Legal provisions of COM(2003)92 - Ship-source pollution and on the introduction of sanctions, including criminal sanctions, for pollution offences

Please note

This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.

dossier COM(2003)92 - Ship-source pollution and on the introduction of sanctions, including criminal sanctions, for pollution offences.
document COM(2003)92 EN
date September  7, 2005


Article 1

Purpose

1. The purpose of this Directive is to incorporate international standards for ship-source pollution into Community law and to ensure that persons responsible for discharges are subject to adequate penalties as referred to in Article 8, in order to improve maritime safety and to enhance protection of the marine environment from pollution by ships.

2. This Directive does not prevent Member States from taking more stringent measures against ship-source pollution in conformity with international law.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purpose of this Directive:

1.‘Marpol 73/78’ shall mean the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 and its 1978 Protocol, in its up-to-date version;

2.‘polluting substances’ shall mean substances covered by Annexes I (oil) and II (noxious liquid substances in bulk) to Marpol 73/78;

3.‘discharge’ shall mean any release howsoever caused from a ship, as referred to in Article 2 of Marpol 73/78;

4.‘ship’ shall mean a seagoing vessel, irrespective of its flag, of any type whatsoever operating in the marine environment and shall include hydrofoil boats, air-cushion vehicles, submersibles and floating craft.

Article 3

Scope

1. This Directive shall apply, in accordance with international law, to discharges of polluting substances in:

(a)the internal waters, including ports, of a Member State, in so far as the Marpol regime is applicable;

(b)the territorial sea of a Member State;

(c)straits used for international navigation subject to the regime of transit passage, as laid down in Part III, section 2, of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to the extent that a Member State exercises jurisdiction over such straits;

(d)the exclusive economic zone or equivalent zone of a Member State, established in accordance with international law; and

(e)the high seas.

2. This Directive shall apply to discharges of polluting substances from any ship, irrespective of its flag, with the exception of any warship, naval auxiliary or other ship owned or operated by a State and used, for the time being, only on government non-commercial service.

Article 4

Infringements

Member States shall ensure that ship-source discharges of polluting substances into any of the areas referred to in Article 3(1) are regarded as infringements if committed with intent, recklessly or by serious negligence. These infringements are regarded as criminal offences by, and in the circumstances provided for in, Framework Decision 2005/667/JHA supplementing this Directive.

Article 5

Exceptions

1. A discharge of polluting substances into any of the areas referred to in Article 3(1) shall not be regarded as an infringement if it satisfies the conditions set out in Annex I, Regulations 9, 10, 11(a) or 11(c) or in Annex II, Regulations 5, 6(a) or 6(c) of Marpol 73/78.

2. A discharge of polluting substances into the areas referred to in Article 3(1)(c), (d) and (e) shall not be regarded as an infringement for the owner, the master or the crew when acting under the master's responsibility if it satisfies the conditions set out in Annex I, Regulation 11(b) or in Annex II, Regulation 6(b) of Marpol 73/78.

Article 6

Enforcement measures with respect to ships within a port of a Member State

1. If irregularities or information give rise to a suspicion that a ship which is voluntarily within a port or at an off-shore terminal of a Member State has been engaged in or is engaging in a discharge of polluting substances into any of the areas referred to in Article 3(1), that Member State shall ensure that an appropriate inspection, taking into account the relevant guidelines adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), is undertaken in accordance with its national law.

2. In so far as the inspection referred to in paragraph 1 reveals facts that could indicate an infringement within the meaning of Article 4, the competent authorities of that Member State and of the flag State shall be informed.

Article 7

Enforcement measures by coastal States with respect to ships in transit

1. If the suspected discharge of polluting substances takes place in the areas referred to in Article 3(1)(b), (c), (d) or (e) and the ship which is suspected of the discharge does not call at a port of the Member State holding the information relating to the suspected discharge, the following shall apply:

(a)If the next port of call of the ship is in another Member State, the Member States concerned shall cooperate closely in the inspection referred to in Article 6(1) and in deciding on the appropriate measures in respect of any such discharge;

(b)If the next port of call of the ship is a port of a State outside the Community, the Member State shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the next port of call of the ship is informed about the suspected discharge and shall request the State of the next port of call to take the appropriate measures in respect of any such discharge.

2. Where there is clear, objective evidence that a ship navigating in the areas referred to in Article 3(1)(b) or (d) has, in the area referred to in Article 3(1)(d), committed an infringement resulting in a discharge causing major damage or a threat of major damage to the coastline or related interests of the Member State concerned, or to any resources of the areas referred to in Article 3(1)(b) or (d), that State shall, subject to Part XII, Section 7 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and provided that the evidence so warrants, submit the matter to its competent authorities with a view to instituting proceedings, including detention of the ship, in accordance with its national law.

3. In any event, the authorities of the flag State shall be informed.

Article 8

Penalties

1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that infringements within the meaning of Article 4 are subject to effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties, which may include criminal or administrative penalties.

2. Each Member State shall take the measures necessary to ensure that the penalties referred to in paragraph 1 apply to any person who is found responsible for an infringement within the meaning of Article 4.

Article 9

Compliance with international law

Member States shall apply the provisions of this Directive without any discrimination in form or in fact against foreign ships and in accordance with applicable international law, including Section 7 of Part XII of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and they shall promptly notify the flag State of the vessel and any other State concerned of measures taken in accordance with this Directive.

Article 10

Accompanying measures

1. For the purposes of this Directive, Member States and the Commission shall cooperate, where appropriate, in close collaboration with the European Maritime Safety Agency and taking account of the action programme to respond to accidental or deliberate marine pollution set up by Decision No 2850/2000/EC (7) and if appropriate, of the implementation of Directive 2000/59/EC in order to:

(a)develop the necessary information systems required for the effective implementation of this Directive;

(b)establish common practices and guidelines on the basis of those existing at international level, in particular for:

—the monitoring and early identification of ships discharging polluting substances in violation of this Directive, including, where appropriate, on-board monitoring equipment,

—reliable methods of tracing polluting substances in the sea to a particular ship, and

—the effective enforcement of this Directive.

2. In accordance with its tasks as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002, the European Maritime Safety Agency shall:

(a)work with the Member States in developing technical solutions and providing technical assistance in relation to the implementation of this Directive, in actions such as tracing discharges by satellite monitoring and surveillance;

(b)assist the Commission in the implementation of this Directive, including, if appropriate, by means of visits to the Member States, in accordance with Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002.

Article 11

Feasibility Study

The Commission shall, before the end of 2006, submit to the European Parliament and the Council a feasibility study on a European coastguard dedicated to pollution prevention and response, making clear the costs and benefits.

Article 12

Reporting

Every three years, Member States shall transmit a report to the Commission on the application of this Directive by the competent authorities. On the basis of these reports, the Commission shall submit a Community report to the European Parliament and the Council. In this report, the Commission shall assess, inter alia, the desirability of revising or extending the scope of this Directive. It shall also describe the evolution of relevant case-law in the Member States and shall consider the possibility of creating a public database containing such relevant case-law.

Article 13

Committee procedure

1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee on Safe Seas and the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (COSS), established by Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2099/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 5 November 2002 (8).

2. Where reference is made to this Article, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.

Article 14

Provision of information

The Commission shall regularly inform the Committee set up by Article 4 of Decision No 2850/2000/EC of any proposed measures or other relevant activities concerning the response to marine pollution.

Article 15

Amendment procedure

In accordance with Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 2099/2002 and following the procedure referred to in Article 13 of this Directive, the COSS may exclude amendments to Marpol 73/78 from the scope of this Directive.

Article 16

Implementation

Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 1 March 2007 and forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.

Article 17

Entry into force

This Directive shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 18

Addressees

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.