Activities of Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Mikael GUSTAFSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas Daphne is an extremely important instrument for raising visibility about the issue of violence against women and providing the possibility for women's organisations and other engaged stakeholders to develop their work and concrete actions in this field;

2011/11/30
Committee: FEMM

2011/2273(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas in the current situation of economic crisis and budgetary austerity, women have less resources to be safe, to flee, and to protect themselves and their children from male violence; and whereas it is even more important to avert also the direct financial impact that violence against women and children has on the judiciary and on health and social services; whereas, ~~also,~~it is important in this context to ensure that funding for national programmes ~~is likely to be~~and NGOs are not cut;

2011/11/30
Committee: FEMM

2011/2273(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas although an individual measure by itself will not be able to stop gender- based violence, which is a structural phenomenon linked to the unequal distribution of power between women and men in our society, it is possible to reduce significantly the incidence thereof by combining various actions in the fields of education, gender equality, awareness- raising, health, and among the police and the judiciary,;

2011/11/30
Committee: FEMM

2011/2273(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas the Commission proposes the DAPHNE III programme, the gender equality and non-discrimination sections of the PROGRESS Programme, and the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme to be streamlined into ‘Rights and Citizenship’ Programme in the 2014-2020 financial period; whereas combating violence against women is not mentioned among the objectives of the Commission’s proposal; whereas the proposed budget of the new programme is smaller than those of the current programmes; whereas the proposal does not guarantee the predictability of funding for its objectives;

2011/11/30
Committee: FEMM

2011/2273(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Wishes to see the programme's objectives, in particular combating violence against women, retained in the 20134–2020 period~~, its funding held at a level~~ among the objectives of the new Rights and Citizenship Programme, its funding increased compar~~abl~~ed to that of the earlier programmes and its profile within the new- generation programme remain high, bearing in mind its successes and its popularity, and the need to step up EU commitments to fight violence against women;

2011/11/30
Committee: FEMM

2011/2273(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 – indent 2 a (new)

– finding solutions to the problems experienced by the recipients of DAPHNE funding, in particular to ease the administrative burden and solve the problems in the financial management that have prevented many NGOs from proposing DAPHNE projects,

2011/11/30
Committee: FEMM

2011/2273(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Hopes that in the future it will still be possible for a large number of~~Calls for the Commission to ensure that in the future a large part of the programme funding remain targeted at beneficiaries representing smaller NGOs ~~to be involved in partnerships of associations~~working together, as they ~~often~~ play a major role in identifying less well-known, taboo or new problems and in finding innovative ways to tackle them;

2011/11/30
Committee: FEMM

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph C a (new)

Ca. whereas the national parliaments are freely elected by the citizens and are therefore the representatives and the guarantors of the rights acquired and delegated by the citizens; whereas the introduction of the European Semester reduces this prerogative of parliaments to a purely symbolic action,

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph C b (new)

Cb. whereas the introduction of the European Semester should in no circumstances subordinate the fundamental rights or the established social rights of citizens to budgetary restrictions,

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph C c (new)

Cc. whereas the European Semester will allow the European institutions to comment on draft national budgets even before they are adopted at national level and whereas national budgets must be based on economic forecasts and recommendations by the Commission and Council regarding the policy choices to be made,

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Notes that the neo-liberal measures which are still being applied, notably in the context of the so-called national reform plans, 'economic governance' and the European Semester, are contributing to the worsening of the social crisis in a number of Member States with more fragile economies, and this is making life ever more difficult for households and especially for women and children, who are the main victims of rising poverty, unemployment and insecure and ill-paid employment;

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Notes that the neoliberal measures that are continuing to be applied, notably as part of the so-called National Reform Plans, 'economic governance' and the European Semester, are contributing to the worsening social crisis in a number of countries with more fragile economies, making life more and more difficult for families and in particular for women and children, who are the main victims of growing poverty, unemployment and precarious and poorly paid work;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Stresses the need to prioritise action to tackle the problems of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, which will necessitate revision of the present economic and financial policies, especially the Stability Pact, internal market policy and competition policy, in order to put the emphasis on sustainable employment based on quality jobs with rights, investment, and quality public services guaranteeing social inclusion, especially in the fields of education, health, childcare, care of dependent persons, public transport and social services;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Stresses the need to prioritise action to tackle the problems of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, which affect women above all; this necessitates revising the present economic and financial policies, especially those related to the Stability Pact, the internal market and competition policy, so as to give priority to sustainable employment/quality jobs with rights, investment and quality public services which ensure social inclusion, especially in the areas of education, health, childcare, care of dependent persons, public transport and social services;

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Council and the Commission, when providing policy guidance to Member States, to respect the principles of subsidiarity and social dialogue in the field of wages and pensions as well and, in keeping with Article 153(5) TFEU, to respect the competences of the Member States and social partners in these areas and to consult the social partners before issuing their recommendations;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Expresses its concern that the European guidance focuses exclusively on completing the internal market through removal of all barriers to competition, without at the same time involving policies to tackle poverty and social exclusion;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Calls for European guidance to be supported by an impact assessment of fiscal competition between Member States and of tax exemptions within Member States on their budgetary revenue;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses the importance of public investment at EU and national level to promote social and economic cohesion, in particular investment in less developed regions; considers, therefore, that the Stability and Growth Pact must be abolished, given its negative impact on the proper implementation of the Structural Funds and investment in general; calls for a clear distinction to be established between investment and current expenditure, and considers that expenditure in such areas as education, social services, R&D and infrastructure, including renewable energies, transport and communications, constitutes an investment;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Requests that the European Semester should serve not as a system enabling national budgets to be drawn up, supervised, and checked by the Commission and the Council, but rather as a means of support allowing budgets to be drawn up without in any way undermining the fundamental rights of citizens and their established social rights;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines the importance of ensuring a mutually reinforced interaction between micro- and macro-economic policies on the one hand, and employment and social policies on the other hand, ~~which is~~of respecting established social rights, and of combating poverty and social exclusion, aspects which are all essential to be able to deliver on the overall goals of Europe 2020;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Remains committed to paying special attention, including in its deliberations on the European Semester, to the impact of employment and the social situation on the macro-economic situation and vice versa, and calls on the Commission to follow the same approach.

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2071(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Emphasises that Europe needs a macroeconomic framework to support sustainable development, and an increase in employment and social cohesion; considers that monetary and tax policies in the EU have had a negative impact on the growth of the economy and employment, and recalls that monetary policy should contribute to strengthening economic recovery and fighting unemployment;

2011/06/21
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas women are in a disadvantaged position in the labour market and are disproportionately represented in part-time work and in new, often precarious forms of working arrangements, facing obstacles in seeking access to full social rights, social protection and benefits,

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2067(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital A b (new)

Ab. whereas the increase in atypical forms of employment caused by increased flexibility disqualifies a growing number of female employees from social benefits, as eligibility for social benefits depends on an employee's employment status; whereas increased flexibility thus also endangers the financial sustainability of social security systems,

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2067(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Considers gender gaps still remain in EU labour markets, including gender pay gap, gaps in part-time versus full time rates, gaps in employment rates, gap in the effect on employment rates due to parenthood, gender pension gaps; considers gender roles and labour market segregation in employment are a major obstacle to the functioning of EU labour market;

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2067(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3b. Considers that Member States should take adequate measures to phase out precarious and atypical employment, which mainly affects women; considers that one instrument could be to establish a system of progressively rising social security contributions from employers, according to the principle ‘the lower the employment status (short period, weak perspectives, high risks), the higher the contributions to social security’; considers that progressive contributions could motivate employers e.g. to issue a permanent contract rather than to prolong a temporary one and thus encourage them to hire employees under more favourable conditions;

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2067(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Encourages a fair share of unpaid work between women and men by ensuring paid parental leave measures and the development of paid leave for care responsibilities; calls on the Commission to complement the existing legal framework on work/life balance, including provisions on paternity leave and leave for dependants other than children; calls on the Council to approve the draft legislative proposal regarding pregnant workers (Maternity directive);

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2067(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Notes that recent research demonstrates that increased flexibility has the effect of generally reducing the status of employees, especially women, who are more often not employed permanently but temporarily, not employed full-time but part-time, and more frequently turn to involuntary self-employment; whereas new research based on OECD data shows that the more flexible employment is, the more it is precarious and that employment flexibility has the strongest negative effect on ‘employability’ (improving the skills and qualifications of employees);

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2067(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls for the development of care economy to meet real needs and to ensure high quality accessible care services for all, good working and pay conditions to avoid resorting to undeclared work;

2011/06/23
Committee: FEMM

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

Ja. whereas recent research demonstrates that increased flexibility has the effect of generally reducing the status of employees, who are more often not employed permanently but temporarily, not employed full-time but part-time, and more frequently turn to involuntary self- employment; whereas new research based on OECD data shows that the more flexible employment is, the more it is precarious and that employment flexibility has the strongest negative effect on ‘employability’ (improving the skills and qualifications of employees),

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)

Jb. whereas the increase in atypical forms of employment caused by increased flexibility disqualifies an increasing number of employees from social benefits, as eligibility for social benefits depends on an employee's employment status; whereas increased flexibility thus also endangers the financial sustainability of social security systems,

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J c (new)

Jc. whereas numerous studies on working conditions by the Dublin Foundation demonstrate that flexible working time schemes are accompanied by an increase in irregular and unpredictable working hours, resulting in ongoing classic workplace-related health problems in combination with new ones related to greater stress at work resulting from a new work organisation designed to meet short-term market fluctuations; whereas recent research also shows that most flexible working time schemes in place in Europe do not enable employees better to reconcile employment and their private life,

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J d (new)

Jd. whereas women are in a disadvantaged position in the labour market and are disproportionately represented in part-time work and in new, often precarious, forms of working arrangements, facing obstacles in seeking access to full social rights, social protection and benefits,

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J e (new)

Je. whereas high unemployment and labour market segmentation need to be overcome by giving all workers equal rights, phasing out all forms of precarious employment, and investing in the creation of permanent jobs and lifelong learning,

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J f (new)

Jf. whereas the flexicurity approach adopted by the Commission is to be rejected as totally unbalanced, because flexibility is not matched by increased social security; whereas the Commission simply promotes the deregulation of job protection and more flexible employment contracts and proposes no effective measures to combat precarious employment, while maintaining policies that reduce the social security and the rights of workers and the unemployed (less ‘generous’ unemployment and social benefits to ‘activate the unemployed’, a ‘balance of rights and obligations’, reducing rights, and strengthening obligations),

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Gabriele ZIMMER

Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)

Ja. whereas gender gaps still remain in EU labour markets, including gender pay gap, gaps in part-time versus full time rates, gaps in employment rates, gap in the effect on employment rates due to parenthood, gender pension gaps; whereas gender roles and labour market segregation in employment are a major obstacle to the functioning of EU labour market,

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Calls for a better coordination of economic policies between Member States in order to avoid unfair competition and market distortion; urges Member States to respect the rules on budgetary discipline in order to diminish the risk of falling into excessive deficit and calls on the Commission for an effective budgetary surveillance;deleted

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that national flexicurity arrangements must be strengthened and adapted to the new socio-economic contexts of each individual Member State, in accordance with its specific needs, in order to ensure a flexible and active labour market, efficient training and secure social security systems; warns against one-size-fits-all solutionsTakes the view that flexicurity strategies are not an appropriate means by which to combat precarious employment and reduce unemployment; emphasises that high levels of employment protection and job protection are based on the fundamental right of workers to be protected against unfair dismissal; stresses that job protection and employment protection must also be maintained as useful tools for an overall policy of anticipating change and promoting stability and continuity of employment;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Regrets that for many workers the reconciliation of work and family life remains a difficult task; calls on the Member States to give all parents, especially single-parent families, opportunities for integration not only into working life but also into lifelong learning processes; encourages a fair share of unpaid work between women and men by ensuring paid parental leave measures and the development of paid leave for care responsibilities; calls on the Commission to complement the existing legal framework on work/life balance, including provisions on paternity leave and leave for dependants other than children, calls on the Council to approve the draft legislative proposal regarding pregnant workers (Maternity directive);

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Gabriele ZIMMER

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Believes that the biggest problems in the EU concern the remaining high level of unemployment, the growth of precarious forms of employment, the erosion of workers' rights and social protection and the supply of skilled and competent workers; stresses that priority should be given to the creation of an inclusive labour market by promoting the quality of jobs and the 'Decent Work Agenda', raising educational levels and expanding training and retraining programmes, ensuring greater equality between men and women and improving the integration into the labour market of women, migrants, older or younger workers and other disadvantaged groups;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Considers that a barrier-free and competitive single market has to be completed in order to facilitate free movement of workers; in this regard, calls on the Commission and Member States to work closely with social partners and to encourage sharing of best practice and experience in this area;deleted

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Considers that ~~a barrier-free and competitiv~~priority has to be given to an increase sin~~gle market has to be completed in order to facilitate free movement of workers~~ production, high-quality public services, the creation of high- quality jobs with rights and the fight to eradicate poverty; in this regard, calls on the Commission and Member States to work closely with social partners and to encourage sharing of best practice and experience in this area;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Strongly condemns undeclared work which endangers both society and workers; calls on the Member States to carry out regular checks and to initiate information campaigns in order to raise awareness of long-term disadvantages for workers employed in the black economy; calls for the development of care economy to meet real needs and to ensure high quality accessible care services for all, good working and pay conditions to avoid resorting to undeclared work;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Notes that ~~flexicurity policies are put at the centre of the Agenda, and shares the Commission’s assessment that the crisis has put national~~recent research demonstrates that increased flexibility has the effect of generally reducing the status of employees, who are more often not employed permanently but temporarily, not employed full-time but part-time, and more frequently turn to involuntary self- employment; whereas new research based on OECD data shows that the more flexible employment is, the more it is precarious and that employment flexi~~cur~~bility ~~arrangements to a ser~~has the strongest negative effect on ‘employability’ (improving the skills and qualificatiouns tof employeest);

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Stresses, however, that flexicurity alone cannot remedy the crisis and calls on the Commission, Member States and the social partners to pay special attention to workers from disadvantaged groups, such as young people, low-skilled workers and workers with disabilTakes the view that Member States should take adequate measures to phase out precarious and atypical employment; considers that one instrument could be to establish a system of progressively raising the social security contributions paid by employers, according to the principle ‘the lower the employment status (short period, weak perspectives, high risks), the higher the contributions to social security’; considers that progressive contributions could motivate employers e.g. to issue a permanent contract rather than to prolong a temporary one and thus encourage them to hire employees under more favourable conditieons;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Believ~~Notes that, under the new momentum of social and economic changes, the four components of flexicurity – flexible and reliable contractual arrangements, active labour market policies, lifelong learning, and modern social security systems – and the balance between them should be reviewed and reinforced the increase in atypical forms of employment caused by increased flexibility disqualifies an increasing number of employees from social benefits, as eligibility for social benefits depends on an employee's employment status; takes the view that increased flexibility thus also endangers the financial sustainability of social security systems;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Underlines that, in order to emerge stronger from the economic crisis, to become more competitive and convergent, with higher levels of growth, and to secure our welfare systems in the long term, Europe needs to promote high-quality public services, make full use of its labour force potential, guarantee workers' rights, and promote collective bargaining and public and universal social security;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2067(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Considers that job quality has to be promoted as a multidimensional concept, covering both employment relations and work itself; calls on the Commission to step up efforts to review the EU definition and common indicators of job quality, to make them more operational for the evaluation and benchmarking of Member States’ policies; stresses that high-quality employment presupposes permanent work, with decent wages and adequate social protection;

2011/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2066(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital E a (new)

Ea. whereas the problems and inequalities encountered by women of Kurdish origin are, in general, all the greater,

2011/10/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2066(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)

29a. Points to the need to ensure that all women, including those of Kurdish origin, enjoy equal rights and that their culture and language are respected;

2011/10/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2066(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Notes that special attention should be given to the empowerment of women in the less developed regions of Turkey; welcomes, therefore, the Turkish Government’s projects such as CATOMs (Multi Purpose Society Centres), but underlines the need for more ~~of such~~ initiatives that respect and promote the rights of all women, focusing in particular on the social inclusion of women in rural areas, unemployed women, and women living in poverty;

2011/10/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2052(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas poverty and social exclusion violate human dignity and fundamental human rights, while the key objective of income support schemes is to bring people out of poverty and enable them to live in dignity, this being especially important for women since they are worse affected by poverty,

2011/07/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2052(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)

Bb. having regard to the increase in social inequality in certain Member States arising, in particular, from economic inequality in terms of the distribution of income and wealth, labour market inequalities entailing insecurity in social terms, and unequal access to the social functions of the state such as welfare, health, education and justice, phenomena which particularly affect women since they tend to be compounded by gender discrimination,

2011/07/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas poverty and social exclusion are violations of human dignity and fundamental human rights, and the central objective of income support schemes must be to lift people out of poverty and enable them to live in dignity,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Calls on the Commission to take account of Recommendation 92/441/EEC and its recognition of 'the basic right of a person to sufficient resources and social assistance to live in a manner compatible with human dignity', recalling that this is a vital issue for women, and also stressing that the key objective of income support schemes should be to bring people out of poverty and enable them to live in dignity, this including invalidity and retirement pensions which ensure such dignity; given this objective, recommends that the Commission establish a common method for calculating a subsistence threshold in cost-of-living terms (a 'shopping basket' of goods and services), so as to be able to draw on comparative measurements of poverty levels and determine means of social intervention, including a minimum income scheme;

2011/07/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas in 2008 almost a quarter of the population of the EU-27 – 116 million people – were affected by at least one of the three forms of social exclusion recognised by Eurostat (i.e. they lived in economic poverty, conditions of severe material deprivation or a jobless household),

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)

Ab. whereas, according to a study published by Eurostat in 2008, poverty affects some 17% of the population of the 27 EU Member States, i.e. 81 million people, children and elderly people being the groups most at risk of poverty; whereas the same study also confirmed that the fact of having a job significantly reduces the risk of poverty in the EU,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2b (new)

2b. Stresses the need for specific additional social allowances for less- favoured groups (the disabled and chronically ill, single mothers and their children and large families), in order to cover the extra costs arising from such needs as individual care, use of dedicated facilities, medical care and social support;

2011/07/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)

Ab. mindful of the gravity of the economic and social crisis and its impact in terms of growing poverty and exclusion and rising unemployment, with one-third of the jobless being affected by long-term unemployment, a situation that is worse in the more economically vulnerable countries,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2c (new)

2c. Stresses the need to prioritise the fight against social inequalities especially affecting women, such as economic inequality in terms of the distribution of income and wealth, labour market inequalities and unequal access to the social functions of the state such as welfare, health, education and justice;

2011/07/20
Committee: FEMM

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)

Ac. whereas more and more young people – already among the most vulnerable sections of the population, most at risk of poverty and social exclusion – are also affected by the crisis and the associated austerity measures,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas the risk of poverty directly affects rural communities and especially small farms and young farmers threatened by the effects of the economic crisis and excessive fluctuations in commodity prices,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the Europe 2020 strategy aims to reduce the number of people at risk of poverty by 20 million, on the basis of three indicators (the at-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers, the material deprivation index and the percentage of people living in jobless households); whereas, given the figures of 116 million at risk of poverty and 42 million living in conditions of severe material deprivation, this aim may be an acknowledgement of the importance of combating poverty and social exclusion but it reflects the abandonment from the outset of millions of people in Europe, with the associated risk of generating threshold effects and excluding the most vulnerable people from the scope of policies geared to measurable results; whereas if the most intractable situations are not addressed from the outset, the policies implemented will have no impact on them,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas, given the austerity measures that the Member States are in the process of adopting, which are a step backwards in terms of employment and social protection, there is no hope of achieving the Europe 2020 strategy aim of reducing by 20 million the number of people at risk of poverty on the basis of three indicators (the at-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers, the material deprivation index and the percentage of people living in jobless households),

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas certain Member States are under pressure from the Council and Commission and from international bodies such as the IMF to undertake the short-term reduction of their budget deficits, which have been worsened by the crisis, and to make cuts in spending, including social expenditure, thus undermining the welfare state and exacerbating poverty,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas social inequality is increasing in certain Member States, the result above all of economic inequality in terms of income and wealth distribution, labour market inequalities, social insecurity, and unequal access to the social functions of the state such as welfare, health, education, the legal system, etc.,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Frédéric DAERDEN, Sylvie GOULARD, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Isabelle DURANT, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas poverty is ~~detrimental to growth, increases public budget deficits and undermines the EU’s competitiveness,~~ first and foremost detrimental to the people experiencing it, but also has implications for economic growth, increases public budget deficits and undermines the EU’s competitiveness, according to the principle that social rights in the EU are at least equivalent to those resulting from the internal market,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Isabelle DURANT, Mara BIZZOTTO, Vincenzo IOVINE, Marian HARKIN, Jean-Luc BENNAHMIAS, Nathalie GRIESBECK, Robert ROCHEFORT, Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Rovana PLUMB, Ádám KÓSA, Sylvie GOULARD, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO, Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Ccalls on the Commission to ~~involve civil society at national and European level and to make discussions with people living in poverty a formal part of the annual convention on poverty~~boost the involvement in the development of a European strategy at all levels of governance (European, national, regional and local) of organised civil society and of all stakeholders, such as NGOs, social economy organisations, service providers, experts in social innovation and the social partners, as well as people living in poverty themselves, in partnership with the associations in which they freely express their opinions and which have acquired experience and knowledge, particularly through the development of national platforms against poverty and social exclusion in each Member State; calls on the Commission to enhance cooperation between local, regional and national authorities and European Institutions, particularly the European Parliament; believes that the synergies should concern all stakeholders, including SMEs and entrepreneurs; calls for discussions with people living in poverty and social exclusion to be institutionalised, and to be extended at national level, and for their participation and contribution to be made a formal and central part of the annual convention on poverty and social exclusion, and calls for appropriate and regular follow-up of the recommendations so developed;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas the Commission’s new strategy for implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights aims, in particular, to improve the most disadvantaged people’s access to fundamental rights; whereas the Charter must be respected in its entirety and whereas severe poverty represents a violation of human rights and a serious erosion of human dignity and encourages stigmatisation and injustice; whereas the key objective of income support schemes is to bring people out of poverty and enable them to live in dignity,

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Sylvie GOULARD, Nathalie GRIESBECK, Jean-Luc BENNAHMIAS, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Isabelle DURANT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls for poverty awareness seminars to be organised in the European institutions and Member State governments by organisations which have specific experience of combating poverty and for experiments in joint training on social and exclusion issues to be made, bringing together European officials and people with hands-on experience of combating poverty;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Franz OBERMAYR, Jean-Luc BENNAHMIAS, Nathalie GRIESBECK, Robert ROCHEFORT, Sylvie GOULARD, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Patrick LE HYARIC, Karima DELLI, Isabelle DURANT, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Frédéric DAERDEN, Philippe BOULLAND, Joanna Katarzyna SKRZYDLEWSKA, Rovana PLUMB

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Calls for ~~regular, critical monitoring of~~the establishment of a regular, critical evaluation mechanism, involving the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, based on precise indicators at national and European level, by which the multiple dimensions of poverty can be evaluated and the Member States’ progress, by gender and age, towards achieving the poverty reduction target, and towards breaking this target down into sub-targets, can be measured, in view of the fact that the lack of a precise definition of poverty leaves too much leeway for the Member States, t~~o break this target down into sub-targets;~~ hus risking aberrant interpretations; calls on the Commission to improve national and European indicators relating to the comparability of national statistics on the poverty of vulnerable people and to promote, with Eurostat, the production of more precise statistics within a comprehensive scoreboard on poverty and social exclusion by means of which it will be possible to track the number of people below the 50% and 40% levels of median income and on this basis to conduct an annual evaluation of the situations of poverty in the EU, the statistical approach of which should be supplemented by a qualitative and participatory approach; calls on the Commission to ensure the policies implemented are beneficial to all and not just to those close to the poverty threshold;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Karima DELLI, Isabelle DURANT, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Sylvie GOULARD, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO

Motion for a resolution
Considérant C

C. whereas the Europe 2020 strategy a~~ims to~~dopts, as one of its five major objectives, a soft target, i.e. one without sanctions, aiming at reduceing the number of people at risk of poverty by 20 million, on the basis of three indicators agreed by Member States (the at-risk-of-poverty rate after social transfers, the severe material deprivation index and the percentage of people living in jobless households), and whereas this aim may be an acknowledgement of the importance of combating poverty and social exclusion but, given the figures of 116 million at risk of poverty and 42 million living in conditions of severe material deprivation, it reflects the abandonment from the outset of millions of people in Europe, with the associated risk of generating threshold effects and excluding the most vulnerable people from the scope of policies geared to measurable results; whereas if the most intractable situations are not addressed from the outset, the policies implemented will have no impact on them; whereas the European Platform against poverty constitutes one of the seven flagship initiatives of the EU 2020 strategy,

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ, Jan KOZŁOWSKI, Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Frédéric DAERDEN, Alejandro CERCAS, Pervenche BERÈS, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Sylvie GOULARD, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Calls ~~for it to be made clear that the Commission will be legally accountable in~~ on the Commission to fully take account of the correct horizontal social clause as specified in Article 9 TFEU, under which the EU is to take into account requirements linked to the promotion of a high level of employment, the guarantee of adequate social protection, the fight against social exclusion, and a high level of education, training and protection of human health, and calls for the Commission to specify how the Platform will affect assessments of the implementation of that clause; calls for the social impact assessments of European policies to go into greater depthe, even~~t that the horizontal social clause is not applied, and calls for the Commission to specify how the Platform will affect assessments of the implementation of that clause~~ where those policies are not initiated by the Commission but by the European Council, as in the case of the Euro Plus pact; considers that such an in- depth analysis of the application of this clause will make it possible to avoid a levelling-down of social standards in Europe and to promote the development of a common social basis in Europe; calls for this social impact assessment to be made with the associations active in combating poverty and to take account of the situation of the poorest people in Europe as a reference; considers that these assessments should involve the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Commission’s departments responsible for social affairs under the responsibility of a director- general reporting to the General Secretariat of the European Commission;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Patrick LE HYARIC, Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ, Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Motion for a resolution
Recital D

D. whereas ~~poverty is detrimental to growth, increases public budget deficits and undermines the EU’s competitiveness~~, because poverty levels in the EU Member States have been high for very many years, the impact of poverty on the economy is steadily increasing; whereas poverty is detrimental to growth, increases public budget deficits and undermines the EU’s competitiveness, factors which in themselves create poverty and unemployment, particularly long- term unemployment, which affects one- third of the jobless, a situation that is worse in the more economically vulnerable countries; whereas the preservation of social rights in the European Union is fundamental in any attempt to address poverty,

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Isabelle DURANT, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Frédéric DAERDEN, Marc TARABELLA, Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for the open method of social coordination to be strengthened and applied correctly in the field of poverty, inter alia through the common development, implementation and evaluation of national strategies for social inclusion and protection, on the basis of commonly defined objectives, via national platforms against poverty, by exchanges of good practice on policies regarding effective access to fundamental rights and implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the revised Social Charter (not yet ratified by all Member States), in particular Articles 30 and 31 thereof; stresses that, in this context, the work of the Council’s Social Protection Committee should continue to be taken into account; calls for the Platform to promote and follow up the participation of local authorities, social economy enterprises and other local stakeholders in drawing up and implementing national strategic reports;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Isabelle DURANT, Sylvie GOULARD, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission ~~to specify th~~, in consultation with the European Central Bank, to propose common principles ~~used~~ to define the ‘basket of basic goods and services’ ~~accessible to all;~~ required to enable everyone to live in dignity, and points out that these immediate needs are inseparable from respect for human dignity and effective access to all fundamental rights – whether civil, political, economic, social or cultural – without exception; calls for the target of price stability to be clarified so as to allow specific national situations to be taken into account that do not necessarily have a significant impact on the euro- system indicators;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Elizabeth LYNNE, Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the poverty threshold of 60% of median national income is a compelling, helpful and necessary indicator~~, but where~~ of relative poverty, but should be complemented by other indicators such as the concept and calculation of a ‘basket of basic goods and services’ ~~is just as much~~at national level (which does not constitute a direct response to the specific situation of people suffering from poverty) and those agreed at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) in June 2010 (at-risk-of poverty, material deprivation and jobless households) as a matter of public policy needs,

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Isabelle DURANT, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls for the Platform to be geared towards asserting the rights which enable everyone to live in dignity, particularly in the field of employment, housing, health care, social security and adequate living standards, justice, education, training and culture, and the protection of families and children; calls for the Fundamental Rights Agency to produce a study on effective access by the poorest people to the whole range of fundamental rights and the other rights enshrined in the international agreements to which the Member States are signatories, and on the discrimination they face, with the participation of NGOs in which socially excluded people can freely express themselves, and bearing in mind that securing the right to housing is a necessary prerequisite for the full exercise of other fundamental rights, including political and social rights;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Believes that particular attention and additional measures are needed for the homeless [...] social exclusion; calls upon the European Commission to develop urgently an EU strategy on homelessness along the lines of the 2010 Joint Report of the Commission and the Council on Social Protection and Social Inclusion, the final recommendations of the European Consensus Conference on Homelessness (2010) and the European Parliament resolution on EU Homelessness Strategy; calls on the European Commission to develop a detailed roadmap [...] Note: A citation referring to the resolution will be added by oral amendment.

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Vincenzo IOVINE, Marian HARKIN, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Jean-Luc BENNAHMIAS, Robert ROCHEFORT, Frédéric DAERDEN, Mara BIZZOTTO, Jean LAMBERT, Karima DELLI

Motion for a resolution
Recital M

M. whereas unemployment among young people, which is already higher than for other age groups, has exploded in the EU since the crisis and now runs at over 20% reaching a critical level in all Member States, which puts young people at risk of falling into poverty from a very early age; whereas this alarming situation calls for urgent political, economic and social responses and will, in combination with demographic changes, aggravate skills shortages; having regard to the vital role that vocational training can play in helping young people and low skilled workers to join the labour market; whereas, however, getting a job does not always mean escaping poverty, and whereas young people are especially susceptible to falling into the category of working poor,

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Antigoni PAPADOPOULOU, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital N

N. whereas migrants a~~re being hit hard by the economic crisis,~~ nd ethnic minorities, including undocumented migrants, are especially vulnerable workers being hit hard by the economic crisis and consequently by increased poverty and social exclusion because of the precarious, temporary or atypical work they are likely to be doing thanks to their place of origin or lack of qualification; whereas migrant workers should enjoy the same working and pay conditions and the same right to training and social protection as nationals of the countries in which they are working,

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the fact of people having access to decent, egalitarian working conditions constitutes an advance in terms of reducing poverty and social exclusion among families and people living alone,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Frédéric DAERDEN, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Patrick LE HYARIC, Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ, Jan KOZŁOWSKI, Konstantinos POUPAKIS, Ádám KÓSA, Elizabeth LYNNE, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Sylvie GOULARD, Nathalie GRIESBECK, Jean-Luc BENNAHMIAS, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. ~~Calls on the Commission to initiate a horizontal anti-discrimination directive with a view to further eradicating discrimination;~~ Urges the Member States to agree and adopt as soon as possible the proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (COM(2008)0426); calls on the Commission to continue to support the overcoming of technical difficulties within the Council in order to ensure a swift agreement is reached, and to close gaps in the existing anti-discrimination legislation which is currently not covering all relevant aspects, with a view to further eradicating discrimination, including social discrimination; Note: A citation referring to the Kosa report will be added by oral amendment.

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Roger HELMER, Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Frédéric DAERDEN, Isabelle DURANT, Joanna Katarzyna SKRZYDLEWSKA, Ádám KÓSA, Kinga GÖNCZ, Vincenzo IOVINE, Marian HARKIN, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Sylvie GOULARD, Íñigo MÉNDEZ DE VIGO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT, Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ, Konstantinos POUPAKIS

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. ~~Advocates~~Recommends the Member States to adopt a proactive decent housing policy in order to ensure universal access to ~~decent, affordable housing~~quality housing at affordable prices or on preferential terms of purchase, and to prevent the loss thereof, with guaranteed access to services essential to health and safety, the lack of such housing being a serious affront to dignity, along with a proactive energy policy that steps up the use of renewable energies and boosts energy efficiency in order to combat energy poverty; calls for more attention to be paid to housing for migrants, who are often exploited and forced to live in sub- standard housing; recalls Protocol 26 annexed to the Treaty of Lisbon on social housing and calls for the provisions contained therein to be respected, in particular on the Member States’ freedom to organise social housing, including the question of financing; encourages the Member States to implement special housing programmes and opportunities for homeless people, in view of guaranteeing the most basic standards of living for the most vulnerable in society;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Roger HELMER, Elizabeth LYNNE, Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ, Jan KOZŁOWSKI, Konstantinos POUPAKIS, Licia RONZULLI, Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Franz OBERMAYR, Gabriele ZIMMER, Karima DELLI, Jean LAMBERT, Jutta STEINRUCK, Evelyn REGNER, Sylvana RAPTI

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Wishes the Commission to ~~initiate a framework directive on minimum income~~launch, in full compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, a consultation on the possibility of a legislative initiative on a sensible minimum income that will allow economic development, designed to prevent poverty and serve as a basis for people to live in dignity, play their full part in society and make headway with finding employment or identifying training opportunities and playing an automatic stabilising role for the economy, with due regard for differing practices, collective labour agreements and legislation in the various Member States, the definition of a minimum income being the prerogative of the Member State; wishes the Commission to help Member States share best practice on minimum income levels and encourages Member States to develop minimum income schemes based on an average of 60% of the median income in each Member State;

2011/09/09
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas the poverty threshold of 60% of median national income is a compelling, helpful and necessary indicator, but whereas the concept of a ‘basket of basic goods and services’ is just as much a matter of public policy needs,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital M

M. whereas unemployment among young people, which is already higher than for other age groups, has exploded in the EU since the crisis and now runs at over 20%, which puts them at risk of falling into poverty from a very early age,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital N

N. whereas migrants are being hit hard by the economic crisis because of the precarious, temporary or atypical work they are likely to be doing thanks to their place of origin or lack of qualification,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital N a (new)

Na. whereas migrant workers should enjoy the same working and pay conditions and the same right to training and social protection as nationals of the countries in which they are working,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Recital P a (new)

Pa. whereas most of the Member States now have large numbers of homeless people, owing to diverse factors, and this calls for specific measures for those people's social integration,

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Commission to involve the European Parliament and civil society at national and European level and to make discussions with people living in poverty a formal part of the annual convention on poverty;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Commission to involve civil society at national and European level and to make discussions with people living in poverty a formal part of the annual convention on poverty; calls on it also to involve people living in poverty themselves, in partnership with the associations in which they freely express their opinions;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls for experiments in joint training on social and exclusion issues to be made, bringing together European officials and people with hands-on experience of combating poverty;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Calls for regular, critical monitoring of the Member States’ progress towards achieving the poverty reduction target, and for the Member States to break this target down into sub-targets; calls for a set of indicators to be chosen by means of which it will be possible to track the number of people below the 50% and 40% levels of median income and to ensure the policies implemented are beneficial to all and not just to those close to the poverty threshold, and also calls on the European Union to devise a comprehensive scoreboard on poverty and social exclusion to be published each year, the statistical approach of which should be supplemented by a qualitative and participatory approach;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Calls, in the light of the current crisis situation, for a detailed and up-to-date study to be conducted urgently into the numbers of people living in poverty and people at risk of poverty in the coming months;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Calls on the Commission to draw up and present an annual report to the European Parliament on the Member States’ progress in reducing poverty and social exclusion;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Calls for it to be made clear that the Commission will be legally accountable in the event that the horizontal social clause is not applied, and calls for the Commission to specify how the Platform will affect assessments of the implementation of that clause; calls for this assessment of the social impact of European policies to be carried out with the persons concerned, taking the poorest amongst them as a reference, and for the fight against poverty and for access to basic rights to be coordinated by a secretariat reporting directly to the President of the Commission;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Calls for the open method of coordination to be strengthened and applied correctly in the field of poverty, inter alia through the common evaluation of national strategies for social inclusion; and through exchanges of good practice on policies for effective access to fundamental rights, and for it to enable the implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the revised Social Charter, in particular Articles 30 and 31 thereof; calls for the open method of coordination to encourage the Member States to ratify the revised European Social Charter;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Commission to specify the common principles used to define the ‘basket of basic goods and services’ accessible to all, and points out that these immediate needs are inseparable from respect for human dignity and effective access to all fundamental rights – whether civil, political, economic, social or cultural –without exception;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Insists on the need to revise the austerity policies being imposed in some Member States to fight the crisis, and stresses the importance of effective action for solidarity, including reinforcement, mobility, anticipation of transfer and reduction of cofinancing in respect of budgetary funding for creating decent jobs, supporting productive sectors and fighting poverty and social exclusion, rather than creating new forms of dependence or increasing the debt still further;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Insists on the need for specific additional provisions for less-favoured groups (those with disabilities or chronic illnesses, single-parent families and families with large numbers of children) who incur additional costs, in particular related to personal assistance, use of specific facilities, medical care and social support;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Recalls that the risk of falling into extreme poverty is greater for women than for men, given the shortcomings of the welfare systems and continuing discrimination, especially on the labour market, necessitating a whole range of specific policies which should be both gender-oriented and attentive to circumstances;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Believes that poverty affecting people in employment implies inequitable working conditions and calls for efforts to change this state of affairs, through pay levels in general and minimum wage levels in particular, whether regulated by legislation or by collective bargaining, so that they can ensure a decent standard of living;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Believes that priority should be given to fighting social inequality, especially in the context of economic inequality in terms of income and wealth distribution, labour market inequalities, and unequal access to the social functions of the state such as welfare, health, education, the legal system, etc.;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Patrick LE HYARIC, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls on the Member States to submit national reform programmes consistent with the aim of the Platform, with a view to creating well-paid work, and calls on the Commission to refrain from restricting the Member States’ capacity for investment and social spending in the context of economic governance, bearing in mind that poverty reduction requires smart, sustainable and inclusive growth as indicated in the Europe 2020 strategy;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Calls for all NGOs and small associations to be given support in their struggle for fundamental rights in order to strengthen the necessary human investment, allow people living in poverty to participate and to better inform them about access to rights and justice;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Calls on the Commission to initiate a horizontal anti-discrimination directive with a view to further eradicating discrimination; , including social discrimination;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Patrick LE HYARIC, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Marie-Christine VERGIAT

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Advocates a proactive housing policy in order to ensure universal access to decent, affordable housing, the lack of which is a serious affront to dignity, along with a proactive energy policy that steps up the use of renewable energies and boosts energy efficiency;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Calls for special attention to be given to the future of young people and for a clear strategy to help young people find a decent first job commensurate with their level of training;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Believes that the Commission should take account of Recommendation 92/441/EEC, which recognises 'the fundamental right of the individual to sufficient resources in respect of human dignity', while insisting that the central objective of income support schemes should be that of taking people out of poverty and allowing them to live a decent life, decent invalidity and retirement pensions being included; with this in view, recommends that the Commission consider establishing a common method for calculating a minimum survival income and a cost-of-living minimum (a 'shopping-basket' of goods and services), with a view to ensuring the availability of comparative measurements of poverty levels and establishing means of social intervention, including the minimum income system;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Wishes the Commission to initiate a framework directive on a minimum income based on an average of 60% of the median income in each Member State, designed to prevent poverty and serve as a basis for people to live in dignity and make headway with finding employment or identifying training opportunities, with due regard for differing practices, collective labour agreements and legislation in the various Member States;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2052(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Believes that particular attention and additional measures are needed for the homeless on the part of both the Member States and the Commission, with a view to their full integration into society by 2015, which will require collecting comparable data and reliable statistics at Community level, as well as their annual publication, together with an account of the progress achieved and the objectives defined in the respective national and Community strategies for fighting poverty and social exclusion;

2011/06/28
Committee: EMPL

2011/2035(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Points out that European regional policy is a vital instrument for advancing economic and social cohesion, enabling the Union to undertake measures to reduce regional inequalities, promote real convergence and stimulate development, high-quality employment and social progress, also serving to benefit the less developed regions;

2011/04/27
Committee: EMPL

2011/2035(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Stresses the need to include the gender perspective in the regulations and in the application of all Community funds and draws particular attention to the ESF, which must have sufficient capacity to promote policies on equality, permanent high-quality employment and fair income redistribution;

2011/04/27
Committee: EMPL

2011/2035(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Warns that cohesion policy and the associated expenditure should be used to bring about sustainable economic, social, environmental and territorial development and cannot simply be a financial instrument, thereby safeguarding its objectives and avoiding negative consequences for economic and social cohesion;

2011/04/27
Committee: EMPL

2011/2035(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the fact that the ESF provides crucial support for employment market policies and plays an important part in boosting social inclusion, which means that the funding allocated to it needs to be increased significantly;

2011/04/27
Committee: EMPL

2011/2035(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Considers that, in order to ensure that it does not encourage business relocation within the EU, public aid granted under the Structural Funds must be conditional on the conclusion of long-term contracts with undertakings covering location, duration and employment;

2011/04/27
Committee: EMPL

2011/2034(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas our major energy challenges are confronting climate change, strengthening energy autonomy while reducing fossil fuel imports, achieving a ~~competitive internal energy market~~solid energy sector at European level grounded in public sectors guaranteeing universal access to energy and acting as a lever for SMEs and economic development, and ensuring universal access to sustainable, affordable and secure energy,

2011/03/28
Committee: ITRE

2011/2034(INI)

Motion for a resolution
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; stresses the need to ensure universal access to electricity and to other energy sources, with a view to eradicating the energy poverty now estimated to affect more than 50 million people in the Member States;

2011/03/28
Committee: ITRE

2011/2034(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38a (new)

38a. Stresses the importance of ensuring a strong energy sector at European level, grounded in the national public sectors which are essential from the viewpoint of guaranteeing the eradication of energy poverty and the right of universal access to energy for the entire population, while also constituting a lever for SMEs and for economic development;

2011/03/28
Committee: ITRE

2011/2020(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Points to the need for budget appropriations for social action to be increased across the board; considers that the European Social Fund in particular needs to double in volume in order to cope with the social consequences of the crisis, especially unemployment and poverty;

2011/08/24
Committee: EMPL

2011/2020(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Maintains that the budget of the Progress programme needs to be increased substantially, given that the crisis is such that greater attention and support have to be focused on the social sectors encompassed within that programme;

2011/08/24
Committee: EMPL

2011/2020(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Points to the need to continue the studies and actions concerning the living conditions of posted workers, bearing in mind the current upward migration trend;

2011/08/24
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Points to the need to continue the studies and actions concerning the living conditions of posted workers, bearing in mind the current upward migration trend;

2011/05/05
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Is also of the opinion that, unless available resources are used more innovatively and effectively, Member States’ budgetary consolidation cannot be sustainable and that sustainable consolidation will likewise be impossible to achieve without a higher Community co-financing rate – especially for projects in social sectors (ESF, Cohesion Fund, and the PROGRESS programme) – enabling Member States with financial problems to make full use of Community funding; considers that national contributions from such Member States should not exceed 10%;

2011/05/05
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Deplores the fact that an increasing number of women live in poverty or are at risk of poverty, in particular women with special needs, such as disabled women, elderly women and single mothers; urges the Commission to pay particular attention to this problem both when drawing up, as well as implementing, the relevant budget headings and also in the policies it adopts;

2011/05/04
Committee: FEMM

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Proposes that a budget line, backed by the necessary funding, be established with a view to encouraging a change from insecure jobs to work with rights, this being a key issue where workers’ rights are concerned;

2011/05/05
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Calls for better use of PROGRESS so as to enhance how public employment services function with regard to active labour-market measures, and points out that, under the microfinancing facility agreement, the budget for PROGRESS must be topped up; considers, given the growing difficulties with which social organisations are having to contend, that their contribution to the financing of projects supported by the EU should be no higher than 10%;

2011/05/05
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Deplores the modest scale of the budget appropriations allocated to the individual parts of the PROGRESS programme; maintains that they need to be increased substantially, given that the crisis is such that greater attention and support have to be focused on the social sectors encompassed within the PROGRESS programme;

2011/05/05
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Insists on an increase ~~in European Social Fund payment appropriations~~across the board in budget appropriations for social action; considers that the European Social Fund in particular needs to double in volume in order to cope with the social consequences of the crisis, especially unemployment and poverty;

2011/05/05
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Reminds the Member States to make use of the funds available under the European Social Fund to promote gender equality, and specifically in the field of employment;

2011/05/04
Committee: FEMM

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Points to the need to incorporate the gender dimension in the implementing regulations of all the Community funds and draws attention to the ESF in particular, which has to attain the scale necessary to promote policies making for equality, high-quality permanent jobs, and fair redistribution of income;

2011/05/05
Committee: EMPL

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Points out the important role of the gender equality and anti-discrimination headings of the PROGRESS programme in promoting equality between men and women and fighting discrimination in the European Union; stresses that these headings should continue to be managed by the Commission unit responsible for gender equality and asks that they be considerably increased;

2011/05/04
Committee: FEMM

2011/2019(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Stresses the need to increase Community co-funding of projects submitted by women’s organisations and other social organisations working with projects which include women, so as to boost their implementation and take due account of the difficulties which these organisations face; takes the view that the co-participation of the NGOs should not exceed 10% of the cost of the projects submitted for Community funding;

2011/05/04
Committee: FEMM

2011/2006(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Insists on the need to ensure that in insolvency proceedings priority is always given to workers in terms of payment of wages owed, including compensation;

2011/04/20
Committee: EMPL

2011/2006(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Insists on the need to guarantee a standard minimum as regards the payment of compensation to workers in insolvency proceedings, equivalent to at least one month's wages for each year worked; this payment should be made immediately by the Member State concerned, which should subsequently claim the equivalent sum from the company, including as part of insolvency proceedings;

2011/04/20
Committee: EMPL

2011/2006(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

~~7. Does not consider it necessary to set a minimum figure for the payments made by the guarantee institution at European level;~~deleted

2011/04/20
Committee: EMPL

2011/0217(COD)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 9 a (new)

(9a) Legal and administrative barriers and restrictions imposed by Member States which are not prescribed by Union rules, or are interpreted in a manner contrary to Union law with regard to living and working elsewhere in the Union, infringe a fundamental right of citizens and in the case of workers can have counterproductive effects, such as more illegal work, an expansion of the black economy, worker exploitation or even human trafficking.

2011/12/16
Committee: EMPL

2011/0217(COD)

Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 3 a (new)

– conferences and events to raise awareness of the benefits of the right to free movement and residence by warning women workers who move abroad for jobs as babysitters, au-pairs, nannies or nurses, against the potential threats of the black labour market, or even prostitution and others forms of violence, as they are often employed for such jobs by private entities and thus end up working without a contract or illegally, and consequently have no rights or benefits linked to social security, healthcare etc. available to them.

2011/12/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Considers that education and/or training establishments must arrange extracurricular placements so as to provide students with experience in their chosen field as a means of consolidating their knowledge and forging links with the workplace;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Takes the view that voluntary mobility in the framework of schooling and vocational training and for the purposes of employment should be ~~promo~~consolidated for all young people, irrespective of their financial situation, with each individual being able to determine the degree of his or her own mobility;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Takes the view that occupational choices must be less strongly influenced by gender, that measures must be taken to present a comprehensive overview of possible career choices, for example with the help of equality advisers, and that the attempt must be made from an early age to interest and support girls, in particular, in mathematical and technical professions;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Emphasises that an active labour market policy, including publicly funded work programmes for young people, and the creation of new, sustainable and good jobs which are properly remunerated are essential preconditions for successfully tackling youth unemployment, and that the existing funds, such as the European Social Fund, must be targeted more specifically at these objectives;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Emphasises that ~~young people whose chances of getting started in life are poorer must be supported individually to increase their employability~~vocational training for all young people must be consolidated by means of individual support and that free publicly funded training places are an effective instrument for integrating particularly disadvantaged young people;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11

11. Emphasises that young people must be given access to vocational training during working time, enabling them to accumulate training credit hours while at work also, and that lifelong learning must be supported from the very first job;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Stresses that effective measures must be taken to combat discrimination encountered by girls, even those holding academic qualifications superior to those of their male counterparts, in respect of employment opportunities and pay scales;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 b (new)

11b. Stresses the importance of upholding maternity and paternity entitlements by combating any form of discrimination and guaranteeing effective enjoyment of all existing statutory rights;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2307(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 11 c (new)

11c. Stresses the importance of Member States promoting and implementing youth policies designed to end the social exclusion of young people, particularly those belonging to the most disadvantaged families; takes the view that Member States should guarantee free access to cultural and sports facilities, programmes and activities;

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/2305(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses that EU regional policy is a vital instrument in promoting economic and social cohesion, which enables the EU to take measures to reduce regional disparities, promote real convergence and stimulate development, quality employment and social progress, and also benefits less developed regions;

2011/05/03
Committee: EMPL

2010/2305(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Stresses the need for gender mainstreaming in the rules and application of all Community funds and draws special attention to the ESF, which should have sufficient capacity to promote policies for equality, high-quality stable jobs and fair redistribution of income;

2011/05/03
Committee: EMPL

2010/2305(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Warns that the cohesion policy and related expenditure should be used to achieve sustainable (economic, social, environmental and regional) development and that it is more than a mere financial instrument, in keeping with its objectives;

2011/05/03
Committee: EMPL

2010/2305(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Stresses that the ESF should provide vital support for labour market policies and play an important role in promoting social inclusion and that its funding therefore needs to be considerably stepped up;

2011/05/03
Committee: EMPL

2010/2305(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Considers that, in order to ensure that it does not encourage the relocation of businesses within the EU, the provision of public aid granted under the structural funds should be conditional on the signing of long-term contracts with the companies as regards location, duration and jobs with rights;

2011/05/03
Committee: EMPL

2010/2305(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Considers that, given the serious economic and financial crisis affecting a number of Member States and their regions, the co-financing rate applicable to national institutions and associations in respect of projects supported by Community funding should not exceed 10% for all the structural funds, with a view to enabling greater uptake of cohesion funding;

2011/05/03
Committee: EMPL

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16a. Points to the need to encourage initiatives to help devise and implement positive action and human resources policies at company level to promote gender equality, while also laying greater emphasis on awareness-raising and training measures serving to promote, transfer, and incorporate practices that have been successful in organisations and companies;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)

16b. Urges the Member States to recognise companies that are seeking to promote gender equality and facilitating work-life balance, the object being to help disseminate practices making for excellence in this field;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)

16c. Calls on the Commission to promote vocational training policies and programmes for women, including the development of computer literacy skills, with a view to increasing female participation in industrial sectors, taking into account the financial support available at local, national, and Community levels and providing greater incentives for it to be used by large companies and SMEs;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 d (new)

16d. Calls on the Commission to intensify the support given to vocational training programmes for women in industrial SMEs and support for research and innovation, in line with the Seventh Framework Programme and the European Charter for Small Enterprises, as approved in Annex III to the presidency conclusions of the Santa Maria da Feira European Council of 19 and 20 June 2000;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 e (new)

16e. Regrets the low level of female participation in management and labour organisations, and calls on the social partners to intensify gender equality training for negotiators and those responsible for collective agreements, and to strengthen women’s participation in their decision-making bodies;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 f (new)

16f. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage balanced representation of women and men on the management boards of companies, particularly where Member States are shareholders;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16g (new)

16g. Points to the need to encourage the establishment of women’s networks within companies, between companies in the same industrial sector, and between industrial sectors;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 h (new)

16h. Deplores the low proportion of women in the advanced technology sector, and points to the importance of operational education and training programmes in science and technology to guarantee the quality, and diversify the range, of training opportunities for women in the Member States and to encourage girls to opt for scientific and technological studies;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 i (new)

16i. Urges the Member States and the Commission to devise and implement strategies to address discrepancies both within the work environment and in terms of career development for women working in science and technology;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2275(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 j (new)

16j. Considers it important to disseminate existing good practice regarding women’s participation in industrial research and cutting-edge industries; points to the importance of making management in industrial companies with low female participation more aware of the gender perspective, which should translate into numerical targets;

2011/03/30
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Regrets that the Commission communication on European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 does not include an integrated gender perspective or a separate chapter on gender-specific disability policies, despite the fact that disabled women are often in a more disadvantaged position than disabled men and are more often victims of poverty and social exclusion;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 – indent 1

– social inclusion of 80 million ~~disabled people in the European Union and facilitat~~people with disabilities ing the ~~work of their carers, particularly wome~~European Union;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Stresses that disabled people are not a homogeneous group of the population and that the policies and actions planned on their behalf should take account of that lack of homogeneity and of the fact that some groups, such as disabled women, face additional difficulties and multiple forms of discrimination;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Notes that disabled children are often cared for by their mothers, who have to cope with medical, educational and administrative procedures, which has an adverse impact on their careers; calls on the Member States to mtake ~~working hours more flexible so that these women are no longer excluded from the job market~~due account of the problems faced by parents of disabled children, who are often forced to remain outside the labour market, and to promote policies to support and assist such parents;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls on the Member States to take vigorous measures against all forms of violence against the disabled, in particular women, elderly people and children, who are frequently victims of mental and physical violence as well as sexual violence; notes that almost 80% of disabled women are victims of violence and that the risk of sexual violence is higher for them than for other women; points out that violence is not only a frequent occurrence in the lives of disabled women but is also sometimes the very cause of their disability;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines the difficulties disabled women face in gaining access to employment, and adds that they should be encouraged to follow study courses and use new information and communication technologies, while enterprises should be urged to employ them using positive measures and with adequate funding.

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Member States to develop both independent and collective forms of accommodation, which are of good quality and affordable for all regardless of the individual’s own financial situation;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls on the Commission and Member States to implement policies to assist persons with disabilities, particularly women and children, to support their autonomy and full integration into society ; in this context call on the Commission to support programmes for exchange of best practice between Members States, and in particular to examine the role of personal assistants for persons with disabilities and the way they contribute to facilitate the every day life and the independence of persons with disabilities ;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the need to ensure that co- financing by NGOs working in this area of disability in projects that they submit for Community funding does not exceed 10%;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Considers that measures should be taken to support the right to personal assistance for people with functional diversity and guarantee that everyone who wishes to live independently is able to do so;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Stresses that women with disabilities have a right to share in and benefit from the rapid development of products and services derived from new technologies on equal terms, since this will enable them to participate in an inclusive information society without barriers;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 d (new)

7d. Considers it necessary to make provision for special support measures to cater for people with disabilities in lower income groups, in order to ensure that they have equal access to ICTs and avoid creating new forms of social exclusion;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 e (new)

7e. Stresses the need to establish and apply minimum incomes at EU Member State level based on the poverty threshold used by Eurostat, i.e. 60% of each country’s median income;

2011/05/05
Committee: FEMM

2010/2272(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Believes measures must be taken to implement the right to physical assistance of people with functional diversity and ensure an independent life for those who want it;

2011/04/28
Committee: EMPL

2010/2272(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23 a. Draws attention, in particular, to women with disabilities and stresses the need for measures and actions to fight double discrimination and promote full equality of rights and opportunities;

2011/04/28
Committee: EMPL

2010/2272(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24 a. Believes that educational systems must provide a full response to special educational needs, ensuring in all circumstances the inclusion of special needs pupils by means of public policies offering them specific learning support;

2011/04/28
Committee: EMPL

2010/2272(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)

24 b. Stresses that people with disabilities have the right to benefit, on a footing of equality, from the rapid development of products and services related to the new technologies, so that they can avail themselves of an inclusive and barrier- free information society;

2011/04/28
Committee: EMPL

2010/2272(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 c (new)

24 c. Advocates special support measures for the needs of people with disabilities on low incomes, with a view to ensuring that they have equal access to ITC and preventing the creation of new forms of social exclusion;

2011/04/28
Committee: EMPL

2010/2272(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 d (new)

24 d. Believes that more funding needs to be channelled to disabled people's organisations; insists that for such organisations the cofinancing rate should be no more than 10% of the value of the projects presented by them, in view of their known financial difficulties;

2011/04/28
Committee: EMPL

2010/2272(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30 a. Insists on the need to create and implement minimum income levels in the Member States, starting out from the poverty threshold used by Eurostat, i.e. 60% of average income in a given Member State;

2011/04/28
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Appreciates the holistic~~Strongly opposes the approach adopted by the Green Paper, which ~~is intended to impart fresh imp~~claims that there is 'an urgent need to review the pension promise in view of what the rest of the economy – and public budgetus ~~at national and EU level with the aim of safeguarding old-age pensions~~- can be expected to provide' and calls for the development of a European internal market in pension funds, which would amount to reopening the financial casino and creating new opportunities for speculation rather than restricting it, thereby putting the adequacy, safety and sustainability of pensions even more at risk;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Stresses that Member States fac~~Points out that investing pension contributions on volatile financial markets, as advocated in the Commission's earlier Financial Services Action Plan, did not lead to higher returns for current and future pen~~ormous challenges in ensuring that pensions meet citizens' expect~~sioners, but instead to heavy losses in 2008 (20% on average for pension funds) and severe underfunding of occupational pension schemes, creating problems for them in meeting their pension obligations;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Sorely misses any mention of SMEs, which are one of the main sources of e~~Points out that the European Union is now showing its real anti-social face: the EU and national governments are advocating and imployement in ~~the EU and can, must and wish to make a major contribution to the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems~~g a concerted austerity strategy which entails cutting pensions, raising statutory retirement ages, changing the basis for calculating pension entitlements from earnings in a person's best years to average earnings over a person's working career, increasing contribution periods, and the like;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Observes that ~~sound~~fair economic and social policies make an important contribution to growth ~~and st~~, stability and social sustainability;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Considers that long-term investment in pension systems requires a positive approach as part of economic governance and more particul~~Highlights the fact that government deficits are high and public debt is soaring mainly because governments are constantly 'rescuing' the financial sector from the results of its speculation and the damage it was inflicting on the economy; strongly opposes the EU governments' austerity policies which are placing the burden of repaying public debt to the same financial sector creditors on ordinarly ~~in the Stability and Growth Pact;~~ workers, pensioners, etc. whose jobs, wages, social benefits, pensions and rights are under attack;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Welcomes the mass mobilisations of trade unions and social movements which have occurred in a number of Member States in protest against these austerity policies in general and the new wave of neo-liberal pension 'reforms' in particular; strongly supports the prospect of EU-wide coordination of these resistance movements against the EU- wide concerted class war from above launched by the Commission, the Council and the governments of all the Member States except Cyprus;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Highlights the fact that, according to mainstream economists, maintaining average annual labour productivity growth of 1.3-1.7%, as in past decades, will make it possible to produce increasing added value with a decreasing workforce and provide a sound basis for a fair distribution of incomes between economically active and non-active persons (such as pensioners, children, pupils, students, etc.); emphasises that further productivity reserves could be mobilised by increasing energy and resource efficiency;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Points out that securing sufficient productivity growth on a path towards sustainable development, introducing the more egalitarian distribution of incomes and wealth, phasing out precarious employment, promoting 'Decent Work' and achieving full employment are the real key economic issues when it comes to safeguarding the financial sustainability of pension systems and ensuring the adequacy of future pensions;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Observes that the EU lacks a set of common criteria which ~~illuminate the various pension systems and that there is therefore a lack of transparent supervision applicable to all systems~~would help guarantee the existence of public and universal social security systems in the context of equitable reforms enabling people to live with dignity without falling below the poverty threshold (i.e. 60% of average income in each Member State);

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, particularly bearing in mind that, because of disparities in careers and low wages, women have smaller pensions on average and are more likely to be affected by poverty;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Stresses the importance of individualising pension entitlements in such a way as to guarantee the economic independence of men and women and ensure that pension levels guarantee a decent life;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with work-related systems (second pillar) ~~afford the best~~can help improve pension levels, but that it is in all circumstances the role of the general system (first pillar) to guarantee ~~of ad~~equatel pension ~~provision~~s;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses that the sustainability and ~~adequacy~~improvement of pension systems are ~~certainly also affect~~obviously conditioned by the ~~third~~first pillar, ~~namely individual savings, facilitated or otherwise~~as the financial crisis has shown;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Notes that national budgets are under severe pressure and that many Member States are reviewing the efficiency of expenditure; calls on Member States to consider introducing compensation so that all taxpayers who cannot achieve the level of ambition in the first and second pillars are entitled to a supplementary offset of pension contributions in the second pillar or of contributions to private pension schemes in the third pillar; ~~notes that this could also help Member States to establish a three-pillar structure;~~

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Considers that~~, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure~~ a general increase in the statutory retirement age and an extension of compulsory contribution periods are not necessary at all; highlights the fact that the pension~~s can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes that life expectancy is growing an~~ reforms of the past two decades one- sidedly froze or decreased the contributions to be paid by the employers and increased the overall contributions to be paid by employees; considers that - while maintaining the current level of employees' contributions - a return to parity financing of statutory pension schemes (at least 50% of contributions to be paid by the employer) would call~~s on~~ow most Member States to ~~consider linking the~~maintain or to return to a statutory retirement age ~~to life expectancy;~~ of 60 years;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements leading to a prolongation of working life, for example by rewarding people who work for lonConsiders that ways of organising work and working time arrangements must be adapted to demographic change; points out that improved stability of employment, social security and health and safety at the workplace, and also shorter collective working times, are necessary for the more effective integration of young and older workers alike, in order to keep them in gainful employment, motivated and healthy, until they reach the statutory retirement ager;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the emphasis on ability to work, to strike a lasting balance between the requirements of employment and the capacities of workers; considers there to be a need for an active policy to prevent discrimination on grounds of age;deleted

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Regrets that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to sustainable and adequate pension systems; in the context of defending public and universal social security systems that guarantee decent pensions for all;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Considers that, if the 2020 Strategy is successful, this will mean that more people are in work and that economic growth will benefit from this, thus enhancing the sustainability of pension systems;deleted

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Supports~~, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy,~~ a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of ~~older~~ workers, women, young people, members of minority groups and the long-term unemployed, creating jobs with rights for all;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. ~~Stresses the growing importance of labour-market mobility in the EU, as well~~ Points out that the 2003 directive concerning the institutions for occupational retirement provision (IORPs) forced Member States to abolish prudential rules governing occupational pension schemes (OPS) and to open up the provision of OPS to competition; emphasises that the directive allows IORPs to invest 70% of their portfolio or technical provisions in shares and corporate bonds, including in risk capital markets, and up to 30% in assets denominated in foreign currencies, but that apart from transparency and information requirements it does not even stipulate that at least the ~~need for such mobility~~accumulated contributions to the scheme should be guaranteed at retirement or that a minimum rate of return or a defined benefit should be set;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Emphasises that the liberalisation of prudential regulation brought about by that directive may have contributed to the losses and problems suffered by occupational pension schemes in the financial crisis; highlights the fact that the IORP Directive does not provide for proper protection of the contributions and future pensions of the members of occupational pension schemes and calls on the Commission to repeal it;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)

22b. Advocates a step-by-step reintegration of the assets of funded schemes into public pension schemes - as Argentina has done - in order to strengthen the redistributive character of pension systems; calls on the Member States to promote statutory pension systems which guarantee that old-age poverty can be prevented and, through their earnings-related component, ensure that living standards are maintained;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Calls on the Commission to investigate how employees’ right to participate in the second pillar can be facilitated and to make proposals for developing such a pillar where it does not yet exist;deleted

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Considers that the EU rules concerning the third pillar and its smooth cross-border functioning must be examined in the light of the proper functioning of the internal market and the creation of a level playing field;deleted

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

~~31. Stresses the importance of using a uniform methodology to calculate the part of the national debt which is due to pension-related obligations;~~deleted

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with regard to old-age pensions; ~~calls on the Commission and Member States to launch campaigns to enable and encourage members of the public to take measures to ensure adequate pension provision for themselves;~~

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Considers that the information provided to individual members of the public in Member States and by funds concerning the accumulated entitlements commonly recorded in a national pensions register should be linked at European level;deleted

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2239(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Considers that, when pension provision is reformed, or when there is a changeover from a promised pension to a promised pension arrangement, ~~or from a final salary to a mean salary system,~~ the public must be promptly and fully informed of the consequences;

2011/01/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/2234(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the Member States to develop national programmes for vocational education and training (VET) that promote gender mainstreaming as a priority for future actions and measures in this field; underlines the importance of teaching practices designed to encourage equality between men and women and combat preconceived stereotypes;

2011/01/18
Committee: FEMM

2010/2234(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to encourage the establishment of effective partnerships between stakeholders in education, social partners and civil-society organisations in order to address the gender dimension in terms of education and training; underlines the importance of creating and training equality counsellors and calls for their intervention in both the public and private sectors;

2011/01/18
Committee: FEMM

2010/2234(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Calls on the Member States, as envisaged for the Europe 2020 objectives, to improve links between vocational training and labour market needs and to create new opportunities for training, including in scientific, mathematical and technological fields, in order to increase women's employability in non-traditional jobs and in the low-carbon sectors of the economy, creating permanent jobs with decent wages;

2011/01/18
Committee: FEMM

2010/2234(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Member States to develop high-quality, wide-ranging, flexible and affordable access for women to vocational education and training, together with specific guidance and career counselling which are relevant for women from diverse backgrounds and address their multi- dimensional training needs, with a view to effectively integrating them into good- quality jobs with decent wages;

2011/01/18
Committee: FEMM

2010/2234(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls on the Member States to develop incentives for employers to facilitate the provision of cost-effective and flexible training in micro and small enterprises, adapted to the needs of women ~~and including for home-based workers~~; urges the Commission and all the Member States to make determined efforts to combat wage inequalities between men and women, with a view to eliminating the current 18% gender-based wage differential by 2020.

2011/01/18
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1

– having regard to the provisions of the UN legal instruments in the sphere of human rights, in particular those concerning women's rights, such as the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol, and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the principle of non-refoulement,

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7

– having regard to the UN General Assembly resolution of 19 December 2006 entitled ‘Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women’ (A/RES/61/143), and the UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 on women, peace and security,

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)

Da. whereas violence against women encompasses a wide range of human rights violations, including, but not limited to: sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment, prostitution, trafficking of women and girls, violation of women’s sexual and reproductive rights, violence against women at work, violence against women in conflict, violence against women in prison or care institutions, and several harmful traditional practices. Any one of these abuses can leave deep psychological scars, damage the health of women and girls in general, including their reproductive and sexual health, and in some instances, results in death,

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – indent 1 a (new)

- measures to address the six P framework on violence against women (policy, prevention, protection, prosecution, provision, and partnership),

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Acknowledges the risk of re- victimisation asylum-seeking women and girls may face, and calls upon the Member States to take all necessary legislative and other measures to ensure gender-sensitive asylum procedures and reception conditions;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Highlights the need to include violence against women and gender- related persecution in the asylum systems of the EU member states;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Emphasises that research into the area of violence against children, youth and women and on a more general level on gender and sexual violence should be included as a multidisciplinary research area into the future Eight Framework Programme for research and technological development with minimum resources of 20 million euros / year – launched at the year of violence against women 2013;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Ernst STRASSER, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Encourages the Member States to pay extra attention in terms of how domestic violence impacts children specifically as the rates of battering and sexual abuse on children are greater in homes where the female is beaten or emotionally abused and to devote appropriate resources in order to help children who are experiencing domestic violence;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Asks that Member States acknowledge the serious problem of surrogacy which constitutes an exploitation of the female body and her reproductive organs;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Emphasises that both women and children are subject to the same forms of exploitation, and both can be seen as commodities on the international reproductive market and these new reproductive arrangements, such as surrogacy, are increasing the trafficking of women and children and illegal adoption across national boarders;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2209(INI)

Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Cornelia ERNST, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Stresses the responsibility of the European Union and the Member States in further implementing UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 on women, peace and security, in particular through EU humanitarian and development aid;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2206(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Urges the Member States to promote regional planning which will help to prevent the emergence of speculative tourism undertakings which have a highly detrimental effect on the conservation of nature and of the cultural and historical heritage and which neither form part of nor involve local communities;

2011/02/04
Committee: ITRE

2010/2206(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Believes that better coordination of R&D in the field of tourism will result in benefits for the sustainability of the tourism sector; stresses that tourism should be seen as a factor of economic, social and environmental development that can contribute to territorial cohesion;

2011/02/04
Committee: ITRE

2010/2206(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Stresses that sustainably developed tourism-related activities must offer local economies (especially in disadvantaged regions) a long-term source of revenue, must help to promote stable employment with entitlements and must support other economic activities (both upstream and downstream), yet at the same time it must safeguard and enhance the cultural, historical, landscape and environmental heritage;

2011/02/04
Committee: ITRE

2010/2206(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Takes the view that the tourism sector should contribute to the development of the related regional industry, generating economic development and employment at regional level, and stresses the need for a horizontal approach to the sector in terms of Community policies and funds, for example via the creation of a specific Community programme, complementing the Member States' actions, to promote the sector and encourage synergies between the various social and economic players involved;

2011/02/04
Committee: ITRE

2010/2206(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Is aware that the main challenges to sustainable tourism include reducing the seasonal nature of demand, increasing the prosperity of local communities and improving their quality of life, minimising the impact caused by the use of resources and the production of waste, conserving and promoting the natural and cultural heritage;

2011/02/04
Committee: ITRE

2010/2206(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses that the role of enterprises, including SMEs, should be widely recognised when developing tourism policy in Europe; believes that the legislative framework should therefore be more business-friendly, take into account specific needs of enterprises in tourism industry ~~such as flexible working time arrangements~~;

2011/02/04
Committee: ITRE

2010/2206(INI)

Gabriele ZIMMER, Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Cornelia ERNST, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls for occupations linked to the tourism sector to be covered by laws which safeguard workers' rights and which promote worthwhile jobs and the acquisition of skills by workers in the sector - to be achieved by (inter alia) suitable vocational training, better working conditions, the promotion of stable employment contracts and fair, decent wage levels;

2011/02/04
Committee: ITRE

2010/2162(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)

H a. whereas diseases of poverty, such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, negatively affect women and maternal health in particular,

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2162(INI)

Gabriele ZIMMER, Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Cornelia ERNST, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a Points out that diseases of poverty, such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria prevent women from working both through the direct effects of these diseases on women and also through the added burden on women as traditionally having primary responsibility for caring for other affected family members; calls on the Commission to increase their efforts to eliminate these diseases and particularly via the development of efficient preventative measures;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2162(INI)

Gabriele ZIMMER, Eva-Britt SVENSSON, Verónica LOPE FONTAGNÉ, Iliana IOTOVA, Marije CORNELISSEN, Cornelia ERNST, Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Kartika Tamara LIOTARD

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a Underlines that adequately increased financing for and effective usage of the European Social Fund (ESF) should be ensured in order to provide adequate resources for measures to improve education and training with a view to improving labour market access and combating unemployment and measures and activities under the Social Inclusion Strategy and the ‘Europe 2020’ flagship initiative on combating poverty and social exclusion in favour of disadvantaged and vulnerable persons, especially women, including those confronted with precarious and insecure contracts; stresses that ESF regulations should be revised and changed to reach those who need it most, that visibility and transparency should be enhanced, that the monitoring of the social effects of the fund usage should be carried out thoroughly, and that further emphasis should be placed on the long-term sustainability of the projects; therefore calls for targeted funds to be earmarked, within the new budgetary framework, for job creation and social inclusion; urges the Member States to undertake more information campaigns on opportunities for participation in EU funded projects; stresses that single parents are often alone in educating their children and demands that the Barcelona targets for childcare provision should be fully implemented;

2010/12/16
Committee: FEMM

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Stresses that cohesion policy is a fundamental instrument with which to promote economic and social cohesion, with the aim of undertaking measures to reduce regional inequalities, promote real convergence and stimulate growth and employment, also serving to redistribute and offset the costs of the single market and EMU for the less developed regions and helping to attain the 20-20-20 goal by 2020 and establish a coherent strategy for a European economy with, in the long and medium term, maximum energy efficiency and low CO2 emissions; is aware that investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects is not moving ahead as expected;

2010/11/12
Committee: ITRE

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Believes that subordinating cohesion policy to the priorities of the 'EU 2020 strategy' could have adverse effects on economic and social cohesion by overemphasising competitiveness, deregulation, adaptability and the business mentality to the detriment of cohesion, convergence and the necessary social sustainability;

2010/11/12
Committee: ITRE

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Considers that, in order to avoid business relocation within the EU, public aid granted under the Structural Funds must be conditional on the conclusion of long-term contracts with undertakings covering location, duration and permanent employment;

2010/11/12
Committee: ITRE

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Takes the view that cohesion policy must not be seen as merely an instrument for achieving the objectives of other sectoral policies, since it is a Community policy offering substantial value added which has its own raison d'être: economic and social cohesion;

2010/11/12
Committee: ITRE

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Calls on the Commission to carry out an in-depth analysis of the impact that the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact, the euro and the liberalisation of internal and international markets are having on cohesion and convergence policy, particularly as regards micro-enterprises and SMEs in each of the Member States;

2010/11/12
Committee: ITRE

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. In the light of the review of cohesion policy and the EU financial perspective, asks the Commission to ensure that energy saving is ~~automatically included~~taken into account as a condition when granting structural and cohesion funds, provided that specific support is available for the investments necessary in order to save energy, and to earmark an increased proportion of funds to energy efficiency and decentralised renewable energy projects;

2010/11/12
Committee: ITRE

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Recognises that many social and economic benefits are to be gained from the effective use of resources, particularly the creation of jobs which are not vulnerable to relocation, in both rural and urban areas, notably in the case of SMEs; is concerned that in some regions EU aid, particularly to micro-enterprises and SMEs, has not been high enough to offset the adverse effects of the single market, EMU and the liberalisation of world trade;

2010/11/12
Committee: ITRE

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Regrets that, at a time when the economic and financial crisis is heightening social inequalities, the allocation of Structural Funds to the Member States is in decline;

2010/11/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Notes that the ESF was created with the aim of reducing differences in living conditions among the Member States and regions of the EU, in order to promote economic and social cohesion, and urges the Commission to put forward an initiative aimed at revising the criteria for co-financing by the Member States, making it easier to use for those countries that are facing the greatest financial weaknesses;

2010/11/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Calls on the Commission to boost the effectiveness of the ESF in guaranteeing opportunities for European citizens to make themselves employable and adaptable and in generating the conditions for sustainable growth and economic and social cohesion;

2010/11/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Bearing in mind that the ESF is a basic tool against poverty, social exclusion, gender inequalities, social discrimination (against people with disabilities, migrants, older people, etc.) and unemployment, calls on the Commission to strengthen the ESF’s potential, financial autonomy and flexibility and to simplify procedures, follow-up and controls, taking account of social sustainability;

2010/11/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Takes the view that cohesion policy must not be seen as merely an instrument for achieving the objectives of other sectoral policies, since it is a Community policy offering substantial value added which has its own raison d'être: economic and social cohesion;

2010/11/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/2139(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Calls on the Commission to carry out an in-depth analysis of the impact that the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact, the euro and the liberalisation of internal and international markets are having on cohesion and convergence policy, particularly as regards micro-enterprises and SMEs in each of the Member States;

2010/11/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4a (new)

4a. Regrets the absence of binding measures to combat the persisting pay gap between men and women; stresses the need for urgent action to improve the situation of women employed in insecure conditions, especially migrant women and members of ethnic minorities, who are even more vulnerable at a time of economic and social crisis; insists on the need for further action to reduce gender inequalities in public health systems and that equal access to those systems must prevail;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4e (new)

4e. Reminds the Commission and the Member States of the need to adopt positive measures for both women and men, notably in order to facilitate returning to work after a period devoted to the family (bringing up children and/or caring for a sick or disabled relative), promoting policies for (re)integration in the labour market and, therefore, recovery of financial independence;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Considers that women as a population group are vulnerable to poverty, thanks to unemployment, failure to share family responsibilities, insecure and ill-paid employment, wage discrimination and lower pensions;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Believes that women form a large part of the population at risk of poverty, due to unemployment, sole responsibility for family care, precarious and low-paid work, wage discrimination and lower pensions;

2010/12/17
Committee: FEMM

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6g (new)

6g. Believes that women are at greater risk than men of falling into extreme poverty;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6h (new)

6h. Believes that priority must be given to the eradication of poverty by reviewing the macroeconomic, monetary, social and employment policies that underlie it with a view to ensuring economic and social fairness for women; considers it necessary to re-examine the methods used to calculate the poverty rate and develop strategies to promote equitable income distribution, guarantee a minimum income and decent wage and pension levels, create more quality jobs with rights for women, ensure access to quality public services for women and girls, improve social protection and the associated neighbourhood services, especially crèches, nurseries, kindergartens, day centres, and community centres offering leisure facilities and support services for families;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6j (new)

6j. Insists on the need for urgent action to fight wage discrimination, by measures such as revising the existing directive, drawing up phased sectoral plans with specific objectives, which could include reducing the pay gap to 0.5% by 2020, the aim being to put an end to direct and indirect discrimination, or encouraging collective bargaining, training of equality counsellors, action on the issue of gender inequality in unpaid work, and the introduction of equality plans in companies and other workplaces; believes that transparency in wage determination should become the rule, so as to strengthen the bargaining position of women workers;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6l (new)

6l. Stresses the role of collective negotiation and bargaining in combating discrimination against women, especially regarding access to employment, pay, conditions of work, career development and training;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6m (new)

6m. Calls on public and private employers to incorporate equality plans into their internal procedures, backing them up with clear objectives (short-term, medium- term and long-term), and to undertake annual assessments of real compliance with those objectives;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6n (new)

6n. Regrets the low representation of women at decision-making level, both in the business world and in the democratic processes; insists on the need for more ambitious measures to promote women's membership of company boards and in the administrations of public bodies at local, regional, national and European level;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6o (new)

6o. Calls for enhanced action, including awareness-raising and workplace inspection, with a view to ensuring better working conditions for women, in terms of working hours, observance of maternity and paternity entitlements, longer maternity leave on full pay, introduction of paid parental and paternity leave, introduction of family leave for the purpose of caring for dependent relatives, and action to fight gender stereotypes concerning the division of labour and care and counter the undermining of the above rights;

2010/12/13
Committee: EMPL

2010/2138(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Believes that one priority should be the fight to eradicate poverty, by revising the macroeconomic, monetary, social and labour policies that are at its root, in order to ensure economic and social justice for women; believes that the methods used to determine poverty rates should be re- examined and that strategies should be developed to promote a fair distribution of income, guarantee minimum income, pay and decent pensions, create more high- quality jobs with rights for women, ensure access to high-quality public services for all women and young girls, and improve social welfare and respective local services, particularly crèches, nurseries, day centres, community and leisure centres, and family support services;

2010/12/17
Committee: FEMM

2010/2138(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Stresses the importance of negotiation and collective bargaining to combat discrimination against women, particularly in access to employment, pay, working conditions, career progression and vocational training;

2010/12/17
Committee: FEMM

2010/2138(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Calls on public and private establishments to introduce equality plans in their internal rules and regulations, together with strict short-, medium- and long-term objectives, and to evaluate annually the achievement of these objectives;

2010/12/17
Committee: FEMM

2010/2138(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Calls for more action, awareness- raising and inspection of workplaces to ensure better working conditions for women, by drawing attention to working hours, compliance with maternity and paternity rights, and reconciliation of work and family life, and by calling for the extension of maternity leave with full pay, the creation of paid family leave to be used mainly to care for dependent family members, measures to combat gender stereotypes in the division of labour and provision of care, and action to combat attempts to threaten these rights;

2010/12/17
Committee: FEMM

2010/2095(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Welcom~~Notes the fact that, with the EU 2020 Strategy, the Commission is finally acknowledging the importance of an active industrial policy for sustainable growth and employment in Europe; urges the Commission to implement suitable measures and forms of support for the Member States that will enable an active industrial policy for sustainable growth and the development of national production, as a vital stimulus from the viewpoint of decent jobs, fair wages and economic and social cohesion in Europe;

2010/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2010/2095(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Calls on the Commission to develop, together with the European Parliament and the Council, a qualitative and, where possible, quantitative vision for European industry in 2020, which looks towards sustainable development in the long term and lays down guidelines, for example for energy and resource efficiency, with a view to ensuring that European industry becomes more stable and competitive and jobs are created as a result; urges the Commission to take account, in all Community policies, especially commercial and monetary policy, of those guidelines for the protection of European industry, and to implement measures and forms of support for the Member States which will ensure sustainable industrial development;

2010/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2010/2095(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Emphasises that the new, integrated approach calls for extremely effective collaboration within the Commission, and calls on the Commission to set up a permanent industrial policy task force to this end; which will take due account of the diversity of industrial production in the Member States and the nature of the contribution made, with a view to the development of national, regional and local production;

2010/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2010/2095(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Is convinced that industry needs an energy policy focused on the long term which guarantees appropriate energy prices and security of supply, allows manufacturing to take place without the release of gases damaging to the climate, and prevents carbon leakage; points out that the internal energy market is an asset when it comes to switching to low-carbon production and supply, and that the network infrastructure must therefore be renewed and extended, and smart grids promoted; considers that a continued public-sector presence in the sphere of energy is essential for the development of industry and decent employment in the Member States, and that national energy strategies that prioritise industrial production in each Member State constitute an asset when it comes to switching to low-carbon production and supply;

2010/11/16
Committee: ITRE

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Calls on the EU and the Member States to include the health status of women as gender mainstreaming in their health policies ~~and programmes~~, their programmes and research from their development and design to impact assessment and budgeting;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Calls on the EU and Member States to give attention to women with disabilities and elderly women to guarantee the right to access to health services and quality care, regardless of their economic situation;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Urges that EU and Member States introduce and use gender budgeting in public health policies at all levels;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Urges the EU and the Member States to make mandatory the collection of comparable sex-disaggregated , analyse and make effective use of data in order regularly to assess existing health policies and programmes specifically targeted at women;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Considers that the EU and the Members States must take measures to ensure that access to healthcare should be open to women regardless of their financial, social, linguistic, geographical or cultural and legal status (for example women migrants or refugees);

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 – point a (new)

(a) Calls on the EU and the Member States to recognise male violence against women as a public health issue, whatever form it takes

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Considers that the EU and the Member States must ~~take account of women's~~ensure women's sexual and reproductive health and maternal mortality in their policies and provide the opportunity of safe abortion within and beyond the European Union.

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Calls on the EU and the Member States to recognize male violence against women as a public health issue, whatever from it takes;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 b (new)

9b. Calls on the EU and the Member States the necessary measures in order to eliminate discrimination against women in relation to access to Artificial Reproductive Technologies based on marital Status, age and sexual orientation;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 c (new)

9c. Urges that EU and the Member States to ensure a Strager focus on women's human rights notably in preventing, banning and prosecuting forced sterilisation women with disabilities or Roma and as well genital mutilation;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2089(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 d (new)

9d. Considers that the EU and the Member States must support civil society and women's organisations that promote women's right, including women's sexual and reproductive rights, and work to ensure that women have a voice in European and national health policy issues;

2010/11/11
Committee: FEMM

2010/2072(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls for funds to be allocated to the EGF budget line at least from the next financial framework so as to simplify their use, to reduce application processing time in order to provide more effective assistance for workers made redundant, and to standardise procedures; stresses the need to reduce the national share of co- financing in view of the difficulties faced by various Member States, increasing the Community financing for the EGF to 90% of the cost of measures to be supported;

2010/06/09
Committee: EMPL

2010/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Recital A

A. whereas the development of the internal services market must ~~develop fully whilst pres~~not be such as to undervminge the European social model, especially with regard to decent and secure employment and universal welfare,

2010/09/24
Committee: EMPL

2010/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Hopes that the Services Directive will ~~genuinely have~~be implemented only when it has a positive impact by creating decent and secure jobs and improving the quality and safety of services provided;

2010/09/24
Committee: EMPL

2010/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Recalls that the directive excludes a number of fields from its scope of application, including non-economic services of general interest, healthcare services and most social services; adds that the directive does not apply to labour law and does not affect Member States' social security legislation either, while also respecting Member States' proposals for exemptions;

2010/09/24
Committee: EMPL

2010/2053(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Invites the Employment Committee referred to in Article 150 TFEU to issue regular reports on the effects of the directive's implementation on employment, from both a quantitative and a qualitative point of view, and insists on the need for a study of the economic and social impact of implementing the directive.

2010/09/24
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) adopted in 1979,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 2

– having regard to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, reconfirmed during the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, in particular Articles 3, 16, 18, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 29,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5

– having regard to International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions Nos 26 and 131 on minimum wage fixing and No 29 and 105 on the abolishment of forced labour,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)

- having regard to the ILO report "A global alliance against forced labour. Global report under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Report of the Director-General, 2005",

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)

– having regard to Articles 34, 35 and 36 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which specifically define the right to social and housing assistance, a high level of human health protection and access to services of general economic interest1, 1 (OJ C 303, 14.12.2007, p. 1.)

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 c (new)

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the opinion of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A6-0364/2008),

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)

Fa. whereas the risk of falling into extreme poverty is greater for women than for men; whereas the persistent trend towards feminisation of poverty in European societies today demonstrates that the current framework of social protection systems and the wide range of social, economic and employment policies in the Union are not designed to meet women's needs or to address the differences in women's work; whereas poverty among women and their social exclusion in Europe requires specific, multiple and gender-specific policy responses,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)

Fb. whereas the risk of falling into extreme poverty is greater for women than for men, particularly in old age, because social security systems are often based on the principle of continuous remunerated employment; whereas an individualised right to a poverty preventing minimum income should not be conditional on employment related contributions,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas account should be taken of the multidimensional nature of poverty and social exclusion, the existence of particularly vulnerable population groups (children, women and elderly people), which also include people with disabilities, immigrants, large or single-parent families, the chronically ill and the homeless, as well as the need to incorporate action to prevent and combat poverty and exclusion in other policies, with a guarantee of universal access to public ~~services, high- quality jobs with rights and an~~infrastructure and services of general interest, high- quality jobs with rights and a poverty preventing guaranteed minimum income ~~allow~~enabling people to ~~live with~~social, cultural and political participation and a life in dignity,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital M

M. whereas the role of social protection systems is to ensure the level of social cohesion needed for development guaranteeing social inclusion, which ~~also~~ implies a poverty preventing individually guaranteed minimum income, improving the level of education training of those people excluded from the labour market and guaranteeing equal opportunities in the exercise of fundamental rights,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital N a (new)

Na. having regard to the gravity of the economic and social crisis and its impact in terms of growing poverty and exclusion and rising unemployment (from 6.7% at the beginning of 2008 to 9.5% at the end of 2009), with one-third of the jobless being affected by long-term unemployment, a situation that is worse in the more economically vulnerable Member States,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital N b (new)

Nb. whereas certain Member States are under pressure from the Council and Commission and from international bodies such as the IMF to undertake the short-term reduction of their budget deficits, which have been worsened by the crisis, and to make cuts in spending, including social expenditure, thus undermining the welfare state and exacerbating poverty,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital N c (new)

Nc. having regard to increasing social inequality in certain Member States, the result above all of economic inequality in terms of income and wealth distribution, labour market inequalities, social insecurity, and unequal access to the social functions of the state such as welfare, health, education, the legal system, etc;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital N d (new)

Nd. having regard to the application of the EU's policy for social inclusion, and in particular the objectives and European programme adopted under the Lisbon strategy at the beginning of the 2000 decade, with the implementation of the Open Method of Coordination and the common objectives to be achieved under the National Action Plans,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Recital N e (new)

Ne. whereas most of the Member States now have large numbers of homeless, thanks to diverse factors, and this calls for specific measures for those people's social integration,

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1

1. Highlights the need for concrete measures to e~~ffectively and significantly reduc~~radicate poverty and social exclusion, ensuring a fair redistribution of income and wealth ~~and also~~, thereby giving meaning and content to the European Year for Combating Poverty and to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, including guaranteeing ~~an adequate~~poverty preventing and socially including minimum income schemes throughout the European Union;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Insists on the need to revise the austerity policies being imposed in some Member States to fight the crisis, and stresses the importance of effective action for solidarity, including reinforcement, mobility, anticipation of transfer and reduction of cofinancing in respect of budgetary funding for creating decent jobs, supporting productive sectors and fighting poverty and social exclusion, rather than creating new forms of dependence or increasing the debt still further;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Stresses the need for an evaluation of social inclusion policy, the application of the Open Method of Coordination, fulfilment of the joint objectives and the National Action Plans in the context of the development of poverty, with a view to more committed action at European and national level and fighting poverty by means of policies that are more inclusive and coherent and better articulated, aimed at eradicating absolute poverty and child poverty by 2015, as well as substantially reducing relative poverty;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Calls for the promotion of social integration and inclusion, in order to guarantee protection of fundamental human rights, and clear commitments to draw up EU and national policies to combat poverty and social exclusion, by ensuring universal access to public health services, education, vocational education and training, housing and energy provision, and social protection, in addition to employment with rights, ~~fair~~and wages, ~~decent~~ pensions and ~~an adequate income for everyone~~minimum income schemes for everyone that guarantees freedom from poverty and ensures social, cultural and political inclusion;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that the European Commission, in its "‘Europe 2020"’ strategy document, announces that removing the risk of poverty for 20 million people is one of the EU'’s five headline targets; ~~believe~~reminds that this target ~~should be at least doubled and made more credible with appropriate~~falls behind the initial ambitions of the Lisbon Strategy (overcome poverty), believes that poverty and social exclusion must be eradicated by credible, concrete and binding measures;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Believes that priority should be given to fighting social inequality, especially in the context of economic inequality in terms of income and wealth distribution, labour market inequalities, social insecurity, and unequal access to the social functions of the state such as welfare, health, education, the legal system, etc;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on the Council and the EU Member States to base the "Europe 2020" headline target to tackle poverty on the relative poverty indicator (60% of the median income threshold), as endorsed by the Laeken European Council in December 2001, because this indicator sets the reality of poverty within the context of each member state, as it reflects an understanding of poverty as a relative condition;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Believes that the various experiments with minimum incomes, accompanied by additional social integration measures, show that this is a further essential way of combating poverty and social exclusion; therefore calls on the European Commission to prepare an initiative supporting these experiments, taking into account best practices and ensuring ~~an adequate~~individually guaranteed poverty preventing minimum income schemes throughout the European Union as a means to ~~prevent~~eradicate poverty and guarantee social justice and equal opportunities for all~~, without calling into question the specific situations in each Member State~~;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Believes that particular attention and additional measures are needed for the homeless on the part of both the Member States and the Commission, with a view to their full integration into society by 2015; this will require collecting comparable data and reliable statistics at Community level, as well as their annual publication, together with an account of the progress achieved and the objectives defined in the respective national and Community strategies for fighting poverty and social exclusion;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Believes that the Commission initiative on a guaranteed minimum income should take account of Recommendation 92/441/EEC, which recognises 'the fundamental right of the individual to sufficient resources in respect of human dignity', while insisting that the central objective of income support schemes should be that of taking people out of poverty and allowing them to live a decent life, decent invalidity and retirement pensions being included; with this in view, recommends that the Commission consider establishing a common method for calculating a minimum survival income and a cost-of- living minimum (a 'shopping-basket' of goods and services), with a view to ensuring the availability of comparative measurements of poverty levels and establishing means of social intervention;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the urgent need to define and use appropriate economic and social indicators in various areas (health, housing, energy provision, social and cultural inclusion, mobility, education, income and employment), which will allow the progress made in combating poverty and promoting social inclusion to be monitored and measured; states that these indicators should be presented annually on International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (17 October), should evolve as necessary and should include gender, age ranges, households, disability situations, immigration, chronic illness and various income levels (60% of median income; 50% of median income; 40% of median income) in order to take account of relative poverty, extreme poverty and the most vulnerable groups;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Gabriele ZIMMER, Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Insists on the need for specific additional provisions for less-favoured groups (those with disabilities or chronic illnesses, single-parent families and families with large numbers of children) who incur additional costs, in particular related to personal assistance, use of specific facilities, medical care and social support;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls on the Commission and the EU Member States to examine how different models of unconditional and poverty precluding basic incomes for all could contribute to social, cultural and political inclusion, taking especially into account their non-stigmatising character and their ability to prevent cases of concealed poverty;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Recalls that the risk of falling into extreme poverty is greater for women than for men, given the shortcomings of the welfare systems and continuing discrimination, especially on the labour market; these factors necessitate a whole range of specific policies, which should be both gender-oriented and attentive to circumstances;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 c (new)

6c. Believes that poverty affecting people in employment implies inequitable working conditions, and calls for efforts to change this state of affairs so that pay levels in general and minimum wage levels in particular, whether laid down in law or agreed via collective bargaining, can ensure a decent standard of living:

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. ~~Urges those people in a state of~~Calls for an integration of people experiencing poverty and their representative organisations ~~to participate~~and networks in the preparation ~~and~~, application and monitoring of policies, measures and indicators at European, national, regional and local levels;

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Deeply regrets that some Member States appear not to have regard to Council Recommendation 92/441/EEC, which recognises the 'basic right of a person to sufficient resources and social assistance to live in a manner compatible with human dignity';

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Stresses that minimum income schemes must cover fuel costs to allow poor households affected by energy poverty to pay their energy bills; minimum income schemes must be calculated on the basis of realistic assessments of how much it costs to heat a home related to the specific household needs – e.g. family with children, older people and disabled persons.

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2039(INI)

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Points out that most Member States in EU-27 have national minimum income schemes, but several do not; encourages the Member States to provide for poverty preventing guaranteed minimum income schemes for social inclusion, and urges them to exchange best practice; recognises that, where there is provision of social assistance, Member States have a duty to ensure that citizens understand and are able to obtain their entitlements.

2010/05/19
Committee: EMPL

2010/2016(INI)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Advocates that every IA include a consideration of policy alternatives and ~~urges the Commission to set up a mechanism to ensure greater inter- institutional cooperation; Advocates that every IA include a consideration of policy alternatives~~their comparative impact in the social and environment fields, including on workers’ rights and gender equality, and urges the Commission to set up a mechanism to ensure greater inter- institutional cooperation;

2010/10/06
Committee: ITRE

2010/2001(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Maintains that budget allocations for social action need to be increased across the board; considers that the European Social Fund in particular needs to double in volume in order to cope with the social consequences of the crisis, especially unemployment and poverty;

2010/06/29
Committee: EMPL

2010/2001(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Deplores the cuts under the budget headings related to the PROGRESS programme; maintains that in this instance substantial expansion is required, given that, because of the crisis, greater attention and support have to be focused on the social sectors encompassed within the PROGRESS programme;

2010/06/29
Committee: EMPL

2010/2001(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Points to the need to continue the studies and actions concerning the living conditions of posted workers, bearing in mind the current upward migration trend;

2010/06/29
Committee: EMPL

2010/2001(BUD)

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Proposes the continuation of the pilot project to encourage a change from insecure jobs to work with rights, this being a key issue where workers’ rights are concerned;

2010/06/29
Committee: EMPL

2010/0281(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
–

The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.

2011/02/14
Committee: EMPL

2010/0280(COD)

Proposal for a regulation – amending act
–

The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.

2011/02/11
Committee: EMPL

2010/0279(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
–

The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.

2011/02/11
Committee: EMPL

2010/0278(COD)

Proposal for a regulation
–

The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.

2011/02/11
Committee: EMPL

2010/0277(NLE)

Proposal for a directive
–

The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.

2011/02/11
Committee: EMPL

2010/0276(CNS)

Marisa MATIAS, Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Proposal for a regulation – amending act
–

The European Parliament rejects the Commission proposal.

2011/02/10
Committee: EMPL

2010/0242(COD)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 5

(5) The growing proportion of older people in Europe makes it more important than ever to promote healthy ageing. Healthy ageing can help raise labour market participation of older people, enable them to be active in society for longer, improve their individual quality of life and curb the strains on health and social care systems. Older people with chronic conditions who are otherwise well should be treated without prejudice or discrimination.

2011/02/15
Committee: EMPL

2010/0242(COD)

Marisa MATIAS, Ilda FIGUEIREDO

Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – introductory part

The overall purpose of the European Year shall be to encourage and support the efforts of Member States, their regional and local authorities, social partners and civil society to promote active ageing and to do more to mobilise the potential of the rapidly growing population in their late 50s and above, thereby preserving solidarity between generations. Active ageing means creating better opportunities and working conditions to enable older workers to play their part in the labour market, combating social exclusion by fostering active participation in society, and encouraging healthy ageing. Older people with chronic conditions who are well shall be included without discrimination or prejudice. On this basis, the objectives shall be:

2011/02/15
Committee: EMPL

2010/0210(COD)

Proposal for a directive
Recital 6 a (new)

(6a) Member States should ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1990.

2010/12/17
Committee: FEMM

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 4

(4) The Lisbon Strategy, launched in 2000, was based on an acknowledgement of the EU's need to ~~increase~~maintain its productivity and competitiveness, while enhancing social cohesion, in the face of ~~global competition~~economic difficulties and changes, technological change and an ageing population. The Lisbon Strategy was re- launched in 2005, after a mid-term review which led to greater focus on growth, more and better jobs. The Lisbon Strategy failed ultimately to achieve its targets. With its focus on 'competitiveness', cost-cutting, dismantling of the welfare state, ever more flexible labour markets, liberalisation of markets in general and deregulation of financial markets, in particular, it aggravated inequality in the distribution of income and wealth, the growth of poverty, social exclusion, low- paid work and precarious employment conditions. It is now time for an alternative strategy of the European Union for sustainable development, social justice and full employment.

2010/06/04
Committee: FEMM

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 7

(7) The Commission proposed to set up a new strategy for the next decade, the Europe 2020 Strategy~~, to enable the EU to emerge stronger from the crisis, and to turn its economy towards smart, sustainable and inclusive growth~~. In this context the Commission must recognise that changes to existing macroeconomic policies are necessary (i.e. the stability pact should be discontinued, privatisation and liberalisation processes stopped etc), in order to give priority to the creation of quality work with rights for women, better wages, reducing poverty levels and increasing social inclusion and progress. Five headline targets, listed under the relevant guidelines, constitute shared objectives guiding the action of the Member States and of the Union. Member States should ~~make every effort to~~ meet the national targets and to remove the ~~bottleneck~~obstacles that constrain ~~growth.~~ the creation of more quality jobs.

2010/06/04
Committee: FEMM

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 8

(8) As part of comprehensive ‘exit strategies’ for the economic crisis, Member States should carry out ambitious reforms to ensure improved macroeconomic ~~stability and the sustainability of public finance, improv~~performance targeting socially and environmentally sustainable development. With this in mind, the cCom~~petitiveness, reduce macroeconomic imbalances and enhance labour market performance. The withdrawal of the fiscal stimulus should be i~~mission should change the current macroeconomic frameworks, to ensure public and private investment and increased production, to give priority to more jobs and better working conditions, in particular for women, social progress for all, and ensure that economic, empleoymented, and ~~coordinated within the framework of the Stability and Growth Pact~~social reforms contribute to increase the quality of life for people and giving young people a better future.

2010/06/04
Committee: FEMM

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Annex - Guideline 7 a (new)

Guideline 7a: Gender equality Member States should, through specific gender equality targets, gender mainstreaming and specific policy actions, increase female employment that fully respects workers’ rights and eliminate the gender pay-gap, discrimination and gender gaps in employment and unemployment rates; Member States should aim to achieve a 75% employment rate for women and men (based on full-time equivalents) by 2020, through, inter alia, - more public and private investment, more quality public services and support for families and individuals - ensuring accessible, affordable, flexible and high-quality services, in particular, access to child care facilities by aiming to ensure conditions for 50% of necessary care for 0-3 year-old children and 100% of care for 3-6 year-old children, and improved access to care for other dependants, in particular older persons; - addressing precarious working conditions since the majority affected by those are women; - more and better use of the skills of minority women migrant women; - recognition of the rights of assisting spouses and life partners, who in the majority of cases are women, who provide help in handicrafts, trade, agriculture, fisheries and small family businesses, to obtain appropriate protection in the field of social security and of their work; - improving working conditions and valuation of work in sectors where women are particularly heavily represented (i.e. care and domestic work, certain service sectors); Member States should step up their efforts to fully apply the principle of equal pay for equal work and aim to reduce the gender pay gap to 0-5% by 2020. These targets will be supported by the Commission revised Directive 75/117/EEC, a legislative proposal which is more effective than the existing legislation and which provides for measures in the event of a breach of the right to equal pay, and to ensure that these are dissuasive and proportional (for instance, higher sanctions in case of repeat offenders);

2010/06/04
Committee: FEMM

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 4

(4) The Lisbon Strategy, launched in 2000, was based on an acknowledgement of the EU's need to increase its productivity and competitiveness, while enhancing social cohesion, in the face of global competition, technological change and an ageing population. The Lisbon Strategy was re- launched in 2005, after a mid-term review which led to greater focus on growth, more and better jobs. Ultimately, the Lisbon Strategy failed to achieve its targets. With its focus on competitiveness, cost-cutting, dismantling of the welfare state, ever more flexible labour markets, liberalisation of markets in general and deregulation of financial markets in particular, it aggravated inequality in the distribution of income and wealth, the growth of poverty, social exclusion, low- wage work and precarious employment. It is now time for an alternative strategy of the European Union for sustainable development, social justice and full employment.

2010/06/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Recital 7

(7) The Commission proposed to set up a new strategy for the next decade, the Europe 2020 Strategy~~8 , to enable the EU to emerge stronger from the crisis, and to turn its economy towards smart, sustainable and inclusive growth~~, and in this context the Commission must recognise that changes of existing macroeconomic policies are necessary (e.g. discontinuation of the stability pact, stopping privatisation and liberalisation processes, etc) to give priority to the creation of quality work with rights for women, with better wages, less poverty and more social inclusion and progress. Five headline targets, listed under the relevant guidelines, constitute shared objectives guiding the action of the Member States and of the Union. Member States should ~~make every effort to~~ meet the national targets and to remove the ~~bottleneck~~obstacles that constrain ~~growth~~the creation of more and high-quality jobs.

2010/06/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/0115(NLE)

Ilda FIGUEIREDO, Thomas HÄNDEL

Proposal for a decision
Recital 8

(8) As part of comprehensive "exit strategies" for the economic crisis, Member States should carry out ambitious reforms to ensure an improved macroeconomic stability and the sustainability of public finance, improve competitiveness, reduce macroeconomic imbalances and enhance labour market performance. The withdrawal of the fiscal stimulus should be implemented and coordinated within the framework of the Stability and Growth Pacperformance targeting socially and environmentally sustainable development, reduce macroeconomic imbalances and enhance high-quality employment and social protection. The fiscal stimulus should be continued over the next three to five years to overcome economic stagnation and rising unemployment. Coordinated fiscal stimulus at Member State and EU level must be oriented towards economic recovery via a targeted EU Recovery Plan which is streamlined in terms of gender-equality in all of its components, mobilising one per cent of EU GDP each year for investing in environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development, thus providing for an entry strategy for new quality employment.

2010/06/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Annex – Guideline -7 (new)

Guideline: Gender equality Member States will, through specific gender equality targets, gender mainstreaming and specific policy actions, increase female employment that fully respects women's rights and eliminate the gender pay gap, discrimination, and gender gaps in employment and unemployment rates; Member States should aim to achieve a 75% employment rate for women and men (based on full-time equivalents) by 2020, through, inter alia, - more public and private investment, more quality public services and support for families and individuals; - ensuring accessible, affordable, flexible and high-quality services, in particular, access to child care facilities by aiming to ensure conditions for 50% of necessary care for 0-3 year-old children and 100% of care for 3-6 year-old children, and improved access to care for other dependents, in particular older persons; - addressing precarious working conditions since the majority affected by them are women; - more and better use of skills of women belonging to minorities and migrants; - recognition of the rights of assisting spouses and life partners, who in majority of cases are women, who provide help in handicrafts, trade, agriculture, fisheries and small family businesses, to appropriate protection in the field of social security and of their work; - improving working conditions and the valuation of work in sectors where mostly women are represented (i.e., care and domestic work, certain service sectors,); Member States should step up their efforts to fully apply the principle of equal pay for equal work and aim to reduce the gender pay gap to 0-5% by 2020. These targets will be supported by the Commission revised Directive 75/117/EEC, a legislative proposal which is more effective than the existing legislation and which provides for measures in the event of a breach of the right to equal pay, and to ensure that these are dissuasive and proportional (for instance, higher sanctions in case of repeat offences);

2010/06/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/0115(NLE)

Proposal for a decision
Annex – Guideline 7 – paragraph 1

Member States should integrate ~~the flexicurity principles endorsed by the European Council into their labour market policies and apply them~~and apply the concept of GOOD WORK, making full use of European Social Fund support with a view to increasing labour market participation and combating segmentation and involuntary inactivity, gender inequality, whilst reducing structural unemployment. ~~Measures to enhance flexibility and security should be both ba~~The concept of GOOD WORK puts a strong focus on promoting quality in work, improved social security and social inclusion, enhancing existing workers' rights and introducing new ones, promoting health and safety at work, better social risk management and the reconciliation of work and non-work life. Measures to enhance security by phasing out precarious employment and those atypical contractual arrangements related to such insecure forms of employment should be strongly launched ~~and mutually reinforcing~~by Member States, with a view to restricting and reducing atypical forms of employment, whose misuse should be punished. Member States ~~should~~must therefore introduce a combination of ~~flexibl~~secure and reliable employment contracts, active and integrative labour market policies, effective lifelong learning, policies to ~~promote labour mobility, and adequate~~support the right to voluntarily chosen labour mobility, and effective, high quality social security systems to secure professional transitions accompanied by clear rights ~~and responsibilities for the unemployed to actively seek work.~~ for the unemployed to be entitled to adequate benefits and tailor- made measures for finding quality employment or training and upgrading of their skills and competencies if needed.

2010/06/16
Committee: EMPL

2010/0115(NLE)