13/01/2017 (Agence Europe) – According to the Contexte website, German MEP Constanze Krehl (S&D) will work alone on the own-initiative report on simplification of the Structural Funds as part of work on the omnibus regulation following a decision by the European Parliament's Conference of Presidents on Thursday 12 January. For a while, Parliament’s regional development committee (REGI) wanted the German MEP to be co-rapporteur along with Lambert van Nistelrooij (EPP, Netherlands). The reason for the Conference of Presidents’ decision is reported to be that REGI does not have powers over the substance of the draft omnibus regulation, which has fallen into the wallet of the budgets committee (BUDG). The first discussion will take place during the meeting on 23 and 23 January. Krehl is due to present her draft own-initiative report on 28 February. The lodging of amendments is scheduled for 7 March, and the committee vote is set for the 24 and 25 April sitting. (PH)