Paris, 06/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - In an interview published in Le Parisien Dimache, questioned on the sinking of the Italian chemicals ship, the Ievoli Sun, European Parliament President Nicole Fontaine said that the "latest minutes of the Transport Council at times lead one to think of discussions in surrealists salons".. Indeed, she noted that, "were we to follow the opinion of the European Commissioners" (and, she added, it would be a very good thing), there would be a permanent monitoring in Europe of 5,500 vessels considered as being vessels at risk, whereas, following the passage of the Commission's draft before the Council, the coefficient has been downwardly reviewed and only 2,300 vessels would be the subject of these checks (see EUROPE of 2 November, p.14, for the warning Commissioner Loyola de Palacio sent out on this subject).
Noting that this issue would be on the agenda of the European Parliament in its session in Brussels of 29 and 30 November, Ms. Fontaine added that she would like to "review the work of the Council and that a second reading be called for", so that the Council amends its stance, especially on the final list of vessels at risk. You may recall that last week, Ms. Fontaine had brought forward the discussion in plenary, scheduled for 11 December, on the European Commission proposals on three other aspects of maritime security: obligation for dual-hulled vessels, stepped-up controls in ports and controls for certification companies. The relevant Parliamentary committee will decide on these proposals at its meeting on 20/21 November.
In a press release, on Friday, Ms. Fontaine had stressed that the certification company that had checked the Erika was the same that had checked the Ievoli Sun, remarking: "I dare hope that this is a very unfortunate coincidence. But, unfortunately all demonstrates that, in this field, there is no question of allowing companies of which we cannot ask if they are negligent to run out of control"