WRITTEN QUESTION E-0017/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(20 January 2000)

Subject: Oil discharges at sea

Oil discharges in the Atlantic and the North Sea are a threat to the various biotopes along Europe's coastline. The large number of birds covered in oil, mainly in December, January and February, illustrates the serious nature of the pollution. Ships usually make use of stormy weather to flush their oil tanks clean without being seen.

The only possible solution, according to the Maríne Ecological Centre in Ostend, would be rules making it compulsory for ships to clean their oil tanks before leaving port. Ships would not be able to leave without a certificate of proof.

Can the Council agree to a directive making it compulsory for ships to clean their oil tanks before leaving port, given the threat to various biotopes along Europe's coastline from oil discharges? If not, why does the Council feel that such an obligation is unnecessary and what alternative proposals does it have for effectively tackling the problem of oil discharges?

Reply

(2 May 2000)

1. The Council is aware of the problem raised by the Honourable Member. Incorporating environmental-protection requirements is a precondition for defining and implementing Community policies and actions. Following the mandates given by the European Council at its meetings in Cardiff (15 to 16 June 1998), Vienna (11 to 12 December 1998) and Cologne (3 to 4 June 1999), the task of incorporating these requirements has already started within the various sectoral policies. The Council has not, however, yet received any proposals from the Commission specifically concerning the points raised in this question.

2. The Council would refer the Honourable Member to a body of texts which have already been approved or are currently under examination which, on account of the growing quantities of dangerous or polluting goods transported by sea, are designed to avoid and reduce the risks likely to arise from serious accidents at sea.

3. In this respect mention should be made of Directive 93/75/EC concerning minimum requirements for vessels bound for or leaving Community ports and carrying dangerous or polluting goods. It was amended twice in 1998.

4. On 8 November 1999 the Council adopted a common position with a view to adopting a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on port reception facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues. That common position, together with Directive 95/21/EC on Port State control, provides for inspections in Community ports in order to monitor implementation of the international and Community rules on the subject. In a similar vein the Council has just adopted (December 1999) a common position on a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Community framework for cooperation in the field of accidental or deliberate marine pollution. One of the aims of that Decision is to supplement Member States' efforts in cases of oil spillage or threat of oil spillage and to strengthen their clean-up capacity in that field.

5. In addition, at its meeting on 24 January 2000, dealing among other things with oil tanker safety, the Council took note of the initiatives envisaged by the Commission concerning in particular increased security standards for oil tankers to be admitted to European Union ports, intensification of security inspections and identification of those financially responsible in cases of pollution.

6. The Council would stress, furthermore, that the Community provisions on the subject are based on international law, i.e. the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships or the resolutions of the International Maritime Organization.