Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, as a result of the most recent maritime accidents on European shores, all those concerned have finally woken up to the realisation that the time has come to act, in order that we can prevent such accidents and respond to them effectively and without delay. The most welcome development is the establishment of a coordinating structure for such actions, namely the European Maritime Safety Agency, with clear and comprehensible aims that will result in greater responsibility and efficiency. The primary aim is to prevent and to combat sea pollution accidents and is, accordingly, the one that everyone is aware of. The sea covers most of our planet and is the source of future life, and as such we must protect its resources. Those who cross the seas as a matter of course must be held responsible at all times for the state of the ships, for the people who work on them and for those employed in the sector on land. There is, consequently, an urgent need to monitor routes and make them safe, and to strengthen the existing model, both in terms of inspections and of how frequently these are carried out. Although it is not a priority for the agency at this stage, growing concern about the threat of terrorist attacks on ships and port facilities has already resulted in the adoption of special measures and international instruments. This concern might be answered, clearly and unequivocally, in the agency regulation, which would constitute a further aim and would help to raise the confidence of all those involved in all Member States. In all honesty, nobody can guarantee total effectiveness, but permanent vigilance and care, supported by the necessary detection, correction and information equipment will certainly result in a reduction in activity of this kind. I also wish to highlight the importance of systematic and stringent evaluation of intervention in the area of preventing and combating maritime pollution. It is only by understanding the means and the motives of actions, and by holding those involved responsible that we will, in my view, be able to ensure that each step taken will be safer and more confident than the one before. A system of evaluating responsibilities must be applied consistently, regardless of the subject of the evaluation. The ‘polluter pays’ principle is crucial and will certainly iron out any negligence, which cannot and must not be excused. I feel that the training of seafarers is of the utmost importance – both technical and scientific training in maritime safety and obtaining the appropriate qualification. In addition to complementing the response capabilities of Member States, the agency’s cooperation is intended to ensure that each Member State is properly equipped to respond to any accident close to their coastline. I agree that the European Maritime Safety Agency should have staff who are highly qualified and experienced in the field of maritime safety, to ensure that these objectives are properly and professionally addressed. Coming from Portugal, and having strong links to the sea, I believe that the European Maritime Safety Agency will always be a challenge for ... (The President cut off the speaker)

Political group: PPE-DE