WRITTEN QUESTION E-0402/03 by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Oil tankers in the Gulf of Finland.
Date: 2003-02-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Baltic Sea, environmental risk prevention, maritime safety, tanker

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/197

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 2003)

The Commission assumes that the Honourable Member is concerned only by external controls in the field
of veterinary and food safety.

Security measures for control of animals and products of animal origin fall under the scope of the
veterinary checks regime, part of the veterinary acquis. The framework for the legislation is adopted and
updated as necessary by the Commission and Council working with the Parliament but under this acquis it
is the responsibility of each Member State to apply the appropriate controls at all entry points into the
Union from third countries (border inspection posts). All 10 of the Applicant Countries committed in their
common positions to transpose and implement the Union aquis in full in matters to do with import by
accession, and no derogations in this respect were negotiated.

The Commission (the Directorate General (DG) Health and Consumer Protection) have had a series of high
level missions to all Applicant Countries in autumn 2002 to emphasise the importance of key issues
including correct transposition and timely implementation of the veterinary acquis. Another series of
missions aimed at ensuring correct transposition of Union veterinary acquis is now being carried out by
Commission staff to discuss the preparation of tables of correspondence and problems encountered.

The Commission through the work of the Food and Veterinary Office has been carrying out monitoring
missions in all Applicant Countries looking at transposition and implementation of Union legislation.
Additionally specific missions to look at import controls have taken place. Further missions are planned
and will continue up to accession to ensure that the Union aquis is respected, and that a harmonised
position is ensured.

The Commission is closely monitoring the considerable work that still remains in some Candidate
Countries as regards transposition and implementation in the field of veterinary controls at the external
borders including the upgrading of staff and the provision of the necessary facilities at the proposed long
term border inspection posts.

At this stage it is not possible to say exactly what the numbers of staff working on veterinary import
controls will be in each Applicant Country. Many border crossing points between new Applicant Countries
will no longer be required as the borders will fall within the enlarged single market and staff from such
points may be redeployed to increase numbers at the remaining proposed long term border inspection
posts. Inspection reports by the Food and Veterinary Office regularly comment upon the adequacy or not
of staff numbers for import controls in all border inspection posts and will no doubt continue to do so in
new Member States after their accession.

The new external border of the Union with third countries will be identical with the current national
borders for each new Applicant Country where each meets a third country. The Applicant Countries will
use their own staff to apply the veterinary aquis on these external borders of the enlarged Community. The
new border will be with Russia, Belarussia, Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, and
temporarily with Romania after 1 May 2004.

(2003/C 222 E/225)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0402/03

by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 February 2003)

Subject: Oil tankers in the Gulf of Finland

The sinking of the ‘Prestige’ caused an enormous environmental disaster on the coast of Spain. In the Gulf
of Finland, which is set to become virtually an internal sea of the EU, the damage might be even greater if
a similar incident were to occur, because in cold conditions the sea recovers more slowly. In January and
February, when the sea was frozen, supertankers which were not suitably reinforced to resist ice pressure

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.