(Ordinary legislative procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2013)0327),

–  having regard to Article 294(2), Article 43(2) and Article 168(4)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C7-0167/2013),

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

–  having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 16 October 2013(1),

–  after consulting the Committee of the Regions,

–  having regard to the undertaking given by the Council representative by letter of 5 February 2014 to approve Parliament’s position, in accordance with Article 294(4) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

–  having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and the opinions of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (A7-0424/2013),

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

2.  Takes note of the Commission statement annexed to this resolution;

3.  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;

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

(1) OJ C 67, 6.3.2014, p. 166.

(As an agreement was reached between Parliament and Council, Parliament's position corresponds to the final legislative act, Regulation (EU) No 652/2014.)

STATEMENT FROM THE COMMISSION

on the procedures for the approval of veterinary and phytosanitary programmes

In order to better inform the Member States, the Commission will arrange an annual meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed which shall focus on the outcome of the evaluation procedure of programmes. That meeting will take place no later than 30 November of the year preceding the implementation of the programmes.

In connection with that meeting, the Commission will present the list of the programmes technically approved and proposed for co-financing. Both financial and technical details will be discussed with the national delegations, and their comments will be considered.

In addition, before taking its final decision thereon, the Commission will, during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed in January, communicate to the Member States the final list of programmes selected for co-financing and the final amount allocated to each programme.

Preparatory work for the design of the work programme for the implementation of the measures referred to in Articles 9, 19 and 25 will be carried out with experts of Member States in early February of each year in order to give Member States the relevant information to establish the eradication and surveillance programmes.