2. Pre-accession strategy for Cyprus and Malta *
A5-0029/2000
Proposal for a Council regulation on the implementation of operations in the frameworkof the
pre-accession strategy for Cyprus and Malta (COM(1999) 535 ,dash C5-0308/1999 ,dash 1999/0199(CNS))
The proposal was amended as follows:
TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSIONAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
(Amendment 1)
Citation1a(new)
having regard to conclusions of the Helsinki European
Council of 10 and 11 December 1999,
(Amendment 3)
Recital3a(new)
(3a) Whereasthe Helsinki European CouncilofDecember
1999 underlined the need for an efficient and credibleenlargement process and at the same time pledged toreview no later than the end of 2004 how circumstanceshave evolved;
(Amendment 4)
Recital4a(new)
(4a) Whereas, under the terms of the European Treaties
and the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement of6 May 1999(
1) on budget discipline and improvement of
the budgetary procedure, it is necessary to establishclearly the linkbetween implementation of appropriationswhich have been entered in the Community Budget andthe corresponding legal basis;
(1) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999.
(Amendment 5)
Recital5
(5) Whereas it is necessary to establish accession partnership
instruments for Cyprus and Malta in accordance with the pro-
cedures set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 622/98 of
16 March 1998 for the applicant States of Central and EasternEurope, so that Community assistance can be concentrated onaccession priorities and objectives;(5) Whereas it is necessary , therefore, to establish accession
partnership instruments for Cyprus and Malta in accordance
with the procedures set out in Council Regulation (EC)
No 622/98 of 16 March 1998 for the applicant States of Cen-tral and Eastern Europe, so that Community assistance, includ-
ing financial aid, can be concentrated on accession priorities
and objectives;
(Amendment 6)
Recital7
(7) Whereas the financial protocols concluded with Cyprus
and Maltaareduetoexpire on 31 December 1999;(7) Whereas the financial protocols concluded with Cyprus
and Malta expired on 31 December 1999;C 339/232 EN 29.11.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities
Thursday 17 February 2000
(Amendment 7)
Recital7a(new)
(7a) Whereas the Helsinki European Council noted with
satisfaction the progress made during negotiations withCyprus, and decided to convene a bilateral intergovern-mental conference in February 2000 with Malta, in orderto start negotiations on the conditions for its entry intothe Union and the ensuing Treaty adjustments;
(Amendment 8)
Recital7b(new)
(7b) Whereas the Community Budget for the financial
year 2000 introduces a new method for showing appro-priations relating to Cyprus and Malta which should inter
alialead to sounder management and increased transpar-
ency as regards the financial resources earmarked forimplementation of planned operations is concerned;
(Amendment 9)
Recital7c(new)
(7c) Whereas this Regulation and in particular its accom-
panying annex makes provision for the taking of multi-annnual measures of an operational nature entailing afinancial cost for its entire application period;
(Amendment 10)
Recital7d(new)
(7d) Whereas despite the provisions of the Financial Reg-
ulation in force, although the Commission is proposing amulti-annual operation, it accepts, on the one hand, thatthe financial statement should refer only to the cost ofoperations for the year 2000, which is estimated at€ 15 million, and on the other hand it is making provisionfor an assessment method covering operations implemen-ted over a three-year period;
(Amendment 2)
Recital7e(new)
(7e) having regard to the European Parliament resolution
of 16 December 1999 on the budget for the financial year2000,
(Amendment 1)
Recital8a(new)
(8a) Whereas Malta and Cyprus will participate in the
MEDA facility as foreseen;29.11.2000 EN C 339/233 Official Journal of the European Communities
Thursday 17 February 2000
TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSIONAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
(Amendment 11)
Recital8b(new)
(8b) Whereas, in the light of the progress made in imple-
menting this programme, the Commission is to revise thefinancial statement, in particular the estimated schedule ofannual commitment appropriations;
(Amendment 12)
Recital9a(new)
(9a) Whereas the Helsinki European Council called for
the opening of negotiations on the accession of Malta tothe European Union;
(Amendment 13)
Recital9b(new)
(9b) Whereas the pre-accession aid for Cyprus and Malta
should be entered for the 2001-2004 period under Sub-section B7 (pre-accession aid) in order to be consistent
with the provisions in force for the other applicant coun-
tries;
(Amendment 14)
Article1(1),3rdindenta(new)
,dash unimpeded funding of the above operations as defined
in Article 4 for the entire period of validity of thisRegulation, subject to the provisions of Article 10,
(Amendment 15)
Article1(2)
2. Acting on a proposal from the Commission, the Council
shall decide by qualified majority on the principles, priorities,intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the individ-ual Accession Partnership to be submitted to each applicantState, as well as on subsequent significant adjustments to them.2. Acting on a proposal from the Commission, and after
consulting the European Parliament, the Council shall decide
by qualified majority on the principles, priorities, intermediateobjectives and conditions contained in the individual AccessionPartnership to be submitted to each applicant State, as well ason subsequent significant adjustments to them.
(Amendment 16)
Article1(2a)(new)
2a. The appropriations for pre-accession aid shall be
determined annually for the budget lines created for thispurpose and shall be included in Heading 7 of the Finan-cial Perspective.C 339/234 EN 29.11.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities
Thursday 17 February 2000
TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSIONAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
(Amendment 23)
Article2a(new)
Article 2a
The financial reference amount of € 95 million proposed
by the Council for the implementation of this Regulationfor the period up to 31 December 2004 seems to beinadequate and should be reviewed in the light of theobjectives set in Article 1. The annual appropriationsshall be approved by the relevant budgetary authoritywithin the limits of the Financial Perspective.
(Amendment 18)
Article3,2ndindent
6dash any operations to contribute to the reconciliation of the
two Cypriot communities.6dash any operations to contribute to a resumption of reconci-
liationefforts between the two Cypriot communities.
(Amendment 19)
Article5
Where an essential element for the continuation of pre-acces-
sion assistance to Cyprus and Malta is lacking, in particularwhere there is a violation of democratic principles, the rule of
law, human rights, fundamental freedoms or international law
and/or progress towards fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteriais insufficient, the Council, acting by a qualified majority on aproposal from the Commission, may take appropriate stepswith regard to any pre-accession assistance granted to Cyprus
orMalta .Where an essential element for the continuation of pre-acces-
sion assistance to Cyprus and Malta is lacking, in particularwhere there is a violation of democratic principles, the rule of
law, human rights, fundamental freedoms or international law
and/or progress towards fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteriais insufficient, the Council, acting by a qualified majority on aproposal from the Commission, and after consulting the
European Parliament, may take appropriate steps with regard
to any pre-accession assistance granted to either of these
countries .
(Amendment 20)
Article7
Amanagementcommitteeshallbeestablished(hereinafterreferredto
as‘theCommittee’).1. The Commission shall be assisted by an advisory
committee composed of the representatives of the Mem-ber States and chaired by the Commission (‘the Commit-tee’).
Where reference is made to this article, the advisory procedure laid
downinArticle4(3)ofDecision1999/468/ECshallapply.2. The Committee shall act in accordance with the pro-
cedure laid down in Article 3 of Decision 1999/468/EC.
TheperiodprovidedforinArticle4ofDecision1999/468/ECshall
bethreemonths.3. The Committee may consider any other matters
relating to the implementation of this Regulation whichare submitted to its chairman.
(Amendment 21)
Article10
Three years after this Regulation enters into force, the Commi-
ssion shall submit to the European Parliament and the Councilan overall assessment of operations financed by the Commun-ity under this Regulation, together with suggestions regardingthe future of this Regulation and, where necessary, proposalsfor amending it.Three years after this Regulation enters into force, the Commi-
ssion shall submit to the European Parliament and the Councilan overall assessment of operations financed by the Commun-ity under this Regulation, together with suggestions regardingthe future of this Regulation and, where necessary, proposalsfor amending it. The Commission shall also submit29.11.2000 EN C 339/235 Official Journal of the European Communities
Thursday 17 February 2000
TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSIONAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
annually, in good time, the necessary budgetary and finan-
cial information to enable the legislature and the budget-ary authority to assess and justify the financial interven-
tion of the Community in order to ensure the smooth
attainment of the political aim so that this accession pro-cess may prove successful, adequate and transparent.
European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on the imple-mentation of operations in the frameworkof the pre-accession strategy for Cyprus and Malta
(COM(1999) 535 ,dash C5-0308/1999 ,dash 1999/0199(CNS))
(Consultation procedure)
TheEuropeanParliament,
6dash having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(1999) 535),6dash having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 308 of the EC Treaty (C5-0308/1999),6dash having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,6dash having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security
and Defence Policy and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A5-0029/2000),
1. Approves the Commission proposal as amended;
2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the
EC Treaty;
3. Calls for the conciliation procedure to be initiated should the Council intend to depart from the text
approved by Parliament;
4. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the Com-
mission proposal;
5. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.
3. Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure *
A5-0013/2000
Proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 on the application of the
Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty establishing the European
Community (COM(1999) 444 ,dash C5-0174/1999 ,dash 1999/0196(CNS))
The proposal was approved.C 339/236 EN 29.11.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities
Thursday 17 February 2000
TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSIONAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT