Brussels, 14/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption by a comfortable majority (310 for, 177 against and 23 abstentions) of the report by Dutch Liberal Toine Manders, the Parliament took a stance at first reading in favour of an ambitious Community regime on environmental liability founded on the prevention of damage to the environment and on effective application of the polluter-pays principle. The text approved after much compromise substantially reinforces the European Commission's proposals. The main amendments adopted aim at: 1) extending the scope of the future directive (all polluting activities and all dangerous substances will be covered in five years following enforcement of the text; exemptions allowing operators to withdraw are reduced; the notion of biodiversity is extended to all species and all natural habitats protected by Community or national legislation; the Commission is invited to present a separate proposal on liability for damage caused by GMOs; 2) making it compulsory for operators to have a financial guarantee system to cover liability; 3) facilitating direct access by citizens to justice to gain compensation from a polluter responsible for damage. EUROPE will come back to this.