Fullständigt förhandlingsreferat

Onsdagen den 4 juli 2012 - Strasbourg

4. Förberedelse av kommissionens arbetsprogram 2013 (debatt)

  Der Präsident. − Als nächster Punkt der Tagesordnung folgt die Erklärung der Kommission zur Vorbereitung des Arbeitsprogramms der Kommission 2013.

Ich muss alle Mitglieder daran erinnern, dass es bei diesem Tagesordnungspunkt kein Catch-the-eye-Verfahren gibt, sondern nur Sprecher der Fraktionen.

  Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the Commission. − Mr President, honourable Members, I welcome today’s debate because it is taking place at a very important juncture. We have to remind ourselves that only two years remain of this legislature. We know that the coming years will continue to be a critical time for Europeans, for their jobs and for their communities. But it will also be a crucial moment for pursuing reforms to renew and secure the resilience of our economic and social model.

In the past few years, the European Union has proven to be an indispensible player in the struggle to tackle the crisis. Together, we have provided targeted solutions to immediate urgencies, and we have kept the focus on Europe’s long-term challenges. We have also put in place a new economic governance, reshaped our whole system of financial regulation and supervision, and kept jobs at the core of our work.

The close partnership between our institutions has already delivered results. Now we have to drive ahead, with the right balance between sound public finances, structural reforms and targeted investment. In this context, your efforts to secure an ambitious agreement on the multiannual financial framework are crucial in order to leverage the strategic investment in growth and jobs at European level.

These elements form a solid foundation as we set out to define the EU’s political priorities for the coming years. We have results to build on. The individual motions for resolutions put forward by the groups underline the existence of a broad-based consensus across the political spectrum and across institutions as to how the EU dimension can make a real difference at a time of great economic pressure. It is also an important indication of our converging priorities that a considerable number of initiatives upon which Parliament and its committees have been reflecting are being actively worked on by the Commission, and their adoption by the Commission is already anticipated for later this year.

In the State of the Union debate, which is scheduled for 12 September, President Barroso will set out the main directions for the coming year. Our focus will clearly remain on fostering a job-rich and sustainable economic recovery based on the Europe 2020 Strategy. During the European semesters, we have seen more and more mainstreaming of EU 2020 strategy principles and headline goals in the country-specific recommendations and in the national reform programmes.

As you know very well, we have just concluded the second European semester, and the country-specific recommendations provide clear guidance to Member States in pursuing national reforms to generate jobs and growth in the short, medium and long term. Action at European level in the coming years should aim to enhance and complement these efforts, where the case for the Union added value is strong. Following the European Council last week, the EU can now move forward with determination towards an ambitious new phase in economic and monetary union. This is clearly the right choice for the EU, and an encouraging step in the face of today’s unprecedented challenges. Needless to say, for this work to be successful, it should rest first and foremost on laws passed under the Community method with the full involvement of this Parliament.

At the same time, we should maintain momentum in the continuous process of deepening the single market by creating conditions for thriving network industries and services; completing the digital agenda; ensuring sustainability and resource efficiency; delivering a modern industrial policy; empowering people through skills and education; protecting citizens’ rights; and promoting a strong Europe that makes its positive mark on the world. As always, it is through concrete results that Europe is built.

As we have agreed in our framework agreement, the State of the Union debate will launch an intensive phase in our ongoing structured dialogue on the future political priorities. The Commission looks forward to these discussions and to the clear convergence of views that they can foster. The meeting between the Conference of Committee Chairs and the College, planned for 2 October, will be an important opportunity to take stock of the dialogue ahead of the adoption of the work programme.

Ultimately, the success of our political agenda relies on constructive cooperation between Parliament, the Council and the Commission; on swift progress in political deliberations; and on consistent implementation of legislation on the ground in the Member States. Only when we act jointly and with determination can Europe deliver the solutions that our citizens, our companies and our businesses need. Today’s debate is an important step in this direction.

  József Szájer, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, I am glad to see Vice-President Šefčovič in the Chamber.

The message of the EPP in discussing the 2013 work programme is loud and clear: what we want to leave for the next generation of Europeans is not debt, but job opportunities and the chance to go forward. As has been said, Europe has been living on debts for too long. It is the easiest way to spend the money and resources of future generations. I think that we should stop doing this in Europe. In order to provide prosperity for future generations Europe should again be based not on debt but on work and the possibility of work.

In that framework, job opportunities and the chance for the next generation to enter the labour market are among the most important measures in the Commission’s work programme. But I would like to stress clearly, on behalf of the EPP, that this should be the number one priority. We have to fight against youth unemployment. Imagine people who are starting out in life with no prospect or possibility of working. This cannot go on.

In order to provide opportunities and work for young people, we have to use all the instruments the European Union has at hand, namely support for small and medium-sized enterprises, and micro-enterprises. We have to put in place – and we expect this from the Commission’s legislative programme – clear targets and timetables in the areas of youth mobility, language skills and youth entrepreneurship.

We have to use the full potential of the European Union. We know that this is mostly the job of the Member States, but the European Union with its legislation has to help. We often congratulate ourselves on the freedom of movement of goods, services, persons and capital, but very often we overlook the very many obstacles which still prevent the chance to have this kind of freedom, especially in the area of services.

The EPP also calls for the completion of the digital single market. We have to create and enhance trust between consumers and businesses. In that area there are also many new possibilities. Another of our major jobs is to reduce red tape. We should set a good example to Member States but also do it at European level. We have to remove the administrative burden from citizens and businesses, as has been seen in the work programme, and our proposal is for a figure of 25% by 2015.

Year after year we discuss the Commission’s work programme. Sometimes we feel – and I come back to this every year – that it is a vain enterprise and exercise because, according to studies, normally fewer than 50% of the goals which have been set in the Commission work programme appear in the next year’s Commission proposals.

I would propose that the Committee on Constitutional Affairs draw up an own-initiative report on how we can enhance this figure. I am not against flexibility. Especially at a time of crisis we should react quickly, but a plan is only worth anything if it is fulfilled. If it is not fulfilled, or less than half fulfilled, it is not an optimal result. In that sense I think that we have to work together in order to improve this figure.

I trust in the Commission being a force for stability in the institutional structures of the European Union. We expect that from the Commission. Very often the European institutions are accused of not acting until after the event. The Commission has the potential and the capacity, the administrative resources and all the instruments to lead this process and, even in times of crisis, not just to point to the future but also to be a clear point of reference and stability.

On behalf of the EPP, my party, and on behalf of the European Parliament, I think we should support this kind of activity and enhance cooperation between these two institutions. We are not jealous if relations with other institutions like the Council are also better. Yesterday Rebecca Harms criticised the Commission, and seemed to be jealous about that, but we are happy if relations between the Council and the Commission are good as well.

  Enrique Guerrero Salom, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señor Presidente, señor Comisario, ayer, en la sesión de este Pleno, vivimos una experiencia parlamentaria poco frecuente en esta Cámara. Se produjo un intenso, prolongado y generalizado aplauso al Presidente de Comisión. Intenso porque no fue nada formal ni protocolario, prolongado porque duró mucho tiempo, y generalizado porque la práctica totalidad de la Cámara aplaudió al Presidente de la Comisión en torno a dos consideraciones: en primer lugar, su actitud, la actitud de defensa de los intereses generales de la Unión en la reunión del Consejo Europeo de la pasada semana frente a la defensa de intereses particulares de algunos o muchos Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno.

Esa actitud fue reconocida por el Presidente del Parlamento Europeo, el señor Schulz, y es apreciada por este Parlamento, que no en vano representa a la inmensa mayoría, a la totalidad de los ciudadanos europeos; pero también se aplaudió una preocupación común de la Comisión y del Parlamento, una preocupación común por el deterioro de la situación en la Unión Europea, causada por la crisis económica, que daña la vida de los ciudadanos, sus condiciones y que crea pobreza en la Unión, una preocupación por el crecimiento del euroescepticismo, por el crecimiento de las opciones extremistas en distintos países de la Unión, y una preocupación también común sobre el deterioro de las relaciones institucionales dentro de la Unión.

La Comisión y el Parlamento estamos viendo extirpadas una parte de nuestras competencias por el creciente intergubernamentalismo y por la falta de método comunitario en muchas de las decisiones relevantes que se están tomando. Por tanto, hubo una conciencia en este Parlamento de que teníamos que trabajar conjuntamente para defender esos intereses de los ciudadanos.

Creo que debemos trabajar también en este Parlamento para que haya una resolución común que exprese una posición ampliamente compartida de exigencia a la Comisión y también de apoyo a la Comisión cuando cumpla con lo que el Parlamento le solicite.

Mi Grupo quiere un programa de trabajo de la Comisión ambicioso, que estimule el crecimiento, el empleo, la calidad de vida, que restablezca la confianza de los ciudadanos, quiere una mejor gobernanza económica, quiere un buen marco financiero plurianual, quiere la creación de un fondo europeo de amortización, una hoja de ruta para los bonos de estabilidad, la mejora de la lucha contra el fraude, el fortalecimiento del semestre europeo, el desarrollo de los bonos y un nivel correcto de créditos de pago para 2013.

Señalo al Presidente que la mayoría de los grupos hemos decido posponer la votación al mes de septiembre a fin de tener más tiempo para conseguir una resolución común que finalmente exprese una voz unida de este Parlamento, de exigencia y de apoyo a la Comisión.

  Andrew Duff, on behalf of the ALDE Group. – Mr President, this is a rich programme for 2013 and it is suitable for the last full year of this legislative mandate. The Commission has reached cruising speed, and we even have passion. The applause for Mr Barroso yesterday was clearly genuine and appropriate, and it confounds the critics who consistently accuse the Commission of being non-elected technocrats.

Liberals believe that a strong Commission is always a political Commission. Of course there can be improvements, across the board, in its functions. There are several functions and sometimes some are disguised too much.

First the Commission is the public face of Europe. Secondly it is the administration, which must be tight and efficient and rigorous in putting into effect Union law. Thirdly it ought to be the intellectual powerhouse, the think tank for the Union.

It should also search out and articulate the common interest of the states and citizens, thereby exploiting to the full its right of legislative and political initiative, especially now as a counterparty to the European Council.

The Commission is at its weakest when it becomes defensive, when it becomes complicit in closeted deals between one, two or three prime ministers. It is strongest when it sticks to the general interest, so we welcome the unprecedented paper of the four Presidents that proposes the blueprint and road map to banking, fiscal and political union.

  Emilie Turunen, for Verts/ALE-Gruppen. – Hr. formand! For den grønne gruppe i Europa-Parlamentet er det helt åbenlyst, at krisepolitikkerne og vejen ud af krisen fortsat må stå i centrum i 2013, for hvis det ikke lykkes os at gennemføre de nødvendige reformer, er vi i bedste fald lammede og i værste fald ved at falde fra hinanden som Union. Derfor har ikke kun de kortsigtede økonomiske og finansielle reformer meget høj prioritet for os, men de mere langsigtede institutionelle reformer har også høj prioritet.

Samtidig står det klart for os, at relationen mellem krisen og Kommissionens arbejdsprogram må være af dynamisk karakter, fordi krisen gør, at der ikke kun er et årligt behov, men også et månedligt og et ugentligt behov for faktisk at foreslå politikker og lave justeringer. F.eks. kan vi ikke vente til 2013 med at gå i gang med Van Rompuys fire byggesten. De skal i gang med det samme.

At vi har stor fokus på krisepolitikkerne betyder ikke, at de er det eneste, vi skal beskæftige os med. For os grønne er det også vigtigt, at de sociale og miljømæssige aspekter i vores samfundsudvikling har høj prioritet. Vi mener faktisk, at en mere holistisk tilgang til krisen er den eneste bæredygtige vej ud. Konkret ønsker vi at se Kommissionen være særligt aktiv i forhold til en gældsindfrielsesfond og en køreplan for euroobligationer, en bankunion inklusive mere kontante krav til banker, der modtager offentlig støtte, en mere balanceret tilgang til konsolidering, en progressiv udmøntning af scoreboardet for makroøkonomiske ubalancer, hvor både overskuds- og underskudslande adresseres, en omfattende og konkret plan for skatteunddragelse og skattely og en aktiv rolle for Kommissionen i forhold til det videre arbejde med en skat på finansielle transaktioner, en mere socialt afbalanceret tilgang i den årlige vækstundersøgelse og i de nationale reformprogrammer, således at alle 2020-mål tages i betragtning, en udmøntning af den europæiske ungdomsgaranti og et konstant pres på medlemslandene for at levere en fremtid til Europas unge.

Vi har mange flere prioriteter. De er angivet i vores konkrete beslutningsforslag indleveret på vegne af gruppen. Jeg vil sige til Kommissionen, at vi ønsker et aktivt 2012 og et endnu mere aktivt 2013, og måske også et modigt et, fordi det er make or break for Den Europæiske union.

  Malcolm Harbour, on behalf of the ECR Group. – Mr President, I think it is indispensable that this work programme is seen as the Commission giving leadership in the whole area of growth policies. That is what we put out in our resolution. I am delighted to hear what József Szájer said because I think he is very much in support of that. Indeed I am disappointed, because I think we were close to getting agreement on a resolution that focused on the growth policies. But I agree with József Szájer that part of the problem with the way that the work programme is presented – and I say this to the Commissioner – is that it does not actually give us a clear focus on the growth policies and on the targets.

The Commission has been highly responsive to what my committee in the European Parliament has asked for in giving priority to the completion of the single market. The Single Market Act is actually the growth programme for next year – I notice it was not mentioned in your speech, but we have the targets there, we have the holistic policies that Ms Turunen was asking for, and so what we want from you, Commissioner, is a much clearer lead on the growth policies.

If you look at the Council statement – because clearly the single market will not be delivered simply by the Commission’s policies but by implementation in the Member States – what we need to see in the 2013 programme is a framework where Member States can sign up and show clear commitments to delivering on their single market commitments. It is now in the Council statement that the Commission will monitor performance, and we will have an annual report in the framework of the semester.

That is a new initiative that has to come forward as a result of the work programme, but the other thing I also want to emphasise – and again I am in agreement with what Mr Szájer said – is that the Commission is on the hook for a reduction in the regulatory burden, and Member States are as well. It is a shared agenda. It says here that you are going to present us with a communication at the end of this year about further steps in smart regulation, but what we want to see is some delivery of those in 2013.

Moreover we need to have a complete look at the way that we are pushing policy through, to have more pre-legislative work done in this Parliament, more analysis, better impact assessments – those are the things we expect to see in your growth agenda.

In conclusion, the lead issue we want to see emerging from this is delivery of jobs and growth by completing what we have on the table. As József Szájer said, the growth is going to come from small enterprises in the service sector. We have the Services Directive. You, we and the Member States, working together, as our Socialist colleague said, have to deliver those jobs and that growth.

  Martina Anderson, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group. – Mr President, Liam Mellows said of another treaty that it had passed not because of the will of the people, but because of the fear of the people. Engendering fear seems to be the response of the EU’s institutions to the ever-growing resistance – expressed in votes and in protests – to the failed policies of austerity. The Commission’s work programme therefore needs to come up with a radically new approach, putting people’s needs before profits and recognising that austerity measures are particularly detrimental to women and children.

The programme needs to foster public investment in growth and jobs. It needs to support SMEs and adapt to the particular needs of each Member State, and this must be the basis of any credible crisis resolution strategy. Time restricts what I am able to propose, but let me say that we need a well funded, flexible CAP; we need a new Peace IV programme; we need to reject the microeconomic conditionality for access to cohesion policy and regional development funds; we need a binding youth guarantee for decent jobs and training; an EU road map on equality for LGBT persons; a comprehensive EU strategy on violence against women; and the implementation of the Barcelona targets on childcare provision.

  Frank Vanhecke, namens de EFD-Fractie. – Het is natuurlijk een zeer ijdele wens, maar de Commissie had in haar werkprogramma voor 2013 in de eerste plaats een grote bescheidenheid aan de dag moeten leggen en hier en daar zelfs eens een mea culpa moeten slaan. Want de financiële en economische crisis die zeer specifiek ons continent treft, harder dan andere continenten, is een realiteit die meteen alle sprookjes en alle hoera-verhalen over - ik citeer - "het organiseren van de meest performante economie van de wereld" of het land van melk en honing dat door de euro zou ontstaan, naar de prullenmand verwijst.

Dat de Europese Commissie in die omstandigheden laat optekenen dat er in 2013 opnieuw een voelbare verhoging van de EU-begroting moet komen, is eigenlijk onaanvaardbaar. Iedereen van ons hier kent tientallen of honderden voorbeelden van totaal verspild belastinggeld door de Europese instellingen zelf, nog afgezien van het feit dat Europees geld per definitie altijd minder goed wordt besteed. Dat gaat dan bijvoorbeeld over compleet nutteloze adviesorganen en agentschappen, over beleidsterreinen waar Europa eigenlijk geen meerwaarde biedt, over een subsidiebeleid vol misbruiken, over megabedragen, over dwaze eurofiele propaganda tot en met de gigantische verspillingen in het Europees ontwikkelingshulpbeleid.

Laat de Commissie eindelijk eens met een werkprogramma komen waar tot de essentie wordt gegaan en waar ballast overboord wordt gegooid en men zich enkel nog toelegt op het creëren van de omstandigheden die economische groei en een sterk concurrentievermogen voor onze Europese bedrijven mogelijk maken.

  Andrew Henry William Brons (NI). - Mr President, I quote: ‘Overall the European Union is in mild recession’. This must count as the most outrageous and misleading understatement since the minor cleric in the cartoon remarked to his bishop that parts of his decidedly rotten egg were good.

In Spain and Greece youth unemployment is around 50%. They have already exported their jobs. Now they are exporting their skilled workers too. The eurozone prevents these countries from competing effectively by allowing their currency values to fall. They can compete only by austerity programmes that drive down their wage rates. And they expect countries with reduced incomes to get out of debt!

Freedom of movement of workers between countries with greatly differing wage levels has left semi- and unskilled workers in the West in permanent unemployment and underemployment. In the UK they are forced to sign up to slave labour, wageless work schemes for the benefit of corporate balance sheets. Meanwhile, countries in the East have been deprived of their most able and motivated workers.

The greatest threat to any drive for growth and employment is globalism and trade agreements with emergent economies with which we cannot compete. The EU talks about achieving a single European market. Its real goal is the single world market in which emergent economy wage levels will be imposed on all workers.

  Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the Commission. − Mr President, I would like to thank all the speakers who spoke on behalf of the political groups. I think the debate very clearly highlighted a very strong convergence between the Commission’s work programme plans for 2013 and the priorities of this House and of the political groups. I think that we would all agree with what Mr Szájer said, and we should not leave our next generation with debts, but with sustainable jobs. This is exactly what we are proposing, and the measures we are putting in place should deliver those results. Therefore, the Commission would always advocate smart consolidation where we realise we have to liberate our Member States from an excessive debt burden and we have to do it in a way which would not harm pro-growth policies, policies which create jobs and growth. I think that it was very much reflected in the discussions we had with the Member States under the new umbrella of economic governance and in our country-specific recommendations.

Another priority which was clearly highlighted by all speakers was unemployment, and especially youth unemployment, where unfortunately we have crossed the threshold of 7.5 million so-called NEETs, which means young people who are not in employment, education or training. Therefore, we started the pilot project with eight Member States, and this project has already given concrete results. We managed to reallocate more than EUR 7 billion of EU funds precisely for the purpose of creating new jobs, and we believe that this reallocation will help us to create 460 000 new jobs for young unemployed people in Europe.

We want to learn from this experience and probably expand this programme to other Member States which might be facing similar problems. On top of this, by the end of this year we will be coming to you with a proposal for a common framework on a youth guarantee to help young people to find their first employment.

I very much agree with all of the speakers who have been pleading for the acceleration of work on the digital single market. It is very clear that this is an instrument for job creation and for increasing the GDP of the European Union. Our modest expectation is that, if we manage to fulfil all our goals in this area, we will increase the EU budget by 4% of GDP by as early as 2020.

Speaking of red tape, I think that we have to work on this together. We are greatly encouraged by the very positive developments in our negotiations on the financial regulations. As you know very well, we delivered on our promise to reduce the administrative burden by more than 30% this year, and we now have to work very closely with the Member States in order that they implement this new approach and actually get rid of gold-plating and proceed with a simplification as well.

I agree with Andrew and Enrique, who said that the European citizens must see that the European institutions are here for them, that we are here to defend European citizens, and that we do so by respecting the Community method and by progressing with our political plans for the establishment of a clear banking, fiscal and political union. We will do it as was suggested by our colleague from the Green Party: by a holistic approach aimed at sustainable development.

Concerning the financial transaction tax: I think it was clearly established at the last Ecofin meeting that we will not get unanimity for the proposal. Therefore, the Commission will proceed and make a proposal to introduce the FTT through the enhanced cooperation mechanism. I think that I have to thank Mr Harbour for highlighting the importance of Single Market Act I and of our plans for Single Market Act II, because it is quite obvious that the single market is the best instrument that we have for creating new job opportunities and new economic growth.

As you know both of our institutions – the Commission and the European Parliament – wanted to proceed with better planning on how to achieve the Single Market Act faster through interinstitutional agreements, which would help us to work better on our timetables and which would guarantee the fast adoption of the good proposals. Now we know that this proposal was not welcomed with the same enthusiasm on the Council’s side, but we will continue the discussion with them on how we can deliver on this Single Market Act much faster than before.

I think that, concerning the last two points mentioned, we have already discussed the importance of a good multiannual financial framework and of the importance of the EU budget, both of which are our very important investment tools. Concerning the trade policies, I believe that Europe is a very good trading partner. We are a major trading block. We did not yield to other trading partners, for example the United States and Japan, and I think that we have to look to the emerging economies for additional growth and to increase our trade volume, and this must, of course, be based on fair and mutually acceptable principles.

  Der Präsident. − Zum Abschluss der Aussprache wurden gemäß Artikel 110 Absatz 2 sechs Entschließungsanträge⁽¹⁾ eingereicht. Wir müssen im Anschluss darüber abstimmen, die Abstimmung auf September zu vertagen, wie das angekündigt wurde.

Die Aussprache ist geschlossen.

Die Abstimmung findet am Mittwoch um 12.30 statt.

PRESIDE: ALEJO VIDAL-QUADRAS
Vicepresidente

(1) Siehe Protokoll.