RESOLUTION B3-1681, 1694, 1702, 1707, 1732, 1751 and 1761/92

Resolution on the accident and oil slick at Corunna

The European Parliament,

A. having regard to the environmental disaster caused by the Greek oil-tanker 'Aegean Sea' on 3 December 1992 at the port of Corunna,

B. having regard to the vast economic losses for fishing in general, and aquaculture in particular, inflicted by the resulting oil slick,

C. whereas this accident was a large-scale environmental disaster, one of the most serious to have occurred in the Community in recent years,

D. whereas it supports the Council of Transport Ministers' adoption on 7 December 1992 of a directive whereby owners of vessels with dangerous cargoes must inform the port authorities; whereas it believes nevertheless that this measure is inadequate,

E. having regard to the 'polluter pays' principle enshrined in the Treaties,

1. Calls on the Commission and Council to draw up appropriate measures to help alleviate the damage caused by the oil slick, in both the short and medium term, and, in particular, the necessary economic and financial aid to mitigate the effects of this disaster;

2. Voices its alarm and concern at the scale of this ecological and economic disaster and affirms its solidarity with those affected;

3. Calls on all European authorities to ensure that all preventive measures are taken to avoid similar incidents in accordance with current international standards and calls on the Council and the Member States to study effective preventive measures such as

(a) banning oil-tankers more than 15 years old from using the ports of the Member States, a regulation which already exists in the United States as a result of the 1990 Oil Pollution Act,

(b) banning oil-tankers which do not have a double hull from territorial waters of the Member States, with a view to avoiding the danger of oil tanks breaking open;

4. Urges the Community institutions to ensure, in accordance with its resolution of 16 September 1992 on the environmental damage caused by oil spills from ships, that the introduction of Community safety arrangements for the transport of oil by sea is expedited;

5. Calls for the maritime transport safety standards currently in force to be observed to the letter by users and operators;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, the government of the Kingdom of Spain and the regional government of Galicia.