Agenda 2000: pre-accession, coordinating aid to the applicant countries

Following confirmation by the Commissioner, Mr Hans van den BROEK, that the Commission could not accept all the amendments adopted by plenary, the rapporteur, Mr Enrique BARON CRESPO (PSE, E) requested referral back to committee of his report, which was agreed. A more flexible attitude on the part of the Commission with regard to the demands was hoped for. In its amendments Parliament was stressing in particular: - the need to strengthen the effectiveness and monitoring of the aid granted. In this context Parliament stated that the beneficiary states should be systematically required to contribute to the financing of investments in order to optimise the economic impact of Community operations; - greater emphasis in the funding granted on the restoration and improvement of the rule of law and democracy in the applicant countries; - greater attention to coordination (including with the Member States); - more frequent reports from the Commission (every year and not every two years); - greater involvement by Parliament in the management of pre-accession partnerships, in particular through participation in the work of the coordination committee. Lastly, Parliament considered it inappropriate that PHARE was able to finance measures in the areas of the environment, transport and rural and agricultural development. It suggested that PHARE should have responsibility for nuclear safety. �