REPORT on the proposal for a Council decision establishing Statutes for the Euratom Supply Agency

11.10.2007 - (COM(2007)0119 – C6‑0131/2007 – 2007/0043(CNS)) - *

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Rapporteur: Romana Jordan Cizelj

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a Council decision on establishing Statutes for the Euratom Supply Agency

(COM(2007)0119 – C6‑0131/2007 – 2007/0043(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2007)0119),

–   having regard to Article 54(2) of the Euratom Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6‑0131/2007),

–   having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A6‑0376/2007),

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as amended,

2.  Considers that the cost of the Euratom Supply Agency to the budget of the European Union must be compatible with the relevant ceiling of the new multiannual financial framework and with the provisions of point 47 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management[1] (IIA);

3.  Recalls that the opinion delivered by the Committee on Budgets does not pre-empt the outcome of the procedure laid down in point 47 of the IIA which applies to the establishment of the Euratom Supply Agency;

4.  Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 119, second paragraph, of the Euratom Treaty,

5.  Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament,

6.  Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially,

7.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

Text proposed by the Commission	Amendments by Parliament
Amendment 1 Citation 1 a (new)
	Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management2, and in particular point 47 thereof,
	___________________________________ 2 OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.
Justification
The Euratom Supply Agency is set up as a new agency. This has to be reflected in the legal bases referred to in the Decision.
Amendment 2 Annex, Article 1, paragraph 1, point (a)
a) execute competencies conferred to it by the Treaty;	a) execute the competencies conferred on it by the Treaty and secondary legislation;
Justification
The provisions of Chapter 6 of the Euratom Treaty - and its connections with Chapter 7 on Safeguards and with Chapter 8 on Property ownership - are in force and continually enriched as legislation and implementing measures are adopted on the basis of the Treaty.
In particular, simplified procedures have been introduced as regards the exclusive right to conclude contracts for the supply of nuclear materials and Agency's right of option (Articles 52 and 57).
Amendment 3 Annex, Article 1, paragraph 1, point (b)
(b) execute other tasks entrusted to it by the Commission;	(b) to that end, carry out the tasks entrusted to it under Article 52 and subsequent articles of the Treaty;
Justification
The Agency can only act within the limits of the Treaty - which is why the terms "other tasks" in addition to "competencies conferred by the Treaty" are inappropriate - and on the basis of the provisions of the Treaty, i.e. Article 52 and subsequent articles.
Amendment 4 Annex, Article 1, paragraph 1 a (new)
	1a. In order to meet its objectives, the Agency shall carry out the following particular tasks, acting, in accordance with the objectives of the Treaty, as an energy observatory in the field of the supply of nuclear materials and services: a) monitor and analyse supply and demand as well as market trends affecting the security of supply of nuclear materials; b) provide the Member States and the industry with periodic market surveys of European Union stockpiles of nuclear materials and EU utilities' long-term contract coverage and with periodic risk analyses of the market, with the aim of: - averting shortages or interruptions in the supply of nuclear materials at all stages of the nuclear fuel production cycle (from mining to conversion, enrichment and fabrication), - ensuring the long-term vision necessary to create a framework for investment in fabrication plants and mining exploration, - preserving fair competition on the market; c) in close coordination with the Advisory Committee referred to in Article 11, develop a high level of expertise and produce information and prospective analyses, and in particular a prospective report on supply and demand, a report on the implementation of supply policy and periodical surveys of market trends, based on relevant analyses performed jointly with the Advisory Committee, so as to enable it to give guidance to the industry, formulate recommendations to producers and utilities and make proposals to the Commission for regulation in the relevant fields.
Justification
The Agency, under the aegis of the Commission, should build a coherent corpus with specific studies and periodical market surveys, in addition to the annual Report. This would enable the Agency to become a real observatory in the field of supply policy.
The Agency should develop an active approach: thanks to the monitoring of the supply sector, the Agency constitutes the appropriate body to formulate recommendations and if necessary elaborate proposals towards both stakeholders and the Commission.
Amendment 5 Annex, Article 2, paragraph 1
1. The Agency has legal personality according to Article 54 of the Treaty. The Agency shall be recognised as an institution of public interest status and it shall operate on a non profit making basis.	1. The Agency has legal personality according to Article 54 of the Treaty. It shall enjoy in every Member State the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal persons under national law. In particular, it shall have the capacity to acquire and dispose of movable and immovable property and be a party to legal proceedings. The Agency shall be recognised as an institution of public interest status and it shall operate on a non profit making basis.
Justification
These amendment just moves the Article 15 of the current proposal of the Commission towards the provisions of Article 2 "Legal status and seat".
This provision already existed in the Statutes of 1958.
Amendment 6 Annex, Article 2, paragraph 3
3. The Agency shall have its seat in one of the locations of the Commission services. The Commission shall take decision in this regard.	3. The Agency shall have its seat in one of the locations of the Commission services. The Council shall take a decision in this regard, on a proposal from the Commission , after consulting the Advisory Committee.
Justification
The Agency's seat is a constituent element of the basic act establishing Statutes. It is therefore important to involve the advice of the Advisory Committee. Only the Council is qualified to determine where an agency should have its seat, on the understanding that the seat will have to be in one of the Commission’s places of work.
Amendment 7 Annex, Article 2, paragraph 4
4. It may on its own initiative take any further measures concerning its own internal organization which may be required for the carrying out of its tasks both within and outside the Community.	4. It may on its own initiative take any further measures concerning its own internal organisation which may be required for the carrying out of its tasks both within and outside the Community, provided that these measures do not have significant financial implications. It shall notify the European Parliament and the Council (hereinafter the "budgetary authority") of any project which may have significant financial implications for the funding of its budget, in particular any project relating to property such as the rental or purchase of buildings, and shall inform the Commission thereof.
Justification
It cannot be left to the agency to independently decide on measures with significant financial implications.
Amendment 8 Annex, Article 3, paragraph 1
1. The Director General shall be appointed by the Commission.	1. The Director General shall be appointed by the Commission, after consulting the Advisory Committee. He shall work full time for the Agency and shall not act as an agent of the Commission.
Justification
The Agency having legal personality and financial autonomy, the function of the Director General shall be dissociated from the Commission, as stated in the former Statutes (Article 9 paragraph 4 of the 1958 Statutes).
Given the evolution of the Agency's role, this function must be permanent.
To comply with the advisory role devolved to the Committee, and since the Committee is the link between operators and the Commission, the Committee shall be consulted on the proposal from the Commission.
Amendment 9 Annex, Article 3, paragraph 3, indents 2 to 5
- for the day-to-day administration of the Agency;	– for the management of the Agency, its administration and its resources, including staff matters;
- for managing all the Agency resources;
- for the preparation of the draft statement of estimates of the Agency’s revenue and expenditure, and execution of its budget;	– for the preparation of the draft statement of estimates of the Agency’s revenue and expenditure, and execution of its budget;
- for all staff matters.
	– for conducting any study and producing any specific report deemed necessary in accordance with Article 1(1a) and sending such studies and reports to the Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council;
	- for ensuring that the tasks specified in Article 1 are performed in accordance with the general interest of the Community.
Justification
To enable the Agency to carry out its day-to-day management and its activities effectively and independently, the Director General should assume full responsibility for the operational tasks assigned to it and will be its legal representative. He should
(i) ensure that the tasks described in Article 1 are successfully completed as required by the general interest of the Community: in particular he should be responsible for the conduct and endorsement of studies and expert opinions provided by the Committee.
(ii) direct the Agency and take charge of its management.
Amendment 10 Annex, Article 3, paragraph 4
4. Each year the Director General shall submit to the Commission a report covering the activities of the Agency in the previous year and a work programme for the coming year.	4. By 31 March each year the Director General shall, after consulting the Advisory Committee, submit to the Commission a report covering the activities of the Agency in the previous year and a work programme for the coming year. He/she shall forward this annual report together with a work programme to the European Parliament, the Council, the Court of Auditors and the Member States, together with the opinion of the Advisory Committee.
Justification
The Agency must carry out its tasks while ensuring transparency and reporting of its activities.
The annual report as well as the work programme, submitted to the Commission since the Agency is under its supervision, should be both:
(i) submitted to the Advisory Committee for advice,
(ii) forwarded, together with the opinion of the Committee, to other institutions involved in political controls.
Amendment 11 Annex, Article 4, paragraph 1
1. The Director General and the staff of the Agency shall be officials of the European Communities governed by the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities and by the rules adopted jointly by the institutions of the European Communities for the purposes of the application of those Staff Regulations. The officials shall be appointed by and their salaries shall be paid by the Commission.	1. The Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities, the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities and the rules adopted jointly by the institutions of the European Communities for the purposes of the application of those Staff Regulations and Conditions of Employment shall apply to the staff of the Agency.
Justification
The Director General and the staff of the Agency should not necessarily only be recruited amongst EC officials.
Amendment 12 Annex, Article 4, paragraph 1 a (new)
	1a. In respect of its staff, the Agency shall exercise the powers conferred on the appointing authority.
Justification
Like in any other agency, its staff should be appointed and paid by the Agency itself.
Amendment 13 Annex, Article 5, paragraph 5
5. Any act of the Agency referred to in Article 53 of the Treaty may be referred to the Commission by the party concerned within ten working days of notification being received, or, failing such notification, within ten working days following publication. Failing notification and publication, the period shall run from the day on which the party concerned learns of the act.	5. Any act of the Agency referred to in Article 53 of the Treaty may be referred to the Commission by the party concerned within fifteen working days of notification being received, or, failing such notification, within fifteen working days following publication. Failing notification and publication, the period shall run from the day on which the party concerned learns of the act.
Justification
The general supervision of the Commission and its right of veto over all the Agency's decisions are not to be confused with the right for any party concerned by a decision to refer it to the Commission. This right constitutes a legal security before the issue being brought before the Court of Justice and cannot be exercised within a limited period of ten working days only.
By parallelism with the 1958 Statutes, it should be recommended to maintain a period of 15 days which would not be contrary to the Treaty, no time-constraints being set.
Amendment 14 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 3
3. The Agency's revenue shall consist of a contribution from the Community, bank interest and income from its capital and bank investments, and, if necessary, a charge as foreseen in Article 54 of the Treaty and borrowings.	3. The Agency's revenue shall consist of a contribution from the Community entered in the general budget of the European Union (Commission section), bank interest and income from its capital and bank investments, and, if necessary, a charge as foreseen in Article 54 of the Treaty and borrowings. The funding of the Agency shall be subject to the agreement of the budgetary authority, as provided for in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006.
Justification
Like with any other agency, for transparency reasons, the Community subsidy has to clearly figure in the EU budget. It is also necessary to note in this place that an agreement on the financing of the Euratom Supply Agency will also have to be reached.
Amendment 15 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 4
4. The expenditure of the Agency shall consist of administrative expenses of its staff and of the Advisory Committee, as well as expenses resulting from contracts entered into with third parties.	4. The expenditure of the Agency shall include its staff, administrative, infrastructure and operational expenses, including expenses resulting from contracts entered into with third parties.
Justification
For transparency reasons, all costs of the agency should be grouped together in the EU budget using two budget lines, one for staff and administrative expenditure, the other one for operational expenditure.
Amendment 16 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 5 a (new)
	5a. The estimate shall be transmitted by the Commission to the budgetary authority together with the preliminary draft budget of the European Union.
Justification
For transparency reasons, the budgetary authority should receive a copy of the agency's estimate of revenue and expenditure in order to allow a comparison between estimate and PDB figures.
Amendment 17 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 6
6. On the basis of the estimate, the Commission shall enter in the preliminary draft general budget of the European Union the estimates it deems necessary for the establishment plan and the amount of the subsidy to be charged to the general budget.	6. On the basis of the estimate, the Commission shall enter in the preliminary draft general budget of the European Union the estimates it deems necessary for the establishment plan and the amount of the subsidy to be charged to the general budget, which it shall place before the budgetary authority in accordance with Article 272 of the Treaty.
Justification
Article 272 of the Treaty establishes the powers of the budgetary authority with regard to authorising the establishment plan and the Community subsidy of the agency.
Amendment 18 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 7
7. In the framework of the budgetary procedure, the budget authority shall authorise the appropriations for the subsidy to the Agency and shall adopt the establishment plan for the Agency, which shall appear separately in the establishment plan of the Commission.	7. In the framework of the budgetary procedure, the budget authority shall authorise the appropriations for the subsidy to the Agency and shall adopt the establishment plan for the Agency, which shall be published separately in the budget of the European Union.
Justification
For transparency reasons, the establishment plan of the agency should not be published together with the establishment plan of the Commission but independently as it is the case with the other agencies, offices and bodies.
Amendment 19 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 9
9. Any modification of the establishment plan and of the budget of the Agency shall be the subject of an amending budget adopted by the same procedure as the initial budget. Modifications of the establishment plan are submitted to the budget authority. The amending budgets are forwarded for information to the European Parliament and Council.	9. Any modification of the establishment plan and of the budget of the Agency shall be the subject of an amending budget and shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraphs 5 to 8.
Justification
Modifications of the budget of the agency, including modifications of the establishment plan, are subject to authorisation by the budgetary authority.
Amendment 20 Annex, Article 8, paragraph 10
10. The financial regulation applicable to the Agency shall be adopted in accordance to Articles 183 of the Treaty.	10. The financial regulation applicable to the Agency shall be adopted in accordance to Articles 183 of the Treaty. It shall be consistent with Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002 of 19 November 2002 on the framework Financial Regulation for the bodies referred to in Article 185 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities1, unless specifically required for the Agency's operation and with the Commission's prior consent. _____________________ 1 OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 72. Corrected in OJ L 2, 7.1.2003, p. 39.
Justification
Derogations from Regulation No 2343/2002 should be kept to an absolute minimum. The agency has to prove beyond any doubt that such derogation is the only way to guarantee its proper functioning within the limits of its founding decision.
Amendment 21 Annex, Article 10, paragraph 1, subparagraph 2
The provisions concerning this charge shall be detailed in an implementing decision.	The Commission shall, after consulting the Council, determine the rate of the charge and the terms upon which it is to be levied. The Commission shall act on a proposal from the Director General who shall obtain the opinion of the Advisory Committee referred to in Article 11. The provisions concerning the practical arrangements for this charge shall be detailed in an implementing decision.
Justification
The Statutes may provide for a charge on transactions to defray the operating expenses of the Agency (Article 54 paragraph 5 of the Treaty).
There is no reason to modify the conditions to establish this charge by simply referring to an implementing decision. The rate of this "tax" and the method whereby it is to be assessed and collected are substantial provisions and constitute a legal guarantee. The procedure related to the rate must be set up in the core provisions of the Statutes. As in the former Statutes, the consultation of the Council and the advice of the Committee are to be maintained.
Amendment 22 Annex, Article 11, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1
1. The Advisory Committee (hereinafter: the ‘Committee’) shall be composed of one member for each Member State without nuclear fuel cycle activities and two members for each Member State with nuclear fuel cycle activities. However a Member State may choose not to participate in it. Each member may have an alternate member who may participate in the meetings of the Committee in addition to the full member but may not vote if the full member is also present. If a member resigns or is unable to perform his/her duties, a successor shall be appointed for the remainder of the term of office.	1. The Advisory Committee (hereinafter: the ‘Committee’) shall be composed of one member for each Member State having no nuclear fuel cycle activities and two members for each Member State having nuclear fuel cycle activities. It shall have one additional member for each Member State having nuclear fuel cycle activities and subscribing more than EUR 300 000. However a Member State may choose not to participate in the Committee. Each member may have an alternate member who may participate in the meetings of the Committee where the full member is unavailable. If a member resigns or is unable to perform his/her duties, a successor shall be appointed for the remainder of the term of office.
Justification
There is no reason for a drastic reduction in the size of the Committee (from 69 members to 42 members). This Committee was created to be a dialogue tool between the operators and nuclear experts and to act as a link with the Commission. Because of its varied expertise it can provide the Agency with unique support in the tasks assigned to it by the Treaty. This role is particularly important given the evolution of the missions of the Agency.
It should be suggested that the Advisory Committee would be composed as amended.
This format would remain consistent with the Commission's proposal.
Amendment 23 Annex, Article 11, paragraph 1, subparagraph 2
Committee members and their alternate members shall be appointed by their respective Member States on the basis of their degree of relevant experience and expertise in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle or nuclear power generation. The duration of the term of office shall be three years. The term of office may be renewed once.	Committee members and their alternate members shall be appointed by their respective Member States on the basis of their degree of relevant experience and expertise in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle or nuclear power generation. The duration of the term of office shall be three years. The term of office may be renewed.
Justification
The members of the Committee shall be appointed for a period of 3 years, renewable more than once. There is no reason to limit the mandate of the members. Given the specificity of nuclear expertise and the freedom of each Member State to designate their experts within the Committee, the members' mandate has to remain renewable, as stated in the former Statutes.
Amendment 24 Annex, Article 12, paragraph 1 a (new)
	1a. The Committee may nominate two members as advisors to the executive officers. The executive officers and their advisors shall form the Bureau of the Committee and shall have the task of maintaining all necessary relations on behalf of the Committee. The Bureau shall act as a link between the Committee members and the Director General of the Agency and shall coordinate the activity of the Committee in particular with regard to the preparation, assessment and evaluation of its reports and dissemination of its expertise.
Justification
The statutes of 1958 stated that the Chairs and Vice-chairs, constituting the "Executive officers" or "Bureau", were instructed to convene the Committee and to maintain all the useful links with the Committee. This function isn't clearly stated in the current proposal.
This function must remain in force and be described precisely:
(i) it is important to ensure the coordination of the Committee's works since the Committee is invested with report production and with the development of high level expertise.
(ii) the coordination task can be ensured by a light structure of 4 persons.
Amendment 25 Annex, Article 12, paragraph 2
2. The terms of office of the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairpersons shall be three years. Their term of office shall not be renewable, and the chairmanship shall alternate between different sides of the industry. The mandate of the Chairperson or any Vice-Chairperson shall automatically terminate, if his/her term of office as member of the Committee expires without renewal.	2. The terms of office of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairpersons and the two advisors to the executive officers shall be three years. Their term of office shall be renewable once, and the chairmanship shall alternate between different sides of the industry. The mandate of the Chairperson or any Vice-Chairperson or any advisor to the executive officers shall automatically terminate, if his/her term of office as member of the Committee expires without renewal.
Justification
In the former Statutes, the terms of office of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons were renewable.
At least, it should be recommended to ensure a certain permanency by allowing their mandate be renewed once.

Amendment 26

Annex, Article 13, paragraph 1

1. The Committee shall assist the Agency in carrying out its tasks by giving opinions and providing information. It shall act as a link between the Agency and both producers and users in the nuclear industry.	1. The Committee shall assist the Agency in carrying out its tasks by giving opinions and providing analyses and information. That assistance shall also extend to the preparation of the reports, surveys and analyses referred to in Article 1(1a). It shall act as a link between the Agency and both producers and users in the nuclear industry.

Amendment 27 Annex, Article 13, paragraph 2
2. The Committee may be consulted upon all matters within the competence of the Agency in verbal form at its meetings or written form in between such meetings. The Committee may also issue opinions upon any such matters on the initiative of at least one third of its members.	2. The Committee may be consulted upon all matters within the competence of the Agency in verbal form at its meetings or written form in between such meetings. The Committee shall in particular be consulted where this Decision expressly so provides. The Committee may also issue opinions upon any such matters on the initiative of at least one third of its members.
Justification
Regarding the advisory role of the Committee, the principle of obligatory consultation instituted by the current statutes of 1958 shall at least be maintained (Amendments 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) and extended as proposed in Amendments 5, 6, 8 and, to a certain extent, Amendment 24.
Amendment 28 Annex, Article 13, paragraph 3, point (c)
(c) the application of a charge on transactions, designed to defray the operating expenses of the Agency (Article 54 (5) of the Treaty);	(c) the application of a charge on transactions, designed to defray the operating expenses of the Agency (Article 54 (5) of the Treaty) and its rate;
Justification
See Amendment 12
Amendment 29 Annex, Article 13, paragraph 3, point (c a) (new)
	(ca) the criteria for borrowings, as referred to in Article 6(3);
Justification
See justification of Amendment 18
Amendment 30 Annex, Article 13, paragraph 3, point (c b) (new)
	(cb) the criteria for defining the pricing practices prohibited by Article 68 of the Treaty;
Justification
See justification of Amendment 18
Amendment 31 Annex, Article 13, paragraph 3, point (d a) (new)
	(da) keeping the Special Fissile Materials Financial Account referred to in Article 88 of the Treaty;
Justification
See justification to Amendment 18.
In practise, such "Special Fissile Materials Financial Account" have not been established (in relation with the fact that a simplified procedure is in place when supply contracts are negotiated directly. But this provision of the Treaty can always be implemented if needed and must remain within the scope of the advisory role of the Committee.
Amendment 32 Annex, Article 13, paragraph 3, point (e)
(e) the financial regulation for the Agency annual budget, accounts, market report and work programme.	(e) the financial regulation for the Agency annual budget and the Agency's special account referred to in Article 171(2) of the Treaty;
Justification
See justification to Amendment 18
Amendment 33 Annex, Article 13, paragraph 3, point (e a) (new)
	(ea) the annual report and the work programme.
Justification
See justification to Amendment 18
Amendment 34 Annex, Article 14, paragraph 1, introductory part
1. The Committee shall be convened at the seat of the Agency:	1. The Committee shall be convened by the Chairperson at the seat of the Agency:
Amendment 35 Annex, Article 14, paragraph 1, point (a)
(a) normally twice every year;	(a) normally twice every year and whenever deemed necessary by the Chairperson;
Amendment 36 Annex, Article 14, paragraph 6
6. The secretariat for the Committee shall be provided by the Agency.	6. The secretariat for the Committee shall be provided by the Agency. The secretariat, in collaboration with the Chairperson, shall draw up the agenda to be approved by the Committee, send all relevant documents to the Committee members at least 15 working days before the date of a meeting, and draft the minutes of Advisory Committee meetings and meetings of the executive officers.
Justification
It is important for the Commission and the Advisory Committee to produce the agendas jointly, as dialogue of this kind can only enhance the effectiveness of the Agency’s work.
Amendment 37 Annex, Article 14, paragraph 7
7. Travel expenses of one Committee member shall be reimbursed by the Agency.	7. Travel expenses of one Committee member per Member State shall be reimbursed by the Agency.
Annex, Amendment 38 Article 15
Final provisions Article 15 - Legal capacity of the Agency In each of the Member States, the Agency shall enjoy the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal persons under their laws. It may in particular, acquire or dispose of movable and immovable property and may be a party to legal proceedings.	deleted

• [1]    OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

GENERAL CONTEXT

According to the Euratom Treaty, the Agency, operational since 1960, must ensure supply by means of a common supply policy based on the principle of equal access to sources of supply.

The mandate of the Agency also aims to ensure that imports and exports to and from the Community are in line with EU policies on security of supply and that the interests of users are protected.

Powers of the Agency: In order to carry out this task, the Treaty gives the Agency the right of option to acquire ores, source materials and special fissile materials produced in the Community (Art. 57) and an exclusive right to conclude contracts for the supply of such materials from inside or outside the Community (Art. 52). In order to be valid, supply contracts must be submitted to the Agency for conclusion. This system has now been simplified by the introduction of procedures allowing parties to negotiate their contracts themselves, subject to Agency approval.

Furthermore, the Treaty provided for some additional means of intervention by the Commission and the Agency in the nuclear fuel cycle such as the establishment of commercial stockpiles by the Agency (Art. 72 (1)) and emergency stockpiles by the Commission (Art. 72 (2)) and Commission support and recommendations in the field of uranium prospection (Art. 70).

Principles: The Treaty provides for a "common supply policy" (Art. 52 (1)), which means that the Agency and the Commission pursue the objective of long-term security of supply through the reasonable diversification of supply sources and the avoidance of excessive dependency on any single source, and by ensuring that in a context of fair trade, the viability of the nuclear fuel cycle industry is maintained.

For example, in the early1990's, the Agency used its exclusive right to conclude contracts as to avoid the risk of dependency stemming from cheap and abundant natural uranium supplies from the former Soviet republics, by refusing to approve some supply contracts concluded with them[1]. Today, the Agency continues to recommend that EU utilities maintain an adequate level of strategic inventories and use market opportunities to increase their inventories, according to their individual circumstances. Furthermore, the Agency also recommends that utilities cover most of their needs under long-term contracts with diversified supply sources[2].

These objectives are also connected with other provisions of the Euratom Treaty. The supply rules of Chapter 6 are often applied in connection with the safeguards rules of Chapter 7 on the Euratom control of security to prevent nuclear material being diverted from its intended use. The Agency also has a role in the management of the Community's ownership rights for special fissile materials (Chapter 8).

REVISION OF THE STATUTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RAPPORTEUR

The Statutes of the Agency date from 1958, and in 1978 the Agency adopted its Accounting instructions. Taking into account the increase in the number of Member States in the EU, the need to apply modern financial provisions to the Agency and the need to fix its headquarters, new Statutes will have to be adopted.

I -         The Rapporteur considers that the objectives of the Supply Agency should be better defined, in compliance with the provisions of the Treaty and taking into account the objectives of a common policy of security of supply. The Rapporteur considers it useful to take the opportunity to revise the Statutes to specify clearly the field of intervention of the Agency in a renewed energy context.

Ø The revision of the Statutes should give the Agency the means to become a proper energy observatory in nuclear supply policy and markets:

In the beginning, the Agency was created with the purpose of ensuring a regular and equitable supply of nuclear fuels for all EU users, in the context of US government fissile material ownership and monopoly on the offer of nuclear materials and in the context of perceived scarcity of source material. The Agency was the European owner and supplier to EU users.

If the context has changed, the Agency remains in position to analyse the contractual coverage structure of European fuel cycle operations for the users, and to secure a fair running of the market. By preventing risks of shortage or interruptions of production at any stage of the nuclear fuel cycle (exploration, production, fabrication, transport, enrichment, etc.), the Agency helps to give the long term vision necessary for the investments in plants and in exploration.

To this end, the Agency needs to provide the industry and governments with data on market equilibriums, on price levels in the long-term and on risk analysis. The Rapporteur considers that the Agency, under the aegis of the Commission, should build a coherent corpus with specific studies and periodical market surveys, in addition to the annual Report. This would enable the Agency to become a real observatory in the field of supply policy and markets, in line with the overall objectives of the Commission to enhance security of supply at global level by establishing an Energy Observatory within the Commission[3] . This role would also be consistent with the task assigned to the Agency by the Treaty (in particular with the possible constitution of commercial stocks).

Ø  A support and advisory function should be maintained and strengthened within the Agency:

- The role of the Advisory Committee has to be adapted to the needs of the Agency:

Scope of the Committee: The Rapporteur asks about the reasons for a drastic reduction both in the size of the Committee and in the scope of its intervention. It is necessary to recall that this Committee was created to be a dialogue tool between the operators and nuclear experts and to act as a link with the Commission. Because of its varied expertise it could provide the Agency with unique support in the tasks assigned to it by the Treaty. The Rapporteur recommends that the Agency maintain a high level of competences in order to perform its mission in monitoring evaluations, proposing recommendations and in conducting specific studies (on technical issues, market surveys, risk analysis, etc.). The Agency should have a staff of high-level of experts from the industry or governments at its disposal, with a wide experience of the market and fuel cycle operations.

Regarding its advisory role, the Rapporteur suggests that the principle of obligatory consultation instituted by the current statutes be maintained and to supplement it as proposed in Article13 modified.

Composition: The new composition proposed by the Commission takes little account of this reality and indicates a weakening of the Committee's role particularly inappropriate at a time when the Commission recommends establishing monitoring tools such as an office of the energy observatory in order to develop an effective European energy policy. The Rapporteur understands the concern for budgetary restrains in proposing a reduction from 69 members to 42 members. She points out however, that limiting reimbursement of transport costs to only one representative by Member State is an effective way to meet this objective. The Rapporteur adds that the size of the Committee cannot be an obstacle to effectiveness, the Committee being able to constitute Working Parties as deemed necessary and the "Bureau" playing the role of coordinator.

The Rapporteur considers therefore that if a reduction of members be sought, it must take into account the contribution of the Member States to the capital of the Agency. Therefore, a new allocation is being proposed taking also into account the level of the subscription of Member State to the capital (1 additional member for those Member States contributing beyond 300 000 euros and having nuclear fuel cycle activities). This modification would lead to a slight increase (5 members in comparison with the Commission proposal).

Their terms of office shall be renewable without limitation so as to ensure the stability of the Committee and the permanency of its expertise. It is to the Member States to decide on the designation of their members.

- Expertise and monitoring shall rely upon a better internal coordination, based on a light structure within the Committee:

The statutes of 1958 stated that the President and the Vice-Presidents of the Committee, constituting the "Bureau", were instructed to convene the Committee and to maintain all the useful links with the Committee. This function isn't clearly stated in the proposal of the Commission though it is necessary to ensure the coordination of studies activities of the Committee.

The Rapporteur considers therefore that this essential function for the Committee should be described precisely in the Statutes, should be supported by Counselor members of the Committee and that, as in the former Statutes, the mandate of the members of the "Bureau" could be renewed once.

II -      The Rapporteur considers that monitoring, reporting and transparency are the essential elements for the current revision of the Statutes.

The supply system as provided for by the Euratom Treaty is the result of a delicate compromise between public authority interventionism (exclusive right to conclude contracts, right of options, public authority ownership) and a more free market approach (commercial organization of the Agency as a separate legal entity, unlimited right of use and consumption for the users, market economy pricing). These special Treaty provisions cannot be compared to anything observed in other legal systems and the Agency is neither an executive agency[4] nor a decentralised body with technical or scientific devolution similar to the model of the 3 generations of agencies, created within the Community since the seventies.

In this context, the Rapporteur underlines the need to ensure the association of the EP on matters under the supply's provisions of the Treaty and in particular:

- to better define the role of the EP in the budgetary procedure and at least to enable it to be informed;

- to give the EP the tools to be tightly informed and to follow the activity of the Agency : the EP should be the recipient of the work programme and the annual report of the Agency (Art. 3 (4)) and of any specific report and studies produced under Art. 3 (3).

For all the above-mentioned reasons, the Rapporteur proposes to amend the Commission's proposal.

• [1]  Euratom Supply Agency - Annual Report 1999, p.8.
• [2]  Euratom Supply Agency - Annual Report 2005, p. 12
• [3]  Communication of the Commission on an Energy Policy for Europe (COM(2007)0001),
• [4]  Established in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 (OJ L 11, 16.1.2003)

OPINION of the Committee on Budgets (14.9.2007)

for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

on the proposal for a Council decision establishing Statutes for the Euratom Supply Agency
(COM(2007)0119 – C6‑0131/2007 – 2007/0043(CNS))

Draftswoman: Jutta Haug

SHORT JUSTIFICATION

Background

The Euratom Supply Agency, set up under Article 54 of the Euratom Treaty, is the Community body responsible for ensuring an equitable supply of nuclear materials (ores, raw materials and special fissile materials). As such, it has the exclusive right to conclude contracts relating to the supply of these materials coming from inside the Community or from outside.

The Statutes of the Euratom Supply Agency date back to 1958 and have not undergone any substantial adaptation ever since. Taking into account the increase in the number of the Member States of the European Union, as well as the need to apply modern financial provisions to the Agency and the need to fix its seat, the Commission now proposes that new Statutes be adopted.

Commission proposal

The new Statutes contain financial provisions that are in line with the general Financial Regulation of the European Communities. According to the Commission, they are better adapted to the situation of an enlarged European Union. In particular, the Commission proposes to decrease the size of the Agency’s Advisory Committee in order to improve its operation and efficiency. The capital of the Agency and the possibility, foreseen in the Euratom Treaty, to apply a charge on transactions, are maintained. The new Statutes also aim at regularising the fact that all the staff of the Agency were transferred from Brussels to Luxembourg in 2004, in line with the administrative decision to concentrate activities of the Commission dealing with the implementation of the Euratom Treaty in Luxembourg.

As to any financial effect of the new Statutes: according to the Commission, the proposed Council Decision would "result in modest financial savings in the Community budget" due to fewer reimbursements to Advisory Committee members. The proposal does not contain any Financial Statement.

Assessment

Status quo - In theory

The Euratom Supply Agency was created by the Euratom Treaty of 1957. The statutes of 1958, currently in force, provide for an agency-type body which, although "it shall be under the supervision of the Commission, which shall issue directives to it and have a right of veto over its decisions", has some features of independence, some well defined rights with regard to its staff and is managed by a Director-General with some clear powers and a certain room for manoeuvre.

In particular, under the current statute:

Ø the Agency may appoint agents (Article III)

Ø the Director-General (Article IX)

§ shall be appointed and, if the occasion arises, dismissed by the Commission

§ shall not act as agent of the Commission

§ shall be responsible to the Commission for his management of the Agency

Ø the Commission shall grant discharge to the Director-General in respect of the performance of his duties (Article XVI).

Status quo - In practice

Staff: Contrary to the provisions of the Euratom Treaty which establishes a - commercial - "Agency", currently the Euratom Supply Agency seems to function as an administrative unit of the Commission. It does not seem to make use of its right to appoint agents. Its Director-General is a staff member of the Commission, with the rank of a director, who has been appointed, ad personam, Director-General of the agency. The agency's establishment plan is published together with the Commission's establishment plan (separate column) and not individually as the other agencies, offices and bodies are.

Your draftswoman has some doubts as to how a Commission official, appointed by the Commission could be in a position not to act as agent of the Commission. It is also irregular that a managing director-general is appointed by, responsible to and given discharge by the same authority, i.e. the Commission.

Budget: Line 06 01 06 - Euratom subsidy for operation of the Supply Agency (PDB 2008: EUR 180 000, 2007 budget: EUR 230 000) is the only visible budget line for this agency. The whole EU subsidy to the agency is budgeted on this line. It falls under Heading 5 of the MFF and only covers, as is stated in the budgetary remarks, "expenditure incurred by the Agency in its activities". The agency's expenditure on staff and buildings is included in the XX chapters of the budget, i.e. in the general buildings and staff lines of the Commission's DG TREN.

Because of this highly unusual presentation of the agency in the EU budget (or lack of presentation), your draftswoman was not able to establish, beyond any doubt, the actual budget of the Euratom Supply Agency. Its budget, of which the EU subsidy is only a part, is not published on its website, nor in any other easily accessible document or database.

New proposal

In your draftswoman's view, the proposed new statutes do not really solve the problems mentioned above. In fact, they even increase the lack of transparency and create more inconsistencies:

The agency has legal personality (Article 2, paragraph 1) and financial autonomy (Article 6, paragraph 1) but remains under the supervision of the Commission "which may issue directives to it" (Article 5, paragraph 1). The agency can, on its own initiative, take any "measures concerning its internal organisation" (Article 2, paragraph 4) but it loses its right to appoint agents (original article deleted). The Director-General and the staff of the agency "shall be officials of the European Communities" (Article 4, paragraph 1 - here it even remains unclear whether this means that only appointed EU-officials can become staff of the agency in the first place) but the staff remuneration is not part of the agency's expenditure as published in the EU budget. The EU/Euratom subsidy for operation [!] of the Supply Agency (line 06 01 06), published in the EU budget, is intended to cover "administrative expenses of its staff and of the Advisory Committee" (Article 7, paragraph 4) and falls under Heading 5 of the MFF, etc.

Conclusion

In the eyes of your draftswoman, the problem with this agency lies in its hybrid form: in practice, it has obviously functioned as a Commission service for many years when, in theory, it was set up by the Euratom Treaty as an agency having legal personality with quite some degree of financial autonomy - otherwise there would be no need for statutes of its own (something Commission services usually do not have).

Your draftswoman is fully aware of the fact that the Euratom Supply Agency is not based on the EC Treaty but on the Euratom Treaty, has a special history, is - due to the nature of its tasks - a sensitive issue for some Member States and therefore certainly not a standard decentralised agency in the modern EU-sense of the word.

However, despite all these reservations, the Supply Agency as depicted in its statutes does have some striking agency-features (besides its name) and, what is more important for the Committee on Budgets, it receives a subsidy from the European Union.

Your draftswoman has therefore decided, for the sake of transparency and in accordance with the intention of the Euratom Treaty to set up an agency, to opt for a clear and comprehensible presentation of the agency in the EU budget, by analogy with other agencies, offices or currently fashionable ad-hoc bodies.

This means that all EU expenditure on the agency should be clearly visible in the budget, including staff costs. The EU subsidy and the establishment plan (including any modifications) have to be authorised by the budgetary authority.

Due to the fact that the Commission has not transferred any financial statement accompanying its proposal, your draftswoman is not in a position at this stage to assess the final cost of the agency, especially since staff and infrastructure costs are not included in line 06 01 06 at the moment. She cannot therefore make any well-founded assessment on whether the proposal is compatible with the MFF 2007 - 2013 or not.

You draftswoman also would like to point out that, if the full cost of the agency charged to the European Union is presented separately in the budget, it could be claimed that this constitutes the case of a new "body" in the sense of Article 47 of the IIA. Then the budgetary authority would need to come to an agreement on the financing of this agency (partly new to the EU budget) in a trialogue. The compatibility with the MFF 2007 - 2013 could then be safeguarded.

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Budgets calls on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:

Draft legislative resolution

Amendment 1 Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Considers that the cost of the Euratom Supply Agency to the EU budget must be compatible with the relevant ceiling of the new multiannual financial framework (MFF) and with the provisions of Point 47 of the IIA of 17 May 2006;

Amendment 2 Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Recalls that the opinion delivered by the Committee on Budgets does not pre-empt the outcome of the procedure laid down in Point 47 of the IIA of 17 May 2006 which applies to the setting up of the Euratom Supply Agency;

Proposal for a decision

Text proposed by the Commission[1]	Amendments by Parliament
Amendment 3 Citation 1 a (new)
	Having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management 2, and in particular Point 47 thereof,
	2 OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.
Justification
The Euratom Supply Agency is set up as a new agency. This has to be reflected in the legal bases referred to in the Decision.
Amendment 4 Annex, Article 2, paragraph 4
4. It may on its own initiative take any further measures concerning its own internal organization which may be required for the carrying out of its tasks both within and outside the Community.	4. It may on its own initiative take any further measures concerning its own internal organization which may be required for the carrying out of its tasks both within and outside the Community, provided that these measures do not have significant financial implications. It shall notify the European Parliament and the Council (hereinafter the "budgetary authority") of any project which may have significant financial implications for the funding of its budget, in particular any project relating to property such as the rental or purchase of buildings. It shall inform the Commission thereof.
Justification
It cannot be left to the agency to independently decide on measures with significant financial implications.
Amendment 5 Annex, Article 3, paragraph 1
1. The Director General shall be appointed by the Commission.	1. The Director General shall be appointed by the Commission on the basis of his/her personal merit, administrative and management skills and relevant professional experience, after consultation of the Advisory Committee.
Justification
The criteria according to which the Director General is appointed have to be objective.
Amendment 6 Annex, Article 3, paragraph 4
4. Each year the Director General shall submit to the Commission a report covering the activities of the Agency in the previous year and a work programme for the coming year.	4. Each year the Director General shall submit to the Commission a report covering the activities of the Agency in the previous year and a work programme for the coming year. This report and the work programme shall be forwarded to the European Parliament and the Council.
Justification
For transparency reasons, all agencies are required to transmit their activity reports and work programmes to Parliament and Council.
Amendment 7 Annex, Article 4, paragraph 1
1. The Director General and the staff of the Agency shall be officials of the European Communities governed by the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities and by the rules adopted jointly by the institutions of the European Communities for the purposes of the application of those Staff Regulations. The officials shall be appointed by and their salaries shall be paid by the Commission.	1. The Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities, the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities and the rules adopted jointly by the institutions of the European Communities for the purposes of the application of those Staff Regulations and Conditions of Employment shall apply to the staff of the Agency.
Justification
The Director General and the staff of the Agency should not necessarily only be recruited amongst EC officials.
Amendment 8 Annex, Article 4, paragraph 1 a (new)
	1a. In respect of its staff, the Agency shall exercise the powers conferred on the appointing authority.
Justification
Like in any other agency, its staff should be appointed and paid by the Agency itself.
Amendment 9 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 3
3. The Agency's revenue shall consist of a contribution from the Community, bank interest and income from its capital and bank investments, and, if necessary, a charge as foreseen in Article 54 of the Treaty and borrowings.	3. The Agency's revenue shall consist of a contribution from the Community entered in the general budget of the European Union (Commission section), bank interest and income from its capital and bank investments, and, if necessary, a charge as foreseen in Article 54 of the Treaty and borrowings. The financing of the Agency is subject to an agreement by the budgetary authority as foreseen by the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006.
Justification
Like with any other agency, for transparency reasons, the Community subsidy has to clearly figure in the EU budget. It is also necessary to note in this place that an agreement on the financing of the Euratom Supply Agency will also have to be reached.
Amendment 10 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 4
4. The expenditure of the Agency shall consist of administrative expenses of its staff and of the Advisory Committee, as well as expenses resulting from contracts entered into with third parties.	4. The expenditure of the Agency shall include its staff, administrative, infrastructure and operational expenses, including expenses resulting from contracts entered into with third parties.
Justification
For transparency reasons, all costs of the agency should be grouped together in the EU budget using two budget lines, one for staff and administrative expenditure, the other one for operational expenditure.
Amendment 11 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 5 a (new)
	5a. The estimate shall be transmitted by the Commission to the budgetary authority together with the preliminary draft budget of the European Union.
Justification
For transparency reasons, the budgetary authority should receive a copy of the agency's estimate of revenue and expenditure in order to allow a comparison between estimate and PDB figures.
Amendment 12 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 6
6. On the basis of the estimate, the Commission shall enter in the preliminary draft general budget of the European Union the estimates it deems necessary for the establishment plan and the amount of the subsidy to be charged to the general budget.	6. On the basis of the estimate, the Commission shall enter in the preliminary draft general budget of the European Union the estimates it deems necessary for the establishment plan and the amount of the subsidy to be charged to the general budget, which it shall place before the budgetary authority in accordance with Article 272 of the Treaty.
Justification
Article 272 of the Treaty establishes the powers of the budgetary authority with regard to authorising the establishment plan and the Community subsidy of the agency.
Amendment 13 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 7
7. In the framework of the budgetary procedure, the budget authority shall authorise the appropriations for the subsidy to the Agency and shall adopt the establishment plan for the Agency, which shall appear separately in the establishment plan of the Commission.	7. In the framework of the budgetary procedure, the budget authority shall authorise the appropriations for the subsidy to the Agency and shall adopt the establishment plan for the Agency, which shall be published separately in the budget of the European Union.
Justification
For transparency reasons, the establishment plan of the agency should not be published together with the establishment plan of the Commission but independently as it is the case with the other agencies, offices and bodies.
Amendment 14 Annex, Article 7, paragraph 9
9. Any modification of the establishment plan and of the budget of the Agency shall be the subject of an amending budget adopted by the same procedure as the initial budget. Modifications of the establishment plan are submitted to the budget authority. The amending budgets are forwarded for information to the European Parliament and Council.	9. Any modification of the establishment plan and of the budget of the Agency shall be the subject of an amending budget and shall follow the procedure laid down in paragraphs 5 to 8.
Justification
Modifications of the budget of the agency, including modifications of the establishment plan, are subject to authorisation by the budgetary authority.
Amendment 15 Annex, Article 8, paragraph 10
10. The financial regulation applicable to the Agency shall be adopted in accordance to Articles 183 of the Treaty.	10. The financial regulation applicable to the Agency shall be adopted in accordance to Articles 183 of the Treaty. It may not depart from Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002 of 23 December 2002 on the framework Financial Regulation for the bodies referred to in Article 185 of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities1, unless specifically required for the Agency's operation and with the Commission's prior consent. _____________________ 1 OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 72.
Justification
Derogations from Regulation No 2343/2002 should be kept to an absolute minimum. The agency has to prove beyond any doubt that such derogation is the only way to guarantee its proper functioning within the limits of its founding decision.

PROCEDURE

Title	Statutes for the Euratom Supply Agency
References	COM(2007)0119 - C6-0131/2007 - 2007/0043(CNS)
Committee responsible	ITRE
Opinion by        Date announced in plenary	BUDG 24.5.2007
Drafts(wo)man        Date appointed	Jutta Haug 20.9.2004
Discussed in committee	17.7.2007		13.9.2007		13.9.2007
Date adopted	13.9.2007
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	18 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Reimer Böge, Simon Busuttil, Brigitte Douay, Göran Färm, Ingeborg Gräßle, Catherine Guy-Quint, Jutta Haug, Ville Itälä, Anne E. Jensen, Janusz Lewandowski, Nils Lundgren, Jan Mulder, Anders Samuelsen, Esko Seppänen, László Surján, Kyösti Virrankoski, Ralf Walter
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Peter Šťastný

• [1]  OJ C ??, 12.6.2007, p. ??.

PROCEDURE

Title	Statutes for the Euratom Supply Agency
References	COM(2007)0119 - C6-0131/2007 - 2007/0043(CNS)
Date of consulting Parliament	14.5.2007
Committee responsible        Date announced in plenary	ITRE 24.5.2007
Committee(s) asked for opinion(s)        Date announced in plenary	BUDG 24.5.2007		CONT 24.5.2007		ENVI 24.5.2007		AFCO 24.5.2007
Not delivering opinions        Date of decision	CONT 27.3.2007		ENVI 3.5.2007		AFCO 7.6.2007
Rapporteur(s)        Date appointed	Romana Jordan Cizelj 12.4.2007
Discussed in committee	7.6.2007		25.6.2007
Date adopted	2.10.2007
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	38 6 1
Members present for the final vote	Jan Březina, Philippe Busquin, Jerzy Buzek, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, Silvia Ciornei, Pilar del Castillo Vera, Lena Ek, Nicole Fontaine, Adam Gierek, Umberto Guidoni, András Gyürk, Fiona Hall, David Hammerstein, Rebecca Harms, Mary Honeyball, Ján Hudacký, Romana Jordan Cizelj, Anne Laperrouze, Eluned Morgan, Angelika Niebler, Reino Paasilinna, Miloslav Ransdorf, Vladimír Remek, Mechtild Rothe, Paul Rübig, Andres Tarand, Radu Ţîrle, Patrizia Toia, Claude Turmes, Nikolaos Vakalis, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Dominique Vlasto
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Alexander Alvaro, Pilar Ayuso, Ivo Belet, Manuel António dos Santos, Avril Doyle, Robert Goebbels, Françoise Grossetête, Erika Mann, John Purvis, Bernhard Rapkay, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Vladimir Urutchev, Lambert van Nistelrooij