12. Invites the CoR and the ESC, having regard to the substantial divergences between the findings of the reports of the joint services and the CoR's two external experts, to conduct a joint analysis based on appropriate bench marks – if necessary with the help of the Court of Auditors – of the precise costs, benefits and savings generated by cooperation and to submit the results of their examination to the competent committee by 31 October 2007.

12. Invites the CoR and the EESC, having regard to the substantial divergences between the findings of the reports of the joint services and the CoR's two external experts, to conduct a joint analysis based on appropriate benchmarks – if necessary with the help of the Court of Auditors – of the precise costs, benefits and savings generated by cooperation and to submit the results of their examination to the competent committee by 31 October 2007.

The Commission shall submit the expert evaluation to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

11. Notes the statement made by the President of the Committee of the Regions before the committee responsible on 4 November 2003, in which he acknowledged that there had been an 'endemic culture of cronyism in the Committee of the Regions in 2001', and in which he announced his intention to submit an overall proposal for the administrative reform of the Committee of the Regions to its Bureau in February 2004; considers that this proposal should be drawn up with the active help of an independent outside expert, such as ...[+++]a former Member of the Court of Auditors, and welcomes the acting Secretary-General's undertaking to this effect; calls on the Committee of the Regions to forward the text of the proposal to the European Parliament as soon as possible; considers that such a proposal must include guarantees as to the ability of the Internal Auditor to carry out his duties in a professional and independent manner;

12. Welcomes the swift reaction on the part of the President of the Committee of the Regions to the shortcomings and irregularities detected; notes the statement made by the President of the Committee of the Regions before the competent committee on 4 November 2003, in which he acknowledged that there had been an "endemic culture of cronyism in the Committee of the Regions in 2001", and in which he announced his intention to submit an overall proposal for the administrative reform of the Committee of the Regions to its Bureau in February 2004; considers that this proposal should be drawn up with the active help of an independen ...[+++]t outside expert, such as a former Member of the Court of Auditors, and welcomes the acting Secretary-General's undertaking to this effect; calls on the Committee of the Regions to forward the text of the proposal to the European Parliament as soon as possible; considers that such a proposal must include guarantees as to the ability of the Internal Auditor to carry out his duties in a professional and independent manner as well as a commitment to bring its decision on OLAF investigations into line with the OLAF Regulation (EC) 1073/1999 and the Commission decision 1999/396/EC. ECSC, Euratom on OLAF investigations;

In order to ensure that all actors and stakeholders, including the European Parliament, the Member States, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the social partners, NGOs, local and regional authorities, international organisations and scientific experts, can provide an input in assessing the implementation of the agenda so far and debate the priorities for the remaining period of the agenda [94], the Com ...[+++]mission organises a conference in march 2003.