ACT: Commission Regulation 1737/2006/EC of 7 November 2006 laying down rules for the implementation of Regulation 2152/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning monitoring of forests and environmental interactions in the Community.
CONTENT: this Regulation lays down the detailed rules for the implementation of:
1) Monitoring air pollution effects on forest ecosystems: this is to be carried out on the basis of the systematic network of observation points and of the network of observation plots for intensive monitoring. By 15 December each year, each Member State shall forward to the Commission the data collected during the preceding year for each Level I point. The number of observation plots (Level II) to be selected for that network shall be limited to 15 for each Member State. By 15 December each year Member States shall forward to the Commission all data measured during the preceding year for each Level II plot.
2) European Forest Fire Information System: the “European Forest Fire Information System” (EFFIS) will be operated by the Joint Research Centre of the Commission. By 1 July each year, each Member State will be obliged to submit common core data for every forest fire in their territory to the Commission for the previous year.
3) Studies, experiments and demonstration projects: the Commission will establish a ranking of priorities for granting Community support to proposals for studies, experiments and demonstration projects and testing on the basis of a pilot phase submitted by the Member States.
4) Competent Bodies: each Member State must designate a competent body to be the contact point for the Commission. Belgium, Germany and Portugal may designate more than one competent body. The competent bodies may be either public-sector bodies or private law entities with a public-service mission and must offer adequate financial guarantees. They must first be approved by the Commission. Their tasks will be to:
The Regulation also contains provisions on:
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 03/12/2006