OPINION OF THE COMMISSION pursuant to Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c), of the EC Treaty, on the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's common position regarding the proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing a programme of Community action to promote organisations active at European level and support specific activities in the area of education and training AMENDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty

2003/0114 (COD)

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION pursuant to Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c), of the EC Treaty, on the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's common position regarding the proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing a programme of Community action to promote organisations active at European level and support specific activities in the area of education and training

1. INTRODUCTION

Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c) of the EC Treaty provides that the Commission shall deliver an opinion on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament at second reading. The Commission sets out below its opinion on the 3 amendments proposed by Parliament.

2. BACKGROUND

Date of transmission of the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (document COM (2003) 273 final - 2003/0114 (COD)): // 3 June 2003

Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee: // 29 October 2003

Date of the opinion of the Committee of the Regions: // renounced

Date of the opinion of the European Parliament at first reading: // 6 November 2003

Date of the Commission's position on the European Parliament's amendments at first reading: // 6 November 2003

Date of political agreement in Council (unanimity): // 24 November 2003

Date of adoption of the common position: // 22 December 2003

Date of adoption of the European Parliament's amendments at second reading : // 10 March 2004

3. PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL

Based on Articles 149 and 150 of the EC Treaty, this Decision is intended, following the implementation of the new Financial Regulation applicable to the budget of the European Communities, to establish a basic act for awarding grants to promote organisations active at European level and support specific activities in the area of education and training.

This programme will cover certain former budget lines in Part A, Chapter 30 of the budget, as well as certain lines in Part B, particularly those concerning the Jean Monnet Project, support for specific establishments (the College of Europe (Bruges and Natolin campuses); the European University Institute, Florence; the European Law Academy, Trier; the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation; the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education; the International Centre for European Training), support for training in European law, and support for the development of European policy in education and training (Objectives process).

4. OPINION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S AMENDMENTS

Total number of amendments: 3

Amendments accepted in full: 3

The Commission accepts amendment 1, which is of a technical nature and which increases, in connection with Action 3B of the programme, the minimum and maximum percentages of the budgetary allocation, based on increases in the budget line for this Action in the course of the budgetary process 2004.

The Commission accepts two technical amendments (amendments 2 and 3) which seek to introduce two derogations from the Financial Regulation so as to take account of the entry into force of this new programme from 2004.

5. CONCLUSION

Pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission amends its proposal as set out above.