Decision on common position (EC) No 58/98 adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90 on the establishment of the European Environment Agency and the European Environment Information and Observation Network (8987/98 - C4-0565/98 97/0168(SYN))(Cooperation procedure: second reading)
28. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 150/41 Tuesday 9 February 1999 11. Denominations and technical specifications of euro coins **II (procedure without debate) A4-0044/99 Decision on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a Council Regulation (EC) amending Council Regulation (EC) No 975/98 on denominations and technical specifications of euro coins intended for circulation (13849/1/98 − C4-0007/99 − 98/0270(SYN)) (Cooperation procedure: second reading) The European Parliament, − having regard to the common position of the Council, 13849/1/98 − 98/0270(SYN), − having regard to its opinion at first reading (1) on the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(98)0492 (2), − having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 189c and 105a(2) of the EC Treaty (C4-0007/99), − having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure, − having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy (A4-0044/99), 1. 2. Approves the common position; Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and Commission. (1) Minutes of 18. 11. 1998, Part II, Item 11. (2) OJ C 296, 24. 9. 1998, p. 10. 12. European Environment Agency **II (procedure without debate) A4-0019/99 Decision on common position (EC) No 58/98 adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90 on the establishment of the European Environment Agency and the European Environment Information and Observation Network (8987/98 − C4-0565/98 − 97/0168(SYN)) (Cooperation procedure: second reading) The European Parliament, − having regard to the common position of the Council, 8987/98 − 97/0168(SYN) (1), − having regard to its opinion at first reading (2) on the Commission proposal to the Council COM(97)0282 (3), − having regard to the amended Commission proposal COM(98)0191 (4), (1) OJ C 364, 25. 11. 1998, p. 1. (2) OJ C 80, 16. 3. 1998, p. 85. (3) OJ C 255, 20. 8. 1997, p. 9. (4) OJ C 23, 22. 4. 1998, p. 6. C 150/42 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 5. 1999 Tuesday 9 February 1999 − having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 189c and 130s(1) of the EC Treaty (C4-0565/98), − having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure, − having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A4-0019/99), 1. 2. Amends the common position as follows; Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and Commission. COMMON POSITION OF THE COUNCIL AMENDMENTS BY PARLIAMENT (Amendment 1) ARTICLE 1(2)(a) Article 2(ii), third indent (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) − to advise individual Member States, upon their request and where this is consistent with the Agency’s annual work-programme, on the development, establishment and expansion of their systems for the monitoring of environ- mental measures, provided such activities do not endanger the fulfilment of the other tasks established by this Article. Such advice may also include peer reviews by experts at the specific request of Member States. − to advise individual Member States, where this is consis- tent with the Agency’s multiannual work-programme, on the development, establishment and expansion of their systems for the monitoring of environmental measures, provided such activities do not endanger the fulfilment of the other tasks established by this Article. Such advice may also include peer reviews by experts; The information, assistance and advice under point (ii) can be required by a Member State, the Commission or other EU institutions or be provided by the Agency on its own initiative. The Commission shall in general seek to cooperate with the Agency in cases where appropriate information can be provided by the Agency to support Commission initiatives or implementation of acts. Such requests should in normal circumstances be in line with the Agency’s approved working programmes. (Amendment 2) ARTICLE 1(2)(a) Article 2(iii) (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) (iii) to record, collate and assess data on the state of the environment, to draw up expert reports on the quality, sensitivity and pressures on the environment within the territory of the Community, to provide uniform assess- ment criteria for environmental data to be applied in all Member States, to develop further a reference centre of information on the environment. The Commission shall use this information in its task of ensuring the implemen- tation of Community legislation on the environment; (iii) to record, collate and assess data on the state of the environment, to draw up expert reports on the quality, sensitivity and pressures on the environment within the territory of the Community, to provide uniform assess- ment criteria for environmental data to be applied in all Member States, to develop further and maintain a refer- ence centre of information on the environment. The refer- ence centre shall include a data register which shall contain information related to legislative and other measures taken by the European Community and Member States to protect the environment. The Com- mission shall use this information in its task of ensuring the implementation of and compliance with Community legislation on the environment; 28. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 150/43 Tuesday 9 February 1999 COMMON POSITION OF THE COUNCIL AMENDMENTS BY PARLIAMENT (Amendment 3) ARTICLE 1(2)(b) Article 2(xi) (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) (xi) to ensure the broad dissemination of environmental infor- mation, in particular on the state of the environment, to the general public and, to this end, to promote the use of new telematics technology for this purpose; (xi) to ensure the broad dissemination of reliable and com- parable environmental information, in particular on the state of the environment, to the general public and, to this end, to promote the use of new telematics technology for this purpose; (Amendment 4) ARTICLE 1(2)(b) Article 2(xiiia) (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) (xiiia) to use the reference centre of information on the environment to ensure freedom of access to validated information on the environment, in accordance with the requirements set out in Council Directive 90/ 313/EEC on the freedom of access to information on the environment (1). (1) OJ L 158, 23. 6. 1990, p. 56. (Amendment 5) ARTICLE 1(3)(b)(–i) (new) Article 3(2), first subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) (–i) the first subparagraph is replaced by the following: ‘The Agency shall furnish information which can be directly used in the implementation and evaluation of, and compliance with, Community environmental poli- cy. ’ (Amendment 6) ARTICLE 1(3)(c) Article 3(3), first subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) The Agency may also cooperate in the exchange of 3. information with other bodies, including with the IMPEL network. The Agency shall also cooperate in the exchange of 3. information with and assist other bodies, including with the IMPEL network. (Amendment 7) ARTICLE 1(4)(a) Article 4(2), second subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) Member States shall keep the Agency informed of the main component elements of their national environment information networks. Member States shall, as appropriate, cooperate with the Agency and contribute to the work of the European environment information and observation network in accord- ance with the work programme of the Agency by collecting, collating and analysing data nationwide. Member States may also join to cooperate in these activities at a transnational level. Member States shall keep the Agency informed of the main component elements of their national environment information networks. Member States shall cooperate with the Agency and contribute to the work of the European environment informa- tion and observation network in accordance with the work programme of the Agency by collecting, collating and analys- ing data nationwide. Member States may also join to cooperate in these activities at a transnational level. C 150/44 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 5. 1999 Tuesday 9 February 1999 COMMON POSITION OF THE COUNCIL AMENDMENTS BY PARLIAMENT (Amendment 8) ARTICLE 1(5)(b) Article 8(2), second subparagraph a (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) The bureau shall include amongst its members a represen- tative appointed by the European Parliament and a repre- sentative appointed by the Commission. (Amendment 9) ARTICLE 1(8a) (new) Article 20 (Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90) 8a. Article 20 is replaced by the following: ‘1. Not later than 31 December 2003, on the basis of a report from the Commission, the Council shall review the progress of and tasks undertaken by the Agency in relation with the Union’s global policy on the environ- ment. This report shall contain a cost effectiveness evaluation on centralised and decentralised actions. 2. The Agency shall conduct an evaluation of its performance and efficiency before 15 September 1999 and submit a report to the management board, the Commission and the European Parliament. ’ 13. Comprehensive partnership with China A4-0479/98 Resolution on the communication from the Commission − Building a Comprehensive Partnership with China (COM(98)0181 − C4-0248/98) The European Parliament, − having regard to the communication from the Commission (COM(98)0181 − C4-0248/98), − having regard to the trade and cooperation agreement signed in 1985 between China and the European Community, − having regard to its resolution of 12 June 1997 on the Commission communication on a long-term policy for China-Europe relations (COM(95)0279 − C4-0288/95) (1) and its resolution of 8 October 1998 on the communication from the Commission to the Council on the European Union and Hong Kong: Beyond 1997 (COM(97)0171 − C4-0214/97) (2), − having regard also to its other numerous resolutions concerning China, − having regard to the report by the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy and the opinions of the Committee on External Economic Relations and the Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs (A4-0479/98), (1) OJ C 200, 30. 6. 1997, p. 158. (2) OJ C 328, 26. 10. 1998, p. 186