Forests: protection and monitoring of atmospheric pollution and fires, action 2003-2008 Forest Focus

2002/0164(COD)
The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Encarnación REDONDO JIMÉNEZ (EPP-ED, Spain) and made several amendments to the common position. The principal amendments are as follows: - the objectives of the scheme should include the development of fire prevention methods; - the new scheme will continue the prevention measures introduced by Regulation 2158/92/EEC; - the scheme will run from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2006; - the financial framework will be EUR 61 million, of which EUR 9 million can be used for fire prevention measures; - competent bodies designated by Member States, if they are private bodies, must have a public service mission providing adequate financial guarantees; - expenditure incurred by Member States in carrying out national programmes approved by the Commission will exceptionally be eligible for co-financing if those actions were launched after 01/01/03 and before the date of entry into force of the regulation, provided the actions were not complete when the Commission decided on the national programmes.�