The proposal for a directive was aimed at harmonizing the conditions for applying international standards on maritime safety, pollution control and living and working conditions on board ship to those vessels calling at Community ports and sailing in waters which were under the jurisdiction of the Member States. This replaced an earlier proposal on the same subject which dated back to 1980 and which had still not been adopted. The proposal essentially sought:
- to define common principles governing the strengthening of controls;
- to harmonize criteria for inspection and detention;
- to lay down adequate inspection structures at national level and to define the qualifications to be held by those carrying out the inspections (surveyors);
- to set up a mechanism for monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of these measures;
- to apply greater transparency, throughout the Community, to the results of the inspections.
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