On Wednesday 3 July, the S&D group in the European Parliament will be discussing its key demands for the 2024-2029 term of office, including asking European leaders to commit to a permanent European investment capacity of “at least 1% of EU GDP annually”, according to a provisional document dated 26 June.
The Social Democrat group, which is in the process of finalising its priority demands, may also argue, with regard to a new decent housing policy for all, for “an additional flow of housing investment of at least €50 billion per year through a combination of funding sources, including the EIB”.
In this provisional document, the S&D group believes that the next European Commission should give priority to action in these ten areas: - a social progress action programme; - European security and defence; - EU investment capacity; - a Climate & Just Transition Agenda 2040; - decent housing for all; - fair taxation; - a ‘Health First Act’; - a feminist Europe; - managing humane and inclusive migration; - putting an end to the unanimity rule in the Council in certain areas of foreign policy.
On European defence, the parliamentary group, like the Christian Democrats, supports the idea of a dedicated European Commissioner.
“The European Union is facing the most dangerous combination of security threats in decades, which demand a genuine European defence policy and a European Defence Union that would allow the EU to take greater responsibility for its own security, in cooperation with NATO. The next College [of European Commissioners] should include a dedicated post of Commissioner for Defence, responsible for coordinating all defence industrial initiatives, in close collaboration with the VPC/HR who remains in charge of implementing the Common Security and Defence Policy”.
The next multiannual financial framework should also include a “considerably increased heading on security and defence”, according to the S&D group.
The permanent investment capacity should, on the other hand, “have a broad scope to prevent a funding gap in several critical areas - including the green and digital transitions, energy, defence and security, social climate and adaptation policies, sustainable and affordable housing and social investment - and close the existing funding gap with key global players including the United States and China”.
A permanent employment-saving instrument should also be developed based on the SURE instrument, which was activated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With regard to fair taxation of workers, the Social Democrat MEPs note that workers’ income remains one of the main sources of public finance in the EU (51.4%). Meanwhile, revenue from taxes on capital represents only 8.5% of GDP. Governments tax capital income less than labour income and the richest can exploit the mismatches.
“The EU can address and correct this by: - a wealth tax on the supra-rich to finance the EU’s social and climate transition as a new own resource to strengthen the EU budget; - a minimum effective taxation of capital gains at EU level; - an excise duty on the repurchase of shares by corporations, harmonised at EU level to avoid distorting the EU financial market”.
In terms of external action, “all possible means to secure sustainable support to Ukraine during the war and for the reconstruction of the country should be explored and mobilised”, states the provisional version of the S&D group’s position.
“The scope of the use of using immobilised Russian assets for these means should be extended, and a full implementation of EU sanctions against Russia must be ensured”, it adds.
In addition, qualified majority voting by Member States should be introduced as the rule in all relevant external action areas, including the CFSP and enlargement.
Furthermore, on migration, the group calls on the European Commission to provide new instruments for legal migration to address labour needs and demographic ageing.
Link to the draft: https://aeur.eu/f/cwz (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)