WRITTEN QUESTION P-0057/00

by Brian Simpson (PSE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Erika oil spillage disaster

On 12 December 1999 the oil tanker Erika broke up 70 km south of Finistère off the French coast.

The resulting oil spillage has left France facing one of Europe's worst ever ecological disasters.

Following similar disasters the Amoco Cadiz in 1978, the Braer in 1993 and the Sea Empress in 1996 a raft of legislation has been put in place under the aegis of Marpol and the European Union. None of these accidents need have happened or need have caused the damage they did once they had happened. The evidence unfortunately suggests that controls on the passage of oil by sea are still too weakly enforced to give real protection.

What action does the Commission intend to take in the light of the Erika disaster in terms of both safety at sea and the immediate environmental consequences?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2000)

Regarding the action to take in the light of the Erika disaster in terms of safety at sea and environmental impact, the Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its declaration during the January plenary session of the Parliament.

As regards the safety of oil tankers, the Commission decided to prepare a communication which aims to provide a strong reply from the Community on the risk of major pollution of the European coastline by oil tankers. It should focus priorities for actions including the strengthening of the inspections of potentially substandard vessels in the ports of the Community. The Commission will propose measures to reinforce the existing directives concerning the classification societies and port state control. It will examine the accelerated phasing-out of single hull tankers and also providing for financial incentives to the rapid introduction of double hull tankers. There should be an examination of possible measures increasing the responsibility of the parties involved in oil transport. This action should focus in the first instance on

the development of voluntary agreements between cargo owners, as a measure towards improving the current international regime of compensation for damage in case of major accidental pollution.

Among the actions taken by the Commission to limit the immediate environmental consequences of the Erika disaster, it facilitated assistance and at an early stage appointed a high level liaison officer on site, serving as a link between the French operational command and the foreign ships which were assisting. Following French requests, immediately passed on by the Commission, 26 kilometers of oil booms from 11 European countries as well as birdwashing machines were immediately made available. Voluntary organisations assisted in particular by taking care of polluted birds. Experts of the Community task force on marine pollution were provided on request to assist the French authorities in the evaluation of the offers of service from private companies within Europe. The task force also coordinated a number of observers from the Member States who were given the opportunity to visit the polluted site and study the response operations in order to learn from the French experience.

Finally, the Commission in contact with the French ministry of the Environment is considering the possibilities to support an in-depth survey of the environmental consequences of the oil spill. This will assess the impact of the pollution and of the cleaning techniques used. The results will be of paramount importance for all those dealing with accidental marine pollution. The Commission envisages support to this survey of about 300,000.