30.7.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 213/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1658/98 of 17 July 1998 on co-financing operations with European non-governmental development organisations (NGOs) in fields of interest to the developing countries THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130w thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189c of the Treaty (2), Whereas the Commission, in its communication to the Council of 6 October 1975, put forward guidelines on relations with non-governmental development organisations (NGOs), together with general conditions and procedures for the use of funds intended for development operations by such organisations; Whereas the budgetary authority introduced into the 1976 budget an item for co-financing with NGOs and has since steadily increased the volume of such funding (from ECU 2,5 million in 1976 to ECU 174 million in 1995) on the basis of the Commission’s annual reports on the use of these resources; (Y) OJ No C 251, 27.09.1995, p. 18. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 15 December 1995 (O] C 17, 22.1.1996, p. 455), common position of the Council of 7 July 1997 (OJ C 307, 8.10.1997, p. 1) and Decision of the European Parliament of 18 December 1997 (OJ C 14, 19.1.1998, p. 124). Whereas at its meeting on 28 November 1977, the Council approved the general conditions and procedures proposed by the Commission; Whereas the European Parliament, in its Resolution of 14 May 1992 on the role of NGOs in development cooperation (%), reaffirmed the specific and irreplaceable role of NGOs and the usefulness and effectiveness of their development operations, emphasising in particular the key role of NGOs’ work on behalf of marginal social groups in developing countries, the need to preserve the NGO’s freedom of action, and the vital role of NGOs in promoting human rights and the development of grassroots democracy; Whereas, in its Resolution of 27 May 1991 on cooperation with the NGOs, the Council underlined the importance of the autonomy and independence of NGOs; whereas it recognised, moreover, that the Community system of cooperation with the NGOs was necessarily complementary to similar efforts at national level and recognised the need for flexibility in procedures and their application; Whereas, in its conclusions of 18 November 1992, the Council noted with satisfaction the criteria by the Commission when selecting development and education projects for co-financing, notably strengthening the fabric of democracy and respect for human rights in the developing countries, and particularly welcomed the fact that the Commission had made it clear that the main criterion remained the quality of the project, an approach which it backed unreservedly; (%) OJ C 150, 15.6.1992, p. 273.