Motion for a resolution - B7-0326/2013Motion for a resolution
B7-0326/2013
European Parliament

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the European Parliament’s priorities for the Commission Work Programme 2014

26.6.2013 - (2013/2679(RSP))

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 35(3) of the Rules of Procedure and the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the Commission

Rebecca Harms, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Claude Turmes on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Procedure : 2013/2679(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B7-0326/2013
Texts tabled :
B7-0326/2013
Debates :
Votes :
Texts adopted :

B7‑0326/2013

European Parliament resolution on the European Parliament’s priorities for the Commission Work Programme 2014

(2013/2679(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission Communication on the Commission Work Programme for 2014,

–   having regard to the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the Commission[1], in particular Annex IV thereto,

–   having regard to Rule 35(3) of its Rules of Procedure,

General policy direction

1.  Believes that the crisis should be used as an opportunity to transform our development model of society towards a highly energy-efficient, renewables-based and climate-resilient economy by 2050; underlines, to this end, the need for policy coherence in sector reforms, legislation and budgets;

Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)

2.  Insists on Parliament’s readiness to negotiate the MFF (2014-2020) until the end of 2013, but recalls its negotiating position as set out in the resolution adopted on 13 March 2013; is convinced, furthermore, that non-agreement on the MFF would be a better solution and would give EU citizens a say on the future EU during the 2014 European elections, as opposed to a deal made on the basis of the European Council conclusions of 8 February 2013, which fall short of delivering the necessary stronger and future-oriented EU budget; calls, therefore, on the Commission to work on alternative, pragmatic solutions to facilitate the necessary and technical matching of the 2013 extended ceilings of the MFF with the legislative bases of the new multiannual programmes; asks the Commission to base its 2014 budget proposal on its MFF proposal;

3.  Warns the Council against any attempts to limit Parliament’s budgetary and legislative prerogatives on the MFF regulation as well as on legislative bases of the multiannual programmes;

4.  Reiterates its strong concern about the very difficult payments situation in the annual budget, which risks seriously hampering the implementation of EU policies; asks the Commission to immediately propose draft amending budgets in 2014, if necessary;

Genuine Economic and Monetary Union and the EU Semester

5.  Regrets the fact that the Commission has not yet presented legislative texts based on the proposals contained in its ‘Blueprint for a deep and genuine EMU’ [2] or the Commission declaration annexed to the ‘Two-Pack’ regulations; believes that if the Commission does not take such an initiative as a matter of urgency, it will be neglecting its political and Treaty‑based responsibilities;

6.  Recalls its resolution of 23 May 2013 on ‘future legislative proposals on EMU: response to the Commission communication[3]‘, in which Parliament takes the view that formal ex‑ante coordination of economic policy reforms at EU level should be: (i) strengthened on the basis of the Community method; (ii) aligned with the instruments of the European Semester for economic policy coordination; and (iii) designed in conjunction with new solidarity- and incentive-based instruments;

7   Takes the view that any legislative proposal on a convergence and competitiveness instrument (CCI) should be adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, be based on the Community method, and provide for proper scrutiny by Parliament; points out that such a mechanism should be funded by means of a new facility triggered and governed under the Community method as an integral part of the EU budget, but over and above the MFF ceilings, so as to ensure that Parliament is fully involved; is of the opinion that CCIs are the first building blocks of a genuine fiscal capacity that supports solidarity and the implementation of sustainable, growth-enhancing structural reforms; stresses the need for the adoption of a legislative proposal and a convergence code based on the Europe 2020 strategy and including a social pillar;

8.  Calls on the Commission to put forward a green paper on macroeconomic stabilisers;

9.  Calls on the Commission to present an ambitious communication on the social dimension of economic governance that is consistent with the Europe 2020 targets and to follow it up with action;

Financial markets

10. Recalls its resolution of 13 June 2013 on Financial services: Lack of progress in Council and Commission’s delay in the adoption of certain proposals[4];

11. Calls on the Commission to deepen financial market reform, in particular with a view to financial conglomerates, as well as shadow banking ; to this end, asks the Commission to put forward additional legislative proposals, such as the revision of the Financial Conglomerates Directive (FICOD) and a set of shadow banking directives;

12. Calls on the Commission to adopt a proposal for the third leg of the Banking Union, centring on EU deposit guarantee schemes;

Taxation

13. Stresses the need to overhaul existing company taxation in a comprehensive manner with a view to closing loopholes for aggressive tax avoidance;

14. Encourages the Commission to explore the option of a fully EU-data-protection-compliant FACTA-equivalent as a stick to complement the carrot of third-country negotiations on automatic information exchange;

Cohesion policy

15. Underlines the fact that the EU cohesion policy is providing support to deliver the Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, in line with the Treaty-based objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU;

16. Calls on the Commission to play a strong role in negotiations on the partnership agreements and operational programmes, thereby ensuring that the spirit of the new legislation is fully maintained; stresses that the involvement of partners must comply with the European Code of Conduct on Partnership and that capacity building for partners should be made available;

17. Demands that future investment under the European Social Fund (ESF) has to be significantly increased, as compared to the current funding period, not least to respond to the consequences of the financial and economic crisis, but also to be able to cope with the extended portfolio attributed to the ESF; asks the Commission to ensure an integrated approach towards achieving the Europe 2020 targets;

18. Underlines the fact that investment that does not comply with the principle of sustainable development will not be accepted to receive financial contributions from cohesion policy funds;

19. Calls on the Commission to take into account the necessary coherence between the application of the new state aid guidelines and cohesion policy regulations; maintains that subsidy races must be avoided from the outset and that the Commission must guarantee that contributions from the funds will be repaid in the case of relocation outside the EU within 10 years of the investment;

SMEs and industrial policy

20. Underlines the importance of taking measures to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); calls on the Commission to strengthen and implement the measures foreseen in the Entrepreneurship Action Plan and to accelerate the adoption of a green entrepreneurship initiative; calls for an SME Window financing facility under the future COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes, involving the EIF and the EIB, to be swiftly launched to facilitate public and private funds investment in innovative and sustainable new businesses, including growth-oriented SMEs;

21. Calls for actions to encourage and support business transfers of enterprises at risk of bankruptcy; underlines that transfers to employees should, in particular, be facilitated;

Telecommunications

22. Calls on the Commission to establish finally a reliable framework for net neutrality, which secures access for all citizens to any service, as well as the ability for all citizens to start and run services that can, in turn, be accessed by every other citizen without the interference of an internet service operator; supports the initiative to draw up a plan to abolish roaming charges; calls on the Commission to adopt a copyright code for Europe which would diminish legal uncertainties for citizens, users and consumers across borders, as well as abolish the present fragmentation of rights and conditions that apply to those who act online; sees all of these elements as crucial for the advancement of the digital single market;

Energy

23. Reiterates that according to a Commission analysis[5], strong renewables growth up to 2030 could generate over 3 million jobs, including in small and medium-sized enterprises; reminds the Commission that the best way to accelerate the development of renewables, thereby enhancing EU sustainability, maintaining EU technology leadership and increasing supply security, is to create a favourable investment framework;

24. Stipulates that concrete legislative proposals in the framework of the 2030 energy and climate package are urgently needed and must therefore contain ambitious and binding targets for the three pillars of renewables, energy efficiency and emission reductions[6];

25. Underlines once more that energy efficiency and savings are the cheapest way to reduce energy costs and lower fossil fuel imports, and should therefore be at the core of any energy policy measure proposed; calls for an ambitious European Building Initiative to be launched as part of the strategic initiatives to support and deliver a EU zero-energy built environment by 2050;

26. Deplores high energy prices that are mainly linked to the EU’s large-scale dependence on imported fossil fuels, oil price indexation, and the fact that price reductions on energy wholesale markets are not passed on to final consumers, necessary reinvestments in energy infrastructure and national taxes; calls on the Commission to increase transparency of energy prices, to step up efforts on energy and resource efficiency and to introduce support schemes targeting low-income households;

27. Supports a planned revision of the electricity market design and underlines the fact that achieving the internal energy market by 2014 must remain a top priority, where timelines of dependent policies and processes, such as the elaboration of common network codes, must be aligned;

28. Remains firmly convinced that nuclear energy has no place in a sustainable energy future, whilst underlining the need to ensure the highest safety standards during the period of nuclear phase-out; condemns, in this connection, the large amount of public money that is still devoted to nuclear energy; additionally, calls on Member States and international actors to stop the continually delayed and increasingly expensive ITER project, as it diverts much-needed investment away from viable renewable energy sources;

29. Reiterates its demand for a moratorium on the awarding of licensing for experimental drilling and hydraulic fracturing of unconventional fossil fuels such as shale gas, until the environmental and climate impact have been independently and thoroughly examined, and the identified legislative gaps at EU level have been closed; urges the Commission to come up with legislative proposals to that end without delay;

30. Urgently calls on the Commission to launch an initiative to increase the transparency and sustainability of EU energy spending via its financial institutions and neighbourhood and accession instruments; deplores the fact that EU public money is still being allocated to aid the construction of fossil fuel generation plants; reiterates that spending policies must be strictly in line with agreed EU targets on climate and energy;

Transport

31. Urges the Commission to realise a transport policy that contributes to the 2020 targets on GHG emission reduction by 20 %, to reducing fatalities and serious injury by 50 %, and to considerably reducing local gas and noise emissions from transport;

32. Underlines the fact that European infrastructure policies (such as the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and the CEF) should be based on assessment of economic and social benefits as well as minimising external costs from climate impacts and accidents; stresses that priority should be given to the reinstatement of cross-border rail connections with European added-value that can be realised within the next 15 years.

33. Calls on the Commission to boost the reduction of noise-at-source for rail freight wagons, as well as the realisation of interoperability between railways such as the ERTMS signalling system;

34. Encourages the Commission to realise a fair inter-modal and intra-modal competitive playing field by tackling pricing (internalisation of external costs and polluter-pays principles) in connection with economic, social and safety aspects;

Tourism

35. Emphasises that the Commission should intensify its efforts in promoting sustainable tourism in the fields of cultural, natural, historical and industrial heritage as well as for soft mobility (combination of the TEN-T railway networks with the Eurovelo network) and eco-tourism, particularly in mountainous, costal and island areas; stresses that tourism services need to be accessible to all, including persons with reduced mobility and the socially disadvantaged;

Environment

36. Stresses that achieving a comprehensive UN climate agreement in 2015 in line with the EU 2°C objective is of highest priority, and recognises that decisions on the EU climate and energy policy framework in 2014 will be necessary in order to spur momentum in international negotiations to achieve that goal;

37. Calls for the Commission to come forward by the first quarter of 2014 with legislative proposals for the EU climate and energy policy framework for 2030, in order to meet the 80-95 % reduction objective in 2050 compared to 1990, in a manner which is consistent with the 2 ºC objective and a cost-effective path to the 2050 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal, and ensures that surplus allowances do not undermine the achievement of those aims;

38. Asks the Commission to come up with an ambitious overall review of the EU’s waste policy and legislation including targets of the waste acquis, in particular targets for waste reduction and limiting energy recovery to non-recyclable materials, as well as phasing out the dumping of recyclable or recoverable waste in landfill sites;

39. Calls on the Commission to engage employment experts fully in its work towards a low carbon economy;

Fisheries

40. Stresses the urgent need for the Commission to take action to resolve the dispute between Parliament and the Council over the adoption of fishery management plans, as this is having severe negative repercussions on many aspects of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP);

41. Urges the Commission to fully implement the IUU (illegal, unregulated and unreported) regulation, including by the listing of vessels involved in IUU fishing and Member States identified as not cooperating in the fight against IUU fishing, as well as the other components of the control pillar of the CFP;

42. Urges the Commission to take all possible steps to adopt fishery management measures that will lead to the recovery of fish stocks at levels above those capable of producing the MSY (maximum sustainable yield), as agreed during the reform of the CFP;

Foodstuffs

43. Urges the Commission to finally present the long-awaited legislative proposal to prohibit the placing on the market of foods derived from cloned animals or their offspring;

44. Urges the Commission to come forward with new legislative proposals, based on the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, on the radioactive contamination of food and feeding stuffs, as well as on radioactive substances in drinking water, in accordance with Parliament’s votes on the 2011 Belet Report and the 2013 Rivasi Report;

45. Urges the Commission to come up with a proposal on nutrient profiles, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health Claims made on Foods, which foresaw the setting of nutrient profiles by the Commission by January 2009;

46. Regrets that the Commission has presented a proposal amending the honey directive without carrying out any impact assessment in advance; urges the Commission to remedy this shortfall;

Trade

47. Regrets that the work programme foresees merely the continuation of the present trade policy of negotiations for Free Trade Agreements with a range of third countries, striving to liberalise trade relations as much as possible, outside any coordinated EU industrial policy;

48. Urges the Commission to base its trade policy on a long-term EU-wide industrial strategy, indicating more precisely which industrial sectors are to be developed or maintained in the EU during the next 30 years and which might face serious difficulties; also urges the Commission to facilitate an open and fair discussion among social partners and citizens throughout the EU, and prepare the ground for a long-term conversion and requalification process of endangered industrial sectors and their employees;

49. Is of the opinion that trade policy within the framework of an EU-wide industrial policy must contribute to enhancing the value of European production, particularly through improvements in sustainability standards, the facilitation of a more rapid market introduction of green technologies and increased substitution of non-renewable and rare raw materials;

50. Underlines the need to act upon the lessons learned from the financial, economic, climate, food, and energy crisis, in order to bring about reform in global trade rules, including a reform of trade defence instruments to tackle social and environmental dumping;

51. Calls for a communication on the impact of Free Trade Agreements with developing countries and regions on the promotion of human rights and policy coherence for development, and on their impact on access to food and food security in these countries;

52. Urges the Commission to strive for the development of fair trade with developing countries by, for example, actively mainstreaming corporate social responsibility in all its policies and notably through its trade agreements, and by identifying clear legal obligations for corporations with regard to human rights, and effective ways to hold them accountable in the event of breaches;

Foreign Affairs

53. Calls on the European External Action Service (EEAS) to initiate a debate among Member States, in its relations with the United States and at the UN, in order to establish the legal limits of targeted killings, notably in the context of the expanding use of drones;

54. Calls on the Vice-President / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR), Catherine Ashton, to nominate a special envoy for the closure of Guantánamo, whose task should be to negotiate with the United States and the Member States on possible joint actions to that end;

55. Calls on the EEAS to further the promotion and implementation of the concept of the ‘responsibility to protect’(R2P)[7], in line with Parliament’s recommendation of the UN principle to the Council with the aim of establishing a ‘European consensus on R2P’;

56. Supports the Commission’s efforts to solve outstanding domestic, bilateral and regional issues in the Western Balkans so as to pave the way for the successful continuation of the accession process; stresses, nevertheless, the importance of making EU action in the region more visible, transparent and effective with regard, in particular, to the involvement of all stakeholders in order to lay down the foundations for a sound and lasting enlargement;

57. Urges the Commission to speed up the process of political association and socio‑economic integration of the EU’s neighbour countries in both the South and in the East, with a view to supporting their transition to fully fledged functioning democracies; in this connection, considers it to be of the utmost importance that the Commission define and implement the expected incentive-based approach, making clear to our partners that ‘more for more’ also implies ‘less for less’;

58. Believes that in the context of the current economic crisis and high rate of youth unemployment, the Erasmus Mundus programme should be prioritised and all external financial instruments should fully contribute to the costs;

59. Calls on the VP/HR to instigate and coordinate an EU-wide initiative for a UN convention on the protection of whistleblowers, inspired by the UN Bulletin on ‘Protection against retaliation for reporting misconduct and for cooperating with duly authorized audits or investigations’, adopted in 2005;

Security

60. Stresses the need to regulate at EU level the sale, supply, transfer or export to third countries of equipment or software intended primarily for the monitoring or interception of internet and telephone communications on mobile or fixed networks, and the provision of assistance to install, operate or update such equipment or software; stresses the urgent need to prevent European companies from exporting such dual-use items to non-democratic, authoritarian and repressive regimes;

Gender equality

61. Reiterates its demand for a review of the Directive on ‘The Application of the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work of equal value’ and calls on the Commission to put forward a new legislative proposal;

62. Calls for stronger efforts by the Commission to unblock the Parental Leave Directive (2010/18/EU), as well as a follow up to the Commission initiative to prepare a cost-benefit study in 2010 on the launching of paternity leave, which would be a way to unblock maternity leave in the Council;

63. Insists that the Commission come forward with a directive on the eradication of violence against women, as requested by Parliament in several resolutions; also insists that the EU become party to the Council of Europe’s Convention on ‘Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence’, which would give a strong impetus to the 26 Member States that have still not signed and ratified the Convention;

Counterterrorism, police and judicial cooperation

64. Calls for an in-depth inquiry into the revelations on the secret surveillance programmes operated by the USA and Member States such as the United Kingdom (PRISM and TEMPORA), in particular with regard to their legal basis, necessity, proportionality and the safeguards implemented to protect the fundamental rights of EU citizens; calls upon the Commission to immediately start infringement procedures if it is found that Member States are violating EU fundamental rights obligations; also calls on the Commission to take appropriate action to ensure that EU citizens and residents are safe from blanket surveillance by third countries;

65. Urges a comprehensive agreement on the data protection package which ensures a uniform and high level of protection for data subjects and a level playing field for business; insists that this is a precondition for free trade and police and judicial cooperation;

66. Rejects the EU passenger name record (PNR) proposal, as the Commission has only presented anecdotal evidence of the need for EU action and of the usefulness of PNR data in the fight against terrorism and serious transnational crime, and has avoided a serious debate regarding necessity and proportionality;

67. Considers that the fears about unjustified bulk transfers and inappropriate oversight have been confirmed by the implementation reports of the EU-US terrorist finance tracking programme (SWIFT) agreement and calls, therefore, for its immediate suspension; rejects the idea of copying the US approach by introducing an EU terrorist finance tracking system;

68. Calls on the Commission to repeal the Data Retention Directive (Directive 2006/24/EC);

69. Urges the Commission to intensify and reinforce its efforts to protect the financial interests of the EU, to make a proposal on the establishment of a European Public Prosecutor’s Office and to complete delayed reform of the European Anti-Fraud Office, by fully integrating data protection and the rights of suspects, basing itself on proper criminal definitions;

70. Reiterates its call on the Commission, in its resolution of 15 December 2011 on detention conditions in the EU, to come forward with a legislative proposal on the rights of persons deprived of their liberty, including those identified by Parliament in its resolutions and recommendations, and to develop and implement minimum standards for prison and detention conditions, as well as uniform standards for compensation for persons unjustly detained or convicted;

Fundamental rights

71. Calls for the strengthening and expanding of the role of the Fundamental Rights Agency, in order to give it broader powers, especially a monitoring capacity;

72. Urges the Commission to respond adequately to the increase of racism in Europe and beyond, with particular focus on the most vulnerable;

73. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a permanent scoreboard on justice, the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights, which will cover all Member States included in the European Semester; calls on the Commission to expand the justice scoreboard to include rule of law and democracy ratings;

74. Calls on the Commission to draft an annual report on the situation of fundamental rights in the EU, on the basis, inter alia, of Articles 2 and 6 TEU and of the Charter; believes that such a report should include an analysis of the situation in the Member States, including on the basis of the concerns of international organisations, NGOs, Parliament and citizens in relation to violations of fundamental rights, the rule of law and democracy; recalls that the Commission has a duty to conduct such activities as guardian of both the Treaties and the Charter and on the basis of Articles 2, 6 and 7 TEU;

75. Calls, therefore, on the Commission to update its 2003 communication (COM(2003)0606) and draw up, before the end of 2013 a detailed proposal for a clear-cut monitoring mechanism and early warning system, associating, in particular, the national fundamental rights bodies created in compliance with the Paris principles and building on the provisions of Article 7 TEU and Article 258 TFEU;

76. Urges the Council to adopt, as soon as possible and without further delay, the proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment of persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation; calls on the Commission to continue to support the overcoming of difficulties within the Council; recalls that anti-discrimination policy plays a key role in promoting social inclusion and calls on the Commission to propose an EU roadmap against homophobia and discrimination;

77. Urges the Commission to ensure that national strategies for the integration of the Roma in Member States are developed and effectively implemented and that discrimination is condemned and raised in dialogues with third countries, as well as the fight against discrimination being incorporated into cooperation programmes, on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity;

Borders

78. Calls on the EU to ensure a border policy that is in line with the EU’s core values and principles of human rights, notably with regard to the EU border agency FRONTEX;

79. Calls on the Commission to issue guidelines to ensure that the Schengen rules are correctly implemented by the Member States so that freedom of movement of persons is fully respected and any misuse or abuse of the possibility of reintroducing controls at the internal borders is avoided;

80. Is highly critical of the Smart Borders Package as it considers that the proportionality and necessity principles are not proved beyond doubt, and consequently considers that the costs involved are unjustifiable;

Migration and asylum

81. Urges the Commission to ensure the adoption of the Seasonal Workers Directive, the Inter-corporate Transferees Directive and the Directive on students, researchers, volunteers and au-pairs before the end of the legislature, so as to put in place measures facilitating regular migration;

82. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the newly adopted common European asylum system is properly and commonly implemented throughout the EU, respecting the commitment called for in the Treaty, to ensure direct and equal access to the asylum procedure for people in need of protection;

83. Calls on the Commission, in its revision of the Returns Directive (Directive 2008/115/EC), to critically measure the transposition and implementation of the provisions of the directive, including the follow-up to forced return;

84. Urges the Commission to propose legislation establishing a permanent and binding resettlement and intra-EU relocation scheme for beneficiaries of international protection.

 

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