Written explanations of vote Frances FITZGERALD

While voting for an amendment to delete the reference to a proposed examination of a potential merger between the European Institute for Gender Equality and the Fundamental Rights Agency, I ultimately supported the report as I did not want to impede the 2018 Discharge to EIGE’s finances that are ultimately in excellent order.

. ‒ I voted in favour of this resolution because a common charger for mobile phones will make our lives easier, it will reduce electronic waste and empower customers to make sustainable choices.

. – I voted against this objection. The European Commission has not overstepped its mandate in extending the approval licenses of these 10 active substances. Under Article 17 of Regulation 1107/2009, the European Commission is obliged to extend the license of active substances ʻWhere for reasons beyond the control of the applicant it appears that the approval is likely to expire before a decision has been taken on renewal, a decision shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 79(3), postponing the expiry of the approval period for that applicant for a period sufficient to examine the application.’ The European Ombudsman Decision in case 687/2018/TE found that the Commission is obliged to extend the approval of active substances if it does not complete a reassessment in time, provided the delay was not caused by the manufacturer of the product. Where concerns about chemicals are raised we need a risk management decision in a timely fashion. Furthermore, it is regrettable that the Commission continues to bundle together extension approvals. This practice should change so that we treat each substance individually and extend each license individually.

. – While I welcome the initiative to begin discussions in this new Parliament on this complicated issue, unfortunately I was unable to support this resolution. This is an extremely complex issue, evidenced by the continuing deliberations at OECD level to find a solution for the fair taxing of digital companies. Let me be clear that I welcome efforts towards a fairer tax system in the EU and at global level – all companies must pay their fair share. I am very supportive of OECD efforts to address the challenges in the international tax system. I think that the ideal way to tackle these problems is on an internationally-agreed basis through the OECD. But I think that the views of all countries should be considered and respected. Many of the proposals contained in this Resolution could have a devastating impact on the tax revenue of many Member States, so I think we need to be mindful of that. I look forward to continuing discussions on these issues in the course of the next Parliament and looking towards an international solution based on consensus.