WRITTEN QUESTION E-3404/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE),José Mendiluce Pereiro (PSE)and Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(29 November 2002)

Subject: Ecological disaster caused by the Prestige oil spill

On 13 November 2002 the Prestige oil tanker had an extremely serious accident off the coast of Galicia.

As a result of the oil spill which followed, and which may still continue, Spain and Europe are now facing a major ecological, social and economic disaster.

In the wake of a series of similar disasters (the accidents involving the Urquiola in 1976, the Amoco Cadiz in 1978, the Cason in 1987, the Aegean Sea in 1992, the Braer in 1993, the Sea Empress in 1996 and the Erika in 1999) the European Union has adopted a large number of texts in this field. Nevertheless, all the signs are that the checks imposed on the transport of oil by sea do not guarantee adequate protection.

What measures will the Commission adopt in response to the Prestige disaster with regard to maritime safety and the immediate consequences of the oil spill for the environment, economy and communities affected?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-3362/02 and E-3404/02given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(24 January 2003)

As the Honourable Members point out, the wreck of the Bahamas-flagged Prestige tanker off the coast of Galicia has caused a major ecological disaster, the full extent of which cannot yet be gauged.

As at the time of the Erika disaster, the Commission offered its assistance to the national authorities but also took the opportunity created by the increased public awareness of the risks of transporting heavy fuel oil by sea to react with forceful measures to help protect the coasts of the European Union.

The assistance system set up between the Commission and the appropriate disaster response organisations which exist at national level enabled immediate access to the pollution-control resources available Community-wide. The French, Portuguese and Spanish authorities were able to benefit very quickly from the available assistance, particularly ships and other special equipment to control the pollution. In addition, the Commission said it would be ready to co-finance an assessment of the impact of the pollution on the coast affected.

Moreover, in the fastest possible time, the Commission drew up and, on 3 December 2002, adopted a communication on improving safety at sea in response to the Prestige accident(1). The conclusions adopted by the Transport Council on 6 December 2002 supported Commission initiatives aimed at preventing a recurrence of this type of disaster and dealing with the aftermath.

The Commission therefore adopted, on 20 December 2002, a proposal for a Regulation banning the carriage of heavy fuel oil by single-hull vessels to or from European Union ports and on the accelerated phasing-in of double-hull to replace single-hull oil tankers(2). The proposed Regulation is now before the co-legislators.

The Commission also plans to grant special aid to repair the disaster damage. While stressing that the damage should be covered primarily by international mechanisms, particularly the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF), the Commission has already initiated action to help Spanish fishermen deal with the situation. Thus, on 20 December 2002, the Council adopted a Regulation instituting specific measures to compensate the Spanish fisheries, shellfish industry and aquaculture affected by the oil spills from the Prestige(3).

Assistance may be available from the European Union Solidarity Fund if the Commission considers that the conditions of the Regulation for mobilising the Fund (particularly the regional criterion) are met(4). Aid from the Cohesion Fund may also be forthcoming. As part of the overall amount allocated to Spain for the period 2000-2006, environmental projects may be submitted to the Commission to help combat the effects of the disaster.

In this connection, the Copenhagen European Council of 12 and 13 December 2002 acknowledged the Commission's prompt response and welcomed the action it had undertaken to deal with the effects of the disaster within the current financial perspectives as well as its intention of examining the need for new initiatives.

(1) COM(2002) 681 final.

(2) COM(2002) 780 final.

(3) Regulation (EC) No 2372/2002 of 20 December 2002, OJ L 358, 31.12.2002.

(4) Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund, OJ L 311, 14.11.2002.