Accidental or deliberate marine pollution: hydrocarbons or harmful substances, community framework for cooperation

In its amended proposal, the Commission had accepted and/or reformulated 20 of the 29 amendments that the European Parliament had proposed. In particular, the Commission had agreed that it would be useful to introduce or reinforce provisions dealing with dumped munitions, operational spills and a stronger involvement of the public or other relevant bodies. The common position is very much in line with the Commission's proposal, as far as both structure and content are concerned. With regard to the Parliament's amendments, the vast majority of those accepted by the Commission in its amended proposal have been taken on board by the Council: they relate mainly to the scope of the proposal, to the Community information system and to improved public information. The Commission is of the opinion that the common position improves and strengthens the Commission proposal. The only remaining difficulty relates to the committee procedure. Apart from that, the Commission is in a position to accept the text of the common position, which includes most of the Parliament's amendments supported by the Commission.�