Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-13-Speech-3-353"
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"en.20001213.14.3-353"2
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". – Mr President, let me first even in her absence congratulate the rapporteur, Mrs Lienemann for her excellent work, and express my great satisfaction that, thanks to the constructive work of both Parliament and the Council, we might be in a position to conclude on this important initiative already at first reading.
This proposal on sustainable urban development has the potential of having a direct effect on the daily lives as many as 80% of the European population. It will enable and encourage towns and cities throughout Europe and beyond to come together and learn from each other's experiences, help them to tackle environmental problems and challenges and to work towards sustainability. The Commission is also grateful for the substantial support which the European Parliament has provided for this proposal and for the many helpful amendments which have been put forward.
The Commission recognises the importance of promoting good governance and transparency in its decision-making process. Accordingly, we are strongly in favour of the establishment of a platform of dialogue with the key stakeholders to help determine the priority themes to be supported. Its innovative approach will involve cooperation with the city networks, Member States, EU institutions, NGOs and the business community, ensuring that the funds provided from the framework are targeted at those areas of sustainable development most in need of them. I believe that this innovative approach will provide an example for others to follow. The budget for this proposal has been the subject of some debate with a wide range of views expressed about the appropriateness of the EUR 12.4 m originally proposed by the Commission. Many have suggested that the budget is too small. The Commission wants to stress however that this framework is not about the implementation of projects at ground level. Other Community programmes and initiatives are already in place for this. Rather, the framework is designed to facilitate the sharing of information and ideas about the best practice of sustainable urban development so that the solutions identified to problems in one city or town can be shared with the other cities and towns throughout Europe and beyond. The quality approach of the framework and its multiplier effects are such that despite the relatively small budget it is expected to have a real impact on the promotion of sustainable urban development in Europe. The forty-one amendments have been given detailed consideration and the Commission is able to accept thirty of them, either completely or in principle.
Amendment No 33 proposes a revised budget for the proposal of EUR 14 m. We must make it clear that the Commission's general line on such matters is that no budget increase can be accepted without additional resources being transferred by the Council and Parliament to the relevant budget lines. In this specific instance, however, and on the basis that it will facilitate the adoption at first reading, the Commission has exceptionally agreed to accept an increase of the financial scope of the proposal to EUR 14 m without the provision of additional resources. While we are willing to support a figure of EUR 14 m we cannot support a figure of EUR 20 m as proposed by Amendment No 14.
The second issue relates to commitology. Given the nature of the activity, the Commission can accept Amendments Nos 10 and 23. Establishment of a consultative committee would be the appropriate commitology solution. So, to conclude, the Commission can fully accept Amendments Nos 2, 5 to 8, 10 to 13, 15, 16, 18 to 20, 22 to 24, 28, 30, 32 to 35 and 37. The Commission can in principle accept Amendments Nos 25, 27, 36, 40 and 41. The Commission cannot accept Amendments Nos 1, 3, 4, 9, 14, 17, 21, 26, 31, 38 and 39. Amendment No 31 would allow NGOs, universities etc. to be involved as main partners in the networks to be supported. It is intended that the main partners in this framework should be the Commission and networks of local authorities whose legal responsibility is to develop and implement policies of sustainable urban development. We cannot therefore accept this.
Finally, I would like to thank the European Parliament for the detailed consideration it has given to this proposal and for the valuable input provided by all parties. It has undoubtedly strengthened and improved the quality of the proposal and, as a consequence, helped to ensure that it will deliver the maximum possible benefit to cities and towns throughout the EU and further afield. I am also happy that the spirit of the interinstitutional cooperation has been such that the adoption of this proposal at first reading should be secure."@en1
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