Brussels, 23/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - In a joint declaration following Wednesday's between the European Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio, responsible for Energy and Transport, and the new Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Efthimios Mitropoulos, both institutions committed themselves to strengthening their relationship in order to enhance the already existing co-operation between the two bodies, so that maritime safety and security and environmental protection are better served. They expressed their worries at the slow progress in implementing IMO measures to reinforce maritime safety. The two sides reiterated their previous understanding as to IMO's leading role world-wide in the development and adoption of global standards for shipping engaged in international trade. The role and responsibilities of the European Union to provide appropriate coastal protection at European level were equally recognised. Efthymios Mitropoulos welcomed the support of the European Commission for IMO's work in setting the highest practicable standards for the purpose of making shipping safer, more secure and more environmentally friendly. He also welcomed the Commission's endeavours to implement and enforce such standards within the European Union. For her part, Loyola de Palacio stressed the contribution of the EU through its own legislation to maritime safety. She also stressed the EU contribution in the development, through IMO, of global maritime safety standards, as well as their effective implementation within the enlarged Union with the technical support of the recently established European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The Commissioner pledged her support to a successful outcome to next month's conference on ballast water management.
Mr Mitropoulos and Ms de Palacio agreed on the benefits to be gained from promoting a proactive approach to prevent accidents in the future. In this context the Commissioner Palacio recalled the importance of strict compliance by flag States to their duties under international law, as well as to the better protection of coastal States against the increasingly damaging consequences of accidents and pollution at sea.