WRITTEN QUESTION E-0412/03 by Eija-Riitta Korhola (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Carriage of oil in the Baltic under icy conditions.
Date: 2003-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Baltic Sea, EU relations, Finland, International Maritime Organisation, Russia, environmental risk prevention, international standard, maritime safety, tanker

C 222 E/198

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

18.9.2003

were admitted to Russia’s Koivisto oil terminal on the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish Government was unable
to prevent the movement of these potential bringers of environmental disaster. Can the European Union
help the Finnish authorities in such a case?

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2003)

The Commission would refer the Honourable Member to its answer to written questions E-0384/03 by
Mrs Myller, P-0408/03 by Mr Vatanen, E-0410/03 by Mrs Korhola and E-0420/03 by Mrs Matikainen-
Kallström (1).

(1) See page 191.

(2003/C 222 E/226)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0412/03

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

Subject: Carriage of oil in the Baltic under icy conditions

(17 February 2003)

There are no common regulations in the EU on sea transport under icy conditions. The requirement to
have a double-bottomed structure, for example, is insufficient if a vessel has not been ice strengthened.
In practice, only Finland and Sweden are now affected in normal winters, but when the three Baltic States
join the EU, as they are shortly due to do, the matter will be of interest to more Member States. A further
factor to take into account is the relationship linking the countries directly concerned and the EU to a non-
member country, Russia. It goes without saying that oil damage could also spread as far as Germany,
Denmark, and Poland. For these reasons there is probably no obstacle arising from the subsidiarity
principle to prevent common regulations being laid down to govern sea transport intended for icy
conditions.

Is the Commission willing to consider proposing common regulations on classifications and other
provisions for shipping so as to cover icy conditions?

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(1 April 2003)

The Commission would stress that the Honourable Member’s question should be placed in the context of
the extreme weather conditions in the Baltic Sea last winter and problems connected with the passage, in
those conditions, of oil tankers bound for the Russian port of Primorsk.

The Commission shares Finland’s concern, and that of all the countries bordering the Baltic Sea.

The International Maritime Organisation and the Baltic Maríne Environment Protection Commission
(Helcom) are now considering the harmonisation of existing standards to establish common norms for
sailing in icy waters. The Commission believes that the EU must encourage and support this work as a
matter of urgency.

The Commission could, if need be, consider the possibility of proposing a Directive harmonising the rules
on sailing in icy waters applying to ships bound for or departing from ports in the Member States.

However, approved international standards are the only way of tackling the problem of vessels at risk
transiting through international waters close to our shores.