21 Amendments of Philippe LAMBERTS related to 2010/2137(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas the exceptional circumstances of the last two years financial and economic crisis have called for exceptional measures; whereas Commission efforts helped to stabilize financial markets while at the same time protecting the integrity of the Single Market,
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the growing budget deficits and increased levels of public debt in many Member Statesre a matter of high concern and excessive macroeconomic imbalances in many Member States and in the EU as a whole may slow down economic recovery and economic growth for years to come,
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 b. Underlines that the current drive for fiscal consolidation and sustainable recovery should be used by Member States in order to progress towards a more level fiscal playing field ; in this respect, environmental (carbon, resource) taxation provides an appropriate solution as it targets environmentally harmful products that constitute input for industrial production and because it would not distort competition within the single market;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8 c. Deems that the competition policy should contribute at promoting and enforcing open standards and interoperability in order to prevent technological lock-in of consumers and clients by a minority of market players;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Welcomes the temporary State aid rules established in response to the financial and economic crisis, namely the four Communications for the financial sector and the Temporary Framework, directed at the other sectors; takes notes on the extension for one additional year of the application of the State aid temporary measures as a response to the economic and financial crisis;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Welcomes measures adopted by the Commission in order to reduce the balance sheet of certain 'too big or interconnected to fail' institutions which have received State aid during 2009;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Stresses however that the ongoing consolidation in the banking sector has actually increased the market share of several major financial institutions and, therefore, urges the Commission to maintain a close watch on the sector in order to enhance competition in European banking markets, including restructuring plans that imply the separation of banking activities in case of retail deposits have been used to cross- subsidize riskier investment banking activities;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11 c. Is concerned by the fact that there is empirical evidence showing that in most recapitalisation measures implemented during 2009 the cost of reimbursing the capital injected was below market prices and that in only a few cases the distribution of dividends to shareholders have been limited or restrictions have been applied on market shares gains;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11 d. Notes that the Eurosystem performed several non standard liquidity injections during the whole year 2009; stresses that without prejudice of the ECB independence it is so far not possible to verify properly whether these measures could be assessed as State aid measures as long as methods used to determine the 'theoretical price' of assets eligible as collateral have not been disclosed;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 e (new)
Paragraph 11 e (new)
11 e. Underlines that despite these unprecedented non standard liquidity injections, such support measures received by banks during the whole year 2009 and beyond have not been included in the Commission's compatibility assessment whereas recapitalisation measures and guarantees were; asks therefore the Commission to assess such operations on a ex post basis and implement corrective measures whenever required in order to ensure a level playing field within the single market;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Urges the Commission to prepare a comprehensive and far reaching impact assessment on decisions adopted in the framework of the application of the State Aid temporary measures as a response to the economic and financial crisis and annex it to the next annual Competition report, including an in depth assessment of distortions generated by guarantee schemes, recapitalization schemes and complementary forms of liquidity support on bank funding;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Urges the Commission, following such a comprehensive impact assessment, to implement corrective measures whenever required in order to ensure a level playing field within the single market;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Calls upon the Commission to reconstitute and enhance its fiscal State aid unit;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. Deems that in order to allow the Commission to be better able to identify harmful tax competition regimes, it is essential that the decision on automatic notification of tax rulings taken by the EU code of Conduct for business taxation working group in 2002 (Council doc 11077/02) is fully implemented by Member States;
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Urges the Commission to examine the extent to which a too generous allocation of free EUA (European Union Allowances) permits in certain sectors may distort competition, given that these permits whose efficiency has diminished since the slowdown of the activity have generated windfall profits for certain companies, while reducing their incentives to play their part in the transition to an eco-efficient economy;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)
Paragraph 17 b (new)
17 b. Asks to be closely involved in the follow up of the European Commission to the open consultation on State aid rules on Services of General Economic Interest;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Believes that the use of ever higher fines as the sole antitrust instrument may be too blunt, not least considering potential job losses as a result of the inability to pay; notes that substantial revenues deriving from fines are currently collected by the Commission and enter the EU budget; emphasises that a policy of high fines should not be used as an alternative budget financing mechanism;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22 a. Welcomes the Commission's antitrust investigation concerning the iron ore production joint venture between BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto; invites the Commission to launch a general investigation into the pricing of iron ore;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22 b. Calls for the Commission to monitor developments in commodity-related markets following the conclusions of European Council of June 2008 (paragraph 40), and to tackle speculation where appropriate, which adversely affects European industry and generate distortions in the Single Market; invites the EU countries to take this issue up at the G20 Summit;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Invites the Commission during the early steps of the implementation of the third energy package to closely monitor the level of competition since the three largest players still represent about 75 % (electricity) and above 60 % (gas) of the market despite the gradual opening of the markets in the mid-1990s ; invites the Commission to issue guidelines in order to improve the access of renewables to the energy network;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27 b. Invites the Commission to carry out a competition inquiry in the agro-food industry to investigate the effect of the market power that major suppliers and retailers hold on the functioning of that market;