28/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - On 22 December, the Council approved without debate the agreement in principle reached on 9 December by the COREPER committee on penalties for maritime pollution. Before the legislation can be adopted, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland will have to withdraw their parliamentary reservations and the EU25 will have to agree on the preamble to the framework decision. Agreement in principle was reached in return for dropping some of the aims of the...