Brussels, 11/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament proceeded, last Thursday in Strasbourg, to adopt a report by the Dutch Socialist MEP Michiel van Hulten on the outcome of the budget procedure with the Council as regards amending the financial Regulation. « The EP and the Council have worked out a broad agreement on the need to keep internal audit and financial activities separate», the European Parliament indicated in the sole amendment adopted, which recalls the aims of the proposal. The Parliament and Council declarations repeat their willingness « to act at internal level to ensure a separation between internal audit and ex-ante financial control activities», whereas the Commission undertakes to change the terms of reference of the internal audit in keeping with international standards. However, the MEPs regret that the Council was unable to agree to the opening of a budgetary dialogue with the conciliation meeting and urge the Council to reconsider this matter.