Press Release: New EU rules to crack down on sea pollution come into effect

Starting in April 2007, the 27 Member States of the European Union will display their common determination to tackle unlawful discharges at sea by giving full effect to legislation adopted in 2005. Europe will at long last have a sufficiently dissuasive system of penalties to prevent and deal with maritime pollution more effectively. Illicit discharges at sea are, alas, still being made and preventing them is now more than ever a priority for Europe.