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COUNCIL DECISION
of 27 June 1985
on the adoption of the Commission work programme concerning an experimental project for gathering, coordinating and ensuring the consistency of information on the state of the environment and natural resources in the Community
(85/338/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas in order to implement the action programme of the European Communities on the environment (1982 to 1986), whose general approach the Council of the European Communities and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, approved in their resolution of 7 February 1983 (4), it is necessary to have consistent and comparable information on the state of the environment and natural resources in the Community, in particular for the purpose of action by the Community in the following priority areas contained in the said programme: incorporating the environmental dimension into the other Community policies, combating local and transfrontier atmospheric pollution, protecting biotopes of major importance for nature conservation in the Community and protecting the environment in the Mediterranean region;
Whereas this Decision is guided by the considerations set out in the resolution of 7 February 1983, i.e. the desirability of action at the appropriate level and the need to coordinate work at international level, to assess the costs and benefits of the actions envisaged, to take account of the differing situations existing in the Community and to make adequate technical and political preparations for such action;
Whereas the aim is to assemble basic information on the state of the environment in the Community in respect of measures in the following specific fields: biotopes of major importance for nature conservation in the Community, atmospheric pollution problems and the resources and characteristics of the environment in the Community's Mediterranean region; whereas such information should also facilitate implementation of environmental policies at Community, national or regional levels and should be used to inform public opinion; whereas it should also be used to facilitate an assessment, on the basis of comparable data, of the impact of measures taken or planned in other sectors of Community, national or regional policy on the environment;
Whereas it is necessary to have an appropriate methodological framework for rational organization of the work of gathering and processing information on the state of the environment in the Community, and make it possible to assess overall how environmental phenomena interact and to monitor the development of the environment;
Whereas, in view of the present state of knowledge concerning environmental phenomena and the interaction of environments, the characteristics of the data available at present and the geographical extent of Community territory, an experimental project should be implemented;
Whereas practical results are urgently needed on a number of priority matters in this area;
Whereas it is necessary, in the case of certain regions, to improve the availability of data which are comparable at Community level;
Whereas compatibility must be ensured between the experimental project and other existing or planned activities at Community, national or international level, in particular as regards their data-processing aspects;
Whereas implementing and directing the action require close cooperation between the Commission and the Member States, including support by the agencies concerned in Member States, so as to facilitate access to the data;
Whereas, since the Treaty has not provided the necessary powers for gathering, coordinating and ensuring the consistency of such information, recourse must be had to Article 235 thereof,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
The Commission work programme concerning an experimental project for gathering, coordinating and ensuring the consistency of information on the state of the environment and natural resources in the Community, hereinafter referred to as 'the programme', is hereby adopted for a period of four years starting on 1 January 1985.
The text of the programme is set out in the Annex hereto.
The Commission shall be responsible for the implementation of the programme with the assistance of a Committee consisting of representatives from the Member States.
Article 2
The funds estimated as necessary for the implementation of the programme amount to 4 million ECU.
Article 3
At the end of the second year of the period referred to in Article 1, the Commission shall, for information, submit a report on the programme's progress and on future guidelines to the European Parliament and to the Council.
At the end of the said period, it shall submit a final report on the results obtained. In the light of those results the Commission shall, if it considers it appropriate, submit suitable proposals to the Council on any follow-up.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Luxembourg, 27 June 1985.