Green Euro-deputies and environmentalists welcomed a European parliament vote today strengthening EU rules to make companies pay for the pollution they create.
"It is an historic vote, because the parliament has succeeded in restoring the principle of 'the polluter pays,'" said Greens lawmaker Mr Paul Lannoye, after the Strasbourg assembly passed an environmental directive.
The recent Prestigedisaster, when a tanker sank off the coast of Spain, had showed that the existing financing systems were insufficient, said German Greens Euro-deputy Mr Hiltrud Breyer.
The Strasbourg deputies voted to drop waivers proposed by the European Commission which would have "reduced the system... to virtually nothing," he said.
The directive, originally proposed by the European Commission in January 2002, is aimed at ensuring that those who cause pollution "are held responsible" and "pay the price" for their actions.
The European parliament voted by 310 to 177 with 23 to approve amendments to the directive establishing common EU rules on liability for preventing and remedying damage to the environment.
Under the strengthened rules companies will be obliged to take out insurance or another form of financial coverage. The initial commission proposal only "encouraged" them to do so.
The scrapped waivers included one exonerating polluters if there was "no danger for the environment in the eyes of scientific and technical knowledge at the time," or if the activity had been authorised by public bodies.
"After ten turbulent years, European environmental legislation has entered a new phase. The Greens/EFA are pleased about the adoption of compulsory insurance provisions to cover potential costs," said Mr Breyer.
"Today is a good day for Europe and a good day for the environment," said Scottish MEP Mr Neil MacCormick. "We have been successful in extending the scope of the directive to include marine pollution as well as nuclear accidents."
Those who backed the amendments called on the commission to approve the changed directive, which must then be formally adopted by the Council of Ministers. "The ball is now in the commission's and Council's court," said Mr Breyer.
AFP