Brussels, 06/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - At a press conference, German Green Friedrich Grafe zu Baringdorf, Chair of the EP's Committee on Agriculture, considers that the institutional reform process to begin in Laeken must enable the European Parliament to secure co-decision and a "full right of initiative" on the common agricultural policy. The Co-President of the Green Group, Heidi Hautala said, on the same occasion that the Convention and the Intergovernmental Conference to follow should also accept te proposal made by Austria and Italy before the Nice Summit in view of introducing a citizens' initiatives mechanism enabling a certain number of citizens of at least three countries to submit a legislative initiative to the European Parliament. According to her, that would doubtless allow for issues to progress like the wellbeing of animals during transport or genetically modified organisms. Turning to enlargement, Mr. Graefe zu Baringdorf said that focus should not be placed on the date but, on the contrary, help candidate countries better prepare themselves for the deadline, and he stressed the considerable delays that render the Sapard programme ineffectual from that point of view. "It's now that money needs spending to help these countries prepare and involve their populations. Be it one or two years earlier or later, that's of no importance", he said.