A4-0340/97

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision amending Decision 92/481/EEC of 22 September 1992 on the adoption of an action plan for the exchange between Member States' administrations of national officials who are engaged in the implementation of Community legislation required to achieve the internal market (Karolus programme) (COM(97)0393 - C4-0399/97 - 97/0214(COD))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Citation 4a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Having regard to the joint declaration by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 6 March 1995 on the incorporation of financial provisions into legislative acts(1),

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(1) OJ C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 4.

(Amendment 2)

Recital 2

>Original text>

Whereas the usefulness of the programme has been proven in terms of strengthening cooperation between the Member States by exchanging experience gained in the implementation of Community legislation required to complete the internal market;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the usefulness of the programme has not been sufficiently proven in terms of strengthening cooperation between the Member States by exchanging experience gained in the implementation of Community legislation required to complete the internal market, particularly because of the high number of priority measures;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 3

>Original text>

Whereas the programme should be extended for two years pending the proposal for a new programme following in-depth consultations;

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas, accordingly, the programme should be extended for two years, ensuring the participation of officials from as many Member States as possible, pending the implementation of a new multiannual programme;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 6

>Original text>

Whereas extension is possible without exceeding the financial resources originally estimated as necessary in Article 11 of Council Decision 92/481/EEC of 22 September 1992,

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas this Decision establishes a total appropriation for the period 1998-1999, adding to the appropriations committed during the period 1992-1997; whereas the aggregate amount for the two periods constitutes the principal point of reference for the budgetary authority during the annual budgetary procedure, within the meaning of paragraph 1 of the declaration by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 6 March 1995 on the incorporation of financial provisions into legislative acts,

(Amendment 5)

Recital 6a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas an agreement on a modus vivendi between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission concerning the implementing measures of acts adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the EC Treaty was concluded on 20 December 1994(1),

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(1) OJ C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 1

(Amendment 6)

Recital 6b (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Whereas the agreement between the European Parliament and the Commission on commitology referred to in the European Parliament's resolution of 24 October 1996 on the draft general budget of the European Communities for the financial year 1997 - Section III - Commission(1) stipulates in particular that the Commission shall keep Parliament fully informed of proceedings in the committee laid down in Article 10 of Decision 92/481/EEC, and that all the members of the committee shall make a declaration certifying that their membership of the committee is not incompatible with their personal interests,

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

(Amendment 8)

ARTICLE 1(-1) (new)

Article 10 (Decision 92/481/EEC)

>Text following EP vote>

-1. Article 10 is replaced by:

"In carrying out its tasks, 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.

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The representative of the Commission 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 lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.

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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.

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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.

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The meetings of the committee shall, in principle, be public unless a specific decision, duly justified and published in good time, is made to the contrary. The committee shall publish its agendas two weeks in advance of meetings. It shall publish the minutes of its meetings. It shall draw up a public register declaring the interests of its members."

(Amendment 7)

ARTICLE 1(1a) and (1b) (new)

Article 11(2) and (3) (Decision 92/481/EEC)

>Original text>

>Text following EP vote>

1a. Paragraph 2 of Article 11 is replaced by:

"2. The appropriations committed for the period 1993-1997 amount to ECU 7.7 million. The total appropriation for implementation of the programme during the extension period of 1998-1999 is ECU 4.5 million. The aggregate amount of ECU 12.2 million corresponds to an overall figure of 1900 participants. The annual appropriations shall be authorized by the budgetary authority within the limit of the Financial Perspective and in accordance with the criteria of sound financial management referred to in Article 2 of the Financial Regulation.¨

>Text following EP vote>

1b. Paragraph 3 of Article 11 is deleted

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision amending Decision 92/481/EEC of 22 September 1992 on the adoption of an action plan for the exchange between Member States' administrations of national officials who are engaged in the implementation of Community legislation required to achieve the internal market (Karolus programme) (COM(97)0393 - C4-0399/97 - 97/0214(COD))

(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council, COM(97)0393 - 97/0214(COD) ((OJ C 274, 10.9.1997, p. 9.)),

- having regard to Articles 189b(2) and 100a of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C4-0399/97),

- 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 (A4-0340/97),

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 189b(2) of the EC Treaty;

4. Should the Council intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament, calls on the Council to notify Parliament and requests that the conciliation procedure be initiated;

5. Points out that the Commission is required to submit to Parliament any modification it may intend to make to its proposal as amended by Parliament;

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