Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-19-Speech-3-305"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20031119.12.3-305"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
".
Madam President, the European Union has assumed a leading role within the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. This Pact has proved a valuable framework that complements European Union policy towards the region as it endeavours to support the countries in that region in their efforts to foster peace, democracy, respect for human rights and economic prosperity, and also to achieve stability in the region as a whole.
The proposal being examined by Parliament today, under which the Stability Pact would be included in the scope of Council Regulation (EC) No 1080/2000, will provide the Pact with a sound and solid basis on which to fulfil the crucial mandate given by the international community.
The Stability Pact is specifically designed to further foster regional cooperation, as was underlined by the Thessaloniki Agenda endorsed on 20 June 2003 by the European Council. It will thereby complement the stabilisation and association process engaged with the Western Balkans. The Commission therefore welcomes the positive opinion on the proposal and hopes that Parliament will share the objective of having this new financial framework fully applicable as of 1 January 2004.
The Commission regards Amendment 1 to Article 1(2) as superfluous, since the principle of cost-sharing by Member States is implicitly contained in Article 2(2) of the regulation, and given that budget line 19 07 04 is an integral part of the budgetary discussion.
With reference to Amendment 2 to Article 1a, as well as Amendments 4 and 6, the Commission can support the proposal that the appointment of the special coordinator of the Stability Pact be renewed on an annual basis. The Commission also agrees with the wider objective of closely associating Parliament in following the work of the Stability Pact. Nevertheless, and bearing in mind the need to keep the appointment procedure as straightforward as possible, the Commission cannot accept Parliament's proposal, in Amendment 2 to Article 1a, to include formal consultation of the relevant European Parliament committee. Neither can it accept the insertion, in the form of a new Article 1b proposed by Amendments 3, 5 and 7, of a hearing before the committee.
However, the Commission agrees with Amendments 4 and 6, with regard to ensuring that Parliament is informed of the appointment proposal. The Commission is happy, although it is not possible to include it in the new regulation, to make the commitment before Parliament to arrange for an association with Parliament in practice. In particular, the Commission will, well in advance of the appointment decision, inform Parliament, via the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy, of its appointment proposal. The appointed special coordinator will appear before the Committee on Foreign Affairs as necessary, and at least twice at year, to report on its activities.
The Commission would be grateful if Parliament could adopt a positive opinion during the present part-session, since it is eager to embark on the implementation stage immediately after the new regulation enters into force, in order to provide the special coordinator of the Stability Pact with the timely support that will allow him to fulfil his mandate in 2004.
On behalf of the Commission I wish to express special thanks to the rapporteur, Mr Swoboda, for the quality of his preparatory work and the very good relations he has maintained with the Commission."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples