(2004/C 78 E/0761)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1330/03

by Sérgio Marques (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 April 2003)

Subject:   ‘Prestige’: Community aid

The sinking of the ‘Prestige’ off the Galician coast in 19 November 2002, caused one of the largest-ever ecological disasters, with appalling economic and social consequences for a massively fisheries-dependent, and hence fragile, Objective 1 region.

This disastrous accident, which did not affect Portugal solely and simply because of sea-currents, once again raised the issue of safety at sea and how to control transport of hydrocarbons. The issue is of fundamental concern to a country like Portugal, with an immense coastline and extremely vulnerable islands like Madeira and the Azores.

Following the wreck, the Commission presented a Communication on stepping-up safety at sea, providing for: earlier application of the measures in the ‘Erika I’ package (measures on port State control of vessels, closer monitoring of the performance of the classification societies and bringing forward the timetable for withdrawing single-hull oil tankers from service), and the ‘Erika II’ (measures on earlier establishment of the European Maritime Safety Agency and compensation for victims of oil spillages), increased international intervention and the introduction of sanctions, for pollution crime, including penal sanctions.

In paragraphs 11 and 12 of its resolution of 19 December 2002, the European Parliament called on the Commission, ‘as a matter of urgency, to consider using all the necessary financial instruments to tackle the economic, social and environmental consequences of the wreck of the “Prestige” and assist the economic sectors affected’, and the immediate adoption of measures ‘to alleviate the damage occasioned to those affected, through the use of the Solidarity Fund’.

Can the Commission answer the following:

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(21 May 2003)

The Commission refers the Honourable Member to the response given to question H-0221/03.