Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Council decision setting up a Community framework for cooperation in the field of accidental marine pollution'
Date: 1999-04-28
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: cooperation policy, environmental protection, industrial hazard, man-made disaster, marine pollution

C 169/16

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16.6.1999

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council decision setting
up a Community framework for cooperation in the field of accidental marine pollution’ (1)

(1999/C 169/07)

On 9 February 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article
130s(1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for
preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 9 April 1999. The rapporteur
was Mr Wilkinson, the co-rapporteurs Mrs zu Eulenburg and Mr Liverani.

At its 363rd plenary session (meeting of 28 April 1999) the Economic and Social Committee adopted
the following opinion by 89 votes in favour, 0 against and 2 abstentions.

1. Background

3. General Comments

1.1.
Community action in the field of accidental marine
pollution has existed since a 1978 Council Resolution to set
up an action programme. The aim of this programme was to
support the efforts of Member States to improve their capabili-
ties to respond to major pollution incidents at sea.

The Committee

3.1.
the proposed Council
supports
decision as a logical and helpful development of a system that
is already in place as a means of better protecting the
environment. It is important that work in this area should
continue in the longer term.

In 1981 a Community Information System was estab-
1.2.
lished.
Its purpose was to give Member States the data
necessary for dealing with pollution incidents. Its scope was
extended in 1986 by including an inventory of resources
available.

In 1987 a Community Task Force, managed by the
1.3.
Commission, was set up to help any Member State facing a
marine pollution incident by the rapid secondment of experts
from other Member States.

2. The Commission Proposal

2.1.
The system has shown its value in both minor and
major pollution incidents, but there is now a need to consoli-
date a simpler and more coherent and transparent framework
for cooperation, by bringing the relevant Community Infor-
mation Systems and Action Programme together into one act.
The framework will provide a sound legal basis, while setting
out criteria and financing arrangements for actions taken.

2.2.
The proposal covers information exchange, training, a
Community Task Force, international cooperation and pilot
technical development projects. The annual budget proposed
is 1 million euro, half of which will
fund training and
exchanges of experts.

3.2.
The Committee notes that the proposals are designed
to help in cases of marine pollution from all sources, and
whether accidental or deliberate.

3.3.
The Committee also notes that the proposals would be
helpful to Member States who are party to other international
agreements on marine pollution (2), in force or under nego-
tiation.

3.4.
It further notes that agreement on defining who is
responsible for causing some types of pollution, to establish
liability for paying under the ’polluter pays’ principle, is still
under discussion internationally.

4. Specific Comments

4.1.
The proposed budget for the scheme is very modest,
bearing in mind what costs may be saved in a single major
incident by effective and speedy action.

4.2.
involve
Since marine pollution incidents may well
third countries, it would seem wise to encourage countries
which border a Member State to adopt the EU framework, at
least as far as the information system is concerned.

4.3.
For EU candidate countries, especially those which
have coastlines, consideration should also be given to funding

(1) OJ C 25, 30.1.1999, p. 20.

(2) Such as the Bonn Agreement (North Sea), Barcelona Convention

(Mediterranean) and Helsinki Convention (Baltic).

16.6.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 169/17

their participation, at a limited level, in the training activities
which are planned. This funding could come from the budget
proposed in COM(1998) 769 final or from other EU sources.

Further,

4.4.
it would be valuable to keep international
organizations, such as IMO, informed of progress in the hope
that they may use the EU framework as a model internationally.

Brussels, 28 April 1999.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a European Parliament and
Council Directive amending Directive 92/117/EEC concerning measures for protection against
specified zoonoses and specific zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal origin in order
to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and intoxications’

(1999/C 169/08)

On 22 April 1999 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 43
and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above mentioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for
preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 8 April 1999. The rapporteur
was Mr Leif Nielsen.

At its 363rd plenary session (meeting of 28 April 1999), the Economic and Social Committee adopted
the following opinion with 93 votes in favour and three abstentions.

1.

Introduction

accession in 1995. Even though the deadlines were postponed
in 1997 by Directive 97/22/EC, a number of Member States
have still not submitted their national plans for achieving the
objectives of the directive or for implementing its provisions.

1.1.
Council Directive 92/117/EEC obliges the Member
States to take certain measures for protection against zoonoses
and zoonotic agents in animals and products of animal
origin to prevent outbreaks of food-borne infections and
intoxications. The directive provides for a reporting system on
the incidence of zoonoses, as well as the monitoring, control
and eradication of certain types of salmonella found in poultry
breeding flocks. It also introduces control programmes for
other zoonotic agents than salmonella. These require the
Commission to follow developments and, inter alia, to draw
up guidelines for measures to control zoonoses.

1.3.
The Commission is now considering a fundamental
change to the policy pursued to date and reflecting on the
objectives of future strategy. This involves, inter alia, flexibility
on how the objectives are achieved, measures to counter the
spread of zoonotic agents through trade, prevention of trade
disputes with third countries and development of the ‘stable
to table’ principle, including the introduction of codes of good
farming practice.

Although the directive was adopted unanimously by
1.2.
the Council of Ministers, it soon became clear that not all
Member States were able to implement the rules it laid down.
It was particularly difficult to carry out the requirement to
slaughter or destroy poultry flocks infected with salmonella (S.
Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium). To date, the directive has
only been fully implemented in four Member States. Sweden
and Finland obtained indefinite trade guarantees upon

1.4.
The Commission was originally supposed to submit a
report containing a proposal for a revision of the directive in
the light of the experience gained by 1 January 1996. This
deadline was extended in 1997, but has now been exceeded
by 1` years. The Commission is now complaining that,