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.�