Developing countries: integrate the environment in the development process, sustainable development

The Commission's opinion of the European Parliament's amendments are as follows. The amendments accepted by the Commission include: - amendments 19, 20 ands 21 which relate to the provisions for a split comitology arrangement. The adoption of individual projects and programmes would be subject to an advisory procedure, while the choice of strategic guidelines would come under a management committee; - amendments 1 and 8 are of secondary importance and burden the text with repetitious material and detail. The Commission accepts them purely in a spirit of compromise and in the knowledge that the Council for its part is also willing to accept them. Moreover, the Commission accepted in part amendment 11 which relates to the compromise over the financial allocation. It was stated during discussions in the Council working party that favourable consideration would be given to a figure of EUR 93 million and the Commission can support this proposal. However, amendment 11 also inserts a clause requiring the Commission to submit a proposal for a further allocation to Parliament and the Council by the end of 2005. This clause is now superfluous in that the proposed legal instrument is no longer of unlimited duration. Finally, the Commission did accept amendment 9, however, it considered that it would be better placed in a different clause. The amendment concerns coordination with non-governmental organisations. The provision in this amendment deals with Treaty-based obligations regarding the cooperation with Member States. Therefore, a more appropriate place for it would be as an addition to Article 5(6).�