Brussels, 29/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 29 April, member states' Permanent Representatives to the EU reached agreement on the draft directive of March 2008 to toughen up the law against ships that pollute the seas (see EUROPE 9843 and 9619). The agreement, reached after trialogue discussions, paves the way for first reading adoption by the European Parliament. Under the terms of this text, member states will be required to impose effective and deterrent criminal sanctions on both those in charge of vessels guilty of illegally discharging polluting or dangerous substances and those on behalf of whom these infringements of Community law are committed: cargo owners, classification societies. The last point to be resolved was the date from which the text was to be applied. Member states, which had wanted an 18-month transition period, finally decided to go with the Parliament position of a 12-month transition. The Parliamentary vote is expected to take place in the next plenary session in Strasbourg, on 4-7 May. (B.C./transl.rt)