10/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - In a press release published on Thursday 9 October 2008, the vice-chair of the European Parliament's Transport Committee, Gilles Savary (PES, France), said he was delighted with the political agreement reached the same day by the Transport Council on the two remaining pieces of legislation in the third maritime package (see EUROPE 9758). He said that by committing the EU Member States to ratify the big International Maritime Organisation conventions on the civil liability of chipmakers and by agreeing on a political agreement on the draft directive on control of the state in which ships are registered and the draft directive on compulsory ship insurance, the Transport Council has undeniably made a big gesture towards the European Parliament. Savary said that the conciliation procedure could now immediately be launched and boded well in terms of getting the maritime safety package adopted under the French Presidency (before the end of the year). (A. By)