Directive 2003/71/EC is hereby amended as follows:

1. 1.

   Articles 2(4), 4(3), 5(5), 7(1), 8(4), 11(3), 13(7), 14(8) and 15(7) shall be amended as follows:

   1. (a)

      the words ‘in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 24(2)’ shall be deleted;

   2. (b)

      the following sentence shall be added:

      ‘Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 24(2a).’;

2. 2.

   Article 20(3) shall be replaced by the following:

   ‘3.

   In order to ensure uniform application of this Directive, the Commission shall adopt implementing measures aimed at establishing general equivalence criteria, based on the requirements laid down in Articles 5 and 7. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 24(2a).

   On the basis of the above criteria, the Commission may adopt implementing measures in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 24(2), stating that a third country ensures the equivalence of prospectuses drawn up in that country with this Directive by reason of its national law or of practices or procedures based on international standards set by international organisations, including the IOSCO disclosure standards.’;

3. 3.

   Article 24 shall be amended as follows:

   1. (a)

      the following paragraph shall be inserted:

      ‘2a.

      Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.’;

   2. (b)

      paragraphs 3 and 4 shall be replaced by the following:

      ‘3.

      By 31 December 2010 and, thereafter, at least every three years, the Commission shall review the provisions concerning its implementing powers and present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the functioning of those powers. The report shall examine, in particular, the need for the Commission to propose amendments to this Directive in order to ensure the appropriate scope of the implementing powers conferred on the Commission. The conclusion as to whether or not amendment is necessary shall be accompanied by a detailed statement of reasons. If necessary, the report shall be accompanied by a legislative proposal to amend the provisions conferring implementing powers on the Commission.’