Luxembourg, 11/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 11 June, European Transport Ministers meeting in Luxembourg adopted a general approach on the technical rules applicable to boats on the inland river ways. This approach seeks to create a clearer legal framework for the modalities applying to the inland river ways in the EU.
The draft seeks to amend Directive 2006/87/EC introducing technical rules for vessels used on the inland river ways in an effort to establish a raft of uniform technical standards and subsequently rectify the existing legal ambiguity, whilst ensuring the conditions for fair competition.
In this perspective, the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR), the EU's first partner in this domain, ratified during a plenary session on 3 June, the draft to create a European Committee for Drawing up Standards in Inland Navigation (CESNI), which had been announced in a draft directive by the European Parliament and Council in 2013. This involves a fundamental condition needed to ensure that the Council's general approach can be adopted during this meeting on 11 June.
CESNI will bring together experts from all the member states and work towards harmonising the technical rules and standards, “within the technical provisions and procedures and provisions applied under the CCNR”. Up until now, there have been two different certificates developed within two different legal frameworks that pertain to the revised convention on navigation in the Rhine or Community rules or the modalities included in Directive 2006/87/EC (see EUROPE 11332).
The Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc, explained: “For the first time, we have clear perspectives on the question of technical rules applicable to inland navigation vessels. This is a decisive step and I am delighted with the adoption of the resolution on the CESNI by the CCNR”.
During the debate, the Dutch representative was delighted that this involved “an important text, not just for the Netherlands but also for the whole of Europe, particularly with regard to developing cleaner transport”. In a similar vein, France confirmed: “This text goes in the right direction and will help cut red tape for all sector stakeholders”. Romania also congratulated the Latvian Presidency on this progress. Sweden was the only country to be concerned by there being too much standardising power being conferred on the CESNI Committee, which it thought could mean this committee being able to “introduce substantial amendments to EU legislation”.
The European Parliament delivered its opinion in a first reading on 15 April. It is now necessary for the Council and the European Parliament to begin inter-institutional negotiations, which will begin under the Luxembourg presidency of the Council. (Pascal Hansens)