97/872/EC: Council Decision of 16 December 1997 on a Community action programme promoting non-governmental organizations primarily active in the field of environmental protection

COUNCIL DECISION of 16 December 1997 on a Community action programme promoting non-governmental organizations primarily active in the field of environmental protection (97/872/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130s (1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189c of the Treaty (3),
(1) Whereas the Treaty provides for the development and the implementation of a Community environment policy and sets out the objectives and principles which should guide that policy;
(2) Whereas the resolution of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 1 February 1993 (4) established a Community programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development (fifth action programme);
(3) Whereas, according to the joint declaration by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 30 June 1982 on various measures to improve the budget procedure (5), a legal instrument has to be adopted before appropriations entered in the budget for any new significant Community action can be implemented;
(4) Whereas the Commission, in its communication to the budgetary authority concerning legal bases and maximum amounts, undertook to propose a legal base to cover the subsidies accorded under budget article 'B4-306 - awareness and subsidies`;
(5) Whereas non-governmental organizations (NGOs), active in the field of environmental protection, can contribute to the environment policy of the Community, as laid down in Article 130r of the Treaty;
(6) Whereas NGOs' activities of concrete environmental protection measures and of increasing the general awareness of the need for the protection of the environment should be encouraged;
(7) Whereas the capacity of the national, regional and local environmental NGOs to exchange perspectives, problems and possible solutions relating to environmental problems having a Community dimension, should be enhanced;
(8) Whereas the fifth action programme recognizes that all relevant actors, the Commission and environmental organizations included, working in partnership should undertake concerted actions and share responsibility for achieving the goal of sustainable development;
(9) Whereas the European environmental NGOs are essential to coordinate and channel to the Commission information and views on the new and emerging perspectives, such as on nature protection and transboundary environmental problems, which cannot be, or are not being, fully dealt with at the Member State or subordinate level;
(10) Whereas, therefore, in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity, an action programme encouraging the activities of European environmental NGOs should be established;
(11) Whereas environmental NGOs often use voluntary labour and often receive donations in kind; whereas account (up to 10 % of total eligible costs) may be taken of this special feature of their accounting systems when their revenue and costs, as well as their applications for financial assistance, are considered;
(12) Whereas financial support should be designed in such a way as to take account of the need for openness concerning the use of this support;
(13) Whereas it is important to define the priority areas of activity which the Community programme might support;
(14) Whereas it is necessary to specify the detailed rules for Community financial support under the programme;
(15) Whereas provision should be made for the continuation or discontinuation of the programme, after 31 December 2001;
(16) Whereas a mechanism should be established so that Community assistance may be adapted to the particular features of the measures to be supported;
(17) Whereas it is necessary to establish effective methods of monitoring, assessment and evaluation as well as to ensure adequate information for potential beneficiaries and for the public;
(18) Whereas, in the light of the experience gained in the first three years of implementation, an assessment of the operation of the programme should be undertaken in order to decide on its continuation;
(19) Whereas, a financial reference amount within the meaning of point 2 of the declaration by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 6 March 1995, is included in this Decision for the entire duration of the programme, without thereby affecting the powers of the budgetary authority as they are defined by the Treaty,