Declaration by EPP Enlarged Summit on the safety of maritime traffic Copenhagen, 12 December 2002 Participants to the EPP Enlarged Summit deeply deplore the serious accident of the oil tanker 'Prestige' on the north west coast of Spain. The European People's Party expresses its solidarity with the peoples and governments of Spain, France and Portugal and its deep concern regarding the repercussions of this maritime accident. The European People's Party equally deplores the economic consequences and those for the well-being of the thousands of people and communities most directly affected by these events. The European People's Party expresses its support with the thousands of volunteers and with different public administrations currently fighting to limit the repercussions of oil slicks. The mobilisation of thousands of people proves once again that ours is a Europe of solidarity and engagement towards the protection of our environment. The European People's Party believes that in order to deal with this current crisis it is necessary to ensure three objectives : clean and purify the beaches and the coastline, assist all victims in surmounting the consequences of the disaster and ensure that no similar disaster can happen again in the future. The European People's Party believes it necessary to undertake a long term cleaning and purification of the beaches and coastline most affected in order to ensure the complete ecological recovery of the most badly affected zones. The European People's Party expresses its solidarity with the populations most directly affected by this catastrophe and expresses its willingness to use all the financial instruments at the disposal of the European Union in order to assist in limiting its socio-economic consequences. The European People's Party believes that a disaster of this nature must never reoccur within the European Union. This recent accident, coming less than three years after the wreck of the 'Erika', indicates the necessity and urgency of taking rigorous measures in order to protect Europe's citizens against this type of catastrophe. For this reason, the European People's Party welcomes the Conclusions unanimously adopted by the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council of 6 December last and by the Environment Council of 9 December on the initiative of the Danish Presidency of the European Commission.

Agenda:

The EPP-ED Group has taken numerous initiatives to ensure during the next plenary a detailed debate and the adoption of a resolution on the environmental disaster caused by the sinking of the 'Prestige'. First, oral questions to the Commission on these issues are on the agenda on Tuesday December 17 at 5.30 pm. The matter will also be raised Wednesday 17 at the occasion of the common debate on the Danish Presidency and on Copenhagen Summit's conclusions. Finally, the Group has tabled specific oral questions and resolutions for an ad hoc debate on this issue (Vote Thursday at 12). The Secretary General of the Popular Party in Galicia, Xesus Palmou, will take part at the EPP-ED Group meeting in Strasbourg on Tuesday evening to inform the Group about the consequences of the "Prestige" disaster in his region.