Priorities 2019-2024

Introduction

We believe the destiny of Europeans is intertwined; Europe is our future and is well worth fighting for. Support for the European Union is again growing among European citizens, but there is no room for complacency. We will work to deliver this. We understand that our voters expect the European Union to reform and move forward, so it is more capable of delivering on their priorities, more democratic, transparent and more relevant in their daily lives. We will reclaim the promises of Europe and deliver a European Renaissance, which will restore trust in the Union and deliver on the expectations of our citizens. A new generation of Europeans has a new set of European ideals. Our guiding motivation will be how we can improve the life of each of our citizens, wherever they live in our Union. To achieve this, we have set out an ambitious, pragmatic programme to defend the rule of law, to be a frontrunner in innovation, to preserve the environment,to create jobs growth and opportunities, to strengthen the European Union’s role in the world and to modernise our institutions. It is because we believe in Europe that we want to Renew it!

In contrast to those who seek to roll back rights and divide our communities, expanding rights and freedoms will be at the heart of all our actions. We will protect and seek to further European liberal democratic values, the rule of law and fundamental rights. We will counter the destructive efforts of populists from all sides of the political spectrum and extreme nationalists. Renew Europe calls for an EU based rule of law monitoring mechanism. We will fight intolerance and continue to promote equality and non-discrimination on all grounds, though our Simone Veil Pact and Equality Strategy, building a brighter future for young people. Our common values are the driver of our responses, from the promotion of a new comprehensive “migration and asylum pact” to control migration flows, to the development of artificial intelligence that puts the citizen at the centre. We believe European citizens must be central to the debate, in particular through an ambitious Conference for the Future of Europe.

We will take responsibility for future generations, where some doubt the imperative to act and others spread fear, by preserving the environment, improving public health and building a sustainable economy. We are fully committed to the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and now it is time to deliver on them. We call for an ambitious EU climate law with effective instruments, based on technological neutrality that raises the targets for EU greenhouse gas emissions to 55 % by 2030 and reaches net-zero emission by 2050 at the latest. For us, the ecological transition goes hand in hand with delivering economic prosperity and societal fairness. We will work for a transition that fosters innovation and provides opportunities for value creation and higher living standards in all corners of the Union in a way that is fair and just. We will strive for further free and fair trade agreements that secure jobs in Europe and export our standards and values. The EU we want is one that can deliver on its ambition to tackle the new challenges ahead. This is why we defend a modernised EU budget that invests in a brighter future for all. At the same time, we believe that EU financing should be conditional on the respect of EU law.

Renew Europe believes citizens need to be at the core of the European Union, but we need to do more to bring prosperity and opportunity to everyone, by completing and deepening the Single Market and the Economic Monetary Union and delivering jobs, growth, stability and an environment where our businesses, especially SMEs, can flourish alongside our employees. Renew Europe will guarantee the free movement of goods, capital, services and workers, whilst addressing key social challenges. We believe in equal opportunities, solidarity and cohesion. We will deliver on the portability of rights. We will improve competition policy and fight tax evasion and money laundering. We will ensure the implementation of the Services Directive. We support the creation of a Digital Europe building strategic digital capabilities and establishing a Digital Services Act. We will harness the power of the digital transformation in the interests of European citizens. Europe can be the frontrunner in new technologies to their benefit.

For us, the European Union's foreign policy and external relations must be based on the values upon which the EU is founded. Renew Europe believes that in a changing world order, we are stronger together and weaker apart. We must uphold our interests and principles and remain committed to multilateralism, international and human rights law and sustainable development. We want to strengthen the role of the High Representative/Vice President to ensure that the EU can act as a united, more influential global actor. A reinforced CFSP should include traditional EU 'soft power' but also strengthened security, trade and defense policies and instruments. We need to move towards a genuine European Defense Union in close cooperation with NATO. We support new strategies with regard to the EU neighborhood and Africa that effectively deal with economic development and security.

Promoting European Values

• Renew Europe is at the forefront of defending our common European values of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. Values, more than anything, are at the very heart of EU citizenship and the DNA of European identity. The protection and promotion of citizens ’rights and freedoms remains at the core of our political agenda - now more than ever before. As liberal democracy is under attack both from within and from outside the EU, Renew Europe will stand up to protect these historical achievements and indeed the European project itself. While nationalists and populists try to divide and rule, our group embraces diversity, equality and pluralism. Notably, democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights are not just ideals, they are essential for the functioning of the European Union as a whole. Without democracy, our public authorities would lack the legitimacy needed to make good public policies, and mutual trust -which is indispensable for smooth cooperation- is eroded.
• We seek a single, evidence-based and EU-wide mechanism on democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights, consisting of an annual review and country specific recommendations regarding compliance with Art. 2 TEU as well as effective monitoring to prevent corruption, as called for by the European Parliament in its legislative proposal from 2016.
• We urge the Council to finally adopt the anti-discrimination directive, blocked since 2008, to ensure that all grounds of discrimination are covered, as well as the promotion of a general equality and diversity strategy including issues regarding anti-racism, gender equality and a “LGBTI roadmap”.
• We request the Commission to step up the fight against corruption, fraud and anti-money laundering, including by replacing framework legislation by a Regulation.
• We believe that education is a fundamental right. We stand for accessibility of quality education and training and the establishment of a European Education Area by 2025The recognition of diplomas, periods of study and traineeship opportunities in the different EU Member States, together with a strong network of European Universities plays a crucial role in finalising the single market. It is essential to ensure that universities in the EU reach a high level of excellence. We call for the integration of the Green Deal and the digital transition into culture and education policies.
• Renew Europe stands for the promotion and the protection of women’s rights, the promotion of equality and equal opportunities, especially in ​​the labour market, and the removal of all forms of violence and discrimination based on gender. To achieve these goals, it is essential to counter the backlash against women’s rights both globally and within the EU, integrate an intersectional gender perspective in all policies of the European Union and to pursue an upward harmonization of women's rights between the Member States. We will continue to fight for the full implementation of the Istanbul Convention. Renew Europe recognises all people who self-identify as women as included in the scope of these priorities; this includes all women regardless of their gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics.
• Renew Europe believes that the Committee on Petitions is the only Committee that is in direct contact with people. It gives all EU residents a platform to voice their complaints and concerns regarding infringements of EU legislation as well as breaches of fundamental rights. Our goal is to ensure that petitions are dealt with in a proper way, that concerns are heard by all the relevant channels such as the Commission, the Ombudsman, but also the Member States and the national Ombudsman. And most importantly, that the matter is resolved where possible.
• Renew Europe will prioritise the Conference on the Future of Europe, which will create a European wide conversation on the future of Europe by bringing all the relevant actors to the table; the EU Institutions, civil society and, most importantly, citizens. Together finding a way forward from the current disconnect of EU institutions and citizens.
• We will pursue reform of the European Union, including finding a way forward to a genuine right of initiative for the Parliament, preparing the way for a use in the Council of the Passerelle Clause. A new approach on disinformation and cybersecurity is required to protect European democracy, including the creation of a European Agency against Disinformation. We want the rights of EU citizens to be expanded, for example through the accession of the EU to the ECHR, and transparency enhanced.
• We want to make Erasmus plus even more ambitious; we support proposals to triple the budget of the programme, from €15 billion for the current period to €45 billion for the period 2021-2027. We will initiate a relaunch of the Copenhagen Process, allowing the apprenticeship, vocational training and lifelong learning to be recognised across the EU.
• We demand an effective and humane common migration and asylum policy: a comprehensive and common EU policy package, based on shared responsibility and cooperation between member states. This must cover all aspects: avenues for legal labour migration, the creation of safe and legal pathways for persons in need of international protection such as resettlementas well as their reception, the effective returns of those who do not have a right to reside in the EUas well as the external dimension of EU migration and asylum policy, while respecting EU fundamental rights and international law.
• We request the Commission to foster Member States’ security cooperation, including in the areas of cross-border crime and terrorism. We urge the Commission to present ambitious proposals for the creation of a European “cybersecurity shield” and a European cyber police, to protect EU citizens and Member States against cyber-attacks.
• We request the Commission to present specific proposals on how to improve judicial cooperation in criminal matters to ensure that both defendants and victims of crime have their procedural rights protected during criminal proceedings throughout the EU. We will continue to request a proposal to reinforce Europol’s and Eurojust’s powers and increase its resources.
• Ensure adequate means for a smooth start of the new EPPO office, also reflecting its status as an independent Union body, and call for legislative proposals to broaden the EPPO mandate to include terrorism and serious and organised crime, including an increase in its budget. We call on the Commission to incentivise all Member States to join the EPPO by making it a precondition for access to EU funds.
• Encourage all relevant actors to strengthen and speed up the implementation and deployment of the European Border and Coast Guard, in a more ambitious way, to reinforce the EU’s external borders, which is a precondition for a well-functioning Schengen area.
• We request the Commission to put forward proposals for banning, or at the very least restricting and regulating, ‘residency-by-investment’ and ‘citizenship by investment’ schemes ("golden visa and golden passports programs").
• We ask the Commission to fully implement and enforce the 2016 Data Protection Package to ensure the security and protection of personal data. We urge the Commission to put forward a legislative proposal to replace the Directive for data protection in the context of law enforcement by a Regulation, in order to better protect citizens’ fundamental rights in cross-border law enforcement cooperation.
• Request guarantees that any data sharing agreement with a third country fully complies with our strong EU privacy standards.
• We will defend free speech and the free press. We will request the Commission to strengthen the fight against online hate speech, while respecting fundamental rights. We ask the Commission to put forward a proposal for strong and comprehensive mechanisms to protect and strengthen the freedom of speech, the freedom of the media and enhance the protection of journalists, including by improving the transparency of media-ownership, adopting an EU-wide anti-SLAPP directive, creating a permanent EU fund for investigative journalists and establishing a rapid reaction mechanism for journalists in danger.
• We believe that special attention should be paid to the development of artificial intelligence and robotics and ethical questions, questions of civil liability. Renew wishes to act swiftly to evaluate where the existing legal framework is insufficient, and – where necessary – new legislation needs to be put in place. We will seek the implementation of the Renew Strategy on A.I. in all policy areas.
• Renew will reiterate its engagement on company law as public country-by-country reporting, corporate social responsibility and a collective redress mechanism to enhance consumer rights, notably in cross-border cases. We call for legislation for the automatic recognition of domestic adoption orders and we believe it is urgent to review the relevant legal framework in order to increase the efficiency of the judicial cooperation between Member States, taking into account the digitalisation of justice. The Europe's patent system needs to be reinforced to ensure it is fit to fight against potential abuses. Renew is fully committed to foster transparency in the Union's decision-making procedure by reforming the Comitology Regulation and by setting an independent body, which shall oversee potential conflicts of interests concerning high-level decision-making jobs and mandates such as Commissioners, Director Generals of the European Commission and Members of the European Parliament.

Investing in a sustainable future

• Renew Europe is fully committed to the 1.5 degrees goal of the Paris Agreement. We will make sure that the necessary transition to a climate neutral society by at the latest 2050 will be a European success story. Our future depends on healthy ecosystems, and the ecological transition must therefore be accelerated. This requires full coherence and mainstreaming of environment and climate objectives across all EU policies. It also means that no policies, payments or international agreements should act against our climate and environmental objectives or the Paris Agreement.
• The green transition should be an integral part of our strategies for growth, jobs and industry; we want the EU to have a carbon neutral, highly resource efficient and competitive industrial base by 2050. We will work for a transition that fosters innovation and provides opportunities for value creation and higher living standards across the whole EU, in a way that is fair, just and builds on broad acceptance and involvement of citizens. The EU should be a global leader in this transition, which must also include reducing the global footprint of our consumption. The equal access to health for our citizens will be at the heart of all our policies. We will work to deliver on citizens’ expectations for a non-toxic environment with clean air and water and safe products free from hazardous chemicals. We will defend the highest level of food safety and quality. We will work to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions about the food they buy and about the supply-chain effects of their choices, including through more transparent product labelling.
• We call for an ambitious European Green Deal and an effective Climate Law that raises the targets for the EU greenhouse gas emissions to 55% below 1990 levels by 2030, and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. All relevant EU legislation must be updated, and new legislation introduced, in order to reach this target and ensure that all sectors contribute. This will include a strengthened EU ETS and Climate Action Regulation to drive the transformation in a cost-efficient and technology-neutral way. We support EU actions for a just transition, which must be linked to concrete decarbonisation measures in line with the Paris Agreement.
• The EU must step up the protection of nature through an ambitious 2030 Biodiversity strategy aimed at halting and reversing biodiversity loss in Europe and globally. It should also fully exploit the co-benefits with Europe´s climate action. Firstly, we call for concrete targets and legal measures, taking into account the regional differences in Europe, which should include in particular setting a target for protected areas in Europe and globally with the highest possible ambition. Secondly, the EU must address the drivers of biodiversity loss especially through its agricultural, fisheries, trade and energy policies, and in the EU forest strategy. Fisheries and agricultural subsidies that undermine the biodiversity targets must be ended. We also call for a binding biodiversity spending target in the MFF. We call for a European legal framework to stop deforestation embedded in products sold in the EU.
• The EU needs a new Action Plan on the Circular Economy. It should aim at reducing the total environmental and resource footprint of EU production and consumption and provide incentives for innovation and sustainable businesses. The Action Plan should prioritise waste prevention. It should include targets for waste reduction, reuse and recycling and specific actions for priority sectors such as commercial waste, textiles, construction, food and batteries. We call for measures to boost the EU market for recycled materials, achieve non-toxic materials cycles, and promote the use of sustainably sourced renewable bio-based raw materials. We want to expand the scope of ecodesign with legislation making products more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable, and a strong ecodesign work programme from 2020 onwards. The EU should ensure that all packaging is easily reusable or recyclable by 2030 at the latest, and take further measures against single-use plastics and microplastics.
• The EU should raise the level of protection of the quality of our air, in line with WHO guidelines, and our waters. We call on the Commission to present a Non-toxic Environment Strategy without delay, including the revision of all relevant legislation. We want faster progress in the fight against harmful chemicals, for example in pesticides, and in the phase-out of all Substances of Very High Concern, as well as measures against the combination effect of chemical exposure. In particular, we demand ambitious legislative proposals by June 2020 to reduce endocrine disruptors in cosmetics, toys and food packaging replacing them with safer alternatives, and an action plan that provides a comprehensive framework with targets and deadlines to minimize and eliminate citizens' exposure to ECDs. We call for an EU strategy on finding sustainable alternatives for pesticides.
• Health should be considered as a determinant in EU-policy making. The EU must deliver a comprehensive action plan against cancer, and strengthen its policies on rare and chronic diseases (in particular cardiovascular diseases) and on mental health. The EU must push for an international agreement to fight antimicrobial resistance and take strong action to combat the spread of infectious diseases. We want the Commission to make concrete proposals to enhance the interoperability of healthcare systems. The EU and the Member States must ensure good application of patient rights in cross-border healthcare as well as the availability of and access to safe and affordable medicines.
• Renew Europe believes that substantial efforts are needed to strengthen Europe’s innovation drive and technological development. Regaining our innovation edge and deploying disruptive technologies successfully is vital if we are to boost the competitiveness of our industries and SMEs. At the same time, adopting new technologies and innovative economic production & supply chains are essential in our efforts to reach our climate and energy goals. Unless the EU leads in climate change action and in innovation, the global economic and technological leadership will continue to emerge elsewhere. Our long-term prosperity, but also our values, and the way our society functions, are at stake.
• Europe needs to grasp the potential of the Digital Age - empowering our citizens to be increasingly digital and to seek to be a leader in crucial areas such as Artificial Intelligence, 5G, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, as well as distributed ledger technologies and other emerging disruptive technologies. In AI, our Group should aim to outline a common, long-term position that highlights our key values and objectives, covering aspects of AI well beyond ethical considerations. Furthermore, we have to bundle our research activities on AI: instead of having 28 uncoordinated national AI programmes, we should pool our efforts together and capitalise from our diversity. However, there will be no AI without data. We need a European strategy towards a single market for data; European data must be stored and processed in Europe ensuring the highest level of data safety. Finally, the Digital Europe Programme will be a key vehicle to boost EU investments in digital transformation.
• Our climate goals need to be reflected in greater ambition levels in the energy sector, in line with the energy efficiency first principle: higher targets in renewable energy and energy efficiency are needed. Energy efficiency must remain our priority, especially in sectors with high energy saving potential such as buildings, transport and energy intensive industries. In view of the nature of renewable energy and the ongoing electrification of the transport sector, the Union policies should enhance innovation and deployment of sustainable energy storage. Renew Europe should advocate a phase-out of coal and fossil fuel subsidies in the Union, focusing our efforts in new clean technologies like green gas and hydrogen while addressing methane leakage. The green transition must be as ambitious as possible, while respecting the energy mix of Member States. The Energy Union should be further strengthened by continuing the work on interconnectors and smart grids to maximise cross-border energy flows. This will also improve our security of supply.
• World leading research & innovation are fundamental to Europe’s future. They are vital for producing new knowledge, tackling global challenges, ensuring sustainable productivity growth and long-term competitiveness. In order to reach the EU’s target of 3% of GDP in R&I, ambitious investments at both the national and European levels are needed. We must support scientific excellence, strengthen collaboration between academia and industry and promote innovation as well as evidence-based policymaking. These will help our researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, start-ups and SME's to grow, and renew Europe. The European Research Area should also be strengthened, and policies should be developed to address the innovation gap.
• European agriculture and rural areas play a vital role in ensuring sustainable and viable food production across Europe and as a sector; it is an integral part of the EU’s economy and social fabric. Agriculture has a key role in protecting the environment, preserving landscapes and strengthening biodiversity. Supported and developed in a forward-looking and inclusive manner, European agriculture has the potential to be an extraordinary tool for the transformation of our society in a green and sustainable way.
• In a world where food production and environmental objectives must go hand-to-hand, Renew Europe advocates for a sustainable, efficient and productive model of European agriculture. Food production objectives must be delivered through market-oriented measures which incentivise the sector, and reward farmers for the standards and public goods they deliver. We want to deliver: a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that works for all, a holistic farm to fork strategy, farm-led measures to meet climate and environmental goals, a forward looking agriculture sector that invests in research and development and policies that ensure vibrant rural areas.
• We believe that our seas and oceans are an integral part of our history, prosperity and way of life. The ocean is under threat from the effects of climate change, pollution, loss of biodiversity and unsustainable use. The conservation of our common marine resources and sustainable fishing practices go hand in hand. The 2013 reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) entailed a substantial policy change to end overfishing by 2020. How we fish today affects the quality of our food and the health of marine ecosystems and coastal fishing communities tomorrow. Healthy oceans and healthy fish stocks are key for ensuring the long-term viability of the EU fishing sector and the ability of the oceans to provide essential eco-systemic services to humankind and wealth to future generations.
• We stand for the achievement of the objectives set in the CFP. We call for further action aiming at deploying a real ecosystem-based fisheries management approach and at enlarging the network of Marine Protected Areas, while ensuring its effective implementation. We need to tackle the problem of a lack of sufficient knowledge about the marine environment and bring sustainable solutions for the Mediterranean and Black sea areas. Funding under the future EMFF needs to be designed so as to provide assistance to EU fishers and aquaculture farmers to cope with their current challenges, while meeting the Union's objectives and priorities. Improving traceability and labelling of fisheries and aquaculture products (F2F Strategy) as well as supporting the EU's global position to strengthening global ocean governance and fighting against illegal fishing (IUU) are among our priorities. We call as well for an action plan ensuring coherence between the EU trade policy and the international commitment of the European Union for sustainable fisheries.
• Renew Europe, through its representatives on the Parliament’s Negotiating team and Contact Group for Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and Own Resources, play a leading role in shaping an agreement on the next MFF. We defend a modernised EU budget that reinforces the “new” challenges, like research and innovation, digitalisation, defence, security, migration, youth and inclusive education, industry and ecological-transition, while maintaining the traditional EU policies ensuring food sovereignty and diversity (CAP), solidarity and economic convergence (cohesion). It is crucial to ensure a fair geographical repartition of funds across the Eastern and Western parts of the EU. RE has established itself as a staunch defender of the rule of law in the MFF debate. The EU must have the possibility to swiftly take appropriate measures to protect the Union’s financial interests if European values are breached; moreover, such a rule of law mechanism would increase citizens’ willingness to contribute to the EU budget. Importantly, we must ensure that the final beneficiary is not affected. We support the introduction of a basket of new sources of revenue that can reinforce EU policies with a real European added value, such as environment and climate protection, among others.
• The EU needs a budget focused on results based on better performance indicators (KPI). We will assess the EU funds economy, efficiency and efficacy with the view to increase the European added value. We will work to ensure that the EU spending is aligned with the EU’s political priorities. We will strive to scrutinise how public money is spent and we aim to work towards ensuring that ahead of the post-2027 MFF the Commission will provide the budgetary and discharge authority with a genuine spending review of the post-2020 MFF in order to facilitate the development of the EU budget focused on results and European added value. RENEW is committed to fight corruption and therefore requests the Commission regular anti-corruption reports. To this end, we will be working to strengthen the mandate of EPPO and OLAF. The EU institutions need clear lobby transparency rules. We will work towards setting in place an independent ethics body to monitor conflict of interest, the so-called “revolving doors” and lobby transparency.
• Renew Europe supports a strong EU cohesion- and regional policy that continues to cover all member states and all EU regions with a budget that can tackle the challenges Europe is facing and which will ensure economic- and developmental disparities continues to decrease.
• The Renew Europe group believes that European transport is at a turning point. The EU transport sector has to satisfy the growing demand for passenger and commercial transport, to continue unleashing economic growth, to ensure connectivity, and safety while it has to reach the EU’s own objective of reducing the transport emission by 60% by 2050. We want to take further actions to achieve the full completion of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). We want to make sustainable transport a reality, by promoting sustainable transport based on integrated and multimodal networks, on advanced technologies that use the benefits of digitalisation, with the complete development and deployment of Galileo, on modal shift, on increased investments in smart mobility, zero-emission vehicle technologies and on sustainable infrastructure projects. To complete the internal market, the creation of a genuine single European transport area is of outmost importance.

A stronger economy & opportunity for all

• To achieve Renew Europe’s objective for an economy that serves its people and the planet, the strength and the stability of the Euro has to be reinforced. The Economic and Monetary Union remains incomplete and reforms are needed to continue to deliver on our citizens’ expectations of jobs, growth and stability, ensuring a strong single market, which supports the development of SMEs, and to encourage closer cooperation between Member States while respecting the principle of subsidiarity and the no-bailout principle. To achieve this, innovation needs to be strongly incentivised, access to education assured for all, as well as equal and full access to the job market.
• Renew Europe believes that the governance of the Euro area needs to be more democratic, transparent and under judicial oversight and calls for the establishment of an instrument that supports and incentivises Member States, which comply with the economic governance framework, to conduct structural reforms. The EU should, in addition, have a legislative framework that is fit for the modern age and that reflects the growth of the digital economy. Furthermore, clear synergies between environmental and economic policies are needed to realise a sustainable, knowledge-based economy.
• Renew Europe should strengthen the Parliament’s role regarding the Commission’s Competition policy actions, making it more accountable. It should also promote the Important Projects of Common European Interest to cover more projects with a positive environmental impact and in strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence.
• Renew Europe strongly supports the creation of a Digital Europe, eliminating existing barriers, bolstering EU competition policy to ensure its effectiveness and speed, building the strategic digital capacities of the EU and facilitating the wide deployment of digital technologies, to be used by Europe's citizens and businesses, especially SMEs. As data science and information technology are having an effect on financial services, a Digital Services Act could constitute the base of an ambitious programme, aiming at boosting investment in strategic sectors, such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and at protecting consumers. To this extent, and with the objective of reinforcing the single market, the Commission should also put forward proposals to modernise the legislative framework concerning Philanthropy and of three sectors that remain unregulated despite having a huge impact on the financial sector: Fintech, Cryptoassets and Data Markets.
• Renew Europe supports the common currency of the European Union, which needs to be further strengthened and extended, and is fully committed to an inclusive economy, based on social inclusion and equal opportunities for all; this process has to be accompanied by rules that avoid pro-cyclicality and incentivize countercyclical policy measures, and also by real economic convergence among Member States. We need to complete the Banking Union to ensure a higher degree of financial stability and to build a strong Capital Markets Union, with simple, easy-to-use savings products, which fit the needs of our fellow citizens: long-term savings products and sustainable savings products to encourage and facilitate the crucial energy transition. A fair and efficient taxation system and tackling tax evasion and money laundering is key to addressing inequality and ensuring political stability. The Commission should therefore focus on the following actions: simplify the EU fiscal rules to avoid political horse-trading and improve anti-cyclical measures; speak with one voice on the importance of a fair taxation system and tackle the regulatory and supervisory fragmentation in the anti-money laundering sector by establishing an EU Financial Intelligence Unit.
• Renew Europe believes that green growth can by enhanced by evidence-based and innovating sustainable policies. The Commission set the basis for such a change in the previous mandate, by putting forward the Sustainable Finance Action Plan. Building on previous achievements and with the upcoming Green Deal- that will be composed of a number of instruments including a Sustainable Europe Investment Plan and the Green financing strategy- we must bridge the current 200 billion investment gap. For Renew Europe the transformation of the European Investment Bank into a Climate Bank as outlined in Ursula von der Leyen’s mission statement will also represent a priority. These initiatives would - if including supply chains - have a major impact on the European economic, financial and environmental sectors. It is important that all EIB investment aims at fostering jobs and economic growth while mitigating the risk of greenwashing. Furthermore, these investments should not jeopardise the climate mainstreaming efforts.
• SMEs are the backbone of the European Economy. To support them it is important to design a clear strategy, which includes both the reduction of the red tape and of the regulatory burden, while seeking new ways to help them grow and scale up in Europe by adopting tailor-made legislations and support the sharing economy and new creative business ideas, including by regulatory sandboxes.
• Open markets and free trade are essential for successful SMEs, as is the role of financial institutions that are close to them. An SME strategy is important in order to identify the areas where there can be support for SMEs, particularly concerning access to finance and barriers to cross border trade and investment. In line with the Group initiative on the Green deal, we aim to deliver on climate targets and, at the same time, provide the necessary tools to our industries to allow them to adapt and develop, with a particular focus on supporting the growth and competitiveness of SMEs.
• SMEs are the backbone of the EU labour market, providing the vast majority of employment opportunities. We will assist them by facilitating access to finance, eliminating red tape and simplifying administrative burdens and by completing the Single Market. Entrepreneurs and the self-employed must be supported as they play a key role in boosting innovation, creating jobs and contributing to sustainable growth. Entrepreneurial skills and capacity building must be encouraged.
• Renew Europe stands for a renewed and prosperous Europe that puts the European citizens at the core of the European Union. We believe in a Europe of equal opportunities and common values, forward-looking, competitive and innovative, based on free movement of people, solidarity and social cohesion, as enshrined in the Treaties. We believe that companies and businesses must flourish alongside their employees, creating jobs and prosperity for all European citizens.
• Renew Europe believes that the future labour markets will present important challenges in terms of needed skills and dynamics, which will need to be addressed with new policies that will supply solutions to both the youth in education, the workers in need of reskilling and the employers requiring a qualified workforce.
• We will continue to promote the free movement of workers for a well-functioning single market and remove remaining obstacles such as administrative burdens or outdated procedures, difficulties with the recognition of qualifications or diplomas, lack of portability of social rights and entitlements. This must be realised amongst others, by the implementation of coordinated digital solutions at Member State level while enhancing and streamlining solutions against fraud of any kind.
• We believe that future European labour markets need a comprehensive skills-based investment. Matching skills and qualifications with labour market demand and job opportunities is a pre-condition for creating a competitive EU labour market. Moreover, there is a need to create additional ways to attract talent and well-needed skills, which are necessary for European companies to stay competitive. We aim to assist Member States to better align education and training with labour market needs across the EU, improve opportunities for mobility, unblock the current Blue Card proposal, improve recruitment and training strategies and boost job creation through targeted investments. Renew considers that we need more investment in quality education, digital skills, digital vocational training and digital upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning schemes for workers.
• The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament believes that Europe must create access and opportunity for its citizens as a tool against social exclusion, regardless of their geographical location. Competitiveness and prosperity must be prioritised together with the welfare of the citizens.
• Renew Europe will support better and more active coordination at EU level and enhanced commitment on addressing key social challenges, while upholding the diversity of national systems, including the role of social partners and respecting Member States competences as enshrined in the Treaties and the principle of subsidiarity.
• We believe in social dialogue and cooperation with economic partners, trade unions and civil society for bettering the situations of our businesses and workers.
• Investing in our children and young people as well as tackling youth unemployment and promoting real and new solutions for their social inclusion is one of the main goals for Renew Europe. Europe needs to deliver an adequate Child Guarantee, and ensure that a more effective Youth Guarantee will be supported, both politically but also financially by the Member States. Our children cannot be left behind anymore, in any part of the Union. We need to invest in children and combat child poverty.
• Strategic investment in youth should become a new norm, alongside brick and mortar investment, as it will be the way to secure labour stability and economic prosperity in the future. Including these principles in the European Semester is one of the ways to work with the Member States to deliver on the solutions we will create for them.
• We will focus also on closing the knowledge gap regarding the opportunities and risks associated with technological change, by addressing the challenges digitalisation raises, such as the lack of digital skills and knowledge about new technologies, high cost, working conditions of platform workers, protecting privacy and security and eradicating the possibilities of abuses. Renew Europe will strive to find solutions to these challenges created by digital innovation.
• Implementing the principle of equal treatment in employment is vital for Renew Europe. Anti-discrimination policy plays a key role in ensuring equal employment opportunities and promoting social inclusion. Inclusion and protection of all genders, all minorities, ethnic or otherwise, people with disabilities, migrants and others in the labour market and in wider society in line with our obligations under the UNCRPD is fundamental in our view. Only a truly inclusive Europe will be a Renewed Europe!
• Our single market is the first and one of the most beneficial achievements of our Union in terms of prosperity and it must be completed. It benefits to 500 million of European consumers and 24 million companies. Neither the digital nor the ecological transition will succeed if we follow the path of those who wants to re-introduce barriers between our countries. People need a stronger single market to reach our common objectives. Renew Europe will therefore fight any attempt to undermine single market rules. We will launch new initiatives to take down barriers, reduce red tape and complete the market where we need new laws.
• Europe needs to grasp the potential of the Digital Age - empowering our citizens to be increasingly digital and to seek to be a leader in crucial areas such as Artificial Intelligence, 5G, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, as well as distributed ledger technologies and other emerging disruptive technologies. We have to bundle our research activities on AI: instead of having 28 uncoordinated national AI programmes, we should pool our efforts together and capitalise from our diversity. However, there will be no AI without data. We need a European strategy towards a single market for data; European data must be stored and processed in Europe ensuring the highest level of data safety. Finally, the Digital Europe Programme will be a key vehicle to boost EU investments in digital transformation.
• We need a new long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial future, an updated vision for SMEs, and deeper collaboration in the defence industry. In line with the Group initiative on the Green deal, we aim to deliver on climate targets and, at the same time, provide the necessary tools to our industries to allow them to adapt and develop, with a particular focus on supporting the growth and competitiveness of SMEs. We also need a carbon adjustment mechanism at borders in compliance with WTO rules. Lastly, the Union must take further steps to address the dependency on imports of minerals and rare earths essential for industrial processes. Innovation must play a pivotal role in addressing this challenge.
• World leading research & innovation are fundamental to Europe’s future. They are vital for producing new knowledge, tackling global challenges, ensuring sustainable productivity growth and long-term competitiveness. In order to reach the EU’s target of 3% of GDP in R&I, ambitious investments at both the national and European levels are needed. We must support scientific excellence, strengthen collaboration between academia and industry and promote innovation as well as evidence-based policymaking. These will help our researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, start-ups and SME's to grow, and renew Europe. The European Research Area should also be strengthened, and policies should be developed to address the innovation gap.
• Adoption of a new ambitious space programme; promotion of a strong and innovative space industry, increasing investment, adaption to new needs and new technologies, and enhancement of Europe's autonomous access to space are also future oriented actions we need to promote.

A Europe that can deliver for its citizens

• The EU needs an effective and coherent Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) strengthening its geopolitical and security position as a global player based on the full respect of international law, international human rights law and international humanitarian law, respect for the environment and on the protection and promotion of multilateralism as the best way to address global challenges. This can be achieved only through unity, cooperation, decisiveness, trustworthiness and vigour.
• A reinforced CFSP should include traditional EU 'soft power' but also strengthened security and defense policies within CSDP such as increased defense co-operation, enhancing EU security capabilities, an assessment of EU-NATO relations, an effective sanctions policy and improved anti-terrorism co-operation.
• Support for enlargement and an enhanced engagement with the Western Balkans countries and their perspective within the European Union according to the enlargement strategy. European prosperity and security is closely linked to the integration process and the advancement of peace, democracy, respect for human rights and rule of law in the Western Balkans region and their future in a strong and reformed EU.
• The peaceful resolution of protracted conflicts must become a clear priority of the EU, in particular in the Eastern and Southern Neighborhoods and the EU should develop effective conflict prevention and mediation roles as well as accountable, efficient and transparent methods to use the existing external financial instruments.
• Calls on the Council to fully implement PESCO and guarantee its adequate funding and to advance on defense cooperation through the use of the different CSDP components such as the European Defense Fund.
• Calls on the Council to take all the necessary steps to swiftly establish a flexible and reactive EU-wide sanctions regime that would allow the targeting of any individual, state and non-state actors, and other entities responsible for or involved in grave human rights violations or grave violations of international law.
• Renew Europe seeks a development policy capable of ending poverty in all its dimensions, tackling discriminations, inequalities and vulnerability, and leaving no one behind has to remain at the heart of the EU development policies. “Dignity for all” is our fundamental guideline. The EU development policy must be based on both sustainability and human rights approach.
• All EU aid needs to reflect awareness of the special role women can play in development and the importance of gender and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Transparency and accountability remain key principles for development effectiveness. In this respect, the EU has to set and champion new standards for all financial flows, public and private. Debt sustainability, mobilization of domestic resources and the fight against tax avoidance in developing countries depend on these principles being upheld. Result driven and inclusive development partnerships, country ownership and evaluation are other core elements ensuring aid effectiveness.
• As the world’s leading humanitarian aid donor, the EU and its MSs need to uphold the fundamental principles of humanitarian aid - impartiality, neutrality, independence and humanity. The nature of today's humanitarian crisis is increasingly complex and transcends the traditional humanitarian and development aid lines. Durable solutions are needed. The concept of ‘humanitarian-development nexus’ has to be further developed.
• Renew Europe believes that trade is good for economic growth, prosperity, business opportunities and jobs. It can also be an important tool for advancing EU values and standards, promoting sustainable development and human rights and to help fight climate change. We want trade that is rules-based, free and fair, which allows for a level playing field and improved access to foreign markets for European exporters and to cheaper imports for European producers and consumers, as well as dialogue to find common solutions to shared challenges on the global stage.
• We are committed to defend our values and interests at home and promoting them abroad, liberalise trade with third countries, tackle unfair trade practices, protectionism and isolationism, reduce imbalances, and deal with other challenges and uncertainties.
• With rules and values-based trade, we can advance our agenda for more sustainable exchange of goods and services. A rules-based multilateral trade system will help set standards and allow the EU to have a positive impact and leverage when promoting our values though trade, such as high ambitions for sustainable social and climate development and gender equality.
• The EU must defend multilateralism and the WTO as the centre of the international trade system; We need to reform the WTO to overcome blockages to the WTO’s dispute settlement system and its rule-making function and bring it up to date when it comes to, for example, subsidies and digital trade; The European Parliament shall continue to be a key actor in further strengthening the democratic scrutiny of the WTO via the Parliamentary Conference on the WTO;
• Ensuring a level playing field and fair competition for European companies, including SMEs and producers, in access to foreign markets and guaranteeing consumer safety on the internal market and recognise the importance of the agri-food sector, through free trade agreements and through complementing the current legislative tools, including internal policies, and advancing new ones; recalls the importance of improving access to foreign procurement markets;
• Ensure that free trade agreements are enforceable and come with strong sustainable development chapters, fully compliant with international commitments and to the Paris Agreement, that are effectively implemented and that tools to deal with issues such as human rights, climate change, gender equality and labour rights are developed and implemented in a non-discriminatory way;
• Advance negotiations and conclude agreements with African countries and regions, with our negotiating partners in Asia, Latin America and with Australia and New Zealand and to move towards a more positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the US; In addition the Commission should actively seek for new trading partners.