The committee adopted the report by Jürgen ZIMMERLING (EPP-ED, D) amending the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure. It called for the budget to be EUR 36 million for the three-year extension period rather than EUR 18 million as proposed. MEPs also adopted an amendment adding the explicit objective of strengthening organisations campaigning for sustainable development, human rights, in particular social rights, and democratisation. Moreover, they reinstated indigenous and cultural organisations in the list of possible beneficiaries, these having been added by the Parliament the last time the instrument was extended.
Finally, the committee was concerned that the Commission had presented its assessment of the previous period and extension proposal so late in the day. It therefore tabled an amendment replacing the Commission's proposal to report on the operations by the end of 2006 with a requirement that it should present its overall assessment eight months before the expiry of the regulation. This had also been inserted by Parliament at the time of the previous extension.�