European Union Foreign Policy Chief, Javier Solana (left), Finland's Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (centre) and European Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, address a joint news conference at the end of a European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, yesterday. - Reuters

BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters):

European Union ministers decided Monday to tighten rules on ship safety, proposing that member states carry out checks at ports on all ships and create stricter criteria for banning unsafe vessels.

The EU has amended its maritime regulations a number of times in the past decade to increase safety standards after vessels such as the 'Erika' and the 'Prestige' sunk at sea causing huge oil spills off the coasts of France, Spain and Portugal.

"The aim is that all vessels will be inspected in accordance with the new inspection regime," EU President Finland said in a statement after transport ministers of the 25-member bloc met.

At the moment, individual countries set their own requisites for inspections and only about 25 per cent of vessels are checked, a spokeswoman for the EU's transport council said, letting many unsafe vessels through.

Checks

If the ministers' proposals go through, however, all ships coming to the hundreds of EU ports will be checked. Inspections on vessels known to be substandard will last longer.

The ministers also want stricter criteria on banning ships by allowing so-called 'grey-listed' ships to be banned at ports as well as 'black-listed' vessels.

At the moment, only 14 vessels are banned from EU ports, according to the European Maritime Safety Agency. The European Commission, which drafted the proposals, thinks this number will rise more than tenfold if the rules are passed.

The agreement paves the way for a new directive that aims to strengthen restrictions as well as simplify and consolidate changes to existing EU maritime laws. The European Parliament will now debate the proposals before they can become law.

The ministers are meeting in Brussels at a regular transport council to discuss a number of transport issues including the future of the trans-Atlantic aviation agreement, 'Open Skies', which will be on the agenda today.