(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the proposal for a Council regulation (COM(2007)0180)(1),

–   having regard to Articles 37 and 300(2) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Article 300(3), first subparagraph, of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0128/2007),

–   having regard to Rules 51 and 83(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries and the opinions of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Budgets (A6-0228/2007),

1.  Approves the proposal for a Council regulation as amended and approves conclusion of the agreement;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission, and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the Republic of Kiribati.

Text proposed by the Commission   Amendments by Parliament Amendment 1 Article 3 a (new) Article 3 a The Commission shall verify each year that Member States whose vessels operate under the Protocol are complying with the reporting requirements referred to in Article 3. Amendment 2 Article 3 b (new) Article 3 b During the final year of the Protocol's validity and before any new agreement is concluded or the current agreement is extended, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council a report on the application of the current agreement and the conditions under which it was implemented. Amendment 3 Article 3 c (new) Article 3 c The Commission shall report annually to the European Parliament and the Council on the results of the multiannual sectoral programme referred to in Article 7(2) of the Protocol.

(1) Not yet published in OJ.