MEPs approve crackdown on pollution by ships in EU waters

摘要

The European Parliament has now voted in favour of a measure that will soon make the reckless discharge of polluting substances from ships into European waters - with intent or by serious negligence - a criminal offence. At the measure's second reading on 23 February the full plenary voted in favour of an agreement hammered out through informal discussions between Presidency, Parliament and Council delegations on the Council's common position agreed last October. Three informal sessions were required to resolve considerable differences between the Council and proposals made by Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism in January.