Joachim Denkinger

Report on the adoption by Greece of the Single Currency (report Goebbels ; A 5-135-2000)

Report on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines (report Katiforis ; A5-134/2000)
The report was adopted by roll call vote (372:104:36), with Greens/EFA voting against.

We managed to get adopted several of our amendments, amongst which replacing the call for "wage stability" by "appropriate wage developments" (245:230:16 votes ; PSE in favour), welcoming higher life expectancy in the EU while pointing to the fact that full employment and productivity gains could contribute to keep collective pension schemes running (413:71:14), emphasising the importance of a well trained workforce for higher investment as well as the important role of the "Third System" for job creation (378:107:22).

However, we lost our amendment against PPE/Liberal majority, which pointed to the fact, that we need increased investment in energy-saving, housing, and public transport to make higher growth compatible with the Kyoto commitments.

(223:250:32), and to give the European Investment Bank a special mandate to carry out such investment (219:273:16).

All bigger parties voted against our demand to the Commission to come forward with new initiatives on a minimum level of taxation of business profits and savings’ income (76:410:20).

Our proposal for new arrangements regarding working hours, resulting in an average reduction on working time, was defeated by PPE/Liberal majority (214:273:21), as well as our link between further liberalisation and reducing red tape on the one hand and the maintaining of a high level of universal service provisions for the population and the safeguarding of citizens’ participation as stakeholders on the other (226:265:17).

The GUE’s call for measures to combat speculation on the international financial markets by measures such as a "Tobin tax", on which we agreed, was rejected by the conservative majority with 215:263:31 votes.

Voir la présentation de la situation.