The initiative was amended as follows:

Text proposed by the Portuguese Republic(1)   Amendments by Parliament (Amendment 2) Recital 3a (new) (3a) The Governing Board of the Association of European Police Colleges (AEPC), which has coordinated law enforcement training activities for EU Member States and the candidate countries since early 1996, issued a statement on 20 September 2000 containing a number of recommendations on the proposed creation of a European Network of Police Colleges. (Amendment 3) Recital 4    (4) It is desirable to develop quickly a relationship between the European Police College and national training institutes in Iceland, Norway and the States which have applied for accession to the European Union so that the activities of the College can be made accessible to them.    (4) It is desirable to develop quickly a relationship between the European Police College and national training institutes in the candidate countries with which the European Union is conducting accession negotiations, as well as in Iceland and Norway, so that the activities of the College can be made accessible to them. (Amendment 4) Recital 7    (7) This Decision should be reviewed after a three-year period in order to decide on the possible extension of the European Police College's tasks, and on any modifications to its institutional structure,    (7) This Decision should be reviewed after not more than two years in order to decide on the possible extension of the European Police College's tasks, and on its future institutional structure, including its seat , (Amendment 5) Article 1(1), introduction    1. The aim of the European Police College (hereinafter the 'College') shall be to help train the senior law enforcement officers of the Member States, by supporting and developing a European approach to the main problems arising in Member States in the field of crime-fighting and protecting internal security, with the following objectives:    1. The aim of the European Police College (hereinafter the 'College') shall be to help train the senior police officers of the Member States, by supporting and developing a European approach to the main problems arising in Member States in the field of crime-fighting, crime prevention, provision of services, innovation, border surveillance and protecting internal security, in terms of maintaining law and order , with the following objectives: (Amendment 6) Article 1(1)(a)    (a) to increase knowledge of the national police systems and structures of other Member States;    (a) to increase knowledge of the national police systems and structures of other Member States, and knowledge of Europol and of cross-border police and judicial cooperation in the European Union ; (Amendment 7) Article 1(1)(b)    (b) to strengthen knowledge of international instruments, in particular those which already exist at European Union level in the field of cooperation on combating crime;    (b) to strengthen knowledge of international instruments, in particular those which already exist at European Union level in the field of cooperation on combating crime, as well as of European Union legal rules and programmes relevant to police work, preventing crime, providing services, innovation and maintaining law and order, taking account also of relevant developments in the field of human rights and in the political and socio-economic situation in the European Union ; (Amendment 8) Article 1(1)(ca) (new)    (ca) to ensure appropriate training in respect for democratic safeguards, in particular the rights of the defence. (Amendment 9) Article 1(2)    2. The College will also offer its facilities to the senior law enforcement officers of Iceland and Norway, and of States which have applied for accession to the European Union . It will also be open to officials from the European Institutions and other bodies of the European Union.    2. The College will also offer its facilities to the senior police officers of the countries with which the European Union is conducting accession negotiations, as well as of Iceland and Norway. It will also be open to officials from the European Institutions and other bodies of the European Union whose work covers matters connected with police and judicial cooperation in the European Union . (Amendment 10) Article 2(a)    (a) provide annual training sessions for senior national police officers, in particular on police cooperation between the Member States, on the basis of harmonised programmes;    (a) coordinate regular training sessions for senior national and regional police officers which focus in particular on existing European police and judicial cooperation, police cooperation between the Member States, human rights policy, the political and socio-economic situation in the European Union, where relevant to the aims of such training, best practices in the Member States in the field of service provision, innovation, crime prevention and non-repressive police measures, in each case with regard to the exercise of police tasks, on the basis of harmonised programmes; (Amendment 11) Article 2(e)    (e) disseminate best practice and the results of research;    (e) on the basis of study and of a comparison of the best common standards, disseminate best practice and the results of research; (Amendment 12) Article 2(f)    (f) develop and provide training regarding Member States' collective non-military response to crisis situations in third countries;    (f) develop and provide training regarding Member States' collective non-military response to crisis situations in third countries, in particular in the areas of observance of the rule of law and the maintenance of law and order ; (Amendment 13) Article 2(i)    (i) develop a virtual-reality 'electronic European Police College' (eEPC) to provide back-up for the College in the performance of its duties;    (i) develop a virtual-reality 'electronic European Police College' (eEPC) to provide back-up for the College in the performance of its duties, ensuring that the necessary security measures are put in place ; (Amendment 14) Article 2(j)    (j) enable the police officers of the Member States to acquire relevant language skills.    (j) enable the police officers of the Member States to acquire relevant language skills and knowledge of European human rights policy and political and socio-economic trends in the European Union that are relevant to the aims of the College . (Amendment 15) Article 3 Without prejudice to the future developments recommended in Article 10, the College shall be set up as a network, by bringing together national units and representatives of the national training institutes for senior police officers in the Member States as referred to in Article 6. Without prejudice to the future developments recommended in Article 10, the College shall provisionally be set up as a network, by bringing together national units and representatives of the national training institutes for senior police officers in the Member States as referred to in Article 6. (Amendment 16) Article 4, first paragraph The Directors of the national institutes shall form the governing board of the College. Where there are several directors from a single Member State they shall together form a delegation. Each delegation shall have one vote on the governing board. Representatives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union shall be invited to attend the meeting with a non-voting status. The Directors of the national institutes shall form the governing board of the College. Where there are several directors from a single Member State they shall together form a delegation. Each delegation shall have one vote on the governing board. Representatives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, the Commission, the European Parliament and Europol shall be invited to attend the meeting with a non-voting status. (Amendment 17) Article 9 The College may cooperate with the national police training institutes of non-Member States of the European Union. In particular, it will establish relations with the national institutes of Iceland and Norway and of the States applying for accession to the European Union . The College may cooperate with the national police training institutes of non-Member States of the European Union. In particular, it will establish relations with the national institutes of the countries with which the European Union is conducting accession negotiations, as well as of Iceland and Norway. The College will also cooperate with relevant training bodies in Europe , such as the Baltic Police Academy and the Central European Police Academy (MEPA). The College will also cooperate with relevant training bodies at the international level , such as the Baltic Police Academy and the Central European Police Academy (MEPA). (Amendment 18) Article 10 At the latest during the third year following the entry into force of this Decision, the governing board shall submit to the Council a report containing recommendations on how the College should develop, in particular at institutional level . At the latest during the second year following the entry into force of this Decision, the Commission, on the basis of an expert opinion from the governing board, shall submit to the Council and the European Parliament a report containing recommendations on the future structure and the seat of the College .

(1) OJ C 206, 19.7.2000, p. 3.

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

-  having regard to the initiative of the Portuguese Republic (9679/2000(1) ),

-  having regard to Article 34(2)(c) of the Treaty on European Union,

-  having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 39(1) of the Treaty on European Union (C5-0373/2000 ),

-  having regard to Rules 106 and 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

-  having regard to the report of the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs (A5-0316/2000 ),

1.  Approves the initiative of the Portuguese Republic as amended;

2.  Calls on the Council to notify Parliament should it intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

3.  Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the initiative of the Portuguese Republic;

4.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the government of the Portuguese Republic.

(1) OJ C 206, 19.7.2000, p. 3.