The Commission notes that, after expressing its opposition in principle to the proposal at its April 2008 meeting, the Council considered it necessary to remove from the operative part certain important provisions such as those concerning the ratification of international conventions and the mandatory application in the Community of the Flag State Code of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Although the text on which the Council has expressed agreement is therefore less ambitious than that proposed by the Commission, the latter notes that, in the common position, the following obligations in particular continue to be incumbent on Member States:
These binding provisions will help to improve the quality of the worst performing European flags. The Commission therefore supports the common position adopted by unanimity by the Council.
The Commission takes note of the firm undertaking given by the Member States, as set out in the statement signed by their representatives meeting in the Council, (a) to ratify the main international conventions on maritime safety; (b) to apply the IMO Flag State Code and the related audit scheme for maritime authorities; and (c) to encourage the IMO to make these two instruments mandatory worldwide.