Malta takes firm stand over EU directive

Malta yesterday kept up the pressure on the European Union to apply changes to a proposed directive intended to impose new sanctions against pollution coming from ships.

Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg confirmed that Malta had proposed various amendments at a Justice and Home Affairs Council being held in Luxembourg.

The final decision will be taken today during the second day of the Council. The directive had already been adopted in June by the Transport Council, but a framework agreement now needs to be concluded in order to make the new directive enforceable.

Malta voted against the directive last June and is set to vote against again if there are no changes. In order for the directive to become EU law, there needs to be unanimity and therefore Malta's vote is crucial.

Sources close to the Council told The Times last night that Malta had the support of Cyprus and Greece on the issue. The three countries hold the biggest three shipping registers in the EU.

The ship-source pollution directive, as it is known, is the latest initiative following the Prestige disaster, which spilled pollution along the Spanish coast.

The EU is trying to tighten the rules with the introduction of sanctions, including criminal ones, for pollution offences. It aims to approximate national legislations with regard to the definition of the relevant offences and the nature of the penalties, possibly criminal, that can be imposed.

One of Malta's main arguments is that as it stands, the proposed directive contravenes existing international conventions on maritime policy, known as Marpol.

Speaking to The Times yesterday evening from Luxembourg, Dr Borg said that although Malta is in favour of tightening the rules against ship-source pollution, it argues that all shipping registers have to compete within the same rules.

If the directive went through as proposed, the Maltese shipping register, together with those of other EU member states, would be discriminated against, as non-EU shipping registers would have simpler obligations. Thus, ship owners would have an incentive to register their ships with non-EU registers.

Dr Borg said that Malta has put forward a number of amendments to the Council and the Dutch Presidency, which had been endorsed by Cyprus and Greece.

If the amendments were adopted, Malta would have no difficulty in voting in favour; if not... "it will be another story", remarked the Minister.

The vote on this directive was intended to be taken yesterday but as no agreement was reached it has been postponed to today.