Criminal sanctions for ship pollution adopted

Environment Daily 1918, 11/07/05

EU ministers will on Tuesday (12/07/05) rubber stamp a deal making intentional, reckless or seriously negligent ship source pollution a criminal offence, following agreement between MEPs and national governments.

The linked directive and framework decision make it possible to levy fines of between €150,000 and €1.5m on polluting ships calling in EU ports.  In most cases a prison sentence of up to five years could

alternatively be imposed.   The legislation goes further than the international UN and Marpol conventions.  It will enter force in March 2007. 

Follow-up: press release http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/888 ,

Q&A http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/05/244.