Decision on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a European Parliament and Council Regulation on the European Regional Development Fund (6405/ 01/99 - C4-0182/99 98/0114(COD))(Codecision procedure: second reading)
Date: 1999-05-06
Institutions: Committee on Regional Development, European Parliament
Subjects: EU initiative, EU regional policy, European Regional Development Fund, exchange parity, less-favoured region, project evaluation, regional aid, regional planning

C 279/292

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

1.10.1999

Thursday 6 May 1999

17. Agenda 2000

***/***II/*

(a)  A4-0264/99

Decision on the draft Council Regulation laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds
(6959/1/99/REV 1 − C4-0215/99 − 98/0090(AVC))

(Assent procedure)

The European Parliament,

−  having regard to the draft Council regulation, 6959/1/99/REV 1 − 98/0090(AVC),

−  having regard to the Council's request for Parliament's assent pursuant to Article 130d, first paragraph

(now Article 161, first paragraph) of the EC Treaty (C4-0215/99),

−  having regard to Rule 80(1) and (3) of its Rules of Procedure,

−  having regard to its resolution of 19 November 1998 on the proposal for a Council Regulation laying

down general provisions on the Structural Funds (COM(98)0131 − C4-0285/98) (1),

−  having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Regional Policy and the opinion of the

Committee on Fisheries (A4-0264/99),

1.

2.

Gives its assent to the draft Council regulation;

Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and the Commission.

(1)  OJ C 379, 7.12.1998, p. 164.

(b)  A4-0246/99

Decision  on  the  common  position  adopted  by  the  Council  with  a  view  to  adopting  a  European
Parliament  and  Council  Regulation  on  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (6405/1/99  −
C4-0182/99 − 98/0114(COD))

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

−  having regard to the list of Commission proposals pending as at 1 May 1999 for which the entry into

force of the Treaty of Amsterdam necessitates a change in legal basis and/or procedure,

−  having regard to its resolution of 4 May 1999 on the implications of the entry into force of the Treaty
of Amsterdam (list of proposals pending as at 1 May 1999 indicating new legal bases and any changes
in legislative procedure following the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam) (1),

−  having regard to the common position of the Council (C4-0182/99) confirmed by the Council by letter

of 4 May 1999,

−  having  regard  to  its  opinion  at  first  reading (2)  on  the  Commission  proposal  to  the  Council

COM(98)0131 (3), which it confirmed at the sitting of 4 May 1999,

−  having regard to the Commission’s amended proposal, COM(99)0018 (4),

(1)  Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 7.
(2)  OJ C 379, 7.12.1998, p. 193.
(3)  OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 35.
(4)  OJ C 52, 23.2.1999, p. 12.

1.10.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 279/293

Thursday 6 May 1999

−  having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

−  having regard to Rule 72 of its Rules of Procedure,

−  having  regard  to  the  recommendation  for  second  reading  of  the  Committee  on  Regional  Policy

(A4-0246/99),

1.

Amends the common position as follows;

Calls on the Commission to support Parliament’s amendments in the opinion it is required to deliver

2.
pursuant to Article 251(2)(c) of the EC Treaty;

3.

4.

Calls on the Council to approve all Parliament’s amendments;

Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and Commission.

COMMON POSITION
OF THE COUNCIL

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

(Amendment 1)

Recital 9

(9) Whereas measures of Community interest undertaken at
the initiative of the Commission have an important role to play
in  achieving  the  general  objectives  of  Community  structural
action  referred  to  in  Article  1  of  Regulation  (EC)  No .../99;
whereas, to that end, in view of the value it adds at Community
level,  it  is  important  that  the  ERDF  continue  to  promote
cross-border,  transnational  and  inter-regional  cooperation,
including in the regions located on the external frontiers of the
Union  within  the  meaning  of  the  Treaty,  the  least-favoured
islands and the most remote regions, in view of their special
features  and  difficulties;  whereas  in  the  context  of  that
cooperation, the harmonious, balanced and sustainable devel-
opment of the whole of the Community territory adds value to
action to promote economic and social cohesion; whereas the
contribution  of  the  ERDF  to  that  development  should  be
continued and increased;

(9) Whereas measures of Community interest undertaken at
the initiative of the Commission have an important role to play
in  achieving  the  general  objectives  of  Community  structural
action  referred  to  in  Article  1  of  Regulation  (EC)  No .../99;
whereas, to that end, in view of the value it adds at Community
level,  it  is  important  that  the  ERDF  continue  to  promote
cross-border,  transnational  and  inter-regional  cooperation,
including in the regions located on the external frontiers of the
Union  within  the  meaning  of  the  Treaty,  the  least-favoured
islands and the most remote regions, in view of their special
features  and  difficulties;  whereas  in  the  context  of  that
cooperation, the harmonious, balanced and sustainable devel-
opment of the whole of the Community territory, including in
connection  with  spatial  planning,  adds  value  to  action  to
promote economic and social cohesion; whereas the contribu-
tion of the ERDF to that development should be continued and
increased;

(Amendment 2)

Article 2(1)(b)(i)

(i)  which, in regions covered by Objective 1, helps to increase
the  economic  potential,  development,  structural  adjust-
ment  and  creation  or  maintenance  of  sustainable  jobs  in
those regions, including investment in infrastructure con-
tributing  to  the  establishment  and  development  of  trans-
European networks in the areas of transport, telecommu-
nications and energy infrastructures;

(i)  which, in regions covered by Objective 1, helps to increase
the  economic  potential,  development,  structural  adjust-
ment  and  creation  or  maintenance  of  sustainable  jobs  in
those regions, including investment in infrastructure con-
tributing  to  the  establishment  and  development  of  trans-
European networks in the areas of transport, telecommu-
nications and energy infrastructures, taking into account
the need to link to the central regions of the Commun-
ity  regions  suffering  from  a  structural  handicap
because  of  their  insular,  landlocked  or  peripheral
status;

(Amendment 3)

Article 2(2)(ca)

(ca)

the development of tourism and cultural investment,
including  the  protection  of  cultural  and  natural  heri-
tage, provided that they are creating sustainable jobs;

C 279/294

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

1.10.1999

Thursday 6 May 1999

COMMON POSITION
OF THE COUNCIL

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

(Amendment 4)

Article 3(1)

1.
Pursuant  to  Article  20  of  Regulation  (EC)  No ...  /99,
the  ERDF  shall,  in  accordance  with  Article  21  of  that
Regulation, contribute to the implementation of the Commun-
ity initiative for cross-border, transnational and inter-regional
cooperation  intended  to  encourage  the  harmonious,  balanced
and sustainable development of the whole of the Community’s
territory (‘Interreg’)

1.
Pursuant  to  Article  20  of  Regulation  (EC)  No ...  /99,
the  ERDF  shall,  in  accordance  with  Article  21  of  that
Regulation, contribute to the implementation of the Commun-
ity initiative for cross-border, transnational and inter-regional
cooperation  intended  to  encourage  the  harmonious,  balanced
and sustainable development of the whole of the Community’s
territory (‘Interreg’) as well as to the implementation of the
Community initiative for economic and social regeneration
of cities and urban neighbourhoods in crisis with a view to
promoting sustainable urban development (‘URBAN’).

(Also  applies  mutatis  mutandis  to  Recital  2  of  the  common
position)

(c)  A4-0250/99

Decision  on  the  common  position  adopted  by  the  Council  with  a  view  to  adopting  a  Council
Regulation (EC) No .../99 on the European Social Fund (6406/1/99 − C4-0183/99 − 98/0115(COD))

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

−  having regard to the list of Commission proposals pending at 1 May 1999 for which the entry into
force of the Treaty of Amsterdam implies a change in legal base and/or a change in procedure,

−  having regard to its resolution of 4 May 1999 (1) on the implications of the entry into force of the
Treaty  of  Amsterdam  (list  of  legislative  proposals  pending  before  the  Council  as  at  1  May  1999,
indicating new legal bases and any changes in legislative procedure following the entry into force of
the Treaty of Amsterdam),

−  having  regard  to  the  common  position  of  the  Council  (C4-0183/99),  confirmed  by  the  Council  on

4 May 1999,

−  having  regard  to  its  opinion  at  first  reading (2)  on  the  Commission  proposal  to  the  Council,

COM(98)0131 (3), which was confirmed on 4 May 1999,

−  having regard to the Commission’s amended proposal COM(99)0044 (4),

−  having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

−  having regard to Rule 72 of its Rules of Procedure,

−  having  regard  to  the  recommendation  for  second  reading  of  the  Committee  on  Employment  and

Social Affairs (A4-0250/99),

1.

Amends the common position as follows;

Calls on the Commission to support Parliament’s amendment in the opinion it is required to deliver

2.
pursuant to Article 251(2)(c) of the EC Treaty;

(1)  Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 7.
(2)  OJ C 379, 7.12.1998, p. 193.
(3)  OJ C 176, 9.6.1998, p. 39.
(4)  OJ C 74, 18.3.1999, p. 7.