A4-0123/98

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 of 25 July 1996 relating to aid for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (COM(98)0018 - C4-0105/98 - 98/0023(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital 2a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas a disparity persists between the amount of appropriations made available by the budgetary authority and the unsatisfactory level of implementation owing to an inadequate legislative framework, which results in a lack of visibility for the European Union, the biggest donor;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 8

>Original text>

Whereas projects facilitating the return of refugees should benefit from restricted tendering procedures in order to shorten the delays to a strict minimum;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas projects facilitating the return of refugees

, which meet pressing basic needs, such as housing projects, or provide basic infrastructure, such as water and electricity supply, and training and education, should benefit from restricted tendering procedures in order to shorten the delays to a strict minimum;

(Amendment 5)

Recital 10

>Original text>

Whereas this amount has to be increased to 5 MECU in order to increase expediency;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas this amount has to be increased to

10 MECU in order to increase expediency;

(Amendment 6)

Recital 13

>Original text>

Whereas in order to increase the flexibility of Community assistance, the Commission should also be enabled to contribute to programmes and cooperation schemes forwarded by municipalities or regional bodies, in consultation with the Central Government;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas in order to increase the flexibility of Community assistance, the Commission should also be enabled to contribute to programmes and cooperation schemes forwarded by municipalities or regional bodies, in consultation with the Central Government

and, in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the High Representative, when he performs Central Government functions;

(Amendment 7)

Recital 13a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, in order to increase the effectiveness of reconstruction aid in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to speed up implementation of aid programmes for the return of refugees and displaced persons, the Commission should appoint a delegate with special authority who would assume responsibility locally for all EU activities, enjoy largely autonomous powers to act and take decisions and be assisted by a strong management team and supported by specially recruited technical assistance and monitoring teams;

(Amendment 8)

Recital 13b (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, in order to ensure adequate staffing for such technical assistance for the Commission locally, an amount not exceeding 10% of the operating expenditure should be earmarked for recruitment;

(Amendment 9)

Recital 13c (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, in order to ensure that the greatest possible synergies are achieved between the Commission's projects and those of the Member States in the context of the objective of decentralization, regular meetings should be held locally between the Commission and representatives of the Member States, chaired by the EU delegate for reconstruction, to exchange information and coordinate activities.

(Amendment 10)

ARTICLE 1(-a) new

Article 7, second paragraph (new) (Regulation (EC) No 1628/96)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

-a) The following new paragraph shall be added to Article 7:

'Adequate regular parliamentary monitoring and scrutiny shall also be ensured¨

(Amendment 11)

ARTICLE 1(a), FOURTH PARAGRAPH

>Original text>

With respect to projects facilitating the return of refugees, works and supply contracts exceeding 3 million ECU and not exceeding 10 million ECU shall be awarded by open tendering procedure or following restricted invitations to tender. The procedures and thresholds established by Article 10 paragraph 1 and 2 are applicable.

>Text following EP vote>

With respect to projects facilitating the return of refugees

and the integration or reintegration of refugees, displaced persons and former soldiers into working life and which relate to housing, infrastructure, employment, training and education, works and supply contracts exceeding 3 million ECU and not exceeding 10 million ECU shall be awarded by open tendering procedure or following restricted invitations to tender. The procedures and thresholds established by Article 10 paragraph 1 and 2 are applicable.

(Amendment 12)

ARTICLE 1(a), FOURTH PARAGRAPH a (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

In order to ensure the necessary technical assistance for the Commission locally during implementation of projects, an amount not exceeding 10% of the operating costs shall be earmarked for the recruitment of specialist staff.

(Amendment 13)

ARTICLE 1(a), FOURTH PARAGRAPH b (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

Responsibility for starting up, leading and coordinating all projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina aided by the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall be entrusted to a Commission delegate with special responsibility for reconstruction and the return of refugees and displaced persons, who shall be responsible locally for all EU activities, enjoy largely autonomous powers to act and take decisions and be assisted by an adequately staffed technical assistance unit.

(Amendment 14)

ARTICLE 1(b)

>Original text>

Financing decisions exceeding 5 million ECU shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 12(2). The Committee provided for in Article 12 shall be informed of operations involving financing of less than 5 million ECU.

>Text following EP vote>

Financing decisions exceeding

10 million ECU shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 12(2). The Committee provided for in Article 12 shall be informed of operations involving financing of less than 10 million ECU.

(Amendment 15)

ARTICLE 1b, SECOND PARAGRAPH (new)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

In the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Commission shall provide information regularly, at a monthly conference held locally with representatives of the Member States and chaired by the EU delegate for reconstruction, on all proposed projects costed at between ECU 2 and 10 million and shall coordinate them with the relevant programmes of the Member States.

(Amendment 16)

ARTICLE 1(c)

>Original text>

The Commission may decide to contribute to programmes and cooperation schemes as referred to in Article 4 forwarded by municipalities or regional bodies, in consultation with the Central Government. The procedures and thresholds established by Article 10 paragraph 1 and 2 are applicable.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission may decide to contribute to programmes and cooperation schemes as referred to in Article 4 forwarded by municipalities or regional bodies, in consultation with the Central Government

and, in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the High Representative, when he performs Central Government functions. The procedures and thresholds established by Article 10 paragraph 1 and 2 are applicable.

(Amendment 17)

ARTICLE 1(d)

>Original text>

The Commission shall adopt decisions which shall apply immediately. However, if these decisions are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event, the Commission shall defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of six weeks..

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall adopt decisions which shall apply immediately. However, if these decisions are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith. In that event, the Commission shall defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of

four weeks.

>Original text>

The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit referred to in the first paragraph

>Text following EP vote>

The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within the time limit referred to in the first paragraph.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1628/96 of 25 July 1996 relating to aid for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (COM(98)0018 - C4-0105/98 - 98/0023(CNS))(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(98)0018 - 98/0023(CNS),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 235 of the EC Treaty (C4-0105/98),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy and the opinions of the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on External Economic Relations and the Committee on Budgetary Control (A4-0123/98),

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

2. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament should it intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

3. Calls for the conciliation procedure to be opened should the Council intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

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