WRITTEN QUESTION E-1520/01 by Martin Callanan (PPE-DE) to the Commission. BP Trent tragedy ‐ third-country obligations to co-operation with the European judicial system.
Date: 2001-05-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Panama, competence of the Member States, judicial proceedings, maritime safety, maritime transport, transport accident

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/179

(2001/C 350 E/192)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1520/01

by Martin Callanan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(21 May 2001)

Subject: BP Trent tragedy (cid:129) third-country obligations to co-operation with the European judicial system

In June 1993, nine British sailors were killed when the Panamanian registered vessel (cid:145)The Western Winner(cid:146)
collided with the British fuel tanker the (cid:145)BP British Trent(cid:146) near the Belgian port of Ostend.

Maritime investigations have shown that the Korean captain and crew of (cid:145)The Western Winner(cid:146) were to
blame, having failed to comply with essential maritime safety laws. The ship(cid:146)s master, crew and owners of
(cid:145)The Western Winner(cid:146) have failed to co-operate with the judicial process through failing to attend the
hearings organised by the prosecutor(cid:146)s office in Bruges. They also declined to assist the UK(cid:146)s Maritime
Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) which conducted an enquiry on behalf of the Bermudan authorities
shortly after the incident.

As a result the case is still, almost eight years on, pending before the criminal court in Bruges. The
Commission does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute the captain, crew or owners of the ship, neither
can the Belgian authorities interfere with the judicial process.

What are the powers of the Commission in such legal cases where liable bodies from a third country fail
to co-operate with the European judicial system, thus inhibiting the legal proceedings?

Could the Commission not put pressure on the relevant governmental authorities to demand that those
responsible for the tragedy co-operate with the European judicial system?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(19 July 2001)

The Commission regrets to inform the Honourable Member that it does not have any legal competence
over individual criminal proceedings in Member States, which fall within the responsibilities of the relevant
national authorities.

However, the European Commission Vice-President responsible for Transport, responding to numerous
letters by the Honourable Member, wrote to the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport
informing her of the importance that he attaches to this question.

(2001/C 350 E/193)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1522/01

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Harmful herbal preparations used in dieting

The use of herbal preparations for slimming has become widespread all over Europe. They have sometimes
caused damage or even death among people following this kind of diet. The use of herbs such as Larrea
tridentata (causing hepatitis), Teucrium chamaedis or Scutellaria laterifolia (harmful for the liver), Datura
stramonium or Phlox rhododendri (brain disorders) and (cid:145)Chinese herbs(cid:146) such as Aristolochia frangchi or
Stephania tetranda (causing lethal kidney damage) should be regulated at European level by the
compilation of lists of harmful herbs which should not be used in herbal medicine or, in certain cases,
should not be imported.

What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of this problem?

What proposals does it intend to put forward on the subject?