Ocean Protection Act
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Ocean Protection Act
Proposed by Cllr. Edward Firoux (Inquista)
PREAMBLE
This Act aims to preserve the world's oceans as viable ecosystems by reducing the amount of pollution caused by human activity in the European Union.
SECTION I. DEFINITIONS
I. Ocean: a large body of saline water not enclosed by land.
II. Waste: by-product of industry or industrial processes.
III. Sewage: water contaminated due to human processes.
IV. Landfill site: a designated place for the purposes of storing waste.
SECTION II. REGULATIONS
I. Member states of the European Union are hereby required to cease the dumping of waste and sewage into ocean(s), and implement measures to prevent the dumping of waste and sewage into ocean(s).
II. Member states shall take measures to prevent any seepage from landfill sites from leaking into ocean(s).
III. Member states shall take appropriate measures to minimize oil spill(s) and any other spill(s) which may be harmful to oceanic environments from maritime vessels into ocean(s).
IV. The use of single-hulled oil tankers shall be banned by member states and they shall not be allowed to operate within European Union waters.
V. This Act shall not prevent member states from adopting more strict national legislation regarding environmental protection. Member states are encouraged to take further action to protect the oceans from pollution.
SECTION. III. SENSITIVE OCEANIC ECOSYSTEMS
I. This Act shall designate certain areas as sensitive oceanic ecosystems (SOE). Member states will not be permitted to conduct any sort of commercial or industrial operations within the boundaries or within 5 kilometres of proximity of these ecosystems. Sensitive oceanic ecosystems (SOE) include:
(i) coral reefs;
(ii) active cetacean mating territories;
(iii) areas that contain a particularly diverse, rare, or endangered maritime flora and fauna.
SECTION IV. ENFORCEMENT
I. All member nations of the European Union are required to harmonize their national law(s) with this Act in 6 months of time from its approval by the European Council.
II. Breaching the articles of this Act will be considered a punishable offense in member states and may be tried in the European Court of Justice. -
Debate on this starts NOW and will last until 01:00 GMT on July 12th.
Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista -
This bill written by you, Mr Speaker, is an interest but concerning one for my country. The issue that resides in this act is that Leagio would be in serious trouble if this were implemented. Because it is confirmed that there is eco life near the Port Hilson on the narrow coastline of the Commonwealth, where all trade for Leagio is conducted at. If this act is passed, then Leagio would most likely be in serious economic trouble as that means that we will not conduct any commercial business with the EU. In order to ensure that we don't harm the eco life that would be protected by this bill, we would have to call for the expansion of the Arlick Corridor in order to be conomically stable and adherent to the bill.
So, i would ask that this bill be amended for nations that have no ability to actually be able to follow the bill with good economic stability.
Francis Plessis
EU Councilor of Leagio -
Having eco life near Port Hilson should be fine. I imagine there is eco life near many of the EU's busiest ports. Sensitive oceanic ecosystems (SOE) only include coral reefs, active cetacean mating territories, and areas that contain a particularly diverse, rare, or endangered maritime flora and fauna.
I imagine Port Hilson is not near a coral reef, and I'd be seriously surprised if it was near cetacean mating territories, because those are usually strategically chosen to be in safe locations far from human activity, although they can be disturbed by off-shore oil rigs and so on. Port Hilson should be fine as long as it is more than 5 kilometres away from particularly diverse, rare, or endangered maritime flora and fauna. If you're suggesting that the eco life near Port Hilson falls under this latter category, then I'm rightfully concerned about that, because I'd rather we not drive endangered fauna to extinction. Save the water plants!
Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista -
Final voting begins now and will last until 03:45 GMT on July 15th, 2020.
On behalf of the Most Blessed State of Inquista, I vote FOR this Act.
Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista -
On behalf of the Kingdom of Reitzmag, I vote FOR this act.
Friedrich van Allen
Councilor, Kingdom of Reitzmag -
On behalf of the Commonwealth of Leagio, I vote FOR this act.
Francis Plessis
EU Councilor for Leagio -
On behalf of the Archrepublic of Vayinaod, I vote FOR this act.
Carita Falk
Archrepublic of Vayinaod -
On behalf of the Kingdom of Spain, I vote FOR this act.
Donald D. Tusk
Councillor for Spain -
With 5 votes for, this Act has PASSED.
Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista
The Kingdom of Spain