BETA

Activities of Werner LANGEN related to 2014/2158(INI)

Plenary speeches (1)

2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2014/2158(INI)

Shadow reports (1)

2016/11/22
Committee: ECON
Dossiers: 2014/2158(INI)
Documents: PDF(214 KB) DOC(151 KB)

Amendments (51)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5

– having regard to the ~~proposal for a~~ directive of the European Council and of the Council of 24 ~~April~~October 20134 on certain rules governing actions for damages under national law for infringements of the competition law provisions of the Member States and of the European Union (COM(2013)0404),

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6

– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 June 2013 on quantifying harm in actions for damages based on breaches of Article 101 or 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C(2013)3440),deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7

~~– having regard to the Commission staff working document of 4 February 2011 entitled ‘Public consultation: Towards a Coherent European Approach to Collective Redress’ (SEC(2011)0173),,~~deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8

~~– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 June 2013 entitled ‘Towards a European Horizontal Framework for Collective Redress’ (COM(2013)0401),~~deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 9

– having regard to the Commission recommendation of 11 June 2013 on common principles for injunctive and compensatory collective redress mechanisms in the Member States concerning violations of rights granted under Union Law (C(2013)3539/3),deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10

~~– having regard to the study published by the Policy Department of the Directorate- General for Internal Policies, entitled ‘Collective redress in Antitrust’ of June 2012,~~deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 12

~~– having regard to the commitments offered to the Commission pursuant to Article 9 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 in Case COMP/39.398 – Visa MIF,~~deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 15

– having regard to the Commission communication of 13 October 2008 on the application of State aid rules to measures taken in relation to financial institutions in the context of the current global financial crisis (the Banking Communication)4, __________________ 4 OJ C 270, 25.10.2008, p.8.deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 17

– having regard to the Commission communication of 25 February 2009 on the treatment of impaired assets in the Community banking sector (the Impaired Assets Communication)6 , __________________ 6 OJ C 72, 26.03.09, p.1.deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 18

– having regard to the Commission communication of 23 July 2009 on the return to viability and the assessment of restructuring measures in the financial sector in the current crisis under the State aid rules (the Restructuring Communication)7 , __________________ 7deleted OJ C 195, 19.08.09, p.9.

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 19

– having regard to the Commission communication of 17 December 2008 on a temporary Community framework for State aid measures to support access to finance in the current financial and economic crisis (the original Temporary Framework)8 , __________________ 8deleted OJ C 16, 22.01.09, p.1.

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 20

– having regard to the Commission Communication of 1 December 2010 entitled ‘Temporary Union framework for State aid measures to support access to finance in the current financial and economic crisis’ (the new Temporary Framework replacing the one which ended on 31 December 2010),deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 22

~~– having regard to the issues paper from the Commission for the attention of the EFC on the revision of the State aid guidelines for the restructuring of banks,~~deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 23

– having regard to the study of June 2011 by the Policy Department of the Directorate-General for Internal Policies, entitled ‘State aid – Crisis rules for the financial sector and the real economy’,deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Citation 26

~~– having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘European Union framework for State aid in the form of public service compensation (2011)’~~deleted OJ C 8, 11.01.12 , ~~__________________ 12~~p.15.

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas ~~too many~~some sectors within the single market remain divided by national borders and artificial barriers, while on the other hand important issues of subsidiary economic impact, e.g. social dumping or structural fund use, raise concerns and should be addressed within the framework of EU competition policy;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas competition policy is an essential tool to enable the EU to have a dynamic, efficient and innovative internal market and to be competitive on the global stage~~, as well as to overcome the financial crisis~~;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

~~D. whereas the successful development of SMEs under conditions of free competition is one of the most essential preconditions for job creation, growth and investment;~~(Does not affect the English version.)

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Highlights the essential role of competition ~~policy~~ enforcement in productivity and innovation, creating a level playing field ~~across~~in the single market in full respect of national diversities;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Welcomes the fact that the EU’s economic dimension in the Treaties is established as an ‘open market economy with free competition’;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

~~2. Reiterates that the Commission could consider reallocation of resources from obsolete or underused budget lines towards DG Competition, in order to enable a more proactive stance;~~Deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Looks forward to~~Awaits the imminent appearance of the results of the Commission’s stocktaking exercise following a decade of Regulation 1/2003 on the implementation of the rules on competition law;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Takes the view that the fundamentals and key guidelines of competition policy should in future be drawn up and adopted in closer cooperation with Parliament in order to increase the democratic legitimation of the competition authority;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Calls ~~for the fourth consecutive time~~again for a swift end to the state aid crisis regime for the banking sector; recognises that the Commission’s Banking Communication of August 2013 ~~constitutes an important yet in~~is not sufficient ~~step~~ to protect European taxpayers and limit the amount of aid that banks may receive~~, and thus contributes to breaking the link between sovereigns and banks~~;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Notes that SGEIs represent a significant share of total service provision in Member States, and maintains that their provision in a competition situation can be more efficient ~~provision~~and can deliver significant gains; stresses the Commission’s responsibility to ensure that compensation granted to SGEIs is compatible with EU state aid rules; ~~expresses its concern regarding the exemption of too many services from the scrutiny of competition authorities;~~

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls for specific justification for all services exempted from scrutiny under the competition rules;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Reiterates its concern that the use of fines as the sole sanction available may ~~be too limited; calls again for the development of more sophisticated instruments~~not be effective enough; invites the Commission to consider a general review of its 2006 Fining Guidelines;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls for clear guidelines on timetables, deadlines and formal rights for all implicated parties in antitrust and cartel cases~~, with due stress on the principle of the presumption of innocence~~;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Calls for c~~lear guidelines on~~omprehensible procedures for timetables, deadlines and formal rights for all implicated parties in antitrust and cartel cases, with due stress on the principle of the presumption of innocence;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Welcomes the Commission’s ‘merger simplification’ proposal of 5 December 2013 and ~~its latest White Paper~~the proposals set out in its latest White Paper, but calls for much clearer definitions to be drawn up of the concepts of market share, market power and definition;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Stresses the importance of affordability, sustainability and security of energy supply; considers that competition policy ~~to be of vital importance i~~must take this threefold objective into account when encouraging unbundling and addressing the current fragmentation of the market; stresses that the regulation of state aid in this field must be carried out in the same spirit as in any other;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Calls on the competition authorities to provide a justification on the basis of sustainability criteria for the recent decisions concerning state aid in Germany (renewable energy) and the United Kingdom (nuclear energy);

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Recognises the role of competition policy in the pursuit of a digital single market; believes that the priorities set out in the report ‘Priorities towards a Digital Single Market in the Baltic Sea Region’ shcould very well become ambitions for the entire EU;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13a. Takes the view that the problems linked to Google’s excessive market power, in particular the preference it gives to its own services in search results, have thus far not been properly addressed and need to be resolved quickly;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Believes that the externalities of developments in this sector should be carefully monitored; expresses its concern at the development of different standards among equal competitors as a consequence of the standardisation of financial regulations;deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Notes the considerable advances that have been made in EU banking regulation since 2008, and particularly in 20134; believes that a comprehensive analysis of the competitive aspects of this large amount of new EU financial regulation is in order, with a view to ensuring that EU banks are competitive with international financial institutions in all circumstances;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Calls on the Commission, in its upcoming review of the CAP reform, to investigate cofinancing for transferred funds~~, ensure~~; calls for a simplification of EFA measures that focus on competitiveness, and ~~request equal~~for a competition-neutral review of EFA factors for catch crops and nitrogen fixing crops;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Calls for special consideration to be given to innovative medicinal products and medical procedures when cases involving temporary price formation are assessed;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Recognises the need in the transport sector for a level playing field which allows free but also fair competition; acknowledges, however, in that connection, that proper account must also be taken of a multitude of specific national transport law provisions;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

~~20. Expresses its concern at the abuse of cabotage regulation in road transport and at potential social dumping within various transport services, and believes these problems must be addressed;~~deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. ~~Supports~~Calls for the inclusion of ~~a competition chapter, with~~international provisions covering antitrust, mergers, state-owned enterprises and subsidies, within the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement; calls for dispassionate media coverage of the measures contained in and problems and progress concerning such agreements;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Highlights the fact that~~Calls for the Framework Agreement ~~provides for~~to make provision for the equal treatment of Parliament and the Council in the preparation of legislation or soft law in the field of competition policy;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Welcomes the role Parliament~~’s role~~ played as co- legislator for the Directive on Antitrust Damages Actions and sees it as a template for work on future directives;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. ~~Calls o~~Hopes that cooperation between the Commissioner tofor com~~mit to frequent meetings with the relevant committee(s) of Parliament~~petition and Parliament will continue;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. ~~Welcom~~Emphasises the Commissioner for competition’s role in promoting jobs and growth, as well as the digital single market, energy policy, financial services, industrial policy and the fight against tax evasion;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

~~28. Welcomes the commitments made by the incoming Commissioner during her hearing;~~deleted

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28a. Calls on the Commission to do more to promote an active competition policy as a pillar of the social market economy;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 b (new)

28b. Takes the view that a scoreboard in the form of a casebook should be made available promptly to consumers and undertakings;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 c (new)

28c. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that the authorities at all political levels undertake to comply to the letter with the rules on state aid;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 d (new)

28d. Calls for a joint body, bringing together representatives of Parliament, the Council and the Commission and academics, to be set up to analyse long- term trends in and the future development of competition policy in future-oriented sectors such as the digital economy or the energy sector;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 e (new)

28e. Calls for an uncompromising analysis of what constitutes responsible national tax policy, in particular as regards unfair tax policies and tax arrangements and exemptions which distort competition, so that effective action can be taken against such practices in the future;

2014/12/17
Committee: ECON