Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-22-Speech-2-343"
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"en.20050222.17.2-343"2
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".
Mr President, I will try to be brief, but I should nevertheless like to answer a couple of questions. Firstly, I cannot allow it to be said that a conflict exists between this proposal for a directive and the Marpol Convention, as this is entirely untrue. The Marpol Convention provides only for sanctions against those who have acted deliberately or those who have committed inexcusable errors, but it must be read in conjunction with the Convention on the Law of the Sea. The latter allows coastal states to step up measures to prevent and combat pollution within their territorial waters, and it is this clause of the Convention on the Law of the Sea that we have invoked.
Given that this clause can be invoked by any Member State, it can also be invoked by the EU, and this is an issue I have discussed with the Secretary-General of the IMO. I therefore find this criticism puzzling, as the directive complies with both the Marpol Convention and the Convention on the Law of the Sea. I would also note, as the rapporteur rightly mentioned, that the sanctions are proportionate; the aim is to impose penalties for gross negligence, and to ensure that these penalties fit the crime. What we want is not to turn people into criminals, but to make them aware of their responsibilities. I may be speaking with a little too much passion on this matter, but that is only because I believe in this cause, which is the protection of our common heritage.
I should therefore like to answer Mr Attard-Montalto’s question as politely as possible – is Mr Attard-Montalto present, by any chance? Sanctions can be imposed on ships flying flags of third countries when these ships enter a Community port. Flags of European States will therefore not be discriminated against in that respect. That was the point I wished to make.
I would add that not only do we believe this approach to comply fully with that of the International Maritime Organisation, it is also our aim to cooperate with this organisation, as I have told the IMO Secretary-General. We are using the work carried out by the IMO as a basis, as it also wishes to promote the use of black boxes, and has even drawn up a detailed timetable on this issue.
Mr President, the point I having been trying to make is that we have reached a unanimous political agreement within the Council. I should therefore like to warn this House that this agreement is backed by a majority that is emerging throughout Europe, and which took shape during the trialogue held with the Council.
Finally, we must not wait for the next disaster to happen before suddenly realising what is happening and becoming aware of our responsibilities. Until now, progress has only been made with marine protection legislation when disasters have hit, yet we now have a great opportunity to prevent this from happening. This is why I personally believe that this text is balanced and that its aim is not to turn anyone into a criminal, but to make everyone aware of their responsibilities. This is why, Mrs Wortmann-Kool, I should like to thank this House in advance for voting in favour of this text with as large a majority as possible."@en1
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