Oil exploration in Morocco

24.1.2018

Question for written answer P-000376-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D)

The Moroccan government awarded the Italian oil company ENI exploration permits for the Tarfaya basin, off the coast of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, a specially protected marine area rich in a wide variety of cetaceans. Against this backdrop, can the Commission answer the following questions:

• 1)Has the Commission asked Morocco for environmental impact studies to find out what risk is posed by the operations to the region and, notably, the Canary Islands?
• 2)Does the Commission know if Morocco has adequate contingency plans to contain a crude oil spill in the region, as well as to provide possible compensation to the population of the Canary Islands and to key sectors of the island economy, such as tourism and fisheries, that might be affected in the event of oil spills originating in Morocco?
• 3)In short, has it demanded that Morocco comply strictly with international law and the relevant requirements under Directive 2013/30 on safety of offshore oil and gas operations, in view of the fact that the explorations will be in an area bordering a Member State of the European Union?