Brussels, 17/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has urged the Commission to make full use of its right of initiative in order to give the Union a clear direction, particularly by completing the single market and producing the strategic roadmap for economic union and political union, as well as for external action.
This was the call sent out by the MEPs with their adoption (408 votes in favour, 182 against and 23 abstentions), in Brussels on Wednesday 16 September, of a resolution on the Parliament's recommendations regarding the 2016 working programme of the Commission. The Commission will present its 2016 working programme in Strasbourg on 29 October. The EP notes the aim to cut the administrative and bureaucratic burden and the costs of new proposals for the whole of the political cycle by 25%.
EMU. The EP calls upon the Commission, and all stakeholders, to examine all the options to strengthen EMU (Economic and Monetary Union) and to make it more resilient and conducive to growth, jobs and stability, “with the social dimension aimed at preserving Europe's social market economy, respecting the right to collective bargaining, under which coordination of the social policies of the member states would be ensured, including a minimum income mechanism proper to, and decided by, each member state, and supporting the fight against poverty and social exclusion, the reintegration of workers into the job market and voluntary mobility and flexibility between professions and member states”.
Migration. The EP welcomed the Commission's programme on migration. It welcomes the initiative of the Commission on resettlement and relocation, and the new emergency resettlement initiative for an increased number of asylum seekers in need of international protection, to the benefit of Greece, Italy and Hungary. It also welcomes the Commission's proposal for a permanent resettlement mechanism to be activated in the event of emergency and which would take account of the number of refugees present in the member state. The EP states that it is prepared to examine the new emergency resettlement regime through an accelerated procedure and declares its intention of at the same time moving forward all measures proposed by the Commission to ensure that the member states do not delay the permanent resettlement regime. The EP supports the creation of an obligatory resettlement mechanism based on clear and specific criteria, and taking account of the refugees' preferences.
MAFF. In 2016, the Commission is to start a thorough, complete and in-depth post-election revision of the MAFF (multi-annual financial framework) 2014-2020, which it will accompany with a legislative proposal on changes to the regulation on the MAFF, so as to contribute to the recovery of the European economy. The EP urges the Commission to learn lessons from the conclusions of the high-level group on own resources which will be presented before the end of 2016 and to make solid proposals before the end of its term in office. The EP reiterates its commitment in favour of a reform of the Union's system of own resources before the next MAFF is launched.
The Commission is called upon to: - finalise and present the raft of measures on worker mobility before the end of the year; - present a communication with a view to a European definition of tax havens (non-cooperative countries and territories) on the basis of OECD criteria; - present several initiatives aiming to set in place an ambitious framework for climate and energy for 2030; - help farmers to anticipate crises on the market by means of new and robust market instruments.
On trade, the EP reiterates the importance of a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement (TTIP) and reminds the Commission of the importance of cooperation, transparency and exchange of information with the EP throughout the process. The EP notes with concern that little progress has been made towards an EU/India free-trade agreement and calls upon the Commission to redouble its efforts to remove the current obstacles encountered in the negotiations. (Lionel Changeur)