Opinion of the Commission pursuant to Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c), of the EC Treaty, on the European Parliament's amendments to the Council's common position regarding the proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a programme of Community action to promote organisations active at European level and support specific activities in the area of education and training amending the proposal of the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty
Date: 2004-03-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU aid, EU programme, education, education policy, financial aid, vocational training

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 23.3.2004 
COM(2004) 210 final 

2003/0114 (COD) 

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 

pursuant to Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c), of the EC Treaty, 
on the European Parliament's amendments 
to the Council's common position regarding the 
proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

establishing a programme of Community action to promote organisations active at 
European level and support specific activities in the area of education and training 

AMENDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION 
pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
 
  
2003/0114 (COD) 

OPINION OF THE COMMISSION 

pursuant to Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c), of the EC Treaty, 
on the European Parliament's amendments 
to the Council's common position regarding the 
proposal for a 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

establishing a programme of Community action to promote organisations active at 
European level and support specific activities in the area of education and training 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Article 251 (2), third subparagraph, point (c) of the EC Treaty provides that the Commission 
shall deliver an opinion on the amendments proposed by the European Parliament at second 
reading.  The  Commission  sets  out  below  its  opinion  on  the  3  amendments  proposed  by 
Parliament. 

2. 

BACKGROUND 

Date of transmission of the Commission proposal to the European 
Parliament and the Council 
(document COM (2003) 273 final – 2003/0114 (COD)): 

3 June 2003 

Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee: 

29 October 2003 

Date of the opinion of the Committee of the Regions: 

renounced 

Date of the opinion of the European Parliament at first reading: 

6 November 2003 

Date of the Commission's position on the European Parliament’s 
amendments at first reading: 

Date of political agreement in Council (unanimity): 

Date of adoption of the common position: 

6 November 2003 

24 November 2003 

22 December 2003 

Date of adoption of the European Parliament's amendments at second 
reading : 

10 March 2004 

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3. 

PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL 

Based  on  Articles  149  and  150  of  the  EC  Treaty,  this  Decision  is  intended,  following  the 
implementation  of  the  new  Financial  Regulation  applicable  to  the  budget  of  the  European 
Communities, to establish a basic act for awarding grants to promote organisations active at 
European level and support specific activities in the area of education and training.  

This programme will cover certain former budget lines in Part A, Chapter 30 of the budget, as 
well as certain lines in Part B, particularly those concerning the Jean Monnet Project, support 
for  specific  establishments  (the  College  of  Europe  (Bruges  and  Natolin  campuses);  the 
European  University  Institute,  Florence;  the  European  Law  Academy,  Trier;  the  European 
Inter-University  Centre  for  Human  Rights  and  Democratisation;  the  European  Agency  for 
Development  in  Special  Needs  Education;  the  International  Centre  for  European  Training), 
support for training in European law, and support for the development of European policy in 
education and training (Objectives process).  

4. 

OPINION  OF  THE  COMMISSION  ON  THE  EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT'S 
AMENDMENTS  

Total number of amendments: 3 

Amendments accepted in full: 3 

The Commission accepts amendment 1, which is of a technical nature and which increases, in 
connection with Action 3B of the programme, the minimum and maximum percentages of the 
budgetary allocation, based on increases in the budget line for this Action in the course of the 
budgetary process 2004.  

The  Commission  accepts  two  technical  amendments  (amendments  2  and  3)  which  seek  to 
introduce  two  derogations  from  the  Financial  Regulation  so  as  to  take  account  of  the  entry 
into force of this new programme from 2004. 

5. 

CONCLUSION 

Pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty, the Commission amends its proposal as set out 
above. 

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