Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-12-14-Speech-3-375-000"
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"en.20111214.27.3-375-000"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to start by offering my sincere thanks to the shadow rapporteurs for their very open, excellent collaboration. It was not too difficult in this case, as we are all convinced of the good and very efficient work that the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has done in the last few years. There quickly emerged a relatively homogeneous picture of what we envisage the future work of this agency to be. We also all agreed that any kind of extension of competences must either have European added value or generate clear synergy effects in the Member States.
Allow me to mention just a few aspects. On 20 April 2010, we experienced the worst oil disaster in human history in the Gulf of Mexico. On 10 August 2011, there was the oil spill at the Gannet Alpha platform in the North Sea. The report on oil pollution by the Oslo-Paris Commission reveals that, in 2008, there were more than 500 oil spills at oil and gas platforms in the North Sea. It was therefore right for the Directorate-General for Energy to table a legislative package in this regard to improve the regulation of oil platforms. This includes an independent third party who is to monitor the safety of the oil platforms. Together, we should open the door for EMSA here. What European body could perform this supervisory role better?
I know that EMSA does not currently have the relevant expertise. However, that is a weak argument. There are large overlaps with the areas in which EMSA currently works, and it is considerably more efficient these days to extend the available resources rather than to create entirely new ones.
If the Member States now say that they are prepared to extend EMSA’s mandate and state that EMSA is now not only responsible for shipping accidents, but is also to perform the clear up following oil spills caused by drilling rigs, this will perhaps reveal a modicum of common sense, but it will certainly not be a major breakthrough. The European Parliament must focus on preventive measures. Merely cleaning up after the event is not enough. Commissioner Oettinger said that numerous facts about accidents confirm that prevention is better than trying to put things right afterwards. This statement is perhaps not particularly helpful, but it is right nevertheless.
I would like to address two more points that also seem to me to be important. We need European maritime transport without borders. We have already had many debates on this subject, but there is still too little being done and too slowly for us to achieve this objective. With the help of EMSA and its recording capabilities, we can also make progress in this area.
My next point is that we all know how important it is to support maritime occupations in the European Union. We cannot and do not under any circumstances want to win the competition for the lowest personnel costs and the reduction of social standards. However, when it comes to the quality of the training and further training of the seafarers, then we can play a leading role, and EMSA can and must contribute its knowledge and expertise in this regard.
In committee, the report received the support of a large majority. It is intended to make it clear that Parliament takes its proposals seriously. I am confident as regards the negotiations with the Council. However, this presupposes a serious readiness to negotiate. That is what I am asking for."@en1
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