STRASBOURG, May 21 (Reuter) - Plans to provide a clear legal basis for European Union humanitarian and food aid, and EU funding for rehabilitation and reconstruction won the support of the European Parliament on Tuesday. MEPs approved the Development Council's common positions on the three draft regulations, but called for a number of amendments to clarify and strengthen EU actions. On the question of humanitarian aid, the parliament stressed the need for more preventative diplomacy to stop conflicts happening in the first place. The Council's common position on humanitarian aid incorporates many of the amendments requested by parliament at its first reading of the proposal -- COM(95)201 -- on November 30, 1995. At this, the second reading, MEPs called for humanitarian aid operations to be exempt from tax and customs duty, a proposal which the European Commission is prepared to accept, Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Emma Bonino told MEPs on Monday. But Bonino said she could not take on board parliament's requ

est for an annual information meeting between the Commission and non-governmental organisations, though she agreed on the need for regular contact. On food aid, MEPs again stressed the need for preventative action, saying EU aid (now worth around one billion Ecus per year) should focus on increasing food self-sufficiency in developing countries. They suggested a string of additional measures to the proposal -- COM(95)283 -- which will contribute to this goal. MEPs insisted the EU should give priority to buying food aid from the beneficiary country or neighbouring developing countries, rather than sending supplies from Europe. But Commissioner Bonino said during Monday's debate on the proposal that while every effort was made to purchase food locally, with 38 percent of food aid money being spent in this way in 1994, the EU executive did not wish to be tied down. The EU is paying increasing attention to the importance of rehabilitation -- helping to rebuild war- and disaster-stricken countries -- as a vital l

ink between emergency relief aid and long-term development assistance. MEPswelcomed Council's common position on two Commission proposals -- COM(95)291 and COM(95)175 -- for EU aid to rehabilitation and reconstruction in developing countries. They introduced amendments which stress the importance of technical assistance, basic infrastructure such as electricity and water, education and training. During Monday's debate, MEPs criticised the type of committee the Council wants to set up to help the European Commission implement the three regulations, saying these would limit the Commission's ability to act and could lead to delays and bureaucracy.