Although the European Parliament only has assent powers over the general regulation (i.e. it can accept or reject the package but not amend it), the rapporteur Konstantinos HATZIDAKIS (EPP-ED, EL) and the Parliament successfully negotiated with the Austrian Presidency to have many of the MEPs' demands included in the Council’s position, including:
"Šodien varam cerēt, ka nepiepildīsies tās bažas, kas bija saistītas ar ieilgušo finanšu perspektīvas apspriešanu, kā rezultātā tika prognozēta novēlota struktūrfondu ieviešana," debatēs teica Guntars Krasts (Nāciju Eiropas grupa).