The rapporteur, Mr Escudero (EPP, E), recommended that the proposal should be adopted in order to clarify the situation as regards the different definitions that existed for paintings, drawings and water-colours requiring an export licence under the terms of the 1993 directive. The rapporteur said that he could accept the two amendments that the Council had made to the initial proposal: the first of these related to the procedure and the second, which was of a technical nature, to the creation of a distinct category for the three abovementioned forms of art. For his part, Commissioner Monti fully supported the common position of the Council concerning the return of cultural works unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State.