Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-21-Speech-3-323"
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"en.20040421.13.3-323"2
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".
Mr President, I am extremely pleased to have this opportunity to tell Parliament why the rather technical Commission proposal to which you will be giving a first reading today is so important.
The regulation which you are being asked to extend by two years, until the end of the present financial perspective in 2006, is one of the two legal bases for the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. As you are well aware, the initiative is an extremely important element of the European Union’s overall policy on promoting human rights and democratisation in third countries.
In 1999, the European Parliament itself was fully involved in drawing up the regulations underlying the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, moulding the objectives of the initiative and setting its priorities, as well as shaping the administrative procedures for its implementation. I am very pleased to see now that the honourable Member's report fully supports the Commission in securing an extension of the initiative beyond the end of this year, subject to some amendments.
In the run-up to today’s plenary and decision-making, the Commission proposal has triggered fruitful exchanges between a number of Members of this House and Commissioner Patten and/or Commission services. These exchanges have focused essentially on two important issues: firstly, how to more effectively involve the European Parliament in political priority setting for implementation of the initiative and, secondly, how to further improve the performance and practical relevance of the initiative with a view to democracy building and strengthening human rights in the world.
We have welcomed these exchanges, as we welcome today’s debate. The Commission, like Parliament, has every interest in supporting proposals designed to make the initiative ever more effective and relevant. As was stated at the February part-session, we have an open mind on the ideas that Members of Parliament put forward. However, this does not allow us to disregard certain constraints imposed by respective institutional prerogatives, nor must we lose sight of the key objective of the Commission proposal before you today, which is to secure the continued operational availability of the initiative for the next two years.
The Commission has listened carefully to the views expressed by honourable Members and is ready to examine in a constructive spirit all ideas that have been put to it in order to ensure that what we do, under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, is better focused and more effective.
More specifically, I would like to state that the Commission is committed to setting up a structured and regular dialogue on the initiative with the competent committees of the European Parliament, led by the responsible Commissioner and supported by his or her own services. This will enable us to exchange views in good time on planned multiannual programming documents, annual programming updates and work programmes, or amendments to them. It would, I hope, give Parliament ample opportunity to provide comments and input into the Commission’s thinking. It would also, crucially, be compatible with comitology rules and institutional prerogatives.
Moreover, the Commission will examine with an open mind the suggestion, contained in the report's explanatory statement, to create specific mechanisms to allow greater involvement of civil society and NGOs with a view to the promotion of democracy and human rights. In this respect, I would simply remind you, however, that this suggestion has to be seen in the context of the Commission’s recent proposal on the future financial perspective, which envisages a simplified architecture for the Community’s external assistance and which therefore will also have significant implications for the future operation of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights.
In conclusion, let me reiterate the Commission’s appreciation of the constructive spirit shown by this House and its support for continued effective operation of the initiative beyond the end of this year. Your positive vote on Mr Fernandez Martin’s report at first reading today should pave the way for an agreement with the Council, thus dispensing with a second reading and allowing the timely extension of the initiative’s legal basis. Given the political importance we all attach to the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, this is a welcome outcome in everyone’s interest."@en1
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