Brussels, 03/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission is to adopt a report on Community measures taken after the disaster of the oil-tanker Prestige, off the coast of Galicia in November 2002. This report was requested by the European Council of Copenhagen of 12 and 13 December and will be presented by the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, to the European Council of Brussels on 21 March.
As a reminder, the Commission has taken several initiatives to hedge against the consequences of the disaster: - exemptions for structural measures for fisheries (Fifg) to enable Spain to re-programme 120 million euro for the fishermen affected by the sinking (see EUROPE of 21 December); - measures to co-ordinate the mobilisation of the resources of Member States in civil protection (see EUROPE of 11 December); - a communication from the Commissioner responsible for transport, Loyola de Palacio, announcing proposals to enhance maritime safety (notably to ban the transport of heavy fuel by single-hulled vessels and accelerate their disposal - see EUROPE of 20/21 December, p.11 - and to impose a minimum level of training for seafarers - see EUROPE of 18 January, p.8). Furthermore, at the end of January, Spain asked to benefit from the Solidarity Fund to be able to clean its beaches (under the cleansing of natural sites). The Commission is waiting for details as to the amount of damage eligible in relation to the total cost of the damage, estimated by Spain at 1 billion euro.