European Maritime Safety Agency: response to pollution caused by ships and to marine pollution caused by oil and gas installations, multiannual funding 2014-2020

The European Parliament adopted by 532 votes to 73, with 5 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on multiannual funding for the action of the European Maritime Safety Agency in the field of response to pollution caused by ships and to marine pollution caused by oil and gas installations.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary were the result of a compromise between Parliament and Council. They amend the Commission’s proposal as follows:

Oil and gas installation: the definition has been laid down. Oil and gas installation should include: (i) mobile offshore drilling units only if they are stationed in offshore waters for drilling, production or other activities associated with offshore oil or gas operations; (ii) as well as infrastructure and facilities used to transport the oil and gas onshore and to onshore terminals.

Scope: the financial contribution of the Union should be allocated to the Agency with the aim of:

financing actions in the field of response to marine pollution upon request of the affected Member States or third countries sharing a regional sea basin with the Union in the event of accidental or deliberate marine pollution caused by ships or oil and gas installations;

information, in particular the gathering , analysis and dissemination of best practices, expertise, techniques and innovations in the field of responding to marine pollution caused by ships and oil and gas installations.

It is stressed that the activities of the Agency in this field shall not relieve coastal states of their responsibility to have appropriate pollution response mechanisms in place.

Financial framework: as proposed by the Commission, the financial envelope for the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020 shall be EUR 160 500 000 expressed in current prices.

Within the limits of the multiannual financial framework, the Agency should be given the appropriations necessary to fulfil its responsibilities in the field of response to marine pollution caused by ships and oil and gas installations in an effective and cost-efficient manner.

Monitoring existing capabilities: the Agency should maintain a list of the public and, where available, private pollution response mechanisms and associated response capabilities in the various regions of the Union. In maintaining the list, the Agency should aim at obtaining information on pollution response mechanisms and associated response capabilities from third countries sharing a regional sea basin with the Union.

In this context, the Agency should pay particular attention to those areas identified as most vulnerable without prejudice to any other area in need.

Mid-term evaluation: in its report, the Commission should present an evaluation of the Agency’s ability to fulfil its responsibilities in an effective and cost-efficient manner. For the period of 2018–2020, the Commission should, if necessary, propose an appropriate adjustment, to a maximum of 8%, of the multiannual financial envelope allocated to the Agency for the implementation of its tasks.

The Regulation should apply from 1 January 2014.