External actions: financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the report by Kinga GAL (EPP, HU) and Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation and Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 on establishing a financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide.

It recommended that the European Parliament’s position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure (formerly known as the codecision procedure) should be to amend the Commission proposal as follows:

Scope and title: this proposal is intended to amend Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 on establishing a financing instrument for the promotion of democracy and human rights worldwide. The committee deleted references to Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation. It stated that the original proposal amended both Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 and Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 would fall into the competence of two difference committees within the European Parliament. It has therefore been requested that the proposal be split into two different regulations, one for each financing instrument. References to Regulation (EC) No 1905/2006 are therefore deleted.

Comitology: the report contains amendments introducing the procedure for delegated acts. As stipulated under Article 290 of the Lisbon Treaty on the power of delegation, these amendments set out the objectives, content, scope and duration of the delegation of power, as well as the conditions to which the delegation is subject. A new recital states that the Commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in respect of strategy papers, as those strategy papers supplement Regulation (EC) No 1889/2006 and are of general application. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level.