Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-11-30-Speech-4-086"
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"en.20001130.2.4-086"2
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".
We have one maritime disaster after another, all following the same pattern. After the wrecks of the
and the
which recently affected the shorelines of France, it is time that the European Union reacted and took firm control of the classification societies which authorise coffin ships to sail. It is against this background that European legislation is vital.
This report, which aims to improve the control of ships and to establish harmonised procedures and rules of inspection must therefore be supported, as it is a step forward, even though, in our opinion, the rapporteur’s approach does not go far enough.
The fact is that, whilst he provides for the harmonisation of inspection criteria for all Member States, nothing is envisaged for ships from third countries inspected outside the European Union. What is there to prevent, for example, a Maltese or a Cypriot ship in poor condition from sailing close to our shorelines. When will the European Union finally take the decision to ban access to its territorial waters to any ship that does not comply with the rules it promulgates?
Will Europe, normally so swift to legislate on environmental issues, continue to ignore maritime safety because colossal financial interests are at stake and because the interests of its Members differ? When will the European Union free up the human and financial resources commensurate with the task at hand so that this text does not remain a simple declaration of intent?
We will vote in favour of this report, which goes in the right direction, whilst at the same time deploring what it fails to do: to determine the precise liability of the polluters (inspectors, shipowners, charterers, insurers); to introduce preventative and penalty measures to fight against intensive tank cleaning, which is responsible for most marine pollution; to draw up a blacklist of coffin ships, and to refuse access to EU territorial waters to any ship posing a significant threat, irrespective of age.
The revision of Directive 94/57/EC is becoming a matter of some urgency, especially since Malta and Cyprus, the fourth and sixth largest fleets worldwide respectively, are candidates for accession to the European Union.
This Community action must be accompanied by the reactivation of the IMO which, endowed with genuine police power to enforce the International Safety Management Code, would be an effective instrument on a par with Interpol.
We hope that the Council will assume its responsibilities speedily. The quality of our environment is at stake."@en1
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