Inland waterway vessels: technical requirements

2013/0302(COD)

The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the report by Corien WORTMANN-KOOL (EPP, NL) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Directive 2006/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.

The committee recommended that the position of Parliament adopted in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal as follows:

Ensure navigation safety: the report underlined that the existence of the different legal frameworks and timeframes for the decision-making procedures made it difficult to maintain the equivalence between the Union inland navigation certificates issued pursuant to Directive 2006/87/EC and the certificates issued pursuant to Article 22 of the Revised Convention for Rhine Navigation. Legal certainty was therefore not ensured, and this had a potentially negative impact on navigation safety.

Committee for the Elaboration of European Technical Standards: it was recalled that the Commission's services and the CCNR signed an Administrative Arrangement in 2013 to reinforce their cooperation, particularly as regards the development of technical requirements concerning inland waterway vessels. Within that framework, it has been agreed that a Committee (the Committee for the Elaboration of European Technical Standards (CESTE)) is to be established to draw up technical standards in the field of inland navigation to which reference can be made by the Union and the CCNR in their respective regulations.

Adapting the annexes: in order to ensure a high level of safety and efficiency for inland navigation and to maintain the equivalence of the inland navigation certificates, the technical requirements laid down in the annexes to the directive should be kept up to date in order to take into account scientific and technical progress, and technical standards in the field of inland navigation. In order to do so, the Commission should have the power to adopt delegated acts in respect of the adaptation of the annexes to this Directive to scientific and technical progress or to developments and updates of technical standards arising from the work of other international organisations, in particular the CCNR.

The Commission should, by 31 December 2017, adopt delegated acts concerning the introduction of specific requirements for vessels powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), in order to allow efficient and safe circulation of those vessels in inland waterways.

Union inland navigation certificates: it was specified that these must be issued by the competent authorities of the Member States.

Classification societies: the Commission must publish for the first time one year after entry into force of the directive and keep updated, a list of the classification societies. 

Delegated powers: Members proposed to limit the delegation of power conferred on the Commission for a five-year period, which could be tacitly extended for an identical duration Review: the Commission should submit, at the end of three years of entry into force of the directive and every three years thereafter, a report reviewing the effectiveness of the measures introduced, particularly as regards the mechanisms for cooperation with international organisations competent for inland navigation to further streamline cooperation and coordination in establishing standards.