A4-0065/97

Proposal for a Council Regulation adopting a programme to promote international cooperation in the energy sector - SYNERGY programme (SN 1160/97 - C4-0065/97 - 95/0126(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:.

(Amendment 1)

Article 3(2)

>Original text>

2. The financial reference amount for the implementation of this programme shall be 7 MECU. The appropriation shall be authorized by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspectives.

>Text following EP vote>

2. The financial reference amount for the implementation of this programme shall be 10 MECU. The appropriation shall be authorized by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspectives.

(Amendment 2)

Article 8

>Original text>

1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

>Text following EP vote>

1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee of an advisory nature composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission

>Original text>

2. The representative of the Commission shall the committee a draft of the programme. The committee shall deliver its opinion within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority laid down in Article 148(2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which the Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of the representatives of the Member States within the committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The Chairman shall not vote.

>Text following EP vote>

2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee and the European Parliament a draft of the measures to be taken. The draft shall stipulate that there should be no duplication of measures in other programmes of the Community, the Member States, or the non-member countries concerned in each instance. 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.

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. The minutes shall be forwarded to the European Parliament.

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the committee and any observations by the European Parliament. It shall inform the committee and the European Parliament of the manner in which the opinion has been taken into account.

The Commission shall submit at the same time to the European Parliament and the committee its draft, the opinion delivered by the committee, the list of measures adopted, and, where applicable, the reasons for its failure to take the opinion of the committee into account.

>Original text>

3. The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged when they are in accordance with the opinion of the committee.

>Text following EP vote>

3. The committee may examine any question relating to the implementation of this Regulation which may be put to it by its chairman, possibly at the request of the representative of a Member State and, in particular, any question relating to general implementation, the administration of the programme, co-financing and the coordination referred to in Article 9.

>Original text>

4. If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall, without delay, submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to be taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority.

>Text following EP vote>

4. 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>

5. If, on the expiry of a period of three months from referral of the matter to the Council, the Council has not acted, the proposed measures shall be adopted by the Commission.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation adopting a programme to promote international cooperation in the energy sector - SYNERGY programme - (SN 1160/97 - C4-0065/97 - 95/0126(CNS))

(Consultation procedure - Reconsultation)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(95)0197 - 95/0126(CNS)) ((OJ C 310, 22.11.1995, p. 10.)),

- having regard to its opinion on this proposal ((OJ C 141, 13.5.1996, p. 20.)),

- having regard to the amended Commission proposal to the Council (COM(96)0194 - 95/0126(CNS)) ((OJ C 194, 5.7.1996, p. 20.)),

- having regard to the Council proposal (SN 1160/97),

- having been consulted again by the Council pursuant to Article 235 of the EC Treaty (C4-0065/97),

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

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy (A4-0065/97),

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

2. Calls on the Council to alter its proposal accordingly;

3. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to its proposal;

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

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