Recommendation 847 (1978)

European action to prevent oil pollution of waters and coasts

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Assembly debate on 2 October 1978 (14th and 15th Sittings) (seeDoc. 4199, report of the Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities). Text adopted by the Assembly on 2 October 1978 (15th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Having taken note of the report on European action to prevent oil pollution of waters and coasts, presented by its Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities (Doc. 4199);

2. Having regard to the information and opinions collected at the European parliamentary hearing on the pollution of coastal zones, held in Paris on 4 July 1978 ;

3. Conscious of the fact that accidental oil pollution represents only a relatively small part of total oil pollution, particularly when set against oil pollution derived from land-based sources or resulting from intentional discharge ;

4. Noting, however, that, in areas where it occurs, accidental oil pollution has dramatic ecological, economic and human effects, calling for urgent preventive and remedial action ;

5. Considering that oil pollution of European waters and coasts is a general problem, which must be tackled on the broadest possible geographical basis ;

6. Considering that the Council of Europe, which most of the European seaboard, is the most appropriate forum for effective cooperation in this field ;

7. Convinced that regulations designed to prevent oil pollution must be internationally coordinated, to ensure their effectiveness and to prevent competitive distortions resulting from the existence of different regulations ;

8. Informed that the great majority of pollution accidents are due to human error and to inadequate training of crew ;

9. Observing that the Mediterranean, the Channel and the North Sea, through which a great amount of the world oil transport passes, are particularly endangered areas, where direct and indirect pollution, aggravated by wastes from petrochemical industries, has already affected the quantity and quality of fish and shellfish, and their respective spawning grounds,

10. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers invite the governments of member states :

to ratify without delay the many international agreements existing in this field, in particular the conventions listed in the Appendix to this recommendation, and to co-operate to ensure stringent application of these conventions ;

to draw up an effective system of controls and deterrent sanctions as applicable to standards of ships, equipment of ships and training of crew, extending when necessary these sanctions to the detention of the vessel concerned, on a harmonised base with other member states, and to instruct the port and coastal authorities to implement these effectively ;

to take the necessary measures to ensure that discharge of oil at sea and in watercourses may be prevented or controlled ;

to control the offshore exploitation of oil resources rigorously, and to ensure the whole system being co-ordinated at European level ;

within the framework of European co-operation under the auspices of all international organisations competent at European level, research programmes should be developed, with a view to :

a. taking stock of existing techniques for checking pollution in the event of an accident at the source, at sea, and on shore ;

b. stepping up research into agglomerants, precipitants and dispersants, and especially into their effects on the marine environment ;

c. deciding on storage areas for oil-polluted waste, and engaging in detailed research into techniques for treating liquid, semi-liquid and solid waste from polluted areas ;

d. as part of environmental research programmes, studying the effects of oil pollution on flora and fauna, and on eco-systems ;

to co-operate in drawing up detailed and co-ordinated contingency plans to deal with cases of pollution, either bilaterally, on the basis of agreements inspired by the models appended to the draft European outline Convention on Trans-frontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities, or multilaterally, and to set up training programmes for pluri-disciplinary teams to take action in the event of an accident, and to inform the general public affected by such accidents ;

to study the possibility of establishing an international agency to provide a central institutional framework for co-ordinating the activities of existing organisations and governments for the protection of European maritime and coastal zones ;

further to improve co-operation amongst themselves and other states concerned, in order to preserve their common heritage of living resources in the seas, and to take appropriate measures to guarantee that fishing as a socio-economic activity gets all the importance it deserves ;

to give serious consideration, in particular in the framework of the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO) and the International Maritime Committee, to the question of ensuring full compensation to the vicitms of oil tanker and other accidents at sea ;

11. Further recommends that the Committee of Ministers request the European Space Agency, in collaboration with other national and international organisations (IMCO), to make provision, in its programme of space satellites for observing the Earth, for the possibility of using a satellite for monitoring surface water pollution.

Appendix APPENDIX

(open)

Chart showing signatures and ratifications, by Council of Europe member states, of multilateral conventions relating to oil pollution of seas

Key : + State having signed the convention • State having ratified the convention * Governement having accepted the amendments	Austria	Belgium	Cyprus	Denmark	Spain	France	Greece	Ireland	Iceland	Italy	Luxembourg	Malta	Norway	Netherlands	Portugal	F. R. Germany	United Kingdom	Sweden Suède	S<ATTillisible>rland	Turkey
International Convention for the prevention of pollution of tne sea by oil		+		+		+	+	+		+		+	+		+	+	+
	•	•		•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
Amendments of 1962		*		*	*	*	*	*	*			*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Amendments of 1969	*		*	*	*	*	*	*			*	*	*	*		*	*	*
Amendments of 1971 (Tanks)							*			*	*	*				*	*	*
International Convention relating to the limitation of the liability of owners of sea-going ships	+	+	+				+			+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
		•		•	•	•			•				•	•	•	•	•	•
Agreement for co-operation in dealing with pollution ot the North Sea by oil		+		+		+							+	+		+	+	+
		•		•		•							•	•		•	•	•
International Convention relating to intervention on the high seas in cases of oil pollution casualties		+		+	+	+	+	+	+	+				+	+	+	+	+	+
		•		•	•	•							•	•		•	•	•
Nordic Agreement concerning co-operation in taking measures against pollution of the sea by oil				+									+					+
				•									•					•
International Convention on the establishment of an international fund for compensation for oil pollution damage		+						+					+	+	+	+	+	+	+
				•									•			•	•	•
Convention for the prevention of marine pollution by dumping from ships and aircraft		+		+	+	+		+	+				+	+	+	+	+	+
		•		•	•	•			•			•				•	•	•	•	•	•
Convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes		+		+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
				•	•	•			•			•	•	•		•	•	•
International Convention for the prevention of pollution from ships (Marpol) (Amended in 1978)																	•
International Convention for the prevention of marine pollution from ships				+	+	+		+		+				+		+	+	+
International Convention for the safety of life at sea (Solas) (Amended in 1978)				•		•											•
Convention on the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea				+											+		+
																		•
Convention for the prevention of marine pollution from land-based sources		+		+	+	+		+	+		+		+	+	+	+	+	+
				•		•								•	•		•	+
Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution			+		+	+	+			+		+								+
					+							+
Protocol concerning co-operation in combating pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by oil and other harmful substances in cases of emergency			+		+	+	+			+		+								+
					•							•
Protocol for the prevention of pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by dumping from ships and aircraft			+		+	+	+			+		+								+
					•								•
Agreement concerning the protection of water of the Mediterranean shores						+				+
						•
ILO Convention No. 147 on minimum standards for merchant ships
International Convention on civil liability for oil pollution damage resulting from the exploration for, or exploitation of, submarine resources								+					+	+		+	+	+

Date of adoption	Place of adoption	Date of entry into force	Trustee	Date of validity of information
12.5.1954	London	26.7.1958	IMCO	17.3.1978
11.4.1962	London	18.5.1967	IMCO	17.3.1978
21.10.1969	London	20.1.1978	IMCO	17.3.1978
15.10.1971	London	_	IMCO	17.3.1978
10.10.1957	Brussels	31.5.1968	Belgium	May 1977
9.6.1969	Bonn	9.8.1969	F.R.G.	April 1978
29.11.1969	Brussels	19.6.1975	IMCO	17.3.1978
29.11.1969	Brussels	19.6.1975	IMCO	17.3.1978
16.9.1971	Copenhagen	16.10.1971	Denmark	22.6.1977
18.12.1971	Brussels	_	IMCO	17.3.1978
15.2.1972	Oslo	30.7.1975	Norway	May 1978
29.12.1972	London - Washingon - Mexico - Moscow	30.8.1975	USA	6.6.1978
1973	London	_	IMCO	2.5.1978
2.11.1973	London	_	IMCO	17.3.1978
1960 revision 1974			IMCO	2.5.1978
22.3.1974	Helsinki	_	Finland	25.5.1977
4.6.1974	Paris	6.5.1978	France	24.5.1978
6.2.1976	Barcelona	12.2.1978	Spain	17.2.1978
6.2.1976	Barcelona	12.2.1978	Spain	17.2.1978
6.2.1976	Barcelona	12.2.1978	Spain	17.2.1978
10.5.1976	Monaco	_	Monaco	22.5.1978
1976	Geneva	_	ILO	2.5.1978
1.5.1977	London	_	U.K.	5.6.1978

Remarks :

By decision of the Council of European Community ib 25 July 1977, the EEC has acceded to the Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution and also to the Protocol for the prevention of pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by dumping from ships and aircraft.

By decision of the Council of the European Community on 3 March 1975, the EEC has acceded to the Convention for the prevention of marine pollution from land-based sources.