Environment: promoting NGO primarily active in the field of environmental protection (Community action programme)
The rapporteur welcomed the initiative for an action
programme to promote non-governmental organisations involved in environmental
protection. However, she argued for a whole series of amendments which
covered, among other issues, the distribution of resources in the areas of
activity of NGOs. Therefore, while approving the Council’s common position
where it specified 40% for environmental information, the rapporteur called
for 50% instead of the Council’s 40% for the analysis of environmental
activities and 10% instead of 20% for cooperation. She noted that it was
inconceivable for the appropriations intended for cooperation to be used to
finance meetings of Commission departments and/or advisory committees under
the ‘subsidies to NGOs’ heading. Commissioner Bjerregaard considered that
NGOs formed an important source of information for the Commission,
particularly as they could play a major role in developing a new democracy in