The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Caroline JACKSON (Epp-ED, UK) and made some amendments to the proposal. These amendments take into account the concerns related to land purchase with LIFE financing and the avoidance of double funding. The amendments are part of a first reading compromise package reached between the rapporteur, the major political groups and the Council:
- projects receiving aid provided for under the Structural Funds or other Community budget instruments shall not be eligible for financial assistance under the Regulation. The Commission must ensure that applicants' attention is drawn to the fact that they cannot cumulate subsidies from different Community funds. Appropriate measures shall be put in place to prevent the possibility of double funding;
- a new clause states that the salary costs of a civil servant shall be considered eligible only to the extent that they relate to the cost of activities that the relevant public authority would not carry out if the project concerned were not undertaken;
- the grant of assistance in respect of purchase of land must be subject to the condition that the land is reserved in the long term for uses of land consistent with the objective of LIFE. Member States must ensure the long-term reservation of such land for nature conservation purposes;
- the compromise sets the budget EUR 317.2 million, which is the amount proposed by the Commission. However, the budgetary authority shall authorise annual appropriations within the limits of the applicable financial perspective;
- the Commission must ensure that the results of all funded projects are disseminated to the general public and shall further demonstrate how the skills and experience gained may be reproduced elsewhere.�