TNAG-2950-FCO40-4227-Hong-Kong-visa-free-travel-for-British-Nationals-(Overseas)--1993 — Page 10

- for the following cycle of six years: Denmark, Belgium, Greece, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Portugal.]*

Article 147

(Article repealed by Article 7 of the Merger Treaty)

[See Article 3 of the Merger Treaty, which reads as follows:

The Council shall meet when convened by its President on his own initiative or at the request of one of its members or of the Com- mission.]

For their adoption, acts of the Council shall require at least:

fifty-four votes in favour where this Treaty requires them to be adopted on a proposal from the Commission,

cases.*

fifty-four votes in favour, cast by at least eight members, in other

3. Abstentions by members present in person or represented shall not prevent the adoption by the Council of acts which require unanimity.

Article 148

1. Save as otherwise provided in this Treaty, the Council shall act by a majority of its members.

2. Where the Council is required to act by a qualified majority, the votes of its members shall be weighted as follows:

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

5

3

10

Greece

5

Spain

8

France

10

Ireland

3

Italy

10

Luxembourg

2

Netherlands

5

Portugal

5

United Kingdom

10

* Second paragraph as amended by Article 11 of the Act of Accession ESP/PORT.

362

Article 149**

1. Where, in pursuance of this Treaty, the Council acts on a proposal from the Commission, unanimity shall be required for an act constituting an amendment to that proposal.

Cooperation procecture

2. Where, in pursuance of this Treaty, the Council acts in cooperation with the European Parliament, the following procedure shall apply:

(a) The Council, acting by a qualified majority under the conditions of paragraph 1, on a proposal from the Commission and after obtaining the Opinion of the European Parliament, shall adopt a common position.

(b) The Council's common position shall be communicated to the Eu- ropean Parliament. The Council and the Commission shall inform the Eu- ropean Parliament fully of the reasons which led the Council to adopt its common position and also of the Commission's position.

If, within three months of such communication, the European Par- liament approves this common position or has not taken a decision

* Paragraph 2 as amended by Article 14 of the Act of Accession ESP/PORT.

** Article as replaced by Article 7 of the SEA.

363

EAEC

W (3)