Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-24-Speech-2-287"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070424.46.2-287"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for an interesting debate. It has emerged clearly how much importance we all attach to the adoption of safety rules for maritime transport. The rapporteurs have also re-emphasised the importance of these rules, not only in the context of the recent shipping accident in Greece but also in connection with previous incidents. The question, therefore, is how we can improve preventive measures and take judicious action when accidents occur.
Before dealing with the various specific points, I would like to make it clear to you that I fully understand Parliament's desire to deliberate and perhaps even decide on all of these proposals together. The fact is, however, that there are very wide variations in the speed with which the Council is able to arrive at an agreement on the individual legislative proposals. Perhaps this is another of those areas where we should adopt the pragmatic approach of taking decisions in the Council, with the consent of the European Parliament, on the proposals that are ready for adoption and adopting at a later date the proposals that need further consideration. If we want to advance towards greater safety, acting on the basis of feasibility and pragmatism may be the wisest policy for the Council too.
I intend to focus on a few points, foremost among which is the checking of ships, to which a great deal of attention has been devoted here. Let me say that the Paris Memorandum of Understanding provides for the abandonment of the principle of checking 25% of all vessels in favour of a risk-based approach. This, of course, entails examination and classification of the risks associated with various ships. Your views are therefore very close to the approach envisaged in the Paris Memorandum of Understanding. Particular importance attaches to the fact that the Memorandum of Understanding also includes Russia and Canada. One of the last speakers referred to the Baltic. It is precisely the Baltic connection that makes Russia's support for this declaration of intent so very important.
My second point concerns places of refuge. This issue has also been extensively discussed here. When it comes to defining an independent authority and laying down the procedure for apportioning blame, the aim must surely be to find a pragmatic solution. The question of responsibility will have to be resolved. In general terms, however, there is solid agreement that places of refuge must be available everywhere. The question is only how they should be registered and publicised. This is another matter we shall be able to resolve together, because there are really no differences regarding the substance but only on the question of who regulates what. That will have to be discussed with the Member States.
Another question is how we can guarantee an independent institution and thus an independent investigation of accidents at sea. Here too, I have no doubt that we shall make progress during our presidency. It is prudent and necessary that an independent decision be taken regarding the investigation and the differentiated publication of its findings.
It has been pointed out – and I strongly endorse this analysis – that safety at sea is not only a matter of technical standards – of monitoring and information systems – but also of the quality of the work performed on board ships. That is why I stressed at the start of my introductory speech that we attach particular importance to the Maritime Labour Convention of the ILO. The implementation of that labour convention is an important form of quality assurance on board, not just because it requires crew members to have a certain level of qualification but also because the quality of the work performed by a ship's crew guarantees safety on board. This is another important aspect of safety which is not covered in this package but which features in other instruments and thereby supplements this package. For this reason I am particularly pleased that we are achieving progress in connection with this Maritime Labour Convention in the individual Member States of the European Union with a view to guaranteeing the rapid implementation of the ILO's minimum standards, which apply worldwide and are therefore applicable to ships entering European ports.
All in all, this has been a very important debate. You will decide in the next few days on the various proposals and we shall see how much scope there is for convergence of our positions. I hope that we shall soon be able to deal with this package as well as with the other proposals that are not yet on the Council agenda. I do believe we are all anxious to signal our commitment to safety at sea before the end of the German presidency in June."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples