The Assembly,
Calling attention to the problem created in post-war years by :
Noting with alarm that the discharge of waste oil overboard is resulting in the destruction of animal life and fisheries and the fouling of the coastline and beaches of the maritime nations of the Council of Europe ;
Having acquainted itself with the work of the International Conference on Pollution of the Sea by Oil, held in London from 26th April to 12th May, 1954 ; and
Approving the aims of the eight Resolutions adopted by that Conference, and the Pinal Act issued at the conclusion of its proceedings ;
Adopting the conclusions of the Conference as stated in its Resolution No. 1 :
" The only entirely effective method known of preventing oil pollution is the complete avoidance of the discharge of persistent oils into the sea, and, as stated above, measures are possible which would enable this to be substantially achieved.
While the Conference has come to the conclusion that a date cannot be fixed at the present time by which there should be complete avoidance of the discharge of persistent oils into the sea, they consider that complete avoidance of the discharge of these persistent oils should, with certain necessary exceptions, be observed from the earliest practicable date and strongly urge all Governments and other bodies concerned to use their best endeavoui'S to create the conditions upon which the observance of such a prohibition necessarily depends by securing the provision of adequate facilities in their main ports and the necessary arrangements in ships. The Conference is of opinion that a further conference to review the matter in the light of experience of the working of the arrangements recommended by the London Conference should be held within three years",
Recommends that the Committee of Ministers invite those States which have not yet done so to sign and put into effect the International Convention for the prevention of Pollution of the Sea by oil.
That the Committee on Economic Questions do follow the development of this question and report to it.
At the fourth sitting of the Sixth Session, on 24th May, 1954, the Assembly requested the Bureau to appoint a Committee to study the proposal, presented by Mr. Callaghan, to prohibit the discharge of waste oil into the sea
At its meeting on 8th July, the Bureau decided to refer this question to the Committee on Economic Questions for report, and to the Committee on Legal and Administrative Questions for opinion.
In response to the wishes of the Bureau, the Committee devoted a meeting to this question, at which it heard the views of Mr. Callaghan, who had originated the request for the inclusion of this item in the Agenda The Committee on Economic Questions then unanimously adopted the Recommendation and draft Order attached hereto, while expressing certain reservations on the desirability of approving the Resolutions adopted by the International Conference on Pollution of the Sea by Oil.