ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (77)265
Vol.1977/0092

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(77)265 final.
Brussels ..9June1977
Communication fromtheCommission totheCouncil
onmeasuresfortheprevention ,controlandreduction of
pollution causedbyaccidental discharges ofhydrocarbons
intothesea
Draft
Council Resolution
onmeasures fortheprevention ,control andreduction of
pollution causedbyaccidental discharges ofhydrocarbons
intothesea
(submitted totheCouncilbytheCommission )
COI5C77)265final.

ϊ:τν/272/7*τ-ϋ
ccîtx.r i
Communication fromtheCommission tothe
Councilonmeasuresfortheprevention ,
controlandreduction ofpollution caused
byaccidental discharges ofhydrocarbons
intothesea
1..'Therewasanuncontrolled blow-out ofgasandoilat2330hours
on22Aprilfollowing atechnical accident ontheBravodrillingrig;
thisrigliasintheEkofiskfieldinthatareaoftheNorthSea
vheretheNorwegian authorities areresponsible forsea-bed .working.
Theincident occurred vrhenasafetyvalvewasbeingattachedtothe
topofadrilling pipe*Theblow-out washaltedat1200hourson
30April.According tothelatestestimates ,20000tofoil
escaped.Oilslicksmightpersi3tintheNorthSeaforonemonth
butarenotexpected ,toreachthecoasts.Theecological effectof
thehydrocarbons onaquaticlifehasnotyetbeenassessed .
TheNorwegian Government hassetupacommittee ofinquiryconsisting
ofthreelawyerstoinvestigate thecausespfandliability forthe
accident .1Thefindings oftheinquiry'willbereported toParliament
beforethesummerrecess. •
TheNoriregian authorities wishtospeedupthedevelopment of
mechanical meansofoilrecovery *Information hasbeenexchanged
undertheBonnAgreement oncooperation indealingwithpollution of
theNorthSeabyoil. . -
TheNorwegian Government isalsomakingpreparations forthe
organization ofaconference ofNorthSeacoastalstatesat
ministerial levelinJune;theCommission hasbeeninvitedtothis
conference atitsownrequest .

-2- VA7I/?=);./71.7.\
2„TheEkofiskaccident underlines theneedforamoreeffective
policy,astheCommission hasunceasingly recommended and
implemented fordealingwithseapollution .Theseaisthreatened not
onlybyhydrocarbons butalsobyanumberofdischarges from
land--basedsourcesandincreasing fall-outofparticles fromthe
atmosphere Apartfromthelegislative measuresinpreparation &'■
Community level,anumberofpractical provisions areneededtodeal
i:iththispollution ,
Intheparticular .caseofdischarges ofhydrocarbons intothesea,
thelessonsoftheHUcofiskaccident shouldbelearned ,andcertain
measures –whichtheCommission undertook on3Maytoproposeto
theCouncilofIlinisters dealingwiththeproblems oftheenvironment
andplannedfor14June1977•-shouldbeadoptedasquicklyas
possible .
AstheCommission statedonthisoccasion ,theCommunity shouldhave
powersandmeansallowingittotakeeffective actioninsuch
situations ,soexpressing thesolidarity oftheMemberStatesamong
themselves and.towards nozv-member countries hitbyadisaster of
thistype,sincetheprotection cftheseasisaduty,forallthe
countries oftheinternational community intheinterest offuture
generations ..
Measurestoprevent ,combatandreducetheeffectsofaccidental
discharges ofhydrocarbons inthemarineenvironment shouldthusbe
contemplated .-furthermore ,theproblems connected vithworker
safetyinthehydrocarbon-extracting industryarecoveredtyother
activities started "crythe'VinesSafetyandHealthCommission "in
accordance withtheCouncilDecision of27June1974onthe
extension ofitsresponsibilities toallmineral-extracting industriesincludingtheextraction ofhydrocarbons'' ,
3„Thefollowing measuresshouldbeimplemented assoonaspossible :
3*1Theestablishment ofa"databank"atCommunity levelrecording
themeansavailable fortakingactionintheeventofaccidental
discharges ofhydrocarbons .
Theinformations tobestored,ina"databank"ofthistypecouldbe
obtained fromperiodical inquiries madeoftheMemberStates .They
wouldbereadilyavailable intheeventofanaccidentintheform
required bytheusers.
10JHoL1G5of97.1974,P-10,

This information should ,make possible answers ttfthefollowing questions !
theavailability ofproduct sandequipment allowing ofchemical
treatment ofhydrocarbons (dispersants ,precipitating agents s
atomizing pumps ar.ddispers^ht spreaders )*
theavailability cfequipment allowing ofmechanical treatment rnd
thecharacteristics ofthis equipment ("booms ,including information
about their length and .mobility ,skimmers and'provisional storage
apparatus forhydrocarbons ); -
tho nunfcer and characteristics oftheboats andunits which can be'
used tocavity outtheabovementioned treatment (speed oftransit and
stability oftheboats andinstalled equipment )andwhere they are
based ; - :-
theavailability oftheresources required for coe.stal protection
(substances tocontain slicks ,absorb hydrocarbons orprecipitate
them bymeans ofsedimentation ,gels enabling dispersants tobeused ;
onrocks crstructures ,atomizing equipment suitable for shallow
waters ,andbeach-cleaning equipment );
thepresence ofskilled personnel *
Information onother substances could also becollected ,
3.2 Thedevelopment ofaresearch programme into thetechnologies for
collecting anddispersing hydrocarbons ,into what happens tohydrocarbons
inthe sea and into their effects onmarine fauna and flora .
This programme could include thefollowing points : ^
search forneweffective dispersants without toxic effects -,in
particular oncru^tacea andthespawning grounds ;
development ofbooms ofasufficient size andmobility tocontain .
movements ofhydrocarbons andoffering therequired possibilities
oftraction ;v
development ofeffective collection equipment forusewhen the
wave-troughs aredeep (i,e »,when theseais 're'latively rough );
design ar.ddevelopment ofhigh–speed "depollutant boats "towhich ,
canbefitted alltheequipment required fortreating hydrocarbons .
Inview ofthecost involved ,aproject ofthis type appears feasible
only ifthere isinternational cooperation ;
research forthetechnical development ofamonitoring system for
pollution from hydrocarbons –bearing inmind what isdeveloped
under international agreements -and ,inparticular ,monitoring
possible course ofaccidentally-discharged hydrocarbons bycreating
anetwork ofsensors providing overall andcontinuous information
about wind andseaconditions ;
development ofstudies onthechemical andphysical changes of
hydrocarbons inseawater ;
more field research incontrolled conditions into the effects of
hydrocarbons onmarine life .

3«3TheCommissionalsointendstoappointagroupofhigh–levelexportstoexaminethecausestcircumstances andeffectsofrecentaccidents
involvingconsiderable spillsofhydrocarbons inthesea,theremedies
andpreventive meagurols.'Thegrouptrill-alsoberesponsible for
stcullingpropagations foranen/irunmental impactreportoninstallations
forprospecting anddiallingforhydrocarbons atsea.
Inpartictilar ,itwillbeabletoanalysetheinformation collectedby
theDanishauthorities onthecausesofthe*Ekofiskaccident andthe
meanstobeemployedforpreventing suchaocidents orreducingtheireffects.Itshouldbepromptedbytheexperience gainedii}thissector
fcytheNorwegian "authorities .
ItshouldexaminethedatacollectedintheMemberStatesonthemeans
availablefordealingwithaccidental discharges ofhydrocarbons ,
pursuethedevelopment ofresearchinthissectorandexaminethe
technical andeconomicpossibilities ofrecovering accidentally-discharged
crudeail®
Itshouldstudythepossibilities ofimplementing atCommunitylevela
systemforcertification ofdispersants . .•
ItcouldallowsuitablemeasurestobelaiddownatCommunitylevel
onthetechnological precautions tobetaken,e.g.,whenfittingtubesinoilandgaswellsandwheninstalling valvesandoiliershut-offs ,
andonthemethodsforatomizing dispcrsants insuchawaythatstaff
fi-regiventhenecessary protection .
Itshouldstudytheformtobetakenbyanenvironmental impactreport
oninstallations forprospecting anddrillingforhydrcoarbons at
Bea.|including inparticular anassessment oftheriskscoupledwith
thevarioustechnological options.
Finally,itcouldpreparetheformulation ofCommunitypositions aiming
attheefficient implementation ofinternational agreements on:
(i)theprevention ofmarinepollutionintheprospecting anddrilling
forhydrocarbons J
(ii)thecivilliabilityfordamagocausedbypollutionwith
hydrocarbons andtheestablishment ofacompensation fund.
Thegroupwillconductitsactivities withoutprejudicetothepowers
giventotheIlinss j»*v?Hs-sl^h Try-"tH-eCo*j»e?1Decision
Of27June1974.

-5»
4#Theeffective implmentation ofinternational agrecnerrtrs -on-'this_-~~
typeofpollution ,inparticular theBonnAgrecmont of9June396?
cncooperation indealingwithpollution oftheNorthSeabyoil.ma <
theProtocoltotheBarcelona Convention of16February 1976-on
theprotection oftheMediterranean Seaagainstpollution –concerning
cooperation incombating pollution oftheMediterranean Seabyoil
andotherharmfulsubstances incasescfemergency#
Thort'jrs.--tjreeTient andtheabovementionecl ProtocoltotheBarcelona
Convention provideinparticular foranexchange ofinformation
betweenthepartiesonnewmethodstocombatoilpollution andthe
grantingofaidtoanypartyinneedofassistance tooornbatoil
floating ontheseaorpollutingitscoasts#
IftheCommunity weretoaccedetotheseagreements ,thiswouldallowittoplayanactiverole,forthefollowing reasons:
UnderArticle4oftheBonnAgreement andArticle 6oftheProtocol
theCommunity couldnotifytheothercontracting partiesofthe
findings oftheresearchreferredtoinparagraph 3*2ofthisdraft®
Furthermore ,theinformation contained inthe"databank"proposed
inparagraph 3«1ofthisdraftcouldbesuppliedtoanycontracting party
inneedofassistance tocombatoilfloating ontheseaorpolluting
itscoasts,inaccordance withArticle^oftheBonnAgreement and
Article 10oftheProtocol#
TheCommission vri.lltherefore presenttworecommendations forCouncil
Decisions concerning theopeningofnegotiations fortheaccession
oftheEuropean Economic Community totheBonnAgreement andtothe
Protocol#
Furthermore ,theCommission intendstoexaminethemostappropriate
methodsofcooperation withthenon-member countries inquestion as
regardsthefourmeasuresdescribed above,,
5#Allthesemeasures x*erecoveredbyastatement byIlrNatali,the
Commission Vice-President ,totheParliament on10Kay1977inwhich
heundertook topresentproposals totheCouncilatitsmeeting
concerning theenvironment on14June*Inordertocarryoutthis
commitment ,theCommission suggeststhattheCouncilshouldstateits
position onthisdraftresolution withoutwaitingforParliaments
opinion# Finally,theCommission askstheCounciltoapprovethe
following resolution#

–6– ^ττ/ορ^
COUNCIL RESOLUTION
onmeasuresfortheprevention ,controlandreduction of
pollution caused "byaccidental discharges ofhydrocarbons
intothesea
THECOUNCIL OFTHEEUROPEAN COMTUITITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropean Economic Community ,
Havingregardtotheproposal fromtheCommission ,
Whereasthe^programmeofactionoftheEuropeanCommunities ontheenvironment hasstressed WesternEurope'sparamount interest in
effective actionagainstthedangersinherent inthetransportation
ofoil,including thedangerofseriouscoastalpollution causedby
accidents onthehighseas;
WhereastheEuropean Community actionprogramme ontheenvironment
attachedtotheResolution oftheCounciloftheEuropean Communities
andtherepresentatives oftheGovernments oftheMemberStatesadopted
attheCouncilmeeting on17May1977statesthattheprotection of
seawaterinordertoguarantee themaintenance ofvitalecological
balances ,isgivenpriority ;
Whereasthisprogramme providesthatinrespectofmarinepollution
resulting fromtransport andnavigation ,theCommission willundertake
studies -and,ifnecessary ,presentappropriate proposals concerning
theeffective .implementation ofinternational agreements ;
Whereasnationalauthorities facedwiththeproblemofaccidental -discharges-oil
oilandgasmustbeabletocontact,assoonaspossible :,bodiesable
toofferassistance ;Τ·
OJMoCt12,20-Decefeberi973..p.1.

Whereasresearch mustbecarriedoutintotheimprovement ofcollection
anddispersal technologies foroilandgasdischarged intothesea
andtogainagreaterknowledge ofwhathappenstothehydrocarbons
andoftheireffectsonthemarinefloraandfauna;
Approves theguidelines regarding >
(a)thecreation ofadatabankcovering theavailable meansof
assistance whichcouldbecalleduponintheeventofaccidental
discharges ofoilandgas; v_
(b)thedevelopment ofaresearch programme intotechnologies fpr
thecollection anddispersal ofoilandgas,thefateofoil
,andgasdischarged intotheseaandtheireffectsonthemarine
floraandfauna;
Takesnotethat
1.pursuanttotheseguidelines theCommission willtaketherequisite
stepstocreateadatabankandtoworkoutaresearch programme
andinparticular willpresentappropriate proposals thereon;
2.theCommission intendsshortlytoputbeforetheCounciltwo
recommendations foradecision ontheinstitution ofnegotiations
fortheaccession oftheEuropean Economic Community to-the
BonnAgreement andtothe •Protocol,totheBarcelona
Convention concerning cooperation incombatting ,pollution ofthe
Mediterranean Seabyoilandotherharmfulsubstances incase .of
emerqency .
, •. 't )•:
Undertakes toactontheseproposals andrecommendations withinnine
monthsofthedateonwhichtheywerepresented bythe•Commission ■.
and,ifnecessary,ofthedateonwhichtheOpinions ofParliament
andtheEconomic andSocialCommittee arepresented ..... ■