Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-06-13-Speech-2-337"
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"en.20060613.31.2-337"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, it is true that the proposal we are discussing here today has been around for some time, for the legal discussion goes back to late 2003 when the Commission submitted its initial proposal. Parliament subsequently issued an opinion in April 2004, whereupon, following discussions in the Council, it was decided to change the legal basis, whereupon the codecision procedure became applicable.
This Commission proposal covers a number of aspects. In fact, it regulates the codification of three previous amendments, extends the Centre’s role and has made changes in line with the new European reality following the enlargement by the ten new countries. Accordingly, the Centre will in future focus more on new trends in the area of drug use, including the combination of legal and illegal psychoactive substances. In addition, the proposal also aims to introduce a few changes with a view to bringing the bodies of the Centre into line with everyday practice and, as I said, the EU’s enlargement.
We are convinced that the proposed amendments are all changes that will benefit the Centre’s efficiency. Accordingly, it is true that we back the request for more objective and comparable data, for the executive bureau to be anchored in the Centre’s rules, for regular assessments of the Centre’s activities and also for the Reitox network of national focal points. Finally, we set great store by six-yearly external assessments.
During the discussion in our Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, a number of important points were added. Since the Centre’s principal role is collating and distributing information on drugs and drug use, Parliament believes that the exchange of information on best practices in tackling the drugs issue could add value to the Member States’ policy.
With regard to the composition of the executive committee, it appears appropriate, alongside the chairman and vice chairman, to send another two members of the Management Board who represent the Member States, as well as two Committee representatives. In that case, of course, decisions need to be taken by consensus. It also strikes us as desirable that along with the Centre’s Director, the Centre’s Chairperson can also be heard by Parliament. We also take the view that far-reaching cooperation of national focal points with organisations that are active in this area allow for a prompt and adequate follow-up of the European drugs situation and enable the Member States to respond more adequately to new developments and phenomena involving drugs and drug use.
The main points of discussion with the Council in this dossier concerned the composition of the scientific committee and the procedure to appoint the Director. Indeed, the scientific committee is tasked to issue advice about scientific issues regarding the Centre's activities. Parliament takes the view that this committee must be restricted to no more than 15 members who are selected on the basis of their expertise via an open procedure, rather than on the basis of where they come from, namely one representative from each Member State, as had been the case in the past.
Since at the moment, as the Commissioner already stated, a proposal applicable to all agencies is pending in respect of the procedure for the appointment of the Director and the extension of his mandate, it was decided to revisit the provisions of the regulation establishing the Centre and await the outcome of these negotiations.
Since the start of the discussion of this dossier, it has indeed always been our intention to reach agreement between the three institutions, hence also with the Council and the Commission, at first reading. I am delighted that, after much debating, we succeeded in this. After all, the proposed compromise contains nearly all Parliament’s proposals and we are therefore convinced that there is actually nothing that stands in the way of us reaching agreement or approving the same tomorrow.
I would expressly thank the Austrian Presidency, but also the Commission and certainly also my shadow rapporteurs from all groups for the very constructive working relationship."@en1
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