Activities of Antolín SÁNCHEZ PRESEDO related to 2010/2137(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Report on competition policy 2009 (debate)
Amendments (29)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas in times of crisis, well- functioning markets are essentiait is essential to ensure financial stability, re-establish credit flows and reform the financial system in order for markets to function well and competition rules should therefore be applied flexibly but strictly,
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas competition policy is an essential tool in enabling the EU to have a dynamic, efficient and innovative internal market and to be competitive on the global stage,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas, in the absence of a sustainable EU coordination initiative to back up structural reforms, the growing budget deficits and increased levels of public debt in many Member States may slow down economic recovery and economic growth for years to come,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas empirical analyses suggest that this State aid has generated a number of effects and distortions, such as a reduction of the spread of private bonds as a result of a disconnection from the financial circumstances of the institutions, which need to be taken into account when considering extendmodifying the aid or prolonging the exceptional rules currently in force,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Continues to support a more active role for Parliament in the shaping of competition policy through the introduction of a co-legislative role; asks for Parliament to be informed regularly of any initiatives in this field;
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses the importance of services of general interest in meeting the basic needs of the public and highlights, in line with Article 16 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union and the Protocol on Services of General Interest annexed to the Treaty of Lisbon, that the shared values of the Union with regard to services of general economic interest include a high level of quality, safety and affordability, equal treatment and the promotion of universal access and of user rights; asks the Commission to consider these aspects when concluding its work on applying EU competition rules on services of general economic interest, calls on it to submit its conclusions and initiatives on this issue as soon as possible and to include a specific chapter thereon in its periodical reports on competition;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses the need to draft clear and SME-friendly competition rulecompetition rules that are helpful and useful for SMEs;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to make use of independent, reliable expertise for the evaluations and studies it undertakes or orderrequired for the development of competition policy; urges it to publish their results;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Asks the Commission to make use ofensure that Article 12 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which stipulates that ‘consumer protection requirements shall be taken into account in defining and implementing other Union policies and activities’, ais a legal basis foimplemented under future internal market legislation;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Welcomes with interest the Report on the functioning of Council Regulation 1/2003, submitted by the Commission five years after its entry into force and, while agreeing that it constitutes a keystone in the process of modernising competition rules and coordinating action by the EU and national authorities, notes the need to overcome differences of opinion in establishing priorities, on important aspects of the development of competition policy and on the functioning of cooperation systems so as to implement it more effectively;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7b. Recalls its resolution of 25 April 2007 on the Green Paper on damages actions for breach of the EC antitrust rules and stresses that the pending legislative proposal in relation thereto should include the content of Parliament resolution of 26 March 2009 on the White Paper on damages actions for breach of the EC antitrust rules; stresses the need for the Commission to propose legislation, without watering it down unnecessarily, to facilitate individual and class-action claims for effective compensation for damages resulting from breaches of EU antitrust law; such legalisation must be cross-cutting in nature, avoid the excesses of the North American system and be adopted using the ordinary legislative procedure (codecision);
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Is concerned that these measures, which are temporary in nature, might ultimately not be that temporary; urges the Commission to provide clarity on the phasing out criteria that will be used to decide on their possible extensionStresses that the legal basis provided by Article 107(3)(b) was used for the first time for exceptional aid to the financial sector granted under exceptional circumstances to preserve its stability, maintain equilibrium on the internal market and facilitate its restructuring; in view of the current difficulties, agrees to the Commission’s proposal to extend the crisis footing into 2011, when measures will gradually be lifted and new rules for the rescue and restructuring of financial institutions will be adopted;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Stresses the need to restore the competitive position of financial institutions which did not have recourse to the temporary rules on State aid;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Stresses also that the temporary Community framework for new aid measures and the adaptation of State aid to help finance the real economy should be extended, with adaptations, until the end of 2011; backs the Commission’s proposal to support the recovery by bringing back the de minimis aid threshold, imposing stricter criteria, particularly for guarantee-backed subsidies and loans, and focusing on SMEs, for which purpose it would be worthwhile, among other things, to include measures to help finance SMEs in the Risk Capital Guidelines;
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Calls on the Member States to cooperate actively with the Commission in developing the temporary rules established in response to the financial and economic crisis by providing timely, detailed reports on their implementation and effectiveness; urges the Commission to conduct an assessment of how they work and draw up a study on the impact of measures taken by third countries on the European Union;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Notes that State aid policy is an integral part of competition policy and that State aid control reflects the need to ensure that resources are allocated effectively, maintain a level playing field for all undertakings carrying out activities in the single market and defend the interests of European citizens within a context of sustainable development;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Considers it essential, when assessing whether State aid is compatible with the Treaty, to find the right balance between the negative effects of State aid on competition and public financesexpenditure and its positive effects in terms of technical and economic progress, by ensuring that consumers receive a fair share of the benefits, as the common interest dictates;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls for the establishment of clear criteria for divestments, taking into account the medium-term impact of divestments on the firms involved, namely on growth, innovation and employment as well as on the reduction of their role in the global market;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Urges the Commission to carefully inspect tax expenditure and fiscal State aid regimes in force in certain Member States to check their non- discriminatory and transparent nature;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Stresses, more than five years after the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings, the importance of identifying areas where red tape can be reduced and where further convergence between the applicable national and EU rules can be achieved;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a(new)
Paragraph 24 a(new)
24a. Affirms that transparency is an essential prerequisite for financial markets to work properly, calls on the Commission to go to great lengths to ensure that data on financial markets is disclosed in full compliance with the provisions of EU competition law and, in this regard, welcomes the initiatives to prevent abuse of ISIN and RIC securities identifier codes;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)
Paragraph 24 b (new)
24b. Urges the Commission to supervise SEPA (the Single Euro Payments Area) to ensure the payment system is accessible, non-discriminatory, transparent and efficient and in no way hinders competition; calls for the close monitoring of the aspects of the system affecting EU competition policy;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)
Paragraph 24 c (new)
24c. Asks the Commission to continue efforts to ensure effective competition on the payment cards markets, in accordance with the principles of SEPA (the Single Euro Payments Area), with a view to facilitating cross-border payments and maximising the potential of the internal market; calls for the systematic monitoring of developments on these markets and for the annual competition reports to include progress indicators in this regard;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 d (new)
Paragraph 24 d (new)
24d. Stresses that effective competition on the energy markets should lead to greater security of energy supply, less environmental impact, greater innovation and a more affordable energy supply for households and companies in the EU;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Regrets that energy consumers in the EU continue to suffer from a distorted energy market; nonetheless, highlights the fact that the Commission has imposed the first fines for breach of competition rules in the energy sector and urges the Commission to remain very vigilant in enforcing competition rules in this sector;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Stresses that the sustainability criteria set out in the Renewable Energy Directive are suitable for use when assessing State aids for fuel and bioliquids;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b(new)
Paragraph 25 b(new)
25b. Highlights the particular importance of information and communications technology for innovation, maximising the potential of the digital economy and developing the knowledge society; considers it to be of the highest importance to ensure interoperability, facilitate the development of networks and keep markets open in order for economic operators to compete on the merits of their products;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25c. Supports the Commission’s measures encouraging the provision of adequate broadband coverage at affordable prices to all European citizens and calls on it to redouble its efforts to keep cross-border roaming charges for electronic communication under control and to include details of progress to that end in its annual competition reports;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Recalls that the High Level Group, set up in October 2009 in the wake of the crisis that shook milk producers, has submitted its recommendations, which notably concern contractual relations and the producers’ bargaining power; urges the Commission to act immediately to foster progress in a manner in keeping with the provisions of EU competition law;