On Thursday 7 December, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) adopted their negotiating position on four texts included in the maritime safety package (see EUROPE 13268/18): - port State control; - compliance with flag State requirements; - investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector; - the mandate of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).
They also unanimously decided to begin discussions with the Member States on the final form of the legislation, once the plenary has given the go-ahead next week.
Port State control. With 34 votes in favour (one against and 4 abstentions from ECR MEPs), MEPs agreed to update the criteria used to target ships for inspection in ports. The environmental performance and deficiencies of ships will carry more weight in determining their risk profile.
More inspections of polluting ships will, they add, encourage the use of shore-side power or any other energy-saving technology that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants in ports. They also supported the proposal to give Member States the option of extending port State control to fishing vessels over 24 metres.
They also want to encourage training in respect for the well-being of seafarers, particularly with regard to checking records of working hours and rest periods. In the event of a vessel being laid up, the competent authorities should also take account of minimum wages, working hours and rest periods.
Read the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/a18
Compliance with flag State requirements. With 34 votes in favour (and 5 abstentions from ECR MEPs), MEPs call on flag States, which are primarily responsible for the safe operation of ships flying their flag, to inspect 30% of their ships. They want them to focus their inspections not only on safety, but also on the environmental performance of their ships, as well as on the working conditions of crews, including the accuracy of data relating to working hours and rest periods.
Flag States should also start issuing digital security compliance certificates within three years of the EU rules being updated, add MEPs.
They also want to make electronic certificates compulsory for all Member States and strengthen the interoperability of databases.
In order to correctly analyse the re-flagging of ships and the use of open registers, they believe that the European Commission should make it easier for Member States to determine the existence of such a link by drawing up guidelines.
Read the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/a19
Investigation of accidents. Unanimously (40 votes in favour), MEPs suggested making investigations faster and more effective so that lessons can be learned quickly from maritime accidents and to ensure that they never happen again. They believe that the investigation should begin within one month of the accident, one month less than in the Commission’s proposal, and be completed within 12 months.
At the request of the responsible national authorities, the Commission and ESMA would assist them. MEPs are also pushing for the Commission to provide EMSA with the necessary and sufficient resources to organise specific training for investigating authorities on the use of investigation technologies and equipment and on new technologies linked to the security aspects of digitisation and sustainable development.
Read the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/a1a
EMSA’s mandate. The parliamentarians voted unanimously (39 votes) in favour of strengthening EMSA's mandate.
They want EMSA to guide EU governments on decarbonising and digitalising the maritime and port sectors. In particular, it would report on the impact of the rules of the maritime ETS (see EUROPE 13300/17) and the ‘FuelEU Maritime’ regulation on the use of renewable and low-carbon fuels (see EUROPE 13229/25) on port traffic and its displacement to transhipment ports in third countries.
MEPs also suggest strengthening ESMA's international and security role by involving it more in meetings of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and providing EU countries with maritime situational awareness on new geopolitical challenges, such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the resulting security threats to some Member States.
With regard to containers lost at sea, the Agency provides guidance to the industry and the flag State on the requirements agreed at IMO for mandatory reporting of lost containers. The possibility of setting up collective and coordinated response mechanisms at EU and international level will also be examined.
Finally, MEPs are calling for closer links between the European Parliament and EMSA, with two representatives of the institution sitting on the Agency's Management Board as non-voting observers.
Read the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/a1b
For its part, the Council of the EU adopted its negotiating positions on these texts earlier this week (see EUROPE 13306/4). (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)