Activities of Regina BASTOS related to 2009/2222(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the future of social services of general interest PDF (340 KB) DOC (234 KB)
Amendments (21)
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Recognises that, in the case of SSGI, there are two contrasting factors which have to be reconciled: on the one hand, the principle of subsidiarity which upholds the national public authorities´ freedom to define, organise and finance SSGI as they see fit, in conjunction with the principle of proportionality, and on the other hand, the responsibility incumbent on the Community and Member States for their respective areas of competence under the Treaty;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Endorses the recommendation in the Monti report that broadband internet and banking services be new universal services, which should be acknowledged in European legislationgenerally accessible at a reasonable costs;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Highlights the fact that SSGI make a major economic contribution in terms of jobs, economic activity and purchasing power – the Commission's second Biennial Report indicating that the health and social services sector accounts for 5% of economic output and employs 21.4 million people – and that SMEs in particular are reliant on high quality SSGI;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Notes that the SSGI are the pillar of the European social model, essential for ensuring economic, social and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Considers that experience demonstrates that the profit maximisation objective of commercial providers of SSGI conflicts with the principles and objectives of SSGI and SSGI can only be accepted if making profit is not pursued, while the SSGI with economical interest are subject to EU Treaty rules on internal market and competition;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Reaffirms its commitment to modern and high-quality SSGI, which are means of giving effect to many of the values embodied in the European project, such as equality, solidarity, the rule of law and respect for human dignity, as well as and to the principles of accessibility, universal service, efficiency, economic management of resources, continuity, proximity to service users and transparency;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that national and local authorities engaged in providing or mandating SSGI need a clear rulegal basis for their services and expenditures, and that while the information and clarification service developed by the Commission is essential, it is insufficient and does not protect SSGI providers from legal challenge with full respect for the principle of subsidiarity;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Considers that the principle of solidarity and the strengthening of the European Union require that the crisis, with its growth in unemployment and poverty, must be addressed by a greatly enhanced EU budget, byappropriate measures have to be taken in order to reduce poverty and unemployment caused by the financial crisis, by financial strengtheneding of structural funds, in particular the European Social Fund, and by a new European debt agency;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that, in order to maintain the delivery of quality SSGI, the Member States need new income streams, such as a financial transaction tax the Member States have to provide financial assistance to maintain the delivery of quality SSGI and to grant their continuity;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the fact that Member States and local authorities must be free to decide how SSGI are funded and delivered, whether directly or otherwise, using all available instruments so as to ensure that the Union's social objectives are not weakened by single market rules, while at the same time supporting an environment that promotes quality, accessibility and efficiency in the delivery of the services;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. CHaving regard to the Written Declaration 84/2010 on the establishment of European Statutes for Mutual societies, Associations and Foundations, calls for EU legislation to enable mutual societies, associations and foundations to operate on a transnational basis;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Points out that neither the sector, the status of an entity carrying out a service nor the way in which it is funded, which determines whether its activities are deemed economic or non-economic but it is the nature of the activity itself and its preventive effect;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Calls for reform of the criteria for classifyingthe differentiation of economic and non- economic SSGI in the framework of current EU legislation;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Emphasises that public procurement rules need to be simplified and made more flexible so that public service obligations can be fulfilled, in particular by means of eProcurement, which has the advantage of reducing costs without lowering the quality of services;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Believes that regional and local authorities must be involved in an ongoing bottom-up process of overhauling procurement rules to avoid discrepancies between the rules and modes of organisation on the ground;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for redefinitextension of the concept of ‘most economically advantageous offer’ so as to make natif national, regional and local social and quality criteria for the delivery of SSGI are an obligatory requirement in procurement contracts, including subcontracts;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for a programme of reform, to include legislative adaptation and clarification at European level, to support the specific characteristics of non- profit SSGI;
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28
Paragraph 28
28. Proposes the establishment of a high- level multi-stakeholder taskforce – initially with a two-year mandate – that is open, flexible and transparent, to pursue implementation of the policy initiatives identified in this report and in the 3rd Forum recommendations, the Commission's second Biennial Report and the SPC reports, as well as any other relevant proposals; to initiate a full review of all rules, particularly state-aid and procurement rules, which impact on SSGI and to evaluate how they need to be redesigned so as to respect and support Member States' responsibilities in the definition and delivery of SSGI, taking account of the current Commission review of rulesAsks the Commission to explore if setting up a European social services observatory, taking into account different stakeholders, to collect information from various sources in the Member States would be an adequate tool and to promote good practice at national, regional and local level, a full review of all rules, particularly state-aid and procurement rules, which impact on SSGI and to evaluate how they need to be redesigned;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29
Paragraph 29
29. Considers that, as part of its mandate, the proposed taskforce would also consider innovations such as a European resource centre for SSGI, a Member State registerUnderlines the necessity to clarify legal obscurities regarding the implementation of SSGI, a pilot scheme on elder care, and action programmes based on the European Voluntary Quality Framework (VQF)nd to carry out a comprehensive study concerning the functionality of SSGI;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31
Paragraph 31
31. Urges that the taskforcesocial service observatory be chaired by the Commission's DG Social Affairs; that its membership include DG Competition, DG Single Market, DG Environment and DG Sanco, the European Social Affairs Council (EPSCO), the social partners and civil society organisations active in SSGI; that, in view of their democratic mandate, both Parliament and the Committee of the Regions must be centrally involved; and that social economy enterprises and stakeholders including voluntary associations, as well as local authorities, must be represented;