The European
Parliament adopted by 578 votes to 29, with 8 abstentions, a legislative
resolution 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 adopted its
position at second reading under the ordinary legislative procedure.
The amendments
concern in particular the issue of delegated acts and may be summarised as
follows:
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. Parliament considers 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. This 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.
Consequently, Parliament calls for:
- the
Commission to 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 to 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 to 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 to 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.