229 Amendments of Silvana KOCH-MEHRIN
Amendment 30 #
2013/2989(RSP)
Paragraph 7
7. Calls on the EU and Vietnam to agree in the FTA on a fair and equitable treatment of all investors and services providers in the banking, insurance, legal, accounting, transport, distribution, wholesale and retail sector services; recalls that as regards financial services, it is also essential to ensure adequate supervision thereof to reduce systemic risk and provide the highest possible level of consumer protection as well as to enforce fair competition rules and practices between domestic and foreign investors and services providers, amongst other, by reducing, if not fully eliminating existing equity caps and abolishing restrictions on establishment and licence acquisition;
Amendment 42 #
2013/2989(RSP)
Paragraph 11
11. Considers that the FTA should respect sensitivities linked to trade in agricultural and fisheries products, but that this should not prevent full market opening, including tariff elimination in areas of complementarity, such as wines and spirits, and underlines that new market access shall be subject to a thorough enforcement of intellectual property protection and sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS);
Amendment 52 #
2013/2989(RSP)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Calls upon the negotiating parties to eliminate WTO-inconsistent measures prior to the conclusion of the FTA negotiations.
Amendment 58 #
2013/0103(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) Third countries increasingly interfere in trade of raw materials with a view to keeping raw materials in those countries for the benefit of domestic downstream users, for instance by imposing export taxes or operating dual pricing schemes. As a result, the costs of raw materials do not result from the operation of normal market forces reflecting supply and demand for a given raw material. Such interference creates additional distortions of trade. As a consequence, Union producers are not only harmed by dumping, but suffer, compared to downstream producers from third countries engaged in such practices, additional distortions of trade. In order to protect trade adequately, the lesser duty rule shall not apply in such cases of structural raw material distortions.
Amendment 63 #
2013/0103(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 9
Recital 9
Amendment 145 #
2013/0103(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point b
Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Amendment 172 #
2013/0103(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b
Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009
Article 9 – paragraph 4
Article 9 – paragraph 4
Amendment 265 #
2013/0103(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Regulation (EC) No 597/2009
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 293 #
2013/0103(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Regulation (EC) No 597/2009
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Article 15 – paragraph 1
Amendment 12 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the global economy remains vulnerable, with a negative impact on the everyday lives of people all over the world, affecting jobs, trade, development, and the environment, and whereas the ongoing financial and economic crises, both in the EU and in the US, are threatening the stability and prosperity of our economies and the welfare of our citizens, calling for a closer economic cooperation between the EU and the US, in order to combat andmake use of the benefits of international trade in overcomeing these crises;
Amendment 41 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the Interim Report of the HLWG and the preliminary recommendations contained therein, and agrees thatcalls for the launch of negotiations of a comprehensive free trade agreement which should include an ambitious reciprocal market opening in goods, services and investment, and address the challenges of modernising trade rules and enhancing the compatibility of regulatory regimes; encourages the HLWG to continue its work preparing an ambitious yet feasible set of objectives and concrete deliverables for the negotiations of such a comprehensive bilateral trade and investment agreement, which would be consistent with (and supportive of) the WTO framework; stresses the importance of mutual respect and recognition of each other's laws and regulations and jurisdictional autonomy for a fruitful process and successful outcome;
Amendment 78 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recognises that unnecessary differences and overly burdensome regulatory standards serve as significant barriers to trade, and that additional growth could follow from addressing such barriers; underlines the need to avoid creating new (even if unintended) barriers to trade and investment, especially in key emerging technologies and innovative sectors; supports efforts towards upstream regulatory cooperation on standards, regulatory coherence, and better alignment of standards, to further promote trade and growth that could improve efficiency and effectively address NTBs;
Amendment 82 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses that regulatory compatibility is the foremost challenge of an ambitious transatlantic agreement; underlines the importance of the principle of mutual recognition and recalls in this respect that regulatory differences and behind-the- border measures constitute a particular barrier to trade for SMEs;
Amendment 83 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the stakeholders to make full use of the invitation launched by the HLWG to present, before the end of 2012, concrete proposals to address the impact on trade of the regulatory differences that unnecessarily impede trade; urges stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic to work together where possible to establish joint positions;
Amendment 85 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recognises that expanding trade in services, and taking steps to promote investment and procurement, canshould be a key prerogative for any future transatlantic agreement in order to bring additional benefits to both economies, as well as create opportunities for collaboration on trade issues of common concern;
Amendment 87 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that the service sector represents the predominant source of employment and GDP in both the EU and the US; Supports the ambition of the HLWG to keep and share the highestgo beyond the level of services liberalisation achieved by the EU and the US in existing free trade agreements, while improving market access through addressing remaining long- standing barriers and recognising the sensitive nature of certain sectors by addressing remaining long-standing barriers, including modes of services delivery, while also recognising the sensitive nature of certain sectors; considers that these provisions should be rooted in the framework of GATS, whilst using negative instead of positive listing, and aligned with negotiations for a plurilateral agreement on services so that these efforts remain consistent with the multilateral system; believes that increased regulatory coherence in services could also improve the integration of the single market in services within the EU and the US;
Amendment 95 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Supports, in recognition of the importance of investment for boosting economic growth, the aim proposed by the HLWG of negotiating investment liberalisation and protection provisions on the basis of the highest levels of liberalisation and protection that both sides have negotiated to date; reiterates the necessity to define without delay a strong common investment protection policy, including a system of investor-state- dispute-settlement, so as to equip the Commission with a solid basis for future negotiations; cautions that if the EU-US negotiations include an investor-to-state dispute mechanism, this should also be balanced by provisions guaranteeing the right to regulate in a non-discriminatory manner particularly in sensitive areas such as environmental protection, consumer protection and health and safety legislation;
Amendment 99 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on both parties to open up further their respective public procurement markets to each other in order to ensure full reciprocity, and supports the goal proposed by the HLWG of enhancing business opportunities through substantially improved access to public procurement opportunities at all levels of government on the basis of national treatment; considers that the procurement chapter should not only address existing market access issues but include a mechanism to prevent the development of new barriers; recalls the significance for transatlantic trade of open procurement markets that offer equal access to all suppliers, in particular to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); reiterates the view that EU SMEs should have the same level of advantages and possibilities as regards public tenders in the US as they enjoy inside the EU;
Amendment 110 #
2012/2149(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Notes that the EU has negotiated or is negotiating free trade agreements with other members of NAFTA, Mexico and Canada; therefore, asks the Commission and its US counterparts to consider formulating a provision in the potential EU-US free trade agreement allowing for a future harmonisation of these agreements to form a region-to-region EU-NAFTA agreement;
Amendment 1 #
2012/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises that the Internet has become a public space which has given rise to new methodavenues of cross-border trade and innovative market development, as well as social and cultural interaction; believes digital freedoms and free trade should go hand in hand to create and optimize business opportunities for European companies in the global digital economy;
Amendment 24 #
2012/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
Amendment 33 #
2012/2094(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls on the Commission and the Council not to conclude trade agreements with countries where EU ICT companies are required to restrict access to websites,EU to provide political backing to European companies faced in third countries with request to remove user-generated content or provide personal information in ways that breach fundamental rights and curtail the freedom to conduct business; calls on the EU to minimise the extra-territorial application of third-country legislation on EU citizens online;
Amendment 3 #
2012/2046(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
Amendment 7 #
2012/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to take concrete steps towards a further deepening of the market for services in order to develop its significant jobs potential and to allow workers, both men and women, to benefit from the flexible working conditions specific to many jobs in this sector (with a view, for example,enabling thus to reconcilinge workers work and care duties)private life, while ensuring decent working conditions with respect to, inter alia, payequal pay for equal work principle, health and safety standards, career prospects, further training, social security and lifelong learning;
Amendment 9 #
2012/2046(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. Whereas the take-up rate of flexible working time arrangements by women is higher than by men and flexible working time arrangements, including teleworking, part-time or home-office are still largely considered as a 'female' way of organising working time;
Amendment 12 #
2012/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
Amendment 16 #
2012/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Points out that according to the 5th European Working Conditions Survey of April 2012, 18% of workers reported having a poor work–life balance; across the EU as a whole, 19% of women and 7% of men work 'short' (fewer than 20 hours a week) part-time. Only 3% of men aged 35–49 are on 'short' part-time hours compared with 18% of women in that age group; notes also that part-time jobs are found mostly in particular sectors: more than 38% of part-time workers (both 'short' and 'substantial' (between 20 and 34 hours a week)) are in the education, health and social services, other services, and retail and wholesale sectors; Calls therefore on the Member States to adopt appropriate policies which would enable to reconcile work and private life, including those on part time work in order to encourage both parents to actively participate in reconciliation measures and rectify thus the existing gender imbalance in this regard;
Amendment 21 #
2012/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises the importance of swiftly reaching an agreement on the Programme for Social Change and Innovation in order to enable workers and entrepreneurs in the service sector to benefit from its Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis, stresses in this regard that there are considerable possibilities for women entrepreneurs as generally, women continue to choose their training in the service sector, which is also where they have their commercial experience and knowledge of the trade;
Amendment 21 #
2012/2046(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. Whereas creating a balance between work and family life is essential if women are to findfor both women and men working in the service sector;
Amendment 31 #
2012/2046(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses the need for all workers in the service sector to have access to up-skilling and further training programmes in order to improve the mismatch between skills and work duties;
Amendment 36 #
2012/2046(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Stresses the importance of combating stereotypes in the service sector, where there is an assumption that there are male and female jobs, and that the latter are associated with the work that women do in theat home and are considered as an extension of these (clothing and textiles, teaching, nursing, cleaning, etc.);
Amendment 42 #
2012/2046(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Draws attention to the fact that part-time employment (19.2 % of total employment in the EU in 2010) is still a predominantly female domain; in the EU, in 2010, 31.9 % of the female workforce was in part-time employment compared to just 8.7 % of the male population, in other words, 78 % of part-time work is carried out by women; stresses the fact that active participation and involvement of men in reconciliation measures, such as part-time is crucial for reaching the work-life balance, since both women and men could benefit from family-friendly employment policies and from equal sharing of unpaid work and of responsibilities in the household;
Amendment 45 #
2012/2046(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that a flexible working hours arorganisation of working time supports the brecoming more commonplace: weekend work, irregular and unpredictable working hours and adding to them, and given that the demand for flexibility is greatest amongst part-time workers, who are mostly women, this means that more women than men suffer changes in their working hours from week to week, making it even harder for women to find a balance between work and family lifenciliation of work and private life; therefore the framework of flexible working time arrangements should be designed carefully in order to take the preferences of the employees into account; it should include the option of a flexible start and end of working day and the possibility to fully determine personal working schedules in order to encourage both parents to actively participate in reconciliation measures;
Amendment 85 #
2012/2046(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the need for appropriate policies to reconcile work and family life and in particular calls for an adequate provision of affordable child care services and care for other dependents compatible with the flexible working hours that are being imposed in the service sector;
Amendment 11 #
2012/2042(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to draft a legislative proposalcome forward with a concept laying down binding commitments on the part of the Member States to establish relevant support structures for SMEs and to simplify all national procedures pertaining to policies in support of the internationalisation of SMEs;
Amendment 21 #
2012/2042(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Regrets that the Communication does not address the difficulties that SMEs face in identifying foreign business opportunities, and that it does not propose providing SMEs identified by governments with suggestions on internationalisation; believes that the EU should support incentives to develop SMEs in strategic sectors in a proactive fashion, especially when it concerns high-value- added manufacturing activities offering a competitive edge over emerging economies; stresses the need, therefore, to identify promising niche-markets;
Amendment 34 #
2012/2042(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Believes that, while making effective use of existing national structures, EU- level services to SMEs are necessary in third markets; encourages cooperation among experts in both the public and the private spheres, including the EU Market Access Teams; agrees that SMEs from smaller and newer Member States are at a disadvantage because they may lack either diplomatic representation, experienced partners or both in some third markets;
Amendment 42 #
2012/2042(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Calls for a clearer definition of SME priority markets on the basis of the agenda for the EU's trade negotiations; sees the growth of host markets and gaps in existing support structures as the main criteria for making the list of priority markets; recommends that EU's neighbouring countries be added to the list, since most SMEs initially export to trading partners in neighbouring countries, such as the Republic of Moldova and countries in the Western Balkan, such as Serbia, recently recognised as anespecially those with EU candidate countrystatus;
Amendment 32 #
2012/0299(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 a (new)
Recital 6 a (new)
(6a) The EU institutions and agencies should lead by example by improving gender balance. The principles laid down in this Directive should be incorporated into the rules governing the internal staffing procedures of the European Commission, the European Parliament, and all EU-institutions and agencies, including the European Central Bank. More efficient gender policies must be developed in all EU institutions to impact on recruitment to, training in, and the everyday functioning of the different EU institutions. For that purpose the institutions should ensure that gender balance is achieved in the recruitment of senior management, including Director- Generals, Directors and Heads of Unit;
Amendment 34 #
2012/0299(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 b (new)
Recital 6 b (new)
(6b) It is essential that the management of the Commission, the EU's executive body, improves its gender balance to represent better the European citizens. Member States are therefore called upon to nominate both male and female candidates for each position in the college of the Commissioners in order to achieve a gender balance in the Commission college;
Amendment 144 #
2012/0299(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
Amendment 236 #
2012/0299(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Amendment 57 #
2012/0163(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point f a (new)
Article 2 – point f a (new)
(fa) "overriding interest of the Union" means a situation where the consistent interpretation and uniform application of the investment provisions of the agreement of the financial responsibility of the Union are at stake, and where a Member State measure may conflict with the development of the Union's future investment policy;
Amendment 61 #
2012/0163(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point j a (new)
Article 2 – point j a (new)
(ja) "treatment required by the law of the Union" means a treatment which the Member State concerned was obliged to apply without having any own discretion or margin of appreciation in the application of the treatment;
Amendment 71 #
2012/0163(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. Representatives of the Member State concerned and of the Commission shall form part of the Union's delegation to the consultations.
Amendment 93 #
2012/0163(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) inform the Commission of all significant procedural steps without delay, and enter into consultations regularly and, in any event, when requested by the Commission; and,
Amendment 104 #
2012/0163(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10– point c
Article 10– point c
(c) the Commission shall providekeep the Member State with all documents relating to the proceedinginformed of all significant procedural steps without delay and enter into consultations with the Member State regularly, so as to ensure as effective defence as possible; and,
Amendment 16 #
2012/0027(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 25
Article 25
Amendment 19 #
2011/2294(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls on universities and higher education colleges to recognise that women learners may have specific additional responsibilities outside of learning, for example, caring for young children or elderly relatives; encourages therefore to introduce a greater variety of study modes, e.g. part-time and distance learning;
Amendment 27 #
2011/2294(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers it necessary to review the criteria for promotion to senior research- oriented positions (e.g. professorships) in order to include a strong gender perspectiveaiming at gender balanced composition and address the lack of women in these posts, and to recognise that women are far more likely than their male counterparts to take career breaks in order to have a family;
Amendment 35 #
2011/2294(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that higher education should give tools to women to enable them to achieve better positions in the private sector and develop their entrepreneurial skills, thus promoting growth and jobs in the EU; insists, therefore, that women should be encouraged to participate actively in university/private sector partnerships and co-operations, e.g. through start-ups or spin- offs;
Amendment 40 #
2011/2294(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Recognises that women still face barriers on reaching the highest-level in post-graduate education and research; calls therefore on Member States and universities to design and implement national strategies to ensure women´s participation therein;
Amendment 44 #
2011/2294(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Reiterates that the gender pay gap is still a huge concern and that in the field of higher education women researchers and professors are paid less than their male counterparts at the same level; calls for an equal remuneration system for the same research positions;
Amendment 46 #
2011/2294(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Calls on Member States to introduce as a criteria for eligibility for state funded research projects the condition of a gender balanced research team;
Amendment 16 #
2011/2132(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. 3. to prepare for its implementation together with Ukraine so that commitments that have not been backed up by preconditions and will not deliver immediate rewards become reality and have a substantial impact in the long run; to call for the Free Trade Agreement to lead in the end to a full dismantling of the tariff barriers in every sector of industry with no negative listings or import quotas and therefore for export taxes as well as import and export restrictions to be effectively eliminated; to provide Ukraine with post-liberalisation adjustment funds, as foreseen in the ENP National Indicative Programme for 2011- 2013, and with technical assistance for customs issues and adapting geographical indications;
Amendment 18 #
2011/2132(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. to continue to call for unilateral political and economic reforms in Ukraine that would lead to the modernisation of its infrastructures, notably in energy and transport; to helping business, most urgently through easier access to credit and land and simpler and faster processes for tax collection and customs, in particular by making noticeable improvements in the refund of value-added tax for exporters, in customs clearance and in approval procedures for imports (particularly in taxation, documentation obligations and product testing for certification); to the removal of red tape and corruption; and to enforcement of the rule of law and democratic practices; to consider lower transaction costs and secure procedures in particular for SMEs a vital prerequisite for building commercial relationships;
Amendment 9 #
2011/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Believes there is a need for modernisation measures such as simpler customs legislation and interoperable computerised customs systems which will help facilitate commercial practices; recalls that an oral customs declaration for goods of less than 1,000 Euro, which is currently in place, constitutes an essential simplification of trade operations for many SMEs and should be maintained;
Amendment 12 #
2011/2083(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is convinced that modernisation of customs should be a high political priority, as customs iswell-functioning, efficient and simplified customs procedures are essential in contributing to economic competitiveness, reliable trade relations with third countries, as well as safety and security in the EU;
Amendment 27 #
2011/2083(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6a (new)
Paragraph 6a (new)
6a (new). Calls on the Commission to maintain Article 24 of the Community Customs Code, so that the origin of goods continues to be determined according to the place where their last substantial economically justified processing occurred; stresses that changes to the status quo would burden businesses with avoidable administrative procedures and undermine ongoing harmonisation efforts at WTO level
Amendment 35 #
2011/2083(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. While recognising the importance of supply chain security, considerelcomes indications that the US legislative requirement of 100 % scanning is overly burdensome and excessively costly, while actual benefits are doubtfulof US- bound container cargo might be reconsidered, and is determined to continue the transatlantic legislative dialogue with the US in order to achieve the repeal or amendment of legislationon this matter;
Amendment 46 #
2011/2083(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Recognisegrets that the postponement of the application of the MCC is appropriatefor practical reasons necessary; suggests, however, that the Commission explore possibilities of introducing gradual application of certain provisions of the MCC as soon as feasible and of setting an ambitious, but realistic new deadline for complete application of the MCC, e.g. 2015;
Amendment 72 #
2011/2083(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 f (new)
Paragraph 16 f (new)
16f. Underlines that it is important to foresee simplifications for customs declarations for commercial goods of less than 1,000 Euro in order to avoid bureaucracy for many SMEs; calls on the Commission to examine if current simplifications can be maintained in the ongoing harmonisation process and, should this not be the case, to introduce alternative facilitations for the import and export of low value goods;
Amendment 78 #
2011/2083(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 k (new)
Paragraph 16 k (new)
16k. Calls on the Commission to maintain the principle that the non preferential origin of goods is determined according to the place where their last substantial economically justified processing occurred; stresses that, if additional origin rules are established, this should be done in such a way as to avoid unnecessary administrative burdens for businesses and take into account the importance of facilitating international trade;
Amendment 8 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)
Citation 14 a (new)
Amendment 14 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas our major energy challenges are confronting climate change, strengthening energy autonomsecurity while reducing fossil fuel importdiversifying energy suppliers and sources, achieving a competitive internal energy market and ensuring universal access to sustainable, affordable and secure energy,
Amendment 27 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the Lisbon Treaty provides a specific legal basis for developing an EU energy policy which promotes the interconnection of energy networks across national and regional borders which is necessary to achieve the other EU energy policy objectives (functioning of the energy market, energy efficiency and renewable energy, security of supply),
Amendment 51 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the availability of interconnection capacity or interconnection capacity itself between Member States remains generally insufficient in some cases, and whereas certain regions remain isolated,
Amendment 70 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas energy infrastructures planned today must be consistent with market needs and long-term EU climate and energy objectives,
Amendment 76 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas energy efficiency offers a powerful and cost-effective tool for achieving a sustainable energy future and can partially reduce the need for investment in energy infrastructure and to relocate plants in response to rising costs,
Amendment 86 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas smart grids and meters could provide an important opportunity to establish an efficient relationship between energy production, energy transmission, energy distribution and users,
Amendment 95 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas market-based tools must remain the basis for financing energy infrastructure, and whereas a limited amount of public finance may be required to fund certain projects which are not strictly commercially viablecriteria must provide the basis for the introduction of instruments to finance energy infrastructure, and whereas, on the basis of detailed assessments f individual cases, a limited amount of public finance may be required to fund the planning or implementation of certain projects, in keeping with predetermined, transparent criteria, provided that those projects are in the interests of the EU and serve the objectives of completing the internal market and/or increasing security of supply, whilst preventing distortions of competition,
Amendment 118 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the crucial importance of timely and full implementation of existing legislation, including the regulatory work called for by the third internal energy market package, in order to guarantee comparable terms of competition;
Amendment 149 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises the need to identify, according to a hierarchy of importance and cost-effectiveness, where infrastructure could be minimised through energy efficiency policies, where existing infrastructure can be upgraded or modernised and where new infrastructure is needed and can be built alongside existing infrastructure;
Amendment 156 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that the development of electricity infrastructure between the EU and third countries can create a risk of carbon leakage importing network increase that risk where already present; calls on the Commission to bring forward, wherever necessary, measures to address this issue as a ‘carbon inclusion mechanism’ or require conformity wistability; calls, therefore, on the network operators, the regulatory authorities, including ACER, and the Commission to create, in cooperation with the network operators and authorities in third countries, conditions conducive to the establishment of the degree of network stability needed to secure the involvement of neighbouring countries in the EU internal energy market, a precondition for achieving the EU Directive 2009/28/EC; ’s objectives in the area of the development of renewable energies;
Amendment 174 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the Commission to submit by the end of 2011 proposed solutions to the trade-offs described by the European coordinator Georg Wilhelm Adamowitsch in his third annual report of 15 November 2010, for example that between the urgent need for new infrastructure and rigid environmental protection rules;
Amendment 205 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Considers that the TYNDP should form the basis of a rolling programme for developing European gas transport and electricity transmission infrastructure within a long- term European planning perspective and with monitoring by the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and the Commission, with due account being taken of the relevant provisions of the Third Internal Market Package;
Amendment 248 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Endorses the importance of efficient gas infrastructures in enhancing diversification and security of supply and reducing energy dependence; highlights the need for additional flexibility requirements in gas infrastructures, as set out in Regulation 994/2010, in particular with a view to ensuring reverse flows, and stresses that gas infrastructure should be developed, with full account being taken of the contribution of LNG/ CNG terminals;
Amendment 252 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Welcomes the Commission’s announcement that natural gas will take on an important role as a backup fuel; stresses, however, that other forms of energy and energy storage facilities will also have to take on this role if security of supply is to be ensured; underlines that a broad energy mix will continue to be the basis for secure, cost-effective energy supply;
Amendment 261 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that the development of infrastructure for unconventional gas sources has not yetAsks the Commission to conduct a thorough evaluation of the potential been given the necessary attention by the Commission as regards legal issues, life cycle assessment and environmental impacts; asks the Commission to conduct a thorough evaluation on this issueefits and the risks of using unconventional natural gas sources in the EU, taking into account the various methods of extraction and ongoing technical developments;
Amendment 296 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Urges the Commission to present by 2012 concrete initiatives to promote the development of energy storage capacities (including multi-use gas/hydrogen facilities, hydropower, high-temperature solar installations, compressed air and other technologies);
Amendment 350 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Urges the Members States, in liaison with European standardisation bodies and industry, to speed up work on technical standards for electric vehicles, charging infrastructure and smart grids and meters, with a view to its completion by the end of 2012;
Amendment 398 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 – indent 2
Paragraph 24 – indent 2
Amendment 408 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 – indent 3
Paragraph 24 – indent 3
– they must be in line with climate and environmental objectivobjectives in the areas of security of supply and diversification of countries of origin and supply routes,
Amendment 500 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33
Paragraph 33
Amendment 513 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Notes that grid investments are cyclical and should be viewed in a historical perspective; points out that a large amount of the infrastructure built over the past decades to interconnect centralised power plants will become obsolete in the coming years; points out that society will expect the cost of keeping the existing infrastructure operational and of deploying new infrastructure to be optimised;
Amendment 523 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35
Paragraph 35
35. Stresses that the bulk of the cost of infrastructure investments needs to be financed by the market and based on the ‘user pays’ principle; requests the Commission to assess to what extent the existing regulatory incentives are sufficient to send the necessary signals; takes the view that where key projects are not attractive to the market but their development is necessary in order to achieve the stated objectives, public funding should be used to lever private investment by setting up an innovative mix, subject to a clear ceiling, of financial instruments;
Amendment 542 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Emphasises that a stable, predictable and appropriate regulatory framework that also provides incentives for the construction of new infrastructure is crucial in order to promote investment;
Amendment 545 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36 a (new)
Paragraph 36 a (new)
36a. Notes that a number of Member States have not yet fully implemented the provisions of the second internal market package and is concerned that there will be substantial delays in implementing the third internal market package; calls on the Commission, therefore, to make compliance with the core provisions of internal market legislation relating to electricity and gas a condition for the granting of public funding, so as to step up the pressure on the Member States;
Amendment 554 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Stresses that the fullest possible use should be made of market-based tools, including project bonds, loan guarantees, non-commercial risk-sharing facilities, incentives for funding public-private partnerships, partnerships with the EIB and the use of ETS revenue, in accordance with EU energy and climate objectives;
Amendment 565 #
2011/2034(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38
Paragraph 38
38. Recalls the importance of transparent and non-discriminatory tariffs with a view to ensuring appropriate cost allocation for cross-border investments, fair prices for consumers and greater competitiveness; welcomes, therefore, the REMIT proposal from the European Commission;
Amendment 21 #
2011/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Amendment 22 #
2011/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Calls on the Commission to facilitate greater ‘data portability’ on the Internet while taking into account business models of service providers, existing technical systems and legitimate interests of stakeholders; Underlines that users need sufficient control of their online data for a sovereign and responsible use of the Internet;
Amendment 26 #
2011/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Amendment 30 #
2011/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Reminds that profiling is a major trend in the ‘digital world’, also given the growing importance of ‘social networks’ and integrated Internet business models; Calls therefore on the Commission to include provisions on profiling while clearly defining the terms ‘profile’ and ‘profiling’;
Amendment 31 #
2011/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Invites the Commission to encourage strengthening of self-regulation initiatives, personal responsibility and the right to control one’s own data, in particular as regards the Internet;
Amendment 50 #
2011/2025(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Welcomes the newly signed agreement on Privacy and Data protection Impact Assessment Framework for RFID applications which aims to ensure consumers privacy before RFID tags are introduced onto a market;
Amendment 27 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 22 – point -a a (new)
Article 1 – point 22 – point -a a (new)
Staff Regulations
Article 55a– paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 55a– paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Amendment 29 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – point 26 a (new)
Article 1 – point 26 a (new)
Staff Regulations
Article 58
Article 58
Amendment 35 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 19 a (new)
Article 2 – point 19 a (new)
Conditions of Employment of Other Servants
Article 47 – point b – point ii
Article 47 – point b – point ii
19a. Point (b)(ii) of Article 47 shall be replaced by the following: '(ii) at the end of the period of notice specified in the contract giving the servant or the institution the option to terminate earlier. The period of notice shall not be less than one month per year of service, subject to a minimum of one month and a maximum of three months. For temporary staff whose contracts have been renewed the maximum shall be six months. The period of notice shall not, however, commence to run during pregnancy duly established by a medical certificate, maternity leave or sick leave, provided such sick leave does not exceed three months. It shall, moreover, be suspended during pregnancy duly established by a medical certificate, maternity or sick leave subject to the limits aforesaid. If the institution terminates the contract, the servant shall be entitled to compensation equal to one third of his basic salary for the period between the date when his duties end and the date when his contract expires.';
Amendment 36 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 19 b (new)
Article 2 – point 19 b (new)
Conditions of Employment of Other Servants
Article 47 – point c – point i
Article 47 – point c – point i
19b. Point (c)(i) of Article 47 shall be replaced by the following: '(i) at the end of the period of notice stipulated in the contract; the length of the period of notice shall not be less than one month for each completed year of service, subject to a minimum of three months and a maximum of 10 months. The period of notice shall not, however, commence to run during pregnancy duly established by a medical certificate, maternity leave or sick leave, provided such sick leave does not exceed three months. It shall, moreover, be suspended during pregnancy duly established by a medical certificate, maternity or sick leave subject to the limits aforesaid; or';
Amendment 38 #
2011/0455(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – point 33 a (new)
Article 2 – point 33 a (new)
Conditions of Employment of Other Servants
Article 139 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 139 – paragraph 1 – point d
33a. Point (d) of Article 139 shall be replaced by the following: '(d) taking into account the fact that trust is the basis of the working relationship between the Member and his accredited parliamentary assistant, at the end of the period of notice specified in the contract, which shall give the accredited parliamentary assistant or the European Parliament, acting at the request of the Member or Members of the European Parliament whom the accredited parliamentary assistant was taken on to assist, the right to terminate the contract before its expiry. The period of notice shall not be less than one month per year of service, subject to a minimum of one month and a maximum of three months. The period of notice shall not, however, start to run during pregnancy duly established by a medical certificate, maternity leave or sick leave, provided such sick leave does not exceed three months. It shall, moreover, be suspended during pregnancy duly established by a medical certificate, maternity or sick leave subject to these limits;';
Amendment 98 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The technical specifications drawn up by public purchasers need to allow public procurement to be opened up to competition. To that end, it must be possible to submit tenders that reflect the diversity of technical solutions so as to obtain a sufficient level of competition. Consequently, technical specifications should be drafted in such a wayand applied in conformity with the principles of transparency and non-discrimination, to avoid artificially narrowing down competition through requirements that favour a specific economic operator by mirroring key characteristics of the supplies, services or works habitually offered by that economic operator. Drawing up the technical specifications in terms of functional and performance requirements generally allows this objective to be achieved in the best way possible and favours innovation. Where reference is made to a European standard or, in the absence thereof, to a national standard, tenders based on equivalent arrangements must be considered by contracting authorities. To demonstrate equivalence, tenderers can be required to provide third-party verified evidence; however, other appropriate means of proof such as a technical dossier of the manufacturer should also be allowed where the economic operator concerned has no access to such certificates or test reports, or no possibility of obtaining them within the relevant time limits.
Amendment 99 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 28
Recital 28
(28) Contracting authorities that wish to purchase works, supplies or services with specific environmental, social or other characteristics should be able to refer to particular labels, such as the European Eco-label, (multi-)national eco-labels or any other label provided that the requirements for the label are linked to the subject-matter of the contract, such as the description of the product and its presentation, including packaging requirements. It is furthermore essential that these requirements are drawn up and adopted on the basis of objectively verifiable criteria, using a procedure in which stakeholders, such as government bodies, consumers, manufacturers, distributors, social organisations and environmental organisations, can participate, and that the label is accessible and available to all interested parties.
Amendment 112 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 43
Recital 43
(43) Contract performance conditions are compatible with this Directive provided that they are not directly or indirectly discriminatory, are linked to the subject- matter of the contract and are indicated in the contract notice, the prior information notice used as a means of calling for competition or the procurement documents. They may, in particular, be intended to favour on-site vocational training, the employment of people experiencing particular difficulty in achieving integration, the fight against unemployment, protection of the environment or animal welfare. For instance, mention may be made, amongst other things, of the requirements - applicable during performance of the contract - to recruit long-term job-seekers, unemployed young persons, persons with disabilities, women or to implement training measures for the unemployed or young persons, to comply in substance with fundamental International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions, even where such Conventions have not been implemented in national law, and to recruit more disadvantaged persons than are required under national legislation.
Amendment 117 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) In line with the principles of equal treatment, objectivity and transparency, the successful tenderer should not be replaced by another economic operator without reopening the contract to competition. However, the successful tenderer performing the contract may undergo certain structural changes during the performance of the contract, such as purely internal reorganisations, mergers and acquisitions or insolvency. Such structural changes should not automatically require new procurement procedures for all public contracts performed by that undertaking.
Amendment 119 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Recital 51
Recital 51
(51) Not all contracting authorities may have the internal expertise to deal with economically or technically complex contracts. Against this background, appropriate professional support would be an effective complement to monitoring and control activities. On the one hand, this objective can be achieved by knowledge sharing tools (knowledge centres) offering technical assistance to contracting authorities; on the other hand, business, not leastespecially the SMEs, should benefit from administrative assistance, in particular when participating in procurement procedures on a cross-border basis.
Amendment 127 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 22
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 22
(22) ‘life cycle’ means all consecutive and/or interlinked stages, including production, transport, installation, use and maintenance, throughout the existence of a product or a works or the provision of a service, from raw material acquisition or generation of resources to disposal, clearance and finalisation;
Amendment 209 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Article 17 – paragraph 1
Member States may reserve the right to participate in public procurement procedures to sheltered workshops and economic operators whose main aim is the social and professional integration of disabled and disadvantaged workers or provide for such contracts to be performed in the context of sheltered employment programmes, provided that more than 30% of the employees of those workshops, economic operators or programmes are disabled or disadvantaged workers.for:
Amendment 212 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point a (new)
(a) sheltered workshops, or provide for such contracts to be performed in the context of sheltered employment programmes, provided that the majority of the employees concerned are disabled persons who, by reason of the nature or the seriousness of their disabilities, cannot carry on occupations under normal conditions or easily find employment on the ordinary market;
Amendment 213 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point b (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – point b (new)
(b) social enterprises programmes whose main aim is the social and professional integration of disadvantaged workers, provided that more than 30% of the employees of those economic operators or programmes are disabled or disadvantaged workers.
Amendment 238 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 3
Article 29 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 3
Only those economic operators invited by the contracting authority following its assessment of the requested information may submit research and innovation projects aimed at meeting the needs identified by the contracting authority that cannot be met by existing solutions. The contract shall be awarded on the sole basis of the award criterion of the most economically advantageous tender in accordance with Article 66(1)(a) and Article 66(2).
Amendment 245 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 40 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 4
Article 40 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 4
For all procurement the subject of which is intended for use by persons, whether general public or staff of the contracting authority, those technical specifications shall, except in duly justified cases, be drawn up so as to take into account accessibility criteria for people with disabilities or design for all users other than, by way of exception, in duly justified cases, which shall be stated in the call for competition and the tender documents.
Amendment 311 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 67 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 67 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Where contracting authorities assess the costs using a life-cycle costing approach, they shall indicate in the procurement documents the methodology used for the calculation of the life-cycle costs. The methodology used must be simplified in order to be accessible for SMEs and it must fulfil all of the following conditions:
Amendment 331 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 69 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
Article 69 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1
The contracting authority shall verify the information provided by consulting the tenderer. It may only reject the tender where the evidence does not justify the low level of price or costs charged, taking into account the elements referred to in paragraph 3, or when the received justification is not sufficient.
Amendment 354 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 76 – paragraph 1
Article 76 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall put in place appropriate procedures for the award of contracts subject to this Chapter, ensuring full compliance with the principles of transparency, non-discrimination and equal treatment of economic operators and allowing contracting authorities to take into account the specificities of the services in question.
Amendment 355 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 76 – paragraph 2
Article 76 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall ensure that contracting authorities may take into account the need to ensure a high level of quality, continuity, accessibility, availability and comprehensiveness of the services, the specific needs of different categories of users, including disadvantages and vulnerable groups, the necessity to promote the participation of SMEs, the involvement and empowerment of users and innovation. Member States may also provide that the choice of the service provider shall not be made solely on the basis of the price for the provision of the service.
Amendment 362 #
2011/0438(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 84 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point f
Article 84 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point f
(f) examining complaints from citizens and businesses and from professional associations or similar bodies on the application of public procurement rules in specific cases and transmitting the analysis to the competent contracting authorities, which shall have the obligation to take it into account in their decisions or, where the analysis is not followed, to explain the reasons for disregarding it;
Amendment 17 #
2011/0238(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Decision establishes a mechanism for the exchange of information between Member States and the Commission with regard to intergovernmental agreements, in order to improve the Union’s energy security, the functioning of the internal market for energy and the consistency and coherence of the Union’s external action in the field of energy.
Amendment 23 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Standards are important tools for undertakings and especially small and medium-sized enterprises (hereinafter ‘SMEs’) which, however, are not adequately involved in the standardisation system so that the risk exists that standards do not take into account the needs and concerns of SME. ConsequentlyStandardisation rules should encourage SMEs to actively contribute their innovative technology solutions to standardisation efforts. Furthermore, it is essential to improve their representation and participation in the standardisation process, particularly in the technical committees.
Amendment 24 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) European standards are of vital interest for the competitiveness of SMEs which, however, are in generalsome areas under- represented in standardisation activities, in particular at European level. Thus, this Regulation should ensure an appropriate representation of SMEs in the European standardisation process by an entity with appropriate qualifications. , while maintaining the principle of national delegation and avoiding an unnecessary duplication of structures at European level.
Amendment 36 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Annex 2 – paragraph 3 – point f a (new)
Annex 2 – paragraph 3 – point f a (new)
(fa) coherence: (i) the technical specifications do not contradict existing national, European and international standards or those in the process of being drafted, nor do they duplicate them. (ii) this provision should respect the principle of technological neutrality and not be applied in an anti-competitive manner.
Amendment 69 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The European standardisation system should continue to be a voluntary and market driven process and be based on the principles for standardisation as set out by the World Trade Organisation in the context of the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement. European standards should continue to be adopted by the European standardisation bodies, namely European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC) and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
Amendment 90 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Standards are important tools for the competitiveness of undertakings and especially small and medium-sized enterprises (hereinafter ‘SME’), which, however, are not adequately involved in the standardisation system so that the risk exists that standards do not take into acose participation in the standardisation process is essential for technological progress in the EU. Standardisation rules should therefore encourage SMEs to actively count the needs and concerns of SME. Consequentlyribute their innovative technology solutions to standardisation efforts. Furthermore, it is essential to improve their representation and participation in the standardisation process, particularly in the technical committees.
Amendment 121 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1 – introductory part
(1) ‘standard’ means a technical specification established and approved by a recognised organisation, and in line with the principles set out by WTO in the context of the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement, for repeated or continuous application, with which compliance is not compulsory, and which is one of the following:
Amendment 158 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. European standardisation bodies shall ensure an appropriate representation ofconsultation and involvement of relevant stakeholders including small and medium-sized enterprises (hereinafter ‘SME’), consumer organisations and environmental and social stakeholders, in particular through the organisations referred to in Annex III, at the policy development level and at least at the following stages of the development of European standards or European standardisation deliverables:
Amendment 159 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. European standardisation bodies shall ensurable an appropriate representation of small and medium-sized enterprises (hereinafter ‘SME’), consumer organisations and environmental and social stakeholders, in particular through the organisations referred to in Annex III, at the policy development level and at least at the following stages of the development of European standards or European standardisation deliverables:
Amendment 178 #
2011/0150(COD)
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a (new)
Article 5 a Access of SMEs to standards 1. National Standardisation Organisations shall promote and facilitate the access of SMEs to the development of standards, in particular through: (a) making available free of charge on their website abstracts of standards (b) applying special rates for the provision of standards to SMEs and providing bundles of standards at a reduced price (c) identifying, in their annual work programmes, the standardisation projects which are of particular interest for SMEs; (d) providing low barrier access to SMEs to participate in standardisation activities.
Amendment 337 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 19 – point -1 (new)
Annex – section 19 – point -1 (new)
Regulation (EC) No 597/2009
Recital 16
Recital 16
-1. Recital 16 shall be replaced by the following: "(16) It is necessary to provide that the termination of cases should, irrespective of whether definitive measures are adopted or not, normally take place within 11 months and in no case later than 12 months, from the initiation of the investigation. Only if Member States indicate to the Commission that they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process with the need to submit a draft implementing act to the appeal body pursuant to Article 5 of the Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, the Commission should be able to decide, to extend the time limit, for a period up to, but in no case longer than, 13 months."
Amendment 341 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 19 – point 2 a (new)
Annex – section 19 – point 2 a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 597/2009
Article 11 – paragraph 9 a (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 9 a (new)
2a. The following paragraph shall be inserted: "9a. No later than 7 and a half months after the initiation of the investigation the Commission shall consult the Member States on the basis of the findings of the investigation. The Member States shall in this consultation indicate to the Commission whether they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process pursuant to Articles 14 and 15 for definitive action which would be likely to trigger the appeal procedure referred to in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. If so the Commission may decide, no later than eight months after the initiation of the investigation, to extend the time limit of paragraph 9, for a period up to, but in no case longer than, 13 months. The Commission shall make this decision public."
Amendment 344 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 19 – point 3 – point a
Annex – section 19 – point 3 – point a
Regulation (EC) No 597/2009
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
The provisional duties shall be imposed no earlier than 60 days, and no later than 98 months, from the initiation of the proceedings. In exceptional cases, having regard to the complexity of the investigationthe event that the Member States indicate to the Commission pursuant to Article 11(9a) that they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process pursuant to Articles 14 and 15 for definitive action which would be likely to trigger the appeal procedure referred to in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, the Commission may decide, no later than 8 months after the initiation of the investigation, to extend this time limit, to a period up to, but in no case longer than, 129 months.
Amendment 346 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 19 – point 10 – point a
Annex – section 19 – point 10 – point a
Regulation (EC) No 597/2009
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 22 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Reviews carried out pursuant to Articles 18 and 19 shall be carried out expeditiously and shall normally be concluded within 121 months of the date of initiation of the review. In any event, reviews pursuant to Articles 18 and 19 shall be concluded within 154 months of initiation. In exceptional cases, having regard to the complexity of the investigation,No later than seven and a half month after the initiation of the investigation pursuant to Article 11 the Commission shall consult the Member States on the basis of the findings of the investigation. The Member States shall in this consultation indicate to the Commission whether they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process pursuant to Articles 14 and 15 for definitive action which would be likely to trigger the appeal procedure referred to in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 If so the Commission may decide, no later than 98 months after the initiation of the investigation, to extend thise time limit, for a period up to, but in no case longer than, 185 months. The Commission shall make this decision public.
Amendment 356 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 24 – point -1 (new)
Annex – section 24 – point -1 (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009
Recital 18
Recital 18
-1. Recital 18 shall be replaced by the following: "(18) It is necessary to provide that the termination of cases should, irrespective of whether definitive measures are adopted or not, normally take place within 12 months, and in no case later than 14 months, from the initiation of the investigation. Only if Member States indicate to the Commission that they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process with the need to submit a draft implementing act to the appeal body pursuant to Article 5 of the Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers1 the Commission should be able to decide, to extend the time limit, for a period up to, but in no case longer than, 15 months. Investigations or proceedings should be terminated where the dumping is de minimis or the injury is negligible, and it is appropriate to define those terms. Where measures are to be imposed, it is necessary to provide for the termination of investigations and to lay down that measures should be less than the margin of dumping if such lesser amount would remove the injury, as well as to specify the method of calculating the level of measures in cases of sampling."
Amendment 361 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 24 – point 3 a (new)
Annex – section 24 – point 3 a (new)
Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009
Article 6 – paragraph 9 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 9 a (new)
3a. The following paragraph shall be inserted: "9a. No later than seven and a half months after the initiation of the investigation the Commission shall consult the Member States on the basis of the findings of the investigation. The Member States shall in this consultation indicate to the Commission whether they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process pursuant to Article 9 for definitive action which would be likely to trigger the appeal procedure referred to in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. If so the Commission may decide, no later than eight months after the initiation of the investigation, to extend the time limit of Article 6(9), for a period up to, but in no case longer than, 15 months. The Commission shall make this decision public."
Amendment 363 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 24 – point 4 – point a
Annex – section 24 – point 4 – point a
Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Provisional duties may be imposed if proceedings have been initiated in accordance with Article 5, if a notice has been given to that effect and interested parties have been given an adequate opportunity to submit information and make comments in accordance with Article 5(10), if a provisional affirmative determination has been made of dumping and consequent injury to the Union industry, and if the Union interest calls for intervention to prevent such injury. The provisional duties shall be imposed no earlier than 60 days and no later than 98 months from the initiation of the proceedings. In exceptional cases, having regard to the complexity of the investigationthe event that the Member States indicate to the Commission pursuant to Article 6(10) that they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process pursuant to Article 9 for definitive action which would be likely to trigger the appeal procedure referred to in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011, the Commission may decide, no later than 8 months after the initiation of the investigation, to extend this time limit, to a period up to, but in no case longer than, 129 months.
Amendment 364 #
2011/0039(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Annex – section 24 – point 8 – point b
Annex – section 24 – point 8 – point b
Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraphs 1 and 2
Article 11 – paragraph 5 – subparagraphs 1 and 2
The relevant provisions of this Regulation with regard to procedures and the conduct of investigations, excluding those relating to time-limits, shall apply to any review carried out pursuant to paragraphs 2, 3 and 4. Reviews carried out pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 shall be carried out expeditiously and shall normally be concluded within 12 months of the date of initiation of the review. In any event, reviews pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 shall be concluded within 154 months of initiation. In exceptionNo later than seven and a half months after the initiation of the investigation pursuant to Article 6 the Commission shall cases, having regard to the complexity of the investigation,onsult the Member States on the basis of the findings of the investigation. The Member States shall in this consultation indicate to the Commission whether they expect an intense controversy in the decision making process pursuant to Article 9 for definitive action which would be likely to trigger the appeal procedure referred to in Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. If so the Commission may decide, no later than 98 months after the initiation of the investigation, to extend thise time limit, for a period up to, but in no case longer than, 185 months. The Commission shall make this decision public. Reviews pursuant to paragraph 4 shall in all cases be concluded within nine months of the date of initiation. If a review carried out pursuant to paragraph 2 is initiated while a review under paragraph 3 in ongoing in the same proceeding, the review pursuant to paragraph 3 shall be concluded at the same time as the review pursuant to paragraph 2.
Amendment 147 #
2010/2301(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Demands strict compliance with European rules and standards by all goods in circulation on the internal market, and calls on the Commission promptly to proposeto consider a scenario in line with WTO rules for the gradual introduction of a trade conditionality mechanism and/or border adjustment measures for goods originating in third countries that do not comply with these standards; points out that measures taken under such a mechanism should be proportionate, non-discriminatory and not to lead to arbitrary and unjustifiable disruptions of trade, so as to avoid economic disadvantages for domestic industries and prevent trade partners from employing similar measures limiting access of European businesses to third country markets.
Amendment 20 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B – point 1
Recital B – point 1
· putting firstincluding citizens' creativity, consumption patterns and responses to new ideas,
Amendment 54 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for a broad concept of innovation that goes beyond technological and product-oriented innovation and placesays attention to the enabling role of citizens at the centre; recalls that innovation is applying ideas successfully in practice and targets products, processes, or services or movements;
Amendment 61 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that the targets as set out in the Europe 2020 Strategy, the Energy Strategy for Europe 2011-2020, the raw materials initiative and the Roadmap for a Low Carbon Economy by 2050 must be given priority in the Innovation Union;
Amendment 108 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the Commission's proposal for the development of a single integrated indicator, taking into account the diversity of the existing economic systems in the Members States in order to allowing better monitoring of progress in innovation; urges further development of the ‘scoreboard’ by means of international cooperation;
Amendment 133 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Highlights the importance of social innovation and the need to adopt a bottom- up approach and an open environment for creative ideas, so as to spur productivity growth, empower employees and develop solutions for unmet social needs (such as inclusion and immigration) and economic challenges;
Amendment 141 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the EU, national and regional authorities to stimulate socentrepreneurial innovation and to provide public funds in support of it; stresses that socentrepreneurial innovation should be included in funding and support programmes such as the European Social Fund, the Framework Programmes (FPs) and the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP);
Amendment 161 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on the Commission to set upcombine existing aid schemes and supporting structures in order to move towards a simple and accessible system to accelerate innovation, to focus on the grand societal challenges and actively to prevent fragmentation and bureaucracy;
Amendment 175 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Commission to introduce a better method of financing innovation, by creating synergies and merging Research & Development & Innovation (R&D&I) support programmes where possible, for example the FPs, Joint Technology Initiatives, the CIP, Joint Programmes, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan, and to direct structural funding and parts of the Common Agricultural Policy funds and Emission Trading Scheme auction revenues to innovation; joins the Council in calling for a new balance between trust and control, and between risk-taking and risk avoidance;
Amendment 176 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Joins the Council in calling for a new balance between trust and control, and between risk-taking and risk avoidance;
Amendment 220 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to re-evaluate the whole ecosystem of innovationinnovation infrastructure with a view to removing unnecessary barriers, for example to access to loans for universities;
Amendment 251 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for the maximisation of the freedom of movement for researchers in order to achieve the completion of the European Research Area – a Treaty obligation – by 2014, so as to enable the EU to retain and attract top talent;
Amendment 267 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Urges the Member States to direct their public procurement towards innovative products, processes and services; calls, therefore, on the Commission, in its legislative proposals, to facilitate innovation enabling public procurement, including a review of pre-commercial procurement opportunities, and calls on the Member States to increase their greeninnovative public procurement;
Amendment 286 #
2010/2245(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 point 5 a (new)
Paragraph 32 point 5 a (new)
· integrate, not duplicate existing initiatives,
Amendment 3 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recognises the creative and cultural industries (CCIs), which account for 5 million jobs and 2.6% of EU GDP, as one of the main drivers for growth in the EU creating new jobs, playing key roles in global value chains, and spurring innovation;
Amendment 12 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Notes that according to a recent study by the European Policy Centre the incremental value of a Digital Single Market in the European Union has been assessed to exceed 4% of GDP and 500 billion EUR between 2010 and 2020; Stresses therefore that it is indispensable for the EU to establish a true single market for online content and services, with high level of trust and confidence;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that intellectual property rights are a fundamental asset for creative companies, an incentive for individual creativity and investment in creation; calls, therefore, for schemes to help CCIs adapt to the digital shift via new online services based on new forms of rights management promoting authors‘ rights; and for a balanced regulatory framework governing the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights;
Amendment 27 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls for a higher investment in research and skills in general and for the creative industries in particular as a prospectus investment in the future;
Amendment 29 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises that lack of access to finance is a core barrier to growth for many businesses in creative industries; Stresses the urgent need for funding initiatives for creative businesses, points out that, given the nature of CCIs, venture capital/private equity/business angel/mezzanine-type investments are the most relevant forms of financing, and suggests using the framework of the ECIA (European Creative Industries Alliance) to provide a platform for access to information and advice on investment readiness and long-term business strategies;
Amendment 31 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Emphasises the potential of the EIB (European Investment Bank) and the EIF (European Investment Fund) to support the creative sector, mainly through SME support, which still remains to be unlocked; Stresses furthermore that creative industries must be brought into the scope of SME policies;
Amendment 35 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Reminds that the Cohesion Policy and Structural Funds offer major funding opportunities for culture, creativity and innovation across the EU; Regrets however that cultural and creative businesses only seem to have benefited from those funds to a limited extent so far; Calls therefore on the Member States and the Commission to facilitate more access to finance via those instruments as well as to raise awareness and information on what is available;
Amendment 41 #
2010/2156(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls upon the Member States and the Commission to take actions to raise awareness of investors about the economic value and the high potential of creative industries for the competitiveness of the European economy;
Amendment 16 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
1c. Reminds that digital convergence and the growing importance of interoperability and standards are key issues for the ICT in the increasingly inter-connected global environment; underlines furthermore the importance of continuously ensuring free competition in the field of ICT as new digital products and services appear on the market; calls therefore on the Commission to address these issues in the upcoming guidelines on horizontal cooperation agreements;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes Regulation (EC) No 544/2009 on intra-Community roaming fees, which entered into force on 1 July 2010 bringing thus consumers benefits from reductions in the prices for voice and SMS roaming service; points out, however, that competition in the roaming markets has not yet developed sufficiently and structural problems persist; asks the Commission to envisage in its 2011 review the option of totally abolishing intra-EU roaming fees;
Amendment 25 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Regrets the instances of non-transparent auctioning of new, fourth-generation mobile frequencies in some Member States; encourages the Commission to continue monitoring very closely the activities of Member States in this regard and requiring Member States to carry out a thorough analysis of the impact of spectrum decisions on competition and to take appropriate measures to prevent anti- competitive outcomes in line with the amended GSM Directive, thereby ensuring a level playing field for market participants and new entrants;
Amendment 28 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Stresses the new and important role of competition policy in the digital economy; asks the Commission to closely follow the technological developments in the digital market and to react swiftly where necessary in order to keep digital platforms as open as possible by strictly applying competition rules;
Amendment 29 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Invites the Commission to consider, within the integrated regulatory framework on the protection of intellectual property rights, the use of competition legislation as a tool for preventing any abuse of IPRs;
Amendment 30 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses that scientific and technical innovation, patents and the cultural industries contribute immensely to the competitiveness of the European economy; urges the Member States, therefore, to speedily find a solution to the outstanding issues of the EU single patent system; strongly urges the Member States to initiate the enhanced cooperation procedure on a common EU patent in the situation that the Council does not reach an agreement during the current presidency;
Amendment 33 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Invites the Commission to monitor the transposition of the third postal Directive by Member States; notes that despite the progress to-date, genuine competition is only just beginning to emerge; calls therefore on the Commission to apply the competition rules to the European postal service market and to continue its investigations into the postal sector with a view to creating a fully liberalised postal market;
Amendment 35 #
2010/2137(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. RPoints out that SMEs are particularly important for the whole European economy; stresses furthermore the major innovation potential of SMEs and reiterates its previous request to the Commission to include a dedicated chapter on SMEs and competition. with a focus on fair and non- discriminatory competition conditions for SMEs.
Amendment 14 #
2010/2012(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Believes that priority should be given to tackling the administrative and regulatory barriers to cross-border e-commerce through the introduction of a single set of rules for consumers and businesses across the 27 EU Member States that will create a favourable unified digital environment, provide legal certainty to both enterprises and consumers, simplify procedures, reduce compliance costs, reduce unfair competition and unlock the potential of the EU e-commerce market; to this end, the uniform interpretation and application of legislative tools such as a consumer rights directive, Article 20(2) of the Services Directive (Directive 2006/123/EC) and the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC) can be of major importance;
Amendment 16 #
2010/2012(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission to remove the obligation of having an off-line shop prior to selling on-line as this requirement radically hampers online sales;
Amendment 18 #
2010/2012(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes the importance of enhancing the current low level of consumer confidence and trust in cross-border transactions by strengthening the online and cross-border enforcement of existing rules, empowering consumer protection authorities, promoting cooperation between public authorities, and setting up efficient EU-wide mechanisms for market monitoring and audits, complaint-handling, and dispute resolution and collective redress;
Amendment 23 #
2010/2012(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Reiterates that respect for the fundamental human right to privacy and data protection is the key enabler of e- Commerce;
Amendment 40 #
2010/2012(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses the importance, for the further development of cross-border e-commerce, of establishing a coherent EU-wide framework within the limits of the acquis communautaire for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in respect of both physical and virtual goods; stepping-up the fight against illegal and counterfeit goods and services; and raising awareness of these issues among European consumers;
Amendment 50 #
2010/2012(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that the further and emphasized development of fast and inexpensive broadband access is essential to the development of e- commerce, as lack of Internet access remains one of the most significant barriers to European citizens’ use of e-commerce.
Amendment 109 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) TIn addition to a timely and pro- competitive opening up the 900 MHz band in accordance with the Revised GSM Directive, the 800 MHz band is optimal for the coverage of large areas by wireless broadband services. Building on the harmonisation of technical conditions under Decision 2010/267/EU, and on Commission Recommendation of 28 October 2009 calling for analogue broadcasting to be switched off by 1 January 2012, and given rapid national regulatory developments, this band should in principle be made available for electronic communications in the Union by 2013. In the longer term, additional spectrum below 790 MHz could also be envisaged, depending on experience and the lack of spectrum in other bands adequate for coverage. Considering the capacity of the 800 MHz band to transmit over large areas, coverage obligations should be attached to rights.
Amendment 189 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – point c
Article 2 – point c
(c) applying the least onerous non- discriminatory authorisation system possible in such a way as to maximise flexibility and efficiency in spectrum usage;
Amendment 235 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – point d
Article 3 – point d
(d) maintain and develop effective competition, in particular in electronic communication services, by preventing ex ante, or remedying ex post, excessive accumulation of radio frequencies by certain economic operators which results in significant harm to competitionis likely to distort competition (e.g. when implementing Directive 2009/114/EC (revised GSM Directive));
Amendment 269 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 6 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. The measures according to paragraph 1 shall be undertaken in addition to a timely and pro-competitive opening up the 900 MHz band in accordance with the Directive 2009/114/EC (revised GSM Directive) , shall be non-discriminatory and shall not distort competition to the benefit of incumbent operators.
Amendment 282 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) Member States may amend the existing rights in accordance with Article 14 of Directive 2002/20/EC when this is necessary to remedy ex-post excessive accumulation of spectrum frequencies within certain economic operators which significantly harms competitionis likely to distort competition (e.g. when implementing the Directive 2009/114/EC (Revised GSM Directive) .
Amendment 292 #
2010/0252(COD)
Proposal for a decision
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall ensure that authorisation and selection procedures avoid delays, are non-discriminatory and promote effective competition.
Amendment 2 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas internet governance involves issues relating to protection and guarantee of fundamental rights and freedoms, access to and use of the internet and its vulnerability to cyber attack, etc.,
Amendment 6 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas aspects of internet governance concern internet addressing and other predominantly technical issues, in which areas entities such as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Regional Internet Registries and other entities are active,
Amendment 8 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas governments have an important role regarding broader governance aspects in defence of the public interest, in particular to ensure protection and guarantee of fundamental rights and freedoms ands well as regarding the security, integrity and resilience of the internet, while the private sector assumes a crucial role in providing the necessary investment, expertise and entrepreneurial initiative;
Amendment 9 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the European Parliament and the other European institutions have a long-standing commitment to the internet as an open global public good,
Amendment 10 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the internet is a global public good which should be run in the common interestand as such some form of global governance is both desirable and inevitable;
Amendment 13 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that, to safeguard the EU interest in maintaining the internet as a global public good, internet governance should be based on a broad, balanced public-private sector model, avoiding dominance by any individual entity or group of entities while interacting with multi-stakeholder processes on Internet governance which continue to provide an effective mechanism for promoting global cooperation;
Amendment 20 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that governments should focus on issues vital to global internet public policy as private sector leadership needs to be based on respect for public policy principles and existing legislation and otherwise adhere to a principle of non- intervention, except as may be necessary in exceptional circumstances;
Amendment 23 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that governments should avoid involvement in day-to-day internet management, abstain from harming innovation and competition by unnecessary, burdensome and restrictive regulation and not compete to control what is and should remain a global public property;
Amendment 27 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that any restrictions deemed indispensable, for example to protect minors, should be limited to the minimum necessary in a democratic society, should be based on law, and should be effective and proportionate; furthermore invites Member States to take measures to enable minors to make responsible use of internet and on-line information services, and to improve the level of awareness of the potential threats of the new services;
Amendment 31 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers that, in addition to the governance principles set out by the Commission, governments should implement the following additional principles: (i) transparency, multilateralism, democracy and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms by meeting EU standards; (ii) respect for thean open, interoperable, technologically neutral and ‘end-to-end’ nature of internet infrastructure, (iii) meaningfuinternal and external accountability of private- sector entities managing global internet resources on a day-to-day basis to the global Internet community, (iv) promotion of inclusive, global internet governance cooperation through the continuancethrough interaction with and further encouragement of multi-stakeholder processes, also addressing the need to improve the participation of developing countries;
Amendment 38 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 – point i
Paragraph 12 – point i
(i) protection of internet infrastructure to safeguard availability, robustnesssecurity and resilience against cyber attack, and
Amendment 41 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Calls on Member States, in coordination with the Commission, to ensure protection of internet infrastructure through a harmonised EU approach against threats and incidents, and by establishing national emergency response teams anddeveloping effective cooperation mechanisms between them;
Amendment 48 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses that EU institutions, bodies and Member States should coordinate their approach to ICANN and its advisory bodies includingnternet Governance in the various International bodies that deal with it. In the case of ICANN this can be done through an active participation to the Government Advisory Committee (GAC);
Amendment 52 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that the European Network and Information Society Agency (ENISA) can play an important part with respect torole, in particular with respect to preventing, addressing and responding to network and information security aspectproblems and welcomes the Commission’s forthcoming proposal for modernising ENISA;
Amendment 60 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Supports the continuation and development of the IGF model on a global, regional - including EuroDIG - and national level, creating open placesfora for dialogue and exchange of best practices between governments, civil society and the private sector;
Amendment 62 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 – point v
Paragraph 20 – point v
(v) deepened cooperation between the European Parliament and national parliaments by using all technological means available such as video- conferences as well as Inter- parliamentary EU-Information Exchange (IPEX);
Amendment 69 #
2009/2229(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 – point i
Paragraph 24 – point i
(i) the introduction of an alternativereviewing the performance of its existing dispute resolution mechanisms in allowing interested parties effective, neutral, timely and affordable review of ICANN decisions,
Amendment 16 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas citizens will refrain from interacting, expressing their opinions freely and entering into transactions if they do not have sufficient confidence in the legal framework of the new digital space; whereas the guarantee of digital rights is an essential condition for confidence on the part of citizens; whereas the guarantee of protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) and other rights is an essential condition for confidence on the part of business,
Amendment 29 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas we have not yet achieved a fully functioning digital single market for online services in Europe; whereas the free movement of digital services is today severely hindered by fragmented rules at national level; whereas European companies and public services will gain economic and social benefits from the use of advanced ICT services and applications,
Amendment 35 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas, while broadband is available to more than 90% of the EU’s population, take-up occurs in only 50% of households,
Amendment 37 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas competitive communications markets are important in ensuring that users receive maximum benefits in terms of choice, quality and affordable prices,
Amendment 62 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses the importance of continuing efforts towards ubiquitous and high-speed access for all citizens and consumers, through the promotion of access to fixed and mobile Internet and the deployment of next-generation infrastructure; emphasises that this requires policies that promote and services through the creation of incentives to support investment; emphasises that this requires policies that support competition, choice and diversity in high speed services delivering access on fair terms and at competitive prices for all communities, irrespective of location, thereby ensuring that no European citizen faces exclusion;
Amendment 75 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase their efforts to promote both take-up and effective use of Internet services by all citizens, as a way to foster economic growth and digital inclusion;
Amendment 77 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Believes that every EU household should have access to broadband Internet at a competitive price by 2013; urges the Commission therefore to carry out a review of the universal service obligations, and calls on Member States to impart new impetus to the European high-speed broadband strategy, notably by updating national targets for broadband and high- speed coverage; calls, furthermore, upon the Commission to promote all available policy instruments to achieve broadband for all European citizens in its upcoming broadband strategy, including the use of the European Structural Funds and of the digital dividend for extending mobile broadband coverage;
Amendment 93 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines the importance of maintaining Europe as the mobile continent in the world and ensuring that 75% of mobile subscribers are 3G (or beyond) users by 2015have access to high- speed wireless services by 2015; underlines the importance of sustained competition and innovation in wireless services; recalls the necessity to accelerate the harmonised deployment of the digital dividend in a non-discriminatory manner and without compromising existing broadcast services;
Amendment 103 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Radio Spectrum Committee to address practical and technical requirements to ensure the timely availability of spectrum, with sufficient flexibility, to enable the deployment of new technologies and services, including mobile broadband, to support the objectives of the 2015.eu agenda;
Amendment 117 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Considers that, as Internet access rates are increasing, 50% of EU households should be connected to high-speed networks by 2015; recalls the importance of an appropriate policy framework that enables investments and competition needed to achieve this objective;
Amendment 130 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on Member States to fully enforce the EU telecoms framework, empower national regulators and transpose the telecoms package before the established deadline, in particularcluding the new provisions on Next Generation Access (NGA) networks, functional separation and spectrum, which provide for a stable regulatory environment tohat stimulates investment while safeguardingand competition;
Amendment 137 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on Member States to reinvigorate their efforts to achieve competitive markets for ICT networks, products and services and also an enhanced single market for information society services;
Amendment 142 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on stakeholders to adopt open models for communications network deployment to help boost innovation and drive demand;
Amendment 149 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
Amendment 185 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Emphasises that all EU citizens should be made aware of their basic digital rights and obligations through a European Charter of citizens' and consumers' rights in the digital environment, consolidating and updating the Community acquis as appropriate;
Amendment 210 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Insists on safeguarding an open Internet, where citizens have the right and business users are able to access and distribute information or run applications and services of their choice, as provided for in the revised regulatory framework; calls on the Commission, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and the National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) to monitor closely and enforcemarket developments and the harmonised implementation of the 'net neutrality' provisions and to report to Parliament before the end of 2010;
Amendment 239 #
2009/2225(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Takes the view that, almost a decade after their adoption, the Directives concerning the legal framework for the information society (i.e. the Data Protection Directive, Electronic Signatures Directive and Electronic Commerce Directive) appear out of date due to the increased complexity of the online environment and, the introduction of new technologies and the fact that EU citizens' data are increasingly processed outside of the EU; believes that, while the legal issues arising from some Directives can be resolved through an incremental update, other Directives need a more fundamental revision and that the adoption of an international framework for data protection should be promoted;
Amendment 7 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas information and communication technologies (ICT) are important in that they promote economic growth and encourage research and innovation among European companiesin the EU,
Amendment 12 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the Internet of Things is expected to develop in the years ahead and athus requires safe, transparent and multilateral system of governance should be designed for itgovernance,
Amendment 14 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas radio frequency identification (RFID) has advantages over bar codes and magnetic strips, and many more applications, which can be developed still further in that it can be interfaced with other networks such as mobile phonce interfaced withnetworks or the Galileo satellite system; whereas the widespread introduction of RFID chips should result in a major reduction in their unit price,
Amendment 18 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas RFID technology may be regarded as a catalyst and accelerator for the economic development of the information and communication industry,
Amendment 68 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – bullet 6 a (new)
Paragraph 5 – bullet 6 a (new)
• protection from attacks (data security, authentication);
Amendment 97 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Underlines that research will play a key role in creating competition between providers of the computing capacity that is required for Internet of Things applications to function in real time;
Amendment 111 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Commission to review the radio frequency range in light of the needs of the Internet of Things;
Amendment 115 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Commission to involve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to an adequate extent in the Internet of Things action plan;
Amendment 119 #
2009/2224(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Calls on the Commission to consider the Internet of Things in light of the issue of accessibility; emphasises in this context that with the assistance of this technology, blind and visually impaired persons could experience their environment more fully through the use of electronic aids;
Amendment 3 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Approves the annual report for the year 2008 presented by the European Ombudsman and the form in which it is presentedits structure, combining a summary of the year’s activities with an overview of the complaints and inquiries and a thematic analysis of the Ombudsman’s decisions and, covering the most significant findings of law and fact contained in the Ombudsman's decisions in 2008, as well as the problems raised at various stages of the procedure;
Amendment 4 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers, that the newclearer presentation of the statistical data, including the new method of calculating and the new layout, has made the report more comprehensible, accessible and user-friendly;
Amendment 5 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Ombudsman to pursue his efforts in raising awareness of his work and to promote his activities effectively, and transparently and flexibly so that, in the eyes of citizens, he represents the custodian of sound administration and a genuine culture of providing services in EU institutions;
Amendment 7 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. ConsidersNotes the definition of 'maladministration' provided in the Ombudsman´s Annual Report of 1997, which states that maladministration occurs when a public body fails to act in accordance with a rule or principle which is binding upon it or if an institution fails to respect the principles of good administration or violates fundamental rights; considers, however, that the term 'maladministration' should be broadly interpreted so as to include not only unlawful administrative acts or infringements of binding legal rules or principles but also, for example, cases where the administrative authorities have been sloppy, negligent in their dutyies to their citizens or lacking in transparency or have infringed other principles of good administration;
Amendment 9 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Welcomes the revision of the Ombudsman's Statute, in particular the Ombudsman's strengthened powers of investigation which will help to ensure that citizens can have full confidence in his ability to conduct a thorough investigation of their complaints without restrictions;
Amendment 10 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the need to contribute to the public understanding of the duties of the Ombudsman by providing citizens, companies, NGOs and other entities with information, and considers that easily understood and high-quality information may help to reduce the number of complaints which do not fall within the Ombudsman's terms of reference; at the same time, calls on the Ombudsman to forward immediately those complaints which do not fall within his terms of reference by way of the most appropriate network at national and local level;
Amendment 11 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the need to contribute to the public understanding of the duties of the Ombudsman by providing citizens, companies, NGOs and other entities with information, and considers that easily understood, accurate and high-quality information may help to reduce the number of complaints which do not fall within the Ombudsman's terms of referencmandate; at the same time, calls on the Ombudsman to forward immediatetransfer directly those complaints which do not fall within his terms of reference by way of the most appropriate network at national and local levelmandate to another competent body at national, regional or local level by way of the most appropriate network, such as the European Network of Ombudsmen; welcomes in this regard the new interactive guide for complainants which aims to direct them to the body which is best placed to deal with their complaints or information requests;
Amendment 13 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Recognises the useful contribution made by the European Network of Ombudsmen, of which the Committee on Petitions is a full member, in line with the principle of subsidiarity, in securing extra- judicial remedies; welcomes the collaboration between the European Ombudsman and Ombudsmen and similar bodies at national, regional and local levels in the Member States, and urges further strengthening of the exchange of best practice, thereby allowing for the harmonisation of best practices between Member States; stresses that this cooperation is vital for exchanging information about EU law, tracking important developments in the world of Ombudsmen, and sharing best practice;
Amendment 16 #
2009/2088(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Welcomes the measuresenhanced information campaign promoted by the communications strategy adopted by the Ombudsman, which leads to greater awareness of citizens' rights and Community competences, as well as a greater understanding of the Ombudsman's sphere of competence; urges him, however, in the light of the still substantial number of complaints falling outside his terms of referencmandate, to intensify his efforts to provide more comprehensive and accurate information about those terms of referenchis mandate on a more regular basis;