france: huge symbolic victory in erika oil spill trial
The 1999 Erika oil spill was one of France’s worst environmental disasters, caused when an oil tanker carrying 30,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil ran aground off the Brittany coast.
On 16 January 2008, the tribunal of Paris rendered its judgement following a court case on the Erika oil spill that was initiated in 2007. The court found oil giant Total guilty of negligence, and ordered the
company, along with three other parties, to pay a total of 200 million
Euros in damages.
Although a complaint from Friends of the Earth France - which was one of many plaintiffs in the case - was declared as invalid on procedural grounds, the tribunal's decision was nonetheless a major victory.
This is the first time a French court has made a conviction for damages caused to the environment. This ruling has been almost unanimously applauded as a huge step forward for French, European and international maritime and environmental law.
Total, as well as plaintiffs including FoE France, have announced they will appeal the decision.
More information (in French).
