PURPOSE : to strengthen the safety rules and standards for passenger ships.
COMMUNITY MEASURE : Directive 2003/24/EC of the European Parliament of the Council amending Council Directive 98/18/EC on safety rules and standards for passenger ships.
CONTENT : Council Directive 98/18/EC on safety rules and standards for passenger ships introduces a uniform level of safety of life and property on new and existing passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft, when both categories of ships and craft are engaged on domestic voyages, and lays down procedures for negotiation at international level with a view to a harmonisation of the rules for passenger ships engaged on international voyages.
This amendment to the existing Directive provides for stability requirements and phasing out of ro-ro passenger ships, safety rules for passenger ships to include new safety requirements for high speed ships, for passengers with reduced mobility and for ro-ro ships operating on domestic voyages in Member States.
The term "persons with reduced mobility" shall mean anyone which has a particular difficulty when using public transport, including elderly persons, disabled persons, persons with sensory impairments and wheelchair users, pregnant women and person accompanying small children.
ENTRY INTO FORCE : 17 May 2003.
TRANSPOSITION :17 November 2004.�