Forest protection parameters could be widened
The EU's Economic and Social Committee published opinion on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council recommendation on the protection of the Communities' forests against atmospheric pollution and fire could see the programme's parameters widened. This follows a request from the Council of the European Communities for the Economic and Social Committee's opinion on the matter. In its 1998 Communication on forestry strategy for the EU, the European Commission announced a more substantial review of the Community forest monitoring scheme in the year 2001. It suggested the organisation of a workshop for scientific experts and other stakeholders. Now the Commission intends to submit a proposal to amend the existing regulation by the end of 2000. One of the main aims of this proposal would be to widen the scheme by including stress factors affecting forest ecosystems, such as drought, climate change or disease (in addition to air pollution). The communication also announced an extension to the Community forest fire protection scheme beyond 2001, stating that this specific action will be continued and strengthened. The Economic and Social Committee now welcomes the proposed changes on the legal base, which it says 'reflects the predominantly environmental dimension of the schemes in question'. However, it urges the budget authority to consider the scope for increasing the proposed budget for these schemes, which it says 'is considerably lower than the amounts envisaged in the 1997 regulations'. This decrease, it continues, 'does not do justice to the potential of both schemes'. It also states the opinion that the application of the regulations 'should serve as a basis for the discussion of a review of the cost effectiveness of the measures carried out'.