Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-01-12-Speech-1-082"
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"en.20040112.7.1-082"2
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"Mr President, instead of always focusing our attention on shipping disasters and their consequences, I think we should do more about what I have to call the day-to-day fouling of the oceans. So, Commissioner, I warmly congratulate you on this proposal.
I think it is a good proposal, and would also like to congratulate Mr Pex – who is unfortunately absent – on his fine report. We absolutely must do something about this. In 2001 alone, there were some thousand instances of illegal discharges into the North Sea and the Baltic, and this must no longer be regarded as a trivial offence and treated as such; it is not like wrongful parking or breaking the speed limit, and must at last be punished as a criminal offence under the criminal law – which means tough and painful penalties, such as fines, imprisonment, and, as the committee has requested, the seizure of vessels.
The rapporteur was right to point out that several laws adopted by Parliament and the Council have not yet been implemented. They have to do with port reception facilities and port state control.
If, Commissioner, you want to bring before the ECJ those states that have not properly transposed this directive, in order to bring this out into the open and thus to bring pressure to bear in order to get this directive transposed at last, then this House is behind you all the way. Even the best laws are ineffective unless they are enforced and monitored. For that we need a European coastguard, something else on which there is consensus in this House, for control in the ports is one thing, but it must be accompanied by control on the high seas. We have got used to the idea that it is quite normal to monitor lorries not only in yards, but also on the roads. In future, that must also be possible at sea.
You mentioned, Commissioner, that the Council regards that as too ambitious. Such arguments must not be given a hearing. I believe that we must not encourage the Council’s tendency to hide behind formalities, but should compel it to act. If Europe comes together and acts in unison, then we will make progress in sea travel and maritime safety on an international basis too.
What matters is that we do everything not only to avoid disasters, but also to put an end to the toleration of deliberate, malicious and criminal acts in our waters. We can do something about them. We back you in doing so and are right behind you in your endeavour to publicly stigmatise the governments that do not do likewise."@en1
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