The European Parliament is calling for fresh proposals on oil exploration to make new drilling licences in EU waters conditional on contingency plans in case of disasters.

Oil exportation is entirely within the remit of member states and although this is not likely to change, the EU Executive is expected to propose strict and harmonised conditions for exploration licences.

The initiative comes in the wake of the Deep Water Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico involving a rig owned by British oil giant BP.

In a resolution adopted earlier this week, in time to influence the European Commission’s legislative plans, MEPs insisted that exploration and drilling in EU seas should only be allowed if licensed companies had adequate emergency plans and sufficient funds to repair possible damage to the environment.

According to the resolution, site-specific plans for all drilling, which would have to be approved by the relevant member state before any operation begins, would better protect the environment. “These emergency plans should identify potential hazards, assess pollution sources and effects and outline a response strategy in the event of an accident,” the resolution, approved by an overwhelming majority of MEP, states.

Besides tightening the grip on the industry, the EP also wants to make it easier to report abuse, particularly by crew members on board oil rigs. In their resolution, MEPs proposed that whistleblowers should be protected, enabling employees to declare any security breaches or risks anonymously, without fear of harassment.

This is another lesson learnt from the Mexican Gulf spill. In fact, stories emerged of executives having knowledge of faults in the equipment, which, if fixed, could have avoided the disaster.

EP rapporteur Vicky Ford, said: “Every site, every operation should be assessed for its specific risk and informed regulators should only allow drilling to occur if they are comfortable that the risks of that site can be and are being managed,” she told MEPs.

Malta has no active oil exploration initiatives at the moment even though two international companies, Heritage Oil and Mediterranean Oil & Gas, were given exploration licences a few years ago and had both promised to start drilling offshore wells by the end of 2010.

Last month, the government issued a fresh call for the granting of new exploration licences in areas south and west of Malta. The call is expected to close by the end of this year.

Although all of Malta’s neighbouring countries have found some kind of oil or gas reserves, including Sicily, Libya and Tunisia, the island has so far been unsuccessful in striking any “black gold” despite various attempts, both onshore and offshore. The closest and most recent attempt was made in Kerċem in 1998 when a petroleum system was found although not in commercial and viable quantities.