31/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption during the last plenary session of the report by Ari Vatanen (EPP-ED, Finland), the European Parliament submitted nine amendments during first reading to the directive on "reporting formalities for ships arriving in and departing from Community ports". The directive aims to simplify the administrative formalities by transposing into Community law the formulas defined in the context of the Fal Convention on international maritime traffic from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Noting that the professional organisations consulted, as well as the Commission and the Council, are pleased with the texts suggested, the rapporteur essentially introduces amendments in form. Thus, two amendments come close to the European text of the Fal Convention, concerning the definition of "passengers" and the means for electronic transmission of documents.