Luxembourg, 05/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The second package of measures to step-up maritime safety in Europe, so-called "Erika II" achieved a mitigated reception at the Transport Council held in Luxembourg on Thursday. The majority of Ministers pleaded in favour of an international approach before engaging in a regional initiative, regarding ship surveillance and the increase in the compensation fund for victims of oil pollution. They are, however, in favour of the creation of a "European Maritime Safety Agency", essentially responsible for coordinating information exchange between national maritime authorities and to check implementation of European legislation on control.
Ship surveillance: the Council called on the Committee of Permanent Representatives to prepare a common strategy, between now and the June Council, for the EU to plead as one within the International Maritime Organisation for a strengthening of international rules of control and an acceleration of the timetable for the compulsory placement of "black boxes" on vessels. The option of Community action would be reviewed in the light of progress made at international level. Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Sweden pleaded in particular for an international solution, stressing that 60% of ships navigating off European coasts were not registered in the EU. France, Spain and Portugal, however, considered that something needed doing at European level should international provisions not be strengthened. Turning to certain details of the proposal, Member States confirmed that they feared the consequences, in terms of civil liability, of the provisions providing for a maritime authority being able to prohibit a vessel from docking if meteorological conditions were bad. Some also pleaded in favour of the "black boxes", with which the Commission wants to equip all ships, being compulsory only for new ones.
European Maritime Safety Agency: the debates were essentially on the balance of power between the Commission and Member States within the board of administration of the future agency, ministers, notably, calling for each State to be represented by a member and an industry representative. Only Denmark is clearly against the creation of a new structure.
The candidacies of Lisbon, Pireus (Athens) and Genoa to host the headquarters of the agency were confirmed. France, on the other hand, has not yet chosen which city to stand as its candidate.
Creation of a European compensation fund for victims of oil pollution: the Commission had proposed creating a European fund, to complement the International Fund (Fipol) taking the ceiling of compensation from 200 million euro to 1 billion. France, Spain, Portugal and Germany are said to be in favour. The majority of ministers, however, pleaded in favour of the EU first trying to put pressure on the International Maritime Organisation for the compensation ceiling to be lifted and payment mechanisms improved. Denmark, in particular, backed this idea, stressing that the accident of the Baltic Carrier, which sank 100 km off the coast of Copenhagen on 29 March, had been caused by two ships that were not registered in the EU. A negotiating session should be held in June at the International Oil Pollution Organisation (which depends on the IMO) and results should be assessed in October, says a Swedish diplomatic source.