Brussels, 24/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - Rejecting all the amendments proposed by Othmar Karas (EPP-ED, Austria), which had been discussed at the economic and monetary committee, the EP plenary adopted as such, on 23 June in Brussels, the Council's common position on surveillance of budgetary positions and economic coordination. The two regulations - on the preventive part of the Stability and Growth Pact (1466/97) and on its corresponding correcting part (1467/97), concerning excessive deficit procedure - will therefore take effect immediately, as advocated on several occasions by Council President Jean-Claude Juncker.
As the Council had not taken on board the amendments voted by the Parliament in first reading, the parliamentary committee had presented them to plenary again, at the risk of extending legislative procedure in the event of adoption (EUROPE 8975). Three hundred and nine MEPs, including PES members, finally voted against the amendments proposed, while 257 voted in favour and one abstained. Although Mr Karas did not plan to give way before the Council's “unacceptable” attitude, invoking a question of “arrogance” on the part of the Parliament, the Luxembourg Socialist, Robert Goebbels, had already warned last week that his group might endorse the Council's common position (EUROPE 8969). The EP therefore preferred rapid and coherent application of all the elements of the Pact to a hypothetical act of force and a situation of uncertainty.