Amended proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Decision No 508/2000/EC of 14 February 2000 establishing the "Culture 2000" programme

(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty)

2003/0076 (COD)

Amended proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Decision No 508/2000/EC of 14 February 2000 establishing the "Culture 2000" programme

1. Background

Proposal forwarded to the Council and European Parliament (COM 2003 (187) - 2003/0076 (COD)): 16 April 2003.

Opinion delivered by the Committee of the Regions: 9 October 2003.

Opinion delivered by the European Parliament at first reading: 16 December 2003.

2. Aims of the Commission's proposal

The "Culture 2000" Programme, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in February 2000 for a five-year period, will end on 31 December 2004. The purpose of this proposal for a Decision is to extend the programme unchanged for a further two years (2005-2006). A budget of EUR 69.5 million is proposed for this two-year extension, taking account of a Europe of 25 Member States. This amount will be additional to the present EUR 167 million.

3. Opinion of the Commission on the amendments adopted by Parliament

Two amendments were adopted in plenary session.

Amendment 1 introduces a new recital 3A emphasising the fact that the revision of the financial perspective in view of enlargement provides for an increased ceiling for Heading 3 which has to be respected by the legislative authority when extending existing programmes.

Amendment 2 introduces a new recital 3B stating the essential need for the Commission to provide a full and detailed assessment report on the "Culture 2000" Programme not later than 31 December 2005 in order to allow the European Parliament and the Council to consider the proposal for a new framework programme for Community action on culture, announced for 2004 and planned to start in 2007.

3.1 Amendment accepted in full by the Commission

In a spirit of compromise, the Commission has accepted amendment 1, a recital establishing the principle of respect for the financial perspective.

3.2 Amendment accepted in principle by the Commission

The Commission has accepted amendment 2 in spirit. The report referred to in this amendment would in fact make sense, as it would look back over a four-year implementation period; this part is therefore acceptable from the point of view of sound programme management. However, the Commission cannot agree that the presentation of this report should constitute a condition for the consideration by Parliament of the proposal for a new programme (meaning it would not be considered until the end of 2005, although it is due to be presented in the first quarter of 2004).

The Commission therefore proposes that the new recital 3A be worded as follows:

"The Commission should present a full and detailed assessment report on the "Culture 2000" Programme not later than 31 December 2005; this report may, where relevant, provide useful elements in the context of the consideration by the European Parliament and the Council of the future proposal for a new framework programme for Community action on culture, announced for 2004 and planned to start in 2007."

3.3 Amended proposal

In accordance with Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission is amending its proposal as indicated above.