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Verbatim report of proceedings
Tuesday, 13 May 2003 - Strasbourg OJ edition

Environmental liability
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  Boogerd-Quaak (ELDR).(NL) Mr President, Commissioner, Mr Davies has been talking about an environmental Holy Grail. I must say that I am also pleased that a level playing field is being created for all parties involved in creating environmental damage. This means that it will be easier for the business community to comply with this directive. There are, however, two things that I would like to point out. The first is the question of nuclear energy and non-regulated businesses. The second question is that of maritime transport.

I live near two nuclear power stations, namely the only commercial nuclear power station in my country and also the Doel in Belgium. How is this regulated at the moment? The owners of the nuclear power stations only have limited liability, and the State absorbs that. In Belgium, for example, that amounts to EUR 300 million per power station, and in my country the figure is EUR 2.26 billion. This seems a lot of money, but it is in fact very little if you consider that these power stations are located in an industrial area. I find it inexplicable that the public and businesses will be held liable and that businesses allied to the state will be exempted from this kind of liability. I find the amendment that asks for this to be reviewed in 5 years’ time very flexible, and I think that the Commission must adopt it and that we must also vote on it.

The same applies to liability for maritime transport. I asked about liability relating to the Tricolor disaster two months ago, and I have not yet had any replies to my questions. We are asking for this to also be included in the directive and the international conventions reviewed and for the loopholes to be closed.

Finally, I would like to come back to nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is always regarded as a cheap kind of energy, but if all the costs were to be charged on, including the costs relating to environmental damage, the question is whether wind energy and other environmentally-friendly forms of energy would not be equally competitive. I would therefore ask the Commissioner to create a level playing field for this issue as well.

 
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