European parliament to debate bathing water and marine fuel deals

The council of ministers has issued common positions on EU directives to tighten bathing water quality standards and reduce the sulphur content of marine fuels, following political agreements in June. The move will trigger the a second reading of both draft laws in the European parliament.

Formal statements issued with the common positions show that, on bathing water, the Commission has dropped initial reluctance to weaken microbiological standards it proposed a year ago.

Meanwhile, on the directive to limit the sulphur content of marine fuels, statements show that Italy and Cyprus withheld support for the law because it went too far, and Sweden abstained because it was not ambitious enough. The legislation is to be the first plank of a concerted campaign to reduce shipping emissions of air pollutants.

Follow-up:

EU council of ministers http://www.consilium.eu.int/

Public register of Council documents http://register.consilium.eu.int/

(ENDS)