WRITTEN QUESTION E-1842/97 by Irene Soltwedel-Schäfer (V) to the Commission (30 May 1997)

Subject: Shipbuilding industry in the EU

1. Ecological measures: What is the Commission's assessment of the ecological value of (a) more stringent limit values, or the introduction of new limit values, for emissions of harmful substances by ships, (b) higher mineral oil taxes, (c) a more effective law on liability? Can such measures make energy-saving propulsion systems and improved navigation and safety methods economically viable?

2. Future of the shipping industry: What is the Commission's assessment of the future of the shipping industry in the light of the shift of continental flows of traffic from roads to coastal shipping, the increase in marine climate and environmental research and increasing use of the seas and in view of the huge increase in the world's population in the twenty-first century?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1841/97 and E-1842/97 given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission (22 July 1997)

The research required to provide a detailed answer to all the Honourable Member's questions would be out of all proportion to the result obtained and would be inappropriate in the context of answering a written question. Unfortunately, for a large part of the questions data is not available within the Commission. As far as data are available the Commission can give the following answers:

In 1995 the Community shipbuilding industry employed 71.300 people.

There is currently no Community legislation limiting emissions of air pollution from tanker engines. Recently the Commission presented a proposal for a Council directive relating to a reduction in the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels and amending Directive 93/12/EEC ((COM(97) 88 final. )). According to this proposal, the sulphur content of gas oils for marine use should be limited to a maximum of 0.2%. Bunker fuels are not covered by the proposal.

In general, emissions from ships in international traffic are the responsibility of the International maritime organization's Marpol convention. In this context there is a proposal to introduce a global cap on the sulphur content of bunker fuels at a maximum level of 5% (the current global average sulphur content is about 3%). There are also proposals to designate the Baltic Sea and the North Sea as so-called SOx emission control areas, which means that in those areas ships would only be allowed to use fuels with a sulphur content lower than 1.5%. Finally, there is a proposal to introduce emission limit values for nitrogen oxides for new ship engines, that would take effect as from the year 2000. These proposals will be discussed at a meeting in September 1997 on the revision of the Marpol convention.

As regards emissions of the air pollutants sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that contribute to acidification, eutrophication and to the formation of tropospheric ozone, it is the Commission's view that it is both necessary and highly cost-effective to take measures for reducing those emissions from ships.

With regard to the perspectives of the shipbuilding industry the Commission has already expressed its expectations in its communication of 13th March 1996 'Shaping Europe's maritime future' ((COM(96) 84 final. )) to the Council and the Parliament. It has pointed out that shipping and shipbuilding are essentially industries of the future. Shipping is the most economic and environmentally friendly transport mode. Land based transport modes are increasingly congested.

There is also the prospect of continuing need for replacement vessels due to the ageing world fleet, stricter safety and environmental protection requirements and the expected boost to world trade deriving from the Uruguay round. European demand for new ships is likely to increase with growing transport volume in the Baltic and the Mediterranean seas. There is, however, the adverse effect of substantial capacity increase in South Korea. Further capacity increases are to be expected from China and from the conversion of naval shipyards in Central and Eastern European countries and the United States.