Brussels, 06/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - Presenting to the press the second package of measures that the European Commission is proposing (Erika II" package), Commission Vice-President Ms. Loyola de Palacio notably declared: "adoption of these measures by the Community will make it possible to build a genuine European maritime safety area and ensure an optimum level of protection for the marine environment and the European coastline. Maritime safety is a sector where prevention is by far the best method of action. This method deserves the deployment of human and material resources that match the stakes". Putting together the measures of the "Erika I" package (which has entered its final phase of talks between the European Parliament and the Council) and the new package, the EU will have provided an appropriate response to the concerns of the populations, following the dramatic oil slicks we have experienced, as well as the dramatic ecological concerns raised by these disasters. The path of voluntary agreements (between shipping companies, oil companies, etc.) had first been explored but has now been abandoned: the Commission opted for the regulatory path, with the backing and encouragement of government and the European Parliament, the Commissioner stipulated.
Ms. de Palacio has urged Parliament and the Council to complete approval of the first package as soon as possible (that strengthens port controls, steps up controls on classification companies and speeds up the ban on single-hulled oil tankers) and hopes that this second package will be discussed and submitted to talks within the Council (that can, for the most part, decide through a qualified majority) and Parliament as soon as possible. The new package proposes:
- Strengthening prevention and monitoring measures for ships sailing in European waters (which will have a effect also covering ships not stopping off in European ports, the Commissioner underpins). The Commission proposes: 1) obliging ships in transit in high traffic density or dangerous areas for navigation, to be equipped with automatic identification systems, according to a timetable stretching between July 2002 for new ships and 2007; 2) extending the notification obligation, currently applied for the transport of hazardous of polluting cargo, to fuel present on board; 3) simplify and harmonise electronic transmission and data exploitation procedures for hazardous of polluting cargo carried by ships; 4) rendering black boxes compulsory (voyage data recorders) on board ships stopping off in a port of the EU, between 2002 and January 2008, according to a timetable bringing forward the one set by the International Maritime Organisation; 5) developing common databases and their networking; 6) enhancing the power of intervention of coastal States, which will be able to order a ship threatening their coast to alter course or impose on it the presence of assessment, piloting or tug crews; 7) encouraging Member States to provide themselves with reception measures for ships in distress; 8) authorise port captains to ban ships from setting out to sea should meteorological conditions be bad. The Commission mentions the threshold of 10 Beaufort.
- A improved system of liability and compensation in case of damage. The Commission proposes the creation of a European Fund, COPE, complementing the international compensation system, funded by European firms which import oil. This fund would compensate, to a ceiling of 1 billion euro, proven victims of oil slicks, complementing the compensation provided for by the international system which, for its part, has a 200 million euro ceiling. The European Fund would also allow for the payment of aid provided for by the international system to be brought forward. The Commission also proposes that Member States impose sanctions in case of serious negligence.
- Creation of a European maritime safety body, in the form of an European agency whose personnel would be limited to 50 people with an operational budget of 1.3 million euro. "Independent body", the maritime safety agency would be responsible for: 1) assisting the Commission in drawing up legislative texts and monitoring international legislation; 2) monitoring controls undertaken by Member States in their ports; 3) collecting and exploiting data to draw up a black list of vessels not meeting international standards; 4) controlling classification companies, responsible for the certification of ships on behalf of Member States; 5) coordinating investigating activities following a maritime accident; 6) assisting Member States.
