In recent years, the European Community (now Union) has expressed grand ambitions to improve compliance with the international law of marine environmental protection. 1 This ambition responds to two pressures. Poor compliance with international standards has contributed to degradation of the European marine environment and deterioration of the competitiveness of the Community's maritime sector. While in many respects the objectives of promoting environmental protection and economic competitiveness are competing, the attempt to ensure world-wide adherence to gradually rising international standards may serve both objectives at the same time.