Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-05-18-Speech-2-545"
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"en.20100518.36.2-545"2
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"The explosion of the platform in the Gulf of Mexico is the greatest ecological disaster of its kind in history. Every day, 800 000 litres of crude oil are flowing into the Gulf, which means over 22 million litres since the disaster began. The oil slick now covers over 43 000 square kilometres, which is bigger than the Netherlands.
At the moment, it is our duty to declare solidarity with the United States and all the victims of the tragedy, and to ensure that we give as much help as possible. In the light of this disaster, I think it essential that we immediately carry out a special assessment – a detailed and far-reaching technical inspection of drilling platforms operating in the territorial waters of the European Union. This should be the first step at supranational level towards ensuring the safety of Europe’s seas. In addition, I would like to draw particular attention to the fact that if a similar disaster were to happen in the Baltic Sea, which is a closed sea, it would cause permanent and irreversible devastation in the entire region and its coastal areas.
It is essential that all developments carried out in the territorial waters of the European Union should be subject to special monitoring, and that they should comply with the highest safety standards and be equipped with the most modern safety systems. In this respect, I think it is also essential to develop a common cross-border procedure for reaction and cooperation, which would be put into action immediately if a leakage of crude oil occurred.
Observers in the United States point out that in many cases, permission to install platforms in the Gulf of Mexico has been given under pressure and in the interests of the oil industry, at the cost of the natural environment. It is hard, here, not to mention the decision to build Nord Stream, the Northern Gas Pipeline, which was a political decision which did not take account of the dangers this investment may present to the Baltic Sea ecosystem.
Mr Oettinger, in the face of the drama in the Gulf of Mexico, drilling installations for extracting crude oil or gas should never be allowed to appear without a 100% guarantee of safety for the seas and oceans concerned. Decisions made under pressure from an industrial or political lobby should not be allowed."@en1
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