Amsterdam Treaty, entry into force: effects on current legislative procedures

The Committee adopted the report by Ana Palacio Vallelersundi (EPP, E) on the implications of the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam for the list of legislative proposals pending before the Council as at 30 April 1999, indicating new legal bases and any changes in legislative procedure following the entry into force of the new treaty. According to the report, it would be more appropriate, given the current political circumstances linked to the completion of the work of the fourth parliament, if the next parliament were to confirm most of the proposals adopted under legislative procedures which have evolved in the direction of codecision. It considers nonetheless that, in particular for urgent legislative proposals coming under the codecision procedure, an accelerated procedure could be used with a view to having the current Parliament take a final decision. The committee also stresses the importance of wholehearted cooperation between the EU institutions in implementing the first stage of the codecision procedure.�