Bulletin EU 5-2007
Transport (15/17)
PROVISIONAL VERSION
1.23.15. Green paper on better
ship dismantling.
Reference: Regulation (EEC)
No 259/93 on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within,
into and out of the European Community (OJ L 30, 6.2.1993; Bull. 1/2-1993,
point 1.2.150), as last amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 120/97: OJ L
22, 24.1.1997; Bull. 1/2-1997, point
1.2.162, and
Commission Regulation (EC) No 2557/2001:
OJ
L 349, 31.12.2001
Adopted on 22 May. The
dismantling of European ships nowadays often takes place in developing
countries under dangerous and environmentally harmful conditions and
contrary to Community waste shipment law. Work on an international Ship
Recycling Convention is ongoing but this will leave gaps, and it might
take considerable time until the new international regime becomes
effective. The Commission, with this Green Paper, analysed the problem and
sets out the options for action at EU level. It suggested measures which
could take effect in the short and medium term. These include: better
enforcement of the Waste Shipment Regulation (regulation (EEC) No 259/93
amended by regulation (EEC) No 1013/2006 by more checks at European ports;
more systematic cooperation and information exchange between EU
authorities; and stricter and more harmonised public procurement rules for
the scrapping of government vessels. The Commission suggested that the
question of state aid and EU subsidies for clean facilities in Europe is
left to further assessment. For the longer term the Commission proposed
that the EU should support the ongoing process to develop an international
Ship Recycling Convention, but with a stronger role for the EU itself.
Besides, it pointed to the need for a sustainable financing scheme for
clean dismantling, which could be organised in the form of a "Ship
dismantling fund" and levies on the shipping industry.
[ COM(2007)
269
]
Latest update: 14-09-2007
