NoC78/8 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 19.3.93
II
(PreparatoryActs)
COMMISSION
ProposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)onoperationstopromotetropicalforests
(93/C78/05)
COM(93)53final
(SubmittedbytheCommissionon26February1993)
WhereastheCommunityintendstoexpanditsactionsto
promotetheconservationoftropicalforestsinallappro­
priateways,withinthecontextofitsdevelopmentpolicy
andusingtherelevantinstrumentsofdevelopment
assistance ;
WhereasaCommunityaction,complementing Member
States'actions,willfacilitateabetterrealizationofthe
objectivespursued;
Whereasexistingfinancialinstrumentsavailabletothe
Communityfordevelopmentcooperationarenot
adaptedforthesupportofcertaintypesofappropriate
actioninthefieldoftropicalforests;
Whereasasubstantialcommitment ofresourcesis
requiredtohaveasignificantimpactontropicalforests;
Whereasitisthereforenecessarytosetupapermanent
frameworktoexecutetheseactions;THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
Community ,andinparticularArticles130Sand235,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission ,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEuropean
Parliament ,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicand
SocialCommittee ,
WhereastheCommissioncommunication totheCouncil
of16October1989on'Theconservationoftropical
forests:theroleoftheCommunity setoutbroad
guidelinesforCommunityactioninthissphere;
WhereastheresolutionoftheCouncilofMinistersfor
DevelopmentCooperationof29May1990onTropical
forests:developmentaspectsestablishedabasisforthe
useofdevelopmentinstrumentsintropicalforestconser­
vation;
WhereastheEuropeanParliamentexpressedconcern
overthedestructionoftropicalforestsandtheconse­
quencesforforestdwellersinmanyparliamentaryresol­
utions;
WhereastheEuropeanCouncilofJune1990inDublin
calledforaprogrammeofactiontobedrawnupto
counteractthethreattotropicalforests;
WhereastheCommunityanditsMemberStateswere
signatoriestotheRioDeclarationonForestsinJune
1992;Whereasdetailedrulesforimplementation ,andin
particulartheformofaction,therecipientsoftheaid,
anddecisionproceduresshouldbelaiddown;and
whereasinordertocoverallaspectsofsustainabledevel­
opmentwhichformpartoftheaimofthisregulation,it
isnecessarytorefertoArticle235asnootherspecific
powersfordevelopmentpolicyareprovidedinthe
Treaty,
HASADOPTEDTHISREGULATION
Article1
TheCommunityshallsupportactionstopromotethe
conservationandthesustainablemanagementoftropical
forestsinaccordancewiththecriteriaandprocedures
providedforinthisRegulation . (')OJNoC264,16.10.1989,p.1.

19.3.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC78/9
Article2
1.Tropicalforestsshallbedefined,forthepurposes
ofthisRegulation,asthoseforests,savannahsandtrees,
andtheirrespectiveecosystems,thatarefoundwithin
thetropicsandsubtropicsinbothdryandhumid
climates,includingtheirhumanpopulations,whetheror
notindigenous,otherpopulationsofforestregionswho
utilizetheforest,orwhoseactionsaffecttheforest.
2.Conservationshallbeconsidered,forthepurposes
ofthisRegulation,toincludeallactionstopreserve,
rehabilitateandrationallymanagetropicalforests.
3.Sustainableforestmanagement isunderstoodasthe
plannedutilizationofforestsinamannercompatible
withtheconservationofforestecosystemsforfuture
generations .
4.Sustainabledevelopmentshallbeconsideredasthe
improvementofthelivingstandardsandwelfareofthe
relevantpopulations,whilemaintainingnaturalassets,
includingforests,forthebenefitoffuturegenerations .(b)sustainablemanagementofforestsdesignatedforthe
productionoftimberandotherproducts;
(c)involvementoflocalpopulations,includingforest
dwellers,intheplanningandimplementation of
actionsthataretobefinancedandofnationaland
localforestutilizationplans;
(d)capacity-building toaddresstheneedsfortraining,
legislationandinstitutionalstrengthening insupport
offorestconservation ;
(e)strategic,adaptiveandpolicyresearchtoprovidethe
necessaryknowledgebaseforactivitiesincludedin
(a),(b)and(c)andtosupportcapacitybuildingacti­
vitiesindicatedin(d).
2.Whereverappropriate,actionsshallbecoordinated
withandprovidesupportforinternationalprogrammes
concernedwithtropicalforests,suchastheTropical
ForestActionPlan,andtheInternationalTropical
TimberOrganization .
3.Whereverappropriate,operationsshallbecarried
outwithintheframeworkofregionalorganizationsand
internationalprogrammesofcooperation .
Article5
FundingshallbegrantedbytheCommunityeither
autonomouslyorbymeansofco-financingwithMember
States,orwithmultilateral,regionalorotherorganiz­
ations.Inthelastcase,asfaraspossible,thecharacterof
Communityaidshallbemaintained .
Article6
Communityfundingshallbeintheformofnon-reim­
bursablegrants.
Article7
Financialandtechnicalassistancemaycoverallforeign
currencycostsandlocalcostsforcarryingoutprojects
andprogrammes,including,whenevernecessary,inte­
gratedprogrammesandsectoralprojects.
Systematiceffortsshallbemadetoseekcontributions ,
particularlyinfinancialform,frompartners(countries,
localcommunities ,undertakings ,individualrecipients)as
farastheirmeanspermitandaccordingtothenatureof
eachoperation.
Thepaymentoftaxes,dutiesandchargesshallbe
excludedfromCommunityfinancing.
Studycostsandtheshort-andlong-termuseofexperts
toassisttherecipientsandtheCommissionindevising
generalpolicies,identifyingandpreparingoperations
andmonitoringandevaluatingthemshallnormallybeArticle3
1.UnderthisRegulation,theCommunityshall
providefinancialsupportortechnicalexpertisefor
actionswhichsupportandencouragetheeffortsof
developingcountriesandtheirregionalorganizationsto
conservetheirtropicalforests,inthecontextofthe
sustainabledevelopmentofthosecountriesandregions.
2.Thefinancingshallbedirectedtobothpublicand
privateorganizations ,includingNGOsandrepresen­
tativeassociationsofindigenouspeoplesandofother
forestdwellers,whichincludetheconservationof
tropicalforestsamongtheirstatedobjectivesorregular
activities .
3.Specialconsiderationshallbegiventoactionsin
supportoftheconservationofforestswhichare
consideredtobeofimportanceforglobaleffects,suchas
climatechangeandlossofbiodiversity .
Article4
1.Theprioritygiventospecificactionswillbe
determinedaccordingtotheneedsofeachcountryas
reflectedinnationaldevelopmentandenvironment
policiesrelatingtoforests.Particularconsideration ,
however,shallbegiventoactionsthatpromotethe
following :
(a)conservationofforestssupportedbyanalysisofthe
underlyingcausesofdeforestationandmeasuresto
addressthem;

NoC78/10 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 19.3.93
coveredbyCommunityfunds,eitheraspartofthe
financingforindividualoperationsorseparately.
Article8
Submissionofproposals,participationincallsfortender,
invitationstotender,andpurchasingandothercontracts
shallbeopenonequaltermstoallnaturalandlegal
personsfromMembersStatesandtherecipientcountry
orcountries.Suchparticipationmaybeextendedto
otherdevelopingcountriesreceivingCommunityaid,
particularlyincasesofco-financingorinorderto
preventthecostoftheprojectsfromincreasingunduly
asaresultofdistance,transportdifficulties,ordelivery
delays.
Article9
ProjectsandprogrammesforwhichCommunityfunding
exceedsECU2millionandanysubstantialmodifications
andpossibleoverrunsofapprovedprojectsand
programmeswhichexceed20°/ooftheamountinitially
agreed,shallbeadoptedaccordingtotheprocedurelaid
downinArticle10(2).
Article10
1.TheCommissionshalladministertropicalforest
cooperationactivities.
2.TheCommissionshallbeassistedbyanadvisory
committeecomposedofrepresentatives oftheMember
Statesandchairedbytherepresentative ofthe
Commission .
TherepresentativeoftheCommissionshallsubmittothe
committeeadraftofthemeasurestobetaken.The
committeeshalldeliveritsopiniononthedraft,withina
timelimitwhichthechairmanmaylaydownaccording
totheurgencyofthematter,ifnecessarybytakinga
vote.Theopinionshallberecordedintheminutes;in
addition,eachMemberStateshallhavetherighttoask
tohaveitspositionrecordedintheminutes.
TheCommission shalltaketheutmostaccountofthe
opiniondeliveredbythecommittee .Itshallinformthe
committeeofthemannerinwhichitsopinionhasbeen
takenintoaccount.
3.WheretheCommissionfindsitnecessaryorappro­
priatetoestablishfurtherproceduresfortheexecutionof
relevantactions,thosemeasuresshouldbeadopted
accordingtotheprocedurelaiddownunderpara­
graph2.
Article11
TheCommissionshallsubmitareportannuallytothe
CouncilandtotheEuropeanParliament,specifyingthe
actionsthathavebeenfinancedandsummarizingtheir
progressandconclusions,toenablethemtotakestock
ofthedevelopmentofactivities.
Article12
ThisRegulationshallbeimplementedunderacoherent
approachwhichalsoincludesactionsunderCouncil
Regulation(EEC)No443/92onfinancialandtechnical
assistanceandeconomiccooperationwith,tothe
developingcountriesofLatinAmericaandAsia,andthe
FourthLomeConvention .
Article13
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceontheday
followingitspublicationintheOfficialJournalofthe
EuropeanCommunities .
Thisregulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyand
directlyapplicableinallMemberStates.