Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty concerning the Common position of the Council on the adoption of a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity - PROGRESS
Date: 2006-08-04
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, anti-discriminatory measure, employment policy, gender equality, social security, working conditions

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 4.8.2006 
COM(2006) 440 final 

2004/0158 (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the 

Common position of the Council on the adoption of a Decision of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community Programme for Employment 
and Social Solidarity - PROGRESS 

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2004/0158 (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the 

Common position of the Council on the adoption of a Decision of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community Programme for Employment 
and Social Solidarity - PROGRESS 

1. 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

BACKGROUND 

On 14 July 2004, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Decision of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a community programme for employment 
and  social  solidarity  (PROGRESS)1.  This  proposal  was  transmitted  to  the  European 
Parliament and the Council on 15 July 2004. 

The European Economic and Social Committee gave its opinion on 6.4.20052. 

The Committee of the Regions gave its opinion on 23 February 20053. 

The European Parliament gave its opinion at first reading on 6 September 20054. 

The Commission adopted a modified proposal for the Decision on 21 October 20055 
and subsequently another modified proposal for the Decision on 24 May 20066. 

(6) 

The Council adopted a Common position on 18 July 2006 

2. 

AIM OF THE PROPOSAL 

The  overall  objective  of  the  Community  programme  for  employment  and  social  solidarity, 
PROGRESS, hereinafter the Programme, is to support the implementation of the objectives of 
the  European  Union  in  the  employment,  social  affairs  and  equal  opportunities  area  and, 
thereby, contribute to achieving the objectives of the Social Agenda. 

The Programme will help the Commission fulfil its role of initiative; implement and follow up 
EU  objectives  and  their  translation  into  national  policies;  support  and  monitor  the 

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COM (2004) 488 final 
OJ C 255,14.10.2005, p. 67 
OJ C 164, 5 July 2005, p. 48 
A6/2005/199 
COM(2005)536  
COM(2004)488/2 final 

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implementation  of  EU  legislation;  promote  co-operation  with  and  between  Member  States, 
and with organisations representing civil society. 

The Programme's activities are divided into five different policy sections: employment, social 
protection  and  inclusion,  working  conditions,  anti-discrimination  and  diversity,  and  gender 
equality.  

3. 

COMMISSION COMMENTS ON THE COMMON POSITION 

3.1 

General comments 

A  partial  political  agreement  on  the  Common  position  was  reached  by  the  Council  on  8 
December  2005  on  the  whole  text  except  its  Article  17  relating  to  the  financing  of  the 
Programme.  

The  interinstitutional  agreement  of  17  May  2006  between  the  European  Parliament,  the 
Council  and  the  Commission  on  budgetary  discipline  and  sound  financial  management  has 
paved  the  way  for  a  smooth  and  rapid  adoption  of  the  proposed  Decision.  Article  17  (1) 
relating to the financial envelope designed to cover the activities to be implemented under the 
Programme has been adapted in the amended proposal of the Commission of 24 May 2006. 
The  financial  envelope  amounts  to  743,25  million  €  (at  current  prices)  for  the  2007-2013 
period. 

The  Commission  supports  the  Common  Position  of  the  Council  of  18  July  2006.  The 
Common  Position  reflects  a  compromise  which  the  Commission,  the  Council  and  the 
European Parliament can agree to.  

3.2 

How the amendments of the European Parliament have been taken into account 

The partial political agreement on a Common Position already incorporates a large majority 
of the EP amendments into the text of, either in full or using different wording. On the whole 
the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  and  the  Commission  had  convergent  views  on  this 
Programme.  

Two main issues were, however, outstanding. The first one related to the share of the funding 
to  be  allocated  to  the  five  policy  sections  (Article  17  (2)  and  the  second  to  the  procedure 
applicable for the allocation of the funding between the different sections (Article 17 (4) to be 
read in conjunction with Article 12 (1) d)). The Common position is a significantly positive 
step towards meeting the concerns expressed by the European Parliament.  

On  the  first  issue,  the  Common  Position  takes,  as  a  starting  point,  the  distribution  key 
proposed  by  the  Commission.  Some  policy  sections  have  received  a  higher  share  of  the 
budget in percentage terms. This has not been done at the expense of other sections. Indeed, 
the  additional  funding  comes  from  unallocated  reserve  of  10%  originally  proposed  by  the 
Commission.  The  Council,  in  addition,  takes  on  board  the  amendment  of  the  European 
Parliament  asking  that  more  weight  be  given  to  the  sections  "social  protection  and  social 
inclusion"  and  "gender  equality".  Finally,  the  Council  increases  the  share  of  funding  of  the 
policy sections related to "employment" and "working conditions".  

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As a result, the unallocated reserve of the Commission's proposal is completely exhausted and 
the share of the funding to be distributed among the different policy sections is fixed from the 
outset.  

By doing so, the Council accommodates the second concern of both the European Parliament 
and the Commission. Both institutions had proposed that the distribution of funding between 
the  policy  sections  be  decided  in  the  framework  of  the  annual  budgetary  procedure.  The 
Council  was  originally  of  the  view  that  the  distribution  of  the  funding  should  be  the 
responsibility of the committee to be set up to assist the Commission with the implementation 
of the Programme. The Common Position of the Council is now fully in line with the position 
of the European Parliament and of the Commission, thereby adding more transparency to the 
way the Programme, and in particular the budgetary issues, will be implemented. 

4. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The  Commission  considers  that  the  Common  position's  text  is  acceptable  and  provides  the 
conditions for a rapid adoption of the proposed Decision to establish the Programme. The text 
does not alter the substance of the original proposal of the Commission while it adds clarity 
and transparency for the implementation of the Programme.  

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ANNEX 

STATEMENT 

FOR THE COUNCIL MINUTES 

Commission statement 

The  Commission  declares  that,  in  accordance  with  Article  10  of  its  proposal  for  a  Decision 
establishing  a  Community  programme  on  employment  and  social  solidarity-  PROGRESS, 
non-governmental organisations set up at national level in the Member States may take part in 
the programme. 

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