Environment: promoting NGO primarily active in the field of environmental protection (Community action programme)

TheCommittee reinstated Parliament's main demands when it adopted a recommendation supporting a proposal to promote environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The recommendation was drafted by Mrs Marilies FLEMMING (EPP, A). The committee is happy with the basic aim of the proposal, which is to create a sound legal basis for a Community action programme (1998-2001) to promote these NGOs, which play an important role in increasing environmental awareness. However, it reintroduced into the recommendation amendments from an earlier reading that were critical of the Council's common position on the proposal. These extend the criteria for Community support, increase the maximum percentage of support permitted and propose strict accounting for money spent. The committee also rejected a new element - the imposition of an overall financial ceiling for the programme - which the Council had inserted into its common position. �