CELEX: 51987PC0120
Language: en
Date: 1987-04-01
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION amending Decision 86/85/EEC establishing a Community information system for the control and reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of hydrocarbons and other harmful substances at sea (presented by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (87) 120
Vol. 1987/0051
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 concerning
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Verschlusssachen als herabgestuft angesehen.
 ---pagebreak---  COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                     COM(87 ) 120 final
                                                     Brussels ,  1 April 1987
                                           -,
                                    Proposal 'for a
                                                    \y        .
                                   COUNCIL DECISION
   amending Decision 86 / 85 / EEC establishing a Community information system
     for the control and reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of
                hydrocarbons and other harmful substances at sea
                          ( presented by the Commission )
C0MC87 ) 120 final
 ---pagebreak---                                                   г
 PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION AMENDING DECISION 86 / 85 / EEC ESTABLISHING
A COMMUNITY INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR THE CONTROL AND REDUCTION OF POLLUTION
    CAUSED BY THE SPILLAGE OF HYDROCARBONS AND OTHER HARMFUL SUBSTANCES
                                          AT SE A
                              EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
  1 . Introduction
        The fire on the outskirts of Basle on 1 November 1986 and the massive
        pollution of the Rhine which followed confirmed the need for international
        and , more specifically. Community action to prevent and limit the conse¬
        quences of accidents which could cause pollution .
        The Council Resolution of 24 November 1986 on this subject underlined that
        one key element in achieving better environmental protection of the Rhine
        and other major waterways in the Community must be to improve the alarm and
                                                       (1 )
        information system for accidental discharges .
   (1 )
        Meeting document CONS / ENV / 86 / 1 /5 rev. 1
 ---pagebreak---                                         3
     The Community already has an information system for the control and reduc ¬
     tion of pollution caused by the spillage of hydrocarbons and other harmful
       .
     substances  at+ sea . (2)
     This proposal seeks to extend it to inland waterways .
     The Commission departments concerned are considering or drafting other
     measures to follow up the Council Resolution of 24 November 1986 .
2 . The Rhine
     In 1976, the Community became a Contracting Party to the Agreement setting
     up the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine against
     Pollution ( ICPR ) and acceeded to the Convention for the Protection of the
     Rhine against Chemical Pollution .
     Ever since , it has been playing an active part in the work of the ICPR,
     notably in the adoption of regulations to govern controlled discharges of
     chemicals and in laying down limit values for emissions of certain harmful
     substances into the Rhine .
     To deal with uncontrolled discharges , the ICPR has set up a notification
     and alarm system .
     Following the accident on 1 November 1986 the Contracting Parties agreed to
     make a number of improvements to the system . In recognition of its experience
     in this field, particularly in combating spills at sea , the Commission has
     been closely involved in this work .
(2 )
     OJ No L 77 , 22.03.1986, p. 33
 ---pagebreak--- 3 . The Community information system
     3.1 . Current System
           A Community information system on pollution caused by hydrocarbons
           was set up under the Council Decision of 3 December 1981 . ^ The
           system including amongst other things an inventory of resources in
           combating pollution of the sea by hydrocarbons , has proved its effec ¬
           tiveness on numerous occasions , particularly after the "Patmos ",
           "Mont-Louis " and more recently , "Kowloon Bridge " and " Capo Emma "
           accidents .
           On 6 March 1986 , a Council amendment extended the 1981 Decision to
                                        C4 )
           other harmful substances .        In particular , the extension called
           for compilation of an inventory of the resources ( manpower and
           material ) for intervention in the event of a spillage of harmful
           substances other than hydrocarbons at sea . Considerable progress
           has been made on the inventory , a preliminary version of which
           should be ready in 1987 .
     3.2 . Extension to inland waterways
           The proposed extension would add two new features to the Community
           information system :
           - information on existing plans for combating pollution of inland
             waterways , comprising a brief description of the content of the
             plans and naming the authorities responsible for them ;
           - an inventory of resources ( manpower and material ) for intervention in
             the event of a spillage in inland waterways .
< 3) Council Decisión 81 /971 / EEC , OJ No L 355 , 10/ 12 /1981 , p . 52
(4)
     Council Decisión 86 /85 / EEC , OJ No L 77 , 22 / 03 / 1986 , p . 33
 ---pagebreak---                                        5
       In addition , the Commission feels that Article 1.3 of Decision 86 /85 / EEC
       calling for compilation of a compendium of information concerning the
       properties and behaviour of harmtul substances or groups of harmful
       substances other than hydrocarbons is directly applicable to inland
       waterways too .
4 . Staff and funding
    The present workforce is too small to perform the work which this proposal
    wi l l generate .
    It will therefore be necessary , in order to ensure the organisation and
    achievement of this new task , to appoint to this action a supplementary
    grade A and a supplementary grade B official , either by internal trans ¬
    fer within DG XI , or within the framework of the programming of DG XI
    resources .
    In addition adequate funding will have to be provided for in the budget
    as from 1 988 .
5 . Consultation of Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee
    Since this proposal is based on Article 235 of the Treaty , Parliament and
    the Economic and Social Committee must be consulted .
 ---pagebreak---                                        Proposai for a
                                      COUNCIL DECISION
amending Decision 86 /85 / EEC establishing a Community information system for
        the control and reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of
                 hydrocarbons and other harmful substances at sea
  THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
  Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
                                                ( *)
  and in particular Article 235 thereof             ,
  Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ,
  Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ,
  Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ,
  Whereas the Council has adopted Decision 86 /85 / EEC    on the control and
  reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of hydrocarbons and other
  harmful substances at sea .                 »
  Whereas on 24 November 1986 the Council adopted a Resolution on pollution of
  . i Qi
  the      .
        Rhine  (2) ;
  (*) once the Single European Act enters into force , the legal basis will be
        Article 130 S.
  ( 1 ) OJ No L 77 , 22 / 03 / 1986 , P.33
 ---pagebreak--- Whereas improved information on the plans and resources for intervention in
the event of a spillage is a key element towards ensuring greater protection
against pollution of inland waterways ;
Whereas the scope of Decision 86 / 85 / EEC should therefore be extended , in
particular with      a view to compiling an inventory of resources for interven ¬
tion in the event of a spillage of hydrocarbons and other harmful substances
in inland waterways ;
Whereas the Treaty has not provided all the necessary powers for this purpose ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
                                  Article 1
Decision 86 / 85 / EEC is hereby amended as follows :
1 . The title is replaced by the following :
" Council Decision of 6 March 1986 establishing a Community information system
for the control and reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of hydrocarbons
and other harmful substances at sea or in inland waterways ".
2 . Article 1(1 ) is replaced by the following :
"1 . An information system is hereby established to make available to the
 ---pagebreak---                                     7
competent authorities in the Member States the data required for the con¬
trol and reduction of pollution caused by the spillage of hydrocarbons and
other harmful substances in large quantities at sea or in inland waterways ".
3 . The following is added to Article 1(2 ):
"( e ) a list of existing plans for combating pollution caused by the spillage
of hydrocarbons and other harmful substances in inland waterways , comprising
a brief description of the content of the plans and naming the authorities
responsible for them ;
( f ) an inventory of resources for intervention in the event of a spillage
of hydrocarbons and other harmful substances in inland waterways ( Annex IV )."
4 . The Annex to this Decision is added as Annex IV .
                              Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Member States .
 Done at Brussels                                          For the Counci l
 ---pagebreak---                                                                       Annex
                          " ANNEX IV
 INVENTORY OF RESOURCES FOR INTERVENTION IN THE EVENT OF A SPILLAGE OF
HYDROCARBONS AND OTHER HARMFUL SUBSTANCES IN INLAND WATERWAYS
The purpose of this inventory is to provide a preliminary indication of the
                                                  (1 )
resources which are available in a Member State        for intervention when
hydrocarbons and other harmful substances are spilt in inland waterways and
of those which in the event of an incident might be made available to another
Member State on request and on conditions to be decided between the respective
competent authorities .
                          A. CONTENT
The inventory will contain data on :
1 . manpower resources ( specialist staff , task forces , etc .);
2 . the material resources available for use in the different stages of
     intervention and the re-establishment of the original conditions at the
     sites affected by spillage ;
The inventory will contain data on the characteristics of these resources and
where they are located . It may also contain data on the time needed to mobi ¬
lize them .
(1 )
     Excluding resources and personnel available for the protection of the
     vital security interests of that Member State .
 ---pagebreak---                                    \o
                      B. PROCEDURES
The Commission will gradually prepare the inventory and send copies to the
Member States at each stage . It will ensure that the information forwarded
to it is in line with the aims and content of the inventory .  It will take
any action necessary to apply the inventory
The Member States will :
- assemble and forward to the Commission the information available to them
  which is considered necessary for drawing up the inventory ( cf . data men¬
  tioned in section A );
- supply the Commission with the information available to them which is
  considered necessary for updating the inventory .
However , for a two-year transitional period it will be for the Member States
to assess what information they consider necessary to forward to the
Commission for the drawing up of the inventory referred to in this Annex .
The situation will be reviewed on the basis of the Commission report mentioned
in Article 5 of the Decision ."
 ---pagebreak---                                         U
                         FINANCIAL STATEMENT
1 . Budget headings concerned :
    - 6600 Environment - Medium-term action
        250 Meetings of groups of experts
2 . Appropriations entered under these headings for the current budget year :
    - 6600         4 965 920   ECU
    - 250          7 323 800   ECU
3 . Carryovers authorized or requested :
    Not applicable
4 . Expenditure incurred as a result of the Decision put to the Commission :
    a ) in the current budget year :
        - from the appropriations entered under the budget headings concerned :
          6600      100 000   ECU
            250      10 000   ECU
        - from carryovers : not applicable
        - from other procedures : not applicable
    b ) in subséquent budget years :
          ^ 988 : 6600 :    150 000 ECU
                   250 :     10 000 ECU
        - 1989 and seq. :    6600 : 100 000 ECU
                              250 :  10 000 ECU
 ---pagebreak---                                        \г
5 . Other financial impact of the Decision :
    - personnel necessary to carry out the work : will not directly incur
      an increase in personnel costs .
6 . Method of calculation :
    - 6600 : provision of technical assistance needed by Member States
             ( experts , advice , specialist institutes ...) to allow
             harmonized implementation of the proposed Decision ;
    - heading 250 : one meeting a year , each attended by 20 or so experts ;
    - staff required : one grade A 7 and one grade B 3. .     This endowment will
                         serve to provide personnel , either for internal transfer
                         within D6 XI or to be used for the collection of posts
                         which will be allocated to DG XI in the framework of the
                         programming of 1987 resources ( Rolling Plan /posts ).
 ---pagebreak---                                   12>
Fiche d' impact de certains actes législatifs sur les PME et l' emploi
  1 . . OBLIGATIONS ADMINISTRATIVES DECOULANT DE L' APPLICATION DE LA
        LEGISLATION POUR LES ENTREPRISES
  2.    AVANTAGES POUR L' ENTREPRISE
        - «XM / NON
        - LESQUELLES
 3.     INCONVENIENTS      POUR L' ENTREPRISE
        ( coût supplémentaires )
        - SMX / NON
        - CONSEQUENCES
 A.     EFFETS SUR L' EMPLOI
 5.     Y A - T - IL EU CONCERTATION PREALABLE AVEC LES PARTENAIRES
        SOCIAUX ?
        - XJÜÎ / NON
        - AVIS DES PARTENAIRES SOCIAUX
 6.     Y A - T - IL UNE APPROCHE ALTERNATIVE MOINS CONTRAIGNANTE ?
           NON