Activities of Marco FALCONE
Plenary speeches (1)
The important role of cities and regions in the EU – for a green, social and prosperous local development (debate)
Written questions (2)
Incidents on Ryanair planes – concerns for passenger safety
Concerns about the absence of a commissioner for equality, and the future for the rights of people with disabilities
Amendments (36)
Amendment 32 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas, without prejudice to the primary objective of price stability, the ECB should also support the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the Union’s objectives laid down in Article 3 TEU;
Amendment 37 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the role of the ECB in safeguarding the monetary and financial stability of the euro; supports the ECB's aim to take action where necessary to safeguard stability; underlines that the ECB is the institution responsible for maintaining price stability in the euro area;
Amendment 79 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. WarnsCalls on the ECB against the temptation toto steadily lower interest rates, too quickly, given the risk that inflation levels could start increasing again; stresses that the ECB itself expects a temporary increase in inflation levels in the last quarter of 2024 as previous sharp falls in energy prices drop out of the annual ratesaking into account the prudential principles which must always prevail in a system that combines monetary stability and support for the economy;
Amendment 89 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the ECB to take effective measures to nevertheless support competitiveness and public investment;
Amendment 91 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 102 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 119 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Welcomes the ECB’s commitment to establishing a fully fledged European deposit insurance scheme;
Amendment 120 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Firmly believes that the key economic objectives in the coming years should be high levels of socially, environmentally and economically sustainable growth; a social market economy that brings both competitiveness gains and employment growth; stresses the importance of the European Pillar of Social Rights in upholding the European way of life; emphasises that these objectives will be best achieved in a context of macroeconomic stability;
Amendment 129 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 136 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 146 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 160 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Supports the ECB’s decision to scale back its asset purchase programmes, in view of the excess liquidity in the market and decreased levels of so as to balance market liquidity requirements and inflation levels;
Amendment 169 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Stresses that the ECB’s purchase programmes are unconventional policies that amount, in economic terms, to monetary financing, which is prohibited under Article 123(1) TFEU, if the ECB does not shrink back its balance sheet; calls on the ECB to therefore gradually reduce the size of its balance sheetCalls on the ECB to review its purchase programmes in order to keep them in line with its budgetary stance, while aligning the latter with the principles of competitiveness, which should underpin the concept of euro area growth;
Amendment 182 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. RegretNotes the establishment of the transmission protection instrument (TPI) in July 2022; calls on the ECB to respect not juste the legal prohibition of monetary financing but also its economic meaning; stresses in this regard that selectively purchasing government debt amounts to monetarily financing an EU Member Stateasset purchase scheme within a wider programme designed to make monetary stability consistent across the euro area;
Amendment 192 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that diverging interest rates in the euro area are generally the result of different risk premia on government bonds; stresses that the suitability of purchases under the TPI wshould merely conceal the symptoms of loose fiscal policy; calls on Member States to conduct responsible fiscal policies and ensure sustainable debt levelsbe decoupled from the assessment of the autonomous fiscal policies of the individual Member States and the sustainability of their debt, with a view to bringing balance and harmony to the European economy;
Amendment 196 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on the ECB, in continuity with previous investments carried out under its APP - PEPP programmes, to consider securitisation as a means of strengthening the European market for both originators and investors, and suggests experimenting with European secured notes as a new long-term financing instrument for SMEs;
Amendment 199 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Stresses that uniform transmission of monetary policy is vital to the achievement of the ECB’s price stability mandate; points out that excessive divergence in sovereign yields makes credit conditions inconsistent with the uniform transmission of monetary policy and makes a reduction of public debt particularly difficult;
Amendment 202 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Welcomes the ECB’s progress on the digital euro project and its ongoing dialogue with Parliament; highlights the expected benefits, such as enhanced strategic autonomy, in payments and improved financial inclusion and the availability of an offline back-up payment system; stresses that the offline component could prove problematic as a result of the significant costs of implementation and long development periods, which offer minimum benefits to users; also stresses that the limited visibility of information on the beneficiary and the payer would reduce the effectiveness of the PSPs in the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing and fraud, and that, therefore, the dual offline features should be designed as a mere short-term emergency fix, in order to avoid misuse or illegal activity;
Amendment 221 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reiterates thatThe introduction of the digital euro should serve as a complement to physical cash, that itwhich should not replace cash entirely and that cash should remain available at all timebe maintained to ensure a plurality of payment means;
Amendment 222 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Highlights that the digital euro should be designed so as to safeguard ongoing private sector investments in strategic areas, particularly those enhancing instant credit transfers, as stated in the regulation on instant credit transfers (Regulation 886/2024 - DPI), and that, in order to provide assurance on the users of these financial services, it is necessary to avoid market positions of non-European entities as well as extra charges for end users, in view of the need to avoid complexity and excessive costs;
Amendment 245 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the ECB, while respecting its independence, to address market failures and ensure the efficient allocation of resources over a long-term horizon, while remaining as apolitical as possible, respecting market neutrality in several instances;
Amendment 252 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Stresses that appropriate deposit limits are vital to promote the digital euro and at the same time cap transaction volumes within predetermined time frames and absolute values;
Amendment 273 #
2024/2054(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
Amendment 5 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 4
(4) In order to enhance economic and social progress and upward convergence, support the green and digital transitions, strengthen the Union industrial base and achieve inclusive, competitive and resilient labour markets in the Union, Member States should address labour and skills shortages and promote quality and inclusive education and training, with a particular focus on improving basic skills, especially among disadvantaged students, and on STEM (science, technology, enginerering and mathematiscs) in school and higher education, future-oriented vocational education and training, and lifelong upskilling and reskilling, as well as effective active labour market policies and improved working conditions and career opportunities. Member States should take prevention and prompt intervention measures to reduce early school leaving, with a particular focus on students at risk. Such measures will include psychological support, mentoring, career guidance and extracurricular activities to foster students' interest and participation, to ensure inclusive and quality education for all. This is of particular relevance for the less developed, remote and outermost regions of the EU, where the needs are the greatest. Shortages can be further addressed by improving fair intra- EU mobility, as well as among regions within the same Member State, for workers and learners and attracting talent from outside the EU. In addition, the links between the education and training systems and the labour market should be strengthenedWithin this context, special attention to NEETs, namely young people who are neither engaged in education nor in employment or training, is essential. Member states should promote specific policies to reintegrate NEETs into the education system or the labour market through targeted training, guidance and job placement programs. In addition, the links between the education and training systems and the labour market should be strengthened, fostering the acquisition of transversal knowledge and soft skills, as well as encouraging the internationalisation of the educational offer, especially for universities, and skills, knowledge and competences acquired through non-formal and informal learning recognised.
Amendment 9 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4 a) Member States shall promote the development of digital and green skills by integrating specific courses into school and vocational curricula. This includes the creation and implementation of continuous training programmes for workers to adapt to new technologies and sustainable practices. Member States must encourage lifelong learning as well as further training for adult workers by promoting retraining and skills upgrading programmes in cooperation with companies and educational institutions. These programmes should be accessible, flexible and geared to the needs of the labour market. In particular, artificial intelligence should be used to identify at early stage, detect, and close skills gaps in the workforce, provide tailor-made educational support, and implement prevention and intervention tools against gender-based violence in the workplace.
Amendment 10 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 4 b (new)
(4 b) In accordance with the objectives of the European Year of Skills promoted by the European Union, Member States should increase their efforts to promote women's participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects through the introduction of specific support programmes for girls and young women, starting from primary school to higher education. Member States are also encouraged to integrate policies that promote the inclusion of women in STEM careers, thus reducing the gender gap in strategic areas for economic growth and innovation.
Amendment 38 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 12 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Despite the progress made, significant wage disparities between men and women still persist in many areas of the Union. Member States, starting with an effective and rigorous implementation of Directive 2023/970, are invited to take measures to ensure wage transparency, implement monitoring policies and stimulate companies to implement equal pay action plans.
Amendment 41 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Recital 13 – paragraph 1
Discrimination in all its forms should be tackled, gender equality ensured and employment of young people supported. Equal access and opportunities for all should be ensured and poverty and social exclusion, in particular that of children, persons with disabilities and the Roma people, should be reduced, in particular by ensuring an effective functioning of labour markets and adequate and inclusive social protection systems, as set out in the Council Recommendation of 8 November 2019 and the Council Recommendation of 30 January 2023 (39). In addition, barriers to inclusive and future-oriented education, training, lifelong learning and labour- market participation should be removed and Member States should invest in early childhood education and care, in line with the European Child Guarantee and the Council Recommendation on early childhood education and care (the ‘Barcelona targets for 2030’), in making vocational education and training more attractive and inclusive in line with the Council Recommendation on vocational education and training, and in digital and green skills, in line with the Digital Education Action Plan and the Council Recommendation on learning for the green transition and sustainable development and the Council Recommendation on Pathways for School Success. Access to affordable housing, including through social housing, is a necessary condition for ensuring equal opportunities. Timely and equal access to affordable high-quality long-term care, in line with the Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-term care, and healthcare services, including prevention and healthcare promotion, are particularly relevant, in light of potential future health risks and in a context of ageing societies. It is also necessary to encourage the adoption of measures to reduce the existing wage differences between European regions, which particularly exist in certain job categories, such as teachers, considering that a more inclusive socio-economic convergence can positively affect the distribution of opportunities across the Union. Finally, Member States should include in their academic curricula programmes of European citizenship education and values, promoting understanding and appreciation of the fundamental principles of the European Union, such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law, in order to foster greater awareness and active participation of young people in European democratic life. __________________ 39 Council Recommendation of 30 January 2023 on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion (OJ C 41, 3.2.2023, p.1).
Amendment 68 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 5
In the context of the digital and green transitions, demographic change and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Member States should promote sustainability, productivity, competitiveness, employability and human capital development, fostering acquisition of skills and competences throughout people’s lives and responding to current and future labour market needs, also in light of the Union and national headline targets for 2030 on skills. Member States should also modernise and invest in their education and training systems to provide high quality and inclusive education and training including vocational education and training, improve educational outcomes and the provision of skills and competences needed for the green and digital transitions, and ensure access to digital learning, language training (e.g. in the case of refugees including from Ukraine or in facilitating labour market access in cross-border regions) and the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills. Member States should work together with the social partners, education and training providers, enterprises and other stakeholders, also in the context of the action plan to tackle labour and skills shortages put forward by the Commission in March 2024, to address structural weaknesses in education and training systems and improve their quality and labour-market relevance, including through targeted financial and technical support. This would also contribute to enabling the green and digital transitions, addressing skills mismatches and labour shortages, including for activities related to net-zero and digital industries, including those relevant for the EU’s economic security, and those related to the green transition, such as renewable energy deployment or buildings’ renovation. Attention should be paid also to entrepreneurial skills, which are not yet included in typical educational plans. Encouraging entrepreneurship from an early stage could significantly enhance its integration into academic and training programs throughout Europe.
Amendment 100 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 13
The mobility of learners, apprentices and workers should be increased and adequately supported, especially for learners in vocational education and training with fewer mobility experiences, with the aim of enhancing their skills and employability, exploiting the full potential of the European labour market and contributing to EU-level competitiveness. Obstacles to intra-EU labour mobility, including procedures to recognise professional qualifications or transfer acquired social security rights, should be tackled. This also involves reducing the complexity of the Single Market by ensuring that the information and documentation requirements for Member States are significantly simplified and standardized, for instance, within the framework of the SMET (Single Market Enforcement Taskforce). Additionally, Member States should allow the submission of documents in other European languages. Fair and decent conditions for all those pursuing a cross- border activity should be ensured by avoiding discrimination and ensuring equal treatment with EU nationals, enforcing national and EU legislation and stepping up administrative cooperation between national administrations with regard to mobile workers, benefitting from the assistance of the European Labour Authority.
Amendment 103 #
2024/0599(NLE)
Annex I – paragraph 14
The mobility of workers in critical occupations and of cross-border, seasonal and posted workers should be supported in the case of temporary border closures triggered by public health considerations. Member States should further engage in talent partnerships to enhance legal migration pathways by launching new mobility schemes and provide for an effective integration policy for workers and their families, encompassing education and training, including language training, employment, health and housing. A swift and efficient adoption and implementation of the EU Talent Pool would provide Member States with a user- friendly tool, avoiding the creation of parallel systems. This should be paired with an ambitious transposition of the EU Blue Card Directive.
Amendment 50 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Would like to see more resources allocated to the promotion of European agri-food products and food education initiatives, with special reference to programs aimed at young people for increased fruit and vegetables consumption;
Amendment 76 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Calls for the strengthening of support measures for young farmers and in particular, female entrepreneurs;
Amendment 83 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission to provide sufficient funding for the agricultural reserve to safeguard food security and autonomy;
Amendment 91 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
Amendment 123 #
2024/0176(BUD)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses the need to better address the impact of floods, droughts and wildfires on primary production, food security and farmers’' income and to establish a fund designated for the compensation of damages from wildlife and large carnivores.