This written declaration does not reflect the position of the Assembly; only of those members that have signed it. It will not be considered further by the Assembly.
The undersigned members of the Parliamentary Assembly deplore
the consequences of the accident that befell an oil rig off the
Louisiana coast on 20 April 2010. They commiserate with the families
and loved ones of the eleven victims swept away in this tragedy
and are anxious about its economic, social and environmental consequences.
The leak caused is spilling huge quantities of crude oil into
the ocean daily and is not expected to be stoppable until the end
of summer. But the ecological disaster already affects the marine
environment of the Gulf of Mexico and the coastal areas and beaches
in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, and its spread to Europe
cannot be ruled out. It also affects fisheries and tourism.
The undersigned recall that Europe is not safe from a similar
disaster. They advocate stringent official formulation and supervision
of safety standards, application of the polluter pays principle
and enforcement of civil, possibly criminal, sanctions in the event
of proven infringement. They urge that the transition to renewable energy
sources be hastened, it being necessary not only because of depletion
of fossil fuel resources and global warming, but also to avert accidents
of this kind, and reaffirm the human right to a healthy environment.
