Civil protection: Community action programme 2000-2004

The Commission's amended proposal incorporates a majority of the amendments adopted by the European Parliament in consultation. Of the main amendments, the following were retained: - greater focus on environmental emergencies in the implementation of the programme, - increased efforts by Member States on prevention of emergencies, and the information of and protection of persons in the event of the risk of a catastrophe, - greater involvement of citizens in the implementation of actions, - improving the scope of the planned actions with other amendments to the Annex of the proposal, - involvement of NGOs in the system of exchange of experts (on condition that they are an integral part of civil protection systems in the Member States). On the other hand, the Commission did not accept certain amendments relating to: - extending the programme to Phare, Tacis and Meda countries, - funding of up to 100% of eleigible costs for ultra-peripheral regions, - comitology.�