Europe should acknowledge national realities, avoid one-size-fits-all solutions

MEP Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that the European Union should take into account national realities of its member states and not resort to one-size-fits-all solutions. It needs viable programmes that really compensate for the growing economic divergence between the centre and the periphery of the Union. Too often, EU programmes are evaluated by whether they contribute to a greater or lesser union. ‘This focus is misplaced. We should be asking all the time how programmes will directly benefit citizens? which citizens? how? when? — taking into account national realities — avoiding one–size-fits-all solutions. With the right answers, asking whether we need more or less Europe could become irrelevant. There is no better way of generating growth in Europe,’ argued the Head of the Maltese Labour Delegation at the European Parliament.

Dr. Sant was addressing the European Parliament on the ‘Decision adopted on the European Semester package – Annual Growth Survey 2016’. ‘The Commission is right in seeking to streamline and prioritize the approach to the European Semester. However the political rhetoric used to frame and run initiatives has an influence that extends beyond their scope. On the issue of taxation for instance, the need for Europe-wide action should be restricted to the need for transparency. Widening this approach to open the way for tax convergence and harmonisation is outside the present scope of the Treaties. It is also counter productive since it further limits the flexibility of regions and peripheral countries which most need it. So yes, to all measures intended to ensure transparency in the assessment of tax dues. But rather no, to measures that contribute to tax convergence and harmonisation, said Dr Sant.

The ‘Annual Growth Survey’ analyses the progress that the EU has made towards its long-term, strategic priorities. It sets out general economic priorities for the EU and provides Member States with policy guidance for the following year. The Annual Growth Survey is the first step in the European Semester and leads to country-specific policy recommendations made by the EU to governments. Dr. Sant will be the rapporteur on the second report on the implementation of the country specific recommendations. This report will be debated in September 2016 in ECON Committee and voted in October 2016 in the Plenary.

Maltese Version – L-EWROPA TRID TAGĦTI AKTAR PIŻ LIR-REALTAJIET NAZZJONALI TA’ KULL STAT MEMBRU

Alfred Sant, Kap tad-delegazzjoni Maltija Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew qal li l-Unjoni Ewropea trid tagħti aktar piż lir-realtajiet nazzjonali ta’ kull stat membru u mhux tipprova issolvi kollox b’sistema ta’ ‘one-size-fits-all’, l-istess soluzzjonijiet għall-pajjiżi kollha tal-UE. L-UE għandha bżonn programmi vijabbli li verament jagħmlu tajjeb għad-diverġenzi ekonomiċi li qed jikbru bejn ir-reġjuni ċentrali u dawk fil-periferija tal-Ewropa. Ħafna drabi, il-programmi tal-UE qed ikunu evalwati fuq il-kriterju ta’ jekk ikabbrux jew inaqqsux aktar l-għaqda fl-Unjoni. ‘Dan il-kriterju qed jingħata importanza żejda! Minflok missna qed nistaqsu: Kif programm jaffettwa direttament liċ-ċittadini? Liema ċittadini? B’liema mod? Meta? Dawn il-mistoqsijiet għandna nistaqsuhom filwaqt li nikkunsidraw ir-realtajiet nazzjonali u nevitaw soluzzjonijiet li huma l-istess għal kulħadd.’ qal Dr. Sant.
Dr Sant kien qed jindirizza l-Parlament Ewropew fid-dibattitu dwar is-‘Survey’ tat-Tkabbir Annwali tas-sena 2016. ‘Il-Kummissjoni tagħmel tajjeb meta tagħti prijorita` lis-Semestru Ewropew. Imma r-retorika politika li tintuża biex isiru l-inizjattivi qed tħalli wisq l-effett tagħha u tmur lil hinn mill-iskop tagħha. Pereżempju fuq il-kwistjoni ta’ tassazzjoni, il-bżonn li ssir azzjoni madwar l-Ewropa kollha għandha tkun ristretta għal ħtieġa li jkun hemm it-trasparenza. Li tkabbar din il-kwistjoni biex fiha twitti t-triq għal konverġenza u l-armonizzazzjoni tat-taxxi tmur lil hinn mill-għanijiet maqbula fit-trattati. Tal-aħħar hija kontro-produttiva għax tillimita aktar il-flessibilita` tar-reġjuni u tal-ġżejjer fil-periferija li l-aktar li għandhom bżonnha. Allura iva għal miżuri kollha li huma maħsuba biex jiżguraw it-trasparenza fit-taxxi, imma le għal miżuri li jikkontribwixxu għal aktar konverġenza u armonizzazzjoni fit-taxxi, saħaq Dr Sant.
Is-‘Survey’ tat-Tkabbir Annwali janalizza l-progress li l-UE tkun għamlet biex tasal lejn il-prijoritajiet strateġiċi. Is-‘Survey’ ifassal il-prijoritajiet għall-UE u jipprovdi politika ta’ gwida lill-istati membri għas-sena li tkun ġejja. Din hija l-ewwel tarġa tas-Semestru Ewropew li twassal biex isiru r-rakkommandazzjonijiet speċifiċi li l-UE tirrakomanda lil kull pajjiż. Dr Sant se jkun rapporteur fit-tieni rapport dwar l-implimentazzjoni tar-rakkomandazzjonijiet speċifiċi għal kull pajjiż. Dan ir-rapport se jkun diskuss f’Settembru tal-2016 fil-Kumitat tal-Affarijiet Monetarji u Ekonomiċi (ECON). Il-vot dwaru mistenni li jittieħed f’Ottubru tal-2016 fil-Plenarja.