Brussels, 13/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Christian Democrats and Liberals in the European Parliament have called on the Commission and Council to continue to fight piracy at sea, which endangers both seafarers and trade, particularly in the Gulf of Aden. George Koumoutsakos (EPP, Greece) and Peter Van Dalen (ECR, Netherlands) held a hearing on Thursday 14 October on piracy, a problem which is continuing to grow, according to the invited experts. Koumoutsakos said that “at the moment between 450 and 600 seafarers from more than 30 ships are held hostage in Somalia. The EU should try to liberate these people as soon as possible from their horrifying situation”. Van Dalen is concerned about the ransom money paid out, which he estimates to be between €300 and €500 million. “There are indications that this money goes to Somali warlords who put the money in bank accounts, even in European countries. This money should be traced and confiscated so piracy is no longer an attractive business.” The MEPs hope to convince other political groups of the seriousness of the problem and to have it debated in plenary session. The European Community Shipowners' Association (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF), convinced of the need for a European response to this problem, welcomed this awareness-raising initiative. (MD/transl.rt)