Croatian salvage law in conditions of European integrations

Rad se bavi ulogom spašavatelja u zaštiti morskog okoliša te položajem profesionalnih spašavatelja u EU i RH. Važnost spašavanja u okviru zaštite morskog okoliša raste iz godine u godine. Tek 1980. spašavatelji su putem ugovornog obrasca LOF 80 prvi put preuzeli dužnost skrbi o morskom okolišu na način da su stimulirani u sprječavanju ili smanjenju štete na okolišu prilikom akcija spašavanja. Danas je sprječavanje onečišćenja morskog okoliša prioritet spašavanja. Pored novih dužnosti koje imaju suvremeni spašavatelji u zaštiti morskog okoliša, njihova potencijalna odgovornost raste. S obzirom da se oni nalaze u prvim linijama borbe protiv onečišćenja morskog okoliša uzrokovanog nesrećama brodova, nije rijetkost da oštećene osobe potražuju i od spašavatelja naknadu štete uzrokovane onečišćenjem. Spašavatelji su donekle zaštićeni od takvih potraživanja (Međunarodna konvencija o građanskoj odgovornosti za štetu prouzročenu onečišćenjem uljem, 1992. i Međunarodna konvencija o odgovornosti i naknadi štete u vezi prijevoza opasnih i štetnih tvari morem, 1996.). Donošenjem međunarodne Bunker konvencije (2001.) spašavatelji gube imunitet pri potraživanju naknada štete, a najnovijom Direktivom EU (2005/35/EC) otvoren je put kaznenoj odgovornosti svih sudionika pomorskog gospodarstva, uključujući i spašavatelje. (...)The paper deals with the role of salvors in protection of the marine environment as well as with the current position of salvors in the EU and in the Republic of Croatia. The importance of salvorsʼ work has increased considerably over the years. Only in 1980, for the first time, salvors took responsibility for the marine environment under the LOF 80 form in which they are stimulated toward the prevention or reduction of environmental damage during salvage. Nowadays, the prevention of marine environment pollution is one of the salvage priorities. Apart from the new roles that modern salvors have in marine environment protection, their potential responsibility has increased over the recent years. Taking into account that they are on the front line against environment pollution caused by vessel accidents, it is not rare that damages are being claimed also against salvors. According to the valid conventions, salvors are somewhat protected against such claims (1992 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage and The Hazardous and Noxious Substances Convention, 1996). Since the enactment of the Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage in 2001, salvors lose immunity if the claim is submitted against them, and the latest EU Directive (2005/35/EC) clears the passage for the criminal liability of all participants including the salvors. The question that causes constant worry to modern salvors is whether the compensation at their disposal is adequate in the case of pollution prevention with regard to their exposure to civil and criminal liability. The salvors need to find a way to convince the relevant state authorities, maritime experts and insurers to start paying greater or additional compensations as a stimulus to the salvors in marine environment protection, which would be, in the long term, the interest of all afore mentioned participants. The fact is that the current remuneration system is not satisfactory and does not sufficiently stimulate the salvors in the protection of the marine environment. Apart from the special compensation and SCOPIC compensation, salvors only have at their disposal the salvage award as their permanent source of income, and that is traditionally limited by the value of the salved property