(11) Regard should be had to the existing agreements on accidental pollution, such as the Agreement for cooperation in dealing with pollution of the North Sea by oil and other harmful substances, 1983 (Bonn Cooperation Agreement), which facilitate mutual assistance and cooperation between Member States in this field, as well as to the relevant international conventions and agreements for the protection of European maritime areas from pollution incidents, such as the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, 1990 (OPRC Convention) developed under the auspices of the IMO, the Convention for the Prote ...[+++]ction of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic of 22 September 1992 (OSPAR Convention), the Barcelona Convention, the Helsinki Convention and the Lisbon Agreement.

(l)any measures required to prevent significant losses of pollutants from technical installations, and to prevent and/or to reduce the impact of accidental pollution incidents for example as a result of floods, including through systems to detect or give warning of such events including, in the case of accidents which could not reasonably have been foreseen, all appropriate measures to reduce the risk to aquatic ecosystems.

(l) any measures required to prevent significant losses of pollutants from technical installations, and to prevent and/or to reduce the impact of accidental pollution incidents for example as a result of floods, including through systems to detect or give warning of such events including, in the case of accidents which could not reasonably have been foreseen, all appropriate measures to reduce the risk to aquatic ecosystems.

The Bonn Agreement ( Agreement for combating accidental pollution at sea between Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the EEC - represented by the Commission) has been activated and actions directed by UK Marine Pollution Control Unit have been taken as follows : - Aircraft for dispersant spraying prepared at Inverness for possible spraying operations sooner; - MPCU surveillance aircraft on scene; - spraying vessels prepared; - salvage team and vessels proceeding; - MPCU at-sea commander and land co-ordinator now in Shetland; - Shetland Island council preparing response plan. The ...[+++] Commission is in permanent contact with the UK concerned authorities and ready to give any assistance and support if needed.

Mr. Rysanek: Again, here we are dealing with accidental pollution as a starting point.

We were also told about concerns that this bill, as drafted, would capture accidental pollution.