A4-0166/96

Decision on the common position adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92 establishing a financial instrument for the environment (LIFE) (C4-0223/96 - 95/0093(SYN))

(Cooperation procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the common position of the Council, C4-0223/96 - 95/0093(SYN),

- having regard to its opinion at first reading ((OJ C 323, 4.12.1995, p. 149.)) on the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(95)0135 ((OJ C 184, 18.7.1995, p. 12.)),

- having regard to the amended Commission proposal (COM(96)0025),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 189c of the EC Treaty,

- having regard to Rule 67 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A4-0166/96),

1. Amends the common position as follows;

2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and the Commission.

(Amendment 1)

ARTICLE 1(1)

Article 2(1)(b)(iii), first indent (Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92)

>Original text>

- protection of coastal areas and their rational management;

>Text following EP vote>

- protection and rational management of coastal areas, of rivers which flow into coastal areas, their possible wetlands and the sustainable management of those areas and rivers;

(Amendment 2)

ARTICLE 1(1)

Article 2(1)(b)(iii), third indent (Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92)

>Original text>

- water protection, including waste water treatment;

>Text following EP vote>

- protection of water resources and water management, including waste or contaminated water treatment;

(Amendment 3)

ARTICLE 1(1)

Article 2(2)(aa) (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92)

>Text following EP vote>

(aa) conservation or restoration, from the point of view of nature protection, of significant habitats of threatened species of flora and fauna;

(Amendment 4)

ARTICLE 1(1)

Article 2(3) (Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92)

>Original text>

3) accompanying measures needed to monitor, evaluate or promote the actions undertaken under points 1 and 2 and dissemination of information on the experience and the results obtained of such actions.

>Text following EP vote>

3) accompanying measures needed to monitor, evaluate or promote the actions undertaken during the first stage and under points 1 and 2 and dissemination of information on the experience and the results obtained of such actions.

(Amendment 5)

ARTICLE 1(3)

Article 7(1), second subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92)

>Original text>

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the second phase for the period 1996 to 1999 shall be ECU 450 million.

>Text following EP vote>

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the second phase for the period 1996 to 1999 shall be ECU 600 million.

(Amendment 6)

ARTICLE 1(4)

Article 9(4a) (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92)

>Text following EP vote>

4a. For the actions referred to in Article 2(1)(b), the evaluation shall be carried out in accordance with the following procedure:

>Text following EP vote>

- preselection of the proposed actions shall be carried out by the Commission in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Member States concerned;

>Text following EP vote>

- a classification by order of merit of the preselected proposals shall be carried out by the Commission on the basis of the opinion of an ad hoc group composed of independent experts, meeting under its authority, taking into account the respective merits of the projects and of any relevant component to be supplied, where necessary, by the Member State concerned.

(Amendment 7)

ARTICLE 1(4)

Article 9(5), first subparagraph (Regulation (EEC) No 1973/92)

>Original text>

5. Actions provided for in Article 2, point 1(a) and their flanking measures shall be subject to the procedure set out in Article 21 of Directive 92/43/EEC; other LIFE actions including, where appropriate, procedures for project selection shall be approved in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 13 of this Regulation. The Commission shall inform the committees mentioned in Article 21 of Directive 92/43/EEC and Article 13 of this Regulation of the application of criteria and priorities defined in Article 9a.

>Text following EP vote>

5. Actions provided for in Article 2, point 1(a) and their flanking measures shall be subject to the procedure set out in Article 21 of Directive 92/43/EEC; other LIFE actions shall be approved in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 13 of this Regulation. The Commission shall inform the committees mentioned in Article 21 of Directive 92/43/EEC and Article 13 of this Regulation of the application of criteria and priorities defined in Article 9a.