Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - Outcome of the screening of legislative proposals pending before the Legislator
Date: 2005-09-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: competitiveness, economic and social cohesion, economic growth, employment policy, simplification of legislation, sustainable development

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 27.9.2005 
COM(2005) 462 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Outcome of the screening of legislative proposals pending before the Legislator 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

Outcome of the screening of legislative proposals pending before the Legislator 

As announced in its Communication of 16 March 2005 on “Better Regulation for Growth and 
Jobs in the European Union”1, the Commission has decided to introduce a step change in the 
way it seeks to ensure that the quality of legislation in Europe promotes the objectives of the 
Partnership for Growth and Jobs.  

To enhance European competitiveness, the regulatory environment in the European Union has 
to  be  of  the  highest  standard  possible.  To  attain  this  goal,  the  “acquis  communautaire”,  the 
existing stock of legislation, needs to be simplified, where necessary, and updated, for which 
an  array  of  measures  is  foreseen,  including,  notably,  the  launch  of  a  new  phase  of  the 
Simplification programme in October 2005.  

The Commission has also decided that better regulation needs to be integrated in the design of 
policy and that new legislative proposals presented by the Commission must seek to promote 
better  regulation  and  contribute  to  competitiveness.  This  is  notably  put  in  practice  by  the 
requirement  that  new  legislative  initiatives  are  now  subject  to  an  impact  assessment  as 
announced  in  the  Commission’s  legislative  and  work  programme  for  2005,  for  which 
extensive and detailed guidelines were recently adopted2. 

As regards proposals presented by the Commission in the past and pending in the legislative 
process,  the  March  Communication  stated  the  Commission’s  intention  “to  screen  proposals 
that  are  pending  before  the  Council/Parliament  with  regard  to  their  general  relevance,  their 
impact  on  competitiveness  and  other  effects”.  The  objectives,  process  and  outcomes  of  this 
screening exercise, which is the first of its kind, are presented in this Communication.  

1. 

Objectives of the screening of pending proposals 

The  screening  exercise  aimed  at  enabling  the  Commission  to  ensure  that  all  pending 
legislative proposals are fully consistent with the political priorities of the Commission and to 
check whether changed circumstances justify a review of the initial approach followed.  

Where  a  review  was  deemed  necessary,  the  screening  exercise  has  also  identified  the 
appropriate measures to be taken, such as modification, replacement or withdrawal of pending 
proposals and improving the assessment of their impacts.  

More  specifically,  the  screening  exercise  aimed  at  testing  pending  proposals  on  three 
accounts:  

First, pending proposals were examined for their consistency with the EU Lisbon objectives 
and  in  particular  the  goal  of  promoting  competitiveness.  The  criteria  used  for  evaluating 

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COM(2005) 97. 
SEC(2005) 791. 

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proposals in this respect were those specified in the ‘competitiveness test’ that forms part of 
the recently revised impact assessment guidelines3. 

Secondly,  pending  proposals  were  checked  for  possible  lack  of  substantial  progress  in  the 
legislative  process  for  a  significant  period  of  time.  In  these  cases,  the  reasons  for  slow 
advancement and the chances for unblocking this situation were also examined.  

Third,  pending  proposals  were  examined  to  determine  whether  they  meet  current  better 
regulation requirements, notably with regard to appropriate impact assessments. This criterion 
affects in particular those proposals presented at a time when impact assessments were not a 
formal requirement.  

2. 

Process of the screening exercise 

At the launch of the screening exercise in April 2005, the total number of pending proposals 
was  4894.  The  scope  of  the  exercise  defined  by  the  March  Communication  was  explicitly 
limited to pending proposals dated before 1 January 2004. This amounted to 183 proposals.  

These  were  subjected  to  a  careful  assessment  which  lead  to  the  identification  of  about  100 
proposals  that  constitute  truly  new  legislative  initiatives  and  that  were  further  evaluated  for 
possible adverse effects on competitiveness and broader economic effects. The rest consist of 
proposals that are likely to have limited or no impact on competitiveness. These relate mainly 
to proposals resulting from international obligations or constituting adaptations of the acquis 
to scientific and technical progress. Some of these proposals also directly contribute to “better 
regulation” as they codify or simplify the acquis.  

3. 

Outcomes of the screening exercise  

Following a detailed analysis of all the outstanding proposals, the Commission envisages two 
broad types of action: 

(1)  Proposals  to  be  withdrawn.  The  Commission  intends  to  withdraw  in  total  68  proposals. 
These  proposals  are  considered  not  to  be  consistent  with  the  Lisbon  objectives  or  Better 
Regulation principles, or they are making insufficient progress in the legislative process or are 
no longer topical5 (e.g. the objectives are already being achieved by other means, or will be 
achieved by other means). Some of these proposals may be reconsidered in the light of further 
analysis.  In  some  cases  the  Commission  intends  to  reconsider  the  need  for  a  legislative 
intervention in the light of the results of a comprehensive impact assessment. 

(2)  Proposals  to  be  maintained  in  the  legislative  process  but  with  economic  analysis  to  be 
presented to the assessment of the legislative authority6 .This concerns 5 proposals of which 
the Commission is convinced that they remain important, but where additional presentation of 
the analysis of their impact is likely to facilitate decision making by the Legislative Authority. 

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6 

See footnote 2. 
Indeed, the Commission deals, each year, with a turn-over of around 200/250 proposals stemming from  
EU  international  obligations,  the  need  to  update  the  “acquis  communautaire”  and/or  to  respond  to  
commitments with the Legislator. 
The Commission has carried out regular withdrawal exercises which have reduced the pool of pending 
proposals. 34 proposals were withdrawn in 1997, 58 in 1999, 108 in 2001 and 102 in 2004. 
Fluorinated  gases,  Shipment  of  waste,  Signature  of  convention  on  aircraft  mobile  equipment,  VAT 
travel agents and VAT Administrative cooperation. 

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Thus, as a result of the Commission’s screening, in total some 73 pending proposals will be 
subject  to  some  form  of  intervention.  This  covers  proposals  that  do  not  fully  meet 
competitiveness objectives, those for which further economic analysis needs to be brought to 
the assessment of the Legislator as well as proposals that are not advancing sufficiently in the 
legislative process or have become obsolete. 

The  withdrawals  in  particular  represent  some  31%7  of  all  pending  proposals  from  before  1 
January 2004. All interventions including proposals singled out for further economic analysis 
actually represent 33 %8 of those pending proposals. 

Moreover, for at least 2 proposals, the screening exercise has produced results that do not fall 
directly  into the above  categories.  First,  concerning the proposal  for  a Council  Directive on 
the minimum  health and safety  requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks 
arising  from  physical  agents  –  optical  radiations,  1992/0449/COD,  for  which  the  screening 
exercise  has  led  the  Commission  to  conclude  that  the  aspects  dealing  with  exposure  of 
workers  to  natural  optical  radiation  should  be  deleted,  as  proposed  also  by  the  European 
Parliament. 

Secondly,  concerning 
the 
Commission reserves its position to reconsider the proposal in light of future discussions on 
other proposals.  

the  proposal  on  Temporary  Workers  (2002/0072/COD), 

The Annex to this communication summarises the situation and gives details of the proposals 
concerned.  

Conclusion 

The  screening  exercise  of  pending  proposals  is  the  first  ever  comprehensive  screening 
undertaken by the Commission. This testifies to the European Commission’s commitment to 
the  Partnership  for  Growth  and  Jobs  and  to  ensuring  that  Better  Regulation  principles  are 
implemented in practice with rigour.  

The  actions  resulting  from  the  screening  exercise,  i.e.  the  planned  interventions  on  pending 
proposals as set out in the annex, are designed to have a positive effect for meeting the Lisbon 
objectives,  by  supporting  competitiveness,  for  the  development  of  a  better  legislative 
environment  and  for  eliminating  proposals  that  have  no  real  prospect  for  adoption  or  have 
become obsolete. 

The withdrawal of pending proposals will, in some cases, take place in the framework of an 
overall  review  of  policies  or  with  the  intention  to  reconsider  proposals  in  the  light  of  new 
policy elements and a comprehensive impact assessment. 

In  line  with  the  commitments  in  the  Framework  Agreement  on  Relations  between  the 
European Parliament and the Commission (paragraph 32), the Commission is hereby giving 
prior notification to Parliament and the Council before withdrawing its proposals. 

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Out of a total of 68 withdrawals, 12 are proposals adopted by the Commission in 2004. 
See footnote 7. 

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ANNEX  

1- Proposals to be withdrawn 

Agriculture  

–  COM(88)  431/2:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE  establishing  the  terms  and 

conditions of officially supported export credits for agricultural products 

–  1994/0254/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC)  on  the  crediting  of 
securities,  deposits  and  guarantees  furnished  under  the  common  agricultural  policy  and 
subsequently forfeited, and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 352/78  

–  2000/0152/CNS: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION amending Regulation (EC) No 
1251/1999 establishing a support system for producers of certain arable crops, in order to 
include rice 

–  COM(2003)  89:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  authorising  the  offer  and 
delivery  for  direct  human  consumption  of  certain  wines  imported  from  Australia  which 
may  have  undergone  oenological  practices  not  provided  for  in  Regulation  (EC)  No 
1493/1999 

Competition 

–  1997/0137/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC)  amending  Regulation 
(EEC)  No.  3975/87  laying  down  the  procedure  for  the  application  of  the  rules  on 
competition to undertakings in the air transport sector 

–  1997/0138/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC)  on  the  application  of 
Article 85(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreement and concerted practices in the 
air transport sector between the Community and third countries 

Development  

–  COM(1999)  273:  Proposal  for  a  DECISION  OF  THE  COUNCIL  AND  OF  THE 
REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE  MEMBER  STATES  MEETING  WITHIN  THE 
COUNCIL authorising  the Commission to open  negotiations  with  the  ACP  States  with  a 
view to amending the third ACP-EEC Convention, signed at Lomé on 8 December 1984, 
the  fourth  ACP-EEC  Convention,  signed  at  Lomé  on  15  December  1989,  and  the  fourth 
ACP-EC Convention as revised by the Mauritius Agreement of 4 November 1995 

Economic and Financial Affairs  

–  SEC(2004)  485/2:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  on  making  public  the 
recommendation  with  a  view  to  giving  early  warning  to  Italy  in  order  to  prevent  the 
occurrence of an excessive deficit  

Enlargement 

–  1996/0153/ACC:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  concerning  the  conclusion  of  an 
Agreement  in  the  form  of  an  exchange  of  letters  in  the  area  of  certification  of  industrial 
products  under  the  framework  of  the  Europe  Agreement  between  the  European 

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Community and its member states of the one part, and the Republic of Poland of the other 
part  

–  COM(1999) 675: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Hungary, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination 
of social security schemes  

–  COM(1999) 676: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Poland, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination of 
social security schemes 

–  COM(1999) 678: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Estonia, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination of 
social security schemes 

–  COM(1999) 679: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the  European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Czech 
Republic, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination 
of social security schemes 

–  COM(1999) 680: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Latvia, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination of 
social security schemes 

–  COM(1999) 681 : Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Lithuania, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination 
of social security schemes 

–  COM(1999) 682: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Slovenia, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination 
of social security schemes 

–  COM(1999) 684: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between 
the  European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Slovak 
Republic, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of provisions for the co-ordination 
of social security schemes 

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–  2002/0213/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  AND  COMMISSION  DECISION  .../…/EC, 
ECSC on the conclusion of an additional Protocol to the Europe Agreement establishing an 
association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, 
and  the  Czech  Republic,  of  the  other  part,  with  regard  to  an  extension  of  the  period 
foreseen in the provisions of Article 8(4) of Protocol 2 of the Europe Agreement with the 
Czech Republic  

–  2002/0027/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community  within  the  Association  Committee  established  by  the  Europe  Agreement 
between  the  European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the 
Slovak Republic, of the other part, with regard to the adoption of a Regional aid map on 
the basis of which public aid granted by the Slovak Republic will be assessed  

–  2002/0145/ACC:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  relating  to  the  conclusion  of  an 
Additional  Protocol  adjusting  the  trade  aspects  of  the  Europe  Agreement  establishing  an 
association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, 
and  the  Republic  of  Poland,  of  the  other  part,  to  take  account  of  the  outcome  of  the 
negotiations between the parties on new mutual agricultural concessions 

Enterprise and Industry  

–  1991/0386/COD: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council 

on the statute for a European association 

–  1991/0390/COD : Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council 

on the statute for a European mutual society 

–  1991/0387/COD: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 
supplementing  the  Statute  for  a  European  association  with  regard  to  the  involvement  of 
employees 

–  1991/0391/COD: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 
supplementing the Statute for a European mutual society with regard to the involvement of 
employees  

–  SEC(90)  431:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EEC)  amending  Regulation 

(EEC) No 428/89 concerning the export of certain dangerous chemicals  

–  2000/0235/COD:  Proposal  for  a  EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT  AND  COUNCIL 
DIRECTIVE amending Directive 80/232/EEC as regards the range of nominal weights for 
coffee extracts and chicory extracts 

–  2003/0289/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community in the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Republic  of 
Hungary,  of  the  other  part,  concerning  the  improvement  of  the  trade  arrangements  for 
processed  agricultural  products  provided  for  in  Protocol  3  of  the  Europe  Agreement 
between the European Community and the Republic of Hungary 

–  2004/0005/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community in the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the 
European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, 

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of  the  other  part,  concerning  the  improvement  of  the  trade  arrangements  for  processed 
agricultural  products  provided  for  in  Protocol  3  of  the  Europe  Agreement  between  the 
European Community and the Slovak Republic 

–  2004/0006/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community in the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Republic  of 
Slovenia,  of  the  other  part,  concerning  the  improvement  of  the  trade  arrangements  for 
processed  agricultural  products  provided  for  in  Protocol  3  of  the  Europe  Agreement 
between the European Community and the Republic of Slovenia 

–  2004/0015/ACC : Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community in the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Republic  of 
Latvia,  of  the  other  part,  concerning  the  improvement  of  the  trade  arrangements  for 
processed  agricultural  products  provided  for  in  Protocol  2  of  the  Europe  Agreement 
between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia 

–  2004/0021/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community in the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Republic  of 
Estonia,  of  the  other  part,  concerning  the  improvement  of  the  trade  arrangements  for 
processed  agricultural  products  provided  for  in  Protocol  2  of  the  Europe  Agreement 
between the European Community and the Republic of Estonia 

–  2004/0019/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community in the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the 
European  Communities  and  their  Member  States,  of  the  one  part,  and  the  Republic  of 
Lithuania,  of  the  other  part,  concerning  the  improvement  of  the  trade  arrangements  for 
processed  agricultural  products  provided  for  in  Protocol  2  of  the  Europe  Agreement 
between the European Community and the Republic of Lithuania 

–  2004/0034/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the 
Community  in  the  Association  Council  established  by  the  Agreement  between  the 
European  Economic  Community  and  Malta  concerning  the  improvements  of  the  trade 
arrangements for processed agricultural products 

–  COM(2004)  1:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  on  the  position  to  be  taken  by  the 
Community in the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the 
European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Czech Republic, 
of  the  other  part,  concerning  the  improvement  of  the  trade  arrangements  for  processed 
agricultural  products  provided  for  in  Protocol  3  of  the  Europe  Agreement  between  the 
European Community and the Czech Republic 

Environment 

–  2001/0188/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  relating  to  the  conclusion,  on 
behalf of the Community, of the Protocol on Water and Health to the 1992 Convention on 
the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes 

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–  COM(2003) 263: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the signature, on behalf of the 
European  Community  of  the  Protocol  on  civil  liability  and  compensation  for  damage 
caused by the transboundary effects of industrial accidents transboundary watercourses 

Fisheries and Maritime Affairs  

–  2001/0096/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  amending  Regulation  (EEC) 

No 2847/93 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy  

–  2001/0299/CNS: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION establishing measures for the 

recovery of cod and hake stocks  

–  2002/0275/CNS: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION for the conservation of fishery 
resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms  

–  COM(2004)  783:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  amending  Regulation  (EC) 

No 2287/2003 as concerns fishing opportunities for Norway lobster in the North Sea  

–  COM(2004)  797:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  amending  Regulation  (EC) 

No 2287/2003 as concerns fishing opportunities for herring in the Baltic Sea  

Internal Market and Services 

–  2001/0227/COD:  Proposal  for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  Regulation  on  sales 

promotion in the internal market  

–  1997/0356/COD:  Proposal 

for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  Directive 

approximating the legal arrangements for the protection of inventions by utility model 

Justice, Freedom and Security  

–  2001/0155/CNS: Proposal for a Council Directive relating to the conditions in which third-
country nationals shall have the freedom to travel in the territory of the Member States for 
periods not exceeding 6 months  

–  2003/0311/COD: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION on the European Monitoring 

Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (recast) 

External Relations 

–  2000/0027/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION to refer the dispute regarding the 
procedure of state registration (renewal of registration) of medicinal products and related 
fees in Ukraine and to determine the position to be adopted by the Community in the Co-
operation Council to settle the dispute  

–  2000/0166/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION to supply the Cooperation Council 
with all relevant information required for a thorough examination of the situation in respect 
of the import ban imposed by the Russian Federation on fresh eggs for human consumption 
originating in the European Community  

–  2000/0196/ACC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION to supply the Cooperation Council 
with all relevant information required for a thorough examination of the situation in respect 

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of the failure by the Russian Federation to fulfil its obligations under the Partnership and 
Cooperation Agreement in regard to trade in alcoholic beverages  

–  2000/0247/ACC:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  on  countermeasures  in 
response  to  the  failure  of  the  Russian  Federation  to  fulfil  its  obligations  under  the 
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in regard to trade in alcoholic beverages 

–  2002/0139/COD:  Proposal  for  a  REGULATION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT 
AND  OF  THE  COUNCIL  concerning  Community  cooperation  with  Asian  and  Latin 
American countries and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2258/96 

–  2003/0160/AVC: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the signing of an agreement on 
the participation of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, 
the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic 
of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic in the 
European Economic Area and four related agreements  

–  COM(2003)  255/2:  Amended  proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  approving  the 
conclusion by the Commission, on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, of 
an  Agreement  on  a  Multilateral  Nuclear  Environmental  Programme  in  the  Russian 
Federation and of its Protocol on Claims, Legal Proceedings and Indemnification 

Research  

–  COM(2003) 149: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION amending the Council Decision of 

16 December 1980 setting up the consultative committee for the fusion programme 

Health and Consumer Protection  

–  1997/0027/COD:  Proposal  for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  Directive  amending 
Directive 79/112/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to 
the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs 

–  2000/0180/COD:  Proposal  for  a  EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT  AND  COUNCIL 
REGULATION  laying  down  detailed  rules  for  the  organisation  of  official  controls  on 
products of animal origin intended for human consumption 

Codification  

–  2003/0288/CNS: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION laying down general rules for 
the  application  of  measures  to  improve  the  production  and  marketing  of  honey 
(consolidated version) 

Taxation and Customs Union  

–  2001/0266/CNS:  Proposal  for  Council  Directive  amending  Directive  92/81/EEC  with 
regard to the possibility of applying a reduced rate of excise duty on certain mineral oils 
containing biofuels and on biofuels 

–  2002/0191/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DIRECTIVE  amending  Directive  92/81/EEC 
and  Directive  92/82/EEC  to  introduce  special  tax  arrangements  for  diesel  fuel  used  for 
commercial purposes and to align the excise duties on petrol and diesel fuel 

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–  1998/0210/CNS: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) on verification measures, 
measures relating to the refund system and administrative co-operation measures necessary 
for the application of Directive 98/xxx/EC 

–  1998/0209/CNS: Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE amending Directive 77/388/EEC 

as regards the rules governing the right to deduct value added tax 

Trade 

–  2004/0101/ACC:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  on  the  application  of  certain 

guidelines in the field of officially supported export credits 

–  COM(2004)  697:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  amending  Council  Decision 
2001/855/EC of 15 November 2001 authorising the automatic renewal or continuation in 
force  of  provisions  governing  matters  covered  by  the  common  commercial  policy 
contained in the friendship, trade and navigation treaties and trade agreements concluded 
by Member States and third countries 

Energy and Transport  

–  1997/0212/COD: Proposal  for  a Council Directive  on safety requirements and attestation 

of professional competence for cabin crews in Civil Aviation 

–  1998/0096/COD: Proposal for a Council Directive on a transparent system of harmonised 
rules for driving restrictions on heavy goods vehicles involved in international transport on 
designated roads (“weekend bans”)  

–  1996/0301/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  on  the  conclusion  of  the 
Agreement  establishing  conditions  for  the  carriage  of  goods  and  passengers  by  inland 
waterway between the European Community on the one hand, and the Czech Republic, the 
Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic on the other 

–  1998/0349/COD:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC)  amending  Council 
Regulation  (EEC)  No  3922/91  of  16  December  1991  on  the  harmonisation  of  technical 
rules and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation  

–  2001/0225/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  COUNCIL  DECISION  to  conclude  for  the  European 
Community  (EC)  the  “International  Joint  Convention  on  the  Safety  of  Spent  Fuel 
Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management” 

EN 

11 

   EN 

 
2-  Proposals  to  be  withdrawn  and  EU  action to  be  reconsidered  in  the  light  of  further 
analysis of the impacts 

Justice, Freedom and Security  

–  2001/0154/CNS: Proposal for a Council Directive on the conditions of entry and residence 
of  third-country  nationals  for  the  purpose  of  paid  employment  and  self-employed 
economic activities 

3- Proposals to be maintained - economic analysis to be presented for the consideration 
of the legislative authority 

Environment  

–  2003/0189/COD:  Proposal  for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  Regulation  on  certain 

fluorinated greenhouse gases  

–  2003/0139/COD:  Proposal  for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  Regulation  on 

shipments of waste 

Justice, Freedom and Security  

–  2002/0312/ACC:  Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  on  the  signing  by  the  EC  of  the 
Convention  on  International  Interests  in  Mobile  Equipment  and  its  Protocol  on  matters 
specific to aircraft equipment; adopted jointly in Cape Town on 16/11/2001 

Taxation and Customs Union  

–  2002/0041/CNS:  Proposal  for  a  Council  Directive  modifying  directive  77/388/CEE  on 

travel agents: special VAT scheme 

–  2003/0057/COD: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council 
amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  218/92  on  administrative  co-operation  in  the  field  of 
indirect  taxation  (VAT)  as  regards  additional  measures  regarding  supplies  of  travel 
services 

EN 

12 

   EN