Activities of Vicky FORD related to 2010/0277(NLE)
Reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a Council directive on requirements for budgetary frameworks of the Member States PDF (335 KB) DOC (327 KB)
Amendments (18)
Amendment 46 #
Recital 1 a (new)
1a. The budgetary frameworks regulation is a part of the economic governance legislation which is aimed at long term economic stability in Europe.
Amendment 73 #
Recital 7
7. Biased and unrealistic macroeconomic and budgetary forecasts may considerably hamper the effectiveness of fiscal planning and consequently impair commitment to budgetary discipline, while transparency and validation of forecasting methodologies mayshould significantly increase the quality of macroeconomic and budgetary forecasts for fiscal planning.
Amendment 74 #
Recital 8
8. A crucial element in ensuring the use of realistic forecasts for the conduct of budgetary policy is transparency, which must entail public availabilityation and therefore public availability not only of the official macroeconomic and budgetary forecasts but also of the methodologies, assumptions and parameters on which the official macroeconomic and budgetarysuch forecasts are based.
Amendment 88 #
Recital 12 b (new)
12b. The number of specific circumstances in which temporary non- compliance with numerical fiscal rules is permitted should be limited.
Amendment 110 #
Recital 18
18. To be effective in promoting budgetary discipline and the sustainability of public finance, budgetary frameworks should comprehensively cover public finances. For this reason, operations of extra- budgetary funds and bodies that have an immediate or medium-term impact on Member States’ budgetary positions should be given particular considerationreported in a transparent manner. Their expected or potential impact on general government budget balances and debt should be explicitly addressed in the medium-term budgetary frameworks.
Amendment 112 #
Recital 18 a (new)
18a. The purpose and the features of the Directive call for a national transposition which is as close as possible to the text of the Direcitve. While this is true for all Member States, it is particulary true for the participating Member States.
Amendment 113 #
Recital 18 b (new)
18b. There is a need for euro area Member States to implement into their national budgetary frameworks several features in addition to the features contained in this Direcitve for all the Member states. A chapter with specific provisions for the euro area Member States establishes these two features: top- down budgetary processes and independent institutions with expertise in fiscal policy tasked with providing independent monitoring, analysis, assessments and forecasts. Non euro area Member States can voluntary incorporate several or all of these additional features into their national budgetary frameworks.
Amendment 116 #
Article 1 – paragraph 1
This Directive sets out detailed rules concerning the characteristics of the budgetary frameworks of the Member States that are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the excessive deficit procedurecompliance with the obligation of the Member States with regard to excessive government deficits as referred to in Article 126 (1) of the Treaty with due regard to related Protocols, including Protocol 15.
Amendment 120 #
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) arrangements for analysisindependent monitoring, analysis, assessments and validation to enhance the transparency of elements of the budget process, including inter alia the mandate of independent national budget officesinstitutions with expertise in fiscal policy or institutions acting in the field of budgetary policy;
Amendment 121 #
Article 3 – paragraph 1
1. As concerns national systems of public accountingTo ensure the timely and accurate reporting of annual and quarterly ESA- based government data as required by the ESA transmission programme, Member States shall have in place public accounting systems, applying the accural basis of accounting and comprehensively and consistently covering all sub-sectors of general government as defined by Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 (ESA 95), and containing the information needed to compile ESA 95-based data. Those public accounting. Those systems shall be subject to internaldependent control and audit.
Amendment 122 #
Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. In addition to the requirements in Article 3 (1) Participating Member States shall ensure that their public accounting systems are subject to independent control and audit.
Amendment 124 #
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Amendment 143 #
Article 4 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. In addition to their obligations under Article 4 (4) Participating Member States shall ensure auditing of their own past forecast record is done on an independent basis, such as by a fiscal institute.
Amendment 149 #
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Member States shall have in place numerical fiscal rules that effectively promote compliance with their respective obligations deriving from the Treaty in the area of budgetary policy, including Protocols attached thereto. Such rules shall include in particular:
Amendment 160 #
Article 6 a (new)
Article 6 a Without prejudice to the provisions of the TFEU on the budgetary surveillance framework of the Union, national numerical fiscal rules for participating Member States shall contain specifications that address the following elements: (a) the target definition and scope of the rules; (b) effective and timely monitoring of compliance with the rules, by independent national budget offices or institutions acting in the field of budgetary policy; (c) consequences in the event of non- compliance that involve a clear political and financial cost for the authorities responsible for non-compliance; (d) escape clauses, setting out a limited number of specific and exceptional circumstances in which temporary non- compliance with the rule is permitted. The activation of escape clauses referred to in point (d) is to be disclosed and justified in a transparent and timely manner.
Amendment 165 #
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) comprehensive and transparent multi- annual budgetary objectives in terms of the general government deficit, debt, expenditure and any other summary fiscal indicator, ensuring that these are consistent with any fiscal rules as provided for in Chapter IV in force,
Amendment 180 #
Chapter 6 a (new)
Chapter 6a Specific provisions for the participating Member States 1. In addition to their obligations under this directive and without prejudice to them, participating Member States shall incorporate into their budgetary frameworks: (a) a top-down approach, meaning a budgeting approach starts off from an agreement on the total spending level that is then allocated in spending allotments for different ministries or government agencies and thereby supports adherence to spending limits; (b) an independent institution with expertise in fiscal policy whose task is to provide independent monitoring, analysis, assessments and forecasts in all areas of domestic fiscal policy which may have an impact in the compliance by the euro area Member State with its obligations deriving from Article 121 and 126 of the Treaty and from any legislation and measures adopted under an of these Articles or under Article 136 of the Treaty. 2. Also in addition to their obligations under this Direcitve and without prejudice to them, Member States with a derogation may incorporate any or all of the above features into their budgetary frameworks, on a voluntary basis, in accordance with the procedure in Article 2 (1a).
Amendment 182 #
Article 14 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. For the purposes of clarification as to Member States' respective obligations under the Treaty and Protocols, Articles 5, 6, 7 of this directive shall apply to those Member States who have adopted the euro, or plan to adopt the euro as signified by their membership of ERMII. Other Member States may choose to be bound by its provisions by notifying the Commission by three months before the entry into force of this Directive, or thereafter, having given three months notice.