EUROPEAN OFFSHORE DRILLING LIABILITY AND SAFETY RULES LIKELY
The European Commission said Wednesday that it foresees comprehensive EU legislation on oil platforms that could cover operational safety and pollution liability. Having conducted a review following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill earlier this year, the Commission said that it can now contemplate new EU standards, including criteria for granting drilling permits, controls of the rigs and safety control mechanisms. Günther Oettinger, Commissioner for Energy, said: "Safety is non negotiable. We have to make sure that a disaster similar to the one in the Gulf of Mexico will never happen in European waters." The Commission is recommending specific EU legislation on oil platforms, with a formal proposal expected to be tabled early next year. The proposals will include risk management and financial liability requirements. When granting drilling permits, member states would have to make sure that oil companies have a contingency plan and prove that they have the financial means available to pay for environmental damage caused in the event of an accident. The Commission also identified deficiencies in the European Environmental Liability Directive with regards to the remediation of the marine environment. The Commission will now consider extending the scope of the Directive to include marine pollution without delay, it added.