The Committee on Development unanimously adopted the recommendation for second reading contained in the report drafted by Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU) on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation.
It recommended that the European Parliament adopts its position at second reading under the ordinary legislative procedure, amending the Council position at first reading as follows:
Delegated acts: following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament is now fully recognised as co-legislator alongside the Council on virtually all legislation. Members consider that this should be reflected in the area of the implementation of external cooperation financial instruments.
During the first reading in October 2010, Parliament expressed its favour for the application of the "delegated acts" procedure for the financing instruments for external assistance.
The delegated acts procedure significantly strengthens Parliament's powers: Parliament's veto right allows it to block a draft measure it objects against, and requires the Commission to present an amended proposal.
Faced with the rejection of the Parliament’s position by the Council, Members recommend representing, at second reading, the requests formulated at first reading:
· the Commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in respect of Geographic Strategy Papers, Multi-annual Indicative Programmes and Strategy Papers for thematic programmes and the accompanying measures, as they supplement Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 and are of general application;
· the annual action programmes shall be adopted by the Commission taking into account the opinions of the European Parliament and of the Council;
· where the cost of such measures exceeds EUR 10 million, the Commission shall adopt them taking into account the opinions of the European Parliament and of the Council. For special measures below EUR 10 million, the Commission shall send the measures to the European Parliament and to the Council for information within one month of adopting its decision;
· amendments to special measures, such as those making technical adjustments, extending the implementation period, reassigning funds within the forecast budget, or increasing or reducing the size of the budget by less than 20 % of the initial budget, provided those amendments do not affect the initial objectives set out in the Commission decision, shall be communicated within one month to the European Parliament and to the Council;
· the Commission shall send its evaluation reports to the European Parliament and to the Council for information. The results shall feed back into programme design and resource allocation.
Other amendments focus on the duration of the delegation of power, as well as the conditions to be respected by the delegations.