Protection of the Rhine: conclusion of the new Convention, 12 April 1999, Bern

The committee adopted the report (consultation procedure) by Caroline JACKSON (EPP/ED, UK) approving the Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Community, of the new Convention for the Protection of the Rhine. The consultation procedure in this case simply involved Parliament delivering a positive or a negative opinion, but the Council was not required to take account of Parliament's position. The committee took the view that the text proposed for the new Rhine Convention would improve cooperation between the Rhine riparian states, as well as bringing it closer to the future water policy of the Community. As Parliament's input into the decision-making process under the proposed legal base was in any case extremely limited, the committee decided to recommend that Parliament approve the proposal.�