(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.

The Agency shall provide Member States and the Commission with technical and scientific assistance in the field of accidental or deliberate pollution by ships and support on request with additional means in a cost-efficient way the pollution response mechanisms of Member States, without prejudice to the responsibility of coastal States to have appropriate pollution response mechanisms in place and respecting existing cooperation between Member States in this field.

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.

What was brought forward again and again in our last presentation was the unfairness to those that are accidentally polluting, and the fear that a whole shipload of seamen will be charged because of some accidental pollution.

It basically says that those individuals are criminally liable and face large fines and prison terms if there is pollution, even if it is accidental, even if they were asleep when it took place and had no knowledge of it.

Pollution at sea to be targeted includes accidental or deliberate causes, be it from ships, offshore platforms or land based sources as long as not otherwise regulated by other Community instruments.