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(2004/C 33 E/118)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1430/03

by Laura González Alvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 April 2003)

Subject:   Environmental threats in Algeciras Bay

On 20 January 2003, Greenpeace conducted a protest action in Algeciras Bay against the single-hull tanker ‘Vemamagna’, which was built in 1978 and shows many similarities with the ‘Prestige’. This vessel, which is owned by the company Vemaoil, flies a flag of convenience. Its presence in the bay constitutes a risk in itself, and it is also used in highly polluting activities as a floating fuel depot.

On 17 March 2003, the tanker slipped its anchor, started to drift with 70 000 tonnes of fuel on board, and could have triggered the same kind of catastrophe as the ‘Prestige’.

On 6 December 2002, the Transport Council adopted additional measures to improve safety at sea and decided that these should be implemented immediately, along the lines suggested by the Commission and the European Parliament when adopting the Erika I and II packages.

What action will the Commission take to ensure that existing EU measures regarding safety at sea are applied immediately and in full in the case of this tanker?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 June 2003)

With regard to the measures taken by the Commission to improve maritime safety and the protection of the environment since the sinking of the Prestige, the Honourable Member is requested to refer to the Communication of 3 December 2002 and the various interim reports presented to the Community institutions: report of 5 March 2003 to the European Council on action to deal with the effects of the Prestige disaster (1); and the Commission working document reporting on the sinking of the Prestige oil tanker presented on 19 March 2003 to Parliament's Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism during the hearing.

Of the measures which concern single-hull tankers such as the Vemamagna more particularly, the Commission would draw attention more especially to the proposal for a Regulation which prohibits the carriage of heavy fuel oil by single-hull tankers to or from Union ports, and accelerates the replacement of single-hull tankers by double-hull tankers (2). This proposal, which was transmitted to the co-legislators on 20 December 2002, has in the meantime been the subject of agreement within the Council, and a draft favourable opinion has been adopted by Parliament's Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism. Parliament is therefore expected to adopt it on first reading during its next plenary session in June 2003.

On 13 March 2001, the Commission also put forward a proposal on the protection of the environment through criminal law (3), and on 5 March 2003 it sent to Parliament and the Council a proposal for a Directive (4) on ship-source pollution and the introduction of sanctions, including criminal sanctions, for pollution offences. This proposal concerns illegal discharges and major oil pollution. It covers the entire chain of liability. Those who cause pollution will therefore no longer be able to shirk their responsibility.

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(1)  COM(2003) 105 final.

(2)  COM(2002) 780 final.

(3)  COM(2001) 139 final, 13 March 2001, OJ C 180, 26.6.2001, as amended by COM(2002) 544 final, 30 September 2002, OJ C 20 E, 28.1.2003.

(4)  COM(2003) 092 final.

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