A4-0130/97

Proposal for a Council Regulation concerning the granting of Community financial assistance for actions to promote combined goods transport (COM(96)0335 - C4- 0028/97 - 96/0207(SYN))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Article 3(4a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

4a. Measures linked with PHARE projects in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and measures linked with Cohesion Fund projects in Cohesion Fund countries shall be particularly eligible for assistance.

(Amendment 2)

Article 4(1)(b) and (2), introduction

>Original text>

(b) innovative measures, namely specific investments and certain variable operating costs with the exception of measures concerning staff costs, energy consumption and the covering of financial losses.

>Text following EP vote>

(b) innovative measures, namely investments in specific operational measures and certain variable operating costs with the exception of measures concerning staff costs, energy consumption and the covering of financial losses.

>Original text>

2. Community financial assistance shall be limited to 50% for feasibility studies and 30% for innovative measures. These should primarily consist of:

>Text following EP vote>

2. Community financial assistance shall be limited to 30% for feasibility studies and 50% for innovative measures. These should primarily consist of:

(Amendment 9)

Article 6(1a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

1a. In selecting the projects, the Commission shall strike a balance between the regions and the Member States and shall ensure that the decisions do not lead to a distortion of competition between the regions and the Member States.

(Amendment 3)

Article 6(3)(d)

>Original text>

(d) cost factors (especially elements for evaluating the marginal cost of access to the infrastructure, particularly rail, for the service covered by the pilot action and any further information enabling a judgment to be made as to whether aid towards the costs of infrastructure access is justified);

>Text following EP vote>

(d) cost factors (especially elements for evaluating the marginal cost of access to the infrastructure, particularly rail and inland waterways, for the service covered by the pilot action and any further information enabling a judgment to be made as to whether aid towards the costs of infrastructure access is justified);

(Amendment 4)

Article 6(4)(-a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(-a) conformity with the axes of the trans-European networks or freight freeways, plugging gaps in the combined transport network, extending the existing combined transport axis and its content, bearing in mind the importance of the 'sea-road' mode, especially for the islands and outermost regions of the EU;

(Amendment 5)

Article 6(5)(d)

>Original text>

(d) a guarantee that, as from 27 June 1997, the railway undertakings taking part in the project hold a licence within the meaning of Article 2 of Directive 95/18/EC.

>Text following EP vote>

(d) a guarantee that, as from 27 June 1997, the railway undertakings taking part in the project hold, or have applied for, a licence within the meaning of Article 2 of Directive 95/18/EC.

(Amendment 6)

Article 6(7a) (new)

>Text following EP vote>

7a. 10% of the funding for the programme shall be reserved, as a priority, for projects directly implementing results of innovative research. These projects must, of course, also satisfy the other criteria, but they shall be given preferential treatment.

(Amendment 7)

Article 7

>Original text>

The Commission shall be assisted by the committee set up in accordance with Article 17(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2236/95, meeting in the composition corresponding to the transport sector.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall be assisted by a committee of an advisory nature composed of one representative per Member State and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

>Original text>

The Commission representative shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time-limit which the chairman may impose 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>

The Commission representative shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time-limit which the chairman may impose according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall ensure, when taking decisions, that due consideration is given to projects which link up connection to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and projects where there are synergies with the PHARE programme.

>Original text>

The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith.

>Text following EP vote>

The opinion of the committee 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

>Original text>

The Commission may defer application of the measures which it has decided for a period of not more than one month from the date of such communication.

>Text following EP vote>

The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the committee. It shall inform the committee of the manner in which its opinion has been taken into account

>Original text>

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

>Text following EP vote>

The committee shall meet as a rule in public, unless a specific duly argued 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.

(Amendment 8)

Article 13, second paragraph (new)

>Text following EP vote>

In the light of the eastward enlargement of the Union, there should be negotiations in 1999 on increasing the financial framework for the programme. An additional amount of ECU 4 million should be made available annually in support of projects in, or transport axes to, the new Member States.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation concerning the granting of Community financial assistance for actions to promote combined goods transport (COM(96)0335 - C4-0028/97 - 96/0207(SYN))

(Cooperation procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(96)0335 - 96/0207(SYN) ((OJ C 343, 15.11.1996, p. 4. )),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 75 and 189c of the EC Treaty (C4-0028/97),

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

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A4-0130/97),

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 incorporate Parliament's amendments in the common position that it adopts in accordance with Article 189c(a) of the EC Treaty;

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.