EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 65/27

(2004/C 65 E/027)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0536/03

by Samuli Pohjamo (ELDR) to the Commission

(26 February 2003)

Subject: Classification of the Baltic sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA)

Especially severe ice conditions have prevailed this winter in the Baltic Sea, and in the Gulf of Finland in particular. Pack-ice has put a strain on vessels, which have been moving with extreme difficulty and generally unaided by ice-breakers.

There are also some vessels using the Gulf of Finland which have very inadequate ice protection. There is particular cause for concern about oil tankers from the Russian port of Primorsk (Koivisto), some of which do not have sufficient reinforcement against ice (some, for example, are reinforced only on the bows but not on the sides).

The transport of oil from Primorsk is predicted to double in the next few years. The Russians are also planning two new oil-loading sites at the far end of the Gulf of Finland.

If a disastrous oil spill were to occur in the Gulf of Finland, it would be even harder to remedy — in view of the area's island geography and the sensitive nature of its environment — than for example in Spain. Moreover the equipment for combating oil spills in many coastal countries is very inadequate. Apart from Finland, the countries bordering the Baltic do not have equipment which could operate in ice conditions.

Would it be possible for the Commission to propose the Baltic Sea for classification as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) and thereby to promote the safety of marine transport in the region?

Joint answer

to Written Questions E-0411/03 and E-0536/03

given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2003)

The Commission would draw the Honourable Member's attention to the fact that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the only body authorised to designate particularly vulnerable zones.

Under Article 211 of the Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal States may, where international rules are inadequate, adopt special mandatory measures to prevent pollution from vessels crossing maritime zones the IMO recognizes as being special.

The adoption of such measures is subject to conditions and any request to do so must be addressed to the IMO. Coastal States submitting a request, which must be in the form of a communication, must quote the references of the zones in question, and submit scientific and technical evidence in support of the request.

The IMO must decide within 12 months whether to approve the request, and the new laws and regulations become applicable after 15 months.

Coordinated action by the Union will be necessary to support the requests made by France, inter alia, so as to bring about a speedy referral to the IMO for the identification and protection of zones which are particularly sensitive, mainly on account of their resources and the particular nature of the traffic.

In accordance with the conclusions of the Transport Council of 6 December 2002, the Union must also initiate a proposal to amend the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to enable coastal States to protect themselves more effectively against the risks of pollution associated with the passage of ‘vessels at risk’, including inside the 200-mile exclusive zone. The Commission will be asking the Council for a negotiation mandate with a view to amending the abovementioned Convention.