23.4. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 108/7 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 86/85/EEC establishing a Community 
information system for the control and reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of hydro­
carbons and other harmful substances at sea 
COM(87) 120 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 2 April 1987) 
(87/C 108/09) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 
thereof ('), 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par­
liament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the Council has adopted Decision 86/85/ 
EEC (2) on the control and reduction of pollution caused 
by the spillage of hydrocarbons and other harmful sub­
stances at sea; 
Whereas on 24 November 1986 the Council adopted a 
Resolution on pollution of the Rhine; 
Whereas improved information on the plans and 
resources for intervention in the event of a spillage is a 
key element towards ensuring greater protection against 
pollution of inland waterways; 
Whereas the scope of Decision 86/85/EEC should 
therefore be extended, in particular with a view to 
compiling an inventory of resources for intervention in 
the event of a spillage of hydrocarbons and other 
harmful substances in inland waterways; 
Whereas the Treaty has not provided all the necessary 
powers for this purpose, Article 1 
Decision 86/85/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 
1. The title is replaced by the following: 
'Council Decision of 6 March 1986 establishing a 
Community information system for the control and 
reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of 
hydrocarbons and other harmful substances at sea or 
in inland waterways'. 
2. Article 1 (1) is replaced by the following: 
'1. An information system is hereby established to 
make available to the competent authorities in the 
Member States the data required for the control and 
reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of 
hydrocarbons and other harmful substances in large 
quantities at sea or in inland waterways'. 
3. The following is added to Article 1 (2): 
'(e) a list of existing plans for combating pollution 
caused by the spillage of hydrocarbons and other 
harmful substances in inland waterways, 
comprising a brief description of the content of 
the plans and naming the authorities responsible 
for them; 
(f) an inventory of resources for intervention in the 
event of a spillage of hydrocarbons and other 
harmful substances in inland waterways (Annex 
IV).' 
4. The Annex to this Decision is added as Annex IV. 
Article 2 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
(') Once the Single European Act enters into force, the legal 
basis will be Article 130 S. 
O OJ No L 77, 22. 3.1986, p. 33. 
No C 108/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 23.4. 87 
ANNEX 
'ANNEX IV 
Inventory of resources for intervention in the event of a spillage of hydrocarbons and other harmful substances 
in inland waterways 
The purpose of this inventory is to provide a preliminary indication of the resources which are available in 
a Member State (') for intervention when hydrocarbons and other harmful substances are spilt in inland 
waterways and of those which in the event of an incident might be made available to another Member 
State on request and on conditions to be decided between the respective competent authorities. 
A. CONTENT 
The inventory will contain data on: 
1. manpower resources (specialist staff, task forces, etc.); 
2. the material resources available for use in the different stages of intervention and the re-establishment of 
the original conditions at the sites affected by spillage; 
The inventory will contain data on the characteristics of these resources and where they are located. It may 
also contain data on the time needed to mobilize them. 
B. PROCEDURES 
The Commission will gradually prepare the inventory and send copies to the Member States at each stage. 
It will ensure that the information forwarded to it is in line with the aims and content of the inventory. 
It will take any action necessary to apply the inventory. 
The Member States will: 
— assemble and forward to the Commission the information available to them which is considered 
necessary for drawing up the inventory (cf. data mentioned in section A); 
— supply the Commission with the information available to them which is considered necessary for 
updating the inventory. 
However, for a two-year transitional period it will be for the Member States to assess what information 
they consider necessary to forward to the Commission for the drawing up of the inventory referred to in 
this Annex. The situation will be reviewed on the basis of the Commission report mentioned in Article 5 of 
the Decision'. 
(') Excluding resources and personnel available for the protection of the vital security interests of that Member State.