REPORT on an integrated maritime policy for the European Union

21.4.2008 - (2008/2009(INI))

Committee on Transport and Tourism
Rapporteur: Willi Piecyk

Procedure : 2008/2009(INI)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
A6-0163/2008

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on an integrated maritime policy for the European Union

(2008/2009(INI))

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission communication entitled 'An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union' (COM(2007)0575, SEC(2007)1283),

–   having regard to the Commission communication entitled 'Conclusions from the Consultation on a European Maritime Policy' (COM(2007)0574),

–   having regard to the Commission proposal for a joint tripartite declaration establishing a 'European Maritime Day',

–   having regard to the Commission Green Paper entitled 'Towards a future maritime policy for the Union: a European vision for the oceans and seas' (COM(2006)0275) and the Parliament's resolution of 12 July 2007[1],

–   having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the European Council of 8 - 9 March 2007 on the adoption by the European Council of a 'European Council Action Plan (2007-2009) – Energy Policy for Europe',

–   having regard to the Commission communication '20 20 by 2020 – Europe's climate change opportunity' (COM(2008)0030),

–   having regard to the provisions laid down in the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on 23 February 2006, a single instrument encompassing and adapting the maritime labour conventions adopted by the ILO since 1919,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the opinions of the Committee on Regional Development, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Fisheries (A6‑0163/2008),

A. whereas the oceans and seas are essential economic and environmental factors for the EU; whereas the EU, through its coastal and outermost regions, offers 320 000 km of coastline which is home to a third of Europe's population,

B.  whereas marine-based industries and services, together with the coastal regions, contribute 40 % of EU GDP,

C. whereas climate change is the greatest challenge of all policies in the 21st century; having regard to the threat posed to coastal regions by the climate-induced rise in sea levels, which may be on a massive scale, with drastic consequences for residents,

D. whereas the EU maritime regions, and particularly its outermost regions, play a very important role regarding safety and security against criminal acts such as illegal immigration, terrorism and smuggling and yet they are exposed to specific environmental disasters,

1.  Welcomes the adoption by the Commission of the above-mentioned communications and the Action Plan presented in the above-mentioned staff working document;

2.  Reaffirms its resolution of 12 July 2007 and welcomes the fact that the Commission has taken over a fair proportion of the requests made by the Parliament, at least to some extent;

3.  Points out that the exceptional maritime dimension conferred on the EU by its coasts and its outermost regions offers unique opportunities as regards innovation, research, the environment, and biodiversity, which must be taken into account in the integrated maritime policy for the EU, and points out that the outermost regions, moreover, provide excellent communication bases for transport and security purposes at EU and global level;

4.  Emphatically supports the Commission's intention to exploit the potential of short sea shipping and inland waterway transport between the Member States and to integrate this rapidly into the single market and welcomes the Commission’s intention to speed up its proposals for a common maritime transport area together with a comprehensive maritime transport strategy for 2008‑2018;

5.  Encourages Member States to strengthen cooperation among themselves and with neighbouring countries for the appropriate use of TEN-T and other European financing mechanisms (such as Marco Polo) in order to accomplish the Motorways of the Sea and Short Sea Shipping Networks projects;

6.  Welcomes the Commission's intention to improve coordination with the European agencies responsible for maritime surveillance underlining especially the prevention of illegal activities (human and drug trafficking, illegal immigration and terrorist threats) with special focus on international waters;

7.  Welcomes the initiative by the Commission to start a European network for maritime surveillance and promote improved cooperation between Member States´ coastguards; calls on the Commission to come up with the results of the feasibility study on a European coastguard, which was due to be published and presented to the Parliament and the Council by the end of 2006;

8.  Takes the view that maritime clusters are particularly well placed to make a contribution to achieving an integrated maritime policy; calls on the Commission to make a prompt start with the project for a European network of maritime clusters;

9.  Supports the proposal to establish an annual 'European Maritime Day'; considers that such an action day should be used to highlight the significance of maritime policy outside maritime circles, with the participation of ordinary citizens, schools, universities and non-governmental organisations; reminds the Commission of its proposal for a prize to be awarded to exemplary maritime regions as a way of promoting best practice;

10. Takes the overall view, however, that the Action Plan includes too few practical measures and encourages the Commission to be more ambitious in future in using the instruments at its disposal under the Treaties;

11. Regrets the fact that the Action Plan addresses the challenges of climate change only in a non-binding way; reaffirms its view that one task of a European maritime policy has to be to prepare for and to adapt to the consequences of climate change, and, as a matter of urgency, lay down the adjustment measures required, especially in view of the melting of glaciers leading to the rise in sea levels, together with the increased risk of flooding of ports and coastal regions, and in this connection calls for all relevant policies, and in particular research policy, to play their part;

12. Recalls the fact that the melting of glaciers causes not only a rise in sea levels but also irreparable damage to human, animal and plant life and therefore welcomes the Commission’s intention to put forward an Arctic Initiative and calls on the scientific community and decision makers to further explore possibilities for protecting the polar ice caps;

13. Maintains that sound management of the seas requires sound management of coastal areas and that construction projects on EU coasts must therefore allow in every case for the consequences of climate change and the resulting rise in the sea level, the erosion of sands, and the increase in the frequency and violence of storms;

14. Supports the target set by the European Council of March 2007 of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and reaffirms its call for maritime policy to make a substantial contribution to reducing these emissions; this should include incorporating shipping into emissions trading and enhancing research efforts both with regard to exploiting the seas as a source of renewable energy and with a view to developing cleaner new ship propulsion technologies; considers that if Europe leads the way in combating climate change this could strengthen and develop Europe’s leading role in environmental technology and research;

15. Calls emphatically on the Commission to be more ambitious in combating sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions, as well as solid waste from ships; in this connection, reiterates the need for closer cooperation with the IMO (International Maritime Organization) and, in particular, its calls for:

· the introduction of nitrogen oxide emission standards for ships using EU ports;

· the designation of the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the North-East Atlantic as Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) under the MARPOL Convention;

· the reduction of the maximum permitted sulphur content in marine fuels used in SECAs by passenger vessels from 1,5 % to 0,5 %;

· the introduction of fiscal measures, such as taxes or charges on sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ships and the identification of ways of imposing such measures and charges on all ships, regardless of flag, putting into Community ports or sailing within the waters of EU Member States;

· promotion of the introduction of differentiated harbour and waterway charges to favour ships with low sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions;

· the gradual introduction of a requirement for ships at ports to use land-based electricity

· a proposal for an EU directive on the quality of marine fuels;

16. Reiterates its call on the Member States and the Commission, in view of the air pollution affecting many port towns and regions, to provide significantly better incentives for the provision of land-based electricity for ships in port; calls, therefore, for a proposal for an amendment to Council Directive 2003/96/EC of 27 October 2003 restructuring the Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity[2], whereby those Member States which take advantage of the tax exemption on bunker oil pursuant to Article 14 of that Directive would be required to exempt land-based electricity from tax to the same extent; the equal treatment for tax purposes of electricity and bunker oil would be a major incentive for ports and ship-owners to help reduce air pollution in port towns by investing in the electricity supply for ships in port;

17. Points out, once again, that land-based pollution of the seas constitutes a significant proportion of overall maritime pollution and that the Commission has so far not got to grips with this issue; therefore reiterates its call for the Commission to put forward an action plan to reduce such pollution, and highlights its call for the Member States to act promptly to transpose the legislation in this field, such as the water framework directive, into national law; stresses that an action plan to identify and remove old munitions from past wars dumped in the North Sea and the Baltic forms part of the transposition of the water framework Directive;

18. Urges the Commission to help Member States to launch a plan to survey and map wrecked ships and submerged archaeological sites – since these form part of the Community’s historic and cultural heritage – and hence to facilitate understanding and the study of such sites and help prevent the despoliation to which they are being subjected, thus enabling them to be properly preserved;

19. Urges the institutions involved to adopt the Erika III maritime package as quickly as possible and calls on the Member States to start implementing the package without delay, with a view to providing the legal means necessary to avert or remedy accidents or incidents with disastrous consequences for the development of maritime regions, the Erika and the Prestige accidents being two such examples;

20. Considers that the marine strategy framework Directive should constitute the environmental cornerstone of the integrated maritime policy for the EU; notes that the Directive states that regions in which the state of the sea is critical should draw up and implement faster measures to achieve good environmental status; emphasises that in such regions, it is particularly important that the Commission should coordinate different sectors, programmes and strategies and provide sufficient financial support; points out that in order to achieve such an integrated maritime policy, it is necessary to include land-based activities such as agriculture, waste water management, transport and energy production; believes that such regions can constitute pilot areas for a genuine and fully integrated maritime policy;

21. Welcomes the Commission's stocktaking with regard to the exclusion of seafarers from a number of areas of European social and labour protection rules (e.g. Directive 98/59/EC[3] on collective redundancies, Directive 2001/23/EC[4] on the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses, Directive 2002/14/EC[5] on informing and consulting employees and Directive 96/71/EC[6] concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services); proposes that these directives be revised in close cooperation with the social partners;

22. Urges those Member States which have not yet done so to ratify, as soon as possible, the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, adopted with a view to improving the living and working conditions of seafarers and to preventing unfair competition in the shipping industry by updating and codifying the entire body of international labour standards in force;

23. Urges the Commission to update Directive 1999/95/EC[7] on seafarers’ hours of work, and the legislation on matters falling under the Commission’s responsibility but not covered, or covered only in part, at Community level, for instance the rules governing temporary recruitment agencies or a worker’s right to have a signed employment contract;

24. Considers the involvement of regional and local partners to be essential in order to make a success of the maritime policy; maintains, therefore, that there must be closer cooperation and interconnection between European coastal regions, to be achieved by promoting coordinated strategies to foster development and competitiveness and by dovetailing the different tiers of governance more effectively;

25. Renews its call for the approach to an integrated maritime policy for the EU to be continued in future and calls on the Commission to strengthen the political framework thereof, as well as the territorial, social, and economic cohesion providing the link to inland Europe and its constituent policies; proposes that a report on European maritime policy be published every two years and that a regular public exchange of views be held with all those involved; calls on future Council presidencies to deal with maritime policy as part of their work programmes; over and above this, calls for all maritime-related projects supported by EU funding to be clearly identified annually by the Commission;

26. Welcomes the Commission’s initiative to promote negotiations for better management of sea-sharing with third countries and strongly supports the increased cooperation with neighbouring countries for the protection of seas beyond national jurisdictions;

27. Considers that a comprehensive European Strategy for Marine and Maritime research is of major importance and must be properly financed, already within the 7th research framework programme and in future programmes;

28. Declares itself in favour of maritime policy being given appropriate consideration in the EU budget and instruments after 2013 and calls for this to be reflected in summaries in the regular reports on the European maritime policy;

29. Also welcomes the recommendation issued by the European Council of 14 December 2007 to the effect that maritime policy should be adapted to the various specific features of the Member States and maritime regions, including coastal regions, islands, and the outermost regions;

30.     Whilst acknowledging the competence of the Member States in this field, awaits with interest the publication by the Commission of a road map to facilitate the development by Member States of maritime spatial planning; points to the need to maintain the appropriate balance between economic, social, territorial, and environmental considerations;

31. Points out that the exceptional maritime dimension which the coastal regions, islands, and the outermost regions bring to the EU offers unique opportunities as regards innovation, research, the environment, biodiversity, the development of innovative sea-based technologies and other areas, and that the future integrated maritime policy must capitalise on these opportunities; recognises the desirability of setting up centres of excellence and recommends that encouragement and support be given to the university research centres already present in coastal areas;

32. Points to the importance of wave power as an alternative clean energy source and calls on the Commission to take this form of energy into account in future action plans;

33. Takes the view that the key objective of the integrated maritime policy for the European Union in the field of fisheries should be to promote the modernisation and sustainable, balanced and fair development of the industry throughout the EU, safeguarding its socio-economic viability and the sustainability of resources and guaranteeing food sovereignty and food security, the supply of fish to the public, job preservation and improved living conditions for fishermen;

34. Considers that, to date, neither the sustainability of marine resources nor the economic viability of the EU's fishing fleets and coastal communities has been well served by the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and that, accordingly, the integrated maritime policy for the European Union should be developed in such a way as to avoid failings in the CFP such as over-centralisation and the failure to take account of the regional diversity of the EU's waters;

35. Believes that creating more and better seafaring jobs, particularly in the fishing industry, also depends on a guarantee of a fair and adequate income, proper working conditions (including health and safety) and access to training for people working in the industry;

36. Calls for mutual recognition by the Member States of intermediate diplomas for the occupation of steersman and mechanic for fishing vessels;

37. Reiterates the need for mechanisms to subsidise or compensate fishermen who are affected by the socio-economic repercussions of stock recovery plans or measures to protect ecosystems, especially in less favoured regions and communities and the outermost regions;

38. Reiterates the need to boost support for scientific fisheries research in the various Member States, particularly under the 7th research framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities;

39. Calls for Community support for the implementation of effective measures to ensure adequate means of evacuation, assistance and rescue for crews;

40. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission, and to the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

  • [1]  Texts adopted, P6_TA(2007)0343.
  • [2]               OJ L 283, 31.10.2003, p. 51.
  • [3]               OJ L 225, 12.8.1998, p. 16.
  • [4]  OJ L 82, 22.3.2001, p. 16.
  • [5]  OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, p. 29.
  • [6]  OJ L 18, 21.1.1997, p. 1.
  • [7]  OJ L 14, 20.1.2000, p. 29.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The presentation of the Commission communication and Action Plan 'An Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union' in October 2007, following the tabling of the Green Paper on maritime policy in June 2006 and a one-year consultation period, marks the start of its attempt to embark on the next stage of determining practical policies and measures for a future common European maritime policy. Your rapporteur welcomes the fact that a fair proportion of the demands made in Parliament's resolution of July 2007 has been accepted. This report is, accordingly, a follow-up as part of this process.

However, your rapporteur finds that the tabling of the new documents shows what was already previously suspected: there generally seems to be broad acceptance among the Member States, regions and sectors concerned of the Commission's approach to the integrated maritime policy, but the framing of practical sectoral policies has now shown how serious and committed that acceptance was meant to be, because there is an absence of genuinely practical proposals, measures and policies.

Your rapporteur therefore proposes to concentrate on the most important demands made in the Parliament report of July 2007 and now determine practical policies. It is particularly worth stressing that this report does not include any new proposals; instead, all the selected demands were already included in Parliament's resolution of July 2007.

Your rapporteur is convinced that the following formula should be the fulcrum, as the goal of all endeavours: Europe's oceans and seas – the cleanest in the world, with the most stable biodiversity, the most profitable economy, the best research and technology, the most modern and cleanest shipping, the best education and training and the most innovative ideas.

Since the presentation of the fourth assessment report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007 there has been a worldwide scientific consensus about the challenges of climate change. It is undisputed that the future European maritime policy must address a substantial proportion of these challenges. The warming of the oceans is leading to a rise in sea levels. Your rapporteur takes the view that this finding must be reflected in the policy areas of coastal protection, maritime spatial planning, tourism and ports.

The target laid down by the European Council of March 2007, of halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, must also inform maritime policy; in particular, this should entail the inclusion of shipping in emissions trading.

Moreover, there is nothing new in scientists calling for greater efforts to be made to exploit renewable energy, particularly the use of wind and solar energy. This is not only a major contribution to the fight against climate change, but at the same time it can strengthen and develop Europe's leading role in environmental technology and research.

Your rapporteur wishes to stress that the integrated approach to maritime policy must continue to be followed in future. It becomes clear, where maritime policy is concerned, how closely interwoven the individual policies are, and how important it is to see the different areas as a mutually supporting circulatory system. In other words, a clean maritime environment influences the maritime economy, tourism, biodiversity, the employment situation and ports to an equal extent. The will of the Member States – a kind of European maritime solidarity – is the primary prerequisite for support for this system.

OPINION of the Committee on Regional Development (2.4.2008)

for the Committee on Transport and Tourism

on an Integrated Maritime Policy for the European Union
(2008/2009(INI))

Draftsman: Sérgio Marques

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Regional Development calls on the Committee on Transport and Tourism, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1.   Applauds the Commission’s decision to develop an integrated maritime policy to face the challenges of climate change (inter alia by developing maritime energy capacity), globalisation, regional development, competitiveness, protection of the marine environment and safety and security, and one which incorporates many of the ideas outlined by Parliament;

2.   Also welcomes the recommendation issued by the European Council of 14 December 2007 to the effect that maritime policy should be adapted to the various specific features of the Member States and maritime regions, including coastal regions, islands, and the outermost regions;

3.   Considers the involvement of regional and local partners to be essential in order to make a success of the maritime policy; maintains, therefore, that there must be closer cooperation and interconnection between European coastal regions, to be achieved by promoting coordinated strategies to foster development and competitiveness and by dovetailing the different tiers of governance more effectively;

4.   Welcomes the Commission's Action Plan outlined in its communication on an Integrated Maritime Policy (COM(2007)0575) and in the accompanying documents (SEC(2007)1278), (SEC(2007)1279) and (SEC(2007)1280) and in particular the Commission’s strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change on maritime regions and the concomitant effects on tourism; draws attention to the need for further adaptation of that strategy to the specific features of maritime regions;

5.   Notes that the future maritime policy is of key importance to the positive future development of the EU’s coastal regions, islands, and outermost regions; points out that broadening the scope of the maritime policy to encompass tourism in coastal areas would constitute an innovation central to the development and cohesion of those regions;

6.   Stresses the key role regional authorities and coastal communities will play in the implementation of the new integrated maritime policy and in the Commission’s forthcoming European Action Plan on sea-based economic activity; emphasises the importance of good-quality transport infrastructure and stresses its positive effects on quality of life and the tourist industry; in this connection, calls on all concerned to work efficiently to ensure the optimal use of development funds;

7.   Points to the effect upon local ecosystems of the increase in economic activity and tourism in coastal regions accompanied by an increase in all forms of transport; welcomes therefore the development of an integrated maritime policy which will address these problems; further calls for better data collection as regards the maritime sector and coastal regions;

8.   Looks forward to the publication of a set of guidelines for Member States on the drawing-up of national integrated maritime polices and the annual reports on EU and Member State action in this regard; recommends that the EU, the Member States and coastal regions, which have essential knowledge and a key role to play in this field, coordinate their activities effectively and for the benefit of all;

9.   Whilst acknowledging the competence of the Member States in this field, awaits with interest the publication by the Commission of a road map to facilitate the development by Member States of maritime spatial planning; points to the need to maintain economic, social, territorial, and environmental considerations in proper balance;

10. Encourages the Commission in its efforts to create a European maritime transport space without barriers, together with a comprehensive maritime transport strategy for 2008‑2018;

11. Maintains that a genuine European maritime transport space without barriers requires that the EU’s coastal regions, islands, and outermost regions be made safer from the point of view of development and environmental sustainability;

12. Points out that the exceptional maritime dimension which the coastal regions, islands, and the outermost regions bring to the EU offers unique opportunities as regards innovation, research, the environment, biodiversity, the development of innovative sea-based technologies and other areas, and that the future integrated maritime policy must capitalise on these opportunities; recognises the desirability of setting up centres of excellence and recommends that encouragement and support be given to the university research centres already existing in coastal areas;

13. In the light of the recent accidents concerning oil tankers, and the ensuing environmental harm, emphasises the need for clear guidelines on seafaring and for international cooperation aimed at encouraging third countries to apply the same or similar rules;

14. Maintains that the integrated maritime policy for the European Union should have its own funding, taking into account the actual specific characteristics of the various regions involved;

15. Supports the Commission’s intention to consolidate a maritime Europe, creating the image of a dynamic, responsible Europe committed to protecting and promoting the seas not just in relation to outsiders, but also within the EU itself;

16. Points to the importance of wave power as an alternative clean energy source and calls on the Commission to take this form of energy into account in future action plans;

17. Regrets and is surprised that, in its communication on its legislative and work programme for 2008 (COM(2007)0640), the Commission has neglected to cover the maritime policy measures to be taken in 2008, an omission at odds with the fact that the Commission now has a maritime policy Action Plan.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted

27.3.2008

 

 

 

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

45

0

1

Members present for the final vote

Alfonso Andria, Emmanouil Angelakas, Stavros Arnaoutakis, Jean Marie Beaupuy, Rolf Berend, Victor Boştinaru, Wolfgang Bulfon, Antonio De Blasio, Bairbre de Brún, Petru Filip, Gerardo Galeote, Iratxe García Pérez, Eugenijus Gentvilas, Ambroise Guellec, Pedro Guerreiro, Jim Higgins, Filiz Hakaeva Hyusmenova, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, Rumiana Jeleva, Gisela Kallenbach, Tunne Kelam, Evgeni Kirilov, Constanze Angela Krehl, Sérgio Marques, Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez, James Nicholson, Markus Pieper, Pierre Pribetich, Wojciech Roszkowski, Elisabeth Schroedter, Grażyna Staniszewska, Dimitar Stoyanov, Margie Sudre, Andrzej Jan Szejna, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, Lambert van Nistelrooij, Oldřich Vlasák, Vladimír Železný

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

Bernadette Bourzai, Jan Březina, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, Francesco Ferrari, Francisca Pleguezuelos Aguilar, Zita Pleštinská, Samuli Pohjamo, Christa Prets, Richard Seeber

OPINION of the Committee on Fisheries (3.4.2008)

for the Committee on Transport and Tourism

on an integrated maritime policy for the European Union
(2008/2009(INI))

Draftsman: Pedro Guerreiro

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Fisheries calls on the Committee on Transport and Tourism, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1.  Stresses that, in order to 'take more into account the welfare of coastal communities' and improve the 'social welfare of workers' in the fishing industry, it is impossible to overlook the serious socio-economic situation facing it, mainly due to the failure to adopt adequate measures to help make its activity profitable and thus guarantee a proper standard of living for people working in the industry;

2.  Takes the view that an integrated maritime policy for the European Union must not disregard the fact that energy supply and food are strategic necessities and objectives that must be met without exceeding maximum security thresholds as regards external dependence, and that sustainable fisheries and agriculture, as the basic sources of our food, must be protected in the European Union's general interest;

3.  Takes the view that the key objective of the integrated maritime policy for the European Union in the field of fisheries should be to promote the modernisation and sustainable, balanced and fair development of the industry throughout the EU, safeguarding its socio-economic viability and the sustainability of resources and guaranteeing food sovereignty and food security, the supply of fish to the public, job preservation and improved living conditions for fishermen;

4.  Considers that, to date, neither the sustainability of marine resources nor the economic viability of the EU's fishing fleets and coastal communities has been well served by the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and that, accordingly, the integrated maritime policy for the European Union should be developed in such a way as to avoid failings in the CFP such as over-centralisation and the failure to take account of the regional diversity of the EU's waters;

5.  Calls for a joint approach by the Member States to the clearance of unexploded munitions brought to the surface by fishing vessels and thrown back to sea after marking;

6.  Believes that creating more and better seafaring jobs, particularly in the fishing industry, also depends on a guarantee of a fair and adequate income, proper working conditions (including health and safety) and access to training for people working in the industry;

7.  Proposes studying the current mechanisms by which first-sale prices are set and the way in which they might help to guarantee a balanced remuneration for people working in the industry, without increasing consumer prices;

8.  Calls for mutual recognition by the Member States of intermediate diplomas for steersman and mechanic for fishing vessels;

9.  Reiterates the need for mechanisms to subsidise or compensate fishermen who are affected by the socio-economic repercussions of stock recovery plans or measures to protect ecosystems, especially in less favoured regions and communities and the outermost regions;

10. Calls on the Commission, in view of the need to define adequate financial resources for the integrated maritime policy for the European Union, to define what it means by a 'sound financial basis' and, starting from the principle that new priorities will require new financial resources, rejects the notion that it should be financed from the CFP;

11. Reiterates the need to boost support for scientific fisheries research in the various Member States, particularly under the seventh framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities;

12. Calls for Community support for the implementation of effective measures to ensure adequate means of evacuation, assistance and rescue for crews;

13. Calls for support for the installation and modernisation of Member States' own means of surveillance, monitoring and control of their EEZs;

14. Stresses that the integrated maritime policy for the European Union is based on a framework of cooperation between the Member States and that the drawing-up and adoption of their own national maritime policies, with their various components, falls within the competence of the Member States, as the Commission itself points out.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted

3.4.2008

 

 

 

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

25

1

0

Members present for the final vote

Elspeth Attwooll, Marie-Hélène Aubert, Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos, Paulo Casaca, Zdzisław Kazimierz Chmielewski, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, Carmen Fraga Estévez, Duarte Freitas, Ioannis Gklavakis, Alfred Gomolka, Pedro Guerreiro, Heinz Kindermann, Rosa Miguélez Ramos, Philippe Morillon, Seán Ó Neachtain, Willi Piecyk, Catherine Stihler, Margie Sudre, Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, Cornelis Visser

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

Ole Christensen, Josu Ortuondo Larrea, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Thomas Wise

Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote

Ilda Figueiredo, Willem Schuth

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted

8.4.2008

 

 

 

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

42

0

1

Members present for the final vote

Inés Ayala Sender, Paolo Costa, Michael Cramer, Luis de Grandes Pascual, Petr Duchoň, Saïd El Khadraoui, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, Francesco Ferrari, Brigitte Fouré, Mathieu Grosch, Georg Jarzembowski, Stanisław Jałowiecki, Timothy Kirkhope, Dieter-Lebrecht Koch, Jaromír Kohlíček, Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Sepp Kusstatscher, Bogusław Liberadzki, Eva Lichtenberger, Marian-Jean Marinescu, Erik Meijer, Robert Navarro, Seán Ó Neachtain, Josu Ortuondo Larrea, Willi Piecyk, Luís Queiró, Reinhard Rack, Gilles Savary, Brian Simpson, Ulrich Stockmann, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Yannick Vaugrenard, Lars Wohlin, Roberts Zīle

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

Philip Bradbourn, Pedro Guerreiro, Zita Gurmai, Lily Jacobs, Elisabeth Jeggle, Anne E. Jensen, Jelko Kacin, Corien Wortmann-Kool

Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote

Samuli Pohjamo