Tropical forests, developing countries: conservation and sustainable management

The Conciliation Committee reached agreement on a joint text for the regulation on measures to promote the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests and other forests in developing countries. Of the 11 amendments which Parliament had tabled to the Council's common position, the Council accepted six as they stood, including the proposed increase in the budget from EUR 63 million to EUR 249 million. As far as the amendments on commitology were concerned, a compromise was reached whereby the management committee procedure would apply to decisions relating to grants of EUR 3.5 million or more, while in other cases the Commission would decide without the involvement of the committee. Parliament would also be informed, as it had requested, of the strategic guidelines to be adopted every second year. As Parliament managed to secure adequate financing of the activities covered by the regulation and achieved substantial improvements as to its content, the EP delegation decided to recommend that the plenary approve the joint text.�