Brussels, 04/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Summarising the debate open to the public, Monday evening, on the environmental liability scheme, the President of the Environment Council, Jamue Matas highlighted: 1) an important current in favour of extending the field of application of the directive to harm on people and damage to property, and a majority current in favour of limiting the exemption clauses; 2) a majority current in favour of a strict application of the principle of polluter-pays to prevent the liability of public authorities being systematically substituted for that of operators; 3) a majority current in favour of common but flexible rules for the financial insurance schemes. Refusing to see in these requests for a stricter scheme a snub for the Commission's proposal, Margot Wallstrom considered that the criticisms stemmed from misunderstandings, and that more demands were along its own lines. "The principle of polluter-payer will apply. I am not opposed to a compulsory insurance scheme", se stated, assuring that the different systems in place in Member States would have to be the subject of an examination. EUROPE will return to the debate and other results of the session.