20 Amendments of André ELISSEN related to 2018/2001(BUD)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses that the share of Parliament’s budget in 2019 should be maintained under 20 % of heading V; notes that the level of estimates for 2019 corresponds to 18,79%, which is lower than that achieved in 2018 (18,85 %) and the lowest part of heading V in more than fifteen yearsRegrets the increase proposed by the Secretary-General for Parliament’s preliminary draft estimates reaching the outrageous amount of more than EUR 2 billion for 2019;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. EmphasisNotes that the largest part of Parliament's budget is fixed by statutory or contractual obligations and is subject to annual indexation; asks therefore for a revision of the Statute for Members and the Staff Regulations in order to abolish unacceptable benefits;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that savings compared to the proposal of the Secretary-General are required, but the priority is the efficient use of the budget, without undermining the core competences of the European Parliament;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the response to the request from the Committee on Budgets expressed in various budget resolutions on additional information on medium- and long-term planning, investments, statutory obligations, operational expenditure and a methodology on the basis of the current needs rather than of coefficients; notes that lump sums are a useful and recognised tool to add flexibility and transparency;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Notes that, as was the case for budgets for previous years, it is proposed to set aside an amount for ‘extraordinary’ investment and expenditure, i.e. investment and expenditure that is unusual or atypical for Parliament and arises infrequently; notes that in 2019, those underlinvestments and that expenditure amount to EUR 71,6 million, including EUR 37,3 million for the changes related to European Elections 2019 should not be considered as "extraordinary", since the length of pa Parliamentary term and EUR 34,3 million for other extraordinary expendituris known in advance;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that the Committee on Constitutional Affairs confirmed with the vote in plenary in February 2018 an own- initiative report on Parliament’s composition, and notably the reduction to 705 Members after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union; notes that in the event that the United Kingdom is still a Member State at the beginning of the 2019-2024 parliamentary term, the number of Members shall be 751, until the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union becomes legally effective; points out, however, that the procedure requires a unanimous decision by the European Council after having obtained the consent of Parliament; underlines that Parliament’s estimates, for the moment, reflect a status- quo situation with a Parliament composed of 751 Members from 28 Member States; recalls that any decrease of the number of Members should be reflected in a due reduction the Parliament’s estimates;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. WelcomDeplores the communication campaign as a helpful effort to explain the purpose of the Union and the Parliament to the citizens; underlines that this campaign should aim, among other things, at explaining the role of the Union, the power of the Parliament, its functions, including the election of the President of the Commission, and its impact on the lives of citizepropaganda tool to the exclusive benefit of the EU policies and institutions;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recallsthat, as approved in the 2018 budget procedure,grets that the total budget of the campaign amounts to EUR 33,3 million for the two years, of which EUR 25 million for 2018 (due to the time needed to run procurement procedures and conclude the contracts) and EUR 8.33 million for 2019; notes that the strategy for the campaign based on an analysis of the lessons learnt at the last elections was approved at the Bureau in November 2017and EUR 8.33 million for 2019;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Takes note of the updated mission statement forQuestions the added value of the Information Offices, which are now to be known as “Liaison Offices”, in accordance with the the Bureau Decision of November 2017; notes that the main function of the Liaison Offices is to inform and communicate locally on behalf of Parliament, in order to provide information about the Union and its policies through the activities of external stakeholder; regrets the excessive expenditures for the new installations oin local, regional and national levelBerlin and Paris;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23 a. Believes that Members should be an example for citizens facing the effects of the economic crisis in several European Countries and asks therefore for a reduction of at least 15 % of their salaries and allowances; considers that the subsistence allowance should be paid on the basis of a rigorous reporting proved by supporting documents;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Recalls the principle of the independence of the mandate; underlines that it is the responsibility of elected Members to use the expenditures for parliamentary activities and that it is possible for Members who wish to do so to publish their spending record of the GEA on their personal webpages; stresses the fact that the lump sum is widely used and recognised as the useful tool in Member States; reiterates that improved efficiency and transparency of the GEA does not mean to infringe upon the privacy and should not require additional staff in Parliament's administrationunderlines that the GEA should be paid only upon presentation of supporting expenditure receipts;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Asks the Bureau for better rules regarding the reimbursement of travels made by car; considers that all journeys, no matter the distance, should be proved by supporting documents;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25 b. Believes that, in order to reduce the expenditures, the chauffeur service should only be provided to/ from the airport/ railway station to the place of work, with the use of minivans and buses at scheduled times; considers that every other travel should be privately arranged by MEPs;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26 a. Is concerned about the dramatic deficit of the Additional (Voluntary) Pension Fund for Members of the European Parliament which is strongly increasing; refuses the idea to use European taxpayer’ money to improve the sustainability of the fund;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Considers it appropriate not to have an adequatey increase in budget line 422 ‘Expenditure related to parliamentary assistance’, in particular taking into account the higher workload as a result of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union, the growing number of trilogues, the increasing number of temporary and special committees, reaching a historical threshold of 25 standing and temporary committees, and the coincidence of the end of legislature with the complex package of legislative MFF proposals;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34 a. Notes with regrets the extremely late forwarding of the documents from the Secretary-General and the Bureau to the Budgets Committee Members that did not allow a proper work on the file;