The rapporteur, Mr Meier (PSE, A), recommended the approval of the common position of the Council, as modified by the 15 amendments tabled. For his part, Commissioner Bangemann was in favour of Amendments Nos 1-7, 9, 11, 12, 14 and 15, since they served to improve and clarify the text. However, Amendments Nos 8, 10, 13 and 17 were to be rejected, especially No 8, which provided for the intervention of an independent third party, something that was not in accordance with the current directive concerning the procedure for assessing compliance, and No 10, which concerned the use of harmonised standards and the presentation of a special report, which was considered unnecessary.