Recommendations for a new directive on shipping pollution

Seas At Risk, the European Federation for Transport and Environment welcome the Commission’s proposals to incorporate international ship-source pollution standards into Community law, and in particular those elements that will ensure appropriate (including criminal) sanctions for those that breach the regulations. The safety of maritime transport and the protection of Community waters from ship-source pollution must be a key objective of the Community and is essential to promote maritime shipping as an environmentally sound transport mode.

In the interests of ensuring that the directive is as effective as possible in it’s stated aims we would suggest consideration of the following specific amendment proposals, and ask that notice also be taken of some more general remarks regarding regulation in this area.