51998AP0300(01)

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1734/94 of 11 July 1994 on financial and technical cooperation with the Occupied Territories (COM(98)0392 - C4-0432/98 - 98/0220(SYN))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 6)

ARTICLE 1(1)

Article 1(1) (Regulation (EC) 1734/94)

>Original text>

1. The Community shall implement financial and technical cooperation with the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under aneight-year period (1999 to 2006) with the aim of aiding their achievement of sustainable economic, political and social development.

>Text following EP vote>

1.

The Community shall implement financial and technical cooperation with the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under a five-year period (1999 to 2003) with the aim of aiding their achievement of sustainable economic, political and social development. In the event of the adoption of new financial perspectives for the period after 2000, the amount of this cooperation shall be determined in accordance with the financial perspectives and conditional upon the budgetary authority deciding the amount in the annual budgetary procedure.

(Amendment 4)

ARTICLE 1(4)

Article 4(2), 2nd subparagraph, and (3) (Regulation (EC) 1734/94)

>Original text>

The Committee referred to in Article 5 shall be informed systematically and promptly and in any event before the next meeting, of financing decisions for measures not involving more than ECU 2 000 000.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall keep the budgetary authority and the Committee referred to in Article 5 informed systematically and promptly and in any event before the next meeting of the Committee, of financing decisions for measures not involving more than ECU 2 000 000.

>Original text>

3. Decisions amending financing decisions adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 5 shall be taken by the Commission where they do not entail any substantial amendments or additional commitments in excess of 20% of the original commitment. The Commission shall inform the Committee referred to in Article 5 immediately of any such decisions.

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

(Amendment 5)

ARTICLE 1(5)

Article 5(1a) and (1b) (new) (Regulation (EC) 1734/94)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

1a. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft, within a time-limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes: in addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the committee. It shall inform the committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The committee shall meet as a rule in public, unless a specific duly motivated decision is taken to the contrary and published in good time. It shall publish agendas two weeks in advance of its meetings. It shall publish minutes of its meetings. It shall establish a public register of declarations of interest by its members.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

1b. These provisions shall be adopted in accordance with the Parliament position on a new act laying down the principles on European Union committees chaired by the Commission and the implementation powers of the Commission.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1734/94 of 11 July 1994 on financial and technical cooperation with the Occupied Territories (COM(98)0392 - C4-0432/98 - 98/0220(SYN))(Cooperation procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(98)0392 - 98/0220(SYN),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 189c and 130w of the EC Treaty (C4-0432/98),

- having regard to Rules 50 and 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0300/98),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Commission to amend its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to incorporate Parliament's amendments in the common position that it adopts in accordance with Article 189c(a) of the EC Treaty;

4. Requests the opening of the conciliation procedure in the event that the Council intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the Commission proposal;

6. Requests the Commission, in accordance with Art. 138b(2) of the EC Treaty, to present, pursuant to Article 130w of the EC Treaty and before 31 December 1999, a new consolidated legislative text on the proposals adopted for the continuation of the programme from the year 2000 on;

7. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.