25/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - On 16 August, the European Commission launched a call for tenders to prepare an impact assessment of the extension of the maritime safety measures provided by the EU for small vessels, particularly the pleasure boat fleet, which do not come under the SOLAS convention (on the Safety of Lives at Sea) of the International Maritime Organisation. There will, amongst other things, be an impact assessment of extending the guidelines adopted in 2008 and of the European directive on the safety of vessels and ports of 2004, to cargo vessels of gross registered tonnage (GRT) of 300 and passenger vessels of 100 GRT. The deadline for proposals is 24 September. (A.By/transl.fl)