Ernest
URTASUN

Written explanations of vote - 8th parliamentary term Ernest URTASUN

Members can submit a written explanation of their vote in plenary. Rule 194

Mechanism to resolve legal and administrative obstacles in a cross-border context (A8-0414/2018 - Matthijs van Miltenburg)

14-02-2019

. ‒ I voted in favour. One controversial part is the voluntary principle, which triggered some concerns among the Member States. Although strongly supporting the European added value of the mechanism and the way in which it should enhance cross-border cooperation between Member States, we are aware of the potential problems it could trigger within the Council regarding the principle of subsidiarity, giving that way more space to anti-EU governments and a possibility for not adopting this regulation after all. Thus, we supported the voluntary principle within the mechanism and, in general, we are happy with the rapporteur’s support for our amendments, especially concerning our amendment on including the reference to the Article 37 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union on environmental protection and sustainable development.

Draft Agreement on Cooperation between Eurojust and Georgia (A8-0065/2019 - Sylvia-Yvone Kaufmann)

14-02-2019

Voted in favour. It is good that Eurojust enhances its judicial cooperation with third countries, especially in those regions in the EU neighbourhood that are post-conflict regions with a large amount of weapons circulating, and organised crime prevalent. The Data Protection Supervisory Authority of Eurojust gave a positive opinion on those provisions of the Agreement that concern data transfers and data protection. Georgia is a member of the Council of Europe Convention on Data Protection. Data protection does not stand in the way of better police and judicial cooperation, but is a pre-condition for it.

Framework for screening of foreign direct investments into the European Union (A8-0198/2018 - Franck Proust)

14-02-2019

Voted in favour. The Regulation shows that the EU can still make good progress where needed. In the present context of steep increases of FDI from China in cutting-edge technology, which raise questions of security and public order, the EU responds with more coordination and information exchange between Member States and with the Commission. This will contribute to a more consistent and strategic approach of the EU. Autocratic countries increasingly invest in key technological sectors as a way to get access to such technology. This can create monopolistic structures under the direct control of undemocratic regimes, as well as strengthen control over their citizens and the possibility to crack down on human and fundamental rights. Though being limited to security and public order dimensions, this Regulation can also be linked to the current debate on reforming EU competition rules, insofar as this could also entail security considerations.

Interoperability of electronic road toll systems and facilitating cross-border exchange of information on the failure to pay road fees in the Union (A8-0199/2018 - Massimiliano Salini)

14-02-2019

Voted in favour. The long existing Directive on interoperability between different road systems could not be enforced, partially because of lack of good will of the Member States and partially because of a lack of good formulations in the Directive itself. The Commission thus proposed a recast towards a new and better Directive. This is mainly a technical upgrade of criteria for existing and new electronic road toll systems that should allow truck drivers to cross borders with one interoperable device.

Mutual recognition of goods lawfully marketed in another Member State (A8-0274/2018 - Ivan Štefanec)

14-02-2019

Voted in favour. Whereas for non-harmonised goods, the mutual recognition principle is strongly fixed in ECJ case law since 1979, EU legislation should maintain the possibility for Member States to restrict market access if this restriction is based on overriding reasons of public interests (for example protection of consumers, of environment, effectiveness of fiscal supervision, etc.) and in accordance with Directive 2015/1535, which requires Member States to communicate to the Commission and other Member States any draft national technical regulation (Notifications Directive).

Charges on cross-border payments in the Union and currency conversion charges (A8-0360/2018 - Eva Maydell)

14-02-2019

Voted in favour. This regulation amends the 2009 regulation on cross-border payments in the Community. The latter has succeeded in driving down the costs for cross-border payments inside the eurozone, but it has not lowered the continuously high costs for cross-border payments between non-euro Member States and between them and the eurozone. The present regulation aims to change this. It also aims to increase the transparency of the fees for cross-border payments between different currencies. We support this regulation because it has the potential to lower costs and provide higher transparency to EU citizens and consumers.

Common rules for access to the international market for coach and bus services (A8-0032/2019 - Roberts Zīle)

14-02-2019

This report does not consider any consequence of liberalisation of the bus/coach market on social standards for drivers, intermodal competition in terms of disadvantages to rail services, when it comes to EU legislation on cabotage, social standards for drivers (drive and rest times), pricing and passenger rights. Presently 100% per km of rail journeys are charged for operators, buses pay only ca. 1% per km. Our amendments on these items were rejected during TRAN Committee votes.
Therefore we voted against this report in TRAN Committee and in plenary.

Adapting Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on energy efficiency, by reason of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (A8-0014/2019 - Miroslav Poche)

14-02-2019

Voted in favour: the technical adaptation of the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Governance Regulation is necessary to adapt energy reduction targets in view of Brexit.
As part of its Brexit preparedness work, the Commission has adopted a Decision to amend the EU’s energy efficiency and Governance legislation to take account of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. As energy consumption was expressed in absolute numbers in both legislations, it actually requires lowering the energy consumption figures to reflect a Union of 27 Member States.

The rights of intersex people (B8-0101/2019)

14-02-2019

I voted in favour as our amendment co—signed with GUE and S&D was adopted. This calls on the Commission to facilitate and support the Member States in their implementation of high-quality, comprehensive sexuality and relationship education programmes that provide information and education on sexual and reproductive health and rights in a way that is non-judgemental, framed positively and inclusive of LGBTI people.

The future of the LGBTI List of Actions (2019-2024) (B8-0127/2019)

14-02-2019

I voted in favour as our Amendment 1, co-signed with GUE and S&D, was adopted. This calls on the Commission to facilitate and support the Member States in their implementation of high-quality, comprehensive sexuality and relationship education programmes that provide information and education on sexual and reproductive health and rights in a way that is non-judgemental, framed positively and inclusive of LGBTI people.

Protection of animals during transport within and outside the EU (A8-0057/2019 - Jørn Dohrmann)

14-02-2019

I voted in favour. Whilst Regulation 1/2005 has made some improvements in the conditions of animal transport, it nevertheless remains inconsistently and insufficiently implemented, causing great distress to animals and great concern for citizens, as seen in many petitions and campaigns. Particular concerns include: the transport of unweaned calves; inconsistent/inaccurate checks on fitness of animals for transport; unrealistic, inaccurate or incomplete journey logs; differing controls and penalties amongst the Member States; poor conditions in maritime transport and at exit points on borders; and conditions of animals exported outside of the EU. We call for the Commission to ensure that Member States are enforcing the regulation consistently and thoroughly, and for infringement proceedings against those that do not. We need penalties that are more consistent across Member States.

Strengthening the competitiveness of the Internal Market by developing the EU customs union and its governance (A8-0059/2019 - Virginie Rozière)

14-02-2019

This INI Report underlines the importance of the Customs Union as one of the EU’s earliest achievements and one of its main success stories, having allowed the removal of internal borders and established a tariff-free environment. It also underlines: the importance of ensuring effective controls – inter alia by fostering cooperation with third countries’ customs authorities – and of avoiding any undue hindrance to legal trade; the need for a reformed IT infrastructure to make the payment of duties more transparent and accessible, in particular for SMEs and for economic operators of third countries and the problem of the divergences in the level and quality of controls, customs procedures and sanctions policies at the EU’s points of entry into the Customs Union, which puts at risk the integrity of the single market. The report strongly requests that the Commission and the Member States address this issue.

Implementation of the legal provisions and the Joint Statement ensuring parliamentary scrutiny over decentralised agencies (A8-0055/2019 - György Schöpflin)

14-02-2019

I voted in favour. The most political and important point of the report is the role of the EP in the process to decide the location of the agencies. The EP was excluded from the decision to relocate the agencies based in the UK, but since the seat of the agencies is established in the founding regulations, this process pre—empted the EP’s role as co-legislator. The report includes strong language criticising this decision and defending the EP’s legislative powers.

Calendar of Parliament's part-sessions - 2020

13-02-2019

. ‒ I voted in favour of this technical vote on the new Parliament calendar for 2020.

European Fisheries Control Agency (A8-0037/2019 - Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg)

13-02-2019

. ‒ This vote concerns a codification file (Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI)) so just a single vote in favour.

Computerising the movement and surveillance of excise goods (A8-0010/2019 - Kay Swinburne)

13-02-2019

. ‒ This is a highly technical and uncontroversial file to update and generalise the rules for the computerisation of the movement and surveillance of cross-border trade of excise goods. Although this is a co-decision file, the Parliament adopted its first reading without amendments in a simplified procedure, endorsing the Commission proposal. I voted in favour.

Law applicable to the third-party effects of assignments of claims (A8-0261/2018 - Pavel Svoboda)

13-02-2019

. ‒ I voted in favour of this single vote, rather technical, on the law applicable to the third-party effects of assignments of claims.

Exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting for the period 2021-2027 (Pericles IV programme) (A8-0069/2019 - Dennis de Jong)

13-02-2019

. ‒ The Pericles programme is a long-running, but small, exchange, assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting. It was extended in 2001 to those EU Member States that had not adopted the euro as their currency. Since then, it has been extended until 31 December 2020 and includes the participation of third countries. The current ‘Pericles 2020’ programme is targeted at the protection of euro banknotes and coins against counterfeiting and was established in 2014. I voted in favour of its extension.

EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (A8-0053/2019 - David Martin)

13-02-2019

I voted against the whole Singapore FTA agreement package (6 votes). The Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) with Singapore includes the possibility for holders of public debt (government bonds on all levels, local, regional, national) to make ICS claims in the case of negotiated debt restructuring consented to by less than 75% of all bond holders. The threshold in Europe is, however, 66.6%. The Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Singapore (FTA) is an old FTA model, compared to CETA. It is a missed opportunity to establish new and higher international standards, for example regarding provisions in the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter, lacking any adequate reference to climate change.

EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (resolution) (A8-0048/2019 - David Martin)

13-02-2019

I voted against the whole Singapore FTA agreement package (6 votes). The Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) with Singapore includes the possibility for holders of public debt (government bonds on all levels, local, regional, national) to make ICS claims in the case of negotiated debt restructuring consented to by less than 75% of all bond holders. The threshold in Europe is, however, 66.6%. The Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Singapore (FTA) is an old FTA model, compared to CETA. It is a missed opportunity to establish new and higher international standards, for example regarding provisions in the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapter, lacking any adequate reference to climate change.