Strasbourg, 15/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 14 November, the European Parliament gave first reading approval (co-decision) to the report by Michael Cashman (PES, UK) on the proposal for a regulation amending regulation EC 562/2006 establishing a Community Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) as regards the implementing powers conferred on the Commission. It thus gave its backing to the text proposed by the Commission, but introduced a number of technical changes.
On 17 July 2006, the Council decision amending Decision 1999/468/EC laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (comitology procedure) was adopted after years of negotiations between the Council, Commission and European Parliament. This decision introduced a new comitology procedure, known as the “regulatory procedure with scrutiny”, to be applied when adopting general measures intended to amend non-essential parts of an instrument adopted under the codecision procedure. On the basis of this decision, the Commission has drawn up a list of 25 instruments already adopted, which have to be adapted to the new procedure. One of these is the Schengen Borders Code regulation. The Commission proposes to amend this regulation to introduce the new procedure instead of the regulation procedure provided for.
Parliament has approved the Commission proposal. Following the advice of the rapporteur, it has, nonetheless, introduced a number of technical amendments to take account of the very particular nature of the Schengen Borders Code: since it constitutes a development of the Schengen acquis, some special provisions, notably as regards the member states in which it applies, need to be introduced. (O.L.)