The European Parliament adopted by 639 votes to 13, with 17 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 87/217/EEC of the Council, Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directive 2009/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directive 86/278/EEC and Council Directive 94/63/EC as regards procedural rules in the field of environmental reporting and repealing Council Directive 91/692/EEC.
The European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:
Objective of the Decision: the proposal for a decision repeals Council Directive 91/692/EEC on standardizing and rationalizing reports and amends six legal acts containing references to it. Members stated that the purpose of the proposed decision was in line with the principle of subsidiarity and the principle of proportionality.
Delegated acts: Directive 2009/31/EC on the geological storage of carbon dioxide and Directive 86/278/EEC on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture, the amended text provides that the power to adopt delegated acts should be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years with the possibility of tacitly extending the delegation of power for periods of an identical duration.
As regards Directive 2009/31/EC, it is specified that the amendment of the Annexes to adapt them to scientific progress should not lead to a reduction in the level of safety provided by the criteria set out in Annex I or a reduction in the surveillance principles in Annex II.
Ship recycling: as regards Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, it is specified that the first electronic report shall cover the three-year period starting on the date of application of this Regulation. Where a Member State authorises the recycling of ships in ship recycling facilities that are included in the European List prior to the date of application of this Regulation, the first electronic report of that Member State shall also cover the period from the date of such authorisation to the date of application of this Regulation.
The Commission is invited to submit with its reports, where appropriate, proposals for the amendment of this Directive, including in particular the extension of the scope to include vapour control and recovery systems for loading installations and ships.