The European Parliament has called on the EU to tighten up rules governing the safety of oil exploration and compensation in the event of a spill, such as occurred in the Gulf of Mexico.
However, a Parliament resolution adopted today stops short of calling for a moratorium on new deep-sea drilling.
The non-legislative resolution was adopted with 601 votes in favour, 23 against and 13 abstentions. Environment Committee Chair Jo Leinen (S&D, DE) commented: "Parliament has issued a clear call to the Commission to take steps towards eliminating the deficits in safety and liability standards."
With easy-to-reach oil becoming harder to find, there has been an increase in potentially hazardous deep-sea exploration and drilling. While the Environment Committee and many MEPs favoured a moratorium on any new deep-sea drilling in the EU, a majority (323 votes to 285) considered this a step too far.
The European Commission is currently reviewing EU safety and liability legislation. MEPs are concerned, for example, that the environmental liability directive (which ensures polluters pay for their damage) does not cover oil rigs.
A major oil leak in European waters would be catastrophic not only to the environment, but also to activities such as fishing and tourism. MEPs want the Commission to investigate the possible merits of setting up an EU-wide insurance scheme or emergency fund to cover the risks.
The EU Energy Council is expected to address the topic of oil rig safety at its meeting in Luxembourg on 15 October.
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