-1 COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0MC91) 431 final 
Brussels, 6 November 1991 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
amending Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 on the protection of 
the Community's forests against atmospheric pollution 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
on protection of the Community's forests 
against fire 
(presented by the Commission) 
1 
ECTLANAflOBy MarreAurqM 
I. Intrcductlon 
In Hay 1989 the Oouncdl adopted an Initial forestry action 
programme with four priorities: 
protection of forests from air pollution and fires 
support for the afforestation of farmland 
the development and exploitation of forests in oertain 
rural areas 
creation of the Standing Forestry Committee. 
These four main priorities were aooompanied by measures such as 
improvement of the processing and marketing of forest-products and 
the introduction of EF1CS, the European Forestry Information and 
Oommunjcation System. 
The Commission is currently preparing a revision of this set of 
measures with a view to ensuring that a coherent forestry action 
programme is presented in the light of the expérience gained from 
their application within a regional and rural development context 
and in close connection with the reform of the common agricultural 
policy. 
However, the expiry at the end of 1991 of the two Regulations on 
the protection of forests from atmospheric pollution? and from 
fire* makes it necessary to bring forward the presentation of the 
draft proposals for the renewal and revision of these two measures 
in order to avoid interrupting their continuity. This will not 
prejudice the overall view and coherence of the forestry action 
programme and, in addition, is Justified in that the measures are 
not Hnfracl to the reform of the GAP. 
Regulation (EBC) No 3528/86 of 17 November 1986, OJ L 326, p. 2, as 
amended by Regulation (EBC) No 1613/89 of 29 Hay 1989, OJ L 165, p. 8. 
Regulation (EBC) No 3529/86 of 17 November 1986, OJ L 326, p. 5, as 
amended by Regulation (EBC) No 1614/89 of 29 May 1989, OJ L No 165, 
p. 10. 
- 2 -
H. Proposals 
1. Forest Protection Against Atmospheric Pollution 
Regulation (EBC) No 3528/86 on the protection of the Community's 
forests against atmospheric pollution produced the following 
results: 
establishment of a Community observation network for 
monitoring forest health; 
the drawing up of two reports on the health of forests - a 
third is under preparation; 
Implementation of projects aimed at a better understanding 
of the forest die-back phenomenon. 
Work is in progress on establishing an intensive forest monitoring 
network in close collaboration with the Concerted International 
Programme on Assessing and Monitoring the Effects of Airborne 
Pollution on Forests. 
Proposal 
The Commission proposes to renew the Regulation for five years in 
its current form and link the European network of tree observation 
plots to a more Intensive forest monitoring network. The new 
measure should not only Improve knowledge of the complex forest 
ecosystem/pollutants Interaction but also help to Implement 
political undertakings made by European and Community countries at 
the Pan-European Ministerial Conference on Forest Health held in 
Strasbourg on 18/19 December 1990. 
2. Forest Protection Against Fire 
Forest destruction by fire, particularly in the Community's 
Mediterranean regions, is one of the major ecological and économie 
problems in the regions concerned. Each year fires rage through 
more than 500 000 hectares of forest in southern Europe. 
Up to now the Community has financed fire prevention measures via 
the following: 
- 3 -
- EAGGF: 
* Regulation (EBC) No 269/79 establishing a common measure 
for forestry in oertain Mediterranean zones of the 
Community, renewed in a broader framework by the Integrated 
Mediterranean Programmes (IMPs) 
* In the framework of specific measures applicable In oertain 
areas of Italy, France and Spain [Regulations (EBC) No 
1400/86, No 1401/86, No 1118/88] 
* to a oertain degree, under the framework of regional and 
rural development in Objective 1 and 5(b) areas. 
- non-EAGGF: 
under Regulation (EBC) No 3529/86 on protection of the 
Community's forests against fire, as amended by Regulation 
(EBC) NO 1614/89. 
The expiry of the IMPs and Reg. 3529/86 risks creating large gaps 
since the rural development basis alone cannot adequately deal with 
the major problem of fires which, moreover, are not restricted to 
Objective 1 and 5(b) areas. 
If the forest ecosystems and their environmental, economic and 
social functions are to be safeguarded it is essential that 
Reg. 3529/86 be renewed. 
One major fires In the past two years that have destroyed a large 
part of the forest Investments financed under the EAGGF 
(Reg. 269/79, IMPs) dearly demonstrated the large gaps in action 
and policies on forest fire protection, particularly as far as the 
cohérence between the various measures Is concerned. 
Proposal 
On the basis of numerous discussions on the problems of protecting 
forests from fire held by the Standing Forestry Committee and 
consultations with various non-governmental organizations (OCPF, 
OOPA, etc.) and regional experts, the Commission proposes to renew 
Regulation (EBC) No 3529/86 for a period of 5 years with radical 
amendments aimed at: 
oonoentratlng Community efforts primarily on high-risk fire 
zones; 
- 4 -
encouraging Member States to develop coherent forest fire 
protection strategies comprising both the analysis and 
reduction of the causes of fire and prevention and 
monitoring within the framework of zonal plans; restricting 
Community finance to actions which clearly fall within such 
strategies; 
developing an Information system (databank) on forest fires 
which should Improve the effectiveness of protection 
systems and permit an analysis of causes. 
It should be noted that, with the development of this system, the 
Community and the Mariner States will be helping to Implement a 
decentralized European databank which was the subject of political 
undertakings made by the European and Community countries at the 
Pan-European Ministerial Conference on Forest Health held in 
Strasbourg on 18/19 December 1990. 
-X 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No /.. 
Of 1991 
amending Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 on the protection of 
the Community's forests against atmospheric pollution 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
and in particular Articles 43 and 130s thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission*1), 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par Iiament*2), 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee^3^, 
Whereas the Community's forests are continuing to deteriorate and steps 
should therefore be taken to prolong and supplement the Community scheme 
introduced by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86(4), as last amended by 
Regulation (EEC) No 1613/89<5>; 
Whereas precise data should be collected on the extent and development of a 
number of forest pollutants, together with detailed information on basic 
ecological parameters, in order to be able better to pinpoint the cause-
and-effect relationships that lead to the deterioration of forests; 
whereas a European network of permanent observation plots for monitoring 
the forest ecosystem would be the appropriate instrument for this purpose, 
(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 0J No L 326, 21.11.1986, p. 2. 
(5) 0J No L 165, 15. 6.1989, p. 8. 
- G-
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 is hereby amended as follows: 
1. Article 2 is replaced by the following : 
"Article 2 
1. The aim of the scheme shall be to help the Member States to : 
- establish on the basis of common methods a periodic inventory of 
damage caused to forests, in particular by atmospheric pollution, 
- establish or extend, in a coordinated and harmonious way, the 
network of observation plots required to draw up that inventory, 
- conduct intensive, continuous surveillance of forestry ecosystems, 
- establish or extend, in a coordinated and harmonious way, a network 
of permanent observation plots required for such intensive, 
continuous surveillance. 
2. The Member States shall forward to the Commission the data gathered 
by the network of observation plots for the inventory and the network 
of observation plots for intensive surveillance. 
3. The detailed rules for the implementation of this Article and in 
particular those relating to the gathering, type, comparabiIity and 
transmission of the data collected shall be laid down in accordance 
with the procedure provided for in Article 7." 
9-
2. Article 7 is replaced by the following : 
"Article 7 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be followed, 
matters shall be referred to the Standing Forestry Committee set up 
by Council Decision 89/367/EEC by its chairman, either on his own 
initiative or at the request of a Member State. 
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a 
draft of the measures to be adopted. The Committee shall deliver its 
opinion on the draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay 
down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be 
delivered by the majority provided for in Article 148(2) of the 
Treaty in the case of decisions which the Council is required to 
adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of the 
representatives of the Member States within the Committee shall be 
weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall 
not vote. 
The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. 
However, if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of 
the Committee, they shall be communicated by the Commission to the 
Council forthwith. In that event, the Commission may defer 
appIication of the measures which it has decided for a period of not 
more than one month from the date of such communication. 
The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different 
decision within the time limit referred to in the second sub 
paragraph." 
3. Article 11 is replaced by the following : 
"Article 11 
1. The duration of the scheme shall be 10 years as from 1 January 1987. 
2. The Community shall contribute towards the scheme up to the limit of 
the appropriations entered to that effect in the budget of the 
European Communities and in accordance with the terms of this 
Régulât ion. 
3. Before expiry of the period referred to in paragraph 1, this 
Regulation shall be reviewed by the Council, acting on a proposal 
from the Commission." 
Art icle 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its 
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in 
a I I Member States. 
Done at , 1991. 
For the CounciI 
The President 
3 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
regarding: 
Draft Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 on the protection of 
the Community's forests against atmospheric pollution (1) 
1 Budget head I 
I I I B 2 
I I I B 8 nfl: Item 
515 
255 HUA: 
Forests 
Forests (support and maintenance 
expenditure) 
2. Legal basis; Articles 43 and 130s 
3. Classification: Non-compulsory expenditure 
4. Alms of the measure and description of the scheme; To collect and 
analyse data on the level and development of pollutants in forests and their 
effects on the forest ecosystem; in addition, to carry out pilot projects on 
forest restoration and the improvement of observation methods. 
Co-financing of national 5. Method of calculation: 
5.1 Nature of expenditure: Heading III B2-515: 
expenditure. 
5.2 Share of Community financing: 50% maximum (100% for support and maintenance 
schemes financed under heading III B 8-255) 
5.3 Calculât ion: 
Community expenditure Support and maintenance 
expenditure (100% charged to 
the Community; studies, expert 
reports, publications, etc.): 
ECU 0.3 mi I I./Year 
(CA in mi I I ion ECU/Year) 
inventory network, observation points 3.9 
pi lot projects 
(restoration, improvement of 
observation methods and of the 
understanding of the effects of 
pollutants on the forest ecosystem) 1.5 
evaluation and fol low-up 0.6 
TOTAL ÊJK2) 
6. 
6.1 Financial Implications for operating appropriations: 
Schedule of commitment and payment appropriations (ECU mi 11 ion) 
Heading 111 B2-515 Heading 11 I B8-255 
Financial year £A P£ CA/PA 
1992 (4) 
1993 6.0 
1994 6.0 
1995 6.0 
1996 6.0 
Subsequent financial 
years 
TOTAL 28.0 4.0 (3) p.m 0.2 (3) 
3.1 0.3 
5.2 0.3 
5.6 0.3 
5.6 0.3 
8.5 
28.0 1.4 
6.2 Financing during the current financial year: 
7. Comments: 
CA - Committment appropriations / PA - Payment appropriations 
(1)- The purpose of the draft regulation is to extend by 5 years the measures 
provided for under Regulation (EEC) No 3528/86 which expires on 
31 December 1991, and to strengthen and expand these. 
- A o -
(2) For the 5 years during which the current arrangements under Regulation (EEC) 
No 3528/86have been applied, expenditure works out at a total of ECU 13.5 
million, that is ECU 2.7 million per year. The increase of ECU 3.3 
million/year is due firstly to intensified observation from existing 
observation points (it is also intended to collect data on soil condition); 
secondly, the increase in annual costs results from the setting up of 
additional permanent observation points for intensive monitoring of forest 
ecosystems. 
(3) It is assumed that the scheme will not be fully operational until 1993; 
consequently the amounts for the first year of implementation are lower than 
the estimate under 5.3. 
(4) Figures for 1992 correspond to the 1992 preliminary draft budget. 
11 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No /.. 
Of 
on protection of the Community's forests 
against fire 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in 
particular Articles 43 and 130s thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, 
Whereas forests play an essential role in maintaining basic equilibria, 
particularly as regards the soil, water resources, climate, fauna and flora; 
Whereas forests therefore contribute towards the safeguarding and development of 
agriculture and the countryside, which may be greatly dependent on the presence 
and good upkeep of the surrounding forests; 
Whereas, especially in the southern parts of the Community, the role of forests 
is under increasing threat from fire, which damages vast tracts of forested land 
every year-, 
Whereas the protection of forests against fire is an urgent and important issue 
for the Community; whereas the Community must make a greater contribution to 
the efforts of Member States to improve such protection; 
A 2, .. 
Whereas, in order to reduce the number and extent of fire outbreaks and areas 
burnt, the Community's contribution must be directed towards combating the 
causes of fire and improving fire prevention and forest surveillance; 
Whereas the Community's contribution must be concentrated primarily in the areas 
which face a permanent or cyclical fire risk; whereas the territory of the 
Community must therefore be classified according to the degree of risk of forest 
fire; whereas the Community's contribution must vary with the said degree of 
r isk ; 
Whereas, especially in areas of high risk, the Community must contribute to the 
implementation of integrated forest fire protection plans, comprising measures 
to eliminate causes and to institute or improve systems of prevention and 
moni tor ing; 
Whereas the setting-up of a data bank covering the Member States and the 
Community can constitute an important tool for improving the system of forest 
f i re protect ion; 
Whereas action to set up the combat against forest fires covers, inter alia. 
putting into practice the Resolutions of 23 November 1990^1^ on Community 
cooperation on civil protection and of 10 June 1991(2^on the improvement of 
mutual technological assistance between the Member States in case of a natural 
disaster-, whereas, as part of that action the collection by the Commission in 
conjunction with the Member States of information relating to the means to 
combat fires would usefully supplement the data bank provided for in this 
Régulât ion; 
Whereas, in order to facilitate the implementation of the measures contemplated, 
close cooperation must be established between the Member States and the 
Commission; whereas such cooperation may be achieved through the Standing 
Forestry Committee, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
(1) OJ No C 315, 14.12.1990, pp.1-2 
(2) OJ No. 
Art icle 1 
1. In order to set up efforts to maintain and monitor forest ecosystems and to 
safeguard the productive potential of forests for the benefit of rural areas, 
a Community scheme for the protection of forests against fire, hereinafter 
called "scheme", is hereby instituted. 
2. The purpose of the scheme is: 
- to reduce the number of forest fire outbreaks 
- to reduce the extent of areas burnt. 
3. The scheme shall comprise: 
(a) measures to identify the causes of forest fires and the means of 
combating them, and in particular: 
- studies to identify the causes of fires and the background thereto; 
- studies to devise proposals for schemes to eliminate such causes 
and background; 
- campaigns to inform and educate the public; 
(b) measures to set up or improve systems of prevention, with particular 
emphasis on the launching of protective infrastructures such as forest 
paths, tracks, water supply points, firebreaks, cleared and felled 
areas, and on the launching of operations to maintain firebreaks, 
cleared and felled areas, within the framework of a global strategy 
for the protection of forested land against fire; 
(c) measures to set up or improve monitoring systems, with particular 
emphasis on the installation of fixed or mobile monitoring facilities 
and the purchase of communications equipment; 
-,4 M . 
(d) accompanying measures, including: 
- training of highly specialized personnel; 
- analytical studies and pilot or demonstration projects to try out 
new methods, techniques and technologies likely to enhance the 
effectiveness of the scheme. 
Article 2 
1. Member States shall classify their territory according to the degree of 
forest-fire risk. An area classified by degree of risk must normally 
correspond to an administrative area at least equivalent to NUTS level III. 
2. Only areas where the permanent or cyclical risk of forest fire presents a 
serious threat to the ecological balance and the safety of persons and goods 
or constitutes a factor which is hastening the process of depopulation of 
rural areas may be classified as areas of high risk. 
Only areas in the regions of Corsica, Languedoc-Roussi I Ion, Provence-Alpes-
Côte d'Azur and the departments of Ardèche and Drôme in France, the 
Mezzogiorno, Lazio, Tuscany, Liguria, Umbria, Marche, EmiIia-Romagna, the 
provinces of Cuneo and Alessandria in Piedmont and the province of Pavia in 
Lombardy in Italy, in Greece, Portugal and Spain may be classified as areas 
of h igh r isk. 
3. Areas where the forest-fire risk is not permanent or cyclical but presents a 
significant threat to forest ecosystems may be classified as areas of medium 
r isk . 
- 1S~ 
4. The other areas of the Community shall be classified as areas of low risk. 
5. Member States shall send to the Commission the lists of areas classified by 
degree of risk not later than six months after the entry into force of this 
Régulât ion. 
The Commission shall decide to approve the lists in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 9. 
Art icle 3 
1. Member States shall forward to the Commission forest-fire protection plans 
for the areas classified as high risk and medium risk. 
2. For areas of high risk the plans shall comprise: 
- a description of the present situation in the area or subarea as regards 
the system of prevention and monitoring and the available means of fire 
control, together with the methods and techniques used to protect forests 
against fire; 
- an account of the fires occurring in the five preceding years and a 
description of the principal causes identified; 
- an indication of the objectives to be attained by the end of the plan's 
durât ion as regards: 
* elimination or reduction of principal causes 
* improvement of systems of prevention and monitoring 
* improvement of control systems; 
- a description of the measures contemplated for achieving the objectives; 
-4e 
- particulars of the partners associated with the protection of forests 
against fire and the procedures for coordinating their participation. 
3. For areas of medium risk the plans shall comprise: 
- a description of the present situation in the area or subarea as regards 
the system of prevention and monitoring and the methods and techniques used 
to protect forests against fire-, 
- an indication of the objectives to be attained by the end of the plan's 
duration as regards the elimination or reduction of the principal causes 
and the improvement of systems of prevention and monitoring; 
- a description of the measures contemplated for achieving the objectives; 
- particulars of the partners associated with the protection of forests 
against fire and the procedures for coordinating their participation. 
4. After consulting the Standing Forestry Committee the Commission shall deliver 
an opinion on the forest-fire protection plans within three months of their 
forward ing. 
5. From 1 January 1993, Community financing of forestry measures in areas 
classified as high risk or medium risk shall be subject to the adoption of 
forest-fire protection plans and the implementation of measures in accordance 
with such plans. 
Art icle 4 
1. Before 1 November each year, Member States shall submit to the Commission 
their projects or programmes for improving the protection of forests against 
f ire. 
2. Projects and programmes may concern: 
- for high-risk areas, measures as specified in Article 1(3)(a), (b), (c) and 
(d); 
- for medium-risk areas, measures as specified in Article 1(3)(b) and (d), 
and campaigns to inform and educate the public. 
3. After 1 November 1992, only projects and programmes covered by plans as 
referred to in Article 3 which have received a favourable opinion from the 
Commission may be submitted. 
After 1 November 1992 priority shall be given to programmes. 
4. Detailed rules for applying paragraph 1 shall be adopted in accordance with 
the procedure laid down in Article 9. 
Art icle 5 
1. The Commission shall ensure the coordination and monitoring of the forest-
fire protection scheme covered by this Regulation. In particular, it may 
seek the assistance of research institutes and scientific and technical 
advisers. 
-1 g -
2. Coordination and monitoring shall also cover assistance to help Member States 
set up a system of information on forest fires with the following aims: 
- encouragement of exchanges of information on forest fires; 
- ongoing evaluation of the impact of measures undertaken by Member States 
and the Commission to protect forests against fire; 
- evaluation of the periods, degree and causes of risk; 
- development of strategies for the protection of forests against fire, with 
particular emphasis on the elimination or reduction of causes. 
3. Detailed rules for the application of paragraph 2 shall be adopted in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 9. 
They shall cover, in particular, the type, comparability and collection of 
data and the procedures for access to the data gathered. 
4. Member States may confine the collection of data to areas classed as high 
r isk and medium r isk. 
5. in preparation for the setting-up of information systems, the Commission may 
finance pilot projects to explore the feasibility of the various objectives 
of the system. Projects shall be set up in consultation with the competent 
authorities of the Member States. 
13 _ 
Art icle 6 
1. The Commission shall decide on the Community's financial-contr ibut i-on .to the 
projects and programmes submitted by the Member States and defined in 
Article 4. The granting of Community financial aid shall be decided after 
the Standing Forestry Committee, set up by Council Decision 89/367/EEC, has 
been consulted. 
2. The Community's financial contribution towards the measures referred to in 
Article 1(3) (a) to (d) shall be: 
- not more than 50% of the expenditure approved by the Commission in high-
r isk areas ; 
- not more than 30% of the expenditure approved by the Commission in medium-
r isk areas; 
3. Expenditure on coordination as referred to in Article 5(1) shall be borne by 
the Community. However, the Community's financial contribution towards the 
expenditure of the Member States on setting up the information system 
referred to in Article 5 (2) shall be : 
- not more than 50% for operations in respect of high-risk areas; 
- not more than 30% for operations in respect of medium-risk areas-, 
- not more than 15% for operations in respect of other areas. 
Art icle 7 
Member States shall designate the departments and agencies authorized to 
implement measures taken pursuant to this Regulation and the departments and 
agencies to which the Commission departments are to reimburse the sums 
corresponding to the Community's contribution. 
Article 8 
Member States shall take the necessary measures, in accordance with national 
laws, regulations and administrative provisions, in order to: 
- ascertain the effective and regular nature of the operations financed by the 
Community; 
- prevent irregularities; 
- recover sums lost as a result of irregularities or negligence. 
Member states shall make available to the Commission all the necessary 
information and shall take all appropriate steps to facilitate any checks the 
Commission may deem fit to make in connection with the management of Community 
funding, including on-site verifications. Member States shall inform the 
Commission of the measures taken to this end. 
Art icle 9 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be followed, the matter 
shall be referred by its chairman to the Standing Forestry Committee set up 
by Council Decision 89/367/EEC, either on his own initiative or. at the 
request of the representative of a Member State. 
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of 
the measures to be taken . The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the 
draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the 
urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority laid 
down in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which the 
Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The votes of 
the representatives of the Member States within the Committee shall be 
weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not vote. 
2.1 
The Commission shall adopt measures which shall apply immediately. However, 
if these measures are not in accordance with the opinion of the Committee, 
they shall be communicated by the Commission to the Council forthwith, in 
that event, the Commission may defer application of the measures which it has 
decided for a period of not more than one month from the date of such 
communicat ion. 
The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision 
within the time limit referred to in subparagraph 2. 
Article 10 
1. The scheme is scheduled to run for five years from 1 January 1992. 
2. The Community shall contribute to the scheme within the limits of the 
appropriations entered for the purpose in the budget of the European 
Communities and in accordance with this Regulation. 
3. Before expiry of the period referred to in paragraph 1, this Regulation sha 
be reviewed by the Council on a proposal by the Commission and on the basis 
of a progress report relating to the sector covered. 
Article 11 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 3529/86 of 17 November 1986 on protection of the 
Community's forests against fire shall remain applicable to projects or 
programmes submitted before 31 December 1991. 
- 2~ 2 -
Article 12 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its 
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all 
Member States. 
Done at ... , For the Council 
The President 
- 2 -h -
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
regarding: 
Draft Council Regulation on protection of the Community's forests against fire (1) 
1. Budget heading: III B2-515 forests 
III B8-255 forests (support and maintenance expenditure) 
2. Legal basis: Articles 43 and 130s 
3. Classification: Non-compulsory expenditure 
4. Objectives of the measure and description of the scheme: To reduce in number 
and size the outbreaks of fire and the areas burnt down by combatting the 
causes of fire and by introducing fire prevention and forest surveillance 
measures. 
5. Method of calculation: 
5.1 Nature of the expenditure: Heading III B2-515: co-financing of national 
expenditure 
5.2 Share of Community financing: 
For the protection and surveillance measures, etc. (Article 1(3)), 30% or 
50% maximum according to the degree of risk of fire in the region 
concerned; 
for the measures relating to the setting up of the information system 
(Article 5(2)), 15%, 30% or 50% maximum according to the degree of risk 
of fire in the region concerned; 
for the support and maintenance schemes financed under heading III B-255 
(minibudget), 100%. 
5.3 Calculât ion: 
Heading IiI B2-515: 
(CA per year in ECU million) 
dealing with the causes 3.0 
prevention 11.0 
survei Nance && 
Total 20.0 (2) 
Heading III B8-255 (mini budget - 100% charged to the Community: studies, expert 
reports, publications, etc.): ECU 0.8 mi 11 ion/year. 
2 M 
6. 
6.1 
1 Financial Implications for operating appropriations; 
Schedule of commitment and payment appropriations (ECU mi 11 ion) CA/PA 
Heading III B2-515 
£A Financial year CA 
1992 (4) 11.4 (3) 
1993 20.0 9.1 
1994 20.0 16.8 
1995 20.0 18.6 
1996 20.0 19.8 
Subsequent financial 
years 0.1 Heading III B8-255 
ÇA/PA 
0.8 
0.8 
0.8 
0.8 0.6 (3) 
27.0 
TOTAL 91.4 91.4 
6.2 Financing during the current financial year: 3.8 
7. Comments: 
CA - commitment appropriations/PA - payment appropriations 
(1) The purpose of this draft is to revise in depth and extend for 5 years the 
term of validity of Regulations (EEC) Nos 3529/86 and 1614/89 on protection of 
the Community's forests against fire, which expire at the end of 1991. 
(2) For the 5 years during which the current arrangements under Regulation (EEC) 
No 3529/86 have been applied, expenditure works out at ECU 43.0 million, that 
is ECU 8.6 million/year. The increase of ECU 11.4 million/year is due to the 
fact that the forest fire prevention measures will be applied over a larger 
geographical area and results from an extension of the measures financed 
(dealing with the causes of fires). 
(3) It is assumed that the scheme will not be fully operational until 1993; 
consequently the amounts for the first year of implementation are lower than 
the estimate under point 5.3. 
(4) The figures for 1992 correspond to the 1992 preliminary draft budget. 

-2 s ._ 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(91) 431 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 14 03 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-475-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-76860-6 
Office for Officiai Publications of the European Communities 
1X2985 Luxembourg