(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2011)0608),

–  having regard to Article 294(2) and Articles 175, 42 and 43 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C7‑0319/2011),

–  having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs on the proposed legal basis,

–  having regard to Article 294(3) and Article 175 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to the reasoned opinions submitted, within the framework of the Protocol No 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, by the Danish Parliament, by the Netherlands Senate and the Netherlands House of Representatives, and by the Swedish Parliament, asserting that the draft legislative act does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity,

–  having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 23 February 2012(1),

–  having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 3 May 2012(2),

–  having regard to the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 18 October 2013 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to Rules 55 and 37 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on International Trade, the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Budgetary Control, the Committee on Regional Development and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A7-0005/2013),

1.  Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out;

2.  Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend its proposal substantially or replace it with another text;

3.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

(1) OJ C 143, 22.5.2012, p. 42. (2) OJ C 225, 27.7.2012, p. 159.

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) No 1309/2013.)