WRITTEN QUESTION E-0413/03 by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Adequacy of oil clean-up capacities in the EU's maritime regions.
Date: 2003-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Baltic Sea, EU Member State, anti-pollution device, civil defence, exchange of information, pollution control measures, pollution from ships

C 268 E/100

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

7.11.2003

(2003/C 268 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0413/03

by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 February 2003)

Subject: Adequacy of oil clean-up capacities in the EU’s maritime regions

In the light of the enquiries which I have made to the appropriate authorities of all the countries bordering
the Baltic Sea (including current and future Member States as well as Russia), it appears to be the case that
every Baltic coastal state has equipment of some description to clean up oil but the actual clean-up
capacity in the Baltic region is in practice impossible to gauge, given the wind, ice, and other conditions
prevailing at sea. For example, when routine damage occurs an attempt can be made to remove oil-
covered ice mechanically, by means of dredgers, but the capacity to carry out even that operation is
insufficient when a tanker breaks up. The overall picture which has emerged from my enquiries seems to
suggest that, even if conditions were relatively good, oil would not start to be cleared until it had been
washed ashore, because there would in fact not be enough equipment available for any other option, even
under favourable circumstances.

The situation is presumably similar in other EU maritime regions.

Has the Commission considered whether it might catalogue oil clean-up capacities in the EU’s maritime
regions, using standard assessment procedures, and,
lay down or recommend minimum
capacities for the different regions, taking into account the specific conditions and traffic volumes in the
areas concerned?

if necessary,

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2003)

In the context of the Community framework for cooperation in the field of accidental or deliberate marine
pollution (Decision No 2850/2000/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2000 (1)), a
Community Information System (CIS) for the purpose of exchanging data on the preparedness for and
response to marine pollution has been established. The Commission, in collaboration with Member States,
has defined the format of the national pages of the CIS. The CIS is open to national competent authorities
and to public at the following website: http://europa.eu.int/marpol-cis

In case of accidents, Member States and Candidate Countries can activate the Community Mechanism to
facilitate reinforced cooperation in Civil Protection assistance interventions. In this way, any affected
country can have immediate access, through the European Response Centre, to all specialised equipment
available in Europe.

Moreover, concerning the preparedness and response to marine pollution in the different regional seas
around Europe, the Commission closely follows the works of the competent working groups. In particular,
for the Baltic Sea, the Commission participates to the works of the working groups of the Helsinki
Commission (Helcom), which are set up by the Helsinki Convention.

(1) OJ L 332, 28.12.2000.

(2003/C 268 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0418/03

by Mary Banotti (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(17 February 2003)

Subject: EU bottle size legislation

Is the Commission considering the deregulation of packaging legislation, and what measures will the
Commission take regarding the present mandatory spirit bottle size, given the concerns of the European
spirits industry should such deregulation apply to the mandatory spirit bottle range?