Brussels, 17/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 17 December, the European Commission tabled a draft directive to reform current legislation on marine equipment (Directive 96/98/EC). This directive aims to make maritime transport safer, prevent marine pollution and, above all, make the marine equipment production sector more competitive.
New legislation is expected to focus on all equipment on board ships, from navigational equipment to propulsion/power systems, cargo equipment, lifeboats, lifejackets, etc. As the European Commissioner for transport, Siim Kallas, explained, “this new legislation will mean improved safety of EU vessels and their crews, the prevention of maritime accidents with a positive impact on the marine environment, and a boost for the marine equipment industry with the creation of jobs and growth”.
The draft directive aims to simplify the regime governing marine equipment, which is a very important sector for the European economy, with an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 companies involved and close to 300,000 direct jobs, with export share of 46%. More flexible application of regulation could make this industry even more competitive. There are problems currently relating to certification bodies and market monitoring that restrict healthy sector development, compounded by the issue of protection mechanisms. Consequently, specific proposals are proposed for market monitoring and certification orders in the review, as well as certain obligations for producers, importers and distributors.
Another important aspect of this reform involves the standardisation of the wheel mark in compliance with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements. This logo guarantees equipment compliance with international standards. By providing all agreement suppliers with this electronic tag, inspections in European ports will be facilitated, as well as the fight against smuggling. Transposition procedures for the revised IMO requirements should also be made easier and help avoid periodic revisions of European legislation in committee procedures. This is currently creating legislative uncertainty and causing European law to constantly lag behind IMO demands.
Following the sinking of the cruise liner, the Costa Concordia in Italy almost a year ago, the Commission has been pushing forward with its work on the strengthening of maritime safety. In the spring, it is expected to present the results of its work, which will be subsequently submitted to the IMO. (MD/transl.fl)