The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Hubert PIRKER (EPP-ED, Austria), making mainly procedural amendments to the Commission's proposals. (Please see the summary of 16/12/03.) A Joint Report should be a precondition for the carrying-out of a risk-assessment. Accordingly, this should be laid down as the next step in the procedure. No risk-assessment will be carried out in instances where Europol and the EMCDDA have not drawn up a Joint Report. Parliament also deleted a clause giving the Commission power to decide whether a new drug should be submitted to control measures and to submit its views to the Council. Finally, Parliament reduced from one year to ten months the period within which national measures are to be taken.