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| Sunday, 24 November 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Sinking of prestige Oil companies must be made liable - Friends of the Earth The Spanish oil spill disaster shows the `crying need for tough new liability laws for environmental damage' Friends of the Earth said today. The call came as it emerged that the tanker Prestige which threatens an environmental catastrophe off the Spanish coast following its sinking today - is registered in Bahamas, was managed in Greece, and carried oil for a Swiss company (with mostly British directors) whose ultimate owners are Russian. The oil industry has fiercely opposed liability for the impacts on biodiversity for a number of years. Later this month, the European Parliament is due to discuss a draft EU Liability Directive. However the proposal has been criticised for being `so weak it is practically useless'. Although there have been numerous serious oil spills around the coast of Europe over the last fifteen years the question of who pays for the damage caused to the environment and peoples livelihoods has not been resolved. Communities are often left footing the bill many years after an incident has happened. Friends of the Earth says that oil companies must be made fully liable for their pollution. Friends of the Earth UK's pollution campaigner Matt Phillips said: "Once again a European coast is under threat from a massive oil slick. Although these incidents happen with depressing regularity nothing has been done to make oil companies still avoid paying for the damage caused to the environment and peoples livelihoods. Politicians must resist the disgraceful lobbying from the oil industry and their friends and draw up tough rules that ensure people and the environment are put ahead of big business". |
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