Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-09-22-Speech-1-073"
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"en.20030922.5.1-073"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, Mr Sterckx, I would like to begin by joining in the congratulations you have received today and I simply want to remind you that those of us in our group who are congratulating you have fully supported your report in committee and that many of those who have congratulated you today opposed your report in committee or abstained. I want you to take into account the sincere congratulations of our group and I would also like to join in the congratulations for our Commissioner, Loyola de Palacio, for the rigour, efficiency and seriousness she has demonstrated in her work on maritime safety since taking up her position.
Finally, ladies and gentlemen, I want to emphasise that the Galicians are not abandoned, they have never been abandoned, either by the Galician Government, by the Spanish Government or by the European Commission. I also want to point out that, as you know, Mr Sterckx, in the electoral process that took place in the so-called ground zero, in Muxía, the majority supported the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, which was governing and which continues to govern, and the citizens are very knowledgeable in this matter.
Fortunately, at present all of the fishing grounds in Galicia are open, the entire coast is open for fishing and the necessary resources to resolve all of these problems are being provided through the generosity of the Spanish Government and the Galician Government via the so-called ‘Galicia Plan’.
I believe that there are significant differences between the outlook that existed previously and the outlook today. There have been very significant proposals and changes and in your report, as has been mentioned here, you put forward 112 issues that are of great importance.
I also want to highlight a major change that has taken place in the IMO, which up to now was practically immovable. Corridors have been created as have particularly sensitive sea areas from Scotland to the Algarve, where vessels carrying dangerous cargo must report their arrival 48 hours in advance.
We are on the right path, but we must ask ourselves if this is enough. I would like to join the Commissioner in reminding you, as she has always done here, that if the Erika packages that she proposed to us had been approved, the
accident would not have happened. I think that that is very important and we must not forget it because the key lies precisely in regulations and compliance.
In my view, Parliament is still responsible for monitoring compliance in each of the Member States. Monitoring and adapting these proposals is our duty. Therefore, we must not lower our guard and we must continue to be constantly vigilant as well as being constant allies of the Commission. Ladies and gentlemen, as far as I am concerned, that is what the citizens are asking of those of us who represent them here and, first and foremost, Galicians, since they have suffered these consequences at their core to a greater extent than anyone.
We have thus proposed the creation of a specific committee, with a clear and positive mandate, which is to monitor this legislation and demonstrably increase maritime safety, ensuring compliance. I believe that this is a key issue that I want to pass on to Mr Sterckx, who will no doubt be aware of it.
It has already been said here, and I am not going to repeat it, that others seek to drag out these processes, perhaps by obstructing the actions we are proposing and prolonging the granting of compensation. A debate of a different type could also promote or encourage with these committees of inquiry interests that have been called mafias here; I would say the oil companies. If we sow seeds of doubt as to the responsibilities, we will benefit other parties who are also responsible for what has happened.
All in all, we cannot with our actions take it upon ourselves to act as judges and hand down guilty sentences to anyone. That is not our role and indeed we are forbidden from doing so by Article 193 of the Treaty and our Rules of Procedure, as this case is already being examined before the courts.
It is our role to stamp out easy money and businesses without scruples in maritime transport that damage the marine environment and its resources. We in the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats are going to be active in defending those interests and in eradicating ‘rubbish boats’."@en1
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