WRITTEN QUESTION E-0384/03

by Riitta Myller (PSE) to the Commission

(13 February 2003)

Subject: Extension of EU safety standards to cover the carriage of oil for neighbouring regions

In a resolution adopted in December 2002 Parliament called on the Commission to initiate bilateral negotiations with key third countries with a view to improving the safety of ships in transit through EU waters. In January 2003, in its Northern Dimension resolution, it called on the Commission to work towards a ban prohibiting tankers other than those fulfilling the highest international safety standards from engaging in transport operations in the Baltic.

Could the Members concerned say what steps the Commission has begun to take in these matters?

According to newspaper reports the head of the EU's Maritime Safety Authority, Willem de Ruiter, has said that, in his opinion, the continuing carriage of oil via Russian ports through the Gulf of Finland, which is endangering safety at sea, is a bilateral matter for Finland and Russia. However, should not the aim be to conclude an agreement between the EU and non-member countries whereby all the states of the region would be bound by safety standards not only matching the stringency of EU standards, but also tailored to the specific prevailing conditions?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-0384/03, P-0408/03, E-0410/03 and E-0420/03given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(14 March 2003)

The Commission is aware of the problem of navigation in the Gulf of Finland and shares the concern of the Finnish authorities about the risks connected with the transport of hydrocarbons by sea under winter conditions.

The Commission has closely monitored the situation brought about by the voyage of the oil tanker Stemnitsa to the Primorski terminal. It has informed the Russian authorities of its concern about the exceptionally difficult ice conditions in the Gulf of Finland.

Following the ERIKA and Prestige disasters, the Commission has repeatedly highlighted the urgent need for harmonised measures to prevent new disasters in the Union's external waters, including the Baltic. Under the agreement between the Union and Russia, contacts have been established with the Russian authorities to ensure compliance with the measures which the EU intends to take to secure the transport of hydrocarbons by sea, and in particular to ban the transport of heavy fuel by single-hull tankers.

However, it should be noted that the Union does not have any legal authority to regulate the passage through international waters of vessels carrying potentially dangerous cargo, even near the coast of the Member States and even if such cargo is carried under the icy conditions prevailing in the Baltic in winter.

Accordingly, the Commission deems it necessary to amend the international law of the sea so as to ensure a better balance between freedom of movement and the interests of coastal States who should be able to protect their coast against ecological disasters.

The Commission has asked all of the Union's neighbouring countries as well as its main partners to take firmer action to improve the international legal rules governing pollution caused by ships. It has asked all Member States for their support to actively promote within the United Nations, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and other competent bodies the adaptation of the provisions of the law of the sea to the new maritime safety requirements in the 21st century.

Finally, the Commission should like to point out that newspaper reports do not necessarily represent the Commission's position nor, as in the present case, that of the Executive Director of the Maritime Safety Agency.

As for the specific question of navigation under icy conditions, it should be noted that there are currently no Community rules dealing with this and that such rules could not cover vessels on transit journeys not calling at the Union's ports. However, in the framework of measures already taken by the Union to prevent oil tanker accidents, the Directive on monitoring and controlling maritime traffic enables the competent authorities to prevent ships from leaving port in very poor weather conditions. The Directive also gives wider powers to the Member States to intervene when there is a risk of accident or pollution.

In any case, the Commission is ready to fully support the efforts of the Finnish authorities to work towards an agreement with the countries around the Gulf of Finland on safety rules for the maritime transport of hydrocarbons under icy conditions.