Activities of Richard ASHWORTH related to 2011/0177(APP)
Plenary speeches (1)
Multiannual financial framework for the years 2014-2020 - Own resource based on the value added tax (debate)
Amendments (33)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas, pursuant to Article 312(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the Council is required to, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure, shall adopt a regulation laying down the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), acting unanimously, after obtaining the consent of Parliament;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas, in accordance with Article 295 TFEU, the European Parliament, the Council and Commission shall consult each other and by common agreement make arrangements for their coopertation. To this end, an Interinstitutional Agreement shouldmay be adopted to improve the functioning of the annual budgetary procedure and cooperation between the institutions on budgetary matters;
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas, pursuant to Article 311 TFEU, the Union must provide itself with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry through its policies, and is towithout prejudice to other revenue, shall, be financed wholly from own resources;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas it is necessary for the EU to have both a budget and a budgetary procedure which fully reflect the transparent and democratic essence of the parliamentary decision-making and control process, on a basis of respect for the principles of unity and universality, which require that all revenue and expenditure be entered in full with no adjustment against each other, and that there be a public debate and vote on both revenue and expenditure in line with the Treaty competences;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is fully aware that the negotiations on the MFF 2014-2020 are taking place in a very difficult economic context, in which Member States are engaging in considerable efforts to make fiscal adjustments to their national budgets, at the request of the European Union, with a view to the stability of the banking sector and the single currency; insists that the Union should not be seen as adding an extra fiscal burden on taxpayers; is, however, convinced that the EU budget is a part of the solution to enable Europe to emerge from the current crisis by helping Member States tackle, collectively and in concerted fashion, the present structural challenges, in particular loss of competitiveness, rising unemployment and poverty;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the European Council itself adopted, in June 2012, a ‘Growth and Jobs Compact’, which acknowledges the leverage effect of the EU budget and places major emphasis on its contribution to helping the entire Union overcome the current economic and financial crisis whilst recalling the importance of sound public finances, structural reform and targeted investment for sustainable growth;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that all the, so far, macroeconomic financial stabilisation and structural reform measures taken since 2008 have not yet proved sufficient to overcome the economic and financial crisis; urges Member States to continue in their efforts to address deep rooted structural deficiencies so that domestic potential for sustainable growth can be fully unlocked; believes, therefore, that in order to return to growth and generate employment in Europe, a well- targeted and su, efficient and appropriate EU budget is needed to further help coordinate and enhance the national efforts;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that the EU budget is an investment budget and that 94 % of its total returns are invested in the Member States themselves or for external priorities of the Union; emphasises that, for the regions and Member States, public investment would be minimised or impossible without the contribution of the EU budget; believes that any decrease of the EU budget in those areas where European added value has been clearly demonstrated would inevitably hamper the growth and competitive strength of the entire Union economy;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that delivering on the Europe 2020 strategy’s seven flagship initiatives will require a huge amount of future- oriented investment, estimated at no less than EUR 1 800 billion up to 2020 ; stresses that one of the main objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy, namely, to promote jobs and high-quality employment for all Europeans, will only be achieved if the necessary investment in education, in favour of a knowledge society, and in research and innovation, SMEs, and green and new technologies is made now and not delayed any longer; favours the twin track approach of growth friendly fiscal consolidation, combining the reduction of public deficits and debt with the promotion of such investments;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that since 1988 national budgets have grown on average more rapidly than the EU budget; notes that even since the start of the crisis in 2008 total government expenditure in the Member States has risen at an annual nominal rate of 2 %; draws the conclusion that this shrinkage of the EU budget with respect to the national budgets is in flagrant contradiction with the extension of competences and tasks conferred on the Union by the Treaty and with major political decisions taken by the European Counc, mostly on account of essential and extraordinary measures required to safeguard the stabil itself, notably the development of a strengthened European economic governancey of the European financial system;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Considers that EU cohesion policy is a strategic tool for investment, growth and competitiveness, with an undisputed EU added value; insists that, in order to effectively reduce macroeconomic imbalances within the EU and contribute to economic, social and territorial cohesion, it should be able to rely on a stable, solid and sustainablappropriate financial framework; reaffirms its position that cohesion policy funding should be maintained at least at the level of the 2007-2013 period, targeted at those regions and Member States who need it most;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recalls its position that, given the wide array of tasks, challenges and objectives that the CAP is called on to respond to, the amounts allocated to the CAP in the budget year 2013 should be at least maintainedcommensurate to the aims of the policy during the next financial programming period; Underlines the importance of financial discipline and transparency in budgetary expenditure; stresses, in this context, the important role played by the second pillar of the CAP, which makes a significant contribution to investment and job creation in rural areas and to enhancing the effectiveness and competitiveness of the farming industry;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Reiterates its position that the new responsibilities conferred on the EU by the Treaties will require appropriate additional funding compared to MFF 2007-2013, so as to allow the Union to fulfil its role as a global actor whilst upholding the undertakings it has already given, notably the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015; underlines the complementary nature of EU assistanceat EU assistance must be complementary to that provided by the Member States, and its catalyst effect in terms of intervening in regions where bilateral assistance is not delivered; is particularly supportive of joint programming between Member States and EU actions which in future must be focused on the reduction of poverty worldwide;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Notes that, under this principle, the Union is under a legal obligation not to act if, the objectives of the proposal can be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, either at a central level, or at a regional and local level, consequently, spending should always be subject to a subsidiarity check;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 b (new)
Paragraph 29 b (new)
29b. Firmly believes that the principle of European added value should represent the cornerstone of all future expenditures, which also must be guided by the principles of efficiency, effectiveness and value for money, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity as defined by Article 5 TEU and anchored in Protocol 1 on the role of national parliaments in the European Union;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
33. Believes that the effectiveness of EU expenditure depends on sound policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks at all levels; insists that, in accordance with Articles 310(5) and 317 TFEU Member States, shall implement the budget in accordance with the principle of sound financial management; reminds Member States of their legal obligation to ensure that appropriations entered in the budget are used in accordance with this principle and that they must shoulder their share of responsibility in making EU funding more effective; recalls that 90 % of the errors detected by the European Court of Auditors have been in Member States, and that the majority of those errors could have been avoided; calls on all Member States to issue national management declarations signed at the appropriate political level;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Supports the introduction of (ex ante and ex post) conditionality provisions to ensure that EU funding, particularly in respect of the Cohesion Fund, the Structural Funds and the rural and fisheries funds, are better targeted to the achievement of the Europe 2020 objectives; considers that effective impact assessment should be used to monitor adherence to aforementioned ex ante conditionalities; believes that if their implementation is based on a reinforced partnership principle through the stronger involvement of local and regional authorities, these conditionality provisions could improve the legitimacy and effectiveness of EU support;
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)
Paragraph 34 a (new)
34a. Believes that, prior to dispersement of funding the Commission should appoint external players who can contribute their specific expertise in evaluating investments in growth, competitiveness, and employment, considers that these players could be, without prejudice to other sources, from academia as well as from public administrations and should submit these evaluations for the consideration of the Commission and the Budgetary Authority;
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 b (new)
Paragraph 34 b (new)
34b. Suggests that the Commission, as a matter of best practice, should submit regular reports, using the established reporting mechanism, which could then be examined by the Budgetary Authority with a view to ensuring that the goals of EU funding are being sufficiently achieved;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Underlines the crucial workNotes the role of the decentralised EU agencies in supporting the Union’s objectives and the need to match their responsibilities with adequppropriate budgetary resources;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Believes, at the same time, that the work of the decentralised EU agencies should result in significantly higher savings at national level; urges the Member States to assess the efficiency gains generated by these agencies at national to make full use of them, thus rationalising their national expenditure; calls, also, on the Member States and the Commission to identify possible areas of duplication of work or reduced or minimal added value in relation to the agencies, with a view to streamlining their functioning;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38 a (new)
Paragraph 38 a (new)
38a. Welcomes the ongoing effort of all EU institutions to ensure that administrative costs are kept firmly under control; urges all institutions wherever possible to follow the example of the European Commission in looking for staff efficiencies and economies; believes that administrative expenditure, as one of the most visible areas of EU spending, must reflect the ongoing efforts of Member States to bring public spending to a more sustainable level if the EU is maintain credibility in the eyes of citizens;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39 a (new)
Paragraph 39 a (new)
39a. Believes that the EU, not least in the context of the austerity policies being implemented in the Member States, must show responsibility and take immediate, concrete measures to establish a single seat for Parliament;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43
Paragraph 43
43. Believes that a certain degree of flexibility (5 %) is indispensable as regards the ceilings for the (sub)headings, to make it possible to adapt to new circumstances without increasing the overall amount and without requiring revision of the MFF;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 44
Paragraph 44
44. WelcomNotes the Commission’s proposal to increase the level of legislative flexibility (possibility of departing from a given amount for the entire duration of the programme concerned) from 5 % to 10 %;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 50
Paragraph 50
50. Agrees with the Commission that the Emergency Aid Reserve, and the European Union Solidarity Fund, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund and the reserve for crises in the agriculture sector, given their non- programmable nature, should be entered in the budget over and above the ceilings for the relevant headings
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 52
Paragraph 52
52. Urges the Commission and Council to list in a separate annex the budgetary or financial commitments made by a number of Member States in the framework of reinforced cooperation or of a specific tan overview, with a break down, Member State by Member State, of the budgetary or financial commitments and guarantees undertaken by the Union or by some of its Member States in the framework of the new European stabilisation mechanisms, such as the ESFS, ESM or other projects relaty aimed at reinforcing solidarity within the EUed to the 'banking union';
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 60
Paragraph 60
60. Stresses that a stringent majority is required in both Parliament and Council to adopt the MFF, and points to the importance of exploiting to the full the provisions of Article 312(5), which imposes on the institutions the duty to carry out negotiations in order to reach agreement on a text to which Parliament can give its consentneed to "take any measure necessary to facilitate its adoption";
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 61
Paragraph 61
61. Emphasises that this will be the first time an MFF regulation is adopted under the new provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon, which entail new cooperation arrangements among the institutions combining efficient decision-making and respect for the respective prerogatives as legally defined by the TFEU; welcomes, in this respect, the steps taken by the Hungarian, Polish, Danish and Cypriot Council Presidencies- in-office to establish a structured dialogue and regular information exchange with Parliament;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 63
Paragraph 63
63. Notes that any political agreement reached at European Council level constitutes no more than a negotiating mandate for the Council; insists that after the European Council has reached a political agreement, fully-fledged negotiations between Parliament and the Council need to take place before the Council formally submits for Parliament’s consent its proposals on the MFF regulation, pursuant to Article 312(5) TFEU, the European Parliament must give its consent by a majority of its components, to a Council Regulation adopted by unanimity, urges therefore the institutions to find a mutually beneficial modus operandi, with a view to ensuring that the Institutions avoid a potentially damaging budgetary crisis;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 64
Paragraph 64
64. Reiterates that, according to the TFEU, Parliament and the Council are the legislative bodies and the European Council does not have the role of legislator; stresses that the negotiations between Council and Parliament on the legislative proposals relating to the multiannual programmes wishall be pursued under the ordinary legislative procedure;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 67
Paragraph 67
67. Points out, finally, that if no MFF has been adopted by the end of 2013, the ceilings and other provisions corresponding to 2013 will be extended until such time as a new MFF is adopted; notes however, that most spending programmes' legal bases will expire, meaning the Commission will no longer enjoy the legal ability to disperse funds across the MFF; signals that, in this eventuality, Parliament would be ready to reach a swift agreement with the Council and Commission to adapt the internal structure of the MFF to reflect the new political priorities;