The Council reached by unanimity a political agreement on the draft Decision establishing a programme of Community action in the field of consumer policy (2007-2013). It was largely based on the Commission's modified proposal issued on 24 May 2006. This modified proposal took into account the substantial shortfall in the programme budget resulting from the inter-institutional agreement on the financial perspectives; as well as the formal views expressed by the European Parliament in first reading. It introduced substantial modifications to the original proposal and split it between a public health programme and a consumer policy programme.
During the discussion on the modified proposal some members of the Council had reservations on specific projects, on the establishment of a European Master programme and scholarship grants; and the European Parliament also had reservations on the European Master programme as well as on decentralised actions and vulnerable consumers.
All the Member State reservations were finally lifted with a view to reach an agreement given the need for an early adoption of the programme. The common position consequently reflects the results of these inter-institutional contacts and is supported by the Commission.
In general, the Council has followed the European Parliament's first reading Opinion that was incorporated to a large extent in the Commission's amended proposal. In particular, the Council agreed to the split of the Commission's original proposal into two separate programmes (one in the field of health (COD/2005/0042A) and one in the field of consumer protection).
The Council also accepted the budget for the Programme proposed by the Commission which is set at EUR 138.8 million in 2004 prices (i.e. EUR 156.8 million in current prices).
The Council introduced in the common position 18 amendments related to the split of the Commission's original proposal into two separate programmes.