Brussels, 23/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Parliament will debate, in Strasbourg at first reading, the five Commission proposals for directives that are to complete the 3rd maritime package. The EP transport committee supports most of the Commission's proposals and, like the Commission (but unlike the Council), hopes to maintain the overall nature of the “package” and oblige member states to subscribe to the norms contained in the international conventions on maritime security.
As far as the proposal for a directive on the monitoring of traffic is concerned, Rapporteur Dirk Sterckx suggests raising the thresholds above which ships must be equipped with AIS (automatic identification of ships) systems which define the position, direction and speed of ships from VHF signals. The transport committee has weakened the Commission's proposal by suggesting that only fishing vessels over 24 metres (instead of 15 m) long should be equipped with such a system.
However, the Commission takes the view that this would strip the measure of its meaning, given the fact that vessels measuring between 15 and 24 m, which are hard for trade ships to detect, would be the most exposed to the risk of collisions. The committee on transport also took position in favour of the creation of a financial instrument for fisheries, which would help to cover around 90% of the costs of fitting the AIS system (the Commission proposes 40% for each vessel over five years old as part of the Fisheries Fund). The committee also proposed to fit vessels with the long-range distance identification and tracking system (LTIR), in line with the standards of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
As for state control of the flag, rapporteur Dominique Vlasto proposed a reinforcement of inspections of all vessels entering European ports. These should firstly target vessels already considered as “vessels at risk” and those which have not been expected in the last 12 months. The committee also proposes to deny access to European ports to ships which fail to pass the checks or which have been detained in a port more than twice in the last 36 months, or which are on the white/grey lists of the IMO. The rapporteur also hopes to make inspections obligatory for oil tankers or vessels transporting chemical products and aged more than 12 years.
On investigations into accidents, rapporteur Jaromir Kohlicek agreed with the Commission in wishing to ensure the independence of the investigation bodies, but the amendments voted on by the committee on transport call for a clearer distinction between investigations of a criminal and a technical nature.
On the liability of passenger transport vessels in cases of accidents (report by Paolo Costa), the committee on transport of the EP brought in the obligation for transporters to take out obligatory insurance covering passengers and their property in case of accidents.
In the report on classification societies (private bodies which can be authorised by flag states to carry out inspections, controls and certification relative to all vessels flying their flag), rapporteur Luis de Grandes Pascual lent his support to the proposal of the Commission providing for the creation of an independent assessment committee, to be known as a “joint body”, tasked with issuing mutually recognisable certificates on the quality of the classification societies. (aby)