Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the Community position within the Association Council on the participation of Estonia in the Community programme in the field of small- and medium-sized enterprises (COM(98)0113 - C4-0205/98 - 98/0080(CNS))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 11)

Recital -1 (new)

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Whereas account should be taken of the code of conduct established between Parliament and the Commission on information for and attendance by representatives of Parliament at proceedings of Commission committees as set out in the Parliament resolution of 24 October 1996(1)

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(1) OJ C 347, 18.11.1996, p. 125.

(Amendment 12)

Recital 3a (new)

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Whereas successful participation in the programme requires competent management and a well-prepared administration;

(Amendment 13)

Recital 3b (new)

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Whereas, in addition to an ex-post evaluation of participation in the programme - which also includes methods of new public management - thorough preparation and accompanying measures are essential in order to guarantee not only the efficient allocation of funds but also the overall success of the programme;

(Amendment 14)

Recital 3c (new)

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Whereas the Association Council updates the criteria for the programmes with the help of benchmarks; whereas the Commission evaluates the most efficient country participations in an annual report by using the best practice method;

(Amendment 15)

Council Decision, 2nd paragraph (new)

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Whenever, pursuant to Article 2 of the Protocol, resources mobilized from the budget are supplemented by a national contribution, the Commission shall duly notify the budgetary authority of the breakdown of the overall amount allocated to this measure, so that that information can be included in the budget (Annex IV).

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision concerning the Community position within the Association Council on the participation of Estonia in the Community programme in the field of small- and medium-sized enterprises (COM(98)0113 - C4-0205/98 - 98/0080(CNS))(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(98)0113 - 98/0080(CNS) ((OJ C 119, 17.4.1998, p. 9.)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 130(3) and 228(3), first subparagraph, of the EC Treaty (C4-0205/98),

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

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0309/98),

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

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

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

4. Calls for the conciliation procedure to be opened should the Council intend 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. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.