WRITTEN QUESTION P-3376/02 by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Accident at sea off the Galician coast.
Date: 2002-11-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU law, Galicia, man-made disaster, maritime safety, oil pollution, prevention of pollution, tanker, transport accident

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/63

In addition to Council Directive 75/442/EEC on waste, Council Directive 91/689/EEC of 12 December
1991 on hazardous waste (2) contains additional specific requirements pertaining to the transportation of
hazardous waste.

If the Honourable Member or other person has any evidence to the effect that the above-mentioned or
other Community obligations have been infringed, it is open to them to file a formal written complaint
with the Commission.

(1) By Council Directive 91/156/EEC of 18 March 1991 and Commission Decision 96/350/EC of 24 May 1996 (cid:1)

OJ L 135, 6.6.1996.
(2) OJ L 377, 31.12.1991.

(2003/C 222 E/069)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3371/02

by Marianne Eriksson (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(27 November 2002)

Subject: Cairo document and reproductive health

At a preparatory meeting held ahead of the next ESCAP meeting in Bangkok, the Bush Administration
declared that it would not support the action plan adopted at the UN’s international conference in Cairo in
1994. One aspect on which the action plan focuses is women’s right to functioning reproductive health
and sex education in the developing countries. The USA will now oppose this plan and instead
recommend sexual abstinence and family planning. It is a major retrograde step to deny the women of the
world their reproductive rights when one woman dies every minute as a result of the complications of an
abortion or pregnancy.

Will the Council, therefore, go against the USA and continue to support the Cairo document at the
meeting in December?

Reply

(8 May 2003)

The Council continues to support the Action Plan adopted at the UN’s International Conference on
Population and Development which was held in Cairo in 1994.

It has not had the opportunity to discuss with the USA its position on the implementation of the Plan.

However, the Council would emphasise that at its meeting in May 2002 in its development configuration
it adopted conclusions in paragraph 13 of which it stated that with a view to intensifying support for
health in developing countries and build further on each other’s strengths and comparative advantages,
it welcomed the intention by the Commission to reinforce cooperative arrangements with the Member
States, and with international organisations or public/private entities,
in particular the UNFPA, and
considered that these arrangements should also benefit initiatives taken at regional and national levels.

(2003/C 222 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3376/02

by Felipe Camisón Asensio (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 November 2002)

Subject: Accident at sea off the Galician coast

Legislation has been tightened up in the area of maritime safety in recent years because of the accident rate
among vessels, especially oil tankers, which have a serious impact on coastal areas.

C 222 E/64

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

At Community level the Commission reacted by drawing up two packages of measures known as ERIKA I
and ERIKA II. The aim of these packages was to strengthen inspection and safety systems in ports (port
State control), among certification bodies (classification societies) and as regards vessels themselves (double-
hull tankers).

In view of the accident off the Galician coast involving the tanker ‘Prestige’, which was apparently on its
way from Latvia to Gibraltar, does the Commission consider that according to the information available
Community rules regarding port State control have been complied with? If not, what measures will it
adopt?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2003)

According to the information available, the Prestige last underwent a Port State control (PSC) inspection in
Rotterdam in 1999. This inspection revealed only minor deficiencies, which were corrected before the
departure of the ship.

After this date, the ship did not call at any Union port with the exception of Kalamata, Greece and
Gibraltar, United Kingdom. The ship called, however, at Ventspils, Latvia and at Saint Petersburg, Russia.
During these visits, no PSC inspection was performed under Directive 95/21/EC (1) (PSC) or the Paris
Memorandum of Understanding rules.

The Commission wrote to the competent authorities of the countries concerned in order to obtain
information on the absence of PSC inspection to the Prestige.

In any case, in its Communication of 3 December 2002 on improving safety at sea (2) in response to the
Prestige accident, the Commission draws the attention of Member States to the need to respect PSC
obligations. It calls upon Member States to recruit a sufficient number of inspectors to enable them to fulfil
the 25 % minimum inspection rate obligation set out in Community law. The Commission also invites
Member States to ensure a sufficient level of inspection in all their ports and anchorage areas in order to
avoid the emergence of ‘ports of convenience’. The Commission will propose specific measures on this
respect.

The Commission will remain particularly vigilant on PSC issues. In this context, it has recently lodged an
application to the Court of Justice aiming at declaring that two Member States, France and Ireland, have
disrespected the 25 % PSC inspection minimum rate and have thus failed their Community obligations.

(1) Council Directive 95/21/EC of 19 June 1995 concerning the enforcement, in respect of shipping using Community
ports and sailing in the waters under the jurisdiction of the Member States, of international standards for ship
safety, pollution prevention and shipboard living and working conditions (port State control) (cid:1) OJ L 157,
7.7.1995.

(2) COM(2002) 681 final.

(2003/C 222 E/071)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3384/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(28 November 2002)

Subject: Development of a worldwide system of Internet filters and other forms of data mining under the

authority of the US Department of Defence

Has the Council noted the statement in ‘The Washington Post’ of 12 November 2002 by the former
1.
US National Security Adviser
John Poindexter, who heads up the Information Awareness Office
researching into a system of data mining by the US Department of Defence in order, throughout the
world, to be able to examine and analyse databases and information flows, such as those involving airlines,
immigration services, banks and telecommunications (Internet traffic)?

2.
Prior to publication of the statement, was the Council aware that the US is working on such a
system, which will influence telecommunications not only in the US, but also in the rest of the world,
including the territory of the EU Member States?