The Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC):
IN ACCORDANCE with the request of Council has reviewed the Selection Committee’s proposed amendments to the NAFEC Administration and Funding Guidelines of the North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation (NAFEC); and
NOTING that the proposed changes to the guidelines strengthen the NAFTA orientation of the fund, emphasize sustainability and equitable partnerships, and clarify procedural submission requirements; and
SUPPORTING the Selection Committee’s inclusion of language regarding confidentiality of submissions; and
OFFERING recommendations aimed at enhancing the fund’s performance while strengthening the linkage between fund priorities and CEC work program objectives; and
RECOGNIZING that financing the North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation through the CEC (20% of the 1997 overall budget) places a considerable strain on resources available to the CEC for carrying out its mandate (see Advice to Council 96-4); and
CONFIDENT that the new approaches proposeds in the guidelines will bolster the linkages between the NAFEC, the CEC program, and the North American NGO community.
HEREBY RESOLVES that the JPAC advise the Council to adopt the Selection Committee’s amendments to the guidelines (see NAFEC Administration and Funding Guidelines), with the two changes noted below:
FURTHER RESOLVES that the JPAC advise the Council to: