13/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Swedish Presidency will continue to work to reach a political agreement in December on the draft directive simplifying the reporting formalities to be made as vessels enter and leave European ports. The draft, being one of the measures to create a maritime transport area without barriers, is intended to harmonise deadlines for notification of entry into port, make the use of electronic means of transmission of formalities more widespread, and have a single national authority designated by each member state to handle this information. Only four countries, Austria, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Hungary, spoke during the debate, calling for the proposal not to apply to states with no coastlines. (A.By./transl.rt)