Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-07-04-Speech-2-150"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20000704.7.2-150"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we are now on the home straight as far as the LIFE regulation is concerned. The debate and procedure have certainly gone on for a very long time, but despite the criticisms raised here, the following proverb is true of the programme: a happy outcome is worth waiting for. The original Commission proposal dates back to December 1998. Notwithstanding the fact that there have already been two debates on the new LIFE regulation in this House, I would still like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of this programme as a programme for promoting environmental protection. That said, it is far from being the only project for promoting environmental objectives that the EU finances. In particular, I would point out the substantial sums of money available within the structural funds, the environmental objective being one of mainstreaming, i.e. applicability across the board.
I would also draw your attention to the money spent on promoting rural development, and to the expenditure on environmental research, protecting the tropical rain forest and promoting environmentally friendly energy. But LIFE has special goals of its own. It will be used to set up the Natura 2000 network – another measure that has your support – and it will promote the incorporation of environmental interests in land utilisation planning, as well as promote environmental projects in the Mediterranean and Baltic regions.
The programme extends over a number of years (2000 to 2004), and the financial allocation was increased from EUR 613 million to EUR 640 million under the conciliation procedure. In the course of the conciliation negotiations there were also discussions about the committees that are supporting the Commission in the implementation of the programme, and on behalf of the Commission, I would draw your attention at this point to the fact that, in our view, the provisions of the corresponding Council decision were not applied correctly, which is why the Commission duly submitted a statement to this effect at the end of the procedure.
Fortunately though, common ground prevailed, and on behalf of the Commission, and specifically my colleague Mrs Wallström, I would like to extend warm thanks to the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection, the Chairwoman Mrs Jackson, and, in particular, the rapporteur, and I would also like to take the opportunity, as Commissioner for the budget, to say that I would be only too pleased to debate and discuss the EU budget and environmental protection with the Committee on the Environment at some point. I hope that it will very soon be possible to report back on the first positive projects under the new LIFE programme."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples