Brussels, 08/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday the European Commission adopted a Communication and a draft regulation to ensure obligatory application throughout the European Union (EU) of the highest security standards on maritime transport, as agreed in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) applicable to international commercial shipping, and to port facilities serving them to avert the dangers of potential terrorist attacks. As announced in Europe on 9 April (p.13), it will be transposing into EU law maritime security measures adopted by the IMO in December 2002. Moreover, the provisions with regard to security assessments, the drawing-up of security plans and the designation of company and ship security officers will be extended to other ships used for domestic traffic. In the months to come, the Commission will present a proposed directive defining the complementary measures to put in place in EU ports; and in conjunction with Member States, it will support the work of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) concerning increasing security in identifying mariners, and will take, as necessary, a legislative initiative in the matter, following the adoption of a text by the ILO, foreseen for June 2003.
The new IMO measures included in the draft regulation concern a requirement for ships to be permanently marked with their identification number fitted with an automatic identification system (AIS), a ship security alert system for spreading the alarm in the event of hostile action against the ship and the obligation to designate people responsible for implementing security provisions. The draft regulation goes beyond the measures adopted by IMO in that it extends the measures to passenger ships on national routes; extends to other ships sailing nationally the requirements of the texts relating to undertaking safety evaluations, establishing safety plans, and designating safety agents for companies and for ships; requires a national authority to be responsible for the security of ships and port installations, and also a swifter timetable for implementation of some of the terms of the regulation than foreseen by the IMO agreement; foresees an inspection process supervised by the Commission to verify the means of control and the implementation of national plans adopted within the framework of this regulation; and gives the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) a role in assisting the Commission in the execution of its tasks.