WRITTEN QUESTION E-3581/02 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. The decisions apparently taken by the Spanish Prime Minister and the French President on separating the sea corridors for Prestige-type vessels.
Date: 2002-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: France, Spain, access to EU information, accident prevention, maritime safety, national law, oil pollution, parliamentary session, tanker, transport regulations

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/85

Following the sinking of the ERIKA and under French impetus, the European authorities took action and
Parliament adopted a package of measures aimed at tightening legislation on classification societies and
owners. This regulation lays down that all one-hulled oil tankers must be phased out by 2015.

But what is to be done in the meantime? About ten days after the Prestige sank, another tanker of the
same kind, the Byzantio (same age, structure, cargo, charterer (cid:1) the one that hired out the ERIKA to Total
Fina Elf three years ago) is en route to the French and Spanish coastline.

A few days away from the first meeting of the Administrative Board of the brand new European Maritime
Safety Agency and in the light of this especially worrying situation, does the Council intend to take new
emergency measures, which could be enacted on 5/6 December at the next meeting of the Council of
European Transport Ministers?

(2003/C 222 E/097)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3581/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(13 December 2002)

Subject: The decisions apparently taken by the Spanish Prime Minister and the French President on

separating the sea corridors for ‘Prestige’-type vessels

What decisions has the Council taken, and what decisions does it intend to take, concerning The decisions
apparently taken by the Spanish Prime Minister and the French President on separating the sea corridors
allocated to ‘Prestige’-type vessels? What are the potential practical consequences of such decisions for the
impact of such disasters on the coasts?

(2003/C 222 E/098)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3582/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(13 December 2002)

Subject: State of implementation by the EU Member States of the ‘ERIKA’ legislative package

What is the state of play as regards implementation by the EU Member States of the ‘ERIKA’ legislative
package? Which were the Member States that blocked an agreement to bring implementation forward? On
what grounds did they justify such a position?

(2003/C 222 E/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3583/02

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(13 December 2002)

Subject: Estimated cost of the ‘Exxon Valdez’ disaster to the economy of the Alaskan coastline and expected

costs of the ‘Prestige’ disaster for the Galician coastal areas

The cost of the ‘Exxon Valdez’ disaster to the economy of the Alaskan coastline, in accordance with the US
authorities’ determination of Exxon’s liability,
is estimated at USD 1 billion in damage to the natural
environment, plus a further USD 2 billion in depollution actions and other measures. Given that the
impact of the ‘Prestige’ disaster on Galicia’s coastal areas is greater than that caused by the ‘Exxon Valdez’,
what estimate has the Council put forward for Galicia?