WRITTEN QUESTION E-0059/03 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Council. Following the Prestige disaster off the coast of Galicia: adoption of specific EU legislation governing the transport of hazardous cargoes by sea.
Date: 2003-01-22
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, common transport policy, international standard, maritime safety, transport of dangerous goods, transport regulations

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/145

Organisation (IMO). Cooperation between the Commission and the IMO is a constant feature of the
regulatory initiatives taken by the Union in the maritime sector with regular parliamentary involvement.

Accordingly, the Commission welcomes the support of Parliament and of the Council on this dossier and
hopes that the cooperation between these two institutions will
lead swiftly to the realisation of the
measures envisaged.

(1) COM(2002) 681 final.

(2003/C 222 E/167)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0059/03

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

(22 January 2003)

Subject: Following the Prestige disaster off

the coast of Galicia: adoption of specific EU legislation

governing the transport of hazardous cargoes by sea

What reasons has the Council for not promoting the adoption of specific EU legislation governing the
transport of hazardous cargoes through its coastal waters, as the USA did (in the form of the 1990 Oil
Pollution Act) following the Exxon Valdez accident, thereby creating a legal area separate from the existing
basic and rather confused international laws?

Reply

(8 May 2003)

The Council invites the Honourable Member to refer to the reply it gave to this same question in Council
question time during the plenary session of the European Parliament in January 2003 (QH (cid:1) 0847/02).

(2003/C 222 E/168)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0061/03

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

(22 January 2003)

Subject: Visit to Galicia by the President-in-Office of the Council in order to assess at first hand the effects

of the Prestige disaster

Is the President-in-Office of the Council thinking of immediately visiting Galicia and the other affected
areas in order to experience at first hand the effects of the accident involving the Prestige and so as to
ensure that the Council can no longer ignore the disaster?

Reply

(13 May 2003)

The Council devoted a large part of its time to discussing the Prestige affair at its meetings on Fisheries on
28 November 2002, on Transport on 5/6 December 2002 and on Environment on 9 December 2002.
The Council was on this occasion extensively briefed about the details of the accident by the Spanish (1),
French and Portuguese Ministers and by the Commission, in particular Mrs Wallström who has visited the
spot. The Council also availed itself of
the Commission communication of 4 December 2002 on
improving safety at sea in response to the Prestige accident (2).

As a result, the Council ‘Transport’ adopted, on 5-6 December 2002, conclusions on Ship’s safety and
pollution prevention (3). The Council ‘Environment’ adopted, on 9 December 2002, conclusions on the
environmental disaster caused by the accident of the ‘Prestige’ (4). The ‘Justice and Home Affairs’ Council of
19 December 2002 adopted a statement on the Protection of the Environment through criminal law in the