Brussels, 04/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - Fearing a reduction in EU funding for eco-innovation as part of the Financial Perspective 2007-2013, the small and medium-sized enterprises belonging to UEAPME, the European Environmental Bureau and EUCETSA, the European Committee of Environmental Technology Suppliers Associations, wrote on Monday to the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and to Commissioners Günther Verheugen (Industry) and Stavros Dimas (Environment) to express their concerns. Since the outcome of the European Council of December 2005 on the Financial Perspective, says a press release, the Commission has been under pressure to reduce its overall budget for support for innovation by some 30% and the three organisations are afraid that this will be achieved at the expense of eco-innovation, for which the Commission originally proposed a budget of 520 million euro over seven years. The conclusions of the Spring Council of 23 and 24 March advanced the need for the “strong promotion and diffusion of eco-innovations and environmental technologies”, stress the organisations and they call on the Commission President and Commissioners “for urgent action” to protect the budget for these technologies.