to investment in clean power for transport;
Amendment 14 #
2016/2096(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on governments of developing countries to mainstream gender in mental health and welfare policy, and to develop policies and programmes that address both the specific needs of women for mental health prevention and treatment and the social origins of psychological distress; strongly believes that better balance in gender roles and obligations, income security, access to education, the development of social safety nets and, poverty reduction and the adoption of legislation setting social standards would further redressalleviate gender disparities in mental health;
Amendment 10 #
2016/2080(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas improving governance with a specific focus on ethics and transparency within the EU institutions will reinforce citizens’ trust in the EU;
Amendment 18 #
2016/2080(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses in particular that the Commissioners are expected to make their own judgement on what might create a conflict of interest in the absence of a clear definition or regulatory framework to guide them;
Amendment 35 #
2016/2080(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 – point c
Paragraph 9 – point c
(c) there are no criteria for the President to decide on reallocation, nor any binding framework for informing Parliament or any procedure in place in the event of a Commissioner failing to notify a conflict of interest or engaging in any activity incompatible with the nature of his or her duties;
Amendment 43 #
2016/2080(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point c
Paragraph 10 – point c
(c) that Commissioners fully clarify the objectives of organisations with which they are involved and/or any matters of a primarily financial nature, in order to establish whether any conflict of interest exists;
Amendment 47 #
2016/2080(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point d
Paragraph 10 – point d
(d) that Commissioners and their dependent family members disclose their membership of any non-governmental organisations and any donations to NGOs of more than EUR 500;
Amendment 51 #
2016/2080(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point e
Paragraph 10 – point e
(e) that Commissioners designate submit their declarations within a specific time frame and in no case less than 30 days before their hearing in Parliament;.
Amendment 58 #
2016/2080(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 – point h
Paragraph 10 – point h
(h) that the procedure for reallocating files in the event of a conflict of interests is improved in terms of taking into account the Commissioner’s duties as a member of the College, introducing criteria regarding integrity and discretion for the President as regards the decision to reallocate files, implementing a binding procedure for cases in which a Commissioner fails to provide information about a possible conflict of interest and introducing a binding procedure for informing Parliament about the aforementioned cases;
Amendment 111 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Commission to develop a coherent and long-term industrial policy framework for the CCS, and on the EU to include the development, promotion and protection of CCIs and adequate funding for them in its strategic goals and overall political priorities;
Amendment 120 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission to design its future policies based on the following definition of CCIs: ‘cultural and creative industries are those industries that are based on universal cultural values, individual and/or collective creativity, skills and talent with the potential to create wealth and jobs through generating value and cultural input from intellectual property. They include the following sectors relying on cultural and creative inputs: architecture, archives and libraries, artistic crafts and activities, audio-visual (including film, television, video games and multimedia), cultural heritage, design, creativity-driven fashion and high-end industries, festivals, music, performing arts, books and publishing, radio and visual arts.
Amendment 132 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to identify specific indicators in order to monitor and analyse the cultural, economic and societal impact of its policies and regulatory proposals related to the CCS, and to possibly identify alternative data sources, using input from the Member States' cultural sectors, with a view to complementing and improving official statistics;
Amendment 203 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Highlights that piracy and counterfeiting remain a serious concern for CCIs and citizens alike; stresses that these illicit activities can cause safety and health concerns, as well as a loss in revenue, that need to be addressed;
Amendment 226 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, in their respective spheres of competences, to promote cross-sectoral cooperation by establishing ‘learning and creativity labs’, creative hubs, co-working spaces, networking programmes and cultural and creative clusters and networks at regional, national, European and international level in order to foster interaction between micro-, small, medium and large enterprises in the CCS, traditional craftsmanship, research centres, universities, investors and policy makers; asks, moreover, for support for the development of new business models, products and services through strategic partnerships and for support for the activities of business incubators;
Amendment 257 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses that creative and practical skills need to be learnt from an early age in order to lay the foundations for the continuous renewal of creative talents and abilities; encourages the Member States to improve their training, learning and qualification systems, enabling students in cultural and arts disciplines to acquire comprehensive training;
Amendment 278 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Highlights the potential of CCIs regarding youth employment and reindustrialisation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to include the CCIs in the Youth Employment Initiative and to provide funds to facilitate careers, entrepreneurship and training in this sector;
Amendment 304 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Encourages the Members States to promote cross-sectoral approaches between different areas in formal education and in non-formal learning; recommends the creation within higher education institutions of joint programmes and/or intersectoral workshops between arts and culture, science, engineering, technology, business and other relevant fields; stresses the need to support centres of excellence;
Amendment 313 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Encourages the Members States to promote cooperation between artistic schools, training workshops and businesses in the field of CCS; recommends the development of work- learn trajectories;
Amendment 335 #
2016/2072(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that participation in all EU funded and cofunded programmes is open to CCIs, but that this participation should still to be considered below its potential; asks the Commission as a first step to create a one stop shop – e.g. a website – highlighting different funding opportunities for CCIs, as this would increase awareness and accessibility of funding for CCIs;
Amendment 20 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that the EU’s security environment has deteriorated considerably, becoming more fluid, more dangerous and less predictable; notes that threats are both conventional and hybrid-asymmetrical, generated by both state and non-state actors, and coming from the South and the East, and that they affect the Member States differently and to a different degree, thus preventing a more common approach;
Amendment 34 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that Europe is now compelled to react to an arch of increasingly complex crises: from West Africa, through the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and, the Middle East and Turkey, to the Caucasus;
Amendment 50 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes with concern that terrorism has brought guerrilla warfaredanger to European streets; underlines that, consequently, security of the individual has become paramount, eroding the traditional distinction between its external and internal dimensions;
Amendment 72 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is firmly convinced that, as a result, a thorough revision ofnew and comprehensive approach to the CSDP is needed;
Amendment 84 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that, as Europe is no longer in control of its security environment and has lost the luxury of choosing the time and place of action, the CSDP, which has, until now, focused mainly on crisis management and military backup operations, should complement these operations with crisisthe prevention and crisis resolution of crises of lesser or greater intensity, and truly ensure the common security and defence of the entire area of freedom, security and justice;
Amendment 102 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines, equally, that the CSDP should be based on a strong collective defence principle, provision of adequate forces by Member States, efficient financing and full coordination with NATO;
Amendment 115 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the presentation by the VP/HR of the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy (EUGS) as a necessary and positive development for the institutional framework in which the CFSP and the CSDP will operate and develop; stresses that further work is needed to ensure the implementation of the EUGS’s political level of ambition, priorities, staff planning and comprehensive approach;
Amendment 127 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Supports the development of a sectoral strategy as a follow-up to the EUGS, to be agreed by the Council, that should further specify the civil-military level of ambition, tasks, requirements, strategic targets and centres of gravity and capability priorities; reiterates its previous calls for the development of a European Defence White Book and expresses hope that the Council will assign the task of drafting this document without delay;
Amendment 144 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Salutes the European Security Compact proposed by Germany and France and supports inter alia the idea of a common analysis of Europe’s strategic environment, making data collection and processing and threat assessment a periodical common activity, and thus getting respect for each other’s concerns and support for common capabilities and common action;
Amendment 153 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Observes that, to this effect, cooperation with similar NATO activities to avoid duplication and an increased exchange of intelligence and information between the Member States are indispensable;
Amendment 176 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights the significant contribution of CSDP missions and operations to international peace and stability; notes the level of political ambition set by the EUGS for an joint and integrated approach to conflicts and crises concerning the total or partial engagement of the Union at all stages of the conflict cycle through prevention, resolution and stabilisation, and the commitment to avoid premature disengagement;
Amendment 185 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines that all Council decisions on future missions and operations should prioritise engagements in conflicts directly affecting EU security or the security of a group of Member States; considers that the decision to engage should be based on a common analysis and understanding of the strategic environment, on shared objectives and on shared strategic interests of the Member States; considers that CSDP capacity-building missions must be coordinated with security sector and rule of law work by the Commission;
Amendment 196 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to amend Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 (establishing an Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace) in order to extend the Union’s assistance to equip military actors in partner countries, considering this an indispensable contribution to their resilience, thus diminishing their chances of becoming once again the object of conflict and sanctuaries for hostile activities against the EU, this being done by unanimous decision of the Council of Europe;
Amendment 217 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Recalls that NATO and the EU largely share the same strategic interests and face more or less the same challenges to the East and the South; notes the relevance of the mutual defence clause, Article 42(7), for the EU non-NATO members and not only; notes the EUSG’s objective of an appropriate level of EU strategic autonomy and underlines that the two organisations cannot afford to duplicate their means; and efforts; considers that the EU’s ‘strategic autonomy’ should reinforce Europe’s capacity to promote security within and beyond its borders as well as strengthen the partnership with NATO and transatlantic relations;
Amendment 228 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that the bedrock for EU- NATO cooperation is provided by the complementarity of their missions and, consequently, of their inventories of instruments and capabilities; stresses that the relations between the two organisations should continue to be cooperative in strategic and operational-tactical terms and not competitive;
Amendment 243 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Underlines that NATO is best equipped for deterrence and defence, and is ready to implement collective defence (Article V of the Washington Treaty) in the case of aggression against one of its members, while the EU is best equipped to deal with challenges to the internal security of the Member States, including subversion, which are not covered byand where Article V makes no provision for enforcement;
Amendment 269 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Is convinced that enhancing the EU’s status as a global security provider needs adequate, sufficient capabilities and a competitive defence industry ensuring a sustainable supply chain; notes that the European defence sector is characterised by fragmentation and duplication, which need gradual elimination through collaboration, cooperation and a process providing incentives and rewards to all national components;
Amendment 281 #
2016/2067(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recalls that a robust European Defence Technological and Industrial Base, which includes facilities for SMEs, is a fundamental underpinning of the CSDP and a prerequisite for a common market, which should supply all buyers with adequate and affordable means, responding to their individual needs and covering EUGS operational capacity requirements;
Amendment 1 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges the initial results of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) to mobilise private investments; recalls that the EFSI must also contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion and that efforts are needed to enhance synergies and complementarity between the EFSI and European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs), and that a greater margin of flexibility must be provided in allocating funds from the Structural Funds for specific needs that are not covered by the present Structural Funds arrangements; underlines the importance of ensuring additionality of the EFSI with respect to other EIB initiatives and EU- funded programs;
Amendment 16 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Takes note of the largeasymmetric investment gapshortfall in Europe, which the Commission conservatively estimates at a minimum of EUR 200-300 billion a year; , highlights in particular, against this backdrop, the continued market needs in Europe for high-risk financing, for instance in the fields of R&D, energy and ICT; is concerned by the fact that the most recent data on national accounts do not indicate any surge in investment since the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) was launched, leading to risks ofthereby helping to worsen the continued subdued growth and continuing high unemployment rates; stresses that closa dramatic reduction ing this investment gap is key tostep towards reviving growth, fighting unemployment and attaining long-term EU policy objectives;
Amendment 26 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the publication of the Commission’s new guidelines of 22 of February 2016 on combining ESIFs and the EFSI; takes note, however, that the number of existing synergies between EFSI and ESIFs funds is still extremely low and calls on the Commission, the EIB, the national authorities, the national promotional banks and institutions (NPBI) and the managing authorities to accelerate the design and implementation of further synergies;
Amendment 29 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that EFSI was launched towith the theoretical aim of helping resolve difficulties and remove obstacles to financing and mobilise funds, as well as to implement strategic, transformative and productive investments that provide a high level of added value to the economy, the environment and society;
Amendment 42 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that the Commission, the EIB, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, and the managing authorities should better cooperate to ensure that more integrated ESIF-EFSI projects are put forward to boost territorial development and cohesion policies;
Amendment 46 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls the role of Parliament as foreseen in the regulation, in particular in relation to the monitoring of EFSI implementation; acknowledges, however, that it is too early to finalise a comprehensive assessment of the functioning of EFSI and its impact on the EU economy, but is of the opinion that astresses that an independent preliminary evaluation is crucial in order to identify possible areas of improvement for EFSI 2.0 and thereaftern order to assess the usefulness of EFSI 2.0 in practice;
Amendment 54 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that it is essential to ensure a geographical balance of EFSI projects, taking account of the different economic development of the regions, the economic disparities between the Member States and the territorial diversity of the Member States; highlights the importance of also developing cross-border projects that could deliver a high European added value;
Amendment 55 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the purpose of EFSI iwas to ensure additionality by helping to address market failures or suboptimal investment situations and supporting operations which could not have been carried out under existing Union financial instruments and not to secure additional business financing;
Amendment 66 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that there is a need to develop the thematic concentration of EFSI projects related to cohesion policy; and also to review on a regular basis the capital needs of the Structural Funds;
Amendment 70 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that the projects supported by EFSI, while strivingintended to create employment, sustainable growth, economic,prosperity and territorial and social cohesion, are considered to provide additionality if they carry a risk corresponding to EIB special activities, as defined in Article 16 of the EIB Statute and by the credit risk policy guidelines of the EIB; underlines that EIB projects carrying a risk lower than the minimum risk under EIB special activities may also be supported by EFSI only if use of the EU guarantee is required to ensure additionality;
Amendment 74 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. NotesIs concerned that, while all projects approved under EFSI are presented as ‘special activities’ and the files accordingly treated as such, an independent evaluation has found that some projects could have been financed otherwisemore effectively through other, already existing channels;
Amendment 76 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Believes that the selection of EFSI financing operations and the managing of projects should be more transparent, accountable, based on defined criteria and involve local and regional stakeholders at an early stage; stresses that the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) and the EFSI investment committee should use the expertise of regional authorities in order to promote integrated ESIF-EFSI projects; with a view to this, the EIAH should play an active role in enabling even more local and regional authorities to make the most of the EFSI and ensure multi-level accountability and control;
Amendment 83 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Emphasises the need to strengthen the national and regional platform to support the coordination and synergies between EU funds and avoid duplication;
Amendment 91 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the EIB, to draw up an detailed inventory of all EU-backed EIB financing falling under the additionality criteria and available to the public;
Amendment 93 #
2016/2064(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that Parliament must plays a fundamental role in monitoring the impact of these strategies and projects in terms of employment and sustainable and economic growth. and constitutes a control mechanism for the financial operations of the institutions;
Amendment 96 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urges the EIB to comply fully with the letter and the spirit of the EFSI Regulation and to implement real additionality fully and not just superficially, ensuring better targeted funding in practice;
Amendment 112 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Notes that, as provided for in the regulation, prior to a project being selected for EFSI support, it has to undergo due- diligence and decision-making processes both in the EIB and the EFSI governance structures; observes that project promoters have expressed a legitimate wish for swift feedback and enhanced transparency in relation to both the selection criteria and the amount and type/tranche of possible EFSI support, unlike the present situation; criticises the current lack of clarity and transparency, which deters project promoters from applying for EFSI support; calls for the decision-making process to be made more transparent in respect of the selection criteria and financial support and to be speeded up;
Amendment 127 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers that the criteria according to which projects are assessed are unclear and lack transparency, further undermining the credibility of the process; requests further information from the EFSI governing bodies on the evaluations carried out on all projects approved under EFSI accordingly, in particular as regards their substantiated additionality and likely contribution to growth and job creation as defined in the Regulation;
Amendment 139 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Recalls that the scoreboard is supposed to be used by the Investment Committee (IC) to ensure an independent and transparent assessment of the potential and actual use of the EU guarantee and to prioritise projects, despite the inherent weaknesses and general failures of the project; requests that the project selection criteria be properly appliednd objectively applied according to merit and this process be made more transparent; recalls that the IC mustshould assign equal importance to each pillar of the scoreboard when prioritising projects, irrespective of whether the individual pillar yields a numerical score, or whether it is composed of unscored qualitative and quantitative indicators; criticises heavily the fact that the EIB itself admits that the IC’s experts only make improper use of the 4th pillar for information purposes, not for decision- making;
Amendment 151 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Acknowledges that it may take some years to prepare, launch and realise new innovative projects, that the EIB is under institutional pressure to achieve the EUR 315 billion goal and therefore had no real option but to launch EFSI activities immediately, is concerned, however, that the EIB, when implementing EFSI, has thus far drawn on its existing project pipeline with lower risk projects to a large extent, thereby directly reducing its own conventional financing; fears that EFSI mistakenly does not provide complementary financing for high-risk innovative projects; underlines that even though a project qualifies as a special activity, this does not necessarily imply that it is risky, however the classification as a special activity might also stem from the fact that its financing has been structured in an artificially risky fashion, implying that very low-risk projects can also, through self-serving use of formal or procedural channels, easily end up as high-risk projects;
Amendment 159 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Requests that the EIB provide an objective estimate of its potential annual lending capacity and capability in the medium term, taking into account EFSI and possible regulatory developments and to continue its own lending at rates of EUR 70-75 billion a year, usingmaking use principally of profits, repayments from the programmes etc., and that it use EFSI solelyas complementary tool, notwithstanding initial announcements and official positions; notes that this would mean the business volume of the EIB would successfully reach at least EUR 90 billion, not EUR 75 billion in total;
Amendment 168 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers it important to discuss whether the envisaged leverage of 15 is appropriatbest able to enable EFSI to support high quality projects bearing a higher risk; invites the EIB to accept and fully endorse the binding strategic objective, which is to weigh up complementing the volume requirement with secondary goals to be achieved;
Amendment 175 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes with concerngrowing concern the evidence that small projects are deterred from applying for EFSI financing based on their size; points to the significant effect and impact that a small but well directed and strategically significant project might nevertheless have on a national or regional scale; believes that the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) is instrumental in advising and accompanying promoters of small-scale projects in the structuring and bundling of projects via investment platforms or framework agreements; calls on the Steering Board to look intoexamine this issue thoroughly and put forward proposals to correct this situation as a matter of priority;
Amendment 186 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Emphasises that EFSI is a demand- driven instrument, which should, however, be guided generally by the political objectives set out in the regulation and defined by the Steering Board, which must act objectively and guided by merit in the interests of all contracting parties and for the benefit of all Union citizens; the objectives, being political in nature, are subject to the control and overall supervision of the elected representatives acting for Parliament;
Amendment 207 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. WelcomNotes that all sectors defined in the EFSI Regulation have been nominally covered by EFSI financing; points out, however, that certain sectors are seriously under-represented; notes that this might be due to the fact that certain sectors already offered better investment opportunities in terms of shovel-ready, bankable projects when EFSI started up; invites the EIB against this backdrop to discuss how to improve sectorial diversification, linking it to the goals set out in the Regulation as well as the issue of whether EFSI support should be extended towill benefit other vital sectors also;
Amendment 219 #
2016/2064(INI)
18. Observes that the EFSI governance structures have been implemented in full within the EIB; considers that, with a view to improving the efficiencyfunctioning and accountability of EFSI, options for makingthe possibility of separating the workings of the EFSI governance structure completely separate from thatose of the EIB should be discussconsidered;
Amendment 225 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recalls that the Managing Director (MD) is responsible for the day-to-day management of EFSI, the preparation and chairing of meetings of the IC and for external representation; recalls that the MD is assisted by the Deputy Managing Director (DMD); regretsis concerned that, in practice, the respective roles, especially that of the DMD, have not been clearly identified; invites the EIB to reflect on immediately spelling out the tasks of the MD and the DMD more clearly in order to ensure transparency and accountability; suggests that the MD, assisted by the DMD, could be explicitly put in charge of setting the agenda of the IC meetings, of carrying out an initial screening of the projects presented by the EIB as well as being made explicitly accountable for their decisions ofand those of the IC experts; suggests, furthermore, that the MD should devise procedures for tackling effectively potential conflicts of interest within the IC, report to the Steering Board (SB), propose substantial and exemplary sanctions for breaches as well as the means to implement them; believes that the authority of the MD and the DMD in carrying out these tasks would be enhanced by enjoyinginstitutional duties should be underpinned through greater autonomy vis-à-vis the EIB; invites the EIB accordingly to explore options forways in which they could be immediately adopted so as to increasinge the independence of the MD and the DMD;
Amendment 228 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Recalls that the IC experts are responsible for EFSI project selection, granting the EU guarantee and for approving operations with investment platforms and National Promotional Banks (NPBs) or institutions; recalls further that, within the current framework, they are independent; considerstresses that project selection is not transparent enough and that decisions have to be accounted for; stresses that the EIB should make improvements to the disclosure of information about the projects it approves under EFSI, with a proper and detailed justification of additionality and the scoreboard; is concerned about documenteddeplores strongly the documented conflicts of interest on the part of IC members; believes that conflicts of interest are unacceptable and that members and those materially responsible must be investigated, singling out those undermining the credibility of the project if the asymmetrical conflicts of interest on the part of IC membersaffecting the decisions of the member under investigation is shown to be substantial, regardless of whether or not it affects the final decision-making process as a whole;
Amendment 234 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Invites the EIB to reflect on the ways in which cooperation between IC, through the MD and the SB, could be enhancsupported; suggests that the MD cshould systematically and actively participate in SB meetings, which would also allow the MD to inform the SB about future activities and support more effectively the continuation and parallel exercise of activities on both sides;
Amendment 246 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Recalls that as a result of their know-how, NPBs are necessary for the success of EFSI, as they are close to the local markets; finds that synergies have so far not been exploited to the requisite extent ; observes a risk of local institutions being crowded out by the EIB; recognises that EFSI and the EIB are increasingly willing to take more junior/subordinated tranches with the NPBs and urges them to continue to do so; invites the EIB to discuss carefully whether it would be useful to incorporate NPB expertise into the SB;
Amendment 254 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recalls that diversified investments with a geographical or thematic focus should be made possible by helping to finance and bundle projects and funds from different sources; notes that the first investment platform was only set up behind schedule and regardless of priorities in the third quarter of 2016;
Amendment 259 #
2016/2064(INI)
25. Urges the EFSI governing bodies to pay greater attention to investment platforms with a view to maximising the benefits that the latter can probably bring in overcoming investment barriers, especially in EU-13 in all EU Member States; invites the EIB to provide stakeholders with more information onin suitable form regarding the platforms;
Amendment 265 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Proposes a discussion ofthat a way be found of providing additional means of promoting IPs, such as by prioritising the approval of projects presented via a platform, the pooling of smaller projects and group contracts and establishing mechanisms to finance groupings of contracts; believes that transnational platforms should be promoted in particular, as many energy and, principally, digital projects have a transnational dimension;
Amendment 278 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Welcomes thatRegrets that, although by the end of 2016, undertakings from all 28 countries received EFSI funding; underlines, however, that as of 30 June 2016,, in the period up to 30 June 2016, those from the EU-15 had received 91% whereas those from the EU- 13 had only received 9% of EFSI support; regdeplorets that EFSI support has mainly benefittedand heartily opposes EFSI practices that are benefiting only a limited number of countries;
Amendment 290 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Acknowledges that GDP and the number of projects approved are linked; recognises that larger Member States are able to taketaking advantage of more developed capital markets and are therefore more likely toderiving asymmetrical benefit from a market-driven instrument such as EFSI that is driven by market forces; underlines that lower EFSI support infor EU-13 undertakings may be attributable to other additional factors, such as the small size of projects, the widespread economic crisis, the uncertain business climate resulting from austerity policies and competition from the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF); observes with concern, however, the disproportionate benefit to certain countries and underlines the need to impose diversifyication of further geographical distribution further, especially in crucial sectors such as modernising and improving the productivity and sustainability of economies;
Amendment 299 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Attaches the utmost importance to the operation of the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH); considers that its mission to act as a single point of entry to simplified and comprehensive advisory and technical assistance throughout all stages of the project cycle largely responds tois dictated by the growing need for technical assistance support among authorities and project promoters;
Amendment 307 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Considers, similarly, that the EIAH canshould actively contribute towards geographical and sectorial diversificationbalance, not only by covering all regions and more sectors in the provision of its services, but also by assisting the EIB in launching corresponding operations; believes that the EIAH can play an important role in contributing to the objective of economic, social and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 312 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Regrets that the European Investment Project Portal (EIPP) was only launched behind schedule by the Commission on 1 June 2016, almost a year after the adoption of the EFSI Regulation, no adequate justification being given for that choice; notes that the portal is now operational, with only 139 projects currently displayed, but considers that this is still very far from the potential expected when the EFSI regulation was adopinitially expected and formally stipulated;
Amendment 313 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Considers that the EIPP provides ashould provide a simple and user-friendly platform for project promoters to boost the visibility of their investment projects in a transparent manner; believes, however, that the key to the success of the portal is to increase its own visibility significantly, in order to achieve common acknowledgement as a useful, reliable and efficient tool both among investors and project promoters; urges the Commission to work actively in this direction through solid communication activities;
Amendment 316 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Recalls that the Union, despite its concerns regarding the effectiveness of the fund, continues to provides an irrevocable and unconditional guarantee to the EIB for financing and investment operations under EFSI; is convincednotes that the EU Guarantee has probably enabled the EIB to take on correspondingly higher risk for the Infrastructure and Investment Window (IIW) and believes that it has permitted the financing of SMEs, Midcaps under COSME and InnovFin for the SME Window (SMEW) to be enhanced and frontloaded;
Amendment 317 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Stresses that, due to a very strongn uptake reflecting the high market demand, the SME Window was further reinforced by EUR 500 million from the IIW Debt Portfolio under the existing legislative framework; welcomes that, due to the flexibility of the EFSI Regulation, the additional financing was granted to benefit SMEs and small mid-caps; intends to monitor closely the allocation of theis guarantee under the two windows;
Amendment 326 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Notes that the Commission has proposed an extension of EFSI, both in terms of duration and financial capacity, and that thiswhile acknowledging that this initiative fails adequately to meet market needs; notes that it would have an impact on the EU budget; expresses its intention to put forward alternative financing proposals;
Amendment 333 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Recalls that Member States were invited to contribute to EFSI in order to broaden its capacity, thereby enabling it to support more higher-risk investments; regrets that despite such investment being considered as a one-off measure within the meaning of Article 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of 7 July 1997 on the strengthening of the surveillance of budgetary provisions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies and Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1467/97 of 7 July 1997 on speeding up and clarifying the implementation of the excessive deficit procedure, Member States did not take this initiative; recognizes that this is attributable to instinctive recoil from Union policies on the part of the Member States, especially when they are announced in the run-up to elections; requests information from the EIB and the Commission as to whether they have undertaken efforts in the meantime to convinceinform Member States to contribute toabout the results actually achieved by the EFSI, and whether they might be able to attract other investors; invites the Commission and the EIB to step up their efforts in this direction;
Amendment 359 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. IsStrongly deeply concernedores the fact that the EIB has been unfairly pushing via EFSI to support projects that have been structured using firms in tax havens; urgescalls on the EIB and the EIF to refrain from making use of or engaging in tax avoidance structures, in particular aggressive tax planning schemes, or other tax avoidance practices which do not comply with EU good governance principles on taxation, as set out in the relevant Union legislation, including Commission recommendations and communications;
Amendment 364 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Observes with regret that many project promoters are not aware of the existence of EFSI, or have an insufficiently clear picture of what EFSI can offer them and, how to benefit from it and how to access the services offered; underlines that further efforts have to be made to raise awareness of what EFSI is, which specific products and services it has to offer and of the roles of investment platforms (IPs) and NPBs;
Amendment 385 #
2016/2064(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 49
Paragraph 49
49. Acknowledges that EFSI alone - and on a limited scale- will probably not be able to close the investment gap in Europe, but that it nevertheless constitutes a central pillar of the EU’s investment plan and signals the EU’s determination to tackle this issuprovides a specific set of policy guidelines for the EU’s investment plan and signals the EU’s concern with preventing the collapse of the European edifice; calls for further proposals to be made on how to permanently boost investment in Europe;
Amendment 6 #
2016/2062(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the fact that the Commission’s Aviation Strategy proposal highlights the aviation sector’s significant contribution to the EU economy; stresses that further ambitious steps are needed and that these should take into account flight safety, environmental, climate, health and employment aspects;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2062(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that sustainable development of the sector isand the use of technological innovations are needed in order to avoid the aggravation of environmental impacts, such as climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, air pollution and noise;
Amendment 22 #
2016/2062(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Regrets that international aviation is not mentioned in the Paris Agreement; notes that without considerable contributions from the aviation sector (passenger and cargo) to global mitigation efforts, these goals cannot be achieved;
Amendment 46 #
2016/2062(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Acknowledges that there are still too many very-short-haul flights; calls for a shift to more environmentally friendly modes of transport, where possiblenon-polluting, alternative modes of transport to be used in local, national or middle-distance cross-border transport;
Amendment 57 #
2016/2061(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges that the implementation of the principle of equal pay for the same work and for work of equal value is crucial to reducing pay and pension gaps and to eliminating inequalities and the risk of poverty;
Amendment 81 #
2016/2061(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights the fact that all people have the right to a decent public pension, and recalls that the Union recognises the entitlement to social security benefits and social services which provide protection in the event of old age or dependency under Article 25 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights;
Amendment 110 #
2016/2061(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for a public minimum pension not related to previous working life to be constitutionally established; stresses the importance of shifting towards individual, rather than family-related, pension entitlements;
Amendment 177 #
2016/2061(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that the sustainability of pension schemes can be reinforced by complementing social security with tax contributions and/or contributions from a quota on State contributions;
Amendment 206 #
2016/2061(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Commission to carry out a thorough assessment of the impacts on the most vulnerable of the recommendations and the imposition of clauses addressed to the Member States on pensions;
Amendment 13 #
2016/2060(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls for representation of women at all levels of government, if necessary with the and/or decision-taking, if feasible with the potential use of quotas, and for women’s systematic inclusion in transitional institutions; supports electoral systems that require voters to select both male and female candidates; stresses the importance of women’s equal, full and active participation in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, and supports empowerment projects aimed at training women to negotiate women-related issues;
Amendment 37 #
2016/2060(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Encourages the development of a social economy for women and the use of microcredits as a tool forto fund economic independence, social integration and lifelong learning programmes;
Amendment 44 #
2016/2060(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for women’s involvement in decision-making and in the process of implementing economic policies, for the promotion of business and sustainable development programmes for the involvement of women in companies and enterprises, and for the implementation of local development projects aimed at the economic emancipation of women in Eastern Partnership States;
Amendment 72 #
2016/2060(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Condemns the use of sexual violence against women and girls as weapons of war, including crimes such as mass rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, gender-based forms of persecution including trafficking, sex tourism, and early and forced marriages, and all other forms of sexual violence, and calls on the governments of the Eastern Partnership states to proceed with the imposition of genuine legal punishments on those who have committed this kind of crime;
Amendment 83 #
2016/2060(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls for the application of the Beijing Platform for Action for education and health as basic human rights, and; calls for access for women to sexual and reproductive health services and for the eradication of domestic violence; stresses family planning, maternal health, easy access to contraception and access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health services as important elements in saving women’s lives;
Amendment 93 #
2016/2060(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines the role of parliamentary diplomacy in all of the above areas and the need to exchange best practices and calls for the active participation of MEPs at information actions, meetings, fora and discussions in this connection;
Amendment 6 #
2016/2057(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Α
Recital Α
Α. whereas guaranteeing universal access to medicines presents a myriad of challenges; whereas Article 34 (social security and social assistance) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union categorically prohibits exclusion from access to medicines;
Amendment 23 #
2016/2057(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the importance of observing the principle of subsidiarity, as each Member State must address any shortcomings on the basis of its own particular requirements, strictly adhering to the terms of Article 35 (health care) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, regardless of financial indicators;
Amendment 56 #
2016/2057(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recommends that information sharing and the training of medical professionals be made an immediate priority, particularly regarding the prevention of incurable diseases and cancer;
Amendment 65 #
2016/2057(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges that universal access to medicines should not be contingent on price, which should reflect a fair balance between the cost of research, industry growth and the need for sustainable welfare systems, particularly where co- payments for medication are beyond the means of those insured;
Amendment 81 #
2016/2057(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Reiterates that part of the reason why businesses are becoming less competitive and why welfare spending is so high is that EU rules – including rules on drug pricing – are too burdensome, in addition to which, austerity and economic adjustment policies are causing increased unemployment and resulting in welfare cuts.
Amendment 6 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), as provided for in the Treaty on European Union (TEU), shall include the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy that might lead to a future common defence beyond what have until now been areas of EU external action;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that achieving the objectives of the CSDP to strengthen the Union’s operational capacity to act externally for peace-keeping, conflict prevention and strengthening international security as provided for in the TEU is more than ever necessary in a fast deteriorating security environmentview of local, regional and global threats and conflicts and asymmetric threats within the EU;
Amendment 19 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Acknowledges that the current geopolitical environment and the situation in Europe call for the Union to assume greater responsibilities in the fields of both external and internal security and to pursue more ambitious goals such as a European Army, and welcomes the European Council’s conclusions of June 2015 asking for further development of both civilian and military capabilities and the strengthening of Europe’s defence industry;
Amendment 22 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the VP/HR and the Member States to use the full potential of the TEU, especially Article 44 on the implementation of a CSDP task by a group of Member States and Article 46 on permanent structured cooperation with regard to a faster and more flexible deployment of CSDP missions and operationsmission planning, harmonisation of operational requirements and, where necessary, military deployment; welcomes the activation of Article 42(7) on the mutual defence clause;
Amendment 29 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that the internal market instruments offer solutions for effective cooperation among Member States and European defence industries and for building on economies of scale, in order to avoid duplications and make expenditure more efficient in times of budget constraints and in view of the imminent risks of the EU defence sector losing critical expertise and innovation, autonomy and competitiveness advantages;
Amendment 41 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for the establishment of the Council of Defence Ministers format and the setting up of a permanent strategic civil-military headquarters with a permanent military operational componentfull involvement of the European External Action Service and the EU Military Committee; underlines the role of the European Defence Agency in capability development;
Amendment 51 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that the new CSDP provides greater flexibility, for example through stronger Member State cooperation within a ‘permanent structured cooperation’ framework, which could take various forms, including joint development and procurement; calls for the creation of a structure for the exchange of information on terrorism, crossborder organised crime and cybersecurity;
Amendment 73 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Highlights the importance of intensifying the synergies between security and defence and the synergies with other Union policies, and of building on integrated capabilities in order to develop common approaches in the areas of, for example, hybrid and asymmetrical threats, terrorism, external border security, illegal immigration, common intelligence, cybersecurity and customs controls;
Amendment 92 #
2016/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that justified concerns about the surrender of sovereignty concerns and divergent threat perceptions in the different Member States and differing national industries, defence doctrines and operational capabilities hamper integration of the defence sector and contribute to market fragmentation, and believes that a European Defence Union may create more trust, align the different plans for development of national capabilities and ultimately lead to more common projects and the opening of the markets.
Amendment 135 #
2016/2052(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Believes that the Member States which are willing to make more binding commitments to one another should establish permanent structured cooperation within the Union framework; encourages those Member States to establish multinational forces within the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and make these forces available to the common security and defence policy; believes that the Council should normally entrust the implementation of a peace-keeping, conflict prevention and strengthening international security task to those multinational forces, pursuant to Articles 38, 42, 43 and 44 TFEU; is convinced that the EU battle group system should be further developed to that end; underlines that PESCO is open to all Member States;
Amendment 180 #
2016/2052(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses the importance of putting in place the necessary measures to allow a working, accessible, transparent and simple European market in defence equipment in order to enable Member States to reach better defence and security budget maximisation and restrict the cost of developing or acquiring defence equipment; is concerned that the progress towards improved competitiveness, greater transparency, and less red tape in the defence sector has been slow so far, and that a sound European defence industrial policy is still missing;
Amendment 190 #
2016/2052(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is convinced that in progressively framing the common Union defence policy, the EU and the European Defence Agency should make provision, in agreement with the Member States concerned, for participation in capability programmes they undertake, including the participation in the structures created for the execution of those programmes within the Union framework;
Amendment 204 #
2016/2052(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the joint declaration by the presidents of the European Council and the Commission, and the Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization of 8 July 2016; emphasises the need for stronger cooperation between the EU and NATO in the area of security and defence; is convinced that EU-NATO cooperation should involve building resilience together in the east and the southwhere required, as well as defence investment; considers that cooperation on capabilities offers the prospect of improving compatibility and synergy between both frameworks; is convinced that this would also strengthen NATO’s role in security and defence policy, and in collective defenceconsiders that the provisions of Article 42 (2) TFEU must be strictly respected;
Amendment 243 #
2016/2052(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Takes the view that the white book shouldmay not take the form of an interinstitutional agreement of a binding nature which w, as each Member State maintains the right of veto even within the framework of the North Atlantic Alliance, but should set out all Union initiatives, investments, measures and programmes over the respective multiannual political and financial framework of the EU; is convinced that the Member States, partners and allies can take this interinstitutional agreement into account in their own security and defence planning, with a view to being mutually consistent;
Amendment 305 #
2016/2052(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 – indent 10
Paragraph 16 – indent 10
- initial EU-NATO projects on countering hybrid and asymmetrical threats, on operational cooperation including at sea, and on migration, on cyber security and defence, on defence capabilities, on strengthening the defence technological and industrial base, on exercises, and on building the defence and security capacity of our partners in the East and Southwhere required;
Amendment 4 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes that budget 2017 has to be considered in the wider context of the mid- term revision of the multiannual financial framework (MFF), even if it failed to address the structural problems overall;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that Parliament's reading of the 2017 budget fully reflects the political priorities adopted by an overwhelming majority in its abovementioned resolution of 9 March 2016 on general guidelines and its resolution of 6 July 2016 on the “Preparation of the post-electoral revision of the MFF 2014-2020: Parliament’s input ahead of the Commission’s proposal”;
Amendment 15 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights that the Union is currently facing a number of serious emergencies, including migration and homegrown and external terrorism, as well as the ongoing economic crisis disproportionately affecting some Member States, and is convinced that the necessary financial resources need to be deployed from the Union budget, in order to meet the political challenges and allow the Union to deliver answers and, with the Member States, effectively respond to those crises as a matter of utmost urgency and priority; considers that a strong political commitment is needed to secure fresh appropriations in 2017 and until the end of the programming period for this purpose;
Amendment 25 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that whilst Parliament has supported the Commission’s actions yet to be delivered in the tackling of the migration and refugees crisis, it has always insisted that this challenge not take precedence over other important Union policies, for example in the field of jobs and growth; notes that the Heading 3 ceiling is vastly insufficient to provide for appropriate funding for the internal dimension of the migration and refugee crisis as well as priority programmes, such as culture programmes;
Amendment 28 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Reiterates its position that requests for additional funding needed for addressing the migration and refugee crisis and effectively limiting those migration flows should not be deployed to the detriment of the Union’s existing external action, including its development policy; repeats that the setting-up of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRT), Trust Funds, and any other ad-hoc instruments cannot be financed by cuts to other existing instruments, even if they have not yet delivered on their objectives; notes that the Heading 4 ceiling (Global Europe) is vastly insufficient to provide a sustainable and effective response to the current external challenges, including the migration and refugee crisis;
Amendment 34 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Reiterates its conviction that the Union budget should find ways of financing new initiatives which are not to the detriment of existing Union programmes and policies and is disappointed that the Preparatory Action for defence research, which will amount to EUR 80 million in the next three years will be squeezed under the current budget of the MFF and should be fully safeguarded; is convinced that with an already underfinanced Union budget, additional efforts for operations, administrative costs, preparatory actions and pilot projects in relation to the common security and defence policy also need additional financial means by the Member States while respecting any objective limitations to fully finance those actions; considers that the current MFF mid-term review/revision should be used by the Member States in that respect;
Amendment 48 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Restores all cuts related to the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and Horizon 2020 for a total of EUR 1 240 million in commitments via new appropriations to be obtained through the mid-term revision of the MFF; increases the Youth Employment Initiative with additional EUR 1 500 million in commitment appropriations to provide an effective response to youth unemployment, that has yet to be tackled and which should also be financed by additional funds provided in the mid-term revision of the MFF;
Amendment 49 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Expects that the Council will share this approach and that an agreement will easily be reached in conciliation, allowing the Union to rise to the occasion and effectively respond to both the pressing current emergencies and the challenges ahead;
Amendment 54 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Strongly disagrees with these cuts in a heading that symbolises the European added value and could delivers more growth and jobs for citizens; consequently decides to restore all cuts made by the Council;
Amendment 57 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Delivering on the commitment taken in June 2015 to minimise to the maximum the budgetary impact of the creation of the EFSI on Horizon 2020 and CEF in the framework of the annual budgetary procedure, decides to fully restore the original pre-EFSI profile of the Horizon 2020 and CEF lines that were cut for the provisioning of the EFSI Guarantee Fund; demands the corresponding additional commitments appropriations of EUR 1,24 billion above DB to be made available in the framework of the MFF revision and fully respect prior political commitments towards Horizon 2020 and CEF;
Amendment 69 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Disapproves of Council's proposed cuts of EUR 3 million in commitments and, more importantly, EUR 199 million in payments under subheading 1b, including on support lines; calls on the Council to explain and fully substantiate how these cuts are compatible with its objective of providing “necessary appropriations enabling the smooth implementation of the new programmes in the fourth year of the multiannual financial framework 2014- 2020”; notes that the cuts in payments go further than the already significant cuts proposed by the Commission, who suggested a significant decrease by -23,5 % compared to the 2016 EU budget;
Amendment 72 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Is alarmed by the significant delays in the implementation of the European Structural and Investment Fund cycle, which is likely to have a serious detrimental effect on the timely achievement of results on the ground but risks also to lead to the reconstitution of a new backlog of unpaid bills in the second half the current MFF; urges the Member States concerned to promptly designate the remaining managing authorities and tackle all other causes of delay in the implementation of the programmes; notes the Commission’s proposals for more simplification for recipients of Union funds but sticks to the position that most remains to be done at the Member States’ level supported by the Commission to ensure that the programmes reach full swing;
Amendment 81 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recalls that the Commission has not proposed any commitment appropriations for the Youth Employment Initiative in 2017 as a result of its frontloading in the years 2014-2015; decides, in line with the Regulation on the European Social Fund7 which foresees the possibility of such a continuation, to increase the Youth Employment Initiative with additional EUR 1 500 million in commitment appropriations and EUR 500 million in payment appropriations to provide an effective response to youth unemploymenthe still significant youth unemployment which has not been tackled yet; notes that, in line with Parliament’s requests, these new appropriations should be financed by the use of all financial means available under the current MFF Regulation and through the MFF mid-term revision; urges the Member States to do their utmost to speed up the implementation of the Initiative on the ground, for the direct benefit of young Europeans; __________________ 7 Regulation (EU) No 1304/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on the European Social Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1081/2006 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 470).
Amendment 85 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Underlines that subheading 1b bears the biggest part of the current outstanding commitments which is impeding the reimbursement for resources already spent by the beneficiaries of the funds; warns that the high level of RAL under subheading 1b, which stood at EUR 151 119 million at the beginning of September 2016 risks jeopardizing the implementation of new and potentially much needed programmes;
Amendment 90 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Awaits the presentation of the Amending Letter for the emergency support package in particular for the dairy sector; considers that this measure will contribute significantly to improving market disposition and will be reflected in improved prices for European dairy producers that in cases has been unjustifiably low, in particular after the end of the quota system, and the substantial financial impact of the Russian ban which has proved largely inefficient and ineffective;
Amendment 98 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Underlines that Parliament continues to put the current migration challenge and the overarching effects of illegal migration at the top of its agenda; welcomes the Commission’s proposal for an additional EUR 1,8 billion to tackle the migration crisis in the Union, above what had initially been programmed for 2017; notes that the big deviation of the original programming shows the need of a full revision of the current MFF; is disappointed that the Commission did not use the opportunity to adjust the ceilings accordingly, particularly of Heading 3; stresses that the Commission proposes to finance this reinforcement through the mobilisation of the Flexibility Instrument (for EUR 530 million, thereby fully exhausting the funding available for this year) and the Contingency Margin (for EUR 1 160 million); given the unprecedented level of funding for migration-related expenditure (totalling EUR 5,2 billion in 2017) and the proposals for applying flexibility on the table, does not request further though required reinforcements for migration-related policies; at the same time, will resist any attempts to reduce funding for Union actions in this field;
Amendment 102 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Reiterates, that budgetary flexibility has its limits and can only be a short-term solution on an ad hoc basis as need arises; is strongly convinced that a forward- looking and brave answer in the face of an unprecedented crisis that involves the entire continent and disproportionally affects some Member States and shows no signs of abating, is an upwards adjustment of the ceiling of Heading 3; insists that such an adjustment is indispensable and urgent and is disappointed that the Commission forewent the opportunity to propose it at the occasion of the MFF mid- term revision;
Amendment 105 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Notes that a new Instrument for emergency support within the Union was adopted on 15 March 2016, with an indicative envelope of EUR 700 million over three years (2016-2018), and has already led to immediate results on the ground in the form of emergency support measures in response to the humanitarian needs of a large number of refugees and illegal migrants arriving in the Member States; however, reiterates its position that in the future a more sustainable legal and budgetary framework should be envisaged in order to allow for humanitarian aid to be mobilised within the Union; insists on holding a regular and constructive dialogue with the Commission on the functioning and financing, present and future, of this Instrument, based on full transparency of information and impact assessment reports;
Amendment 108 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal, as part of the MFF mid-term revision, to establish a new European Union Crisis Reserve, to be financed from de-committed appropriations, as an additional instrument to react rapidly to external border threats and crises, such as the current migrantion flows and refugee crisis, as well as a wider set of events with serious humanitarian or security implications due to terrorism and other unprecedented events;
Amendment 116 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. In the face of increased threat levels in several Member States and the concurrent challenges of migration management and the fight against homegrown and imported terrorism and organised crime, requests funding for additional staff for Europol;
Amendment 119 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Condemns the Council’s cuts to numerous programmes in the areas of culture, the media, citizenship, fundamental rights and public health by a total of EUR 24,3 million in commitment appropriations; considers it a detrimental sign by the Council to cut culture programmes in order to free funds for the refugee and migration crisis; deplores that many of these cuts seem applied in an arbitrary and counterproductive manner and disregard excellent implementation rates; is of the opinion that even small cuts risk jeopardising the achievement of programme outcomes and the smooth implementation of Union actions; therefore restores all cuts to the level of the DB;
Amendment 122 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Welcomes the creation of a budget line for an EU Search and Rescue Fund, which is to cover search and rescue activities carried out by the Member States and coordinasupported atby the Union level, in particular in the Mediterranean; is of the opinion that creating a dedicated Fund constitutes a more adequate solutioneffective response than continuously increasing the budgets of Frontex or the newly created European Border and Coast Guard;
Amendment 133 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Notes that, in the light of the ongoing illegal migration and refugee crisis, the Union’s external action is faced with ever growing funding needs which largely exceed the current size of Heading 4; therefore, underlines that the Heading 4 ceilings are vastly insufficient to provide for appropriate funding for the external dimension of the migration and refugee crisis; is disappointed that the Commission did not use the opportunity to adjust the ceilings, particularly of Heading 4 accordingly; deplores, that in order to fund new initiatives such as the FRT, the Commission chose in its DB to cut other programmes such as the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) and the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) which is against the principle that humanitarian distress must go in parallel with the development processes,; regrets also that appropriations for humanitarian aid and for the Mediterranean strand of the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) are below those approved in the 2016 budget, despite their obvious relevance in tackling the large number of external challenges; disapproves, finally, the irresponsible cuts made by the Council, in particular on DCI and support expenditure lines;
Amendment 147 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Decides, in the light of recent revelations and in order to regain the confidence of EU citizens and the credibility of the EU institutions, to hold 20% of appropriations of the Temporary Allowances for former Members in reserve until the Commission enforces a pragmatic, effective, enforceable and stricter Code of conduct for Commissioners to prevent conflict of interests and the revolving doors in the hope to regain some of the respect to the role after recent failures;
Amendment 151 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. In the context of the current security challenges, and imported threats to the safety of the Union and its Member States and, bearing in mind the necessity for a coordinated European response, decides to increase, within the overall package on security, the appropriations for the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), the European Police Office (Europol) and the European Union’s Judicial Cooperation Unit;
Amendment 155 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. In view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Europe’s southern neighbourhood, and the increased number of due to unprecedented migrant flows and the consequent imbalanced and disproportionate pressure towards affected Member States as well as the increased number of continually arriving asylum seekers, decides furthermore to increase the 2016 budget appropriations for the European Asylum Support Office;
Amendment 160 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 46
Paragraph 46
46. Stresses that substantial operational and personnel savings could be achieved if agencies operating from more than one place (ENISA, eu-LISA, ERA) were limited to one seat only; is of the opinion that current operational needs of those agencies make such change feasible; underlines that moving the European Banking Authority (EBA) away from London and merging it with at least one of the two other Supervisory Authorities could lead to considerable synergistic savings in the costs of the two agencies; invites the Commission to put forward a proposal in this respect;
Amendment 163 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 47
Paragraph 47
47. Having carried out a careful analysis of the pilot projects and preparatory actions submitted as regards the rate of success of the on-going ones, excluding initiatives already covered by existing legal bases and taking fully into account the Commission's assessment of the projects' implementability, decides to adopt a compromise package made up of a limited number of PP-PAs, also in view of the limited margins available;
Amendment 168 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 48
Paragraph 48
48. Recalls the importance of the Emergency Aid Reserve in providing a rapid response to specific aid requirements for third countries for unforeseen events and its earlier call for a substantial increase in its financial envelope, as part of the revision of the MFF; notes that its very quick consumption in 2016, likely to use up all possibilities of carry-over, is an strong indication that this special instrument will be vastly insufficient to address all additional needs in 2017; increases therefore its appropriations to reach an annual allocation of EUR 1 billion and expects the MFF Regulation to be adjusted accordingly;
Amendment 180 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 54
Paragraph 54
54. Recalls its political decision to exempt the political groups and the non- attached from the 5% staff reduction target, as underlined it its resolutions on the budgets 20148 , 20159 and 201610 ; __________________ 8 9 10Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0437 Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0437 9 Text adopted, P8_TA(2014)0036 Text adopted, P8_TA(2014)0036 10 Text adopted, P8_TA(2015)0376 Text adopted, P8_TA(2015)0376
Amendment 186 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59
Paragraph 59
59. Reiterates that the implementation of the staff reduction target should not jeopardize the proper functioning of the Institution and the exercise by the Parliament of its core powers as exercised by the Treaties, nor alter its legislative excellence or work output, or the quality of the working conditions for members and staff;
Amendment 189 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60
Paragraph 60
60. Recalls that the administration is committed to submit a medium and long term practicable budgetary planning, including a clear distinction between investments and operational expenditure relating to the functioning of the institution, including the compulsory statutory obligations; expects therefore that 2018 preliminary draft estimates would be presented in the same format;
Amendment 198 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Given the substantial benefits that Google and similar companies are deriving from the Parliament's own and unique proprietary translation service to boost Google Translate and similar translation services, calls on the Secretary General to negotiate with Google and similar companies an appropriate contribution to the EP Budget;
Amendment 199 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. Expresses its dissatisfaction with the unilateral statement of the Council and the related appendix on the 5 % staff reduction in the Council’s position on the 2017 DB according to which the Court still needs to reduce its establishment plan by 19 posts; underlines that those 19 posts correspond to the 12 and 7 posts duly granted by Parliament and the Council in the 2015 and 2016 budgetary procedures respectively to address additional needs and insists therefore that those 19 posts should not be given back, the Court having already duly achieved its 5 % staff reduction requirement by successfully and commendably suppressing 98 posts during the period 2013-2017;
Amendment 200 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65
Paragraph 65
65. Restores the standard abatement rate to its initial level of 2,6 % in order to allow the Court of Auditors to honour its mandate and meet its needs in respect of the establishment plan;
Amendment 201 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 66
Paragraph 66
66. Restores an additional five budget items cut by Council for the Court of Auditors to implement its work programme and promptly deliver the planned and future Audit Reports;
Amendment 206 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 75
Paragraph 75
75. Notes with regret that the Council has decreased the DB of the Ombudsman by -EUR 195 000; underlines that this reduction would impose a disproportionate burden on the very limited budget of the Ombudsman and would have major impact on the institution's capacity to serve the European citizens effectively; restores therefore all the budget lines cut by Council in order to enable the Ombudsman to fulfil her mandate and commitments which have already been put at risk;
Amendment 210 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 78
Paragraph 78
78. Decides furthermore to create a Strategic Communication Capacity budget item in line with the European Council conclusions of March 2015 and equip the EEAS with adequate staff and tools to face the challengerisks of disinformation from third states and, entities and agencies and other non-state actors;
Amendment 211 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 80
Paragraph 80
80. Is convinced that the Union budget can contribute to addressing effectively not only the consequences but also the root causes of the criseillegal migration and the economic crises that Member States experience in addition to the constant versatile threats of the external borders that the Union is currently facing; takes the view, however, that unforeseen events with a Union-wide dimension should be tackled by pooling efforts and putting additional means at Union level rather than by calling past commitments into question orwhile reverting to the ilback to national solustion of purely national solutionss could always be supported as a workable approach where applicable; stresses, therefore, that flexibility provisions are there to enable such a joint and speedy response and should be used to the full in order to make up for the tight constraints of the MFF ceilings;
Amendment 214 #
2016/2047(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 81
Paragraph 81
81. Instructs its President to forward this conciliatory resolution, together with the amendments to the draft general budget, to the Council, the Commission, the other institutions and bodies concerned and the national parliaments.
Amendment 27 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
Α. whereas the EU is now surrounded by an arc of instability, as large parts of the Middle East and North Africa are engulfed in ethno-religious conflicts and proxy wars and terrorist groups such as ISIS and the Jabhat al-Nusra Front proliferate throughout the region, while an aggressive, revisionist Russia continues to violate its neighbours’ sovereignty and openly challenges the European security order;
Amendment 70 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls what many seem to have forgotten, namely that the European Union is one of the greatest achievements in European history and that the transformative power of the EU has brought peace, stability and prosperity to its citizens; emphasises that the EU remains the largesta strong economic power, the most generous donor of humanitarian and development assistance, and a frontrunner in global diplomacy on issues such as climate change, non-proliferation and human rights;
Amendment 82 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that the current crisis is also an opportunity for the EU if it is used to make the EU work better; recalls that European citizens see an effective common foreign and security policymeasures to counter terrorist attacks and illegal migration as a priority area of action for the EU and that this is one of the areas where European cooperation can yield most value added; emphasises, therefore, that Member States must change their mentality since nowadays thinking about foreign policy and security in a narrow minded national perspective is obsoletecan contribute in this respect; is convinced that no single Member State alone is able to tackle any of the challenges we face today; urges Member States to finally show sufficient levels of political will and trust in one another to make it possible to use the tools at hand in a concerted manner in order to pursue our interests and values; reiterates that the EU can only be a strong global player on an equal footing with other major powers if all Member States speak with one voice and act together in the framework of a strong EU foreign policymake use of the Member States’ available resources in its efforts to make Europe both safe and advantageous for its citizens;
Amendment 110 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses that an effective implementation of the EU Global Strategy presented by the VP/HR in June 2016 is not possible without strong commitment, ownership, political will and leadership from the Member States; highlights that the appropriate resources need to be allocated to the implementation of this strategy, in particular in the crucial area of security and defence, so as to avoid overlap with the activities of the North Atlantic Alliance;
Amendment 122 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the intention of devising an implementation plan on security and defence; underlines that this implementation plan should be complemented by a White Book process, which would specify the level of ambition, tasks, requirements and capability priorities for European defence; calls on the VP/HR, in close cooperation with Member States and the Commission, to start working on such a White Book as a matter of priority in order to deliver first resultinitial findings in the first semester of 2017;
Amendment 128 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the proposal for a yearly reflection on the state of play of the strategy’s implementation; believes that this reflection should take place in the framework of an annual debate in the European Council and Parliament and on the basis of an implementation report drawn up by the VP/HR;
Amendment 151 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Emphasises that the EU must strengthen its security and defence capabilities, as it can only use its full potential as a global power if it combines its unrivalled soft power with hard power; recalls that stronger civilian and military capacities are key elements for the EU to fully respond to crises, build the resilience of partners and protect Europe; notes that since power politics is again dominating international relations, defence and deterrence capabilities are critical for our leverage in diplomatic talks; in this regard, reiterates that the Common Security and Defence Policy needs to be strengthened, as the only realistic way to strengthen our defence capabilities in a time of budgetary constraints is to increase synergies by stepping up defence cooperation, remaining consistently within the framework clearly established by Article 42 TFEU;
Amendment 166 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is convinced that in view of an already underfinanced EU budget, additional efforts for operations, administrative costs, preparatory actions and pilot projects under the Common Security and Defence Policy, additional funding from the Member States is also needed; believes that Member States should seize the opportunity of the current revision/review of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) to that ensound financial management is also needed;
Amendment 199 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – indent 1
Paragraph 10 – indent 1
- creating a permanent civil-military headquarters, which would strengthen strategic and operational planning, enhance civil-military cooperation and improve the EU’s ability to react speedily to crises, making use of the existing EU military structure and organisation, including the EU Military Committee;
Amendment 205 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – indent 2
Paragraph 10 – indent 2
- enhancing the EU’s rapid reaction tools, notably by further improving the Battlegroups’ usability, by operationalising Article 44, and by strengthening and making greater use of Eurocorps for CSDP missions and operations, as well as missions provided for under Article 42;
Amendment 210 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – indent 3
Paragraph 10 – indent 3
- extending the common financing of CSDP operations, including through a review of the Athena mechanism, remaining consistently within the framework of Article 41 TFEU and especially for expenditure arising from initiatives with military or defence implications;
Amendment 230 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Welcomes the ongoing work on the European Defence Action Plan and the Commission’s efforts to maximise defence cooperation, including through incentives in areas such as research, the development of innovative technologies, transport, space, cyber, energy and industrial policies; notes the proposal by the French President for a European Security and Defence Fund, and supports the development of new and innovative financing and investment concepts, including through the European Investment Bank; supports the proposals for a ‘European Semester for Defence’ and calls on the VP/HR to present concrete proposals to this effect; commends the European Defence Agency’s role in fostering and coordinating capability development, and calls for its strengthening, notably by increasing its budget;
Amendment 278 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Emphasises that the security of EU Member States is undividable and that in line with Article 42(7) TEU all Member States must enjoy the same level of security; believes it is crucial to strengthen the European security architecture, which is based on the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and which has been severely damaged by Russia’s illegal military interventions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine;
Amendment 290 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Takes the view that it is time to define a new, more realistic strategy for the EU’s relations with Russia, based on credible deterrence but also on dialogue in areas of common interest; stresses that sanctions have proven to be the most effective means for deterring Russian aggressioninflicted irreparable economic damage on many Member States; recalls that the full implementation of the Minsk agreement is a prerequisite for the suspension of sanctions; insists that the EU should reconsider imposing further sanctions in case Russia continues to violate international lawthe imposition of sanctions; believes it is in the common interest of the EU and Russia to achieve a better relationship, provided international law is applied;
Amendment 330 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Urges the EU to step up its cooperation with its Eastern partners in order to strengthen their resilience and independenceunderpin security and peace in border regions;
Amendment 345 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Believes that a deepening of the relationship with the US and Canada is of strategic interest to the EU, while at the same time it is important for the EU to strengthen its relationship with Central and South America, Russia and China;
Amendment 366 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses that the EU must pay particular attention to improving the living conditions in its neighbourhood, using all available policy tools, including trade, development aid and diplomacy, as well as crisis management capabilities; welcomes in this regardconsiders, however that the EU’s new migration partnerships and the External Investment Plan is inadequate and ineffectual; underlines the need to develop a new approach towards Africa, providing better opportunities for trade, investment and economic growth and supporting African countries in building democratic, transparent and effective institutions; is convinced that the EU should review its development and trade policies to make sure that they contribute to these goals; calls on the EU, and in particular the Member States, to significantly increase their financial commitments to the region, including through the Africa Trust Fund and the European Development Fund;
Amendment 379 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Underlines also the need to intensify the fight against Islamist terrorism, which affects ever larger parts of the Middle East and North Africa and has also been creeping into Europe; urges the EU to undertake concerted diplomatic efforts, together with the US, Russia and other international allies, to convincempel partners in the region, such as Turkey, and Saudi Arabia and Iran, of the need for a common strategy towards this global challengeto end their support for Da’esh;
Amendment 420 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. RecogniseCondemns Turkey’s role as an important partner in solving the Syrian conflict and the fight against Da’esh; strongly condemns the attempted military coup against the democratically elected government of Turkey; encouragesin the development and funding of Da’esh; demands that the Turkish government to protect the constitutional order, while underlining the importance of respect for the rule of law and independence of the judiciary in the aftermath of the coup, in cooperation with the Council of Europe;
Amendment 502 #
2016/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Stresses that the financial means available for the EU’s external action are not commensurate to the challenges we are facing; calls in this regard for a substantial increase in the resources available under heading IV of the MFF in the context of the upcoming mid-term review; ·sound economic management and cuts in pointless NGO initiatives and funding;
Amendment 5 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, since the implementation of the customs union (CU) in 1995, the value of bilateral trade between the EU and Turkey has increased more than fourfold, and whereas productivity gains in Turkey and the alignment process with the EU acquis have been stimulated by the CUus diminishes in Europe;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the adoption of the CU was originally conceived and consequently implemented merely as an intermediate step towards full accession in a relatively short period, and whereas the CU is becoming increasingly less well equipped to address the changing dynamics of global trade integration;
Amendment 16 #
2016/2031(INI)
D. whereas the Fourth Report on the Progress made on the Implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement notes that seven benchmarks of the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap still need to be mhave not been met yet, and that EU Member States issued a total of 862 184 uniform visas to Turkish nationals in 2015, 508 589 of which were multiple- entry uniform visas, as a token of good will towards Turkey;
Amendment 21 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises that by enhancing two- way trade, economic integration, regulatory harmonisation and investment flows, the CU has been highly beneficial for bothnotably for Turkey and less for the EU;
Amendment 26 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers thatExpresses doubt whether modernising, balancing and widening the CU to include services, public procurement and agriculture would involve benefits for both partiesenhance the possibility of modernising Turkey and also democratising the country;
Amendment 32 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that upgrading the CU is important namely and solely for Turkey; stresses that suspending work on upgrading the customs union would have serious economic consequences for the country, but also function as a sanction mechanism each time Turkey violates human rights, freedom of expression, international treaties and the good neighbour principle;
Amendment 39 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that, according to the World Bank report on the EU-Turkey customs union, Turkey’s exports to the European Union contribute most to employment creation in the country, which, in addition to Turkish citizens, also has a considerable impact on refugees from conflict areas allowed to work in the country; unfortunately with lesser worker rights and wages;
Amendment 46 #
2016/2031(INI)
5. NotesExpresses concern that the free movement of technical and management professionals is essential forleads to deeper economic integration in the CU; recognises that the need for visas for business travellers is perceived as being restrictive on trade in goods, and even more so in the potential event of inclusion of the provision of services in the CU, also having impact in the growth of unemployment in many member states;
Amendment 49 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that visa-free travel or the creation of a long-term multiple-entry visa for business travellers wouldill have a posinegative impact on bilateral trade.in Europe’s economy and security;
Amendment 61 #
2016/2031(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets that to date Turkey has not fulfilled 7 out of 72 benchmarks of the visa liberalisation roadmap and recalls the need forstates that Turkey musto meet all 72 benchmarks before an update of the Customs Union in the field of services can take place; considers that the criteria for visa liberalisation should never be bent for political or any other reasons.
Amendment 4 #
2016/2016(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes the general provisions laid down in Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund as regards aid for vessel improvement, but regretstresses that no specific measures are established in that regulation that take account of the specific characteristics and condition of fleets in the territories concerned;
Amendment 7 #
2016/2016(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on the Commission, with a view to the review of the current and above all the next multiannual financial framework, to consider the introduction of aid for the gradual renovation or upgrading of small- scale fleets in the outermost regions in order to improve safety and efficiency, as long as that does not lead to an increase in the fishing capacity of those fleets and does not undermine the budget or the sustainability of stocks;
Amendment 11 #
2016/2016(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, with a view to the development of the local fishing industries in the outermost regions, to promote the use of European Structural and Investment Funds and synergies between all the funds that are part of the common strategic framework and other relevant instruments and European policies, in keeping with the EU strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusiveenvironmentally friendly growth;
Amendment 12 #
2016/2016(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for continued efforts to be made to simplifyrove EU legislation so as to provide easier access to EU funding for fleets in the outermost regions.
Amendment 4 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Α
Recital Α
Α. whereas petitions to Parliament serve as an important instrument provided to/intended for citizens to report breaches of fundamental rights;
Amendment 9 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas the right to vote and stand as a candidate in municipal, regional and European Parliament elections in the state of residence is recognised in Articles 39 and 40 of the Charter; whereas exercising the right of free movement should not hamper this right;
Amendment 22 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Regrets that gender equality between the two genders has not yet been reached in many areas; stresses that women still suffer from discrimination as exemplified by their low representation in the decision-making process, both in the private and the public sectors, and by the persisting gender pay gap;
Amendment 25 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that citizens’ expectations regarding the protection of their fundamental rights under the Charter are often disappointed, which may aggravates their disenchantment with the European project and leads to increased euroscepticism; notes that the general public has a limited grasp of the field of application of the Charter; believes that the European Commission and the Member States could do more to promote knowledge of the Charter, in particular the effect of its Article 51;
Amendment 34 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the portability of social security benefits, pensions, health care and recognition of professional qualifications and civil status documents is a guaranteed fundamental right conferred on citizens in the Internal Market; notes that many citizens still encounter problems in asserting these rights, having to resort to costly legal proceedings;
Amendment 43 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights the rights of people with disabilities and people with special needs who strive to live a life as close to normal as possible; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that these rights are properly respected and applied, notably the rights resulting from the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
Amendment 66 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Deplores individual instances of discrimination against minorities, immigrants and asylum seekers, as well as restrictions on the freedom of the media regularly reflected in petitions; calls on the Member States to pay particular attention to these issues; welcomes the unblocking of the anti-discrimination directive in the European Council;
Amendment 73 #
2016/2009(INI)
6. Calls on the Member States to guarantee the fundamental rights of citizens from non-EU countries, particularly asylum seekers, living legally in an EU country as laid down in the Charter of Fundamental Rights;
Amendment 96 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Condemns all forms of discrimination and violence against LGBTI people; calls for further action to push for the harmonisation of criminal law across the EU in order to combat homophobia, biphobia and transphobiaothers;
Amendment 121 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Member States to take all the necessary measures to ensure the protection of women migrants and asylum seekers, such as safe spaces for women and children, legal counselling and access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including safe abortions;
Amendment 134 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas internal and external migration is an unavoidable part of the EU’s future and one of the biggest challenges of our times, as it appeals to the EU’s international humanitarian responsibilities and forms a key element for demographic reasons;
Amendment 149 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
Β. whereas acts of terrorism constitute a serious threat to social cohesion and one of the most serious violations of fundamental rights and freedoms; whereas it is necessary to have adequate tools in place to protect EU citizens and residents and to respond properly to such violations;
Amendment 155 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to introduce gender mainstreaming of both genders in all areas of policy making and in all proposed legislation, including systematic gender impact assessments as part of the fundamental rights compliance assessment;
Amendment 166 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the Commission to introduce a gender equality pillarpillar for the equality of both genders into the Europe 2020 strategy and for greater inclusion of the gender mainstreaming perspective infor the European Semester by introducing a gender dimension in the annual growth survey and in the formulation process of the CSRsmainstreaming of both genders in the European Semester;
Amendment 172 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas trafficking in human beings is a serious international crime often committed within the framework of organised crime, constitutes a gross violation of fundamental rights and is explicitly prohibited by the Charter;
Amendment 175 #
2016/2009(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the EU institutions to introduce specific indicators on gender the equality, including the Gender Equality Index of EIGE, of both genders in the monitoring system of the future EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
Amendment 193 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas racism, xenophobia and hate crime at every level threaten the values of the EU and its Member States; whereas there is an increase in hate speech among political forces and increasing xenophobia and other bias in important sectors of the population;
Amendment 204 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas violence against women is still ‘silently’ tolerated in many places to avoid the social stigma and a zero tolerance approach is necessary;
Amendment 214 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Η
Recital Η
Η. whereas children are the future of our societevery country and we are responsible for their present; whereas education is one of the best ways to impart values such as peace, reasonable tolerance, equality, justice, discernment and respect for human life and dignity via formal, non-formal and informal education methods;
Amendment 217 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas child helplines, information services and similar tools are useful as awareness-raising, referral and reporting mechanisms for cases related to the violation of children’s rights;
Amendment 283 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates that human life and dignity is inviolable and must be respected and protected; calls for information and awareness-raising amongst EU citizens on the inherent dignity, security and wellbeing of all persons in order to achieve a more sensitive and inclusive societysociety, from which none are unjustifiably excluded;
Amendment 347 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that the social inclusion and cultural integration of refugees in the host society is a dynamic, two-dimensional process (involving rights and duties), representing a challenge and an opportunity that requires responsibilities and efforts both, principally by the refugees and by the Member States, their local and regional administrations and host communities;
Amendment 367 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on Member States to apply cultural, political and social inclusion policies as swiftly as possible and with adequate dedicated resources; recalls that social inclusion policies must engage local, regional and national institutions and should focus on individuals rather than on groups or communities, as this can lead to segregation, bearing in mind the characteristics and particularities of each ethnic group;
Amendment 392 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Reiterates that intercultural and inter-religious tolerance needs to be promoted via constant efforts and extensive dialogue by all concerned, particularly the refugees, and that the crisis arising from the waves of migration cannot be tackled without the involvement of all relevant state and non-state actors, including churches and religious organisations;
Amendment 430 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the Commission initiatives to strengthen security cooperation between Member States and fully supports all proposed measures to pave the way towards an effective Security Union, in particular the directive on combatting terrorism and extremist attacks;
Amendment 481 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that Commission’s report on the progress made in the fight against trafficking in human beings shows that the Internet and new technologies enable organised international crime groups to access a large pool of potential victims on a much larger scale than ever before, as many victims of trafficking, especially for sexual and labour exploitation, are recruited online; calls on EU law enforcement agencies to step up their efforts joint initiatives in targeting criminal trafficking networks and facilitators, paying special attention to crimes against children;
Amendment 491 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that the vulnerability of children makes them a preferred target for traffickers and that identifying and checking the identity of children who are victims of trafficking is a growing problem; calls therefore for tools which help to keep track of these children and for proper and targeted measures to accompany the children in the process, with the involvement of all European, national and regional services;
Amendment 513 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights that education is an effective tool in crime prevention and/or deterrence and calls on Member States to implement prevention education programmes into national curriculums and to promote and mainstream prevention programmes;
Amendment 575 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls on Member States to develop and disseminate tools and mechanisms for reporting hate crime and hate speech and to ensure that any case of alleged hate crime or hate speech is effectively investigated, prosecuted and tried in accordance with national law and, where relevant, in compliance with the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia, European and international human rights obligations, as well as relevant ECtHR case law, particularly in cases where jihadism is being instigated by European citizens;
Amendment 599 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the EU and the Member States to strengthen the role of human rights education in national curricula as a tool for preventing racism and related intolerancets of extremism, and calls for greater rights awareness;
Amendment 652 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Urges Member States to lead more targeted information and awareness- raising campaigns, to prevent and protect victims of violence and to protect their rights without delay in line with the Victims’ Rights Directive;
Amendment 709 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Notes with concern that child poverty rates remain high in the EU, especially in countries where austerity policies have been imposed; encourages Member States and the EU to launch programmes specifically targeting the well- being and healthy development of children;
Amendment 721 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls for a focus on violence against children at all levels, from homes to schools, public places and, in particular, detention centres for migrants, where very many cases of violence against women and children are being reported;
Amendment 755 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for a code of conduct on protecting children’s rights online and offline in cyber space, and recalls that in the fight against cybercrimeinternet criminality by law enforcement authorities special attention needs to be paid to crimes against children;
Amendment 757 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Believes that inclusion policies should have a strong focus on children as children are the bridges of common understanding between cultures and societies and are the future of the Member States;
Amendment 822 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Stresses that persons with disabilities (PWD) are entitled to enjoy their fundamental rights on an equal basis with others, including the rights to inalienable dignity, independent living, autonomy and full social integration; notes that a human rights-based approach to disability is not yet fully endorsed, and urges the EU and its Member States to intensify efforts to align their legal frameworks with CRPD requirements;
Amendment 828 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Recalls that persons with intellectual, psychosomatic and psychosocial disabilities face particular barriers to the fulfilment of their fundamental rights and calls on Member States to strengthen efforts to promote their autonomy and inclusion on an equal basis with others;
Amendment 850 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Notes that active ageing and inter- generational solidarity are important issues with respect to Europe’s demographic changes and that incentives must be provided to increase birth rates in the Member States;
Amendment 897 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Calls on Member States, in the light of the Commission’s Report on the implementation of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies 2015, to put in place specific measures to fight ethnic discrimination against Roma in line with the Racial Equality Directive provisions, and to combat anti-Gypsyism in line with the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia;
Amendment 921 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Notes the rise in euroscepticism and violent political views, which are only to be expected even in a democratic context, and therefore urges the EU and its Member States to strengthen participation by citizens in EU matters so that Europeans understand that their voices are being heard in the EU and that policymakers are responsive to public opinion expressed through democratic channels;
Amendment 940 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Notes that civil society organisations, including volunteering and youth work, play a key role in social participation and calls on the EU and the Member States to support and to promote their work, without relaxing their vigilance in discouraging criminal activity;
Amendment 944 #
2016/2009(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. Notes that civil society organisations, including volunteering and youth work, play a key role in social participation and calls on the EU and the Member States to support and to promotehold their work;
Amendment 13 #
2016/0287(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Amongst measures to support the vision of European connectivity, it promotes the deployment of local wireless access points with a satisfactory connectivity speed through simplified planning procedures and reduced regulatory obstacles. Such access points, including those ancillary to the provision of other public services or non-commercial in character, can make an important contribution to the improvement of current and the deployment of future generations of wireless communications networks by facilitating more granular coverage in line with evolving needs.
Amendment 21 #
2016/0287(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Support of this kind should encourage entities with a public mission such as public authorities and providers of public services to offer free local wireless connectivity as an ancillary service to their public mission so as to ensure that local communities can experience the benefits of very high-speed broadband in the centres of public life. Such entities could include municipalities and other local public authorities, libraries, museums and hospitals.
Amendment 24 #
2016/0287(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Local wireless connectivity should only qualify as free where it is provided without corresponding remuneration, whether by direct payment or other types of consideration, including, but not limited to, advertising and, the provision of personal data and connections using accounts to social networks.
Amendment 29 #
2016/0287(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Given the non-commercial nature of this intervention and the small scale of individual projects foreseen, the administrative burden should be limited to a minimum, without the quality of the project being affected. Therefore, the intervention should be implemented by the most appropriate forms of financial assistance, notably grants, available under the Financial Regulation, now or in future. The intervention should not rely on financial instruments.
Amendment 32 #
2016/0287(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) To ensure that connectivity in accordance with this Regulation is provided quickly, financial assistance should be implemented using to the fullest extent possible on-line tools that allow for the swift submission and handling of applications and support the implementation, monitoring, maintenance and auditing of the local wireless access points installed.
Amendment 35 #
2016/0287(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Given Internet connectivity needs within the Union and the urgency of promoting access networks that can deliver, throughout the EU and particularly in remote areas and island groups, an Internet experience of high quality based on very high-speed broadband services, financial assistance should seek to attain a geographically balanced distribution.
Amendment 14 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Treaty provides for the establishment of an internal market and the institution of a system ensuring that competition in the internal market is not distorted. Harmonisation of the laws of the Member States on copyright and related rights should contribute further to the achievement of those objectives in an objective, transparent and proportionate manner.
Amendment 15 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The directives which have been adopted in the area of copyright and related rights provide for a high level of protection for rightholders and create a framework wherein the exploitation of works and other protected subject-matter can take place. This harmonised legal framework contributes to the good functioning of the internal market; it as stimpulates innovation, creativity, investment and production of new content, also in the digital environment. The protection provided by this legal framework also contributes to the Union's objective of respecting and promoting cultural diversity while at the same time bringing the European common cultural heritage to the fore. Article 167(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union requires the Union to take cultural aspects into account in its actiond by priorities and objectives set at European level; it stimulates investment in the digital environment, innovation and creativity.
Amendment 16 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Rapid technological developments continue to transform the way works and other subject-matter are created, produced, distributed and exploited. New business models and new actors continue to emerge. The objectives and the principles laid down by the Union copyright framework remain sound. However, legal uncertainty remains, for both rightholders and users, as regards certain uses, including cross-border uses, of works and other subject-matter in the digital environment. As set out in the Communication of the Commission entitled ‘Towards a modern, more European copyright framework’26 , in some areas it is necessary to adapt and supplement the current Union copyright framework to ensure continuity and legal certainty and with an aim to modernise and update thatlegal framework. This Directive provides for rules to adapt, in a targeted manner, certain exceptions and limitations to digital and cross-border environments, as well as measures to facilitate certain licensing practices as regards the dissemination of out-of- commerce works and the online availability of audiovisual works on video- on-demand platforms with a view to ensuring wider access to content. In order to achieve a well-functioning marketplace for copyright, there should also be rules on rights in publications, on the use of works and other subject-matter by online service providers storing and giving access to user uploaded content and on the greatest possible transparency of authors' and performers' contracts. __________________ 26 COM(2015) 626 final.
Amendment 17 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) In the fields of research, education and preservation of cultural heritage, digital technologies permit new types of uses that are not clearly covered by the current Union rules on exceptions and limitations. In addition, the optional nature of exceptions and limitations provided for in Directives 2001/29/EC, 96/9/EC and 2009/24/EC in these fields may negatively impact the functioning of the internal market, though this has not yet been asserted or presumed. This is particularly relevant as regards cross-border uses, which are becoming increasingly important in the digital environment. Therefore, the existing exceptions and limitations in Union law that are relevant for scientific research, teaching and preservation of national cultural heritage of the respective Member States should be reassessed in the light of those new uses and be protected as social assets under the auspices of the Member States. Mandatory exceptions or limitations for uses of text and data mining technologies in the field of scientific research, illustration for teaching in the digital environment and for preservation of cultural heritage should be introduced. For uses not covered by the exceptions or the limitation provided for in this Directive, the exceptions and limitations existing in Union law should continue to apply as an absolute minimum. Directives 96/9/EC and 2001/29/EC should be adapted.
Amendment 18 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) New technologies enable the automated computational analysis of information in digital form, such as text, sounds, images or data, often of public nature or financed from national budgets, a process generally known as text and data mining. Those technologies allow researchers to process large amounts of information to gain new knowledge and discover new trends. Whilst text and data mining technologies are prevalent across the digital economy, there is widespread acknowledgment that text and data mining can in particular benefit the research community and in so doing encourage innovation. However, in the Union, research organisations such as universities and research institutes are confronted with legal uncertainty as to the extent to which they can perform text and data mining of content. In certain instances, text and data mining may involve acts protected by copyright and/or by the sui generis database right, notably the reproduction of works or other subject-matter and/or the extraction of contents from a database. Where there is no exception or limitation which applies, an authorisation to undertake such acts would be required from rightholders. Text and data mining may also be carried out in relation to mere facts or data which are not protected by copyright and in such instances no authorisation would be required.
Amendment 19 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Union law alreadrightly provides certain exceptions and limitations covering uses for scientific research purposes already, which may apply to acts of text and data mining. However, those exceptions and limitations are merely optional and not fully adapted to the use of technologies in scientific research. Moreover, where researchers have lawful access to content, for example through subscriptions to publications or open access licences, the terms of the licences may improperly, unnecessarily or wrongly exclude text and data mining. As research is increasingly carried out with the assistance of digital technology, there is a risk that the Union's competitive position as a research area will suffer unless steps are taken to address the legal uncertainty for text and data mining.
Amendment 20 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) In view of a potentially high number of access requests to and downloads of their works or other subject- matter, rightholders should be allowed to apply measures where there is risk that the security and integrity of the system or databases where the works or other subject-matter are hosted would be jeopardised. Those measures should not exceed what is proportional and necessary to pursue the objective of ensuring the respectively graduated or classified security and integrity of the system and should not undermine the effective application of the exception.
Amendment 21 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) There is no need to provide for compensation for directly relevant rightholders as regards uses under the text and data mining exception introduced by this Directive given that in view of the particular nature and limited scope of the exception the plausible harm should be minimal.
Amendment 22 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) An act of preservation may require a reproduction of a work or other subject- matter in the collection of a cultural heritage institution and consequently the authorisation of the relevant rightholders. Cultural heritage institutions are engaged in the preservation, maintenance and utilisation of their collections for the benefit of future generations. Digital technologies offer new ways to preserve the heritage contained in those collections but they also create new challenges. In view of these new challenges, it is necessary to adapt the current legal framework by providing a mandatory exception to the right of reproduction in order to allow those acts of preservation.
Amendment 23 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) Different approaches in the Member States for acts of preservation by cultural heritage institutions hajudiciously imperde cross- border cooperation and the sharing of means of preservation by cultural heritage institutions in the internal market, leading to an inefficient use of resources that is not the most efficient or widest possible.
Amendment 24 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) For reasons of international comitySubject to the need for reciprocity between Member States and third countries as applicable, the licensing mechanisms for the digitisation and dissemination of out-of- commerce works provided for in this Directive should not apply to works or other subject-matter that are first published or, in the absence of publication, first broadcast in a third country or, in the case of cinematographic or audiovisual works, to works the producer of which has his headquarters or habitual residence in a third country. Those mechanisms should also not apply to works or other subject- matter of third country nationals except when they are first published or, in the absence of publication, first broadcast in the territory of a Member State or, in the case of cinematographic or audiovisual works, to works of which the producer's headquarters or habitual residence is in a Member State.
Amendment 25 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) As mass digitisation projects can entail significant investments by cultural heritage institutions, any licences granted under the mechanisms provided for in this Directive should not prevent them from generating reasonable revenues in order to cover the costs of the licence and the costs of digitising and disseminating the works and other subject-matter covered by the licence, if those investments are not covered by other resources or funds.
Amendment 26 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) To facilitate the licensing of rights in audiovisual works to video-on-demand platforms, this Directive requires Member States to set up a negotiation mechanism allowing parties willing to conclude an agreement to rely on the assistance of an impartial and politically independent body. The body should meet with the parties and help with the negotiations by providing professional and external advice. Against that background, Member States should decide on the conditions of the functioning of the negotiation mechanism, including the timing and duration of the assistance to negotiations and the bearing of the costs. Member States should ensure that administrative and financial burdens remain proportionate to guarantee the efficiency of the negotiation forum.
Amendment 28 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) A free and pluralist press is essential to ensure quality journalism and citizens' access to information. IWhen it is indeed and truly free, its actions and goals are not dictated by third actors, and it is not driven by self-serving interests against the objectives that it theoretically serves, then it provides a fundamental contribution to public debate and the proper functioning of a democratic society. In the transition from print to digital, publishers of press publications are facing problems in licensing the online use of their publications and recouping their investments. In the absence of recognition of publishers of press publications as rightholders, licensing and enforcement in the digital environment is often complex, fragmented and inefficient.
Amendment 29 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) The organisational and financial contribution of publishers in producing press publications needs to be recognised and further encouraged to ensure the sustainability of the publishing industry. It is therefore necessary to assess whether it would be appropriate to provide at Union level a harmonised legal protection for press publications in respect of digital uses. Such protection should be effectively guaranteed through the introduction, in Union law, of rights related to copyright for the reproduction and making available to the public of press publications in respect of digital uses.
Amendment 86 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 43
Recital 43
(43) Authors and performers are often reluctant to enforce their rights against their contractual partners before a court or tribunal, since this procedure is often economically inexpedient or unviable in addition to procedural barriers. Member States should therefore assess the applicability of provideing for an alternative dispute resolution procedure that addresses claims related to obligations of transparency and the contract adjustment mechanism.
Amendment 87 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) Any processing of personal data under this Directive should respect fundamental rights as these are stipulated in the Treaties, the legislation and relevant case-law, including the right to respect for private and family life and the right to protection of personal data under Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and must be in compliance with Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council35 and Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council36 . __________________ 35 Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 281, 23.11.1995, p. 31– 50). This Directive is repealed with effect from 25 May 2018 and shall be replaced by Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1–88). 36 Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic communications sector (Directive on privacy and electronic communications) (OJ L 201, 31.7.2002, p. 37–47), called, as amended by Directives 2006/24/EC and 2009/136/EC, the “e- Privacy Directive”.
Amendment 88 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Directive lays down rules which aim at further harmonising the Union law applicable to copyright and related rights in the framework of the internal market, with interventions on the digital internal market proportional to the objectives pursued, taking into account in particular digital and cross-border uses of protected content. It also lays down certain specific rules on exceptions and limitations, on the facilitation of licences as well as rules aiming at theoretically ensuring a well-functioning marketplace for the exploitation of works and other subject-matter.
Amendment 89 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – introductory part
(1) ‘research organisation’ means a university, a research institute or any other organisation the primary goal of which is to conduct scientific research or to conduct scientific research and provide educational services:
Amendment 90 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point b
(b) pursuant to a public interest mission explicitly recognised by a Member State within the territory of which it operates and in which it is primarily based and where its headquarters are located;
Amendment 91 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
(3) ‘cultural heritage institution’ means a publicly accessible, directly or indirectly, library or museum, an archive or a film or audio heritage institution, or organization explicitly recognised by a Member State as such or pursuant to such a mission;
Amendment 92 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
2. Any contractual provision contrary to the spirit of the exception provided for in paragraph 1 shall be unenforceable.
Amendment 93 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Member States may provide for fairdirectly proportional compensation for the established and documented harm incurred by the rightholders due to the use of their works or other subject-matter pursuant to paragraph 1.
Amendment 123 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 2
Article 13 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall ensure that the service providers referred to in paragraph 1 put in place complaints and redress mechanisms that are available to users in case of disputes over the application of the measures referred to in paragraph 1, in addition to the ordinary court or tribunal procedures.
Amendment 132 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 3
Article 13 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall facilitacontribute, where appropriate, to the cooperation between the information society service providers and rightholders through stakeholder dialogues to define best practices, such as appropriate and proportionate content recognition technologies, taking into account, among others, the nature of the services, the availability of the technologies and their effectiveness in light of technological developments.
Amendment 141 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that authors and performers are entitled to receive on a regular basis and taking into account the specificities of each sector, timely, adequate and sufficient information on the exploitation of their works and performances from those to whom they have licensed or transferred their rights, notably as regards modes of exploitation, revenues generated and remuneration due.
Amendment 143 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Member States shall ensure that authors and performers are entitled to request additional, appropriate remuneration from the party with whom they entered into a contract for the exploitation of the rights when the remuneration originally agreed is disproportionately low compared to the subsequent relevant revenues and benefits derived from the exploitation of the works or performances, in accordance with the relevant case-law and without disproportionally burdening the party that exploits the rights conferred upon those works.
Amendment 144 #
2016/0280(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 21 – paragraph 2
Article 21 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive post-adoption.
Amendment 9 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Union Directives in the area of copyright and related rights, through their correct implementation, provide legal certainty and a very high level of protection for rightholders. THowever, it is not possible currently to show that this harmonised legal framework contributes tosupports the proper functioning of the internal market and stimulates innovation, creation, investment and the production of new content, including in the digital environment. It also aims, in a specific and relatively directed framework. It also aims, forthwith, more generally to promote access to knowledge and culture by protecting works and other subject-matter and by permitting exceptions or limitations that are in the public interest. AThere are still some calls for a fair balance of rights and interests between rightholders and users which should be safeguarded.
Amendment 10 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled, due to anatomical or pathophysiological peculiarities of the sensory organs or bodily and other faculties that are involved, continue to face many barriers in accessing books and other print material which are protected by copyright and related rights. Measures need to be taken to increase the availability of those works in accessible formats and to improve their circulation in the internal market.
Amendment 17 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The mandatory exception should also limit the right of reproduction, proportionally and only as far as necessary, so as to allow for any act that is necessary in order to make changes to or convert or adapt a work or other subject- matter in such a way as to produce an accessible format copy. This includes providing the necessary means to navigate information in an accessible format copy.
Amendment 20 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) It should be possible for accessible format copies made in one Member State to be available in all Member States, in order to ensure their greater availability across the internal market. This would reduce the demanneed for redundant extra work in producing accessible format copies of the same work or other subject matter across the Union, thus generating savings and efficiency gains. This Directive should therefore ensure that accessible format copies made in one Member State may be circulated and accessed in all Member States so as to ensure the widest possible dissemination to intended recipients. An authorised entity should thus be able to disseminate those copies, offline or online, to beneficiary persons and authorised entities in any Member State. Moreover, authorised entities and beneficiary persons should be allowed to obtain or have access to those copies from any authorised entity in any Member State.
Amendment 21 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) In view of the specific nature of the exception, its targeted scope and the need for legal certainty for its beneficiaries, it is recommended that Member States should not be allowed to impose additional or alternative requirements for the application of the exception, such as compensation schemes or the prior verification of the commercial availability of accessible format copies.
Amendment 26 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) With the adoption of this Directive, the Union aims to ensure that beneficiary persons have access to books and other print material in accessible formats. Accordingly, this Directive is an essential first step in improving access to works for people with disabilities.
Amendment 27 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The Commission will monitor the effect of this Directive. As part of this, it will assess the situation regarding the availability in accessible formats of works and other subject-matter other than those covered by this Directive, as well as the availability of works and other subject- matter in accessible formats for persons with other disabilities. The Commission will review the situation closely. Changes to the scope of this Directive may be considered, if necessary. The results of such monitoring should be available and communicated to Parliament on request.
Amendment 30 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
This Directive lays down rules on the use of certain works and other subject-matter without the authorisation of the rightholder, for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled due to anatomical or pathophysiological peculiarities of the relevant sensory organs or physiological structures.
Amendment 31 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point γ
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point γ
(c) a person who has a perceptual or reading disability, including dyslexia, and is, as a result, unable to read printed works to substantially the same degree as a person without an impairment or disability; or
Amendment 32 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point δ
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point δ
Amendment 37 #
2016/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Amendment 29 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The international community faces an unprecedented refugee crisis which requires solidarity among Member States, efficient mobilisation of financial resources and the need to confront and surmount the existing challenges in a concerted manner. All actors need to work together to apply sustained, medium and long-term policies and an efficient use of existing processes and programmes in order to support initiatives which contribute to addressing root causes of migratillegal migration from third countries and safeguard public order and security within the Union.
Amendment 32 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) A new results-oriented partnership framework with third countries which takes account of all Union policies and instruments should be developed on a strictly results-oriented basis. As part of that new partnership framework, the External Investment Plan should be established in order to support investments in regions outside the Union, while contributing to the achievement of the sustainable development goal. It should also fulfil the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the objectives pursued by the other financing instruments for external action.
Amendment 37 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) In order to allow the ELM to respond to potential upcoming challenges and Union priorities, as well as to provide a strategic response addressing root causes of illegal migration, the maximum ceiling for the EIB financing operations under the EU guarantee should be increased to EUR 32 300 000 000 by releasing the optional additional amount of EUR 3 000 000 000. Under the general mandate, the amount of EUR 12 400 000 000 should be earmarked for projects in the public sector directed to refugees and host communities in crisis affected areato support host communities affected by the refugee crisis.
Amendment 39 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Under the new private sector lending mandate, the maximum amount of EUR 2 300 000 000 should be dedicated to projects addressing root causes of illegal migration flows within the maximum increased ceiling and should benefit from the Comprehensive Guarantee by the Union.
Amendment 46 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Addressing root causes of illegal migration should be added as a new priority objective of the mandate.
Amendment 49 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Complementarity and coordination with Union initiatives addressing root causes of illegal migration should be ensured, including with Union support for the sustainableinitial reintegration of returned illegal migrants in the countries of origin.
Amendment 54 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The EIB should develop and implement a clear set of indicators in its Results Measurement framework for projects in the public sector and in the private sector directed to refugees and host communities. T affected by the refore, augee crisis. An assessment of the contribution of EIB financing operations addressing root causes of illegal migration should be included in the Commission's annual reporting to the European Parliament and to the Council on EIB financing operations.
Amendment 55 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Only where it concerns the need to address urgencies and crisis situations that could arise within the mandate period and which are recognised as Union external policy priorities, the ceiling for reallocation between the regions by the EIB in the course of the mandate should be increased from 10 % to 20 %. The private sector mandate of EUR 2 300 000 000 and the amount of EUR 12 400 000 000 dedicated to public sector projects cannot be reallocated because its purpose is to address root causes of illegal migration. An option to reallocate funds towards further supporting projects for the purposes of addressing root causes of illegal migration will be considered depending on the outcome-oriented utilisation of the amounts mandated.
Amendment 62 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point a
(a) a maximum amount of EUR 30 000 000 000 under a general mandate, of which an amount of up to EUR 12 400 000 000 is earmarked for projects in the public sector directed to refugees and -hosting communities;
Amendment 64 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 – point b
(b) a maximum amount of EUR 2 300 000 000 under a private sector lending mandate for projects addressing root causes of illegal migration.
Amendment 67 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point (d)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point (d)
(d) strategic response to addressing root causes of illegal migration.;
Amendment 77 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point c
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point c
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 8 – subparagraph 1
EIB financing operations supporting the general objectives set out in point (d) of paragraph 1 shall back investment projects that address root causes of the illegal migration flows and contribute to long- term economic resilience and safeguard sustainable development in beneficiary countries. EIB financing operations shall, in particular, address increased needs for security infrastructure and related services to cater fordue to the migrants influx, and boost employment opportunities for host and refugee communities to foster economic integration and enable refugees to become self-reliantcommunities for the purposes of social cohesion and resilience.
Amendment 86 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point a
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) Indicators for projects providing strategic response addressing root causes of illegal migration shall be developed by the EIB;;
Amendment 90 #
2016/0275(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 5 – point b
Decision No 466/2014/EU
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point j
Article 11 – paragraph 1 – point j
(j) An assessment of the contribution of EIB financing operations in providing strategic response addressing root causes of illegal migration. ;
Amendment 6 #
2016/0274(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The amount of the Guarantee Fund in surplus exceeding 10% of the Union's total outstanding capital liabilities should be paid back to the general budget of the Union in order to better protect the budget against potential additional risk of default of the EIB financing operations addressing root causes of migration.
Amendment 8 #
2016/0274(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The everyday financial management of the Guarantee Fund should not be transferred from the EIB to the Commission, which has an established practice of managing similar investments. By taking over the asset management of the Guarantee Fund, the Commission should be able to but remain in an independent arm of the EIB instead, which will be allowed to obtain further expertise and guidance from the Commission in so far as the latter has an established practice of managing similar investments. Due to the nature of the Guarantee Fund, streamlineing and consolidate itsing the fund with other asset management activities, building on existing structures and a good track record of the Commission should not take place as it does not adequately ensure that the aims of the Guarantee Fund are met.
Amendment 13 #
2016/0274(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009
Article 7
Article 7
The Commission shall ensure theoversee the prudent financial management of the Fund. The Commission shall and maintain its focus on the political aims of the Fund. The EIB shall continue to manage and invest the resources of the Guarantee Fund in accordance with the principle of sound financial management and shall follow appropriate prudential rules.;
Amendment 16 #
2016/0274(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
By 31 March of each year, the CommissionEIB shall submit to the European Parliament, to the Council and to the Court of Auditors, in the context of the financial statements of the Commission,, the Commission and the Court of Auditors the required information on the situation of the Guarantee Fund.
Amendment 17 #
2016/0274(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 480/2009
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
In addition, it shall, by 31 May of each year, submit to the European Parliament, to the Council, the Commission and to the Court of Auditors an annual report on the management of the Guarantee Fund in the previous calendar year. The annual report shall contain the presentation of the financial position of the Guarantee Fund at the end of the previous calendar year, the financial flows during the previous calendar year as well as the significant transactions and any relevant information on the financial accounts. The report shall also include information about the financial management and performance and the risk of the Guarantee Fund at the end of the previous calendar year.
Amendment 16 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) New psychoactive substances can pose serious cross border threatrisks to health and result in life-threatening consequences, which makes it necessary to enhance identification, monitoring, early warning and combating of those threats.
Amendment 17 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1 a) A new psychoactive substance should be defined as a new narcotic or psychotropic drug, in pure form or in preparation, that is not covered by the 1961 United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, but which may pose a public health threat comparable to that posed by substances listed in those Conventions. A psychoactive substance should be defined as any substance which affects a person's mental functioning, emotional state, or behavioural output when there is intention that it will be consumed for its psychoactive effects.
Amendment 18 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) During the past years, Member States have notified an progressively increasing number of new psychoactive substances via the mechanism for rapid exchange of information which was established by Joint Action 97/396/JHA adopted by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union concerning the information exchange, risk assessment and the control of new synthetic drugs13 and was further strengthened by Council Decision 2005/387/JHA14 . _________________ 13 Council Joint Action 97/396/JHA of 16 June 1997 concerning the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new synthetic drugs (OJ L 167, 25.6.1997, p. 1). 14 Council Decision 2005/387/JHA of 10 May 2005 on the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new psychoactive substances (OJ L 127, 20.5.2005, p. 32).
Amendment 19 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) New psychoactive substances that pose health and social risks across the Union shcould be addressed at the Union level within the scope of synergistic provisions and by tackling common threats to public health and public order. This Regulation has therefore to be read in conjunction with Council Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA15 [as amended by Directive (EU) …/…] since both acts are designed to replace the mechanism established by Council Decision 2005/387/JHA. _________________ 15 Council Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA of 25 October 2004 laying down minimum provisions on the constituent elements of criminal acts and penalties in the field of illicit drug trafficking (OJ L 335, 11.11.2004, p. 8).
Amendment 20 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Any Union action on new psychoactive substances should be based on sound, unbiased and well-founded scientific evidence.
Amendment 21 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) NoA framework should be adopted for targeted risk assessment shs that could be conducted on a new psychoactive substance ifeven where it is subject to an assessment under international law, or ifwhere it is an active substance in a medicinal product or in a veterinary medicinal product, based on scientific evidence, reporting from Member States and needs across the Union.
Amendment 23 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5a – paragraph 1
Article 5a – paragraph 1
Each Member State shall ensure that its Reitox National Focal Points and the Europol National Unit provide timely and without any undue delay to the Centre and Europol theall available information on new psychoactive substances. The information shall be related to the detection and identification, use and patterns of use, potential and identified risks, manufacture, extraction, distribution, trafficking, commercial, as well as medical and scientific use of these substances.
Amendment 24 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5a – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 5a – paragraph 1 a (new)
The Reitox National Focal Points may also provide information on new trends in the use of existing substances and/or new combinations of psychoactive substances.
Amendment 27 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5b – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 5b – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a first indication of the nature or scale of health and social risks associated with the new psychoactive substance, newly misused on the market;
Amendment 30 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5b – paragraph 9
Article 5b – paragraph 9
9. The Centre shall respect the conditions on use of the information, which are communicated to the Centre, including conditions on information and data security and, protection of confidential business information, and provisions on intellectual property.
Amendment 32 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) information on the chemical and physical properties of the new psychoactive substance, the methods and the precursors used for its manufacture or extraction, and derivatives;
Amendment 33 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) information on the pharmacological and toxicological properties of the new psychoactive substance and a reference to known analogues, similar in pharmacological activity and similar in chemical structure;
Amendment 34 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) an analysis of the health risks associated with the new psychoactive substance, in particular with respect to its acute and chronic toxicity, abuse liability, dependence-producing potential, and its physical, mental, emotional and behavioural effects;
Amendment 35 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 5c – paragraph 3 – point d
(d) an analysis of the social risks associated with the new psychoactive substance, in particular its impact on social functioning, groups of the population targeted or particularly affected, public order and criminal activities, the involvement of criminal groups in the manufacture and distribution of the new psychoactive substance;
Amendment 37 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5c – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 5c – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
The European Parliament, the Commission, the Centre, Europol and the European Medicines Agency shall each have the right to nominate two observers.
Amendment 38 #
2016/0261(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006
Article 5d – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 5d – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. NUnless there is a strong indication that there are significant health and/or social risks or a major potential impact on public order, no risk assessment shall be carried out where the new psychoactive substance is:
Amendment 13 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Since its establishment Cedefop has played an important role incontributed to supporting the development of a common vocational education and training policy. At the same time the concept and significance of vocational training has evolved under the influence of changing labour markets, technological developments, particularly in the digital area, and increasing labour mobility. Vocational training policies have evolved accordingly and encompass a variety of instruments and initiatives, some of which, namely related to skills and qualifications, including validation of learning, necessarily go beyond the traditional boundaries of vocational education and training. Therefore the character of Cedefop activities should be clearly spelled out and relevant terminology should be adjusted whilst staying within the remit of the Treaty provisions for vocational education and training.
Amendment 16 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Implementation of a vocational education and training policy will require a focus on the positive interface between education and training and the world of work, making sure that the knowledge, skills and competences acquired lifelong are kept up-to-date, support employability in changing labour markets and are relevant to the neereal needs and trends of citizens and society.
Amendment 19 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) As the three so-called tripartite Agencies - Cedefop, the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) - address issues related to the labour market, working environment and vocational education and training and skills, close coordination among the three Agencies is required and the ways to enhance efficiency and synergies should be exploited. Within the framework of synergies and the coordination of efforts, steps should be taken for further gradual convergence with the future objective of unifying the related tripartite bodies. In addition, where relevant, the Agency should seek to engage in efficient cooperation with the European Commission's in-house research capacities.
Amendment 27 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) It is necessary to provide for transitional budgetary provisions and transitional provisions on the Management Board and Cedefop staff to ensure continuation of activities of the Agency pending the entry into force of this Regulation, with a neutral fiscal orientation during the adjustment period, without resulting in any budgetary cost going beyond what was originally planned.
Amendment 32 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 2
2. The objective of the Agency shall be to assist the Commission in shaping and optimally implementing vocational education and training and skills and qualifications policies. To this end the Agency shall provide evidence and services for policy making and knowledge sharingsharing know-how and specialised expertise amongst and between Union and national actors, in particular governments and social partners.
Amendment 43 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) disseminate information as a contribution to policies and to raise awareness and understanding of the potential of vocational education and training in promoting and supporting the employability of people, productivity in companies and lifelong learning, by ensuring that the information provided is customised and targeted to the needs of the users for whom it is intended;
Amendment 45 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) manage databases and make available appropriate tools, datasets and services for skills, occupations and qualifications to citizens, companies, policy makers, social partners and other stakeholdnon-profit making players with a sufficient stake in the matters.
Amendment 50 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3
Article 2 – paragraph 3
3. In carrying out its tasks, the Agency shall maintain a close dialoguetwo-way communication particularly with specialised bodies, whether public or private, national or international, public and local authorities and educational institutions and with workers' and employers’ organisations. The Agency, without prejudice to its own aims, shall ensure cooperation with other European Union Agencies aimed at avoiding overlaps and promoting synergy and complementarity in their activities, in particular with the European Training Foundation, Eurofound and EU-OSHA.
Amendment 67 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) one observer-member representing the European Parliament.
Amendment 209 #
2016/0257(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 3
Article 20 – paragraph 3
3. The seat of the Agency shall be Thessaloniki, Greece. In the context of achieving synergies and convergence, the aim remains that the three so-called tripartite bodies - the EU-OSHA, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) - should together be relocated to the seat of CEDEFOP, with 2025 as the target date for relocation.
Amendment 11 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Since its establishment in 1994 EU- OSHA has played an important role incontributed to supporting the improvement of health and safety at work throughout the European Union. At the same time there have been developments in the area of occupational safety and health (OSH). In this light some adjustments are required in describing the objectives and tasks of EU-OSHA as compared to the provisions in Council Regulation (EC) No. 2062/94.
Amendment 15 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) As the three tripartite Agencies - EU-OSHA, the European Centre for development and vocational training (Cedefop), and the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound) - address issues related to the labour market, working environment and vocational education and training and skills, close coordination among three Agencies is required and the ways to enhance efficiency and synergies should be exploited. Within the framework of synergies and the alignment of efforts, steps should be taken towards a further gradual convergence with the future objective of unifying the relevant tripartite bodies. In addition, whenever relevant, the Agency should seek to engage in efficient cooperation with the European Commission's in-house research capacities.
Amendment 19 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) There are already organisations in the European Union and Member States which provide this type of information and services. In order to obtain the maximum benefit at EU level from work already carried out by these organisations, it is appropriate to maintain the existing well- functionfor the present the existing network set up by EU-OSHA under Regulation (EC) No 2062/94 and comprising Member States focal points and their national tripartite networks despite the shortcomings and the failure to use the potential for economies of scale. It is also important that the Agency have very close functional links with the Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work4, to ensure good coordination and synergies. __________________ 4 Council Decision of 22 July 2003 setting up an Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work, OJ C 218, 13.9.2003, p. 1– 4
Amendment 25 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) It is necessary to provide for transitional budgetary provisions and transitional provisions on the Management Board, Executive Director and staff to ensure continuation of activities of the Agency pending the entry into force of this Regulation with a neutral fiscal orientation, without resulting in any budgetary cost going beyond what was originally planned.
Amendment 33 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) collect, analyse and disseminate technical, scientific and economic information on safety and health at work in the Member States in order to pass it on to the European Union institutions and bodies, Member States and interested parties; this collection, archiving and subsequent analysis shall take place to identify risks and good practices as well as existing national priorities and programmes and provide the necessary input to the priorities and programmes of the European Union;
Amendment 35 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) collect and analyse technical, scientific and economic information on research into safety and health at work and on other research activities which involve aspects connected with safety and health at work and disseminate and use as widely as possible the results of the research and research activities;
Amendment 37 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) promote and support cooperation and exchange of information and, experiencetise and know-how amongst the Member States in the field of safety and health at work, including information on training programmes;
Amendment 39 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) support and organise conferences and, seminars and, congresses and other exchanges of expertise from the Member States in the field of safety and health at work;
Amendment 41 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) supply the European Union institutions and bodies and the Member States with the objective and scientifically valid available technical, scientific, legal and economic information and parameters and qualified expertise they require to formulate and implement judicious and effective policies designed to protect the safety and health of workers; to that end, provide the European Commission in particular with thescientifically valid technical, scientific, legal and economic information and qualified expertise it requires to fulfil its tasks of identifying, preparing and evaluating legislation and measures in the area of the protection of the safety and health of workers, notably as regards the impact of legislation, the adaptation of legislation to technical, scientific or legislative progress as well as of practical implementation of legislation in enterprises, with particular reference to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises;
Amendment 43 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point f
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point f
(f) establish, in cooperation with the Member States, and coordinate the network referred to in Article 12, taking into account the institutionally competent national, EU and international bodies and organisations which provide this type of information and services;
Amendment 45 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) cCollect, analyse, process and make available information on safety and health matters from and to third countries and international organisations;
Amendment 47 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) provide technical, scientific and economic information on methods and tools for implementing preventive activities, identify good practices and promote preventive actions, paying particular attention to the specific problems of smallmicro- and medium-sized enterprises. With regard to good practices, the Agency shall in particular focus on practices which constitute practical tools to be used in drawing up an assessment of the risks to safety and health at work, and identifying the measures to be taken to prevent and tackle them;
Amendment 49 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point i
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point i
(i) contribute to the development of European Union strategies and action programmes relating to the protection of safety and health at work, without prejudice to the Commission's sphere of competenceprinciples of conferral, subsidiarity and proportionality as regards the Commission's actions;
Amendment 51 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point j
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point j
(j) carry out awareness raising and communication activities and campaigns on health and safety at work issues in cooperation with national contact points.
Amendment 53 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
2. The Agency shall ensure that the information disseminated is tailored to, and well targeted at, the intended users. To achieve this objective, the Agency shall work closely with the national focal points referred to in Article 12(1), in accordance with Article 12(2).
Amendment 57 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3
Article 2 – paragraph 3
3. In carrying out its tasks, the Agency shall maintain a close dialogue particularly with specialised bodies, whether public or privatepublic bodies or with the operating rules governing public law, public authorities and workers' and employers’ organisations. The Agency, without prejudice to its own aims, shall ensure cooperation with other European Union Agencies aimed at avoiding overlaps and promoting synergy and complementarity in their activities, in particular with the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions, the European Centre for the development of vocational training and, where relevant, with other EU Agencies.
Amendment 77 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 – point d a (new)
(da) one observer-member representing the European Parliament.
Amendment 84 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 7 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 7 a (new)
The European Parliament shall appoint the member representing it as an observer.
Amendment 87 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
3. Members of the Management Board and their alternates shall be appointed in light of their knowledge in the field of health and safety at work, taking into account relevant managerial, administrative and budgetary skills. All parties represented in the Management Board shall make efforts to ensure as far as possible a balanced representation of men and women and to limit turnover of their representatives, in order to guarantee continumbers with different but complementary areas of expertise and skills and strive for the continuity and regularity of the Board's work.
Amendment 89 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. The term of office for members and their alternates shall be four years. That term shall be extendrenewable. Upon the expiry of their term of office or in the event of their resignation, members shall remain in office until their appointments are renewed or until they are replaced.
Amendment 98 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point f
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point f
(f) adopt and implement rules for the prevention and management of conflicts of interest in respect of its members and independent experts;
Amendment 104 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point k
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point k
(k) appoint the Executive Director and where relevant extendrenew his/her term of office once or remove him/her from office in accordance with Article 19;
Amendment 111 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Where exceptional circumstances so require, the Management Board may, by a majority of two-thirds of its members with voting rights, by way of a reasoned decision temporarily suspend the delegation of the appointing authority powers to the Executive Director and those sub-delegated by the latter and exercise them itself or delegate them to one of its members or to a staff member other than the Executive Director.
Amendment 129 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. The Executive Director of the Agency shall take an active part in the deliberations, without the right to vote.
Amendment 131 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 3
Article 8 – paragraph 3
3. The Management Board shall hold at least one ordinary meeting a yearevery six months. In addition, it shall meet on the initiative of its Chairperson, at the request of the Commission or at the request of at least one-third of its members.
Amendment 136 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. Without prejudice to Article 5(1)(a) and (b) and Article 19(7), the Management Board shall take decisions by an absolute majority of members with voting rights.
Amendment 151 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 5
Article 10 – paragraph 5
5. The term of office of members of the Executive Board shall be two years. That term shall be extendiblrenewable with no maximum period of office. The term of office of members of the Executive Board shall end when their membership of the Management Board ends.
Amendment 203 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
1. The Executive Director shall implement and monitor the Agency’s budget.
Amendment 218 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
The financial rules applicable to the Agency shall be adopted by the Management Board after consulting the Commission. They shall not depart from Regulation (EU) 1271/2013 unless such a departure is specifically required for the Agency's operation, the Agency has submitted a reasoned request and the Commission has given its prior consent.
Amendment 225 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2
Article 19 – paragraph 2
2. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the Management Board, on the basis of a competition procedure, from a list of candidates proposeddrawn up by the Commission, following an open and, transparent and objective selection procedure. For the purpose of concluding the contract with the Executive Director, the Agency shall be represented by the Chairperson of the Management Board.
Amendment 227 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 3
Article 19 – paragraph 3
3. The term of office of the Executive Director shall be five years. By the end of that period, the Commission shall undertake an reasoned, thorough and representative assessment that takes into account an evaluation of the Executive Director's performance measured against official targets and the Agency's future tasks and challenges.
Amendment 229 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 4
Article 19 – paragraph 4
4. The Management Board, acting on a proposal from the Commission that takes into account the assessment referred to in paragraph 3, may extend, without obligation, renew the term of office of the Executive Director once, for no more than five years.
Amendment 231 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 5
Article 19 – paragraph 5
5. An Executive Director whose’s term of office has been extended may not participate in another selection procedure for the same post at the end of the overall periodmay not exceed ten years.
Amendment 232 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 6
Article 19 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director may be removed from office only upon a decision of the Management Board acting on an objective and reasoned proposal from the Commission.
Amendment 233 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 6
Article 19 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director may be removed from office only upon a decision of the Management Board acting on an objective and reasoned proposal from the Commission.
Amendment 242 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 3
Article 21 – paragraph 3
3. The seat of the Agency shall be Bilbao, Spain. In the interests of cooperation and convergence, efforts must be made to ensure that the three so- called tripartite agencies - EU-OSHA, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) - are housed jointly at the CEDEFOP headquarters by 2025.
Amendment 245 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 4
Article 21 – paragraph 4
4. The Agency may establish local offices in the Member States for effective and adequate performance of its tasks, subject to their consent and in accordance with Article 11(6), provided that unjustified costs and duplication of its administrative work are avoided.
Amendment 248 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
The Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Union shall apply in full to the Agency and its staff.
Amendment 256 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2
Article 24 – paragraph 2
2. The processing of personal data by the Agency shall be subject to the Regulation (EC) No 45/2001. The Management Board shall, within six months of the date of its first meeting, establish measures for the application of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 by the Agency, including those concerning the appointment of a Data Protection Officer of the Agency. Those measures shall be established after consultation of, and endorsement by, the European Data Protection Supervisor.
Amendment 262 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 4
Article 25 – paragraph 4
4. Without prejudice to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, cooperation agreements with third countries and international organisations, contracts, grant agreements and grant decisions of the Agency shall contain provisions expressly empowering the European Court of Auditors and OLAF to conduct such audits and investigations unimpeded, according to their respective competences. and in accordance with the provisions of the national legislation applicable.
Amendment 265 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 1
Article 26 – paragraph 1
The Agency shall adopt own security rules equivalent to the Commission's security rules for protecting European Union Classified Information (EUCI) and sensitive non-classified information, as set out in Decisions (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 and 2015/444, when required. The security rules of the Agency shall cover, inter alia and where appropriate, provisions for the exchange, processing and storagecollection, recording, storage, retrieval, processing, analysis, exchange and overall management of such information.
Amendment 271 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 3
Article 27 – paragraph 3
3. In the case of non-contractual liability, the Agency shall, in accordance with the general principles common to the laws of the Member States, make good any damage caused by its departments or by its staff in the performance of their duties, in accordance with the general principles of EU statute and case law and the national laws of the Member State within which the damage was caused.
Amendment 274 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 5
Article 27 – paragraph 5
5. The personal liability of its staff towards the Agency shall be governed by the provisions laid down in the Staff Regulations or Conditions of Employment applicable to them; regardless of the provider, whether private or operating through Agency administrative channels, each staff member is required to obtain suitable insurance cover against possible civil and/or personal liability that might arise in performance of tasks directly related to the Agency's work.
Amendment 278 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2
Article 28 – paragraph 2
2. Where the Commission considers that the continuation of the Agency is no longer adequately justified with regard to its assigned objectives, mandate and tasks, or where they may be served more effectively by other structures or through merger with, and absorption within, another EU agency, it may propose that this Regulation be amended accordingly or repealed.
Amendment 284 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 30 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
In so far as is necessary in order to support the project, disseminate and enhance the results of its operations and achieve the objectives set out in this Regulation, and without prejudice to the respective competences of the Member States and the institutions of the Union, the Agency may cooperate with the competent authorities of third countries and/or with international organisations.
Amendment 285 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 30 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
To this end, the Agency may, subject to prior approval by the Commission, establish working arrangements with the authorities of third countries and international organisations. These arranggreements shall not in any way create legal obligations incumbent onto the Union and its Member States unless expressly provided for by the official document that defines and governs such arrangements.
Amendment 288 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 3
Article 30 – paragraph 3
3. The Management Board shall adopt a strategy for relations with third countries or international organisations concerning matters for which the Agency is competent. The Commission shall maintain the right to intervene or exercise a veto after the explanatory memorandum has been drawn up if the strategy supported by the Agency is incompatible with the intended strategy of the Union as a whole.
Amendment 292 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 2
Article 31 – paragraph 2
2. The Agency’s host Member State shall provide the best possible conditions to create an environment conducive to achievement of the desired objectives and ensure the proper functioning of the Agency, including multilingual, European-oriented schooling and appropriate transport connection schooling, including schooling in the mother tongue of the students, appropriate transport connections and adequate logistical infrastructures.
Amendment 304 #
2016/0254(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 1
Article 36 – paragraph 1
Internal rules adopted by the Governing Board on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 2062/94 shall remain in force after [date of application of this Regulation], unless otherwise decided by the Management Boardfollowing a decision and confirmation by the Management Board, unless otherwise decided by it in the application of this Regulation.
Amendment 23 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
Amendment 25 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The European Council of 23-24 October 2014 also acknowledged the multiple objectives of the agriculture and land use sector, with their lower mitigation potential as well as the need to ensure coherence between the Union food security and climate change objectives. The European Council invited the Commission to examine the best means of encouraging the sustainable intensification of food production, while optimising the sector's contribution to greenhouse gas mitigation and sequestration, including through afforestation, and to establish policy on how to include land use, land use change and forestry ('LULUCF') into the 2030 greenhouse gas mitigation framework through the exchange of CO2 (carbon cycle) emissions between the terrestrial biosphere system and the atmosphere as soon as technical conditions allow and in any case before 2020.
Amendment 26 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The LULUCF sector can contribute to climate change mitigation in several ways, in particular by reducing emissions, and maintaining and enhancing sinks and carbon stocks, by increasing removals of greenhouse gases (GHG) from the atmosphere and / or reducing emissions from sources, leading to an accumulation of carbon stocks. An important feature of LULUCF activities in this context is their reversibility and, therefore, the non- permanence of the accumulated carbon stocks. In order for measures aiming in particular at increasing carbon sequestration to be effective, the long-term stability and adaptability of carbon pools is essential.
Amendment 28 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Emissions and removals from forest land depend on a number of natural circumstances, age-class structure, as well as past and present management practices. Estimates for the global assessment of forest resources for 2010 (FRA 2015) show that more than 485 gigatonnes (1 Gt = 1 billion tonnes) of carbon are stocked in the world's forests and other woodland: 260 Gt in biomass (53%) , 37 Gt in dead wood and litter (8%) and 189 Gt in the soil (39%). While the sustainable management, the planting and the rehabilitation of forests can maintain or increase the carbon stocks of forests, deforestation, degradation and poor management reduce carbon stocks. For the world as a whole, carbon stocks in forest biomass decreased by about 0.22 Gt annually during the 2011-2015 period. The use of a base year would not make it possible to reflect all those factors and resulting cyclical impacts on emissions and removals or their interannual variation. The relevant accounting rules should instead provide for the use of reference levels to exclude the effects of natural and country- specific characteristics. In the absence of the international review under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, a review procedure should be established to ensure transparency and improve the quality of accounting in this category.
Amendment 29 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) When the Commission chooses to be assisted by an expert review team in accordance with Commission Decision (C(2016)3301) in the review of national forestry accounting plans, it should build on the good practice, the most recent scientific data and experience of the expert reviews under the UNFCCC, including as regards participation of national experts and recommendations, and select a sufficient number of experts from the Member States.
Amendment 30 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) TPending the publication of the methodology concerning the national greenhouse gas inventories as well as of the sixth evaluation report, the internationally agreed IPCC Guidelines state that emissions from the combustion of biomass can be accounted as zero in the energy sector with the condition that these emissions are accounted for in the LULUCF sector. In the EU, emissions from biomass combustion are accounted as zero pursuant to Article 38 of Regulation (EU) No. 601/2012 and the provisions set out in Regulation (EU) No. 525/2013, hence consistency with the IPCC Guidelines would only be ensured if these emissions should be covered accurately under this Regulation.
Amendment 31 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The increased sustainable use of harvested wood products, through sustainable logging and/or small-scale logging, can substantially limit emissions into and enhance removals of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The accounting rules should ensure that Member States accurately reflect in accounts the changes in the harvested wood products pool when they take place, to provide incentives for enhanced use of harvested wood products with long life cycles. The Commission should provide guidance on methodological issues related to the accounting for harvested wood products.
Amendment 32 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The European Environment Agency should assist the Commission, as appropriate in accordance with its annual work programme, with the system of annual reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, the assessment of information on policies and measures, the interactive evaluation of supported actions on climate change and national projections, the evaluation of planned additional policies and measures, and the compliance checks carried out by the Commission under this Regulation.
Amendment 33 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) To facilitate data collection and methodology improvement, land use should be inventoried and reported using geographical tracking and earth observation of each land area, corresponding to national and EU data collection systems. The best use shall be made of existing Union and Member State programmes and surveys including the LUCAS Land Use Cover Area frame Survey and the European Earth observation programme Copernicus for data collection. Data management, including sharing for the reporting reuse and dissemination should conform to Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community.
Amendment 42 #
2016/0230(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – point Α – paragraph 1 – point γ a (new)
Annex I – point Α – paragraph 1 – point γ a (new)
(ca) Tetrafluoromethane (CF4)
Amendment 126 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) On 15 December 2015, the Commission addressed a Recommendation for a Voluntary Humanitarian Admission Scheme with Turkey29 to the Member States and Associated States recommending that participating States admit persons displaced by the conflict in Syria who are in need of international protection. According to the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March 2016 a Voluntary Humanitarian Admission Scheme will be activated once irregularllegal crossings between Turkey and the EU are ending or at least have been substantially and sustainably reduced. Member States will contribute on a voluntary basis to this scheme. _________________ 29 C(2015) 9490. C(2015) 9490.
Amendment 130 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) According to the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March 2016 all new irregularllegal migrants crossing from Turkey into Greek islands as from 20 March 2016 would be returned to Turkey. F, extending the Bilateral Protocols of 2001 and 2010 between Greece and Turkey, the latter having systematically obstructed fulfilment of the resulting commitments. According to the EU-Turkey Statement, for every Syrian being returned to Turkey from Greek islands, another Syrian will be resettled from Turkey to the Union taking into account the United Nations Vulnerability Criteria. In May 2016, the Member States and Dublin Associated States and Turkey reached a common understanding on Standard Operating Procedures guiding the implementation of this resettlement scheme.
Amendment 131 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) On 6 April 2016, the Commission adopted a Communication Towards a Reform of the Common European Asylum System and enhancing legal avenues to Europe30 in which it announced it would set out a proposal for a structured resettlement system framing the Union’s policy on resettlement and providing a common approach to safe and legal arrival in the Union for persons in need of international protection. _________________ 30 COM(2016) 197 final.
Amendment 132 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) On 12 April 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic EU approach to Migration31 underlining the need for a permanent Union-wide resettlement programme, providing resettlement for a meaningful number of refugees, having regard to the overall number of refugees seeking protection in the Union. _________________ 31 2015/2095(INI).
Amendment 134 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Building on the existing initiatives, a stable and reliable Union Resettlement Framework should be established for the resettlement of persons in need of international protection to be implemented in accordance with annual Union resettlement plans under the political guidance of Parliament and with operational support and implementation on the part of the Commission and its bodies and targeted Union resettlement schemes which effectively deliver on Member States' concrete commitments.
Amendment 141 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Such a framework is a necessary part of a well-managedpart of a migration policy to reduce divergences among national resettlement practices and procedures, provide for the legal and safe arrival to the territory of the Member States of third-country nationals and stateless persons in need of international protection, help reduce the risk of a large- scale irregular inflow of third-country nationals and stateless persons to the territory of the Member States and thereby reducing the pressure of spontaneous arrivals on the Member States' asylum systems, be an expression of solidarity with countries in regions to which or within which a large number of persons in need of international protection has been displaced by helping to alleviate the pressure on those countries, help achieve Union's foreign policy objectives by increasing the Union's leverage vis-à-vis third countries, and effectively contribute to global resettlement initiatives through speaking with one voice in international fora and with third countries.
Amendment 152 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) In order to help reduce the risk of a large-scale irregular inflowllegal entry of third- country nationals and stateless persons to the territory of the Member States, show solidarity with countries in regions to which or within which a large number of persons in need of international protection has been displaced by helping to alleviate the pressure on those countries, and help achieve the Union's foreign policy objectives, the regions or third countries from which resettlement is to occur should fit in a tailored engagement with third countries to better manage migration as foreseen in the Commission's Communication of 7 June 2016 on Establishing a new Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration32 . _________________ 32 COM(2016) 377 final. COM(2016) 377 final.
Amendment 161 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) In order to reduce divergences among the national resettlement practices and procedures, common standard procedures and common eligibility criteria and exclusion grounds for the selection should be laid down, as well as a common protection status to be granted to resettled persons.
Amendment 168 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The common standard procedures should build on the existing resettlement experience and standards of the Member States, in particular the Standard Operating Procedures guiding the implementation of the resettlement scheme with Turkey set out in the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March 2016. The Union Resettlement Framework should allow the use of at least two types of standard resettlement procedures.
Amendment 170 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Both types of procedure consist of the following stages: identification, registration, assessment and, decision and implementation of the decision.
Amendment 177 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) An expedited procedure should be established with the same high level of security checks as in the ordinary procedure. However, in the expedited procedure, the assessment of the international protection needs of third- country nationals or stateless persons should be limited to an assessment of their eligibility for subsidiary protection without assessing their qualification for refugee status.
Amendment 179 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The resettlement procedure should be concluded as soon as possible in order to discourage persons in need of international protection to use irregular ways to enter the European Union to seek protectionrestrict the field of action of those trafficking illegal migrants and other people. At the same time it should ensure that Member States have sufficient time for a full and adequate examination of each case. The time-limits should correspond to what is necessary to make the different types of assessment foreseen for the ordinary and expedited procedure.
Amendment 188 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Any personal data collected for the purpose of the resettlement procedure should be stored for a maximum period of at least five years from the date of resettlement. Given that third-country nationals or stateless persons who have already been resettled by one Member State or who during the last five years refused to resettle to a Member State should be excluded from resettlement to another Member State, that period should be considered athe minimum necessary period for the storage of personal details, including fingerprints and facial images. The use of personal data collected in this way should not be limited exclusively to actions and activities directly related to resettlement objectives.
Amendment 193 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) The choice of the resettlement procedure should be made for each targeted Union resettlement scheme. An expedited procedure might be warranted on humanitarian grounds or in case of urgent legal or physical protection needs.
Amendment 196 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) There is no subjective right to be resettled except where stipulated by statute or case law.
Amendment 200 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) In order to allow for supplementing the rules which govern the procedure to be applied in targeted Union resettlement schemes, consideration should be given to the need for the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union shouldto be delegated to the Commission to adapt the procedure to the circumstances in the third country from which resettlement takes place such as determining that third country’s role in the procedure. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 13 April 201633. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. _________________ 33 OJ L123, 12.05.2016, p. 1.
Amendment 202 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of the Union Resettlement Framework, implementing powers should be conferred on the Council for establishing the annual Union resettlement plan, fixing the maximum total number of persons to be resettled, the details about the participation of the Member States in the plan and their contributions to the total number of persons to be resettled, as well as overall geographical priorities on a proposal from Parliament and under its political guidance.
Amendment 210 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) These powers should be exercised on a proposal from the Parliament and the Commission on the maximum total number of persons to be resettled and overall geographical priorities. The Commission should make its proposal simultaneously with its proposal on the draft Union annual budget. The Council should aim to adopt the proposal within two months. The Commission and the Council should take into account the discussions within the High-Level Resettlement Committee.
Amendment 232 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) [The European Union Agency for Asylum] should assist Member States in the implementation of Union Resettlement Framework in accordance with its mandate.
Amendment 238 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) This Regulation does not affect the ability of the Member States to adopt or implement national resettlement schemes, which do not jeopardise the attainment of the Union’s objectives under this Regulation, for example where they contribute an additional number of resettlement places to targeted Union resettlement schemes established under this Regulation going beyond their contribution to the maximum number of persons to be resettled under the annual Union resettlement plan.
Amendment 247 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) This Regulation respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and should therefore be applied in a manner consistent with these rights and principles, including as regards the rights of the child, the right to respect for family life and the general principle of non-discrimination.
Amendment 266 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point a
(a) provide for the legal and safe arrival of third-country nationals and stateless persons in need of international protection to the territory of the Member States;
Amendment 269 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) contribute to the reduction ofseek to reduce the risk of a large- scale irregular inflowllegal and hazardous entry of third- country nationals and stateless persons in need oftrying to claim international protection to the territory of the Member States;
Amendment 278 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) contribute to international resettlement initiatives at European level.
Amendment 307 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – point i
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – point i
(i) reducing the number of third- country nationals and stateless persons irregularllegally crossing the border into the territory of the Member States coming from that third country;
Amendment 310 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – point ii
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – point ii
(ii) creating the conditions for the use of the first country of asylum and safe third country concepts for the return of asylum applicants who have irregularllegally crossed the border into the territory of the Member States coming from or having a connection with the third country concerned;
Amendment 314 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – point iv
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – point iv
(iv) increasing the rate of readmission of third-country nationals and stateless persons irregularllegally staying in the territory of the Member States such as through the conclusion and effective implementation of readmission agreements;
Amendment 396 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) persons who have irregularllegally stayed, irregularllegally entered, or attempted to irregularllegally enter the territory of the Member States during the fiveten years prior to resettlement;
Amendment 407 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point f - paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point f - paragraph 1
persons whom Member States have during the last fiveten years prior to resettlement refused to resettle in accordance with this paragraph.
Amendment 486 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Article 10 – paragraph 5 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall store the data referred to in paragraphs 2 to 4 for fiveat least ten years from the date of resettlement.
Amendment 534 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 1
Article 16 – paragraph 1
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland shall be invited as free and sovereign states to be associated with the implementation of the annual Union resettlement plan. The core elements of this Regulation, in particular those related to the resettlement procedure and to the rights and obligations of resettled persons, shall be duly taken into account in that association.
Amendment 543 #
2016/0225(COD)
3. Each Member States to whom an amount referred to in paragraph 1 has been allocated shall include in the annual accounts provided for in Article 39 the number of persons qualifying for the amount. Transfers of this amount to other actions under the national programme shall not be possible unless explicitly approved by the Commission through a revision of the national programme.
Amendment 544 #
2016/0225(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Regulation (EU) No 516/2014
Article 17
Article 17
4. Member States shall keep the information suitable and necessary to allow the proper identification of the resettled persons and of the date of their resettlement.
Amendment 10 #
2016/0218(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The Agreement stipulates that certain agricultural and fishery products originating in Kosovo may be imported into the Union at a reduced customs duty, within the limits of tariff quotas without, however, allowing corresponding products in the Member States to be undermined by unfair competition. It is therefore necessary to lay down provisions regulating the management and review of these tariff quotas in order to allow for their thorough assessment.
Amendment 13 #
2016/0218(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In order to ensure the effective application and management of the tariff quotas granted under the Agreement , as well as to ensure legal certainty receipt of payment and equal treatment with regard to the levying of duties, certain provisions of this Regulation should apply from the date of entry into force of the Agreement,
Amendment 19 #
2016/0218(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
The Commission shall adopt amendments and technical adaptations to the provisions adopted pursuant to this Regulation which are necessary following changes to the Combined Nomenclature codes and to the Integrated Tariff of the European Communities (TARIC) subdivisions or arising from the conclusion of new or modified agreements, protocols, exchanges of letters or other acts between the Union and Kosovo by means of implementing acts, while at the same time keeping the Council and Parliament informed. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(3).
Amendment 20 #
2016/0218(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Notwithstanding the procedures provided for in Articles 5 and 6 of this Regulation, where the Union needs to take a measure as provided for in Article 34(2) or Article 43 of the SAA, concerning agricultural and fishery products, the Commission shall, at the request of a Member State or on its own initiative, decide upon the necessary measures after, where applicable, having had recourse to the referral procedure provided for in Article 41 of the SAA. Those measures shall be adopted by the Commission by means of implementing acts while at the same time the Council and Parliament shall be kept informed. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 13(3) of this Regulation.
Amendment 21 #
2016/0218(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
The Commission shall notify the Council and Parliament of the measures upon which it has decided.
Amendment 25 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Having regard to the reform of the Dublin system, the European Union Agency for Asylum should provide the necessary support to the Member States, in particular by operating and managing the corrective mechanism.
Amendment 28 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The European Union Agency for Asylum should assist Member States with training of experts from all national administrations, courts and tribunals, and national services responsible for asylum matters, including the development of a common core curriculum. In addition, the Agency should ensure that all experts participating in asylum support teams or forming part of the asylum intervention pool receive specialist training and certification before their participation in operational activities organised by the Agency.
Amendment 35 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) To ensure a high degree of uniformity as regards asylum procedures, reception conditions and the assessment of protection needs across the Union, the Agency should organise and coordinate activities promoting Union law and respect for the corresponding rights of Member States. For that purpose, the Agency should assist Member States by developing operational standards and indicators for monitoring compliance with those standards. The Agency should also develop guidelines on asylum-related matters and should enable the exchange of best practices among Member States.
Amendment 38 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) The European Union Agency for Asylum, in close cooperation with the Commission and without prejudice to the Commission's responsibility as guardian of the Treaties, should establish a mechanism to monitor and assess the implementation of the CEAS, the compliance by Member States with and any updating of it in relation to operational standards, guidelines and best practices on asylum and to verifymonitor the functioning of the asylum and reception systems of Member States. The monitoring and assessment should be comprehensive and should be based, in particular, on information provided by Member States, information analysis on the situation of asylum developed by the Agency, on-site visits and case sampling. The Agency should report its findings to the Management Board whichtogether with corresponding notification to the Member States involved, and the Board in turn should adopt the report. The Executive Director should, after consultation with the Commission, make draft recommendationproposals to the Member State concerned outlining the necessaryproposed measures to address serious shortcomings , which in turn shall be adopted by the Management Board as recommendations.
Amendment 40 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The recommendationproposals should be followed up on the basis of an action plan prepared by the Member State concerned. If, within the set period of time, the Member State concerned does not take the necessary measures to address the recommendations, and the shortcomings in the asylum and reception systems are so serious that they jeopardize the functioning of the CEAS, the Commission should, based on its own assessment of the implementation of the action plan and the seriousness of the shortcomings, adopt recommendations addressed to that Member State outlining the measures needed to remedy the serious shortcomings. The Commission may need to organise on-site visits to the Member State concerned to verify the extent of implementation of the action plan. Where necessary, the Commission should also identify the measures that should be taken by the Agency in support of that Member State. If the Member State should remain non-compliant for a certain period of time, the Commission may take further action requiring the Agency to intervene in support of that Member State.
Amendment 42 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) In cases where a Member State's asylum and reception systems are subject to disproportionate pressure that places exceptionally heavy and urgent demands on their asylum or reception systems, the European Union Agency for Asylum should assist that Member State upon request or on the Agency's own initiative, by means of a comprehensive set of measures, including the deployment of experts from the asylum intervention pool. To ensure the availability of those experts and their immediate deployment, the asylum intervention pool should constitute a reserve of experts from Member States amounting to a minimum of 500 persons. The Agency should itself be able to intervene in support of a Member State where despite the disproportionate pressure, the Member State concerned does not request for sufficient assistance from the Agency or the Member State does not take sufficient action to address that pressure with the consequence that the asylum and reception systems would be ineffective to the extent of jeopardising the functioning of the CEAS. A disproportionate number of applications for international protection for which a Member States is responsible may be an indication of disproportionate pressure.
Amendment 54 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The European Union Agency for Asylum should facilitate operational cooperation between Member States in matters covered by this Regulation. It should also cooperate with authorities of third-countries in the framework of working arrangements which should receive the Commission's prior approval. The Agency should act in accordance with the Union's external relations policy and in alignment with the relations of the relevant Member States and under no circumstances should it formulate any independent external policy. In their cooperation with third countries, the Agency and the Member States should comply with norms and standards at least equivalent to those set by Union legislation also when the cooperation with third countries takes place on the territory of those countries.
Amendment 92 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point m a (new)
(mα) draw up and distribute a list of legitimate NGOs operating in the asylum sector.
Amendment 94 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 3
Article 2 – paragraph 3
3. The Agency may engage in communication activities on its own initiative in the fields within its mandate, at the same time providing information to the Member States concerned. Communication activities shall not be detrimental to the tasks referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, and shall be carried out in accordance with the relevant communication and dissemination plans adopted by the Management Board.
Amendment 116 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. The Agency shall develop such training in close cooperation with Member States and, in cooperation with appropriate training entities in the Member States, including academic institutions and other relevant organisations, to which relevant certification shall be granted.
Amendment 135 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. The Executive Director shall, after consulting the Commission, submit that common analysis to the Management Board for endorsement. Member States shall be required to take that common analysis into account when examining applications for international protection, without prejudice to their competence for deciding on individual applications.
Amendment 147 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
2. The Agency shall, on its own initiative or at the request of the Commission, and in consultation with the Commission, develop operational standards on the implementation of the instruments of Union law on asylum and indicators for monitoring compliancealignment with those operational standards as well as guidelines and best practices related to the implementation of the instruments of Union law on asylum. The Agency shall, following consultation with the Commission and after adoption by the Management Board, communicate those standards, indicators, guidelines or best practices to the Member States.
Amendment 152 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) monitor compliancealignment by Member States with operational standards, indicators guidelines and best practices on asylum;
Amendment 154 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) verifyreview the asylum and reception systems, capabilities, infrastructure, equipment, staff available, including for translation and interpretation in Member States, financial resources and the capacity of Member States' asylum authorities, including the judicial system, to handle and manage asylum cases efficiently and correctly.
Amendment 159 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 3
Article 13 – paragraph 3
3. The Agency shall assessreview the readiness of Member States to meet challenges from possible disproportionate pressure on their asylum and reception systems. The Agency may request Member States to provide it with their contingency planning for measures to be taken to deal with such possible disproportionate pressure and shall assist Member States to prepare and review their contingency planning, where necessary.
Amendment 171 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3
Article 14 – paragraph 3
3. The Executive Director shall transmit the draft report of the team of experts to the Member State concerned, which shall provide its comments on that draft report. The Executive Director shall then submit the draft report, taking into account the comments of the Member State concerned, to the Management Board. The Management Board shall adopt the monitoring report and transmit it to the Commission and the Member State concerned.
Amendment 174 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4
Article 14 – paragraph 4
4. The Executive Director, after consultation with the Commission, shall submit draft recommendationproposals to the Member State concerned outlining the necessaryproposed measures to address shortcomings identified in the monitoring report. The Member State concerned shall be given one month to comment on the draft recommendations. After giving consideration to those comments, the Management Board shall adopt the recommendations and it shall invite the Member State concerned to draw up an action plan outlining the measures to remedy any shortcomings.
Amendment 176 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 5
Article 14 – paragraph 5
5. The Member State concerned shall provide the Agency with an action plan within one month from adoption of the recommendations referred to in paragraph 4. That Member State shall report to the Agency on the implementation of the action plan within three months from the adoption of the recommendationproposals and shall thereafter continue to report every month for a maximum of six months.
Amendment 180 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
1. Where, after the period referred to in Article 14(5), the Member State concerned has not fully implemented the action plansuccessfully addressed the situation that has been created and the shortcomings in the asylum and reception systems are so serious that they jeopardize the functioning of the CEAS, the Commission shall, based on its own assessment of the implementation of the action plan and the seriousness of the shortcomings, adopt recommendationproposals addressed to that Member State outlining the measures needed to remedy the serious shortcomings, and where necessary setting out the measures to be taken by the Agency to support that Member State.
Amendment 183 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3
Article 15 – paragraph 3
3. The Member State concerned shall report to the Commission on the implementation of the recommendations referred to in paragraph 1 within the time-limit set in those recommendations. If after that time-limit, the Commission is not satisfied that the Member State has fully complied with those recommendations, it may take further action in accordance with Article 22(3)measures it is taking to address the situation.
Amendment 193 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point j a (new)
(ja) provide information on the NGOs that are operating in the area;
Amendment 194 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point j b (new)
Article 16 – paragraph 3 – point j b (new)
(jb) provide information on individuals who are linked to terrorist organisations or who have carried out criminal acts, following communication with the relevant European departments.
Amendment 201 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 7
Article 17 – paragraph 7
7. Member States shall ensure that the experts that they contribute have the necessary certifications wherever these are required and match the profiles and numbers decided upon by the Management Board. The duration of deployment shall be determined by the home Member State but it shall not be less than 30 days.
Amendment 204 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1
Article 19 – paragraph 1
1. The Executive Director and the host Member State shall agree on an operational plan. The operational plan shall be binding on the Agency, the host and participating Member States.
Amendment 211 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 6
Article 20 – paragraph 6
6. The Executive Director shall, after informing the host Member State, suspend or terminate the deployment of the asylum support teams if the conditions to carry out the operational and technical measures are no longer fulfilled or if the operational plan is not respected by the host Member State.
Amendment 213 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 21 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the screening of third-country nationals, including their identification, registration, and where requested by Member States, their fingerprinting or the collection of other biometric data;
Amendment 216 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
1. Where the asylum and reception systems of a Member State are subject to disproportionate pressure that places exceptionally heavy and urgent demands on those systems, the Agency shall, at the request of the Member State concerned or on its own initiative, organise and coordinate a comprehensive set of operational and technical measures as referred to in Article 16 and deploy experts from the asylum intervention pool referred to in Article 18 and experts from its own staff to reinforce the asylum and reception systems within a short period of time.
Amendment 218 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 3
Article 22 – paragraph 3
Amendment 220 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4
Article 22 – paragraph 4
Amendment 234 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 25 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) monitor the correct implementation of the operational planprogress in implementing the operational plan and notify the operational director accordingly;
Amendment 236 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25 – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 25 – paragraph 3 – point d
Amendment 248 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 1
Article 32 – paragraph 1
1. The use by the Agency of personal data collected by or transmitted to it by the Member States or by its own staff when providing operational and technical assistance to Member States shall be limited to the name, date of birth, gender, nationality, profession or education, fingerprints or other biometric data and digitised photograph of third-country nationals.
Amendment 250 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 46 – paragraph 5 – point s
Article 46 – paragraph 5 – point s
Amendment 253 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 54 – paragraph 5
Article 54 – paragraph 5
5. The seat of the Agency shall be MaltaGreece.
Amendment 402 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
The Commission and Parliament may request the Agency to carry out a review of the situation in any such third country with a view to assess whether the relevant conditions and criteria set out in that Directive are respected.
Amendment 406 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
2. The Agency shall, on its own initiative or at the request of the Commission, and in consultation with the Commission, develop operational standards on the implementation of the instruments of Union law on asylum and indicators for monitoring compliance with those operational standards as well as guidelines and best practices related to the implementation of the instruments of Union law on asylum. The Agency shall, following consultation with the Commission and after adoption by the Management Board and Parliament, communicate those standards, indicators, guidelines or best practices to the Member States.
Amendment 415 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 13 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. The Agency, in close cooperation with the Commission and Parliament, shall establish a mechanism to:
Amendment 430 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The Agency may, in particular, base its assessment on information provided by Member States, information analysis on the situation of asylum developed by the Agency, on-site visits and case sampling after informing the Member State concerned accordingly and after obtaining its agreement.
Amendment 437 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 13 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
For that purpose, if Member States agree, they shall, at the request of the Agency, provide it with the necessary information as regards asylum procedures, equipment, infrastructure, reception conditions, recognition rates and quality of protection as well as staff and financial resources at national level to ensure an efficient management of the asylum and reception system. The Member States shall also cooperate with the Agency and shall facilitate any on-site visit that the Agency shall carry out for the purposes of the monitoring exercise.
Amendment 447 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The Management Board shall, in consultation with the Commission, set the programme for monitoring and assessing the asylum and reception systems in each Member State, or of all Member States on the basis of thematic or specific aspects of the asylum systems. That programme shall form part of the multi-annual and annual programming referred to in Article 41 and shall be subject to final approval by Parliament.
Amendment 465 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 2
2. The Agency shall set up teams of experts for each monitoring exercise, including for the on-site visits as necessary. The teams of experts shall be composed of experts from the Agency's own staff and Commission and Parliament representatives. The team of experts shall be responsible for drawing up a report based on the findings of on-site visits and information provided by Member States.
Amendment 470 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3
Article 14 – paragraph 3
3. The Executive Director shall transmit the draft report of the team of experts to the Member State concerned, which shall provide its comments on that draft report. The Executive Director shall then submit the draft report, taking into account the comments of the Member State concerned, to the Management Board. The Management Board shall adopt the monitoring report and transmit it to the Commission and Parliament.
Amendment 476 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4
Article 14 – paragraph 4
4. The Executive Director, after consultation with the Commission, shall submit draft recommendobservations to the Member State concerned outlining the necessary measures to address shortcomings identified in the monitoring report. The Member State concerned shall be given one month to comment on theat draft recommendations. After giving consideration to those comments, the Management Board shall adopt the recommendations and it shall invite the Member State concerned to draw up an action plan outlining the measures to remedy any shortcomings.
Amendment 477 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 4
Article 14 – paragraph 4
4. The Executive Director, after consultation with the Commission, shall submit draft recommendobservations to the Member State concerned outlining the necessary measures to address shortcomings identified in the monitoring report. The Member State concerned shall be given one month to comment on theat draft recommendations. After giving consideration to those comments, the Management Board shall adopt the recommendations and it shall invite the Member State concerned to draw up an action plan outlining the measures to remedy any shortcomings.
Amendment 479 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 5
Article 14 – paragraph 5
5. The Member State concerned shall provide the Agency with an action plan within one month from adoption of the recommendobservations referred to in paragraph 4. That Member State shall report to the Agency on the implementation of the action plan within three months from the adoption of the recommendobservations and shall thereafter continue to report every month for a maximum of six months.
Amendment 484 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 6
Article 14 – paragraph 6
6. The Agency shall inform the Commission and Parliament on a regular basis of the implementation of the action plan.
Amendment 492 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3
Article 15 – paragraph 3
3. The Member State concerned shall report to the Commission on the implementation of the recommendobservations referred to in paragraph 1 within the time- limit set in those recommendobservations. If after that time-limit, the Commission is not satisfied that the Member State has fully complied with those recommendations, it may take further action in accordance with Article 22(3) after obtaining the agreement of Parliament and of the Council.
Amendment 541 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 1
Article 20 – paragraph 1
1. If necessary, the Executive Director may send experts from the Agency to assess the situation in the Member State requesting assistance. The Executive Director shall immediately notify the Management Board, Parliament and the Member State of any request for deployment of asylum support teams.
Amendment 542 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 20 – paragraph 2
Article 20 – paragraph 2
2. The Executive Director shall take a decision on the request for deployment of asylum support teams within three working days from the date of receipt of the request. The Executive Director shall at the same time notify the Member State requesting assistance and, the Management Board and Parliament of the decision in writing stating the main reasons for his or her decision.
Amendment 559 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
1. Where the asylum and reception systems of a Member State are subject to disproportionate pressure that places exceptionally heavy and urgent demands on those systems, the Agency shall, at the request of the Member State concerned or on its own initiative, organise and coordinate a comprehensive set of operational and technical measures as referred to in Article 16 and deploy experts from the asylum intervention pool referred to in Article 18 and experts from its own staff to reinforce the asylum and reception systems within a short period of time.
Amendment 561 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2
Article 22 – paragraph 2
2. The experts of the asylum intervention pool shall be deployed in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 20 provided however that experts shall be deployed from each Member State within three working days from the date on which the operational plan is agreed upon by the Executive Director and the Member State requesting assistance. The Member States may not invoke the exception provided for in Article 17(6). unless there is a Council decision in that regard.
Amendment 562 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2
Article 22 – paragraph 2
2. The experts of the asylum intervention pool shall be deployed in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 20 provided however that experts shall be deployed from each Member State within three working days from the date on which the operational plan is agreed upon by the Executive Director and the Member State requesting assistance. The Member States may not invoke the exception provided for in Article 17(6) unless they give the Council reasons for their decision to do so.
Amendment 564 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 3
Article 22 – paragraph 3
3. Where in the event of disproportionate pressure on the asylum or reception systems a Member State does not request the Agency for operational and technical assistance or does not accept an offer by the Agency for such assistance or does not take sufficient action to address that pressure, or where it does not comply with the Commission's recommendations referred to in Article 15(3), thereby rendering the asylum or reception systems ineffective to the extent of jeopardising the functioning of the CEAS, the Commission may adopt a decision by means of an implementing act, after informing the Council and Parliament accordingly and after obtaining their agreement, identifying one or more of the measures set out in Article 16(3) to be taken by the Agency to support the Member State concerned. That implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 64.
Amendment 576 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2
Article 23 – paragraph 2
2. The Agency may acquire or lease technical equipment by decision of the Executive Director, in consultation with the Management Board. Any acquisition or leasing of equipment shall be preceded by a thorough needs and cost/benefit analysis. Any such expenditure shall be provided for in the Agency's budget as adopted by the Management Board and in accordance with the financial rules applicable to the Agency. The Court of Auditors shall regularly audit that expenditure.
Amendment 583 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2
Article 28 – paragraph 2
2. The Management Board shall establish detailed rules and update them as necessary as regards the payment of the daily subsistence allowance of experts deployed by Member States to the asylum support teams. The Court of Auditors shall regularly audit that expenditure.
Amendment 619 #
2016/0131(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 36 – paragraph 2
Article 36 – paragraph 2
2. Such cooperation shall take place within the framework of working arrangements concluded with those bodies, after having received the Commission's approval. The Agency shall inform the European Parliament and the Council of any such arrangements.
Amendment 31 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) In recent years, the challenge posed by corporate income tax avoidance and aggressive tax planning has increased considerably and has become a major focus of concern within the Union and globally. The European Council in its conclusions of 18 December 2014 acknowledged the urgent need to advance efforts in the fight against tax avoidance both at global and Union level. The Commission in its communications entitled ‘Commission Work Programme 2016 - No time for business as usual’16 and ‘Commission Work Programme 2015 - A New Start’17 identified as a priority the need to move to a system whereby the country in which profits are generated is also the country of taxation. The Commission also identified as a priority the need to respond to our societies’ call for fairness and tax transparency. _________________ 16 COM(2015) 610 final of 27 October 2015. 17 COM(2014) 910 final of 16 December 2014.
Amendment 34 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The public should be able to scrutinise all the activities of a group when the group has certain establishments and interests within the Union. For groups which carry out activities within the Union only through subsidiary undertakings or branches, subsidiaries and branches should publish and make accessible the report of the ultimate parent undertaking. However for reasons of proportionality and effectiveness, the obligation to publish and make accessible the report should be limited to medium-sized or large subsidiaries established or with a strong continuous presence in the Union, or branches of a comparable size opened and operating in a Member State. The scope of Directive 2013/34/EU should therefore be extended accordingly to branches opened in a Member State by an undertaking which is established outside the Union.
Amendment 37 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) In order to avoid double or multiple reporting for the banking sector, ultimate parent undertakings which are subject to Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council21 and which include in their report prepared in accordance with Article 89 of Directive 2013/36/EU all its activities and all the activities of its affiliated undertakings included in the consolidated financial statements, including activities not subject to the provisions of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part Three of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council22 , should be exempted from the reporting requirements set out in this Directive. _________________ 21 Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2002/87/EC and repealing Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC (OJ L 176, 27.6.2013, p. 338). 22 Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 (OJ L 176, 27.6.2013, p. 1).
Amendment 38 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The comprehensive report on income tax information should provide information concerning all the activities of an undertaking or of all the affiliated undertakings of a group controlled by an ultimate parent undertaking. The information should be based on the reporting specifications of BEPS’ Action 13 and should be limited to what is necessary to enable effective public scrutiny, in order to ensure that disclosure does not give rise to disproportionate risks or any unfair disadvantages. The report should also include a brief description of the nature of the activities. Such description might be based on the categorisation provided for in table 2 of the Annex III of Chapter V of the OECD “Transfer Pricing Guidelines on Documentation”. The report should include an overall narrative providing explanations in case of material discrepancies at group level between the amounts of taxes accrued and the amounts of taxes paid, taking into account and in comparison with corresponding amounts concerning previous financial years.
Amendment 39 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) In order to ensure a level of detail that enables citizens to better assess and scrutinize the contribution of multinational undertakings to tax and welfare in each Member State, the information should be broken down by Member State as well as Member States' constituent countries and states. Moreover, information concerning the operations of multinational enterprises should also be shown with a high level of detail as regards non-cooperative tax jurisdictions or certain tax jurisdictions which pose particular challenges. For all other third country operations, the information should be giveit should be possible to provide the information in an aggregate number.
Amendment 43 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) In order to strengthen responsibility vis-á-vis third parties and to ensure appropriate governance, the members of the administrative, management and supervisory bodies of the ultimate parent undertaking which is established within the Union and which has the obligation to draw up, publish and make accessible the report on income tax information, should be collectively responsible for ensuring the compliance with these reporting obligations. Given that members of the administrative, management and supervisory bodies of the subsidiaries which are established within the Union and which are controlled by an ultimate parent undertaking established outside the Union or the person(s) in charge of carrying out the disclosures formalities for the branch may have limited knowledge of the content of the report on income tax information prepared by the ultimate parent undertaking, their legal responsibility to publish and make accessible the report on income tax information should be limitedlie with those in positions of authority as per the internal hierarchical structures applicable by custom or the organizational chart.
Amendment 44 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) To ensure that all finalized cases of non- compliance are disclosed to the public, statutory auditor(s) or audit firm(s) should checkfirst establish whether the report on income tax information has been submitted and presented in accordance with the requirements of this Directive and duly made accessible on the relevant undertaking’s website or on the website of an affiliated undertaking.
Amendment 45 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) This Directive aims to enhance transparency and the public scrutiny on's capability to scrutinise all the activities of a group ordinarily present or established in the Union based on data related to corporate income tax by adapting the existing legal framework concerning the obligations imposed on companies and firms in respect of the publication of reports, for the protection of the interests of members and others, within the meaning of Article 50(2)(g) TFEU. As the Court of Justice held, in particular, in Case C-97/96 Verband deutscher Daihatsu-Händler23 , Article 50(2)(g) TFEU refers to the need to protect the interests of "others" generally, without distinguishing or excluding any categories falling within the ambit of that term. Moreover, the objective of attaining freedom of establishment, which is assigned in very broad terms to the institutions by Article 50(1) TFEU, cannot be circumscribed by the provisions of Article 50(2) TFEU. Given that this Directive does not concern the harmonisation of taxes but onlyis strictly limited to obligations to publish reports on income tax information only, Article 50(1) TFEU constitutes the appropriate legal basis. _________________ 23 Judgement of the Court of Justice of 4 December 1997, C-97/96 Verband deutscher Daihatsu-Händler ECLI:EU:C:1997:581
Amendment 46 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to determine non- cooperative tax jurisdictions and certain tax jurisdictions for which a high level of detail should be shown, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission in respect of drawing up a common Union list of these tax jurisdictions. This list should be drawn up on the basis of certain criteria, identified on the basis of Annex 1 of the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and Council on an External Strategy for Effective Taxation (COM(2016) 24 final). It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making as approved by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission and pending formal signature. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.
Amendment 47 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Since the objective of this Directive cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States alone but can rather, by reason of its effect, be betterprocedurally normalized and more effectively achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality as set out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.
Amendment 49 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 48b – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall require ultimate parent undertakings governed by their national laws and having a consolidated net turnover exceeding EUR 7250 000 000 as well as undertakings governed by their national laws that are not affiliated undertakings and having a net turnover exceeding EUR 7250 000 000 to draw up and publish a report on income tax information on an annual basis.
Amendment 51 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 48b – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The report on income tax information shall be made accessible to the public in a comprehensive manner and appropriate format for an average reader on the website of the undertaking on the date of its publication.
Amendment 52 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Article 48b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall require the medium- sized and large subsidiary undertakings referred to in Article 3(3) and (4) which are governed by their national laws and controlled by an ultimate parent undertaking which has a consolidated net turnover exceeding EUR 7250 000 000 and which is not governed by the law of a Member State, to publish the report on income tax information of that ultimate parent undertaking on an annual basis.
Amendment 53 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 48b – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
The report on income tax information shall be made accessible to the public on the date of its publication in a comprehensive manner and appropriate format for an average reader on the website of the subsidiary undertaking or on the website of an affiliated undertaking.
Amendment 54 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 48b – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall duly require branches which are opened in their territories by an undertaking which is not governed by the law of a Member State to publish on an annual basis the report onappropriately and fully publish on an annual and binding basis the disclosing report on relevant income tax information of the ultimate parent undertaking referred to in point (a) of paragraph 5 of this Article.
Amendment 55 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
Article 48b – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2
The report on income tax information shall be made accessible to the public oin the date of its publicationa comprehensive manner and appropriate format for an average reader on the website of the branch or on the website of an affiliated undertaking on the date of its publication .
Amendment 56 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 5 – point a
Article 48b – paragraph 5 – point a
(a) the undertaking which opened the branch is either an affiliated undertaking of a group which is controlled by an ultimate parent undertaking not governed by the law of a Member State and which has a consolidated net turnover exceeding EUR 7250 000 000 or an undertaking that is not an affiliated and which has a net turnover exceeding EUR 7250 000 000;
Amendment 57 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 6
Article 48b – paragraph 6
6. Member States shall not apply the rules set out in paragraphs 3 and 4 of this Article where a report on income tax information drawn up in accordance with Article 48c is otherwise made accessible to the public in the required standard and an appropriate manner on the website of the ultimate parent undertaking not governed by the law of a Member State within a reasonable period of time, which shall not exceed 126 months after the balance sheet date and where the report identifies the name and registered office of the single subsidiary undertaking or the single branch ordinarily governed by the law of a Member State which has published the report in accordance with Article 48d(1).
Amendment 58 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48b – paragraph 7
Article 48b – paragraph 7
7. Member State shall duly require subsidiaries or branches not strictly subject to the narrow provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 to appropriately publish and makefully and accessible thy disclose on an annual and binding basis the respective report on income tax information where such subsidiaries or branches have been established for the purpose of avoiding the reporting requirements set out in this Chapter.
Amendment 59 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – introductory sentence
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – introductory sentence
2. The information referred to in paragraph 1 shall comprise at least the following:
Amendment 60 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) a brief descrip, relevant, descriptive and factual illustration of the nature of all the activities;
Amendment 61 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) the number of employeesfull-time and part- time employees, including those on fixed- term contracts, on a traineeship or research contract, or on probation period;
Amendment 62 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) the amount of the net turnover in the currency or currencies used as a medium for the respective transactions or other actions, which includes the turnover made with related parties;
Amendment 63 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) the amount of profit or loss in the currency of the Member State in reference before income tax;
Amendment 64 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) the amount of income tax accrued (current year) in the reference currency used by the Member State, which is the current tax expense recognised on taxable profits or losses of the financial year by undertakings and branches resident for tax purposes in the relevant tax jurisdiction;
Amendment 65 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) the amount of income tax paid in the currency in use by the respective sovereign Member State, which is the amount of income tax paid during the relevant financial year by undertakings and branches resident for tax purposes in the relevant tax jurisdiction; and
Amendment 66 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 48c – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) the amount of accumulated earnings in the currency of choice, either EUR or the currency used by the respective Member State or broken down over several currencies depending on the undertaken transactions and other actions and the respective current account(s) balance sheet.
Amendment 67 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
Article 48c – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2
The report shall present the information referred to in paragraph 2 separately for each Member State. Where a Member State comprises several tax jurisdictions, the information shall be combined at Member State levelbroken down over all tax jurisdictions where the undertaking maintains presence or is ordinarily established to the same effect. The information shall be combined at Member State level if there is no difference on liabilities and obligations resulting from the different jurisdictions and the jurisdictions do not utilise or apply different fiscal policies and tax rates.
Amendment 68 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 5
Article 48c – paragraph 5
5. The report on income tax information shall be published and made accessible on the website in at least one of the official languages of the Member State in which subsidiaries or branches of the undertaking are established or operate for the purposes of this Directive, which is also an official and working language of the Union.
Amendment 69 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48c – paragraph 6
Article 48c – paragraph 6
6. The currency used in the report on income tax information shall be the currency in which the consolidated financial statements are presented. Member States shall not require or as indicated in thise report to be published in a different currency than the currency used in the financial statementsing requirements of this Directive.
Amendment 70 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48f
Article 48f
Member States shall ensure that, where the financial statements of an affiliated undertaking are audited by one or more statutory auditor(s) or audit firm(s) pursuant to Article 34(1), the statutory auditor(s) or audit firm(s) also check whether the report on income tax information has been provided and made accessible in accordance with Articles 48b, 48c and 48d. The statutory auditor(s) or audit firm(s) shall indicate in the audit report if the report on income tax information has not been provided or made accessible in the expected standard and in accordance with those Articles.
Amendment 71 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48g – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 48g – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) Transparency and exchange of information, including information exchange on request and Automatic Exchange of Informatand provision of financial account information on request;
Amendment 72 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48g – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 48g – paragraph 1 – point 2
(2) Fair, non-aggressive and non- abusive tax competition;
Amendment 73 #
2016/0107(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2013/34/EU
Article 48i – subparagraph 2
Article 48i – subparagraph 2
The report shall be submitted to the European Parliament and to the Council, to the Council and to the European Anti-Fraud Office by [Publications Office- set the date = five years after the transposition date of this Directive].
Amendment 161 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The European Council of 19 and 20 June 2008 underlined the importance of continuing to work on the development of the EU's integrated border management strategy, including betterthe best and most effective use of modern technologies to genuinely improve the management of external borders with emphasis on protection against external threats to public safety and health and better control of legal border crossings.
Amendment 168 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) It is necessary to specify clearly and from the outset the objectives of the Entry/Exit System (EES) and its technical architecture, to lay down rules concerning its operation and uscope and to define the exact responsibilities for the system, the categories and types of data to be entered into the system, the purposes for which the data are to be entered, the criteria for their entry, the authorities authorised to access the data and further rules on data recording, management, processing and use and the protection of personal data.
Amendment 172 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) The EES should apply to all third country nationals admitted for a short stay to the Schengen area. It should also apply to third country nationals whose entry for a short stay has been refused and their details should be also made available for further processing with a view to averting any possible danger.
Amendment 188 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) The EES should have the objective of improving the management of external borders, preventing and limiting irregular immigration and facilitating the management of legal migration flows. The EES should, in particular and when relevant, contribute to the identification of any person who doesmay not, or may no longer fulfils the conditions of duration of stay within the territory of the Member States and forward the information to the competent authorities.
Amendment 194 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) To meet those objectives, the EES should process alphanumeric data and biometric data (fingerprints and facial image). The use of biometrics, despite its impact on the privacy of travellers, is justified and acceptable for two reasons. Firstly, biometrics are a reliable method to identify third country nationals within the territory of the Member States not in possession of travel documents or any other means of identification, a common modus operandi of irregular migrants. Secondly, biometrics provide for the more reliable matching of entry and exit data of legal travellers. Where facial images are used in combination with fingerprint data, it allows for the reduction of fingerprints registered while enabling the same result in terms of accuracy of the identification.
Amendment 199 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Four fingerprints of visa exempt third country nationals should be enrolled in the EES, if physically possible, to allow for accurate verification and identification (ensuring that the third country national is not already enrolled under another identity or with another travel document) and to guarantee that sufficient data is available in every circumstance. The check of the fingerprints of visa holders will be done against the Visa Information System. (VIS) established by Council Decision 2004/512/EC21. The facial image of both visa exempt and visa holding third country nationals should be registered in the EES and it should be used as the main biometric identifier for verifying the identity of third country nationals who have been previously registered in the EES and for as long as their individual file has not been deleted. Alternatively, that verification should be performed using fingerprints. The recording of additional biometric data must in future be reconsidered as a possibility. _________________ 21 Council Decision 2004/512/EC of 8 June 2004 establishing the Visa Information System (VIS) (OJ L 213, 15.6.2004, p.5).
Amendment 204 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The EES should consist of a Central System, which will operate a computerised central database ofand biometric and alphanumeric data, bank a National Uniform Interface in each Member State, a Secure Communication Channel between the EES Central System and the VIS Central System and the Communication Infrastructure between the Central System and the National Uniform Interfaces. Each Member State should connect its national border infrastructures securely to the National Uniform Interface.
Amendment 216 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) This Regulation should define the authorities of the Member States which may be authorised to have access to the EES to enter, amend, delete or consult data for the specific purposes of the EES and to the extent necessary for the performance of their tasks. This Regulation should also facilitate joint data processing following justification and approval in the public interest, over and above specific TEU objectives.
Amendment 221 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Any processing of EES data should be proportionate to the objectives pursued and necessary for the performance of tasks of the competent authorities. When using the EES, the competent authorities should ensure that the human dignity and integrity of the person, whose data are requested, are respected and should not discriminate against persons on grounds of sex, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientationand should safeguard fundamental rights as set out and upheld by the Treaties.
Amendment 238 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Access to the EES for the purpose of preventing, detecting or investigating terrorist offences or other serious criminal offences constitutes an interference with the fundamental rights to respect for the private life of individuals and to protection of personal data of persons whose personal data are processed in the EES. Any such interference must be in accordance with the law, which must bespecific and targeted, formulated with sufficient precision to allow individuals to adjust their conduct and it must protect individuals against arbitrariness and indicate with sufficient clarity the scope of discretion conferred on the competent authorities and the manner of its exercise. Any interference must be necessary in a democratic society to protect a legitimate and proportionate interest and proportionate to the legitimate objective to achieve, any impact on fundamental rights remaining within the limits necessary to ensure their lasting protection.
Amendment 261 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) The personal data stored in the EES should be kept for no longer than is necessary for the purposes of the EES. It is appropriate to keep the data related to third country nationals for a period of fiveten years for border management purposes in order to avoid the need for third country nationals to re-enrol in the EES before that period has lapsed. For third country nationals who are family members of a Union citizen to whom Directive 2004/38/EC27 applies or of a national of a third country enjoying the right of free movement under Union law and who do not hold a residence card referred to under Directive 2004/38/EC, it is appropriate to store each coupled entry/ exit record for a maxinimum period of one year after the last exit. _________________ 27 Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States amending Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 and repealing Directives 64/221/EEC, 68/360/EEC, 72/194/EEC, 73/148/EEC, 75/34/EEC, 75/35/EEC, 90/364/EEC, 90/365/EEC and 93/96/EEC (OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 77).
Amendment 268 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) A fiveten year data retention period is necessary to allow the border guard performing the necessary risk analysis requested by the Schengen Borders Code before authorising a traveller entering the Schengen area. The processing of visa application in consular posts requires also analysing the travel history of the applicant to assess the use of previous visas and the respect of the conditions of stay. The abandoning of passport stamping will be compensated by a consultation of the EES. The travel history available in the system should therefore cover a period of time which is sufficient for the purpose of visa issuance. The fiveten year data retention period will reduce the re-enrolment frequency and will be beneficial for all travellers as the average border crossing time will decrease as will do the waiting time at border crossing points. Even for a traveller entering only once in the Schengen area, the fact that other travellers being already registered in the EES will not have to re- enrol will probably reduce the total waiting time at border. This data retention period will also be necessary to allow for facilitation for the border crossing by using process accelerators and self-service systems. Such facilitation is dependent of the data registered in the system. A shorter data retention period would have a negative impact on the duration of border controls. A shorter data retention period would also reduce the group of travellers that can benefit of such facilitation and thereby undermine the stated objective of EES to facilitate border crossing.
Amendment 274 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The same retention period of fiveten years would be necessary for data on persons who have not exited the territory of the Member States within the authorised period of stay in order to support the identification and return process and for persons whose entry for a short stay or on the basis of a touring visa has been refused. The data should be deleted after the period of fiveten years, unless there are grounds to delete it earlierlater, principally for the purpose of helping the authorities find and identify those who have exceeded the authorised admission period and for possible crime prevention.
Amendment 281 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) RThe possibility of introducing rules on the liability of the Member States authorities and the Union in respect to damage arising from any breach of this Regulation should be laid downexamined.
Amendment 289 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) Personal data obtained by Member States pursuant to this Regulation should not be transferred or made available to a third country, an international organisation or, any private party or other third party established in or outside the Union except if necessaryabsolutely necessary and legally justified in individual cases in order to assist the identification of a third country national in relation to his/her return and subject to strict conditions.
Amendment 291 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) The independent supervisory authorities established in accordance with Article 28 of Directive 95/46/EC should monitor the lawfulness of the processing of personal data by the Member States, whilst the European Data Protection Supervisor as established by Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 should monitor the activities of the Union institutions and bodies in relation to the processing of personal data. The European Data Protection Supervisor and the supervisory authorities should cooperate with each other in the monitoring of the EESeffectively dovetail their operations in the monitoring of the EES without encroaching on each other’s areas of responsibility.
Amendment 296 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 38
Recital 38
(38) The effective monitoring of the application of this Regulation requires periodic evaluation at regular intervals. The. Member States should lay down and implement rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Regulation and ensure that they are implementedis Regulation.
Amendment 297 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 39
Recital 39
(39) In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, certain implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission in line with the principle of proportionality. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council32. _________________ 32 Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission's exercise of implementing powers (OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13).
Amendment 298 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 40
Recital 40
(40) The establishment of a common EES and the creation of common obligations, conditions and procedures for use of data cannot only with difficulty be sufficiently achieved by the Member States as things now stand and can therefore, by reason of the scale and impact of the action, be better achieved more quickly and effectively at Union level in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, the Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve this objective.
Amendment 299 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 41
Recital 41
(41) Following the entry into operation of the Entry/Exit System, Article 20(2) of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement should be amended as it is incompatible with Article 77(2)(a) and (c) of the Treaty on Functioning of the European Union due to the fact that the common policy on visas cannot generally be based on the existence or non-existence of bilateral visa waiver agreements concluded by Member States and the authorised length of stay of third country nationals should not depend on the number and content of such bilateral agreements. Furthermore tAgreements already in place can be maintained and renewed through the issuing of a reasoned opinion by the competent national authorities. The Entry/Exit system could notwill have to take into account of and calculate the authorised length of stay of visa free third country nationals benefiting from such agreements, which are at the discretion of the Member States, and they should be eliminated.
Amendment 301 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 42
Recital 42
(42) The projected costs of the EES are lower than the budget earmarked for Smart Borders in Regulation (EU) 515/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council33. Accordingly, following the adoption of this Regulation, pursuant to Article 5(5)(b) of Regulation (EU) 515/2014, the Commission should, by means of a delegated act, re-allocate to other measures related to the prevention, combating and management of illegal immigration the amount currently earmarked for developing IT systems supporting the management of migration flows across the external borders. _________________ 33 Regulation (EU) No 515/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 establishing as part of the Internal Security Fund, the Instrument for financial support for external borders and visa and repealing Decision No 574/2007/EC (OJ L 150, 20.5.2014, p. 143).
Amendment 312 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes an 'Entry/Exit System' (EES) for the recording and storage of information on the date, time, means and place of entry and exit of third country nationals crossing the external borders of the Member States, for the calculation of the duration of their stay, and for the generation of alerts to Member States whenas soon as authorised periods for stay have expired as well as for the recording of the date, time and place of refusal of entry of third country nationals whose entry for a short stay or on the basis of a touring visa has been refused as well as the authority of the Member State which refused the entry and the reasons for the refusal.
Amendment 356 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
By recording, storing and providing access to Member States to the date, time, means and place of the entry and exit and refusals of entry of third country nationals at external borders, the EES shall:
Amendment 382 #
2016/0106(COD)
(l) enable generating information on travel histories of terrorist, criminal suspects as well as of victims for investigations related to the protection of public safety, terrorism or serious crime.
Amendment 392 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Each Member State shall designate the competent national authorities, including border, visa and immigration authorities. The duly authorised staff shall have access to the EES to enter, amend, delete or, consult or process data. Each Member State shall communicate a list of these authorities to eu-LISA without delay. That list shall specify for which purpose each authority shall have access to the data in the EES.
Amendment 393 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1
Article 9 – paragraph 1
1. Each competent authority authorised to access the EES shall ensure that the use of the EES is necessary, appropriate and proportionate and that each access operation meets traceability requirements.
Amendment 396 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 2
Article 9 – paragraph 2
2. Each competent authority shall ensure that in using the EES, it does not excessively or unjustifiably discriminate against third country nationals on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation and that it fully respects human dignity and the integrity of the personand ensures protection of their fundamental rights. Particular attention shall be paid to the specific situation of children, the elderly and, persons with a disability and vulnerable adults. In particular, when retaining a child's data, the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration.
Amendment 406 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
(aa) inform the competent authorities should third country nationals fail to leave the territory on expiry of the maximum admission period;
Amendment 562 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 1
Article 31 – paragraph 1
1. Each entry/exit record or refusal of entry record linked to an individual file shall be stored for fiveten years following the date of the exit record or of the refusal of entry record, as applicable.
Amendment 569 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 2
Article 31 – paragraph 2
2. Each individual file together with the linked entry/exit record(s) or refusal of entry records shall be stored in the EES for fiveten years and one day following the date of the last exit record if there is no entry record within fiveten years from that last exit record or refusal of entry record.
Amendment 577 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 3
Article 31 – paragraph 3
3. If there is no exit record following the date of expiry of the authorised period of stay, the data shall be stored for a period of fiveten years following the last day of the authorised stay. The EES shall automatically inform the Member States threesix months in advance of the scheduled deletion of data on overstayers in order for them to adopt the appropriate measures.
Amendment 593 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 6 – introductory part
Article 32 – paragraph 6 – introductory part
6. Where a third country national has acquired the nationality of a Member State or has fallen under the scope of Article 2(3) before the expiry of the period referred to in Article 31, the individual file and the records linked to it in accordance with Articles 14 and 15 shall be deleted without delay from the EES as well as, where applicable, from the list of identified persons referred to in Article 11:
Amendment 594 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 7
Article 32 – paragraph 7
7. The Central System shall immediately inform all Member States of the erasure of data from the EES and where applicable from the list of identified persons referred to in Article 11. The data shall be erased six months after all Member States have been informed.
Amendment 625 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – paragraph 1
Article 38 – paragraph 1
1. Data stored in the EES shall not be transferred or made available to a third country, to an international organisation or any, to a private party or to a third party inside or outside the Union, unless necessary under the exceptional circumstances provided for in this regulation.
Amendment 635 #
2016/0106(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 38 – paragraph 3
Article 38 – paragraph 3
3. Transfers of personal data to third countries or international organisations pursuant to paragraph 2 shall not prejudice the rights of applicants for and beneficiaries of international protection, in particular as regards non-refoulement.
Amendment 30 #
2016/0105(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Taking into account the different situations in the Member States and at different border crossing points within the Member States concerning the number of third country nationals crossing the borders, Member States should be able to decidemake a reasoned decision whether and to what extent to make use of technologies such as automated border control systems, "self-service kiosks" and e-gates. When using such technologies, it should be ensured that entry and exit checks are carried out in a harmonised way at the external borders and that an appropriate level of security and integrity, equivalent or superior to previous border control procedures is ensured.
Amendment 32 #
2016/0105(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In addition, the tasks and roles of the border guards when making use of such technologies need to be defined. In this regard, it should be ensured that the results of border checks performed through automated means are available to border guards so as to enin real time and in suitable theform tso takehat the appropriatey can be sure of taking the correct decisions. In addition, there is a need to supervise the use of the automated border control systems, "self- service kiosks" and e-gates by travellers so as to prevent fraudulent behaviour and uses. In addition, when carrying out this supervision, border guards should pay particular attention to minors and vulnerable persons should be placed in a position that should enable them to identify persons needing possibly posing a threat to law and order or who may be in need of protection.
Amendment 34 #
2016/0105(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Member States should also be able to establish national facilitation programmes on a voluntary basis to allow pre-vettedentry for third country nationals to benefit at entry from derogations to the thorough checkswho have undergone a comparable level of preliminary vetting. When using such national facilitation programmes, it should be ensured that they are established in a harmonised way and that the appropriatehighest level of security is guaranteed.
Amendment 4 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that NGOs are vital change agents and human rights defenders with a central role in implementing Agenda 2030; given current humanitarian crises, underlines NGOs’the importance tof those which have been shown to be working, using legal means, to provide humanitarian aid; condemns efforts to control NGOs through public funds and opaque procedures;
Amendment 17 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls EU support for the 2011 International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness, and the commitments made to help lawful civil society organisations (CSOs) achieve results- oriented outcomes;
Amendment 27 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges the Commission to build a central database outlining NGO funding and results, and to make any data secure that might endanger NGO actors, but, above all, to make available evaluation information on NGOs for further funding;
Amendment 42 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that NGOs differ in terms of size and activities; urges that a range of grants be offerand regulatory frameworks be adopted; asks the Commission to make administrative burdens proportional to grant size;
Amendment 51 #
2015/2345(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Recognises that working with multiple donors increases administrative burdens; asks the Commission, therefore, to limit minimum percentage requirements in co-funding agreements, ensure that in- kind contributions are considered eligible, harmonise external evaluation requirements and make better use of existing evaluations, without, however, making allowances regarding financial management and transparency;
Amendment 41 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas the development of the CSDP requires shared values and common interests, and political will from the Member States, as well as the setting-up of robust institutional cooperation structures; whereas the CSDP should be a commonunanimously co-decided policy and not athe mere sum of the national policies of the Member States;
Amendment 55 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Δ
Recital Δ
D. whereas the EU now has competence to define and implement a common security and defence policy that includes the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy; whereas the Union should use this competence to coordinatemonitor, assist and supplement the actions of the Member States, on the basis of Article 42, paragraph 7, of the TFEU, without thereby prejudicing or superseding their competence in defence;
Amendment 69 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
E. whereas EU citizens are calling for more European intervention in defence and security, with two thirds wishing to see greater EU engagement in matters of security and defence policy, due to the upsurge in extremist Islamist terrorist attacks;
Amendment 91 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ζ
Recital Ζ
G. whereas Parliament activeconditionally supports the European Defence Union and will continue to make appropriate and realistic proposals to that end; whereas the interparliamentary conference on the CFSP and CSDP should become the forum for the implementation of effective and regular interparliamentary cooperation on the CSDP and the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy, mainly on issues of targeting, delimitation of competences and organisation;
Amendment 96 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Η
Recital Η
H. whereas the VP/HR regularly consults Parliament, as it should, pursuant to Article 36 TFEU, on the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy, ensures that the views of Parliament are duly taken into consideration in that process, and informs Parliament on the progress made towards the European Defence Union;
Amendment 99 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Θ
Recital Θ
I. whereas the VP/HR, in her statement at the Gymnich informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers of 2 September 2016, referred to the ‘window of opportunity’ for solid progress to be made among Member States in the field of defence,security and addressing domestic and regional threats;
Amendment 101 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ι
Recital Ι
J. whereas the Commissionuncil and the Commission through the HR ensures the application of the Treaties, and of measures adopted by the institutions pursuant to them, including in the area of CSDP;
Amendment 108 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΑ
Recital ΙΑ
K. whereas the Union’s future annual and multiannual programming should include the defence policyand security policy, based on the strategic interests, objectives and general orientations as identified by the Council; whereas the Commission should initiate the work on appropriate interinstitutional agreements, including an EU Defence White Book, for awhich should be first implementaed experimentally until final adoption, under the next multiannual financial and political framework of the EU;
Amendment 113 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΒ
Recital ΙΒ
L. whereas the European Parliament represents the European citizens and exercises legislative and budgetary functions as well as political control and consultation functions and has the opportunity to ask questions or make recommendations to the Council and the High Representative of the Union;
Amendment 120 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΓ
Recital ΙΓ
M. whereas framing a common Union defence policy and establishing common defence without the European Parliament’s political and institutional support would undermine the representative and democratic foundations of the Union and affect the application of the procedures and the corresponding scope of the competences of the institutions provided for by the Treaties regarding the exercise of the Union competences;
Amendment 125 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital ΙΔ
Recital ΙΔ
N. whereas the EU Global Strategy, as clearly defined in Articles 3 and 6 of the TFEU, with emphasis on the promotion of peace and prosperity for its peoples, should serve as a very clear and valuable strategic framework for the future development of the CSDP;
Amendment 138 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that the CSDP, as provided for in the Treaty on European Union (TEU), includes the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy that will lead to a future common defence when the European Council, acting unanimously, so decides, and providing there is consistency between the different areas of its external action and between these and the Union's other policies; calls on the Member States to commit as a matter of priority to the provisions of the Treaty on the CSDP, and to ensure tangible progress in the achievement of the objectives as defined in those provisions;
Amendment 145 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the reform and innovation that the Lisbon Treaty brings to the CSDP constitute a sufficient and coherent framework and should set the path for the promotion of multilateral solutions to joint problems and a truly common policy, based on shared resources and capabilities as well as on coordinated planning at Union level; stresses that the progress of the CSDP within the current institutional and legal framework is dependent more on the political will of Member States than on legal considerations;
Amendment 152 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls, therefore, on the VP/HR, the Council and the Member States to use all the possibilities provided for in the Treaty, especially the mechanisms contained in Article 42(6) TEU and Article 46 TEU on Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), and in Article 44 TEU on the implementation of a CSDP task by a group of Member States, in order to achieve a faster, assignment of missions and a more efficient and more flexible deployment of missions and operations;
Amendment 165 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that where the TEU provides that the Council acts by a qualified majority to adopt decisions under the CSDP, in particular those under Articles 45(2) and 46(2) TEU, all expenditure to which the implementation of such decisions gives rise should be charged to the Union budget; considers that, to that end, there is a need for additional funding or proportionate co- funding from Member States providing their budgetary resources allow it;
Amendment 177 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers, therefore, that the European Defence Agency (EDA) and PESCO should be treated as Union institutions sui generis, with a purely advisory and supportive role, as is the case with the European External Action Service (EEAS); considers that this requires amending the Financial Regulation in order to include EDA and PESCO in Article 2(b) thereof, with a specific section in the Union budget;
Amendment 206 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Is resolved to exercise effective political parliamentary scrutiny and budgetary control over EDA and PESCO as provided for by the treaties;
Amendment 219 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Is convinced that the Union’s security and defence will be stronger as we stand united; takes the view that the EU needs to develop an effective system for European burden-sharing for its own security and defence, which is not yet the case and recognises that only the forces of Member States, excluding forces from non-EU third countries, may take part in the CSDP and particularly in world-wide missions under the auspices of the EU;
Amendment 229 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises that security and defence constitute an area where European added value can be easily demonstrated, in terms of economic and efficiency gains, by giving Member States increased and more cost-effective capacity, through an increase in co-funding for the procurement and development of defence equipment, greater coherence, coordination and interoperability in security and defence, as well as in terms of contributing to consolidating solidarity and cohesion within the Union;
Amendment 239 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines that the reinforcement of the CSDP in line with the Treaties will not impingeexcludes any surrender onf national sovereignty as this policy is driven by the Member States; is convinced that there is no greater respect for sovereignty than defending the territorial integrity of the European Union through a common defence policy;
Amendment 255 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the projected increase in national defence expenditure to 2 % of EU GDP; highlights that this would mean extra expenditure of nearly EUR 100 billion on defence by the end of the coming decade; considers that this boost should be used to launch more strategic cooperative programmes within and through the Union, by better structuring the demand and supply sides and making both sides more efficient and more effective and stresses that Member States which are also members of NATO are already required to set aside part of their budgets (2%) for the development of military capabilities within the framework of NATO;
Amendment 265 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Is convinced that the Union’s investment in defence should ensure that all Member States can participate in a balanced, coherent and synchronised improvement of their military capabilities, always bearing in mind their respective financial capabilities; considers that this constitutes a strategic opportunity for the Union to improve its security and defence;
Amendment 272 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Highlights the continued need for the establishment of a Council format of Defence Ministers, which would operate in an auxiliary capacity vis-à-vis the Council and the European Council in order to provide sustained political leadership and coordinate the implementation of the CSDP;
Amendment 284 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that the Steering Board of the EDA, made up of the representatives of Member States’ defence ministries, is the body that is suitable to exercise the advisory and supervisory functions required to implement Articles 42, 45 and 46 TEU, particularly in the context of permanent structured cooperation;
Amendment 288 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Considers that Article 4(4) of Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/1835 defining the statute, seat and operational rules of the European Defence Agency provides a necessary and powerful basis for the EDA steering board to act as the Union’s third permanent representatives’ committee, the Defence Steering Board; considers that this committee should also exercise the advisory and supervisory functions required to implement permanent structured cooperation once it is established clearly and adopted by all the Member States;
Amendment 299 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Emphasises the underused potential of the EDA in supporting the development ofprocedure for designing the CSDP; calls on the Member States to define and commit topursue a common level of ambition within a reformed EDA; calls for the reinforcement of the EDA’s political backing, funding, and resources, as well as of its coordination with the actions of the Commission and other actors, especially in the areas of capability development, defence procurement and researchsetting the targets for the military capabilities of the Member States, the harmonisation of operational needs and adoption of effective, compatible methods of defence procurement and the management of special cooperation and support programmes for research in the field of defence technology;
Amendment 305 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Notes the EDA’s decision to review the Capability Development Plan (CDP) in line with the EU Global Strategy, and looks forward to a future CDP which reflects EU and Member States’ priorities and needs in a more relevant way as part of assistance to the Council in assessing the improvement in military capabilities;
Amendment 315 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. RegretConsiders that Member States have not yet developed a common European armaments and capabilities policy (EACP) within the EDA, on the basis of the targets so far determined by the Council, as foreseen by Article 42(3) TEU; calls on the VP/HR to inform Parliament of the results achieved by the existing working relationship between the EDA and the Commission and of both with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR);
Amendment 330 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Encourages the Member States to establish and join PESCO within the Union framework, provided they so wish and assume the commitments regarding military capabilities set out in the Protocol on Permanent Structured Cooperation,with a view to sustaining and improving their military capabilities through doctrine and leadership development, personnel development and training, defence material and infrastructure development, and interoperability and certification;
Amendment 342 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Considers that the Union should make provision, in agreement with the Member States concerned, for participation in capability programmes undertaken by them, especially in cases where Member States together establish multinational forces; considers that the Union’s financial contribution to such programmes should not exceed the contributions made by the participating Member States;
Amendment 355 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Takes the view that the EU Battlegroup system should be brought under PESCO, providing those Member States which have operational command of the Battlegroups agree, alongside the creation of a European-level headquarters; considers that other European multinational structures such as the European Air Transport Command, Eurocorps and OCCAR should also be brought under PESCO; considers that the EU’s privileges and immunities should apply to those multinational structures being part of PESCO;
Amendment 363 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Considers that during the development, stand-up, standby and stand- down phases the Union should cover all EU Battlegroup costs;
Amendment 373 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Stresses that the European Parliament should play a prominent role in the development, the supervision of implementation and in the evaluation of the CSDP; insists that Parliament must be consulted on major decisions in the area of the CSDP, including regarding military and non-military missions and strategic defence operations;
Amendment 381 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Calls for reinforced cooperation between the European Parliament and national parliaments, as a crucial element for developing concrete results in the area of the CSDP and for its legitimation; notes that such cooperation should not underminewill supplement the implementation of the CSDP and the achievement of its objectives as a Union policy;
Amendment 392 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Reiterates that the relationship between the CSDP and NATO offers a political opportunity for collaboration, assistance, cooperation and complementarity at every level; recalls that, within the current international context and in view of the deterioration of security, a comprehensive and wider partnership is needed, with the aim of developing joint capabilities and avoiding duplication of actions, additional financial burdens for Member States that are members of both organisations and / or any demand for the organisation and development of new military structures;
Amendment 398 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)
Paragraph 32 a (new)
32 a. Reiterates that the Union's policy is without prejudice to the specific character of the security and defence policy of some Member States and respects the obligations of those Member States that are members of both organisations, whose common defence is achieved within the framework of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), especially in the fields of application of common policy concerning the supply of military and non-military capabilities;
Amendment 406 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Calls on the VP/HR and the Secretary-General of NATO to provide a detailed analysis of the legal and , political and possible geopolitical consequences of the possible triggering by the United Kingdom of Article 50 TEU for the development of the EU/NATO partnership;
Amendment 422 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Calls on the Council and the VP/HR to elaborate a EU White Book on Security and Defence that will include a roadmap with clear phases and a calendar for progressive steps to be taken towards the establishment of a European Defence Union and a common defence policy; believes that such a White Book should be as comprehensive as possible and should integrate the different measures foreseen by the Union, the phases, implementation times, strategic objectives, legal requirements, assigned tasks and projects;
Amendment 435 #
2015/2343(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Notes the European Defence Action Plan put forward by the Commission in November 2016; calls in this regard on the Commission to further clarify the governance, structure and financing of the possible European Defence Fund; considers that the effective implementation of that plan requires strong support and political commitment from the Member States and the EU institutions; regrets in this regardnotes that the Commission, the EDA and the Member States have not yet delivered on all the tasks resulting from the European Council meetings on defence of 2013 and 2015;
Amendment 20 #
2015/2342(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes that refocusing the EU’s external financing instruments towards security, peace building and conflict resolution, legal and illegal migration and border management poses new challenges in relation to the initial objectives and principles of these instruments;
Amendment 29 #
2015/2342(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes, however,Expresses concern at the the Commission proposal for a new European External Investment Plan, with a new focus on investment to promote economic and social development in the EU Neighbourhood and Africa, noting that this strategy has, to date, failed to produce the anticipated results; expresses doubts, however, as to whether the proposal is ambitious enough to fully harness the EU’s borrowing and lending potential;
Amendment 18 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
Α. whereas Creative Europe has mostly proved to be a successful programme in terms of its objectives;
Amendment 36 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the split into two sub- programmes and a Cross-sectoral Strand is still considered useful, given the different nature and specific vocation of culture and media, but requires major adjustments and a more targeted approach;
Amendment 46 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the current evaluation system has proved unproductive and unsuited to the nature and specificity of the programme;
Amendment 85 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Urges the Member States to increase the Creative Europe budget in line with the needs and possibilities of the Member States and with the ambitions of the programme;
Amendment 103 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Urges the Commission to set more than the existing six areas of expertise for evaluators in order to cope more effectively with the specific areas and adopt a more targeted approach;
Amendment 107 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges the Commission and EACEA to improvemake specific and practical improvements to the evaluation procedure by increasing the number of evaluators in the first phase, and to provide for a de visu collegial decision round to select candidates from among those shortlisted in the second phase;
Amendment 114 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the Commission to further simplify the application and reporting procedures by standardising, simplifying and limiting the number of guidelines and other documents, making the time sheet less rigid in practice and drawing up a single standard form for the cooperation agreement;
Amendment 119 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urges the Commission to avoid changing or adding new priorities and rules without sufficient prior consultation of the institutional and management bodies and without giving the CED and stakeholders the necessary time to prepareand assistance to prepare sufficiently for the next calls;
Amendment 140 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Underlines that, in an aggressive and evolving, evolving and highly competitive and globalised international market, European audiovisual production in the European Union still needs to be supported by extending training to cover more actions and by paying due attention to trainers’ curricula;
Amendment 162 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recommends that literary translation projects include the promotion of books and reading, and support participation in book fairs in order to increase book circulation, widen readership and stimulate an interest in reading;
Amendment 176 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Recommends that the European Theatre Prize not be reintroduced but that instead a new way be sought of rewarding creative artists in a bid to achieve the renewal, modernisation and effective recognition of their work, while showing every consideration for professionals in the world of theatre;
Amendment 184 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Welcomes the extension of the ECOC to third countries with cultural relevance as from 2023 and cautiously recommends better spreading of this experience in the context of proportionally and reasonable balanced EU external relations;
Amendment 205 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Stresses the request from the CED to be involved in the decision-making process and for greater account to be taken of their expertise in the field; advocates the regular consultation of the CED and its participation in decision making on a purely advisory basis; points out that the confidential sharing of evaluation reports, even negative ones, can help improve their capacity;
Amendment 220 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Urges the Commission to take a proactive approach to the admission of new countries to the programme, in line with firm and well defined criteria, with special status for European Neighbourhood South countries where applicable;
Amendment 225 #
2015/2328(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Urges the Commission to create a European observatory on culture and creativity, with standards comparable tofull absorption and integration of the European Audiovisual Observatory so as to avoid duplication or overlap of responsibilities; recommends the adoption of standards after adapting those of the European Audiovisual Observatory, to elaborate criteria corresponding to the specific natureobjectives and needs of theall sectors equally;
Amendment 9 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission Decision of 30 May 2016 establishing horizontal rules on the creation and operation of Commission expert groups, but regrets the fact that, despite many non-governmental organisations having expressed their interest, the Commission did not organise a full public consultation;
Amendment 11 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recognises that, through the adoption of the new horizontal rules, many concerns previously expressed by Parliament have been met, in particular those concerning the need for public calls for applications for the selection of the members of expert groups and concerning the revision of the Register of Commission expert groups and the creation of synergy between this Register, the Transparency Register of the Commission and Parliament, as well as those rules relating to the need to avoid conflicts of interest, especially of a financial nature and regarding incompatibility, in particular as regards experts who are appointed in a personal capacity;
Amendment 16 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises that the new rules should apply to all Commission expert groups regardless, irrespective of their title (thus including special, high-level or other ‘extraordinary’ groups, and formal or informal groups), that are not exclusively composed of representatives of Member States or governed by Commission Decision of 20 May 1998 on the establishment of Sectoral Dialogue Committees promoting the Dialogue between the social partners at European level;6 · __________________ 6 OJ L 225, p. 27.
Amendment 22 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to set up a complaints mechanism, including if the definition of balanced composition is contested by interested stakeholders;
Amendment 26 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Requests the Commission to apply its provisions for reimbursement of expenses generously, in order to cover outlays for any such ‘alternative costs’’, while duly respecting the principle of proportionality;
Amendment 30 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to make it possible for European non-governmental organisations to be represented in the expert groups by representatives of their national member organisations, when provided with a clear mandate from the European organisations, in a purely advisory capacity;
Amendment 38 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Invites the Commission to develop specific guidelines explaining how it interprets the provision that the minutes of the expert groups shall be meaningful and complete, especially when the meetings are not public, and urges the Commission to provide, in this regard, the maximum transparency and public information possible, in line with the recommendation of the European Ombudsman;
Amendment 45 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to clarify that, if individuals appointed in their personal capacity have submitted false or incomplete declarations of interest, or have failed to keep these up to date, this will not only have consequences for their membership in the expert group concerned, but will automatically mean that they will be banned from other existing or future expert groups for a period of at least twohree years after the discovery of the errors in respect of their declarations of interest;
Amendment 46 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that, in addition to experts appointed in their personal capacity, members from universities, research institutes, law firms European and other think tanks and consultancies may also have conflicts of interest, as they do not necessarily represent a specific interest, and requests the Commission to clarify how it avoids conflicts of interest for these specific categories of experts;
Amendment 53 #
2015/2319(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Commission to devote, in particular, sufficient resources to the activities relating to the Register, so that it will be kept up to date and does not contain any factual errors and/or omissions;
Amendment 33 #
2015/2258(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. NoteRegrets that the level of funding for civilian CSDP missions under the CFSP chapter of the EU budget has declined over the past years and is expected to stay stable as part of the multiannual financial framework 2014-2020; regretsdeplores the fact that that civilian missions have been affected by the generalised shortfall of payment appropriations, obliging the Commission to delay the payment of EUR 22 million to 2015 as a mitigating measure; welcomes, however, that some EUR 16 million have been identified as possible savings, allowing further missions to be funded should the need arise in the near future;
Amendment 37 #
2015/2258(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the concrete measures and pragmatic solutions introduced recently by the Commission within the existing framework of financial rules in order to shorten financial procedures; deplores, however, the still significant delays in procuring essential equipment and services to the missions under the CSDP, partially due to the often slow process of adopting decisions by the Council, but also to a certain lack of flexibility of the financial rules, and the resulting negative effect on the missions’ functioning; stresses the importance of CSDP joint disarmament missions seeking to provide military advice and assistance, as well as launching post-conflict stabilisation operations; recalls that the Court of Auditors already criticised this in its 2012 Special Report on the EU assistance to Kosovo related to the rule of law;
Amendment 47 #
2015/2258(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Urges the Commission to take note of recent jihadist terrorist attacks and accordingly step up security in public buildings in Europe, given that it presents the easiest target for jihadists, who have issued the Commission with a warning of a further terrorist strike;
Amendment 81 #
2015/2258(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. WDoes not welcomes the ‘Train & Equip’ initiative that would ensure the capacity building of partners, as part of a transition or exit strategy, by facilitating the financing of equipment for security forces of third countries; does not supports a systematic use of project cells, in which interested Member States or third countries can contribute; does not welcomes the fact that the Commission is considering a more permanent financial support for this initiative;
Amendment 93 #
2015/2258(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Acknowledges that military operations are financed by the Member States outside the EU budget and that their common costs are covered by the Athena mechanism; underlines that Athena is crucial to the fast deployment of those operations and is an instrument of solidarity between Member States, as well as a major incentive, notably for those lacking financial resources, to contribute to CSDP operations; regrets, however, that the proportion of the common costs remains very low (around 10-15 % of all costs) and that the ‘costs lie where they fall’ principle further deters Member States from taking an active part; finds that the long-term financing of military missions should be ensured, particularly through increased contributions by the wealthier EU Member States;
Amendment 37 #
2015/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
(c) to ensure that personal data can be transferred outside the Union only if the provisions on third-country transfers in EU data protection laws are complied with; to negotiate on provisions which touch upon the flow of personal data only if the full application of EU data protection rules is guaranteed and respected, in accordance with the Council of Europe Convention of 28 January 1981 for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data and the relevant case law established further to Article 8 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;
Amendment 47 #
2015/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point e
Paragraph 1 – point e
(e) to keep in mind that EU rules on the transfer of personal data may prohibit the processing of such data in third countries if they do not meet the EU adequacy standard; to insist that any requirements for the localisation of data processing equipment and establishments be in line with EU rules on data transfers;, to ensure the creation of appropriate supervisory authorities and the establishment of central data access points and to cooperate with third countries in the appropriate settings with a view to adopting adequate high data protection standards around the world;
Amendment 53 #
2015/2233(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
(f) to show full regard for the need for transparency and accountability in the negotiations throughout the entire process, and to fulfil its obligation under Article 218(10) TFEU, which a recent Court of Justice ruling confirmed as being of statutory character2, to keep Parliament fully informed on an immediate basis at all stages of the negotiations; to ensure public access to relevant negotiation documents from all parties, with the exception of those which are to be classified with clear justification on a case-by-case basis, with a public justification of the extent to which access to the undisclosed parts of the document in question is likely to specifically and actually undermine the interests protected by the exceptions, in line with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents3; and Article 42 TFEU concerning the right of access to documents, to ensure that the agreement in no way weakens the laws of the EU or of its Member States on public access to official documents. __________________ 2 Case C-658/11 Parliament v Council, judgment of 24 June 2014. 3 OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43. OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43.
Amendment 3 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that, in practice, the fight against the sexual abuse of children needs a close, comprehensive and thorough, multi- disciplinary and cultural approach; insists, for that reason, that measures such as awareness raising, multilevel information, training and, education are just as essential in the fight againstnd schooling in moral values are essential when it comes to preventing, dealing with and fighting these crimes, as assistance to victimswell as providing victim support and assistance, investigation of crimes and the prosecution and exemplary punishment of offenders;
Amendment 18 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Encourages all Member States who still have not fully implemented Article 23 of the Directive to adopt preventive measures concerning the assessment, training and regular trainupdating of officials likely to come into contact with children;
Amendment 42 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the online sexual exploitation of children is a constantly evolving phenomenon which parallels developments in technology and a lowering of ethical standards; underlines that peer-to-peer and Darknet networks provide a high degree of anonymityhave to date been providing a great deal of scope for concealment and falsification of personal information and data and are therefore used for exchanging child sexual abuse material, mainly between offenders;
Amendment 51 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recommends that blacklists of websites containing child pornography be prepared by national authorities and communicated to Internet service providerhrough safe and appropriate channels to Internet service providers and that providers take appropriate measures to restrict content and access thereto in line with the legislation and relevant guidelines adopted by the Union and the Member States; recommends also the sharing of such blacklists of websites among the Member States through enhanced cooperation with Europol and its European Cybercrime Centre, and with Interpol;
Amendment 62 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. EncouraUrges Member States to develop channels for the ongoing exchange of information about convicted child sex offenders so as to prevent sex offenders from moving unnoticed from one Member State to another for work or for volunteering with children or children’s institutions;
Amendment 70 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges the Member States to make it mandatorya statutory requirement for Internet service providers (ISP) to report child sexual abuse material detected in their infrastructure to law enforcement authorities, rather than this being done in line with a voluntary code of conduct, and calls on the ISPs to preserve evidencethe relevant evidence and data;
Amendment 80 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urges Member States which have not yet done so to put in place hotlines to which Internet users can report even anonymously child sexual abuse material they find online and that are capable of assessing rapidly this reported content with a view to implementing notice and take- down procedures and prosecute offenders where possible with the available technology and information; takes the view that such hotlines should be allowed to search for child sexual abuse material proactively, as is the case for the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in the UK;
Amendment 84 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. UrgesCalls on Member States to introduce in their legislation mandatory background checks on court or police databases for persons applying or volunteering for activities or jobs relating to children or vulnerable adults and to systematically exchange information on individuals confirmed as posing a risk to children or vulnerable adults;
Amendment 92 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that about half of the Member States have chosen to apply – besides measures aimed at the prompt removal of web pages containing child sexual abuse material in accordance with Article 25 (1) – measures which are optional under Article 25 (2) of the Directive to block access to websites containing or disseminating child pornography; calls for an analytical exchange of information and observations regarding practices being followed by the two groups of Member States and the results obtained by each;
Amendment 107 #
2015/2129(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Member States to accelerate, in cooperation with the internet industry, in particular data providers, the notice and take-down procedures and the prosecution of offenders.
Amendment 2 #
2015/2103(INL)
Draft opinion
Recital A
Recital A
A. Whereas the development of robotics will bring positive effects for the European Union economy but also for the daily life of individuals; whereas all robotics and artificial intelligence technology have to be developed and used with due regard for the fundamental rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights (CFR), in particular for the rights of data protection, privacy, liberty and security, and also with due regard for private and family life;
Amendment 5 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
Amendment 16 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas between 2010 and 2014 the average increase in sales of robots stood at 17 % per year and in 2014 sales rose by 29 %, the highest year-on-year increase ever, which is expected to be intensified even further, with automotive parts suppliers and the electrical/electronics industry currently being the main drivers of the growth; whereas annual patent filings for robotics technology have tripled over the last decade;
Amendment 17 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas in the short to medium term robotics and AI promise to bring benefits of efficiency and savings, not only in production and commerce, but also in areas such as transport, medical care, security, education and, farming and armed forces, while making it possible to avoid exposing humans to dangerous conditions, such as those faced when cleaning up toxically polluted sites; whereas in the longer term there is , in theory, likely potential for virtually unbounded prosperity;
Amendment 21 #
2015/2103(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that robotics and artificial intelligence, especially those with built-in autonomy or independence and the possibility of self- learning, should be subjected to the primary robotics laws or principles, such as a principle that a robot may do not harm to a human being and/or sentient beings in general and must obey a human being; these principles should also be in compliance with the rights and principles enshrined in the CFR, in particular human dignity, the respect for private and family life, the protection of personal data, the freedom of expression and information, equality and non- discrimination, solidarity, and citizens’ rights and justice;
Amendment 25 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas at the same time the development of robotics and AI may result in a large part of the work now done by humans being taken over by robots without fully replenishing the lost jobs, so raising concerns about the future of employment and the viability of social welfare and security systems and the continued lag in pension contributions, if the current basis of taxation is maintained, creating the potential for increased inequality in the distribution of wealth and influence, while, for the preservation of social cohesion and prosperity, the likelihood of levying tax on the work performed by a robot or a fee for using and maintaining a robot should be examined in the context of funding the support and retraining of unemployed workers whose jobs have been reduced or eliminated;
Amendment 41 #
2015/2103(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any Union legislation on robotics and artificial intelligence will include rules on privacy and data protection, the requirement to follow principles of privacy by design and by default as well as principles of proportionality and necessity regarding the processing of data; calls for the review of rules, principles and criteria regarding the use of cameras and sensors for monitoring and/or recording in robots and artificial intelligence in accordance with the Union legal framework for data protection;
Amendment 42 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the causes for concern also include physical safety, for example when a robot'’s code proves fallible, and the potential consequences of system failure or hacking of connected robots and robotic systems at a time when increasingly autonomous and self-sufficient applications come into use or are impending whether it be in relation to cars and drones or to care robots and robots used for maintaining public order and policing;
Amendment 47 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas many basic questions of data protection and fully respecting such data have already become the subject of consideration in the general contexts of the internet and e-commerce, but whereas further aspects of data ownership and possession and the protection of personal data and privacy might still need to be addressed, given that applications and appliances will communicate with each other and with databases without humans intervening or possibly without their even being aware of what is going on;
Amendment 52 #
2015/2103(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines that the free flow of data is a basis for the digital economy and is essential for the development of robotics; highlights that high security of robotics and artificial intelligence systems as a whole, including their internal data systems and data flows, is crucial for the adequate utilisation of robots and artificial intelligence; stresses that a high level of safety, security and privacy of data used for the communication between people and robots and artificial intelligence, together with high quality of voice recognition systems, has to be ensured; calls on the Commission and Member States to support and incentivise the development of the necessary technology, including security by design and channels of communication and encoding;
Amendment 59 #
2015/2103(INL)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines that when personal data are processed by RPAS, whether by public authorities for law enforcement purposes or by private or public entities for other purposes, the right to the protection of private life and the right to the protection of personal data as enshrined in Article 7 and 8 CFR and Article 16 TFEU apply and the Union legal framework for data protection and rights to freedom and safety must be fully complied with;
Amendment 67 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas several foreign jurisdictions, such as the US, Japan, China and South Korea, are considering, and to a certain extent have already taken, regulatory action with respect to robotics and AI, and whereas some Member States have also started to reflect on possible legislative changes in order to take account of emerging applications of such technologies and determine the course of their evolution;
Amendment 70 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas European industry could benefit from a coherent approach to regulation at European level, providing predictable and sufficiently clear conditions under which enterprises could develop applications and plan their medium- and macro-business models on a European scale while ensuring that the EU and its Member States maintain control over the regulatory standards to be set, so as not to be forced to adopt and live with standards set by others, that is to say on the basis of the priorities of economic capitals and industries or the third states which are also at the forefront of the development of robotics and AI;
Amendment 73 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
Amendment 81 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas the European Union could play an essential role in establishing basic ethical principles to be respected in the development, programming and use of robots and AI and in the incorporation of such principles into European regulations and codes of conduct, with the aim of shaping the technological revolution so that it serves humanity and so that the benefits of advanced robotics and AI are broadly shared, while as far as possible avoiding potential pitfalls for the general population and well-governed and prosperous society and the risk of structural failures of the European Union in comparison with third countries;
Amendment 92 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q
Recital Q
Q. whereas, thanks to the impressive technological advances of the last decade, not only are today's robots able to perform activities which used to be typically and exclusively human, but the development of autonomous and cognitive features – e.g. the ability to learn from experience and take independent decisions – has made them more and more similar to agents that interact with their environment and are able to alter it significantly; whereas, in such a context, the legal responsibility arising from a robot’s harmful action becomes a crucial issue, but such legal responsibility has yet to be strictly and properly defined;
Amendment 104 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
Recital S
S. whereas the more autonomous robots are, the less they can be considered simple tools in the hands of other actors (such as the manufacturer, the owner, the user, etc.); whereas this, in turn, makes the ordinary rules on liability insufficient and calls for new rules which focus on how a machine can be held – partly or entirely – responsible for its acts or omissions; whereas, as a consequence, it becomes more and more urgent to address the peculiar although fundamental ethical question of whether robots should possess a legal status;
Amendment 121 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital V
Recital V
V. whereas in the scenario where a robot can take autonomous decisions, the traditional rules will not suffice to activate a robot'’s liability, since they would not make it possible to identify the party responsible, a human factor, for providing compensation and to require this party to make good the damage it has caused;
Amendment 131 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Z
Recital Z
Z. whereas, notwithstanding the scope of the Directive 85/374/EEC, the current legal framework would not be sufficient to cover the damage caused by the new generation of robots, insofar as they can be equipped with adaptive and learning abilities entailing a certain degree of unpredictability in their behaviour, since these robots would autonomously learn from their own, variable experience and interact with their environment in a unique and unforeseeable manner beyond any initial arrangements and guidelines;
Amendment 137 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Calls on the Commission to propose a common European definition of smart autonomous robots and their subcategories by taking into consideration the followingvarious specific characteristics of a smart robot:;
Amendment 142 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that a comprehensive system of registration of advanced robots should be introduced, and calls on the Commission to establish criteria for the classification of robots with a view to identsuccessfully identifying and verifying the robots that would need to be registered;
Amendment 149 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines that many robotic applications are still in an experimental phase; welcomes the fact that more and more research projects are being funded with national and European money; calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen financial instruments for research projects in robotics and ICT and also to support their further development, evolution and practical application beyond the initial conception stage; emphasises that sufficient resources need to be devoted to the search for solutions to the social and ethical challenges that the technological development and its applications raise;
Amendment 155 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Asks the Commission to foster research programmes that include a mechanism for short-term and meaningful verification of the outcomes in order to understand what real risks and opportunities are associated with the dissemination of these technologies; calls on the Commission to combine all its effort in order to guarantee an unhindered, socially positive and smoother transition for these technologies from research to commercialisation on the market;
Amendment 169 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes that the potential for empowerment through the use of robotics is nuanced by a set of tensions or risks relating to human safety, freedom, health, privacy, integrity, dignity, autonomy and data ownership, personal data protection, data ownership, the freedom to obtain or transfer information, freedom of expression and freedom to conduct a business;
Amendment 178 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that a guiding ethical framework for the design, production, transport, modification and use of robots is needed to complement the legal recommendations of the report and the existing national and Union acquis; proposes, in the annex to the resolution, a framework in the form of a charter consisting of a code of conduct for robotics engineers, of a code for research ethics committees when reviewing robotics protocols and of model licences for designers and users, respectively;
Amendment 195 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 202 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for the creation of a European Agency, with its headquarters within Greek territory, for robotics and artificial intelligence in order to provide the technical, ethical and regulatory expertise needed toand to assist in the exchange of best practice, with a view to providing support to the relevant public actors, with a focus on social well-being, at both EU and Member State level, in their efforts to ensure a timely and well- informed response to the new opportunities and challenges arising from the technological development of robotics;
Amendment 208 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Considers that the potential of robotics use and the present investment dynamics as well as the possible risks of misguided implementation of the fruits of investment in robotics justify the European Agency being equipped with a proper budget and being staffed with regulators and external technical and ethical experts dedicated to the cross-sectorial and multidisciplinary monitoring of robotics- based applications, identifying standards for best practice, and, where appropriate and with the aim of preventing any emergencies, recommending regulatory measures, defining new principles and addressing potential consumer protection issues and systematic challenges; asks the Commission and the European Agency to report to the European Parliament on the latestcurrent situation, trends and potential short-term and medium-term developments in robotics on an annual basis;
Amendment 218 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that, in the development of any EU policy on robotics, privacy and data protection guarantees are embedded in line with the principles of necessity and proportionality; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to foster the development of standards for the concepts of privacy by design and privacy and personal data protection by default, active informed consent and encryption;
Amendment 229 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Points out that the use of personal data as a 'currency' with which services can be 'bought' raises new issues in need of clarification; stresses that the use of personal data as a 'currency' must not lead to a circumvention of the basic principles governing the right to privacdignity, integrity, privacy, security and data protection;
Amendment 234 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission to continue to work on the international harmonisation of technical standards, in particular together with the European Standardisation Organisations and the International Standardisation Organisation, in order to avoid fragmentation of the internal market and to meet consumers’ concerns, to meet consumers’ concerns, to support the practical implementation of research developments under secure conditions and to highlight the competitive advantages of the European robotics industry; asks the Commission to analyse existing European legislation with a view to checking the need for adaption in light of the development of robotics and artificial intelligence;
Amendment 238 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Emphasises that testing robots in real-life scenarios is essential for the identification and assessment of the risks they might entail, as well as of their technological development beyond a pure experimental laboratory phase; underlines, in this regard, that even though it is necessary, testing of robots in real- life scenarios, in particular in cities and on roads, raises problems and a large numberous problem of issues and requires an effective monitoring mechanism; calls on the Commission to draw up uniform criteria across all Member States which individual Member States should use in order to identify areas where experiments with robots are permitted;
Amendment 240 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Considers that a number of industrial sectors, and primarily the automotive sector is in most urgent need of European and global rules to ensure the cross-border development of automated vehicles so as to fully exploit their economic potential and benefit from the positive effects of technological trends; emphasises that fragmented regulatory approaches would probably hinder implementation and perhaps jeopardise European competitiveness, but could provide useful lessons; notes that although current private international law rules on traffic accidents applicable within the EU do not need urgent modification to accommodate the development of autonomous vehicles, simplifying the current dual system for defining applicable law (based on Regulation (EC) No 864/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council4 and the 1971 Hague Convention on the law applicable to traffic accidents) would improve legal certainty and limit possibilities for forum shopping; __________________ 4 Regulation (EC) No 864/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on the law applicable to non- contractual obligations (Rome II) (OJ L 199, 31.7.2007, p. 40).
Amendment 249 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Points out that human contact is one of the fundamental aspects of human care and the manifestation and expression of human nature and dignity; believes that fully replacing the human factor with robots could dehumanise caring practices, would constitute a blow to the priorities and principles which govern the operation of medical and social care and would cast doubt upon the excellence of European practices, with care recipients having the ethical right to question the quality and value of the care provided;
Amendment 261 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes the great potential of robotics in the field of repairing and compensating for damaged organs and human functions, but also the complex questions raised in particular by the possibilities of human enhancement, with confirmation, in parallel, of a prohibition on eugenic practices and a complete ban on the conversion of the human body and/or parts of it into a source of direct or indirect profit; asks for the establishment of committees on robot ethics in hospitals and other health care institutions tasked with considering and assisting in resolving unusual, complicated ethical problems involving issues that affect the care and treatment of patients; calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop guidelines to aid in the establishment and functioning of such committees within specific frameworks and with specific responsibilities and well- defined target outcomes for patients or sufferers;
Amendment 270 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses the importance of a European framework for remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to protect the safety, security and privacy of EU citizens, and calls on the Commission for a follow- up to the recommendations of the European Parliament resolution of 29 October 2015 on safe use and development of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in the field of civil aviation5; __________________ 5 Texts adopted, P8_TA(2015)0390.
Amendment 273 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Draws attention to the Commission's forecast that by 2020 Europe might be facing a shortage of up to 825 000 ICT professionals and that 90 % of jobs will require at least basic digital skills; welcomes the Commission’s initiative of proposing a roadmap for the possible use and revision of a Digital Competence framework and, descriptors of Digital Competences for all levels of learners and significant support for the development of digital abilities in all age groups and irrespective of employment status;
Amendment 277 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Considers that getting more young women interested in a digital career and placing more women in digital jobs would benefit the digital industry, women themselves and Europe's economy, particularly with regard to how this increases the options for distance working and supports motherhood in combination with the maintenance of a decent income and contribution to the economy, demographic well-being and locality; calls on the Commission and the Member States to launch initiatives in order to support women in ICT and to boost their e-skills;
Amendment 282 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls on the Commission to start monitoring medium-term and long-term job trends more closely, with a special focus on the creation and loss of jobs in the different fields/areas of qualification in order to know in which fields jobs are being created and those in which jobs are being destroyed as a result of the increased use of robots;
Amendment 292 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Bearing in mind the effects that the development and deployment of robotics and AI might have on employment and, consequently, on the viability of the social security systems of the Member States, consideration should be given to the possible need to introduce corporate reporting requirements on the extent and proportion of the contribution of robotics and AI to the economic results of a company for the purpose of taxation and social security contributions; believes that the adjustment of commercial employers’ contributions is a necessary precondition for the support of pension insurance capital and the re-training of surplus staff for other jobs at a level similar to that of the jobs they have lost because of the use of automated robotic jobs; takes the view that in the light of the possible effects on the labour market of robotics and AI a general basic income should be seriously considered, and invites all Member States to do so;
Amendment 300 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Considers that robots' civil liability is a crucial issue which needs to be addressed at EU level so as to ensure the same degree of transparency, consistency and legal certainty throughout the European Union for the benefit of consumers and, citizens, businesses alikend Member States;
Amendment 313 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Considers that the future legislative instrument should provide for the application of strict liability as a rule, thus requiring only proof, within the context of necessity and proportionality, that damage has occurred and the establishment of a causal link between the harmful behaviour of the robot and the damage suffered by the injured party;
Amendment 325 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Points out that a possible solution to the complexity of allocating responsibility for damage caused by increasingly autonomous robots could be an obligatory insurance scheme, as is already the case, for instance, with cars; notes, nevertheless, that unlike the insurance system for road traffic, where the insurance covers human acts and failures, an insurance system for robotics could be based on the obligation of the producer to take out an insurance for the autonomous robots it produces and/or on insurance cover by the owner and legal holder of an autonomous robot, on the basis of the market situation and the possibility of covering these needs under existing insurance structures;
Amendment 332 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Considers that, as is the case with the insurance of motor vehicles, such an insurance system could be supplemented by a fund, without State capital involvement, in order to ensure that reparation can be made for damage in cases where, improperly and illegally, no insurance cover exists; calls on the insurance industry to develop new and competitive products that are duly in line with the advances in and needs of robotics;
Amendment 356 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Notes the need also to consider proportionate and necessary amendments to international agreements such as the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and the Hague Traffic Accident Convention;
Amendment 360 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Strongly encourages international cooperation in setting binding regulatory standards and in the exchange of best practices under the auspices of the United Nations;
Amendment 363 #
2015/2103(INL)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Considers that the requested proposal will not have any financial implications, while at the same time it gives an opportunity for the harmonious development and support of positive budget resources;
Amendment 3 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomesExpresses its dissatisfaction at the Commission’s adoption of an ambitiousthe EU migration agenda;
Amendment 6 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. WelcomesExpresses its dissatisfaction at the Commission’s proposal to introduce a mechanism for the relocation of 40 000 people over the course of 2016 and 2017, at a total cost of EUR 240 000 000;
Amendment 7 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2a (new)
Paragraph 2a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission to establish a mechanism to be used in cooperation with Europol, the ultimate aim being the repatriation of illegal immigrants;
Amendment 8 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 11 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. ApplaudsRegards as inadmissible the decision to increase the appropriations for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund by EUR 57 000 000 in the fifth draft amending budget for 2015 and by more than EUR 169 000 000 (EUR 171 900 000 after reprogramming) in the 2016 draft budget; criticises, however, also the fact that while the funding set aside for the strengthening and development of a common EU asylum system is to be increased by more than EUR 174 000 000 (EUR 161 694 285 after reprogramming), funding for legal migration and integration and better, fairer and more effective repatriation strategies is to be cut by nearly EUR 5 000 000 (+ 9 985 847 after reprogramming);
Amendment 12 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission to take the necessary steps to have the Dublin II Regulation revoked;
Amendment 13 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to provide as accurate an assessment as possible of the appropriations needed for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund over the period to 2020 and, on that basis, to present a proposal for an increase in appropriations and, if necessary, an adjusted allocation among the various implementing programmes when the multiannual financial framework is revised;
Amendment 16 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Makes clear its intention to modify the budgetary nomenclature of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund in an effort to make it more transparent and make it easier to monitor the allocation of annual appropriations among the various implementing programmes and instruments; calls for a greater flexibility margin for this fund in future;
Amendment 19 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the increase of EUR 41 245 000 in funding for FRONTEX in the 2016 draft budget; calls for reliable statistics to be provided on the cost of the Triton and Poseidon operations; calls on the Commission to provide more information as soon as possible on the proposed amendment to FRONTEX’s mandate concerning the organisation of repatriation;
Amendment 20 #
2015/2095(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Welcomes the commencement of transport arrangements for the repatriation of illegal migrants and the deployment of Return Fund appropriations; welcomes the fact that measures have been taken in several EU Member States to encourage voluntary return with a view to reducing illegal immigration;
Amendment 12 #
2015/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
Α. whereas a lack of relevant skills is an, resulting from the lack of targeted policies and strategic plans of action, is one of the most important factors causing youth unemployment;;
Amendment 44 #
2015/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
Ε. whereas appropriate training for recruiters, manpower and human resource managers, employment and job seeking services, employers and the education sector is necessary;
Amendment 116 #
2015/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the key role of enterprises, including SMEs and micro-enterprises, inassociations and partnerships of producers on a small and industrial scale, job creation; stresses the need to provide education for entrepreneurship on every level, including pre-school education, by including in curricula the development in a safe environment (through games, simulations and youth projects) of the practical skills needed in starting and managing businesses;
Amendment 135 #
2015/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for the removal of principally bureaucratic administrative and financial barriers to starting and managing businesses through the simplification of procedures, easier access for start-ups to credit and microfinance, tailor-made counselling, introduction of incentive measures for entrepreneurs employing young people; underlines the importance of microfinance and the EU Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme, as well as the Investment Plan for Europe, for achieving these goals;
Amendment 5 #
2015/2074(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that agriculture and rural development deliver many EU objectives and are an important part of the overall EU budget for 2016; stresses that harmonisation and adequate funding for agricultural policy benefits not only European food consumers but also producers, ensuring them acceptable living standards; calls therefore for the agriculture budget to remain at least at its current level;
Amendment 10 #
2015/2074(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes the cuts in funding for rural development under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in commitments and payments for the 2015 budget; points out that EAFRD projects – including the LEADER programmes – are a major driver of rural development, as they deliver wider benefits to the EU at large, in particular in generating growth, added value and jobs in rural areas; asks that careful consideration be given to the final level of commitment and payment appropriations in the 2016 budget; insists that particular attention should be paid to encouraging generational renewal in agriculture and supporting young famers, improving competitiveness in all individual farming sectors, encouraging innovative farming technologies, restoring, maintaining, and enhancing ecosystems and ensuring sustainable forest management;
Amendment 38 #
2015/2074(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for sufficient funds to be made available in order to implement all elements of the CAP reform, including as regards greening, transition to a low carbon emission economy resistant to climate change, arable and livestock farming risk management, biodiversity and rural development programmes;
Amendment 43 #
2015/2074(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Demands that funds allocated through the financial discipline mechanism to the crisis reserve in the agricultural sector of the 2016 budget and that remain unspent be made fully available as direct payments in the following budgetary year; requests that all available margins under heading 2 be reserved for the agriculture sector, particularly in view of the continuing Russian embargo, problems regarding compensatory allowances, market problems in the milk sector and significant health risks in the plant and animal sector;
Amendment 2 #
2015/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises the wide gap that still remains between developed and developing countries’ border procedures, and that poor infrastructure, inefficient customs management, widespread government corruption, distortion of competition and excessive red tape create considerable obstacles to the ability of businesses in developing countries to trade or invest for this purpose; acknowledges that the Trade Facilitation Agreement will give a new impetus to reforms;
Amendment 6 #
2015/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges that expeditious and comprehensive implementation of the Agreement is in the interest of all members of the World Trade Organization, given the tangible gains and, in particular, the estimated reduction in trade costs and protection of the health, safety and economic interests of consumers; underlines that the degree of implementation of the Agreement will be decisive for the benefits derived therefrom;
Amendment 10 #
2015/2067(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes the numerous commitments, including by the EU, to provide assistance and support for capacity building in order to help developing and least-developed countries to implement the Agreement; stresses that funding for capacity building should be recipient-driven, based on proper needs assessments; considers it indispensable that aid is properly managed and coordinated in line with Articles 210 and 211 TFEU, given the number of donors and pledges; underlines the need for appropriate monitoring of, and reporting on, aid flows.
Amendment 86 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas European action is required as a matter of urgency to prevent the radicalisation and recruitment of European citizens in order to contain this growing phenomenon so as to stem the flow of departures by European citizens to conflict zones, taking into consideration that, conversely, soldiers of the Islamic State – whose mission is to recruit European citizens – are hidden in immigration flows to the EU, and prevent other terrorist acts from being committed on European soil;
Amendment 182 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to publish guidelines on measures to be implemented in Europe’s prisons aimed at preventing Europeans from becoming radicalised; recommends that the Member States segregateproceed with the separation of radicalised inmates from the others, within their prisons in order to prevent radicalism from being imposed through intimidation on other inmates and to contain radicalisation in those institutions;
Amendment 192 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Supports the establishment of specialised European training for prison staff in order to teach them to detect radical behaviour; stresses the importance of appropriately training and recruiting prison chaplains, as well as psychologists and social workers, so that they can not only adequately meet prisoners’ cultural needs in prisons, but also counter radical discourse;
Amendment 260 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Feels that the internet giants should be made aware of their responsibilities so that they delete illegal content as quickly as possible; believes that the Member States should plan for the possibility of bringing criminal prosecutions against digital actors who do not take action in response to the spread of illicit messages or messages praising terrorism on their internet platforms; believes that refusal or failure to cooperate on the part of internet platforms which allow such messages to circulate should be considered an act of complicity with praising terrorism and should consequently be punished, stresses the need to create an appropriate legal framework, so that radicalisation and recruitment posts be added to the other electronic crimes;
Amendment 464 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reiterates its desire to see the so-called ‘EU PNR’ directive swiftly adopted before the end of 2015 in order to enable the movements of European citizens likely to adopt a terrorist ideology to be tracked; recalls, however, that the EU PNR , as well as the API, will not be enough to prevent the recruitment of European citizens by terrorist organisations;
Amendment 486 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Stresses that improved cooperation between the Member States aimed at countering the radicalisation and recruitment of European citizens is also characterised by intensive exchanges between the judicial authorities; Notes that better reporting at European level on the criminal records of European citizens at risk of being radicalised would help speed up their detection and make it easier for them to be properly monitored, either when they leave or when they return; encourages, therefore, the reform of the ECRIS system, underlines that fundamental rights, and in particular Article 8 on the protection of personal data, should be respected when exchanging information;
Amendment 561 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Reiterates that making good use of existing instruments such as the SIS, SIS II and VIS systems constitutes the first step in stepping up external border security in order to identify EU citizens who may be leaving for conflict zones;
Amendment 589 #
2015/2063(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Acknowledges that the phenomenon of radicalisation and recruitment of EU citizens is a global phenomenon; believes that the response to this phenomenon ought to be international and not just local or European; considers therefore that cooperation with EU partner countries that are facing similar challenges, such as Canada or, the United States and Eurasian countries, has to be stepped up;
Amendment 5 #
2015/2058(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas illicit financial flows (IFFs), i.e. all unrecorded private financial outflows involving capital that is illegally earned, transferred or utilised, typically originate from tax evasion activities, deliberate trade misinvoicing and abusive transfer pricing, against the principle that taxes should be paid where profits have been generated;
Amendment 126 #
2015/2058(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Welcomes the adoption of an Automatic Exchange of Information mechanism, a fundamental tool for enhancing global transparency and cooperation in the fight against tax avoidance and tax evasion; acknowledges, however, that support and time is needed for developing countries to build the required capacity to send and process information; urges the industrialised countries to make use of existing mechanisms and create new ones so as to curb and put an end to the entry of funds from tax evasion or tax avoidance in developing countries and elsewhere;
Amendment 5 #
2015/2053(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that it would be highly recommended for the European Union to adopt legislation on non-agricultural GIs, in order to increase the distinctiveness, guarantee tradistinctivenessonal and original products, reduce disparities, alleviate the impact on the internal market and fully exploit the potential of protected products;
Amendment 23 #
2015/2053(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is of the opinion that special (sui generis) legislation for non-agricultural products of the Member States is not enough and that a coherent, simple and bureaucratically and economically non- burdensome EU-level system of GI protection for non-agricultural products would enable the EU to achieve similar protection for such European products outside the EU in the framework of international trade negotiations;
Amendment 38 #
2015/2053(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is of the opinion that the creation of a single EU-level protection of non- agricultural GIs that includes a registration scheme recognised at EU level, without lowering the standards of protection already existing in some Member States, would be the best way to be more effective both within the EU and in negotiations with third countries; takes the view that this would contribute to consumer protection by ensuring compliance with health standards and deter unfair competition;
Amendment 5 #
2015/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission’s criteria, highlighting the fact that multiannual programmes and the long-term nature of the challenges facing Member States require certainty and permanence, and that frequent reprogramming should therefore be avoided and stability preferred in order to reinforce the predictability and credibility of ESI fund programmes; stresses the need for the Commission to ensure that these programmes are drawn up on the basis of specific recommendations for each country;
Amendment 17 #
2015/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Highlights the fact that reprogramming or suspension as regulated in Article 23 of the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) could undermine social and economic convergence between regions and jeopardise goals pursued by ESI funds, especially in countries with deep macroeconomic and social imbalances, something that might possibly have a greater impact on economically vulnerable Member States where public investments are more dependent on fund support; asks the Commission to use the mechanism only when Member States have persistently failed to take effective action to address its requests to reprogramme funding and giving due consideration to the unemployment rate or the impact on the economies of the Member States concerned;
Amendment 39 #
2015/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Asks the Commission to avoid arbitrariness in applying Article 23 of the CPR, to devise a transparent and democratic decision-making process, in line with Article 23(15) of the CPR, and; regrets that Parliament is not involved in decisions regarding the reprogramming or suspension of disbursements; urges the Commission to allow Parliament, on the basis of a formalised process, to be informed at all stages of the adoption of reprogramming requests or of any proposals and decisions on suspension of commitments or payments.
Amendment 47 #
2015/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission to give careful consideration to the economic and social effects on the regions affected by a suspension of payments; underlines the importance of the principles of proportionality and effectiveness when the Commission proposes such a suspension of payments, while making the suspension of payments the ultimate sanction measure imposed on Member States of the EU;
Amendment 58 #
2015/2052(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that Parliament will carefully apply its scrutiny rights in the decision- making process via the structural dialogue, thereby ensuring how power should be exercised at European level, particularly as regards transparency, participation, control, effectiveness and consistency.
Amendment 22 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Considers that the security of the Member States and hence their contribution to EU security are first and foremost the responsibility and concern of each Member State;
Amendment 23 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1b. Points out that the defence budget of each Member State is not being examined or negotiated by the Member States with the European institutions (Troika);
Amendment 26 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is gravely concerned over the surge in low-intensity crises, armed conflict, hybrid war, instability and widespread human rights violations in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood and the threat of terrorism inside the EU; believes(mainly imported) terrorism that the current security threats are common to the EU as a whole and should be addressed in a united and coordinated fashion, pooling and sharing civilian and military resources; believes, in this regard, that it is imperative not to waste resources and that it is essential to better use tax payers’ money and make progress on the establishment of a European defence equipment market and to develop a European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB);
Amendment 42 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Warns of worrying developments in the European defence market that are increasing external dependencies in the European defence sector, as well as unfair competition between companies producing and selling defence equipment, at a time of an increasingly challenging security environment; warns, in particular, of the combination of Member States’ declining defence budgets, persisting market fragmentation despite new internal market rules, the growing dependence of the defence industry on extra-EU exports and increased foreign investment in Europe’s defence sector, yielding control of strategic national and European defence industries, assets and technologies;·
Amendment 58 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges the European Council to draw the necessary lessons and take concrete measures towards overcoming the defragmentation of the European defence market in order to guarantee the availability of the defence capabilities needed to ensure European security and the inviolability of Europe's borders and fulfil the objectives of the CSDP;·
Amendment 69 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Believes that the years of underfunded defence budgets in Europe must be offset by increased cooperation among Member States, including through the articulation of defence budget policies and the coordination of strategic choices concerning the acquisition of military and dual-use equipment; reiterates its call for demand consolidation across the EU, this being the only means of reaching critical mass in order to sustain a competitive and independent EDTIB; stresses that maintaining a strong and autonomous EDTIB is a key element for Europe’s ability to protect its citizens, interests and values and perceptibly reduce defence spending without compromising national or EU security, in line with the objectives of the Treaty and to fulfil its responsibilities as a global security provider, as highlighted by the Vice- President of the Commission / High- Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR);
Amendment 103 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges Member States to comply with the principles of the common position and to report fully and regularly on the state of their defence equipment exports to third countries; calls on the Council and the VP/HR to identify the reasons for Member States’ incomplete compliance with the reporting obligation and to implement a new mechanism that may fill that gap; recalls that adherence to the common position is fundamental to the fulfilment of EU principles and values, particularly in the field of international human rights law and international humanitarian law and its responsibilities as regards its contribution to local, regional and global security;·
Amendment 122 #
2015/2037(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Takes the view that the SoS regime should comprise an effective EU-wide monitoring system in order to identify existing and potential vulnerabilities in terms of foreign control of strategic assets and supply from third countries; urges the Commission to map existing structures and strategic capabilities in the possession of the Member States, with a view to assessing its role in ensuring the security of the EU and that of its neighbourhood and beyond, within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the CSDP, including as regards the maritime, space, intelligence, antiterrorist and cyber dimensions thereof;
Amendment 3 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
- whereas the non-binding Resolution 68/262 of the UN General Assembly of 27 March 2014, regarding Ukraine’s territorial integrity
Amendment 14 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the Black Sea Basin is one of the world’s most strategic regions, of key importance to the EU and its Member States, in particular with regard to ensuring their security and defence, and to the EU Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership; whereas all existing protractedolder conflicts in the Republic of Moldova (Transnistria), Georgia (South Ossetia and Abkhazia) and between Armenia and Azerbaijan (Nagorno- Karabakh) are locatedffect the geopolitical and geostrategic situation in the Black Sea Basin;
Amendment 22 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the European Council has strongly condemned the Russian Federation’s annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and will notdoes not intend to recognise it; whereas restrictions on trade between the EU and Crimea have been imposed as a consequence;
Amendment 29 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Γ
Recital Γ
C. whereas NATO has condemned the Russian Federation’s military escalation in Crimea, its illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea and its continued and deliberate destabilisation of eastern Ukraine in violation of international law;
Amendment 37 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Δ
Recital Δ
D. whereas the military balance in the Black Sea Basin has shifted following the illegal annexation of Crimea, with Russia now unlawfully controlling hundreds of kilometres of the Crimean coastline and the adjacent waters facing NATO and EU maritime borders; whereas Russia has fuelled aggressive actions on Ukrainian territoryof EU Member States;
Amendment 45 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
E. whereas prior to the illegal annexation, Russian land and air forces in Crimea were minimalthe necessary ones and concerned mainly with the defence of Sevastopol – main base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet – and two adjacent naval bases; whereas through a military build-up in Crimea and in the Black Sea Basin following the annexation, Russia has moved to create an offensive joint strikingimportant military force comprising the navy and land and air forces;
Amendment 58 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ζ
Recital Ζ
G. whereas Turkey is a NATO ally– despite the fact that it is a NATO Member State, a naval power, and an active regional foreign policy player and a key partner for the EU, not least in matters concerning energy and border security; whereas Turkey’s strategic location is also of high relevance to the other major threat facing both NATO and the EU, the self-proclaimed Daesh (Islamic– neither embraces the guidelines of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) of the EU, demonstrating tolerance towards illegal and terrorist actions carried out by the Islamic State, nor does it embrace the resolutions of the UN General Assembly, illegally occupying the northern part of the Republic of Cyprus, which is an EU Member State);
Amendment 68 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Θ
Recital Θ
Amendment 81 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Firmly sSupports the non-recognition of Russia’s annexation of the Crimea; reiterates its commitment to the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine and to the non- violability of borders; fully supports the European Council’s conclusions that the EU will not recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, unless otherwise decided at UN level;
Amendment 92 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes with concern that the annexation of Crimea has precipitated a significant change in the strategic landscape of the Black Sea Basin and the adjacent area; warns that by occupyannexing the entire peninsula, Russia has gained a very important launching pad facinggreater breadth of influence both west (Transnistria and the Danube Mouths), the Balkans and south (the Eastern Mediterranean), where it has established a permanent naval task force, and that the illegal annexation of Crimea offers Russia a ‘southern Kaliningrad’, anothern outpost directly bordering on NATOthe EU, this time at sea;
Amendment 105 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that the change in the strategic landscape, and the evolving military situation in the Black Sea Basin, are indicative of broader, systemic in the Black Sea Basin is a challenges to European security; believes that the EU and the Member States must have a security response to these challenges;
Amendment 110 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is deeply concerned about the current defensive and offensive military build-up of Russia in the Black Sea, and the planned expansion and modernisation of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, involving the addition of six new modern diesel submarines of the Rostov-on-Don type and six new frigates of the Admiral Grigorovich type; notes that the positioning of offensive air force assets, and the upgrading of Crimean military infrastructures, will enhance Russia’s offensive military posture and its ability to project power beyond its territory;
Amendment 118 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Notes with concern that Russia has considerably bolstered its air and naval defences in the Black Sea Basin, deploying new naval defence (anti-ship) missiles (with a range of 600 km, able to reach the Bosphorus) and ensuring that Russian fighter planes control about three quarters of the Black Sea Basin airspace (by practically tripling the number of airports in Crimea); notes, in this regard, that Russia has bolstered its capabilities in both strategic and tactical terms: strategically, long-range bombers, capable of carrying cruise missiles, and reconnaissance aviation operating close to the western shores of the Black Sea, can penetrate deep into Central Europe; tactically, two naval infantry brigades – potentially supported by Mistral-type helicopter carriers – pose a significant potential landing threat;
Amendment 125 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes that potential Russian deployment of dual-capable weapon systems in Crimea place in doubt Russia’s good intentions when it comes to achieving progress onjeopardises the multilateral nuclear disarmament agenda in the forthcoming Non- Proliferation Treaty review, undermining the efforts already made in that direction;
Amendment 136 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Is deeply concerned by the extremely serious situation in eastern Ukraine –, where war is leading to the destabilisation of Ukraine and the region as a whole – including the apparent move to establish a land corridor linking Russian territory with Crimea through separatist-controlled territory along the western shore of the Azov Sea (Mariupol);
Amendment 140 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 161 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. underlines that the relationship with Russia, being a major actor in the international system, should be cooperative rather than conflictual in the long run; is of the view, however, that in the short and medium term, owing to a lack of trust following Russia’s latest actions, any resumption of cooperation should continue to rely, firstly, on the strong strategic reassurance offered by NATOthe EU to its eastern members and, secondly, on the fact that there can be no political solution based on accepting the illegal annexation of Crimea;
Amendment 178 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. believes that, in the event that Russia or Ukraine does not honour the Minsk ceasefire agreement, and continues the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea, the sanction regime should be continued and even strengthened, relevant measures may be taken;
Amendment 195 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. is concerned that the benefits of oil and gas exploitation and transportation in the Black Sea are increasingly dependent on the level of militarisation triggered by the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and the subsequent build-up of its capabilities in the areapeaceful resolution of the problems that have arisen;
Amendment 251 #
2015/2036(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. underlines that NATO should preserve its general naval and air superioritybalance in the Black Sea Basin and maintain its capacity to monitor the area;
Amendment 5 #
2015/2008(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
B. whereas a number of countries are still suffering the impact of the economic crisis, with record unemployment levels affecting younger workers in particular; whereas, as a consequence of the economic and financial crisis, the level of investment in the EU has significantly dropped; whereas, given the persistent economic and budgetary constraints at national level, the EU budget plays a key role in fostering competitiveness and increasing economic, social and territorial cohesion in the Union;
Amendment 25 #
2015/2008(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights the indisputable potential and added value of the EU budget in the creation of employment and the development of enterprises and entrepreneurship across the Union; acknowledges that a wide range of EU programmes, including Horizon 2020, COSME and Erasmus+, contribute directly to the attainment of the objectives; is concerned at the steady reduction in funding for Erasmus + despite its proven success; expects that the Commission will place such programmes and instruments at the heart of the Draft Budget 2016, in order to ensure that they are endowed with the necessary resources;
Amendment 33 #
2015/2008(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes that a favourable business environment and the development of an entrepreneurial culture in the EU could give back to SMEs their role as main job creators in the Union, which has been weakened by the economic crisis; considers that, along with legislative simplification and reduction of red tape, available financial instruments under the COSME programme have to be used to their full extent to help SMEs along this path by facilitating in particular their access to markets and credits; notes that additional funding of at least 20 % under the COSME programme, with rapid take- up by this sector, will help consolidate existing SMEs and encourage the creation of new ones;
Amendment 46 #
2015/2008(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Is concerned about the inadequate funding of the Youth Employment Initiative in 2016, given the frontloading of the entire financial envelope of the programme in 2014 and 2015; acknowledges that the fight against youth unemployment needs to be further intensified and that all funding possibilitiesmeans of obtaining funding should be considered for this purpose, for example by making cuts in areas slow to yield results owing to sluggish take-up; recalls that 2016 will be the first year when resources under the Global MFF Margin for commitments will be made available for policy objectives related to growth and employment, in particular youth employment;
Amendment 104 #
2015/2008(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the Commission to take due account of the above-mentioned political priorities when establishing its Draft Budget for 2016 so that the relevant EU programmes and actions are provided with the necessary means to accomplish these objectives to the advantage of all the Member States; anticipates, in this context, a positive response from the Commission to the further requests and positions expressed in this resolution so as to settle recurrent problems and facilitate this year’s budgetary procedure; also expects the Commission to propose an adequate level of payment appropriations in its Draft Budget, based on real forecasts and needs;
Amendment 5 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4
Citation 4
– having regard to the resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 27 March 20146 (non-binding) and by the United Nations Security Council on 17 February 20157, __________________ 6 UNGA Resolution A/RES/68/262 on Territorial integrity of Ukraine 7 UNSC Resolution S/RES/2202(2015) UNSC Resolution S/RES/2202(2015)
Amendment 33 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas Russia has – by illegally annexing Crimea and waging an undeclared war against Ukraine, with the direct participation of Russian military units, and by deliberately destabilising this neighbouring sovereign and independent country – profoundly and for a long time damagcreating tension in Ukraine, – affected its relationship with the EU by jeopardisingand must respect the basic principles of Europe’s security order and by breaking its international commitments, notably under the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and the Budapest Memorandum;
Amendment 48 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas Russia, because of its the instigator of and,geostrategic and geopolitical situation influences directly or indirectly, party to a number of ‘frozen conflicts’ in its neighbourhood – in Transnistria, South Ossetia, Abkhasia, and Nagorno Karabakh – that constitute serious impediments to theadversely affect development and stability of the neighbouring countries concerned;
Amendment 74 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
Ε. whereas in reaction to Russia’s covert military invasion ofn policy in Ukraine, the EU has adopted a stage-by- stage series of restrictive measures; whereas similar sanctions have been adopted by a number of other countries in reaction to Russia’s aggression;
Amendment 83 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas these restrictive targeted measures are not directed against the Russian people but aim at stimulating a change in Russian policy towards, and actions in, the common neighbourhood; whereas the sanctions could be lifted, partially or fully, as soon as Russia commits itselfand Ukraine commit themselves to implementing, fully and honestly, the provisions of the Minsk agreements and the return of Crimea to Ukraine; whereas the sanctions will be strengthened, bearing in mind the possibility of more severe sanctions, being decided by Council of Europe, should Russia chose to do otherwise and refrain from taking any positive step to change its policy;
Amendment 123 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Η
Recital Η
Amendment 130 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
Amendment 171 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reiterates that, in the light of Russia’s direct and indirect involvement in the warevents in Ukraine, amounting to that is regarded as a deliberate violation of the core of the democratic principles and values sustained by the EU and widely shared internationally, the EU cannot envisage a return to ‘business as usual’; calls for a critical re-assessment by the EU of its relations with Russia, and for the drafting, as promptly as possible, of a soft-power contingency plan to counter the aggressive and divisive policies conducted by Russia against the EU and its partnerscomprehensive rapprochement between the EU and Russia;
Amendment 199 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that at this point, Russia, because of its actions, can no longer does not cease to be treated as, or considered, a ‘strategic partner’; points out, however, that strategic partnerships are only conceivable with countries that do not jeopardise the international order, which is based on democracy, state sovereignty (including the choice of internal constitutional order and foreign policy orientation), the inviolability of state borders, respect for the rule of law and the principles of international trade, and mutual trust;
Amendment 223 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is deeply concerned by the factNotes that Russia now openly positions itself, and acts, not as a partner of, but as a rival to the international democratic community, seeking to challenge the current international order,practice and is in the process of redrawing borders within Europe; is extremely worried by the tendency of the Russian authorities to systematically denigrate liberal democracy and to consider democratic neighbouring countries as a threat to their own ruleefining its relations with the EU; notes the tendency of the Russian authorities to take a sceptical view of liberal democracy;
Amendment 249 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that EU-Russia relations must henceforth be based on the rule of law and on preconditioned dialogue, whereby the EU would be ready to relaunch cooperation with the authorities in Moscow on the condition that Russia unambiguously and without pretence takes its share of responsibility and fully implements the Minsk Agreements; stresses that in order to ensure that such a dialogue – if renewed (for which the return of Crimea to Ukraine would be a prerequisite) – is not conducted at the expense of European values, standards and international commitments, it would be necessary to specify very clearly the EU’s expectations of Russia, along with the retaliatory measures it would take should Russia not keep to its commitments;
Amendment 277 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Commends the solidarity and the unity demonstrated by the Member States in the context of Russia’s undeclared war againstregarding Ukraine, allowing the adoption and further extension of responsive measures; calls on the Member States to consider as an absolute priority the preservation of this unity; reiterates that unity and solidarity amongst the Member States, as well as between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries, is essential for ensuring the effectiveness of the EU’s policies and its ability to withstand external challenges and pressures;
Amendment 310 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Firmly supports the swift creation of a robust European Energy Union, specifically the interconnection of national energy networks in order to reduce considerably the dependence of individual Member States on external energy suppliers; is of the firm conviction that the challenges to and vulnerability of European solidarity, and the exposure of individual Member States, to the illegitimate use of energy as a political and diplomatic bargain chip can only be combatted efficiently through the full implementation of the Third Energy package and the completion of a transparent, integrated, synchronised and resilient European internal energy market;
Amendment 328 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 356 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is deeply concerned by the ever growing restrictions on free media, the tightening of online media control, the use of coercion to curb impartial reporting and the erosion of journalistic standards in Russia, as well as the increasing monopoly on the information available to Russian-language audiences abroad by state-owned media outlets; deplores that Russian state- controlled media have become players in the EU information sphere without keeping to the norms of independent journalism, including the rejection of hate speech;
Amendment 371 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Renews its call for the development of EU reconnaissance capabilities of weaponised information used in various ways and the preparation of information contingency plans, including the strengthening of analytical and monitoring capabilities, especially in the Russian language, in order to be able to identify, and respond swiftly and appropriately to, purposefully biased information; calls on the Commission to earmark without delay adequate funding for concrete projects aimed at countering Russian propaganda within the EU and abroad; calls on the Commission and the Member States to devise as well a mechanism for the collection, monitoring and reporting of financial, political or technical assistance provided by Russia to political parties and other organisations within the EU, with a view to assessing its involvement in, and influence over, political life and public debate in the EU;
Amendment 389 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the EU to provide support to grass-roots projects aimed at developing high journalistic standards, freedom of the media, and unbiased and trustworthy information in Russia, and at deconstructing propaganda within the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries; supports the initiative to develop Russian- language media channels, with a view to providing a credible and accessible alternative to biased information for Russian- speaking minorities in the EU and in the Eastern Partnership countries;·
Amendment 402 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Reiterates that uncompromising respect for the rule of law is a core and founding principle of the EU, and rejects past attempts to put forward pragmatic interpretations of the rules to accommodate Russia as a trade partner; calls, therefore, on the strict, swift and unconditional application of the rule of law – in the event of any breach of the rules – and of the principle of free and fair competition, including in the proceedings against Gazprom;
Amendment 422 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Expresses its deep concern for the stateat infringements of human rights and the rule of law in Russia, and strongly condemns the crackdownantidemocratic attacks on independent civil society and the persistent and multiform repression of activists, political opponents and critics of the regime, which has in some cases led to their murder (Anna Politkovskaya, Natalya Estemirova, Boris Nemtsov, Sergey Magnitsky, Alexander Litvinenko, and others)government; demands that all assassinations of political activists, journalists and whistle blowers be investigated properly and independently; reiterates its call on the Council to deliver on its commitment to defend these principles, and to adopt restrictive measures for the officials involved in the well-documented Magnitsky case;
Amendment 452 #
2015/2001(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the importance of continued political and financial support to independent civil society activists, media and NGOs, while ensuring transparent and legal procedures and ongoing financial control; encourages the EU to reach out to Russian officials and civil society organisations that are inclined to develop an alternative vision of political and diplomatic relations with the EU;
Amendment 71 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Due to the differences in national accessibility requirements, individual professionals, SMEs and micro-enterprises in particular are discouraged from entering into business ventures outside their own domestic markets. The national, or even regional or local, accessibility requirements that Member States have put in place currently differ as regards bnoth only coverage and level of detail but also service quality. Those differences negatively affect competitiveness and growth, due to the additional costs incurred in the development and marketing of accessible products and services for each national market.
Amendment 75 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Consumers of accessible products and recipients of accessible services are faced with high prices due to limited competition among suppliers and producers. Fragmentation among national regulations reduces potential benefits from sharing experiences with national and international peers in responding to societal and technological developments.
Amendment 80 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In particular, this Directive seeks to ensure full respect for the rights of persons with disabilities and/or special needs to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community and to promote the application of Article 26 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Amendment 84 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The overall aim of the 'Digital Single Market Strategy', is to deliver sustainable economic and social benefits from a connected digital single market. Union consumers still do not enjoy the full benefits of prices and choice that the single market can offer, because cross-border online transactions are still very limited. Fragmentation also limits demand for cross-border e-commerce transactions. There is also a need for concerted action to make sure that new electronic content is also fully available to persons with disabilities. It is therefore necessary to harmonise accessibility requirements across the digital single market and to ensure that all Union citizens regardless of their abilities can enjoyare aware of its benefits and can enjoy them.
Amendment 87 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The entry into force of the Convention in the Member States’ legal orders entails the need to adopt additional/complementary national provisions on accessibility of products and services which without Union action would further increase disparities between national provisions.
Amendment 88 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) It is therefore necessary to facilitate the implementation of the Convention by providing common Union rules and practices.
Amendment 93 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) It is therefore necessary to specify accessibility requirements and/or criteria for the placing on the market of products and services which fall within the scope of this Directive in order to ensure their free circulation in the internal market.
Amendment 94 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) This Directive should make compulsory the use of functional accessibility requirements and/or criteria in terms of general objectives. These should be precise enough to create legally binding obligations and sufficiently detailed so as to make it possible to assess conformity in order to ensure the good functioning of the internal market for the products and services covered.
Amendment 97 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Member States shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that, where the products and services covered by this Directive comply with the relevant accessibility requirements, their free marketing and movement within the Union is not impeded due to reasons of accessibility.
Amendment 104 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 35
Recital 35
(35) Any economic operator that either places a product on the market under his own name or trademark or modifies a product in such a way that compliance with applicable requirements may be affected should be considered to be the manufacturer and should assume the obligations of the manufacturer, while respecting the anti-dumping rules.
Amendment 105 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 37
Recital 37
(37) This Directive should follow the principle of 'think small first' and should take account of the administrative burdens that SMEs are faced with. It should set light rules in terms of conformity assessment and should establish safeguard clauses for economic operators, rather than providing for general exceptions and derogations for those enterprises. Consequently, when setting up the rules for the selection and implementation of the most appropriate conformity assessment procedures, the situation of SMEs should be taken into account and the obligations to assess conformity of accessibility requirements should be limited to the extent that they do not pose a disproportionate burden on SMEs. In addition, market surveillance authorities should operate in a proportionate manner in relation to the size of undertakings and to the small serial or non-serial nature of the production concerned, without creating unnecessary obstacles, mainly of a bureaucratic nature, for SMEs and without compromising the protection of public interests.
Amendment 109 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 41
Recital 41
(41) To ensure effective access to information for market surveillance purposes, the information required to declare compliance with all applicable Union acts should be available in a single EU declaration of conformity. In order to reduce the administrative burden on economic operators, they should be able to include in the single EU declaration of conformity relevant individual declarations of conformity and the implementing acts.
Amendment 113 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) In accordance with Decision No 768/2008/EC, Member States are responsible for ensuring strong and efficient market surveillance of products in their territories and should allocate sufficient powers and resources, but beyond this should mainly provide freedom of initiative, to their market surveillance authorities.
Amendment 117 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 50
Recital 50
(50) An arbitration safeguard procedure should be set up which applies only in the event of disagreement between Member States over measures taken by a Member State under which interested parties are informed of measures intended to be taken with regard to products not complying with the accessibility requirements of this Directive. It should allow market surveillance authorities, in cooperation with the relevant economic operators, to act at an earlier stage in respect of such products.
Amendment 118 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 51
Recital 51
(51) Where the Member States and the Commission agree as to the justification of a measure taken by a Member State, no further involvement of the Commission should be required, except where non- compliance can be attributed to shortcomings of a harmonised standard or the implementation of harmonised practices by a Member State.
Amendment 159 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The purpose of this Directive is to contribute to the proper and optimum functioning of the internal market by approximating laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States, by eliminating barriers to the free movement of certain accessible products and services. This will increase the availability, range and competitiveness of accessible products and services on the internal market.
Amendment 162 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) The demand for accessible products and services is high and the number of citizens with disabilities and/or functional limitations will increase significantly with the ageing of the European Union’s population. An environment where products and services are more accessible allows for a more inclusive society and facilitates independent living, while safeguarding human dignity and quality of life.
Amendment 166 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The disparities between the laws and administrative measures adopted by the Member States in relation to accessibility of products and services for persons with functional limitations including persons with disabilities create institutional and other barriers to the free movement of such products and services and distort effective competition in the internal market. Economic operators, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are particularly affected by those barriers in a manner that is both disproportional and unfavourable.
Amendment 169 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Due to the differences in national accessibility requirements and the difficulties in meeting them, as well as the numerous criteria applicable, individual professionals, SMEs and micro-enterprises in particular are discouraged from entering into business ventures outside their own familiar domestic markets. The national, or even regional or local, accessibility requirements that Member States have put in place currently differ as regards both coverage and level of detail. Those differences negatively affect competitiveness and growth, due to the additional costs incurred in the adjustment, development and marketing of accessible products and services for each national market.
Amendment 171 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Consumers of accessible products and recipients of accessible services are faced with high prices due to limited competition among suppliers and an artificial restriction on the maximum number of suppliers. Fragmentation among national regulations reduces potential benefits from sharing experiences with national and international peers in responding to societal and technological developments.
Amendment 173 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The approximation of national measures at Union level is therefore necessary for the proper functioningfull and healthy functioning and development of the internal market in order to put an end to fragmentation in the market of accessible products and services, to create economies of scale, to facilitate cross-border trade and mobility, as well as to help economic operators to concentrate resources on innovation instead of using those resources for complying with fragmented legal requirements across the Union.
Amendment 174 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In particular, this Directive seeks to ensure full respect forpromote the application of Article 26 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and in particular measures to ensure respect for and to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and, participation in the social and economic life of the community and to promote the application of Article 26 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Unionsupport in the field of education and family life.
Amendment 175 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) The overall aim of the ‘Digital Single Market Strategy’, is to deliver sustainable economic and social benefits from a connected digital single market. Union consumers still do not enjoy the full benefits of prices and choice that the single market can offer, because cross-border online transactions are still very limited, because of not only limited consumer confidence but also restrictions affecting remote customer servicing, partly attributable to postal services and language barriers. Fragmentation also limits demand for cross-border e-commerce transactions. There is also a need for concerted action to make sure that new electronic content is also fully available to persons with disabilities. It is therefore necessary to harmonise accessibility requirements across the digital single market and to ensure that all Union citizens regardless of their abilities can enjoy its benefits.
Amendment 178 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) It is therefore necessary to facilitate the implementation of the Convention by providing common Union rules based on proportionality and subsidiarity.
Amendment 180 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Products and services falling within the scope of this Directive are the necessary result of an in-depth screening exercise, carried out during the preparation of the Impact Assessment that identified those relevant products and services for persons with functional limitations, including persons with disabilities and older persons, for which Member States have adopted or are likely to adopt diverging national accessibility requirements.
Amendment 181 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) It is necessary to introduce the accessibility requirements in the least burdensome manner for the economic operators and the Member States, notably by only including in the scope the products and services which have been thoroughly selected based on the principle of necessity.
Amendment 183 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) This Directive should make compulsory the use of functional accessibility requirements in terms of general objectives. These should be precise enough to create legally binding obligations and sufficiently detailed so as to make it possible to assess conformity in order to ensure the goodand promote the proper functioning of the internal market for the products and services covered.
Amendment 184 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Member States shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that, where the products and services covered by this Directive comply with the relevant minimum requirements regarding measures to improve accessibility requirements, their free movement within the Union is not impeded due to reasons of accessibility.
Amendment 189 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) Most jobs in the Union are provided by SMEs and micro-enterprises. They have a crucial importance for future growth, but and must be supported, since it is acknowledged that they, very often face excessive hurdles and asymmetrical obstacles in developing their products or services, notably in the cross-border context. It is therefore necessary to facilitate and support the work of the SMEs and micro- enterprises by harmonising the national provisions on accessibility while maintaining the necessary safeguards.
Amendment 194 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) The manufacturer having detailed knowledge of the design and production process is best placed to help carry out the complete conformity assessment procedure. The obligations for determining conformity assessment should rest with the manufacturer, who has binding consultative powers.
Amendment 195 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) Distributors and importers should be involved in market surveillance tasks carried out by national authorities, and should participate actively, providing the competent authorities with all necessary information relating to the product concerned, so as to ensure that this procedure does not excessively affect the ability of companies to fulfil their core functions.
Amendment 196 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) Importers should ensure that products from third countries entering the Union market comply with the accessibility requirements of this Directive and in particular that appropriate conformity assessment procedures have been carried out by manufacturers with regard to those products either with regard to the final product or in the implementation of guidelines concerning good manufacturing practices.
Amendment 198 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) When placing a product on the market, every importer should indicate, on the product, its name and the address at which the company can be contacted or packaging thereof, the name and contact details of the importing company, including at least its address and contact telephone number, identifying also the company it represents or from which it received the imported product.
Amendment 199 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 35
Recital 35
(35) Any economic operator that either places a product on the market under his own name or trademark or modifies a product in such a way that compliance with applicable requirements may be affected should be considered to be the manufacturer and should assume the obligationsassume the obligations corresponding to those of the manufacturer.
Amendment 200 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) For reasons of proportionality, accessibility requirements should only apply to the extent that they do not impose a disproportionate burden on the economic operator concerned, or require a change in the products and services which would result in their fundamental alteration of the products or services offered or alterations affecting the sustainability and efficient operation of the company in accordance with the specified criteria.
Amendment 204 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 38
Recital 38
(38) All economic operators should act responsibly, with due regard for consumers and in full accordance with the legal requirements applicable when placing or making products available on the market or providing services on the market.
Amendment 206 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 40
Recital 40
(40) In the absence of harmonised standards and where needed for market harmonisation purposes pending the formulation of suitable harmonised standards, the Commission should, in the meantime, be able adopt implementing acts establishing common technical specifications for the accessibility requirements set in this Directive.
Amendment 208 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) Member States should check the compliance of services with the obligations of this Directive and should follow upexamine in a realistic and proportional manner complaints or reports related to non- compliance in order to ensure that corrective action has been taken.
Amendment 213 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 51
Recital 51
(51) Where the Member States and the Commission agree as to the justification of a measure taken by a Member State, no further involvement of the Commission should be required, except where non- compliance can be attributed to shortcomings of a harmonised standard or lead to excessive distortions of the market and of healthy competition.
Amendment 214 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 52
Recital 52
(52) In order to ensure uniform, flexible, proportionate, sound effective and applicable conditions for the implementation of chapter IV of this Directive, specific implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council. __________________ Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by the Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers (OJ L 55, 28.02.2011, p. 13).
Amendment 220 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b – point ii
(ii) ticketing machines of all kinds;
Amendment 222 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) consumer terminal equipment with advanced computing capability related to audio-visual media services and digital television.
Amendment 226 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) audiovisual media services, digital television and related consumer equipment with advanced computing capability;
Amendment 230 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
(2) “universal design” referred to also as “design for all” means the design of products, environments, programmes and services to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised design; “universal design” does not exclude the parallel development of assistive devices for particular groups of persons with functional limitations, including persons with disabilities where this is needed and for special needs;
Amendment 231 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
(3) “persons with functional limitations” means persons who have any physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment, age related impairment, or other human body performance related causes, permanent or temporary, which in interaction with various barriers may, under certain circumstances, result in their reduced access to products and services, leading to a situation that requires adaptation to their particular needs of those products and services in order fully to meet their requirements;
Amendment 232 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) “persons with disabilities” include persons who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may affect their essential day-to-day activities and thereby hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others;
Amendment 233 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 10
(10) “manufacturer” means any natural or legal person who manufactures a product, modifies it in such a way as to fundamentally alter its nature and purpose or has a product designed or manufactured, and markets that product under his name or trademark;
Amendment 234 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 15
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 15
(15) “consumer” means any natural person who purchases the relevant product or is the final user of a product or is a recipient of the relevant service at a personal or communal level and for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession;
Amendment 235 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 18
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 18
(18) “common technical specifications” means a technical specification as defined in Article 2(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 that has been determined through a procedure recognised by the Member States and that provides a means to comply with the accessibility requirements applicable to a product or service with the aim of ensuring uniform implementation in all Member States;
Amendment 236 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
(21) “e-commerce” means the online sale, marketing or exchange of products and services.
Amendment 240 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 5
Article 3 – paragraph 5
5. Audiovisual media and digital television services and the related consumer equipment with advanced computing capability shall comply with the requirements set out in Section IV of Annex I.
Amendment 243 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 10
Article 3 – paragraph 10
10. Member States may decide, in the light of national conditions, that the built environment used by clients of passenger transport services including the environment that is managed by service providers and by infrastructure operators as well as the built environment used by clients of banking services, and customer services centres and shops under the scope of telephony operators shall comply with the accessibility requirements of Annex I, section X, in order to maximise their use by persons with functional limitations, including persons with disabilities and the elderly.
Amendment 246 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Member States shall not impede the making available on the market in their territory of products and services that comply with this Directive for reasons related to accessibility requirements except after a reasoned opinion and an accompanying report or procedure which the Commission shall launch under its implementing powers.
Amendment 247 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Where compliance of a product with the applicable accessibility requirements has been satisfactorily demonstrated by that procedure, manufacturers shall draw up an EU declaration of conformity and affix the CE marking in line with usual practices.
Amendment 248 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 4
Article 5 – paragraph 4
4. Manufacturers shall keep a register of complaints, of non-conforming products and products recalls, and shall keep distributors informed of any such monitoring and provide a summary of reports and a briefing following the collection and processing of such information.
Amendment 249 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 5
Article 5 – paragraph 5
5. Manufacturers shall ensure that their products bear a type, batch or serial number or other element allowing their safe identification and traceability, or, where the size or nature of the product does not allow it, that the required information is provided on the packaging or in a document accompanying the product.
Amendment 250 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 6
Article 5 – paragraph 6
6. Manufacturers shall indicate their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark and, the address at which they can be contacted and their telephone contact information at least on the product or, where that is not possible, on its packaging or in a document accompanying the product. The address must indicate a single point at which the manufacturer can be contacted.
Amendment 251 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 7
Article 5 – paragraph 7
7. Manufacturers shall ensure that the product is accompanied by instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and end-users, as determined by the Member State concerned and at least in an official language of the territory of the State in which it is being offered for use or consumption.
Amendment 254 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 9
Article 5 – paragraph 9
9. Manufacturers shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the product, in a language which can be easily understood by thatn official language of the Member State in which the respective competent national authority is based, or as defined by national law and customary institutional practice, or as bilaterally to be agreed on a case-by-case basis by the competent national authority and the manufacturer upon the initiative of the national authority. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by products which they have placed on the market and to ensure compliance with the requirements referred to in Article 3.
Amendment 256 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. Where an importer considers or has reason to believe that a product is not in conformity with the accessibility requirements referred to in Article 3, he shall not place the product on the market until it has been brought into conformity. Furthermore, where the product presents a risk to public health and safety or to the end user/consumer, the importer shall inform the manufacturer and the market surveillance authorities to that effect.
Amendment 257 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 4
Article 7 – paragraph 4
4. Importers shall indicate their name, registered trade name or registered trade mark and the address at which they can be contacted and other contact information on the product or, where that is not possible, on its external packaging or in a document accompanying the product.
Amendment 258 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 5
Article 7 – paragraph 5
5. Importers shall ensure that the product is accompanied by instructions and information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users, in an official language of the territory of the Member State, as laid down by national legislation, and as determined by the Member State concerned.
Amendment 259 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 7
Article 7 – paragraph 7
7. Importers shall keep a register of complaints, of non-conforming products and product recalls, and shall keep distributors informed of such monitoring, while the record that is kept must be available and accessible both to the manufacturers and the competent national authorities.
Amendment 260 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 8
Article 7 – paragraph 8
8. Importers who consider or have reason to believe that a product which they have placed on the market is not in conformity with the requirements referred to in Article 3 shall immediately take the necessary corrective measures to bring that product into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate. Furthermore where the product presents a risk, importers shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the product available to that effect, following the instructions and guidelines of the competent authorities and giving details, in particular, of the non- compliance and of any corrective measures taken.
Amendment 263 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 9
Article 7 – paragraph 9
9. Importers shall, further to a reasoned request from a competent national authority, provide it with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of a product in a language which can be easily understood by that authorityn official language of the Member State in which the respective competent national authority is based or as determined by national legislation. They shall cooperate with that authority, at its request, on any action taken to eliminate the risks posed by products which they have placed on the market.
Amendment 264 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. When making a product available on the market distributors shall act with due care in relation toin accordance with the requirements of this Directive.
Amendment 265 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. Before making a product available on the market distributors shall verify that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in Article 5(5) and (6) and Article 7(4), that the product bears the CE marking, and that it is accompanied by the required documents and by instructions and information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other end-users in the Member State in which the product is to be made available on the market and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in Article 5(5) and (6) and Article 7(4)least in an official language of the territory of the Member State as determined by national legislation.
Amendment 266 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 5
Article 8 – paragraph 5
5. Distributors who consider or have reason to believe that a product which they have made available on the market is not in conformity with this Directive shall make sure that the necessary corrective measures are taken as swiftly as possible to bring that product into conformity, to withdraw it or recall it, if appropriate. Furthermore, where the product presents a risk, distributors shall immediately inform the competent national authorities of the Member States in which they made the product available to that effect giving details, in particular, of the non-compliance and of any corrective measures taken while awaiting other institutional instructions.
Amendment 269 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 10 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Economic operators shall, onif institutionally requested, identify the following to the competent national market surveillance authorities:
Amendment 270 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 2
Article 10 – paragraph 2
2. Economic operators shall keep a physical or electronic record and be able to present the information referred to in paragraph 1 for a period of at least 10 years after they have been supplied with the product and for a period of at least 10 years after they have supplied the product.
Amendment 271 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 2
2. Service providers shall prepare the necessary information in accordance with Annex III explaining how the services meet the accessibility requirements referred to in Article 3. The information shall be made available to the public in written and oral format, including in a manner which is accessible to persons with functional limitations and persons with disabilities. Service providers shall keep the information as long as the service is in operation, or shall, to a proportionate and realistic degree, make available the specific information even if the provider should cease in so far as the service itself remains in operation.
Amendment 276 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
2. AThe accessibility requirements referred to in Article 3 applyshall be proportionately applied by the economic operators concerned to the extent that they are necessary and do not imposnvolve a disproportionate burdlogistical or employment on the economic operators concernedr any other type of financial burden or actions that require an excessive commitment of special means and resources.
Amendment 278 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 3 – point b
Article 12 – paragraph 3 – point b
(b) the estimated costs and benefits for the economic operators in relation to the estimated benefit for persons with disabilitiespotential compensatory benefit, economic or other, taking into account the frequency and, duration and extent of use of the specific product or service by the overall number of final users or consumers with disabilities.
Amendment 283 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 4
Article 12 – paragraph 4
4. The burden shall not be deemed disproportionate where it is fully compensated or otherwise balanced by funding from other sources than the economic operator’s own resourcesown resources of the economic operator, or associated companies under common management or ownership, whether public or private.
Amendment 285 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 5
Article 12 – paragraph 5
5. The assessment of whether compliance with accessibility requirements regarding products or services imposes a fundamental alteration or disproportionate burden shall be performed by the economic operator with the option of requesting support from the competent national authority acting in a consultative capacity.
Amendment 286 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 6
Article 12 – paragraph 6
6. Where the economic operators have used the exception provided for in paragraphs 1 to 5 for a specific product or service they shall notify in a prompt and detailed manner the relevant market surveillance authority of the Member State in the market of which the product or service is placed or made available. The notification shall include the assessment referred to in paragraph 3. Microenterprises employing fewer than 10 persons and whose annual turnover or total annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 2 million are exempted from this notification requirement but must be able to supply the relevant documentation upon request from a relevant market surveillance authority and fully keep the relevant record for at least five years after they have supplied or otherwise transmitted the product or service.
Amendment 289 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. Where no reference to harmonised standards has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012, and where further detail for the accessibility requirements of certain products and services would be needed for harmonisation of the market, the Commission may adopt implementing acts establishing common technical specifications (‘CTS’) for the accessibility requirements set out in Annex I to this Directive. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 24(2) of this Directive under the guidance of the competent committee and with the possibility of Member States participating and intervening at all stages of the procedure before the implementing acts are issued.
Amendment 291 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 2
Article 15 – paragraph 2
2. The EU declaration of conformity shall have the model structure set out in Annex III to Decision No 768/2008/EC. It shall contain the elements specified in Annex II to this Directive and shall be continuously updated. The requirements concerning the technical documentation shall avoid imposing any disproportionate burden for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. It shall be translated into the language or languages required by the Member State in the market of which the product is placed or made availablaccording to the rules and requirements set by the competent national authority that controls the market within the territory of the Member State where the product is placed or made available in accordance with the jurisprudence and the institutional and formal procedures in force.
Amendment 292 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 2
Article 17 – paragraph 2
2. When carrying out market surveillance of products market surveillance authorities shall periodically review the assessment referred to in Article 12 and publish annually a comprehensive report thereon within the framework of institutional accountability and with due respect for sensitive corporate data and without such a publication leading to a direct or indirect distortion of competition.
Amendment 294 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 3
Article 17 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall ensure that information held by market surveillance authorities concerning the compliance of economic operators with the applicable accessibility requirements set out in Article 3 and the assessment of the exceptions provided for in Article 12, is made available to consumers upon request and in an accessible format, except where that information cannot be provided for reasons of confidentiality as provided for in Article 19(5) of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008. The information shall be made available within a reasonable period of time not exceeding 4 weeks and, if this results in a significant burden for the competent authority, the submission of a request may be accompanied by a commensurate tax, which in total shall not exceed the corresponding service costs, following a decision by the competent authority based on an actuarial explanatory memorandum.
Amendment 297 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Member States shall ensure that the public is informed of the existence, responsibilities and identity of the authorities referred to in the first subparagraph. Those authorities shall make the information available in accessible formats upon request and should be entitled to promote their role and to provide information about it.
Amendment 299 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 19 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Where, in the course of that evaluation, the market surveillance authorities find that the product does not comply with the requirements laid down in this Directive, they shall without delay require the relevant economic operator to take all appropriate corrective action to bring the product into compliance with those requirements, to withdraw the product from the market, or to recall it within a reasonable period, commensurate with the nature of the risk, as they may prescribe, unless the economic operator reaches a compromise with the supervisory authority or can objectively prove by sound reasoning beyond any doubt that the product does indeed comply with the requirements of the Directive or is exempted from its rules.
Amendment 300 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 2
Article 19 – paragraph 2
2. Where the market surveillance authorities consider that non-compliance is not restricted to their national territory, they shall inform the Commission and the other Member States of the results of the evaluation and of the actions which they have required the economic operator to take. Any communication to and from the economic operator may be realised between the national supervisory authorities in order to serve their regulatory and supervisory powers.
Amendment 301 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 3
Article 19 – paragraph 3
3. The economic operator shall ensure that all appropriate corrective action is taken in respect of all the products concerned that it has made available on the market throughout the Union within a reasonable period of time and following a corresponding communication with the supervisory authorities.
Amendment 302 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 4
Article 19 – paragraph 4
4. Where the relevant economic operator does not take adequate corrective action within the period referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph 1, the market surveillance authorities shall take all appropriate provisional measures to prohibit or restrict products being made available on their national markets, to withdraw the product from that market or to recall it. The market surveillance authorities shall inform the Commission and the other Member States, without delay, of those measures. The necessary restrictive or prohibitive measures shall constitute the maximum final means to which the supervisory authorities may resort after having exhausted the scope for consultation and cooperation with the economic operator. No provision is made for the possibility of imposing fines, while bearing in mind the provisions of existing legislation and the provisions on the civil and criminal liability of the economic operator.
Amendment 303 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 7
Article 19 – paragraph 7
7. Where, within three months of receipt of the information referred to in paragraph 4, no objection has been raised by either a Member State or the Commission in respect of a provisional measure taken by a Member State, that measure shall be deemed justified. Any procedure to challenge the measure by the economic operator shall take place in accordance with the procedures laid down by the national supervisory authority within three months of notification of the decision on the action taken.
Amendment 304 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 8
Article 19 – paragraph 8
8. Member States shall ensure that appropriate restrictive measures are taken in respect of the product concerned, such as the withdrawal of the product fromfrom the market and the recall, prohibition or restriction of their marketing of the product, without delay.
Amendment 311 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) the estimated costs and benefits for the competent authorities concerned in relation to the estimatedpotential essential benefit for persons with disabilities, taking into account the frequency and, duration ofand extent of the use of the specific product or service by the estimated greatest overall number of final users or consumers with disabilities;
Amendment 314 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 22 – paragraph 3
Article 22 – paragraph 3
3. The assessment of whether compliance with accessibility requirements referred to in Article 21 imposes a disproportionate burden shall be performed by the competent authorities concerned with the participation of the relevant economic operator.
Amendment 325 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 28 – paragraph 2
Article 28 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission in due timeperiodically and in due time and after being instructed to do so by the latter all the information necessary for the Commission to draw up such a report.
Amendment 326 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – point 1 – introductory part
Annex I – point 1 – introductory part
Amendment 327 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – Section IX - Part C– introductory part
Annex I – Section IX - Part C– introductory part
1. The accessibility to persons with functional limitations, including persons with disabilities and persons with age- related disabilities, of the built environment for its foreseeable use in an independent manner, shall include the following aspects of areas intended for public access:
Amendment 328 #
2015/0278(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – Section X –introductory part
Annex I – Section X –introductory part
The accessibility to persons with functional limitations, including persons with disabilities and persons with age-related disabilities, of the built environment where the service is provided, referred to in Article 3(10) for its foreseeable use in an independent manner, shall include the following aspects of areas intended for public access:
Amendment 26 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Reforms are by their very nature complex processes that require a complete chain of highly-specialised knowledge and skills. Addressing structural reforms in a variety of public policy areas is challenging since their benefits often take time to materialise and their effectiveness is uncertain. Therefore, early and efficient design and implementation is crucial, be it for crisis-struck or structurally-weak economies. In this context, the provision of support by the UnionCommission involvement in the form of technical assistance has been crucial in supportingfor the economic adjustmentprogress of Greece and Cyprus in the last years.
Amendment 29 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Member States may benefit from supporCommission involvement in addressing challenges as regards the design and implementation of structural reforms. These challenges may be dependent on various factors, including limited administrative and institutional capacity or inadequate application and implementation of Union legislation.
Amendment 32 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The Union has a long-lasting experience oin providing specific support toadministering extreme situations encountered by national administrations and other authorities of Member States as regards capacity building and similar actions in certain sectors (e.g. taxation, customs, support to small and medium-sized enterprises) and in relation to the implementation of cohesion policy. The experience gained by the Union in assistingdministering extreme situations together with national authorities so as to carrying out reforms should be used and turned to advantage in order to enhance the capacity of the Union to provide supportbstantial aid to Member States. Comprehensive and integrated action is indeed necessary in order to provide support to those Member States that are undertaking growth- enhancing reforms and request assistance from the Union in this respect.
Amendment 35 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Against this background, it is necessary to establish a Structural Reform Support Programme ('‘the Programme'’) with the objective of strengthening the capacity of Member States to prepare and implement growth-enhancing administrative and structural reforms to address extreme situations, including through assistance for the efficient and effective use of the Union funds. The Programme is intended to contribute to the achievement of common goals towards obtaining economic recovery, job creation, boosting Europe's competitiveness and stimulating investment in the real economy while respecting the rights of workers.
Amendment 40 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Support under the Programme should be provided by the Commission upon request by a Member State, in areas such as budget and taxation, public function, institutional and administrative reforms, the justice system, anti-fraud, anti-corruption and anti-money laundering, business environment, private sector development, investment, competition, public procurement, privatization processes, access to finance, investment, trade, sustainable development, innovation, education andspecialist training, labour policies, public health, asylum, migration policies, agriculture and rural development and financial sector policies.
Amendment 43 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) Member States should be able to request support from the Commission under the Programme in relation to the implementation of reforms in the context of economic governance processes, in particular of Country Specific Recommendations in the context of the European Semester, to actions related to the implementation of Union law, as well as in relation to the implementation of economic adjustment programmes. They should also be able to request support in relation to reforms undertaken at their own initiative, in order to achieve sustainable investment, growth and job creation.
Amendment 47 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Further to a dialogue with the requesting Member State, including in the context of the European Semester, the Commission should analyse the request, taking into account the principles of transparency, equal treatment and, sound financial management, proportionality and subsidiarity and determine the support to be provided based on urgency, breadth and depth of the problems as identified, support needs in respect of the policy areas envisaged, analysis of socio-economic indicators, and the general administrative capacity of the Member State. The Commission should also, in close cooperation with the Member State concerned, identify the priority areas, the scope of the support measures to be provided and the global financial contribution for such support, taking into account the existing actions and measures financed by Union funds or other Union programmes.
Amendment 49 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Commission Communications ‘The EU Budget Review’13 and ‘A budget for Europe 2020’14 underline the importance of focusing funding on activities with clear European added value, i.e. where the Union intervention can bring additional value compared to action of Member States alone. Against this background, the support actions carried out under the Programme should ensure complementarity and synergy with other programmes and policies at national, Union and international level. The actions under the Programme should allow elaborating and implementing solutionmeasures that address national challenges which have impact on cross-border or Union-wide challenges and achieve a consistent and coherent implementation of Union law. In addition, they should contribute to further develop trust and promote cooperation with the CommissEU institutions and among Member States. Moreover, the Union is in a better position than Member States to provide a platform for the provision and sharing of good practices from peers as well as to mobilise expertise. __________________ 13 COM(2010) 700 of 19 October 2010. 14 COM(2011)500 final of 29 June 2011.
Amendment 56 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Member States that request supportassistance should be able to contribute to the financial envelope of the Programme with additional funds. Currently, Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 limits the possibility of a transfer of resources dedicated to technical assistance at the initiative of a Member State to those Member States which face temporary budgetary difficulties. Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 should therefore be amended in order to allow all Member States to participate financially to the Programme. The resources transferred to the Union budget should be used for supporting actions contributing to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, job creation or Fund- specific purposes in the Member States concerned.
Amendment 108 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point b
b) institutional reform and efficient and service-oriented functioning of public administration, effective rule of law, as regards reform of the justice system and reinforcement of anti-measures to combat fraud, anti- corruption and anti-money laundering;
Amendment 113 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
d) education and training, labour market policies, social inclusion, social security and social welfare systems, public health and healthcare systems, asylum, migration and borders policies;
Amendment 130 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point e
Amendment 145 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Taking into account the principles of transparency, equal treatment and, sound financial management, proportionality and subsidiarity, further to a dialogue with the Member State, including in the context of the European Semester, the Commission shall analyse the request for support referred to in paragraph 1 based on the urgency, breadth and depth of the problems identified, support needs in respect of the policy areas concerned, analysis of socioeconomic indicators and general administrative capacity of the Member State. Taking into account the existing actions and measures financed by Union funds or other Union programmes, the Commission in close cooperation with the Member State concerned shall identify the priority areas for support, the scope of the support measures to be provided and the global financial contribution for such support.
Amendment 149 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 7 – paragraph 3 – point a
Amendment 189 #
2015/0263(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 1
Article 14 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall take appropriate measures ensuring that, when actions financed under this Regulation are implemented, the financial interests of the Union are protected by the application of preventive measures against fraud, corruption and any other illegal economic activities, by effective checks and, if irregularities are detected, by the recovery of the amounts wrongly paid and, where appropriate, by effective, proportionate and deterrent penalties.
Amendment 6 #
2015/0005(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and the resulting military conflict have had damaging effects on Ukraine's already precarious economic and financial stability of the country is precarious. Ukraine is facing a difficult balance of payments and liquidity position linked to receding confidence and concomitant capital flight, as well as a worsening fiscal situation as a result of the direct budgetary cost of the conflict, a deeper than expected recession and the loss of fiscal revenues from the areas controlled by the separatists. At the same time, pre-existing structural weaknesses, the corrupt public sector and budgetary and external- financial vulnerabilities have also contributed to the deterioration of the economic situation.
Amendment 42 #
2015/0005(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – point a
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – point a
a) ensuring that Ukraine regularly checks that financing provided from the budget of the Union has been properly used, introduces the compulsory establishment of risk management and internal control procedures and of administrative bodies to verify the suitability of these procedures and compliance with them, takes appropriate measures to prevent irregularities and fraud, and, if necessary, takes legal action to recover any funds provided under this Decision that have been misappropriated;
Amendment 43 #
2015/0005(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – point d
d) expressly authorising the Commission and the Court of Auditors to perform audits before, during and after the availability period of the Union's macro-financial assistance, including document audits and on-the-spot audits, such as operational assessments; the results of the audits shall be accompanied by indications of the necessary corrective measures or penalties;
Amendment 87 #
2014/2255(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Strongly rejects the consideration of active ageing policies solely as an instrument to maintain the employability of older workers, and calls on the Member States to make all the necessary assessments before raising the mandatory pension age, particularly those States which are subject to a tough fiscal adjustment and / or Memorandum regime;
Amendment 107 #
2014/2255(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission to study the worrying problem of unemployment among people over the age of 50 which directly affects pension entitlement prospects and, in conjunction with the Member States, to develop effective tools for reintegrating such workers into the labour market;
Amendment 168 #
2014/2255(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Welcomes the Active Ageing Index, which aims to capture the untapped potential and experience of older people for more active participation in employment and social life and for independent living, together with the ongoing follow-up project being conducted by the Commission in conjunction with the UN Economic Committee for Europe; encourages the Member States to set targets based on the index which are to be achieved through comprehensive active ageing strategies, and to monitor progress towards those targets;
Amendment 171 #
2014/2255(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Points out that promoting age-friendly environments is an essential tool for supporting older workers and jobseekers and promoting age-inclusive societies that offer equal opportunities to all; welcomes, in this connection, the Commission’s joint management project with the WHO aimed at adapting the WHO Global Age-friendly Cities guide to the European context;
Amendment 1 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948,
Amendment 52 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
Citation 24 a (new)
– having regard to the analyses, studies and reports published by ECRI,
Amendment 133 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas many fundamental rights violations still occur in the EU and in Member States, as pointed out in reports by the Commission, the FRA, ECRI, NGOs, the Council of Europe and the UN;
Amendment 175 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that Article 6 TEU requires the Union to accede to the ECHR; notes Opinion 2/2013 of the Court of Justice of the European Union; calls on the Commission and the Council to draw up proposals designed to ensure that the aforementioned obligation is met as quickly as possible, on the basis of full transparency and with the aim of enhancing the protection of individuals and making the European institutions more accountable for their actions or failings regarding fundamental rights; as derived from the common constitutional traditions of the Member States;·
Amendment 296 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Deplores recent instances of anti-Semitic and anti-Islamic discrimination and violence; calls on Member States to protect freedom of religion oand political, social, ideological, religious and other beliefs and to promote tolerance and equality;
Amendment 321 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Stresses that public safety is a top priority and that each Member State is required to protect its citizens from extremist attacks;
Amendment 458 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 576 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls for the full implementation of all European treaties and directives with regard to investigations and/or prosecution for reasons connected to political, religious and social beliefs and ideologies;
Amendment 725 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for an investigation into the use of funds earmarked for home affairs and a review of the Schengen and Dublin II agreements, bearing in mind that they were concluded prior to the current economic crisis and the current hostilities (in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Ukraine etc.), which have generated huge internal migration flows, in particular from South to North, as well as a massive increase in (legal and illegal) migration from third countries;
Amendment 785 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the EU institutions, when adopting and implementing austerity measures, to guarantee that sufficient resources are still made available to ensure the satisfaction of minimum essential levels of economic and social rights, decent living standards and in particular the right to employment and education;
Amendment 842 #
2014/2254(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Points out that there has been hardly any decrease in arms and drugs trading, sexual exploitation or exploitation at the workplace resulting from human trafficking, or in tax evasion by mean of concealed fund transfers and other illegal practices with frequent complicity or deliberate failure to investigate on the part of public servants or government officials;
Amendment 11 #
2014/2252(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for clarification of whether trade instruments, such as investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), could jeopardise the subsidiarity principle with respect to the competences of Member States, bearing in mind that the Court of Justice has sole jurisdiction in actions arising from a legislative act;
Amendment 16 #
2014/2252(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. With respect to EU financial assistance to other countries, namely macro-financial assistance, calls for a more in-depth ex- ante impact assessment regarding the proportionality of the proposed measures in order for the assistance to be efficient and genuinely helpful to our partners in need; insists on the necessity of measures, including initiatives suitably coordinated by the Commission, to establishing greater conditionality for disbursement of the assistance and proper control of the use of the funds, including substantial scrutiny by Parliament;
Amendment 25 #
2014/2252(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Points out the utmost importance of proper consultation, dialogue and involvement of citizens (starting at grass- roots level), businesses (namely SMEs) and civil society in the EU decision- making process for trade policy., as well as consultation with the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee;
Amendment 105 #
2014/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges that all EU countries, and the EU itself as an institution, sign the Istanbul Convention and work together for gender equality in countries outside the EU, on a trans-European basis; Calls for all EU countries to invest consistently in the production of information and motivational campaigns for girls and boys to choose non-stereotyped professions, with a view to combining harmoniously pursuit of a career and starting a family, as well as reflecting on the influence of gender identities and perceptions on girls' life plans, promoting discussion of educational and career choices in the classroom;
Amendment 108 #
2014/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the promotion of a holistic approach to formal and informal education in schools, a sensitive approach to the inclusion of human rights, human dignity, gender equality, the starting of families, and the development of self-esteem, encouraging informed decision-making for girls and women, both at a personal, family and professional level;
Amendment 118 #
2014/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Emphasises the need for national and local institutions to promote programmes to integrate legal migrant communities in schools and all minorities that are legally making a living within the respective countries and that make up the European social space, as well as financial assistance programmes for needy families in order to prevent students dropping out, particularly girls;
Amendment 166 #
2014/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the need to prepare and disseminate guidelines for schools, teachers and those responsible for setting the curriculum in order to embrace a gender perspective and gender equality, and asks teachers to analyse and eliminate stereotypes and sexist distortions that the teaching materials may include in their content, language and illustrations, encouraging them also to combat this sexism in literature, film, music, games and other areas that contribute decisively to changing the attitudes, behaviour and identity of boys and girls;, while respecting and taking care not to detract from or undermine the specific cultural characteristics of each language
Amendment 171 #
2014/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls for the need to include, both in the initial and ongoing training of teachers, strategies to reflect on their own identity, beliefs, values, prejudices, expectations, attitudes and gender representations, within the family, society and the workplace, as well as on their teaching practices, in order to remove any obstacles to realising girls' full potential;
Amendment 177 #
2014/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Calls for every effort to be made to ensure that employment in the area of early childhood education, primary education and care is promoted as valid work for both women and men, reflecting on the relevance of using a system of quotas for men in these areas in the transitional arrangements;·
Amendment 199 #
2014/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22α. Points out that any policies designed to achieve gender equality must also seek to consolidate the notion of the family as the core component of society and, if they fail to do so, must be must be adjusted accordingly.
Amendment 36 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital Α
Recital Α
Α. whereas the ‘polycrisis’ currently faced by the Union, including its financial, economic, political, social and migratory consequences, as well as terrorism, have all led to the rejection by a growing part of the population of the current European Union;
Amendment 46 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
Β. whereas progress towards a Union that can really deliver on and achieve its goals are impaired by a failure of governance owing to a continuous and systematic , while institutional, search for unanimity in the Council (which is still based on the so- called Luxembourg Compromise) and the lack of a credible single executive authority enjoying full democratic legitimacy, through electoral procedure, and competence to take effective action across a wide spectrum of policies; whereas recent examples such as the uncontrolled migration flow, the slow clean-up of our banks after the outbreak of the financial crisis and the lack of an immediate common response to the internal and external threat of terrorism have aptly demonstrated the Union’s incapacity to respond effectively and quickly;
Amendment 63 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas this problem, coupled with a lack of a common vision and common goals on the part of our Member States as regards the future of our continent, has given rise to unprecedented levelsa justified increase of ‘euroscepticism’ that risk a returnleads to nationalism and the disintegration of the Union;
Amendment 75 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, instead of fostering the Union, the system whereby Member States make progress at different speeds in accordance with their different capacities and circumstances, further reinforced in the Lisbon Treaty, which introduced new formal methods of enhanced cooperation, has increased the complexity of the Union and accentuated its ‘variable geometry’; whereas more and more Member States are declining to agree on the goals and prefer ‘à la carte’ solutions, some of them even unilaterally, such as imposing strict austerity;
Amendment 89 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
Ε. whereas, in the field of the euro and monetary policy, the United Kingdom obtained a permanent derogation from joining (Protocol No 15), Denmark has a constitutional exemption (Protocol No 16), Sweden has ceased to follow the euro convergence criteria and the possibility of Greece leaving the single currency has been openly discussed in the European Council and in the Eurogroup;
Amendment 100 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas, as regards Schengen, the free movement of people and the resulting abolition of internal border controls, all formally integrated into the Treaties, ‘opt- outs’ were given to the UK and Ireland; whereas four other Member States are also not taking part, but have the obligation to do so, while ‘opt-ins’ were accorded to three countries outside the European Union; whereas this fragmentation not only prevents the total abolition of some remaining internal bordersuniformity of the Schengen area, but also hinders the establishment of a true internal market and of a fully integrated area of freedom, security and justice;
Amendment 110 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas, last but not least, this ‘variable geometry’ endangers the uniform application of EU law, leads to excessive complexity in terms of good governance, jeopardises the cohesion of the Union and undermines solidarity among its citizens;
Amendment 133 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas, while Article 16 of the TSCG provides that within five years of the date of entry into force (before 1 January 2018) the necessary steps must have been taken to incorporate the Fiscal Compact into the legal framework of the Union, it is clear that the resilience of the euro area, including the completion of the banking union, cannot be achieved without further fiscal deepening steps together with the establishment of a more reliable, effective and democratic form of governanceadministrative authority; whereas this will complete the current Stability and Growth Pact, which, ever since it came into existence, even after its reform by the so- called six-pack and two-pack, has never been applied for any obvious political reasons;
Amendment 146 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas this new system of governanceadministrative authority implies a genuine government equipped to formulate andpropose and, following approval by the Council, implement the common monetary, fiscal and macro- economic policies that the euro area desperately needs and must be endowed with a treasury and budget commensurate with the scale of the tasks at hand; whereas this requires, in addition to measures within the existing primary law, a reform of the Lisbon Treaty;
Amendment 152 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas this is also the case for the necessary reform and modernisation of the financial resources of the whole European Union; whereas the agreement on the current multiannual financial framework (MFF) was only reached after long and strenuous negotiations and was accompanied by the decision to establish a high-level group to review the Union’s revenue system of ‘own resources’, due to report in 2016; whereas the current MFF severely limits the financial autonomself- sufficiency of the Union, as most of the revenue consists of national contributions by the Member States and a large part of the expenditure is already preordained by means of returns to these same Member States;
Amendment 161 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the European Union is a constitutional system andsystem which is based on the rule of law; whereas the Treaties must be changed to give the European Court of Justice (ECJ) increased jurisdiction over allthe 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 179 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital M
Recital M
M. whereas this review is also needed to rebalance the functioning of the Union, with the aim of less bureaucratic regulation and more effective policymaking; whereas this exercise also concerns the competences conferred on the Union that impair the ability to make progress towards some of its stated objectives such as the energy union, common migration management and security policy;
Amendment 187 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas over the past decade the security situation in Europe has deteriorated markedly, especially in our neighbourhood: no longer can a single Member State guarantee its internal and external security alone, because of the erroneous policies of the Union;
Amendment 197 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
Recital O
O. whereas the decline of Europe’s defence capabilities has limited its ability to project stability 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 and in accordance with Article 42 of the Treaty;
Amendment 268 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the time of crisis management by means of ad hoc and incremental decisions has passed, as it only leads to measures that are too little, too late; is convinced that it is now time to address the shortcomings of the governance of the European Union by undertaking a comprehensive, in-depth reform of the Lisbon Treaty, and especially by changing the policies followed;
Amendment 287 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the direction of the Union’s reform should lead towards its modernisation by establishing new effective European capacities and instruments, rather than its renationalisation by means of greater intergovernmentalismwithout however questioning the national policies of Member States;
Amendment 312 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Observes with great concern the proliferation of subsets of Member States uandermining the unity of the Union by causing a lack of transparency, as well as diminishing the trust of the people citizens of the Union who doubt its unity due to the political impasses;
Amendment 359 #
2014/2248(INI)
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 voting, and the Court of Justice oversees and provides ultimate judiciprocedural control;
Amendment 389 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Proposes that the next revision of the Treaties should rationalise the current disorderly ‘variable geometry’, i.e. ‘l’Europe à la carte’, by endreconsidering the disruptive practice of opt-outs, opt-ins and exceptions;
Amendment 481 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers that neither the Stability and Growth Pact nor the ‘no bail-out’ clause (Article 125 TFEU) provide the intended solutions, and that they have furthermore lost credibility in their current form, as the pact has been infringed by several Member States without political or legal consequences, while Greece has been bailed out on a large scale on three occasions, as a result of the institutional inability of the EU to adopt realistic solutions;
Amendment 610 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Is of the opinion that, in order to increase financial stability, mitigate cross- border asymmetric shocks and reduce the effects of recession, the euro area needs a fiscal capacity based on genuine own resources and a proper treasury facility equipped with a capacity to borrow, such as the adoption of the eurobond; this treasury must be based in the Commission and be subject to democratic scrutiny and accountability through Parliament and the Council;
Amendment 641 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Calls, therefore, for the executive authority to be concentrated in the Commission in the role of an EU Finance Ministery, by endowing the Commission with the capacity to formulateplan and give effect, following approval by the Eurogroup, to a common EU economic policy combining macro-economic, fiscal and monetary instruments, backed up by a euro-area budget; the Finance Minister should be responsible and accountable before the Council and the Eurogroup for the operation of the ESM and other mutualised funds, and be the single external representative of the euro area in international organisations, especially in the financial sector;
Amendment 661 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Considers it necessary to endowgive the Finance Minister with proportionathe powers to intervene in the setting of nationaldebate within the Eurogroup on economic and fiscal policies in cases where the convergence code is not respected, and the power to upropose the use of fiscal capacity or the common bond instrument for those Member States that are compliant with the convergence code;
Amendment 690 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for the suppressionamendment of Article 126(10) TFEU in order that the European Court of Justice gain fullenlarged jurisdiction over the operation of the EMU, as is appropriate in a democratic system of economic governance based on the rule of law and the principle of equality among Member States;
Amendment 720 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Recognises the geopolitical, economic, energy and environmental need for the creation of a genuine European energy union; notes that this will require the removal of the constraint that EU policy must not affect a state’s right to determine the conditions for exploiting its energy sources, its choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply (Article 194(2) TFEU);
Amendment 735 #
2014/2248(INI)
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 that Article 79(5) TFEU is not an impediment to the common European action, as the choice by a Member State onf the implementation of bordervolume 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 admitted is an integral part of national sovereignty;
Amendment 785 #
2014/2248(INI)
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 shcould be named EU Foreign Minister and be supported in her efforts to, under conditions, 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 MinisterVice-President / High Representative should be able to appoint political deputies, subject to the final approval of the Parliament; proposes a review of the functionality of the current European External Action Service;
Amendment 801 #
2014/2248(INI)
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 peacekeeping operations abroad, mainly with a view to stabilising and developing its neighbourhood, the Treaties should provide for the possibility of establishing a European defence union;
Amendment 817 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Believes, finally, that it is essential that the restrictions in Article 24(1) TEU on the authority of the European Court of Justice in the field of CFSP be removvisited; calls, in the same spirit, for Parliament to gain greater powers of scrutiny and accountability over CFSP, including full co-decision powers over the budget;
Amendment 847 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Proposes transforming the Commission into the principle executive authority or government of the Union, accountable to the Council and the Parliament, with the aim of strengthening the ‘Union method’, increasing transparency and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of action taken at the level of the European Union;
Amendment 860 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Rreiterates 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 Ministin number; suggests that the same reduction be applied to the Court of Auditors;
Amendment 889 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Recalls that Parliament, following the European Council Decision of 28 June 2013, will need to present before the end of 2016 a proposal to establish a system which will make it possible, before each election to the European Parliament, to reallocate the seats among Member States in an objective, fair, durable and transparent way, respecting the principle of degressive proportionality, while taking account of any change in the number of Member States and demographic trendsdata;
Amendment 923 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Considers that this Council and its specialised configurations, as the second chamber of the EU legislature, should, in the interest of specialism, professionalism and continuity, replace the practice of the rotating six-month presidency with a system of permanent chairschairs, with a time bound term of office chosen from their midst; suggests that the idea of creating a special Law Council should be favourably reconsidered;
Amendment 939 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Sstresses that, following the creation of the role of EU Finance Minister, the Eurogroup should be considered as a specialised configuration of the Council with legislative and control functions but no executive tasks;
Amendment 998 #
2014/2248(INI)
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, such as the EU bonds, 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 1003 #
2014/2248(INI)
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 matterscontinue to be carried out on the basis of 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 1024 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Believes, finally, that the current Treaty ratification procedure is too rigid to befit such a supranational polity as the European Union;he most democratic, but proposes allowing amendments to the Treaties to come into force if not by an EU-wide referendum then after being ratified by a qualified majority of four-fifths of the Member States, having obtained the consent of Parliament; correspondingly, once this threshold has been met, Member States which still decline to ratify the amended Treaty should decide, in accordance with their own constitutional requirements, whether to start the process of secession or to opt for an associate status;
Amendment 1030 #
2014/2248(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 53
Paragraph 53
53. Commits itself to playing a leadingconstitutional part in these important constitutional developments, and is determined to make its own proposals for Treaty amendment in a timely fashion;
Amendment 9 #
2014/2241(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the important role European cultural tourism plays in furthering personal development and knowledge and in promoting Europe's rich cultural diversity and strengthening European identity and heritage;
Amendment 46 #
2014/2241(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 58 #
2014/2241(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that Europe's cultural heritage makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and that cultural tourism, which is of key importance in boosting growth and employment, accounts for 40 % of European tourism; emphasises that, in order to maintain current tourist volumes and attract new tourists, Europe's cultural and natural heritage needs to be conserved and showcased and the right balance needs to be struck between expanding the tourism sector and protecting cultural heritage- by creating new tourist structures or developing existing ones - and protecting cultural heritage especially through the conservation of archaeological and historic sites and monuments;
Amendment 84 #
2014/2241(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Asks the Commission to bolster existing European measures and programmes relating to cultural tourism and cultural heritage that have proved effective, to look into the feasibility of introducing a 'European cultural card' which would offer reduced entrance fees for museums, monuments, archaeological sites, libraries, theatres and so on, and to provide targeted financial support under EU instruments, including the Structural Funds, especially for pupils at every level of education and for students.
Amendment 56 #
2014/2234(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Supports Commissioner Hogan’s initiative of simplifying the CAP, as this would benefit farmers, paying agencies, EU institutions and taxpayers; also urges that amendments be made to the basic legislative act, particularly in areas requiring special additional measures in the absence of supporting evidence, in connection with the level of assistance decided in each case and shortcomings regarding the evaluation of specific (SMART) objectives or the reassessment of the single payment scheme (SPS) affecting the general principles of decoupling and simplification;
Amendment 74 #
2014/2234(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Favours an integrated approach to controls, whereby all the controls required on a given farm are carried out at the same time, so that the number of testing visits is kept lower and the concomitant cost for administrations and agriculture reduced; stresses the need for an electronic register recording controls and administrative penalties and the electronic recording of procedures to verify and confirm the effectiveness of official controls;
Amendment 81 #
2014/2234(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Supports the approach of reducing controls in Member States where error rates have been extremely low over a given period, relying to a greater extent on national internal inspection committees; calls at the same time, however, for controls to be stepped up in Member States where the error rate is high or increasing;
Amendment 14 #
2014/2214(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is of the view that good and stable governance mechanisms are crucial in order to provide strategic direction, take key decisions and oversee effective implementation of EUSAIR; supports the strengthening of the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, in implementation; considers it important to ensure adequate visibility of EUSAIR on all levels; calls for close cooperation with relevant European organisations and programmes with regard to migration challengesthe challenges of migration, the quality of the environment, the mitigation of climate change, research and innovation and disaster risk management, including the South East Europe 2020 Strategy, and for the duplication or overlapping of activities to be avoided;
Amendment 37 #
2014/2214(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Expresses grave concern at the renewed impulse to the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas, both offshore and on land, especially in areas already heavily affected by significant environmental consequences; stresses that this is in contradictionany such activity must be in line with the Union’s climate and renewable energy targetrules and guidelines;
Amendment 38 #
2014/2214(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets the fact that EUSAIR inadequately addresses issues of growing concern such as irregular and illegal migration and cross-border crime, such as trafficking in drugs, illegal arms and people who are destined either for forced labour or for prostitution; while noting that major European migration and criminal flows, and many extremists, pass through this part of Europe, calls for a major component on migration, movement of persons and cross- border crime to be included in EUSAIR;
Amendment 51 #
2014/2214(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Urges Member States to actively involve all stakeholders in the decision-making procedures concerning the macro-region, particularly local communities, which must be able to exercise their right to protect their environment and health when these are put in manifest danger by polluting and dangerous economic activities.
Amendment 77 #
2014/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Emphasises that resource scarcity requires an absolute decoupling of growth from the use of natural resources, including an end to resource destruction resulting from industrial use ‒ a systemic change which requires backcasting the actions needed from a 2050 sustainability perspective;·
Amendment 93 #
2014/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is convinced that improving resource efficiency while at the same time protecting resources from the effects of industrial use requires both legislative and economic incentives and further funding of research;
Amendment 125 #
2014/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that by 2050 the EU’s use of resources needs to be sustainable; this includes fully implementing a cascading use of resources, the protection thereof, sustainable sourcing, a waste hierarchy, creating a closed loop on non-renewable resources, using renewables within the limits of their renewability and phasing out toxic substances;·
Amendment 143 #
2014/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges the Commission to develop and introduce by 2019 a lead indicator and a number of sub-indicators on resource efficiency and protection, including ecosystem services; these binding indicators should measure resource consumption, as well as resource destruction resulting from industrial use, including imports and exports, at EU, Member State and industry level and take account of the whole lifecycle of products and services;·
Amendment 180 #
2014/2208(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Urges the Commission to promote the use of resource-efficiency indicators and indicators of resource destruction resulting from industrial use through international conventions;
Amendment 23 #
2014/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that current EU practices to leverage private finance with official development assistance (ODA) have proved ineffective owing to a lack of clarity as regards additionality, transparency, accountability, ownership, alignment with country priorities, debt sustainability and, consequently, development impact due to the lack of a clearly defined national legislative framework in a number of countries, particularly in cases of public-private partnership (PPP) projects, but also because many services in Member States are not sufficiently aligned with EU practices;
Amendment 38 #
2014/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. The Union may contribute to the development policy of developing countries by targeted economic and commercial actions, by technical and financial cooperation and by multi- annual cooperation programmes or programmes with a thematic approach;
Amendment 39 #
2014/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4 b. Within the framework of cooperation between the EU and developing countries, international organisations may become involved, providing they duly respect Community law and the principles and objectives underpinning the Union's external action;
Amendment 43 #
2014/2205(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for measures to promote nationally owned development strategies that shape private-sector contribution to development by enhancing local micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and local procurement, strengthening university and private institutions engaged in research and development and involving, at technical and IT level, craft, industry and business associations, which are essential for endogenous development and can strengthen the capacity of developing countries for mobilising domestic revenue, fighting tax fraud and tax evasion, and mitigating currency and commodity price volatility, which endanger access to value chains;
Amendment 1 #
2014/2162(BUD)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that the decrease in budgetary appropriations related to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the reserve for Sustainable Fineries Partnership Agreements amounts to a total decrease of EUR 76,3 million in commitment appropriations and of EUR 6,2 million in payment appropriations, mainly resulting from the later adoption of the legal basis for the Fund and the updated assessment of the status of negotiations linked to the previously mentioned Fisheries Agreements; Expresses its concern about the 53% decrease of the total amount of the above commitment appropriations in the 2014 Budget considering that in the draft Annual 2015 Budget the scheduled total amount of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the reserve for Sustainable Fineries Partnership Agreements is already decreased by 33,7%;
Amendment 152 #
2014/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to gather gender-specific data in all policy areas and the necessary parameters which are in effect;
Amendment 297 #
2014/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses the importance of support programmes for women entrepreneurs and for women in science and academia and urges the EU to support these programmes in a more tangible manner within the framework of healthy and fair competition and taking into consideration each Member State’s commercial law;
Amendment 377 #
2014/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Stresses that compliance with gender equality should be considered a criterion for all EU-funded research programmes by instituting and adopting legal and ethical rules and criteria for determining the boundaries of the concept of ‘gender equality’;
Amendment 387 #
2014/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32
Paragraph 32
32. Calls on the Commission to focus campaigns for the active participation of citizens in society especially on women and legal women migrants;
Amendment 426 #
2014/2152(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Stresses the importance of a gender- sensitive asylum and mipolicy on grantion policyng asylum and the development of appropriate guidelines and the coordination of best practice examples; emphasises in this connection the indispensability of an individual right to stay temporarily, especially for migrant women in casewomen that apply for asylum and are victims of domestic violence;
Amendment 17 #
2014/0217(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) The development of Union level training for law enforcement personnel to support practical cooperationcross-border cooperation, closely linked to the internal security strategy, and full implementation of the LETS represents a key priority for the future years in that context.
Amendment 19 #
2014/0217(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) Training staff in countries which are the first stop for migrants and receive the bulk of these migratory flows, due to their geographical location, should be a priority.
Amendment 20 #
2014/0217(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) To avoid duplication in the training activities for the competent law enforcement personnel, which are carried out by existing European Union Agencies and other relevant bodies, CEPOL should assess strategic training needs and address Union priorities in the area of internal security and its external aspects, in line with the Treaties and the secondary legislation of the Union and the relevant policy cycles.
Amendment 43 #
2014/0217(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new)
(aa) strengthening cooperation networks of law enforcement agencies in managing flows of illegal immigration;
Amendment 58 #
2014/0217(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 4
Article 6 – paragraph 4
4. Each Member State shall structure the organisation and the staff of the national unit according to its national legislation, taking into account this Regulation and the Treaties applicable in each case.
Amendment 60 #
2014/0217(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 4
Article 8 – paragraph 4
4. The term of office for members and alternate members shall be four years. That term shall be extendable twice only.
Amendment 66 #
2014/0217(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2
2. Each year the Executive Director shall send to the budgetary authority all information relevant to the findings of any evaluation procedures and also notify the Court of Auditors.
Amendment 97 #
2013/0409(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
a) legal aid means funding and assistance from the Member State ensuring the exercise of the right of access to a lawyersuspects or accused persons access to a lawyer meeting the requisite criteria regarding the level and quality of legal aid provided,
Amendment 151 #
2013/0409(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall collect data with regard to how the rights in Article 4 and Article 5 have been implemented, so as to ensure full personal data protection for suspects or accused persons.
Amendment 158 #
2013/0407(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall ensure that, where the trial court makes an assessmenintains reasonable doubt as to the guilt of a suspect or accused person and there is reasonable doub, even if it makes an assessment as to the guilt of that person, the person concerned shall be acquitted.
Amendment 169 #
2013/0407(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. The right referred to in paragraph 1 shall not extend to the use in criminal proceedings of material which may be obtained from the suspects or accused persons through the proven use of lawful compulsory powers but which has an existence independent of the will of the suspects or accused persons.
Amendment 198 #
2013/0407(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point a – introductory part
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point a – introductory part
a) in due time, which may not in any case be fixed at less than 10 days:
Amendment 201 #
2013/0407(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point a – point i
(i) either washad received a legal summoneds in person and thereby informed of the scheduled date and place of the trial, or by other means actually received official information of the scheduled date and place of that trial in such a manner that it was unequivocally established that he or she was aware of the scheduled trial;
Amendment 3 #
2013/0255(APP)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph E
Paragraph E
E. Whereas different jurisdictions, legal traditions and, law enforcement systems and law enforcement capabilities in the Member States should not hinder or undermine the fight against fraud and crime affecting the Union’s financial interests;
Amendment 51 #
2013/0255(APP)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines that the Chambers should play a leading role in investigations and in the prosecutions and not limit theirs activities to mere functions of coordination, but should have the authority to supervise the work of the European Delegated Prosecutors in the field;
Amendment 63 #
2013/0255(APP)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on the Council to ensure the admissibility of the evidence gathered by the EPPO throughout the Union, as this is crucial for the effectiveness of the prosecutions, keeeping in regard all legislation concerning the protection of personal data;
Amendment 74 #
2013/0255(APP)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18