EU GOVERNMENTS DISCUSS MARITIME SECURITY AND EU/U.S. AIR TRANSPORT

EU GOVERNMENTS DISCUSS MARITIME SECURITY AND EU/U.S. AIR TRANSPORT    The council of transport ministers of the European Union will discuss maritime security, marine pollution, EU/U.S. air transport bilateral agreements and other issues at a meeting scheduled today (Thursday) and Friday.
   The European Commission said that maritime security will be the lead subject discussed at the council meeting.
   On marine pollution, the EC said that there should be a “political agreement” on a proposed accelerated phasing out of single-hull oil tankers and on a ban against the use of single-hull tankers carrying heavy oil in European waters.
   Loyola de Palacio, the commission’s vice-president responsible for transport and energy, will represent the EC at the council meeting.
   The EC has put forward two legislative proposals. One would prohibit access to EU ports, terminals and anchorage areas by single-hull tankers of all flags when carrying heavy oil, and would set an accelerated timetable for the phase-out of single-hull tankers. The second legislative proposal, announced by the EC on March 5, would introduce sanctions, including criminal sanctions, against those found to be responsible for marine pollution in the EU. An initial discussion on the sanctions proposal is expected to be held at the council meeting.
   The EC said that it will present a plan concerning maritime security related to the prevention of terrorism. It suggested that, besides international efforts in this field, aspects of port security do not fall under the jurisdiction of the International Maritime Organization, and should be covered by a European Union policy.
   The EC said that it has also made a proposal concerning the “minimum level of training of seafarers.”
   In a separate development, the council of EU transport ministers will assess a decision that would grant the EC the power to start negotiating a bilateral air transport agreement with the United States.
   “We might have a mandate by June,” said Gilles Gantelet, spokesman for the EC.
   The EC has recently won a court case that invalidated bilateral agreements made between individual EU countries and the U.S.