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

In adopting its report, drafted by Ms. Patricia McKenna (Green, Ireland), the European Parliament called for accidental marine pollution be defined so as to include - without being limited to - all releases of harmful substances into the marine environment, whether civilian or military, either directly on or into the sea, or from the shoreline, or river estuaries, or through releases from materials previously dumped at sea. It also called for harmful substances to be defined to include but not be limited to all materials covered by the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, all radioactive substances and releases from dumped munitions. The Parliament called for improved cooperation with neighbouring coastal countries participating in the Phare, Tacis and Meda programmes. The Parliament also called for improved exchange of information between port authorities, better public information to help clarify risks and the relaying of accident information, as well as the strengthening of the integration of risk prevention and response with other local agencies including habitat protection bodies. The Parliament is of the opinion that special attention should be given within the framework for cooperation with Phare and Tacis countries to the problem of deliberate or operational oil spills from vessels in the Baltic Sea area.�