WRITTEN QUESTION E-2290/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(11 July 2003)

Subject: Export and dismantling of toxic ships

The current export of toxic ships from European owners to the shipbreaking beaches of Asia (India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) needs to be improved under international rules.

Is the Commission aware of the ongoing export of hazardous substances on board vessels to Asia?

The Basel Convention regulates the export of hazardous waste. The export of hazardous substances like asbestos, PCB oils, heavy oils and TBT paints needs to be regulated under the Basel Convention. Does the Commission agree with this interpretation? Is the European Commission willing to promote this interpretation to an international standard under IMO?

European shipowners seem to be unwilling to take any voluntary steps to prevent the export of hazardous substances on board end-of-life vessels. Is the European Commission prepared to inform Member States and the European Shipowners Association of the need to apply the Basel Convention?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2185/03 and E-2290/03given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(10 September 2003)

The Commission is aware of and very concerned about the ongoing and increasing export of end-of-life ships to Asia and the conditions under which the dismantling of such ships is carried out, and it agrees that such exports should be dealt with under international rules.

Concerning the issue of single hull oil tankers, the Commission has already indicated, during the discussion of the proposal at the Regional Policy, Transport and tourism (RETT) Committee, its intention to carry out a study about the impact on the ship recycling industry of the accelerated phasing out of single hull tankers.

As pointed out the Basel Convention regulates the export of hazardous waste at international level. The Basel Convention, as amended, is implemented into Community law through Waste Shipment Regulation (EEC) No 259/93(1). That Regulation clearly bans the export of hazardous waste like asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) oils, heavy oils and tributyltin (TBT) paints from the Community to non-Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

In the context of the International Maritime Organisation, the Community and its Member States are committed to working towards the finalisation of a guideline on the issue, that takes full account of Community legislation, the Basel Convention and its amendments as well as its guidelines on the dismantling of ships.

The Commission attaches a great importance to the issue and considers it imperative that the framework which the Basel Convention and the Waste Shipment Regulation (EEC) No 259/93 provide is respected and reinforced by all stakeholders. The Commission has therefore urged Member States to give priority to the issue internationally, to deal with all the elements involved whether they relate to the environment, health or safety and whether they are of a technical or legal nature in a comprehensive way, and to ensure that the Basel Convention and the Waste Shipment Regulation are respected.

Furthermore, the Community and its Member States are committed to the mainstreaming of the environmental, health and safety conditions in their support to developing countries. In this respect information exchange, shared responsibility and capacity building are considered key to ensuring sound management of waste and for improving maritime transport safety.

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 259/1993 of 1 February 1993 on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community, OJ L 30, 6.2.1993.