Activities of Helmut GEUKING related to 2020/2079(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Economic policies of the euro area 2020 - Employment and social policies of the euro area 2020 (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the employment and social policies of the euro area 2020
Amendments (36)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
Citation 1
- having regard to Articles 3, 5 and 5Article 6(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 2
Citation 2
- having regard to Articles 6, 9, 145, 148, 149, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 158, 165, 166, 168, 174 and 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 24 a (new)
Citation 24 a (new)
- having regard to the announcement by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen in ‘A Union that strives for more: My agenda for Europe - Political Guidelines For The Next European Commission 2019-2024’: ‘To support every child in need, I will create the European Child Guarantee, picking up on the idea proposed by the European Parliament’,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25
Citation 25
- having regard to the Commission communication of 26 April 2017 entitled ‘Establishing a European Pillar of Social Rights’ (COM(2017)0250), and in particular Principle 11, reinforcing the importance of promoting children’s rights,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)
Citation 25 a (new)
- having regard to the European Council conclusions of 8 June 2020 on “Demographic challenges - the way ahead”,
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 b (new)
Citation 25 b (new)
- having regard to Council conclusions of 20 June 2011on the reconciliation of work and family life in the context of demographic change (11841/11),
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 26 a (new)
Citation 26 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission Delegated Regulation480/2014 supplementing Regulation 1303/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 34 a (new)
Citation 34 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission report of 29 May 2013 on Barcelona objectives -The development of childcare facilities for young children in Europe with a view to sustainable and inclusive growth (COM (2013)322),
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 60 a (new)
Citation 60 a (new)
- having regard to the Commission report on equality between women and men 2014,
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 61 a (new)
Citation 61 a (new)
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas the current crisis has had a huge impact on our working habits - flexible working arrangements, such as remote work and flexible working hours have become the norm and the use of digital technologies is on the rise; whereas their use in the future would be economically and socially beneficial in the long run, but brings about very challenging issues like, social isolation, data protection, workers' health and the protection of employees and workers' rights;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas in particular the pay gap, the employment gap as well as the social protection gap between men and women, disproportionate burden on women in the provision of care, strengthening and equality of families, youth unemployment, labour market segmentation and inequalities, in-work poverty, productivity, wage growth, pensions, social protection and health care systems were areas for significant improvement even before COVID-19 crisis;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas, since long, the world of work is undergoing transformative change in the form of shortage of work, concentration of work, increased demands, more controlling, more flexible, precarious employment relationships and seasonal work;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B d (new)
Recital B d (new)
Bd. whereas this transformative change is driven by the principle of profit maximisation instead of people, technological innovation, digitization, demographic shifts, climate change, and globalisation;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. while investment in skills, qualifications and formal training for adults strengthens the employability of workers, wage developments and business competitiveness;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas social investments are essential to ensure sustainable development and inclusive societies; whereas social investments such as the availability of childcare and early childhood education and training result in people being more productive and feeling more comfortable;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas implementation of the 2013 EU Recommendation on investing in children has not had as great an impact as hoped for; whereas the European Semester has not sufficiently prioritised tackling child poverty and social exclusion and EU funds have not been used as extensively or strategically as they could have been;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas, as was the case with the Council Recommendation on a Youth Guarantee, even if it remains a soft instrument, the introduction of new (Council) Recommendation on an EU Child Guarantee building on the existing legal frameworks and policy instruments and especially the 2013 Recommendation on investing in children, would be an effective way to ensure that Member States make visible a high-level political commitment to guaranteeing the social rights of children(particular those in vulnerable situations) and combating child poverty and social exclusion; whereas implementing this via some selective, high-profile, clear-cut, concrete and relatively operational objectives as well as concrete policy levers and policy outcomes - for which the political authorities can be held accountable - would then become a priority for the European Member States;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas ECB programs did not reach the real economy and simultaneously a lot of capital was extracted from the real economy; whereas this dual development contributed to the vulnerability of our societies that manifested itself during the health crisis;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas the COVID-19 has thrown a spotlight on the future importance of health and safety in the workplace, and the need to improve working conditions as well as working time conditions and adapt them to the new reality, including flexible work arrangements (with workers being given more freedom to organise their work) and work-life balance, all of which are important EU policy objectives;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)
Recital H b (new)
Hb. whereas current and traditional demographic trends in the EU are negative; whereas COVID-19 puts additional burden on most vulnerable groups of society and sound families have proven again to be a fundamental shelter against poverty and social exclusion;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Takes note of the Commission’s 2020 country-specific recommendations (CSRs); expresses its concern that Member States have made limited or no progress in six out of 10 CSRs addressed to them in 2019; calls for the implementation rate of the country specific recommendations to be stepped up in the euro area and beyond; urges the Commission to enhance the CSRs for eurozone members by creating a matrix framework where social policies related to the European Pillar of Social Rights, such as inclusive access to education, health, nutrition, employment and housing, and the preservation of social rights, are analysed by social segment, for example children, young people, older people (in the field of long- term care for elderly people), minorities, migrants and people with disabilities, thereby creating a much more accurate image of the economic and social health of the Member States, and to examine the possible extension of this new component of the CSRs to non-Eurozone members; points out that CSRs should be coherent with economic, social and environmental EU objectives and should reinforce rather than contradict each other; calls on the Commission and the Member States to define a European sustainability strategy to overcome social, economic and climate challenges; calls on the Commission and the Member States to reinforce social rights by proposing legislation, including financial instruments where appropriate and following review, to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights within the limits of their respective competences as laid down in the Treaties and in compliance with subsidiarity;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights that in the current crisis, the Stability and Growth Pact has proven to be inadequate, not allowing Member States the fiscal space they need to absorb imbalances and mitigate the social consequences, which made the activation of the escape clause necessary; demands that social and ecological objectives be given the same legal enforceability as fiscal consolidation and financial stability; in order to preserve jobs, help companies and support a robust recovery; demands a supportive fiscal stance (active fiscal policy) to currently be warranted in all Member States to facilitate the recovery of consumption, investment and growth; demands for lending and financial support to specific sectors including the health sector, ideally via Manacle-Bonds1; demands that social, economic and ecological objectives should have equal priority and be given the same legal enforceability as fiscal consolidation and financial stability within the next budget; and that the European Semester should be enhanced to include a social dimension all throughout its cycle involving the competent bodies of the EU and Member States which deal with social policies; demands an ambitious MFF that will meet the needs of existing and new programmes; demands that new own resources and the abolishment of rebates are put in place; _______________________________ 1A concept developed by the Family Party of Germany to fund projects to tackle the impact of COVID-19
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that, despite the importance of sound and responsible fiscal policies, budgetary stability should not be detrimental to public investment, especially in education, social and healthcare systems; points out that our common human values should be guiding our debates on the budget and we should aim for a budget that will lead to an economy that reflects this notion better and will lead to a more humane Europe; calls for enhancing the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of how EU funds are used so as to improve effective use and public interest;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission to meet international legal obligations in relation to children’s rights that Member States (as well as the EU as a whole for some of them) are committed to upholding; calls on the Commission to present an EU child guarantee in 2020, calls for using opportunities in the 2021-2027 MFF for investing in children and funds to be employed to develop the potential added value of the EU Child Guarantee when combating poverty as well as harmful negative trends with regard to demographic change in Europe; demands to use soft law initiatives encouraging and incentivising Member States (through peer pressure rather than obligations) to establish European and national action plans to ensure children’s access to the five key social rights (access to free healthcare, free education, free childcare, decent housing and adequate nutrition); asks for protection of families and children via the immediate introduction of a 25/25 European child maintenance allowance, an essential and long overdue measure with a view to implementing the Child Guarantee. This additional child maintenance payment must not be offset against any other benefits and would be demonstrably the largest economic development project of all time, since families would pump the additional money they receive into the economy, thereby benefiting all Europeans either directly or indirectly;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Welcomes Next Generation EU, the EU’s recovery plan; calls on the Member States to make use of the general escape clause and inv; strongly regrets that the social development procests in people and social welfare systems; calls for specific social progress plans to ensure more effective and stronger welfare statesEurope has come to a standstill, which should not be a reason to orientate Europe as a welfare state, because stronger welfare states would cement poverty in Europe; demands as Europe’s objective that the social development process should now be accelerated so that people can lead an independent, self-determined life;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the Commission’s SURE proposal as an emergency measure to offer financial support with regard to EU Member States efforts to adapt or extend (to self-employed workers) their short-time work schemes in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, and calls on the Member States to reach a swift agreement to allow its urgent implementation;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure that financial assistance is only provided to undertakings not registered in tax havens; stresses that we need to strengthen the strategic capacity of the EU by making sure that this time the money will not disappear from Europe through outsourcing; demands to make sure that companies receiving investment through EU instruments need to meet clear benchmarks so that only companies that adhere to social standards including good and family-friendly employment practices, that have just salaries, sound finances and protect the environment are eligible for this support;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Is concerned about the increased rate of unemployment, which will especially affect youth and workers in low- skilled positions and precarious employment; calls on the Commission to propose a permanent EU unemployment reinsurance scheme and a more effective and inclusive Youth Guarantee; calls on the Member States to adequately invest in effective active labour market policies to prevent long-term unemploymentand implement employment retention measures as well as to carefully design and promote flexible work arrangements with gradual reduction of weekly working hours and job sharing with full wage compensation to prevent unemployment, and in particular to invest broadly in education, training and life-long learning and especially in the upskilling and reskilling of workers and employees across our Union as ways to support economic recovery and social cohesion; stresses the need to strengthen the capacities for all people to enable them to benefit from change at work, to strengthen the institutions of work to ensure adequate protection for all workers, and to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all; equally stresses the critical role of international labour standards in advancing these goals;
Amendment 317 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is concerned about limited intergenerational social mobility and increasing income inequality; stresses that national tax and benefit systems must be designed in a way that reduces inequalities, promotes fairness, protects families by promoting a work-life balance and provides incentives for labour market participation;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Calls on the Commission to present an EU child guarantee in 2020, a rights- based, comprehensive and integrated anti- poverty strategy, an EU framework on national homelessness strategies, to conduct a comparative study on the different minimum income schemes in the Member States, and to highlight best practice cases with a view to presenting a framework in this regard;
Amendment 371 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls on the Member States to improve the quality, accessibility and inclusiveness of their education systems, and to ensure high-quality basic skills training with tailored support, especially for the most marginalised groups in society; calls for the accelerated recognition of professional qualifications in the EU and the acceleration of procedures for applying for recognition of professional qualifications in order to prevent youth unemployment;
Amendment 381 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls on the Commission to update the Skills Agenda for Europe in order to meet the skills requirements and future challenges of the EU labour market and of the ecological and digital transition;
Amendment 390 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. States that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased health and safety risks for millions of workers; calls on the Commission to protect all workers in the workplace and to present a new Strategic Framework for Health and Safety, a directive on work-related stress and musculoskeletal disorders, a directive on mental well-being at the workplace, and an EU mental health strategy;
Amendment 395 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for the creation of a European Health Union, calls on the Member States to ensure access to high-quality healthcare that is affordable for all; calls for uniform framework conditions so that, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the Member States create equal quality standards and ensure free access for all citizens;