Tropical forests, developing countries: conservation and sustainable management

1999/0015(COD)
The committee adopted the recommendation for second reading (codecision procedure) by Fernando FERNANDEZ MARTIN (EPP/ED, E) amending the Council's common position on the conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests and other forests in developing countries. It retabled many of the amendments which Parliament had adopted at first reading but which had not been incorporated by the Council into its common position. These included an amendment substantially increasing the amount of money allocated for implementing the regulation during the period 2000-2006, to take account of the extremely difficult budgetary situation in 2000 and to guarantee a 'critical mass' needed for the projects in this area. Another amendment sought to increase transparency in the implementation of the regulation, by ensuring that Parliament was informed of the strategic guidelines and priorities for implementing the various measures. The committee also felt that it was inappropriate to limit the duration of the regulation (the proposal stipulated that it should apply until the end of 2006), as the protection and conservation of forests in the developing countries remained an ongoing task.