€160.5m funding to combat pollution
The European Commission has proposed that the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) receive funding of €160.5m over a period of seven years to continue work to combat pollutions at sea.
The multiannual funding will enable EMSA to maintain its network of specialised anti-pollution vessels available to Member States to recover pollutants caused by ships, as well as marine pollution caused by offshore oil and gas installations.
The EMSA also provides standby oil spill response vessels, which are available to top up Member States’ response capacity when affected by a spill.
The Commission hopes the funding will also enable the agency to further develop its satellite imaging system, CleanSeaNet, which has been created following the new European Union environmental regulations for cleaner fuels for shipping which came into effect in December 2012.
The technology detects pollution fast and supports efforts by Member States to prevent illegal discharge and accidental spillage of oil.
In its proposal, the Commission stressed that EMSA will continue to work with third countries – important for the Mediterranean Sea in particular – although the funding will not cover these activities.
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