A complaint by Friends of the Earth Cymru and Friends of Cardigan Bay to the European Commission about the failure of the UK government to the implement the EU Regulations on Environmental Impact Assessment [1] in relation to offshore oil and gas operations has been upheld. This means that up to three hundred production licences may have been issued to oil companies unlawfully[2]. Friends of the Earth today called upon Mr Heseltine, Trade and Industry Secretary, to end the now doubtful operations of some oil companies on the UK continental shelf and to immediately implement the directive for oil and gas development and exploration operations that have been licenced since July 1988.

Alan Watson, Senior Campaigner on Industry and Pollution at Friends of the Earth, said:

"For too long there has been a cosy and private relationship between the transnational oil companies operating in UK waters and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It is vital for the protection of our seas that the oil and gas industry is properly regulated and exposed to public scrutiny at all stages of their operations."

Energy Minister Mr Tim Eggar confirmed in an answer to a parliamentary question tabled by Mr Nick Ainger MP[3] that, following a letter from the commission to the Government legislation to implement the environmental assessment directive will be introduced by April 1996.

However, the Government resisted attempts by Mr Ainger to introduce an amendment to the Environment Bill that would require environmental impact assessments to be carried out for offshore activities and establish a public register of environmental information relating to offshore installations [4].

Peter Roderick, Friends of the Earth's Barrister and, until 1991 Northern North Sea and Brent System Legal Adviser to Shell UK, stated:

"We challenge the legal validity of these licences. It is disgraceful that the UK Government has ignored these legal obligations for seven years and still appears to have no intention of implementing the regulations in full. My experience has been that the DTI has a completely different attitude to the oil companies, who they describe as "our customers" and environmental groups who they see as an unwelcome gooseberry to their close relationship."

Mick Green, Chairman of Friends of Cardigan Bay, added:

"The Government should learn that it cannot ride roughshod over environmental regulations. It must urgently implement the environmental assessment regulations or risk international humiliation."

ENDS

[1] EC Directive 85/337 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. This directive should have been implemented by Member States by July 1988 [2] Figures derived from'The Energy Report 1994 Vol. 2 Oil and Gas Resources of the UK' and from correspondence with the DTI [3] Hansard 7th June 1995 column 238. [4] Hansard 15th June 1995 columns 771-779