63 Amendments of Joel HASSE FERREIRA
Amendment 10 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas the social economy is based on a social paradigm which is in line with the fundamental principles of the European social model,
Amendment 15 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the social economy represents 10 % of all European businesses, with two million undertakings or 6 % of total employment, and has great potential for generating and maintaining stable employment, mainly thanks to the non- delocalization characteristics of its activities,
Amendment 16 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas social economy enterprises are usually SMEs contributing to a sustainable economic model whereunder individuals are more important than capital and whereas such undertakings are often present in the single market and therefore need to ensure that their activities comply with legislative provisions,
Amendment 19 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the social economy has developed from particular organisational and/or legal business formations such as cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, foundations and other entities in each of the Member States; whereas it covers a range of terms used in the various Member States such as ‘the solidarity economy’, ‘third sector’, ‘platform’ or even ‘ and ‘the third systemector’, and although these are not described as ‘social economy’ in all the Member States comparable activities sharing the same features exist throughout Europe,
Amendment 20 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)
Recital E a (new)
Ea. whereas there is a need to recognise the statute of some forms of the social economy at EU level, taking into account the rules of the internal market, in order to reduce bureaucratic obstacles to obtaining Community funding,
Amendment 27 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that the social economy plays a primordial role in the European economy, by combining profitability with solidarity, enabling high-quality job creation and strengthening social and regional cohesion, active citizenship, solidarity and, sustainable development and social, environmental and technological innovation;
Amendment 29 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Considers the social economy to be important, both symbolically and in terms of performance, for the purpose of strengthening industrial and economic democracy;
Amendment 32 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Underlines the fact that an economic system wherein social economy enterprises play a more significant role would reduce exposure to speculation in financial markets on which some private companies are not subject to the supervision of shareholders and regulatory bodies;
Amendment 41 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Considers that the Commission's withdrawal of its proposals for a European Mutual Society Statute and a European Association Statutes a serious setback for the development of these forms of social economy within the EU; therefore urges the Commission to review its work programme accordingly;
Amendment 45 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the creation of national statistical registers for social economy businesses, to establish national satellite accounts for each institutional sector and branch of activity and allow for this data to be included in Eurostat, as the bundled indicator method is a tool that is readily available;
Amendment 55 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Notes that the social economy creates jobs that normally do not delocalize which, given the various forms of enterprises, contributes for the accomplishment of the Lisbon Strategy goals;
Amendment 60 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Points out that the social economy has a key role to play in attaining the Lisbon goals of sustainable growth and full employment, since it counteracts the numerous imbalances on the labour market, in particular by supporting female employment, and establishes and provides community care services (such as social, health, and welfare services), in addition to creating and maintaining the economic fabric of society, thus helping to promote local development and social cohesion;
Amendment 61 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Believes that the EU should seek to establish a frame of reference for the social economy action programme, thereby enhancing its competitiveness and capacity for innovation at local level, bearing in mind – given that economies are first and foremost cyclical systems – that the social economy can provide stability by redistributing and reinvesting profits locally, where appropriate, fostering an entrepreneurial culture, gearing economic activities to local needs, supporting activities entailing a degree of risk (craft industries, for example), and generating social capital;
Amendment 62 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11c. Points to the importance of the social economy as regards services of general interest; points to the added value provided by public-private integrated networks, as well as to the risk of exploitation, for instance in the form of outsourcing to help public authorities cut their costs, not least by making use of contributions in the form of voluntary work;
Amendment 63 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11d. Calls on the Commission to incorporate the social economy into its other policies and strategies in the sphere of social, economic, and enterprise development, especially in connection with the ‘Small Business Act’, bearing in mind that social economy entities carrying on socio-economic activities might prove particularly useful for SMEs and services of general interest; urges the Commission, in addition, to look again at the possibility of reactivating a social economy unit;
Amendment 64 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 e (new)
Paragraph 11 e (new)
Amendment 65 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 f (new)
Paragraph 11 f (new)
11f. Calls on national and local government authorities, and operators on the ground, to promote and support the forms of synergy in the services field that could be achieved between social economy actors and users by broadening the scope of participation, consultation, and empowerment;
Amendment 66 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 g (new)
Paragraph 11 g (new)
11g. Calls on the Member States to organise training projects, at higher education and university level and in vocational education, with a view to imparting knowledge of the social economy and of the forms of enterprise based on its values;
Amendment 67 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 h (new)
Paragraph 11 h (new)
11h. Believes that the EU and the Member States should recognise the social economy and its component entities (cooperatives, mutual societies, associations, and foundations) in their legislation and policies and provide for measures, for example easy access to credit, incentives, and tax relief, aimed at supporting social economy organisations operating in market and non-market sectors, having been set up for socially useful purposes;
Amendment 68 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 i (new)
Paragraph 11 i (new)
11i. Calls on the Commission to establish an EU think-tank on co-operative banks and other financial services that might be of interest to social economy organisations which would study how these specific social economy entities have performed so far in the EU - especially during the current global credit and financial crises - and how they will avert future risks of this kind;
Amendment 69 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 j (new)
Paragraph 11 j (new)
11j. Calls on the Commission to allow for social economy entities when revising State aid policy, bearing in mind that small businesses and organisations active at local level find it very difficult to obtain credit, especially in the current economic and financial crisis; also calls on the Commission to refrain from obstructing national company and tax laws such as those aimed at banking and retailing and distribution cooperatives, which operate according to the principles of mutualism, company democracy, assets handed down from one generation to the next, indivisible reserves, the work ethic, and business ethics;
Amendment 76 #
2008/2250(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Commission to continue its work of dialogue and clarification with the parties concerned and to support the Member States with regard to services of general interest and social services of general interest, taking also in account that the bundled indicator method is a tool that is now available;
Amendment 4 #
2008/2171(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the significant efforts China has made with respect to the improvement of product safety, including toy safety, and calls on the Commission and the Member States to reinforce cooperation with the Chinese Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ); calls on the European Union’s Member States, institutions and companies to provide greater European- level technical assistance to Chinese companies and the Chinese authorities in the interests of greater investment in safety, quality and quality checks geared, above to the products of small manufacturers, safety and quality checks on which appear to be one of the authorities’ major problems;
Amendment 5 #
2008/2171(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Welcomes the efforts the Commission has made in this area, thanks to the new system of quarterly reporting on Chinese enforcement actions to track down at source dangerous goods notified within the Rapex-China system, thus increasing European consumer safety;
Amendment 6 #
2008/2171(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Underlines the importance of the trilateral contacts between the Commission and the US and Chinese administrations aimed at improving the global governance of product safety; in this area, it would be extremely useful for concrete shape to be given as soon as possible to the Commission’s proposal to establish a joint working party on product and import safety within the Transatlantic Economic Council;
Amendment 7 #
2008/2171(INI)
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Urges the Commission to promote greater cooperation between the consumer protection associations of the various Member States, so as to guarantee a high level of consumer protection, above all by improving data in this area and likewise improving the representation of consumers’ interests with regard to the quality and safety of imported goods from China;
Amendment 1 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission Report and supports the proposed risk/benefit sharing pre-commercial procurement model a, which must effectively cover the public sector and SMEs as drivers of innovation;
Amendment 2 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission Report and supports the proposed risk/benefit sharing pre-commercial procurement model as aone of the drivers of innovation;
Amendment 3 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Endorses the Aho Report and in particular the view that Member States should use public procurement to drive demand for innovative goods whilst improving the levelquality and accessibility of public services;
Amendment 4 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that pre-commercial procurement constitutes an under-exploited driver of innovation-led growth for the EU with significant potential to achieve high- quality and readily accessible public services such as health care and transport and to address the social challenges of climate change, sustainable energy and an ageing population;
Amendment 5 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers that pre-commercial procurement constitutes an under-exploited driver of innovation-led growth for the EU with significant potential to achieve high- quality public services such as health care and transport and to address the social challenges of climate change, sustainable energy and, an ageing population and other social challenges;
Amendment 6 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Regrets that many public authorities are not aware of the potential of pre- commercial procurement and do not yet act as ‘intelligent customers’;
Amendment 8 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Endorses the Commission communication, which provides a potential conceptual basis for pre- commercial procurement and its implementation, but considers that there are some gaps regarding the manner of giving effect to the procedure proposed, especially at local and regional level;
Amendment 9 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Considers, as far as local and regional authorities are concerned, that there is still not enough information about the continuing obstacles preventing them from implementing pre-commercial procurement with the aim of promoting genuinely innovative solutions in the public interest;
Amendment 10 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Urges the Commission and the Member States to provide local and regional contracting authorities with training guidelines and tools showing how pre-commercial R & D procurement might be used;
Amendment 12 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers that pre-commercial procurement has very great potential as a further step towards embedding innovative procurement, but recognises the need for specialist procurement skills and for Member States, in partnership with business, universitites, and training centres, to sponsor training activities to develop management tools;
Amendment 19 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes that financial incentives for pre- commercial procurement already exist in certain Member States, where up to 50%a substantial proportion of the costs of the first pre- commercial procurement arcan be matched by a central authority;
Amendment 20 #
2008/2139(INI)
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24a. Notes that strengthening pre- commercial procurement remains one way among many for Member States to raise their game in innovation and research; calls therefore on Member States to promoteinvest more public funds in a global and consistent strategy for research and innovation by engaging all stakeholders, including universities, research institutes and other bodies involved in the promotion of economic development, so as to better engage public authorities with innovative enterprise;
Amendment 15 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) However, at present, the right to sell electricity in any Member State on equal terms, without discrimination or disadvantage cannot yet be guaranteed to any company in the Community. In particular, non-discriminatory network access and an equally effective level of regulatory supervision in each Member State do not yet exist.
Amendment 16 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) In particular, increased cooperation and coordination among transmission system operators is required to ensure progressive compatibility of the technical and commercial codes for providing and managing effective access to the transmission networks across borders, and to ensure coordinated and sufficiently forward looking planning and sound technical evolution of the transmission system in the Community, with due regard to the environment, and to promote energy efficiency and research and innovation notably with respect to ensuring penetration of renewables and dissemination of low carbon technology. Transmission system operators should operate their networks according to these compatible technical and market codes.
Amendment 18 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) In order to ensure an optimal management of the electricity transmission network and to allow trading and supplying electricity to retail customers across borders in the Community a European network of the transmission system operators should be established. Its tasks should be carried out in compliance with Community competition rules which remain applicable to the decisions of the European network of the transmission system operators. Its tasks should be well- defined and their working method should be such as to ensure efficiency, representativity and transparency. Given that more effective progress may be achieved through an approach at regional level, transmission system operators should set up regional structures within the overall cooperation structure, whilst ensuring that results at regional level are compatible with codes and investment plans at Community level. Cooperation within such regional structures presupposes effective unbundling of network activities from production and supply activities in the absence of which regional cooperation between transmission system operators gives rise to a risk of anti-competitive conduct. Member States should promote cooperation at regional level, and monitor the effectiveness of the network at that level. Cooperation at regional level should be compatible with progress towards a competitive and efficient European electricity market.
Amendment 21 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Recital 8 b (new)
Recital 8 b (new)
(8b) To ensure greater transparency of the situation regarding the entire electricity transmission network in Europe, the Commission should draw up, publish and update a road map for the electricity network in Europe. All feasible electricity transmission networks and possible regional connections should be included in this road map.
Amendment 25 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) n° 1228/2003
Article 2c – paragraph 5
Article 2c – paragraph 5
5. The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity shall publish a Community-wide 10-year network investment plan every two years. The investment plan shall include the modelling of the integrated network, scenario development, a generation adequacy report and an assessment of the resilience of the system. The investment plan shall, in particular, build on national investment plans and on the Guidelines for Trans-European energy networks in accordance with Decision No 1364/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. The investment plan shall identify investment gaps, notably with respect to cross border capacities. The investment plan shall be linked to a strategic energy scenario for the next 20 to 25 years.
Amendment 26 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) n° 1228/2003
Article 2d – paragraph 2
Article 2d – paragraph 2
2. The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity shall submit the draftits opinions and recommendations on the technical and market codes, the draft 10- year investment plan and the draft annual work programme, including the information regarding the consultation process, to the Agency.
Amendment 27 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) n° 1228/2003
Article 2e – paragraph 1
Article 2e – paragraph 1
1. After consulting the Agency, the Commission may invite the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, the Commission may invite the Agency, within a reasonable period of time, to prepare codes in the areas listed in Article 2c(3) where it considers that such codes are necessary for the efficient functioning of the market.
Amendment 28 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 3
Article 1 – point 3
Regulation (EC) n° 1228/2003
Article 2f – paragraph 1
Article 2f – paragraph 1
1. In carrying out its tasks, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity shall consult extensively, at an early stage and in an open and transparent manner, in particular while preparing the technical and market codes and its annual work programme referred to in Article 2c(1) and (3), with all appropriate market participants; the consultation shall include supply and generation undertakings, customers, system users, distribution system operators, including relevant (industry) associations, technical bodies and stakeholder platforms.
Amendment 29 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 4
Article 1 – point 4
Regulation (EC) n° 1228/2003
Article 5 – paragraph 6
Article 5 – paragraph 6
6. Generation companies which own or operate generation assets, of which one has an installed capacity of at least 250 MW, shall keep at the disposal of the national regulatory authority, the national competition authority, the Agency and the Commission, for five years all hourly data per plant that is necessary to verify all operational dispatching decisions and the bidding behaviour at power exchanges, interconnection auctions, reserve markets and OTC markets. The per plant and per hour information to be stored includes, but is not limited to, data on available generation capacity and committed reserves, including allocation of these committed reserves on a per plant level, at the time the bidding is carried out and when production takes place.
Amendment 30 #
2007/0198(COD)
Proposal for a regulation – amending act
Article 1 – point 7
Article 1 – point 7
Regulation (EC) n° 1228/2003
Article 7a – paragraph 1
Article 7a – paragraph 1
In order to facilitate the emergence of well functioning and transparent cross-border retail markets on a regional and Community scale, Member States shall ensure that the roles and responsibilities of transmission system operators, distribution system operators, supply undertakings and customers and if necessary other market participants are thoroughly defined with respect to contractual arrangements, commitment to customers, data exchange and settlement rules, data ownership and metering responsibility.
Amendment 111 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. This Directive shall apply to the protection of consumers in respect of certain aspects of the marketing and sale of timeshare and long-term holiday products. It shall also apply to thee purpose of this Directive is to achieve a high level of consumer protection and to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market, by harmonising the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States in respect of certain aspects of the marketing, sale and resale of timeshare and long-term holiday products, and thes well as to an exchange of timeshare.
Amendment 112 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
This Directive is without prejudice to national legislation providing for general contract law remedies enabling the consumer to terminate the contractor national rules relating to registration of movable or immovable property, conditions of establishment or authorisation regimes, and determination of the legal nature of the rights which are the subject of the contracts covered by this Directive.
Amendment 125 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point (b)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point (b)
(b) ’long-term holiday product’ means a contract of a duration of more than one year by which a consumer acquires, against considerationpayment, primarily the right to obtain discounts or other benefits oin accommodation, in isolationterms orf together with travelimeshare or other services;
Amendment 127 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point (c)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point (c)
(c) ’resale contract’ means a contract by which a trader against, for consideration helpassists a consumer to sell or buy a timeshare or a long-term holiday product;
Amendment 129 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point (e)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point (e)
(e) ’trader’ means any natural or legal person who is, acting for purposes relating to his trade, business, craft or profession and anyoneor acting in the name of or on behalf of a trader, establishes, transfers or undertakes the transfer of the right concerned by the contract;
Amendment 136 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that any advertising indicates the possibility of obtaining the writtenat sellers are obliged to provide the information referred to in paragraph 2 and where it can be obtained.
Amendment 139 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The trader shall provide athe consumer requesting information with written information which, in addition toon the product, with a general description, ofn the product, shall provide at leastright of withdrawal laid down in Article 5, and on the prohibition on advance payment during the period allowed for withdrawal, providing brief and accurate information on the following items, where applicable:
Amendment 142 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. In case of a resale contract the trader's obligation to provide the information under paragraph 2 applies towards the consumer who may enter into the resale contract.
Amendment 145 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall ensure that tThe contract ishall be in writing and shall be drawn up in at least one of the official languages of the Community, as chosen by the consumerMember State of which the consumer is a national or in which he resides, of the Member State where the property concerned by the contract is located, and of the Member State where the contract was concluded.
Amendment 151 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1-A. The text pf the contract shall be based on a model contract existing in all the official languages of the Community, containing all the basic and indispensable contractual provisions.
Amendment 170 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Amendment 174 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Amendment 179 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 4
Article 5 – paragraph 4
4. If the consumer intends to exercise the right of withdrawal he shall, before the expiry of the deadline, notify, on paper or using some other permanent medium, the person whose name and address appear in the contract for that purpose pursuant to point (p) of Annex Iand in the check-list. The deadline shall be deemed to have been observed if the notification, if it is in writing, is dispatched before the deadline expires.
Amendment 184 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 5
Article 5 – paragraph 5
Amendment 206 #
2007/0113(COD)
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 a (new)
Article 10 a (new)
Article 10º-A 1. A register shall be kept in each Member State of the traders who are nationals of that Member State or exercise their activity there. 2. This register shall be coordinated at European level.