European Parliament resolution on building our common future: policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013 (COM(2004) 101 — C5-0089/2004 — 2004/2006(INI))
Date: 2004-04-22
Institutions: Committee on Budgets, European Parliament
Subjects: Community budget, EU policy, EU relations, European citizenship, economic and social cohesion, enlargement of the Union, multiannual financial framework, sustainable development

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Thursday 22 April 2004

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 6
Recital 5d (new)

(5d) To promote economic and social cohesion, the guide-
lines for employment should also, through the European
Social Fund, have the aim of reducing regional disparities in
terms of jobs and unemployment, and combating de-indus-
trialisation and relocations outside the Member States, while
positively supporting economic and social reconversion, yet
without neglecting to back up the development of the most
dynamic areas.

Amendment 7
Recital 5e (new)

(5e)
In the current context of international competition and
globalised trade, the European Employment Strategy should
encourage companies to anticipate economic and technologi-
cal change. Member States should encourage the development
of research and support the dissemination of innovation in
European enterprises. In this spirit, the European institutions
will support initiatives to enable platforms of excellence to be
set up between researchers and enterprises. They will encour-
age subject-based initiatives within the framework of the
European programmes.

Amendment 8
Recital 5f (new)

In the context of financial allocation, the European
(5f)
institutions should provide support in a spirit not just of
assistance but also of economic dynamism. Thus the Euro-
pean institutions should do their utmost to avoid adding com-
plexity to the Member States’ policies and on the contrary
play a facilitating role. They will endeavour to make pro-
cedures for access to European funding simpler and more
flexible, and to promote linkages between the various Com-
munity programmes.

P5_TA(2004)0367

Financial perspectives after 2006

European Parliament resolution on building our common future: policy challenges and budgetary
means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013 (COM(2004) 101 (cid:1) C5-0089/2004 (cid:1) 2004/2006(INI))

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Communication from the Commission (COM(2004) 101),

(cid:1) having regard to the EC Treaty, and in particular its articles 268-276,

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(cid:1) having regard to Council Decision 2000/597/EC, Euratom of 29 September 2000 on the system of

the European Communities’ own resources (1),

(cid:1) having regard to the Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (2),

(cid:1) having regard to its resolution of 18 December 2003 on the future budgetary requirements for exter-

nal actions 2003/2037 (3),

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets and the opinions of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, the Committee on Budgetary
Control, the Committee on Citizens’ Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, the Committee
on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,
the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy, the Committee on Agricul-
ture and Rural Development, the Committee on Fisheries, the Committee on Regional Policy, Trans-
port and Tourism, the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport, the Committee
on Development and Cooperation and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities
(A5-0268/2004),

A. whereas the current financial perspective is in force until the end of the year 2006,

B. whereas the promotion of social and economic cohesion has been affirmed as one of the goals of the

European Union,

C. whereas the financial perspective is part of a global interinstitutional agreement which can only be
renewed in a context of mutual confidence between the institutions and joint agreement between the
two arms of the budgetary authority,

D. whereas Article 272 of the EC Treaty provides for the adoption of annual budgets even in the absence

of a financial perspective,

E. whereas the experience of the financial perspective starting in 1988, 1993 and 1999 respectively, has

proved useful in ensuring a non-conflictual development of the budget,

F. whereas the European Convention proposed to include the financial perspective into the Constitution
through a European law adopted by the Council after conciliation with the European Parliament and
after obtaining its consent (Article I-54 and Article III-308),

1.

Recalls that the current financial perspective is in force until the end of the year 2006;

2.
Takes note of the Communication presented by the Commission in accordance with Article 26 of the
Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Com-
mission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (4), with a view to ensuring
continuity with the current financial framework after 1 January 2007;

3.
Recalls that there will be no financial perspective without an agreement between the European Par-
liament and the Council on the financial package, as the existing Treaty foresees no obligation to have a
financial perspective and only provides for annual budgets;

4.
Recalls that, although the financial perspective has guaranteed a framework to develop new policies
favouring European integration, it has also imposed more rigidity between different areas of expenditure
(headings) and has constrained the European Parliament to abandon certain powers, for example the right
to shape significantly the budget on the basis of the Treaty provisions;

(1) OJ L 253, 7.10.2000, p. 42.
(2) OJ C 169, 18.7.2003, p. 1.
(3) P5_TA(2003)0589.
(4) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1. Agreement as amended by Decision 2003/429/EC (OJ L 147, 14.6.2003, p. 25).

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5.
Considers that, on a fair institutional basis, the current Commission, Parliament and Council (cid:1)
in which the new Member States do not yet participate (cid:1) should restrict themselves to setting broad
orientations for the future financial perspective including the legislative proposals to be proposed by the
new Commission coming into office in November 2004, which are to be decided by the newly elected
Parliament and the enlarged Council;

6.
Is determined, for democratic reasons, to take no decision during this parliamentary term which
might restrict the scope or decision-making powers of the Parliament elected in June 2004; however,
with a view to maintaining institutional continuity, invites the next Parliament, the next Commission and
the enlarged Council to take account of the orientations contained in this report as a basis for future
negotiations;

7. Welcomes an approach to associate resource needs and goals with an emphasis on the added value
of Community spending over national budgets;

Recalls that Article 6(4) of the Nice Treaty states that the Union shall provide itself with the means

8.
necessary to obtain its objectives and carry through its policies;

9.
Stresses that, should the Constitution not be in force during the next financial perspective, the possi-
bility of maintaining annual procedures could be considered in order to avoid a subsequent revision aimed
at adjusting resources to the new activities foreseen;

10.
Stresses that the global amounts should take into account the needs of current and future legislative
proposals so as to ensure the continuity of Community action; asks the Commission to submit to Parlia-
ment and the Council the basic reference documents and to inform Parliament of the programmes which
the Commission proposes to continue or discontinue; invites the new Commission and the new Parliament
to make a parallel evaluation of the Union’s political priorities at legislative and budgetary level, serving as
a basis for the political and budgetary choices underlying the financial framework;

Assumes that the amounts made available as EU resources should allow the EU to achieve the

11.
crucial and strategic objectives mentioned in the draft constitution;

12.
Considers that the final contents of the Communication should be examined in order to evaluate
whether the enlarged Union can fulfil its political commitments and in this sense whether it complies with
its legitimate expectations;

Horizontal issues

On the timeframe

13.
Reiterates its will, as already expressed in its report to the European Convention and widely taken
on board by the draft Constitution (Article III-308), to have a financial framework established for a period
of 5 years; takes the view that, for reasons of democratic responsibility and accountability, it is essential
that the timeframe be better adapted to the mandates of the Parliament and the Commission;

14.
Considers that Parliament is not bound by the decision taken by the European Council of October
2002 on agricultural spending until 2013 and sees no reason to accept a 7-year period for the new
financial perspective as a result of this decision;

On the GNI ceilings

15.
Deplores the confusion created in the beginning of the process between commitments and pay-
ments appropriations in terms of percentage of GNI ceiling and considers that the gap between the two
is questionable from a political and budgetary point of view; recalls that, for reasons of sound manage-
ment, there should be an orderly relation between commitments and payments;

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16.
Points out that the ceilings established by the decision on the system of own resources are 1,31 % in
commitment appropriations of GNI and 1,24 % in payment appropriations of GNI and that, in the interest
of transparency, the Commission should also present the total appropriations for commitments which will
reach 1,27 % of GNI in 2013 against the ceiling of own resources for commitments;

17.
Is of the opinion that, after having evaluated its political priorities at legislative and budgetary level,
it is the Union’s responsibility to define the tasks of the Union in the context of a medium-term policy
strategy and, on that basis, to foresee adequate resources;

18.
Notes that during the period 1996-2002, the EU budget (with 15 Member States) increased by
8,2 % while the national budgets increased by an average of 22,9 % showing the rigour and thrift of the
arms of the budgetary authority;

On the profile

19.
Points out the discrepancy between the profile of commitment appropriations and that of payment
appropriations; notes that the progressive and linear increase in commitments compared to the irregular
development of payments will further extend the gap between the two; believes that, as regards forthcom-
ing legislative proposals, the profiles should be better adapted to the programme cycles;

20.
Considers that, before any decisions are made on the global ceiling of the financial framework, the
Commission should further clarify its proposal as regards the ratio between commitment appropriations
and payment appropriations for any given year during the period covered by the framework and indicate
clearly how this affects implementation; looks to the Commission to provide, in particular, information as
to how, under the new financial framework, delays in the disbursement of appropriations in the structural
policy sphere can be avoided;
invites the Commission to present such an analysis by summer 2004,
bearing in mind the requirement for an orderly relation between commitments and payments;

On the structure

Asks the Commission to provide the budgetary authority with a comparative table indicating the
21.
current nomenclature by programmes and with the magnitude of expenditure foreseen in order to facilitate
the comparison with the current situation;

22. Welcomes the Commission’s efforts to reduce the number of headings (8 to 5); notes, however, that
the number of subheadings has increased; considers that a restricted number of headings should not create
more rigidity; is of the opinion that the current system has in general proved its efficiency; reserves its
position until the Commission submits more in-depth information for its reasoning and this has been
evaluated by Parliament;

23.
Recalls that, owing to insufficient resources foreseen within the relevant heading of expenditure on
the one hand and rigidity between the different headings on the other, the flexibility instrument foreseen
in Point 24 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 had to be mobilised in 2000, 2001 and
2002 in order to cover unforeseen needs; asks the Commission to clarify the different flexibility mech-
anisms foreseen between headings and within headings and to take due account of the different options
proposed by Parliament during the negotiations on the current financial perspective;

Regrets that the Commission has not proposed a specific reserve for external actions to deal with
24.
unforeseen crises, whilst it has proposed a Growth Adjustment Fund of EUR 1 billion for the new heading
1a;

Stresses that the need to strengthen growth and competitiveness and economic and social cohesion

25.
between the Member States are major objectives for the enlarged Union;

26.
Recalls that the decision of the European Council of October 2002, to which reference is made in
the accession Treaty (Annex XV), on agricultural expenditure, aimed to fix a ceiling and not a bottom line;
intends to evaluate the consequences of such decision in a more global context;

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Stresses the need to maintain visibility for the administrative expenditure of the Commission with

27.
clear identification;

Underlines that the financial framework agreed in 1999 for the period 2000-2006 did not foresee
28.
any increase in own resources; notes that for the time being, the Commission proposal (for 27 Member
States) does not foresee any increase in the own resources ceiling either;

Reiterates its will to integrate the EDF into the general budget according to the principle of unity
29.
and to ensure a democratic control over this important part of the EU development policy, without preju-
dice to the overall volume of EU assistance to the poorest countries;

Confirms the need to reform the current system of own resources in order to give it more visibility
30.
for European citizens and to take national considerations into account; is ready to evaluate proposals for a
general correction mechanism based on the principle of Community solidarity;

Specific areas

Invites the Commission to take into account the opinions of the Parliament’s specialised committees

31.
annexed to the current report, of which the priorities are outlined in the paragraphs below;

Competitiveness for growth and employment

32.
Agrees with the Commission that the strengthening of the European effort in research and tech-
nological development constitutes a major objective of the enlarged European Union; recalls in particular
level, with a proper
the importance of having appropriate funding, both at Community and national
balance between public and private financing; expresses concern that access to R & D capital for European
SMEs is still limited and that R & D spending by SMEs is 3-6 times higher in the US; notes that the
completion of a ‘European research area’
is important to sustainable development, but is nevertheless
concerned by the urgent need for concrete instruments to attain the objectives contained in the Communi-
cation; in addition, stresses the contribution of the energy sector for sustainable development, stresses in
particular the importance of transferring and developing existing instruments (e.g. the Intelligent Energy
Programme) in the enlarged European Union, and calls for appropriate European action in both energy
supply and the development of trans-European networks;

33. Welcomes the priority given by the European Commission to the promotion of the competitiveness
of enterprises, especially through:

(cid:1) improved access to Community financial instruments for SMEs;

(cid:1) the promotion of technology transfer, building of innovation networks and coordination between

European undertakings;

(cid:1) enhancing European competitiveness

and productivity through further development of

the

information society;

(cid:1) developing and promoting international standards for ICT and mobile telecommunication technology

(e.g. 3G).

In order to attain the objectives laid down in the Communication, requests the Commission to present as
soon as possible the appropriate legislative and non-legislative proposals with the aim of fulfilling the
broader objective of sustainable development;

34.
Recalls that, under Article 3(2) of the EC Treaty, the promotion of gender equality is a fundamental
principle of the EU and should be implemented in all Community actions and programmes; calls on the
Commission to ensure that gender is taken into account in all main expenditure headings of the new
financial framework (2007-2013) and that targets and benchmarks are set;

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35.
Requests that, according to the objectives set in the Lisbon strategy and the Barcelona European
Council targets to reconcile family and work through the creation of childcare facilities, an adequate pro-
portion of the 16 % EU resources for competitiveness for growth and employment be allocated to raise the
percentage of employed women in the enlarged EU, taking into account the special need to promote the
socio-economic and employment situation of women in the new Member States;

36. Welcomes the importance that the Commission is attaching to the social policy agenda, in particu-
lar, support for social dialogue and initiatives to help anticipate and manage change; points out, bearing in
mind especially that new Member States are about to join the Union, that such initiatives will be vital for
internal cohesion and social harmony; points out that the social dialogue provided for in the Treaties needs
to be strengthened, especially in the new Member States;

Expects that the main imperative, particularly in the new Member States, will be to implement

37.
labour legislation, including health and safety legislation, in particular by fostering best practice;

Is consequently of the opinion that the next Structural Fund reform should be based on the follow-
38.
ing principles: concentration of tasks, administrative simplification and a new allocation formula, having
regard not least to the take-up capacity of the recipient regions;

Points out that a high level of public health also contributes to sustainable development, high
39.
employment and general welfare; assumes that enlargement will increase the variety of problems related
to public health; in order to address the emerging challenges, calls for a new financial instrument on public
health to come into operation after the expiry of the present action programme;

40.
Believes that greater financial support for student mobility must be matched by a commitment to
ensuring that such expenditure has a genuinely additional effect; notes that the inadequacy of student
mobility grants has meant that, hitherto, it has generally been students from more prosperous backgrounds
who have been able to take advantage of student mobility schemes; urges the Member States to ensure real
access to these grants, taking into account the financial need of applicants in accordance with the defini-
tion of ‘need’ as laid down in the national support agreements;

41. Welcomes the emphasis the Commission places on support for networks of cultural organisations
and for citizens’ initiatives in inter-cultural dialogue; notes that the cultural industries make a significant
contribution to economic growth and employment in Europe; stresses the need to simplify administrative
procedures as regards funding for bodies in the cultural field; notes that the audiovisual industry is still
fragmented in national markets and calls for the removal of obstacles to the circulation of European films;

42.
Underlines that, in the context of the recommendations to deliver higher growth to fulfil the objec-
tives set by the European Union for the decade ending in 2010, to become the most competitive and
dynamic knowledge-based economy with sustainable economic growth and greater social cohesion, the
‘cultural added value’ should not be forgotten; believes that the concept of ‘European added value’ must
not be limited to advanced cooperation between Member States but should also contain a ‘visionary’
aspect;

43. Welcomes the Commission’s general determination to consolidate and rationalise funding instru-
ments; believes that, in the fields of education, training, youth and cultural policy, such consolidation
and rationalisation will create administrative economies of scale, heighten the visibility of the programmes
and make them more transparent for citizens;

Cohesion for growth and employment

44.
Emphasises the importance of cohesion policy in constructing measures which raise the economic
performance of the future Member States and regions as well as existing regions which are disadvantaged
because of lack of infrastructure, extreme remoteness, permanent geographical handicaps or industrial
decline; reiterates Parliament’s demand that cohesion policy be funded by 0,45 % of EU GDP to ensure
that its objectives are met in the enlarged Union;

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45.
Insists that expenditure on cohesion for growth and employment and, in particular, the Regional
Development Fund should provide continuity of investment for those regions where the ‘statistical effect’ is
adverse and that there should be adequate funds for a continuation of regional policy for lagging regions
in the current 15 Member States; underlines the particular problems which geographically outlying, rural,
mountain, island and sparsely populated regions face; calls for other sectoral policies to take into account
the needs of these regions using criteria such as accessibility in order to further cohesion;

Considers that state aid should be permissible in non Objective 1 regions depending on the level of
46.
development and problems faced by the region and asks the Commission to present a new state aid
regulation with the new cohesion and regional policy regulations; calls on the Commission, in this context,
to clarify as soon as possible the future of the regional aid under Article 87(3)(c), taking care in particular
to retain the distinction between the regions eligible under the regional competitiveness and employment
objectives;

47.
Expects the Commission, in particular, in the light of the experience gained so far in the field of
structural actions (RAL, unreliability of Member States’ forecasts as regards spending needs) to present
further proposals, accompanying the new financial framework, aimed at ensuring better control of the
implementation of appropriations involving a greater responsibility of Members States in the context of
shared management, e.g. by the increased use of cofinancing and sunset clauses;

48.
Notes the importance of trans European transport networks for implementing the Lisbon agenda;
considers that high-performing trans European transport networks are an essential catalyst for the sustain-
able mobility of goods and people and notes that the Commission intends to strengthen cross-border
cooperation and the development of European networks; believes that setting up a financial bonus for
those priority projects of European interest, or for sections of them, which are completed within the
next three years, would represent an important incentive for the development of TEN.

Preservation and management of natural resources

49. Welcomes the greater attention paid to research and development and calls on the Commission, in
that connection, also to focus on innovation in the agricultural sector;

50.
Regrets the fact that, in the proposed financial framework, the Commission has not (cid:1) as announced
in connection with the reform of the common agricultural policy (cid:1) made a stronger second pillar an
integral part of the future EU budget, but is instead seeking to freeze planned expenditure on rural devel-
opment at the 2006 level, which, in a future EU of 25 or 27 Member States, would lead to a steady
reduction in appropriations for rural development;

51.
Calls on the Commission, therefore, to revise the Financial Perspective in such a way that rural
regions are not placed at a disadvantage in relation to urban areas, thereby forestalling the further econ-
omic decline and depopulation of disadvantaged regions;

52.
Believes that the current strict distinction made between categories 1a and 1b, on the basis of the
CAP reform decisions concerning modulation, must be replaced to a certain extent by a flexible mech-
anism for transferring funds to rural development projects, so that adequate allowance can be made for the
reorientation of EU agricultural policy launched in 2003;

53.
Notes that the Community fisheries sector is undergoing radical change to give it long-term pros-
pects and allow it to remain competitive in a globalised economy; takes the view that adequate funding
must be provided in order to finance the various areas of activity making up the Common Fisheries Policy,
namely, resource conservation and protection,
international agreements, markets, structural measures,
social aspects, etc.; believes, therefore, that existing fisheries-related Structural Fund measures, including
socio-economic measures, need to be maintained and optimised in order to maintain European fisheries’
competitiveness in a global free market;

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54. Welcomes the progress made in interinstitutional cooperation on negotiating international fisheries
agreements, in particular with the Commission, even though it takes the view that there is still a long way
to go before Parliament is genuinely involved in policy development and implementation in this CFP area;
it also feels that a clear distinction needs to be made between financial compensation for fishing access and
the targeted measures, and that the Commission must be able to verify that the latter have been properly
implemented;

55.
Is pleased that ‘sustainable development’ has been proposed as one of the three priorities for the
next financial perspectives; deplores, however, the shallow interpretation of the concept of sustainability;
notes that the Commission devotes only marginal attention to environmental concerns and fails sufficiently
to integrate the environmental aspects of sustainable development in overall policy-making; calls, therefore,
on the Commission to strengthen the content of ‘sustainable development’ in all Community policies;

56. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal that, in future, environmental policy should be financed from
the same category of the budget as agricultural, structural and fisheries policy; points out that these
policies have a huge impact on the environment; stresses the urgent need to press ahead with the greening
of Community policies in practice, by carrying out careful and methodologically sound assessments of
environmental impacts in all policy areas, particularly in CAP and structural funds;

57. Welcomes the reference to financing of the Natura 2000 network; considers this a crucial element
to reaching the 2010 target for halting European biodiversity loss; calls for dedicated funds under regional
and rural development policy for Natura 2000;

Citizenship, freedom, security and justice

58. Welcomes the Commission’s proposal to make European citizenship, including the completion of
an area of freedom, security and justice, one of the top three priorities for the enlarged Union 2007-2013;
welcomes and supports strongly the proposal to create a specific heading for ‘Citizenship, freedom, secur-
ity and justice’ in the new financial perspective as a logical consequence of the proposed priority for this
policy area;

59.
Regards the protection of the external borders of the European Union in an integrated way poses a
major challenge that requires adequate resources; emphasises, at the same time, the need for increased
efforts to establish a common asylum policy with a much stronger burden-sharing element and a cor-
respondingly stronger policy of integration of third country nationals living in the European Union;

60.
Is of the opinion that the Union should respond to the increasing concerns of European citizens
with regard to internal security matters and assume greater responsibility in the fight against international
organised crime and terrorism;

Requests that the protection of fundamental rights be reinforced, inter alia, by the creation of a

61.
genuine judicial area based on mutual trust;

The EU as a global partner

62.
Insists that poverty eradication and the Millennium Development Goals, which are the main goals
of community development policy, should remain one of the principal objectives of the category for
‘External Actions’ and that funds for this purpose should be safeguarded against transfer operations to
meet other objectives;

63.
Supports the principle of ‘simplified architecture’ in the area of external relations but insists that this
must not lead to a diminished role for the European Parliament, either in co-deciding legislation or in the
use of its budgetary or discharge powers;

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64.
Calls for a clear distinction to be made between those areas of external action which have different
characteristics and for which the financial requirements have to be considered separately: pre-accession aid,
enhanced neighbourhood cooperation, development cooperation, humanitarian aid, relations with ACP
countries, peace and security and reserves;

65.
Insists that EDF budgetisation should result in no reduction in the overall level of finance for ACP
countries and that these funds focus on poverty eradication, in line with development best practice and be
guaranteed for use within the ACP region, by means of sub-headings or ring-fenced sums in the Financial
Perspectives;

66.
Calls for a restructuring and rationalisation of budgetary instruments in order to boost the respon-
siveness and flexibility of the Union’s external policy, while maintaining the transparency of the mech-
anisms employed and without in any way jeopardising fulfilment of the commitments already entered into;
restates the need to introduce for this purpose a mechanism for prior consultation of, and control a
posteriori by, Parliament, particularly where appropriations are reallocated; welcomes the rationalisation
of headings proposed by the Commission and proposes a breakdown of appropriations by thematic head-
ings matching priorities and horizontal political objectives of the Union, accompanied by a geographical
structure allowing such appropriations to be mobilised flexibly for a given area; questions the appropri-
ateness of the existing allocation of responsibilities between external relations and development and pro-
poses that it be reviewed;

67.
Affirms that the neighbouring countries of the enlarged Europe are a priority area for action and
attention; asks, to this end, that the provisions of the strategy document on relations with the Arab World
be implemented; advocates recourse to all necessary measures to ensure that the New Neighbourhood
policy can enable an area of prosperity and stability to stretch further to the south and east of the Union;
points to the importance of moving ahead with the Barcelona Process and supporting the political and
economic reforms being implemented in Mediterranean partner countries; in particular, asks that the Afri-
can continent and the countries with the highest rates of poverty and underdevelopment benefit from
better interaction between humanitarian policies, development programmes and political cooperation;

68.
Points out that, to be credible, any international player needs to be ready both to respond to unex-
pected short-term situations and to devise medium- and long-term strategies involving lasting commit-
ments; points out that the Union’s external policy must be envisaged in a global manner; points out that
its main aims are encouraging macroeconomic assistance designed to prevent conflicts of all kinds as well
as peacekeeping activities and crisis management measures in civilian, military, technological and environ-
mental fields, particularly through the rapid deployment of an intervention force;

Places particular emphasis on the need for adequate funding for the aspects relating to cooperation
69.
policy, the fight against poverty, the promotion of democracy and human rights and access for popu-
lations to basic goods and services; places particular emphasis on the need to promote, through external
policy, access to health care (including reproductive health), education, research and the new technologies
and the continuing fight against anti-personnel landmines and their consequences;

70.
Reiterates the importance of a parliamentary dimension to the WTO and encourages further ini-
tiatives for democratic instruments in the field of trade; believes that the European Union, as a global
partner in the present context of globalisation, must reinforce its role as a leading trade power and an
active partner in the negotiation of multilateral norms;

*

*

*

71.
Invites the Commission to come forward with the appropriate solutions as regards the presentation
of administrative expenditure so as to enable transparency and democratic control over staffing matters;
believes this should apply both in the various policy areas and in the heading dedicated to the adminis-
trative expenditure of the other institutions;

72.

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