20 Amendments of Ramon TREMOSA i BALCELLS related to 2017/2114(INI)
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas in 2016 only 2 % of country-specific-recommendations (CSRs) have been fully implemented, 43 % with some progress and 45 % with limited or no progress;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the good performance of the European economy, supported by moderate GDP growth and decreasing, yet still high, unemployment rates; considers that the positive trend is due to the right policy mix in the past years; notes that the modest recovery, however, remains fragile and that the development of GDP per capita is close to stagnation;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to consider the challenges linked to ageing societies as a matter of priority;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Takes the view that a greater degree of upward convergence improving overall competitiveness would be needed to sustain the economic recovery in the EU and the euro area in the longer term;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Underlines that the correct implementation of EU law is a basic instrument for economic convergence inside the EU and the Eurozone, and calls for stronger enforcement and public pressure from the Commission on infringing Member States;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Considers that the uneven growth and employment situation in the euro area requires better coordination of structural reforms, in particular through improved implementation of the country-specific recommendations (CSR); notes that in 2016 55 % of CSRs have not been implemented or only seen limited progress, and only 2 % have been fully implemented; warns that the low implementation rate of CSRs jeopardizes the convergence process in the euro area and hinders growth and job creation;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Notes that youth unemployment remains excessively high across the countries of the Euro area;points out that elevated and persistent youth unemployment represents a dangerous long-term structural risk to the economy of the Euro area;considers that specific policies must be developed and implemented to tackle this;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Considers that, as a consequence of the non-binding character of CSR's, responsibility for the consequences of non-implementation towards their population remains with the Member States;takes the view that the sharing of the burden of the consequences is conditional to the implementation of the CSR's;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Stresses the importance ofat wage developments in line withshould not outstrip productivity;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the lack of competitiveness and investment in the EU is, in part, linked to a general tax burden that is 10 to 15 % higher than in competing markets, creating hindering tax wedges on companies, investments and labour; believes that moderately lowering the tax burden on labour would increase employment and foster growth;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Notes that difficulties in access to finance faced by companies across the EU, in particular by small and medium- sized enterprises, represents an obstacle to the overall competitiveness of the euro area;considers the implementation of measures to improve access to finance a key priority for the improvement of competitiveness in the euro area;
Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Considers the deepening of the single market to be a major contributor to the economic development of the euro area;notes that administrative, legal and financial obstacles remain to cross-border economic activity, which represent a particular burden to small and medium- size enterprises;considers that steps should be taken for the harmonisation of administrative, legal and financial requirements for cross-border economic activity;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11 c. Emphasises that excessive and inefficient government bureaucracy represents an obstacle to business across the EU, being particularly burdensome to small and medium-sized enterprises, and could represent a barrier to entry;considers that measures need to be implemented to streamline government bureaucracy and make it more efficient;stresses that digitalisation of such bureaucracy would be a welcomed step forward;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that reforms removing investment bottlenecks would allow for immediate support for economic activity and at the same time set the conditions for long-term growth; stresses that the completion of the Capital Markets Union is a crucial factor to attract and to increase investment, and improve the financing of growth and jobs;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Considers research, technology and education to be of vital importance to the long-term economic development of the Euro area;stresses the vast disparities between member states in investment in these areas;notes that investment in these areas can contribute to the development of innovation in the EU;considers that member states should take active measures to meet their target gross domestic expenditure on research and development in the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Welcomes the fact that deficits in the euro area are projected to decline; is concerned, however, that this process is slowing down and agrees that government debt remains too high in some Member States impeding on investment and growth and making them vulnerable to interest rate shocks;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19 a. Recalls the assessment of the European Fiscal Board of 20 June 2017, which concludes that in 2018 there is neither the case for a discretionary fiscal impulse nor for a fiscal contraction;supports its recommendation to recompose government expenditure towards higher investment spending in full compliance with the SGP;
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Recognises that Member States have made progress in the area of fiscal policy and active labour market policies, while least progress was made in areas such as competition in services and the business environment, constituting a significant portion of the EU economy, and the business environment; calls on the Commission to enforce the implementation of the CSRs, where possible, through the fiscal and macroeconomic surveillance framework; calls on the Commission to propose a binding legal framework enabling the enforcement of all CSRs; expects a greater commitment on the part of Member States to take the necessary policy actions based on the CSRs;
Amendment 392 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Considers it of great importanceessential therefore that all Member States take the necessary policy action to address imbalances, in particular high levels of indebtedness, and commit to structural reforms ensuring the economic sustainability of each individual Member State, thereby ensuring the overall competitiveness and resilience of the European economy;
Amendment 402 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25 a. Considers that the implementation of country-specific recommendations launched in the framework of the European Semester is crucial to addressing imbalances in the Euro area;notes that the voluntary nature for the implementation of the recommendations represents a vulnerability for the Euro area as a whole;calls on the Commission to make the country-specific recommendations binding;