Maritime Safety Package: Renew Europe welcomes improving maritime transport security to strengthen its competitiveness
The Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) today adopted the Maritime Safety Package, which aims at aligning EU rules with international regulations, securing a level-playing field for the EU fleet while improving implementation and enforcement through further digitalisation of the maritime sector and better cooperation of related authorities at EU level.
The Renew Europe Group insisted on a result oriented and risk based approach, respecting the technological neutrality and reducing the administrative burden on related national authorities. The revised laws reflect our ambition of ensuring clarity, simplification and modernisation of rules concerning the safety and security aspects of the maritime transport sector.
Caroline NAGTEGAAL (VVD, Netherlands), Rapporteur on The Accident Investigation Directive and Renew Europe shadow-rapporteur on the EMSA Regulation, said: "With the necessary revision of the Accident Investigation Directive we ensure safety on our seas – for both seafarers and fisheries. Our Renew Europe Group made sure that EU rules are in line with international IMO legislation and included reporting on accidents involving container loss at sea. In this context, the supporting role of the European Maritime Safety Agency is essential in this regard and changed over time. To reflect this, our Group ensured the monitoring role of EMSA regarding the possible impacts of port evasion and traffic shifts to neighbouring ports as well as support for Member States in the uptake of electronic certificates."
Pierre KARLESKIND (Renaissance, France), Renew Europe shadow-rapporteur on both The Port State control Directive and The Flag State requirements Directive, added : The European Parliament has adopted an ambitious position on Port state control directive and Flag state requirements directive! Safe ships are key for a safe sea. Setting a minimum of investigated ships, reinforcing inspection standards and making ship-risk profile more thorough are amongst the evolutions that the European Parliament wants. We need to ensure an efficient and harmonised approach to carrying out inspections. 80% of issues on board are based on human error. I am therefore proud that an accent has been put on living and working conditions of seafarers. Respecting these conditions is a key tool to ensure we limit human error.
Bergur Løkke RASMUSSEN (Moderate, Denmark), Renew Europe shadow-rapporteur on Ship-source pollution Directive (voted mid-November) concluded : "I am very pleased that we reached our goal with this agreement, which helps to make the world's marine environment cleaner. With this revision of the current directive, we ensure adaptation to international and EU legislation, to prevent and punish the discharge of harmful substances into the sea, to facilitate the timely enforcement of preventive measures and sanctions for illegal discharges, as well as to promote cooperation between Member States in transboundary pollution from ships."