The proposal was amended as follows:

Text proposed by the Commission(1)   Amendments by Parliament Amendment 1 Recital 6 a (new) (6a) Decision No 1496/98/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 22 June 1998(1 ) established an action programme to improve awareness of Community law within the legal professions (Robert Schuman project) for a period of three years. ______________ (1 ) OJ L 196, 14.7.1998, p. 24. Amendment 2 Recital 16 a (new) (16a) The financial framework of the activities should be compatible with the current ceiling under heading 3 of the financial perspective, with no restriction being placed on other currently funded programmes. Amendment 3 Recital 16 b (new) (16b) The administrative expenditure should be covered from allocations under heading 5 within the framework of decisions to be taken during the annual budgetary procedure. Amendment 4 Article 2, point 1, point (a)    (a) ensuring legal certainty and improving access to justice,    (a) ensuring legal certainty, in particular the rights of the defence, and improving access to justice, Amendment 5 Article 5, point 2    2. they must pursue activities with a European dimension and involve, as a general rule, at least two thirds of the Member States;    2. they must pursue activities with a European dimension and involve, as a general rule, at least one third of the Member States; Amendment 6 Article 6, paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. For the purposes of this Regulation, "legal practitioners” means judges, prosecutors, lawyers, academics, ministry officials, judicial officials, bailiffs, court interpreters and others involved in the administration of justice in the area of civil law.

(1) OJ C 213 E, 31.7.2001, p. 271.

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

-  having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2001) 221 (1) ),

-  having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 61(c) of the EC Treaty (C5-0254/2001 ),

-  having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

-  having regard to the report of the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A5-0339/2001 ),

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2.  Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty;

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

4.  Calls for the conciliation procedure to be initiated should the Council intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5.  Asks to be consulted again if the Council intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially;

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

(1) OJ C 213 E, 31.7.2001, p. 271.