Brussels, 31/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The sinking of the chemicals carrier Ievoli Sun in the Channel on Tuesday morning "once again demonstrates the need to very rapidly adapt measures for strengthening maritime safety currently on the Council's table", declared Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio. She called on the Council not to weaken the Commission's proposal aimed at strengthening the controls of vessels at risk in European ports. At the 2 October Transport Council, ministers had reached agreement on the elimination of single-hulled oil tankers and a hardening of selection and control procedures of companies responsible for examining vessels, but had also weakened, at times referring to a "lack of personnel", the selection criteria for vessels "at risk". 3,000 vessels would thus be controlled instead of the 5,500 covered by the "maritime package" which the Commission presented in March (see EUROPE of 2 and 3 October, p.10). "In no way must we lower the level of control of vessels in Europe, not only to guarantee the safety of the crew, but also to preserve the environment", declared Loyola de Palacio. President Prodi recalled that the Commission had announced new measures to tighten maritime security (see EUROPE of 28 September, p.11). European Parliament President Nicole Fontaine has, for her part, proposed to the EP bringing forward the debate on maritime security, considering it "urgent to legislate".