Community action programme Socrates: financial framework 1995-1999

In its opinion amending the proposal following the second reading of the European Parliament, the Commission stated that it was not in a position to adopt the only amendment approved by Parliament relating to the increase in budgetary appropriations for the Socrates programme of ECU 100 million. Though it backed Parliament's efforts towards achieving an increased financial package for this programme, the Commission considered that in the current climate of budget stringency it was not possible to support Parliament's proposal, while the Council did not even accept the Commission's proposal for a limited increase of ECU 50 million. It therefore suggested, by virtue of the powers conferred by the Treaty, that the positions of the Council and of the European Parliament be resolved under the forthcoming conciliation procedure. �