Plenary sitting
4.7.2016
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
to wind up the debate on the statement by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 37(3) of the Rules of Procedure and the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the Commission
on the European Parliament’s priorities for the Commission Work Programme 2017
( 2016/2773(RSP) )
David Borrelli
on behalf of the EFDD Group
European Parliament resolution on the European Parliament’s priorities for the Commission Work Programme 2017
( 2016/2773(RSP) )
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Commission communication entitled ‘Commission Work Programme 2016 – No time for business as usual’ ( COM(2015)0610 ), and Annexes 1 to 6 thereto,
– having regard to Rule 37(3) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the economic, social and political crisis has led Member States to slide into recession and deflation, with a worrying number of around 17 million unemployed;
B. whereas the initiatives proposed by the EU institutions concerning the reform of the current economic governance framework would further exacerbate the economic, democratic and social crisis in the EU;
C. whereas the error and fraud rate affecting the EU budget remains at a high level without any significant reduction, and for 21 years in a row payments have been materially affected by errors due to the partial effectiveness of the supervisory and control systems;
D. whereas at a time of austerity for all citizens, reducing the EU’s administrative costs is imperative, with a specific focus on identifying significant structural savings by reconsidering the geographical dispersion of the places of work of the European Parliament;
E. whereas EU policies are still severely lacking in transparency, especially in the case of negotiations on international trade agreements;
F. whereas it is absolutely necessary to avoid the granting of market economy status to China;
G. whereas long-term unemployment has doubled since 2007 and accounts for half of total unemployment; 4.5 million young people aged between 15 and 24 are unemployed in the EU and whereas more than 7 million young Europeans aged between 15 and 24 are neither employed nor in education or training;
H. whereas helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should be a priority, with a specific focus on reducing excessive and unnecessary administrative costs;
I. whereas the Emissions Trading System (ETS) has failed substantially;
J. whereas the agreement between the Member States on the arrangements for the Facility for Refugees in Turkey is not the best solution for the EU to the problem of the unfolding refugee emergency (and should not be replicated with other third countries);
K. whereas a form of direct democracy in which citizens make direct decisions gives more legitimacy to the decision-making process and can help boost citizens’ participation; whereas it is important to respect the people’s vote through free and fair national referenda in the Member States;
Key priorities
1. Emphasises the urgent need to allow Member States to make full use of the monetary and fiscal policy tools in order to effectively support economic recovery and to ensure the democratic and political legitimacy of fundamental economic decisions;
2. Considers that, in view of the revision of the MFF, priority should be given to the resolution of the problem of payments before implementing new commitments; recalls that the first option should always be the redeployment of appropriations from existing non-priority budget lines, avoiding waste and mismanagement; points out that, in some cases, programmes can be better funded and implemented at national level in line with the subsidiarity principle;
3. Calls for much greater control and auditing of the EU budget; insists, as a mandatory requirement, that a positive statement of assurance (DAS) be obtained from the Court of Auditors within two years; regrets the error and fraud rate affecting the EU budget, with particular reference to public procurement and insists on a strong need to fight corruption and organised crime at transnational level; stresses the importance of greater transparency in EU spending and calls for all information on the expenditure of European funds to be published;
4. Rejects the idea of a specific budget for the euro area, since this would mark a significant division between countries using the euro and those retaining their own currencies; notes that a budget for the euro area would also lead to a further submission of democratic national sovereignty for the benefit of technocratic formations;
5. Stresses that the single currency has an asymmetric and destructive impact on weaker economies, which are forced to undertake a painful adjustment of internal devaluation as a result of a currency that is overvalued with respect to their economies, while letting stronger euro area Members States exploit an unfair competitive advantage due to an undervalued currency relative to other euro area Members States, thereby generating intolerable disparities and macroeconomic imbalances in the EU; emphasises the urgent need for planning an orderly break-up of the monetary union and for immediately providing democratic mechanisms for the voluntary withdrawal of a country from the euro area;
6. Reiterates the need to better use taxpayers’ money; stresses the importance of reducing the EU’s administrative costs especially in a period of persisting crisis; deplores the fact that the European Parliament has three places of work – Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg; stresses the fact that it would be more effective, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly if it were located in a single place;
7. Reiterates that national co-financing of the European Structural and Investment Funds should be completely excluded from the definition of Stability and Growth Pact structural deficits and deplores the fact that EU austerity measures strongly undermine the objectives of social, territorial and economic cohesion;
8. Strongly opposes the Structural Reform Support Programme;
9. Underlines that the creation of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) has had an impact in terms of cuts to the Horizon 2020 programmes and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF);
10. Insists that the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) be abandoned as it would lower the standards of the two sides; reiterates its deep concern that only the Commission has the right to negotiate trade agreements, and not elected and accountable national governments; regrets the Commission’s refusal to register the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘Stop TTIP’; opposes the inclusion of the Investment Court System (ICS) in future trade agreements; opposes any inclusion of public services in TTIP and other trade agreements; asks national parliaments to weigh in on trade negotiations, such as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a sign of democratic control;
11. Urges the Commission to increase its efforts in pushing for the comprehensive reform of the Trade Defence Instruments, thereby improving their effectiveness, transparency and enforcement, in order to protect the producers, importers and citizens from any trade partner which does not compete fairly;
12. Recognises the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality with regard to the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan, leaving Member States the possibility to go beyond community decisions;
13. Insists that the EU does not recognise or grant China market economy status;
14. Strongly regrets that the Youth Guarantee has not achieved any substantial increase in youth employment and is deeply concerned by the alarming rate of long-term unemployment;
15. Condemns all EU legislation that imposes administrative burdens on SMEs – a major source of jobs and growth – and that subjects them to further bureaucratic obstacles; stresses that more support must be given to SMEs, with the main focus being on reducing EU red tape while ensuring adequate social protection;
16. Underlines the need to acknowledge the significant problems that the Emissions Trading Scheme has encountered in the past, and invites the Commission to consider the reallocation of the corresponding implementation resources to other initiatives that provide more prosperity to European society;
17. Stress the need to establish monitoring and implementation reports on the disbursement and national spending of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Internal Security Fund, and to fully monitor and regularly evaluate the use of EU funding given to Turkey within the framework of the EU-Turkey deal;
18. Recalls that Member States should transpose and implement the instruments available at international level in the fight against organised crime, corruption and money laundering;
19. Recalls that under Article 46(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights, the high contracting parties have without qualification undertaken a solemn and binding obligation under the rule of law to ‘abide by the final judgement of the Court in any case to which they are parties’; deplores the delays in implementation and the lack of political will in certain circumstances to implement certain judgments of the Court;
20. Considers that the active involvement of EU citizens in the legal decision-making process is of paramount importance in order to bridge the democratic gap; insists that a form of direct democracy would increase participation and accountability; reiterates its view that such measures are absolutely necessary in a democratic society, allowing for the preservation of justice, freedom and participation;
21. Highlights the importance of respecting the people’s vote, through free and fair national referenda in the Member States, on new treaties or any modifications to the existing treaties;
22. Demands that the Commission and all EU institutions respect the result of the referendum in the UK that was held on 23 June 2016; asks the Commission and the Council to conduct Article 50 negotiations in an open and friendly manner respecting the will of the British people;
23. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the Member States.