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Verbatim report of proceedings
Tuesday, 23 September 2008 - Brussels OJ edition

Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system - Investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector - The liability of carriers of passengers by sea in the event of an accident - Port State control (recast) - Ship inspection and survey organisations (Directive recast) - Ship inspection and survey organisations (Regulation recast) (continuation of debate)
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  Jacky Hénin (GUE/NGL).(FR) Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, be serious! Despite a few positive measures, the majority of the reports being proposed to us will never have any more therapeutic value than a plaster on a wooden leg, as far as maritime safety is concerned.

Parliament and the Commission pretend to get cross with the Council, but this play-acting is no more than another crude attempt to bury responsibilities and favour private interests to the detriment of the general interest. All this will do is give the European institutions even less legitimacy in the eyes of the people if there is another disaster, especially with the knowledge that the European Union is engaged in the WTO general trade agreement, known as GATS, whose Commission on Maritime Transport says that the current maritime transport environmental and safety regulations are excessive and should be relaxed. The inhabitants of the communities that were the victims of the Erika shipwreck and others will appreciate the EU’s cynicism.

Properly addressing the problems of maritime transport safety means grasping the evil by the root. We should be attacking the tax havens that allow maritime transport activities to be segmented into a jungle of shell corporations that offer the possibility of sidestepping the regulations. We need to bring an end to the practice of flags of convenience – including on EU territory – which reduce registration fees and cut crew costs by 60% on average. Above all, we need to give new rights to employees as regards safety.

You will never do this, though, because it would mean attacking the very foundations of globalised capitalism.

 
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