The committee adopted the report by Claude MORAES (PES, UK) rejecting - under the consultation procedure - the initiative by the Republic of Austria for the adoption of a Council Act amending Europol's Staff Regulations. Although the committee was aware that it was important for the stability of Europol that its staff regulations be improved and updated in order to help create a better working environment, it pointed out that the organisation's activities should be scrutinised by Parliament in order to ensure democratic control, transparency and accountability. The current proposals for the reform of Europol should address these issues in such a way as to provide Parliament with the necessary supervision instruments, as Parliament had often demanded. In the meantime, as Parliament had not been consulted on or informed of any of the operational and organisational measures concerning Europol, or the organisation's current and future activities, it was impossible for it to assess the relevance and adequacy of the proposed decision. MEPs stressed that the conversion of Europol into an EU agency was "urgently necessary" in order to improve transparency and supervision, and they criticised the Council for blocking progress in this regard and "failing to shoulder its responsibilities".