Amended proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL modifying Council Decision 2000/821/EC of 20 December 2000 on the implementation of a programme to encourage the development, distribution and promotion of European audiovisual works (MEDIA Plus - Development, Distribution and Promotion) (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty)

2003/0067 (COD)

Amended proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL modifying Council Decision 2000/821/EC of 20 December 2000 on the implementation of a programme to encourage the development, distribution and promotion of European audiovisual works (MEDIA Plus - Development, Distribution and Promotion)

1. Background

Proposal forwarded to the Council and European Parliament [COM 2003 (191) - 2003/0067 (COD)]: 16 April 2003.

Opinion delivered by the European Economic and Social Committee: 24 September 2003.

Opinion delivered by the Committee of the Regions: 9 October 2003.

Opinion delivered by the European Parliament at first reading: 12 February 2004.

2. Aims of the Commission's proposal

The "MEDIA Plus" Programme, adopted by the Council on 20 December 2000 for a five-year period with a budget of 350 MEUR (EUR 15), will end on 31 December 2005. The purpose of this proposal for a Decision is to extend the programme unchanged for one additional year (2006). A budget of 85.6 MEUR is proposed for this one-year extension, taking account of a Europe of 25 Member States. This amount will be additional to the current 350 MEUR (thus a budget of 435.6 MEUR).

3. Objective of the amended proposal

The amended proposal adapts the original proposal by taking account of the impact of enlargement for the years 2004 and 2005, whereas the Commission proposal only took account of enlargement for the extension for the year 2006. This will clarify the budgetary framework for the remainder of the Programme.

4. Opinion of the Commission on the amendments adopted by Parliament

Two amendments were adopted in plenary session.

Amendment 1 introduces a new recital 2B stating the requirement for the Commission to provide a full and detailed assessment report on the "MEDIA Plus" Programme not later than 31 December 2005 in order to allow the European Parliament and the Council to consider the proposal for a new programme for Community action in the audiovisual sector, announced for 2004 and planned to start in 2007.

Amendment 2 modifies the budget proposed by the Commission. The amount of 435.6 MEUR is replaced by an amount of 453.6 MEUR. The additional amount of 18 MEUR is intended to take account of the impact of enlargement for 2004 and 2005.

4.1 Amendments accepted in full by the Commission

In a spirit of compromise, the Commission has accepted both amendments proposed by the Parliament. The Commission intends to present an assessment report on the MEDIA programmes by 31 December 2005 as specified in the new recital, but considers that this in no way affects its right of initiative to present possible proposals for a new programme for the European audiovisual sector, to take effect upon expiry of the MEDIA Plus and MEDIA Training Programmes, before that date and that the new recital is without prejudice to the duty of the other Institutions to examine any such proposal according to the provisions laid down in the Treaty.

4.2 Amended proposal

In accordance with Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission is amending its proposal as indicated above.