Brussels, 12/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - Last Thursday, the European Parliament voted in favour of tighter safety measures for maritime passenger transport with the adoption, without amendments, of two reports on proposals of directive that aim to improve the stability of ferries carrying passengers in national and international waters (codecision, first reading). The two reports are by Bernard Poignant (PES, France) on specific stability recommendations applying to RO-RO passenger ferries, and by Carlos Ripoll I Martinez Bedoy (EPP-ED, Spain) on safety norms and regulations for passenger vessels. These two proposals provide for stricter measures regarding the stability of seagoing vessels throughout the Union, whatever flag they are registered under.
Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio was pleased with this vote and considers that the proposals should be definitively adopted on 5 and 6 December during the Transport Council, as the "Parliament and Council agreed on a similar text".
In parallel to these two proposals, and following the adoption by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on 1 November of the new international convention on the responsibility of maritime passenger transport operators, the Commission will soon present proposals to ensure implementation of this new convention within the EU.