| IMO Press Briefing 05 2004
22 January 2004
Joint Communiqué
IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos
and Mrs. Loyola de Palacio, Vice-President of the European Commission
and Commissioner for Transport and Energy, have jointly expressed
their satisfaction at the positive and constructive manner and
outcome of their meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, 21 January
2004.
The meeting was arranged for the purpose of
fostering a better understanding of the relationship between IMO
and the European Commission in order that the already existing
co-operation between the two bodies may be further enhanced, so
that maritime safety and security as well as environmental protection
are better served in the future.
The two sides reiterated their previous understanding
as to IMO's leading role worldwide in the development and adoption
of global standards for shipping engaged in international trade.
The role and responsibilities of the European Union to provide
appropriate coastal protection at European level were equally
recognised.
Mr. Mitropoulos welcomed the support of the
European Commission for IMO's work in setting the highest practicable
standards for the purpose of making shipping safer, more secure
and more environmentally friendly. He also welcomed the Commission's
endeavours to implement and enforce such standards within the
European Union. For her part, Mrs de Palacio stressed the contribution
of the EU through its own legislation to maritime safety. She
also stressed the EU contribution in the development, through
IMO, of global maritime safety standards, as well as their effective
implementation within the enlarged Union with the technical support
of the recently established European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).
Mrs. de Palacio expressed satisfaction with
recent developments at IMO concerning maritime safety and security
and protection of the marine environment (in particular, the successful
outcome of the December session of the IMO Marine Environment
Protection Committee) and pledged her support to a successful
outcome to next month's conference on ballast water management.
Both sides looked forward to the further development and effective
implementation of the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme
and agreed on the benefits to be gained from promoting a proactive
approach to prevent accidents in the future.
Mrs de Palacio recalled the importance which
the European Commission attaches to the strict compliance by flag
States of their duties under international law, as well as to
the better protection of coastal States against the increasingly
damaging consequences of accidents and pollution at sea.
Both expressed concern at the reported slow
pace of implementation of the IMO measures to enhance maritime
security and urged all parties concerned to intensify their efforts
to implement those measures without delay.
Mr. Mitropoulos and Mrs. de Palacio agreed to
keep each other informed of developments pertaining to maritime
safety and security and environmental protection, to ensure the
maximum degree of co-operation and co-ordination in the pursuit
of the two Organization's common goals.
.......................
IMO - the International Maritime Organization
- is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility
for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of
marine pollution by ships.
Web site: www.imo.org
Purchase IMDG Code:
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For further information please contact:
Lee Adamson, Senior External Relations Officer on 020 7587 3153
(media@imo.org) or
Natasha Brown, External Relations Officer on 020 7587 3274 (media@imo.org
).
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