Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-22-Speech-2-332"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20050222.17.2-332"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, Commissioner, I have listened to you very carefully and to our rapporteur, Mrs Wortmann-Kool, because the issue we are debating this evening is particularly important and encompasses numerous aspects relating to the sustainable development of our economy and the creation of jobs.
The policy of the European Union aims to develop maritime transport and, at the same time, to protect the marine environment and this is an objective we all share. Unfortunately, however, the common position and its amendment by the Committee on Transport and Tourism do not respond to these challenges, despite the efforts of the rapporteur – and we thank her for that – during the processing of the proposal in committee.
The basic reason for this finding is that, with the provisions being introduced, the MARPOL international convention is being surpassed as regards the basis for responsibility for accidental pollution and the maritime zones in which it is applied. This issue may have important repercussions from a legal and economic point of view. In such a case, Community law will violate international law and, at the same time, will undermine the authority of the International Maritime Organisation, which is the only agency which can apply measures to protect the seas at international level because, we must not forget, shipping is a global activity which cannot have numerous standards. Experience has shown that regional measures cause confusion, legal inequality and administrative difficulties. Moreover, our international statistics tell us that, while international trade by sea is increasing, cases of pollution are decreasing.
Another important element of this proposal is the criminalisation of work at sea because, in essence, the proposal also concerns this aspect. Seamen already have a hard and dangerous life. This sort of penal approach discourages young people from going to sea, especially those with technical know-how and a good education, and they are precisely the people that European shipping needs.
That is why, ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to approach this matter with a sense of responsibility and perspective and for us to vote for the amendment tabled by the New Democracy MEPs and their colleagues from other political groups and countries which aims to bring our proposal into line with the MARPOL international convention. I thank you and I believe that, irrespective of the outcome of the vote, we need to look at a long-term strategy which goes beyond restrictive measures and criminal sanctions."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples