Luxembourg, 10/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - Thursday's Transport Council in Luxembourg held a policy debate on the regulation intended to improve the safety of ships and port installations against terrorist attacks, on the basis of a Presidency questionnaire (see EUROPE of 5 June, p.10). The aim is to reach an agreement during the Council on 9/10 October, within the time set before enforcement of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) norms on 1 July 2004. The Council is on the whole in favour of Community law providing for measures adopted at the IMO. In order to resolve the practical problems linked to the application of security rules to all national transport, a majority of Member States supported the idea of restricting them to ships and installations that present the most risks, such as the transport of passengers or petroleum. Most Member States are in favour of setting in place a mechanism to monitor application of the regulation by the Commission, possibly according to the model of inspections foreseen for air transport safety. A majority of Member States is opposed to the use of the Maritime Safety Agency or the committee on maritime safety and the prevention of pollution from ships in this context, and several delegations urge for a specific committee to be created.