Ministers to rubber-stamp EU maritime safety package

Tuesday 24 February 2009

EU governments are expected to rubber-stamp five new maritime safety laws at a meeting of home affairs ministers in Brussels on Thursday. The laws form the bulk of an "Erika III" package proposed to minimise maritime accidents and pollution in the EU (EE 24/11/05 http://www.endseurope.com/11322).

MEPs and governments reached agreement on the laws in December after conciliation talks (EE 10/12/08 http://www.endseurope.com/17235).

The agreed texts are not as stringent as MEPs would have liked (EE 26/09/08 http://www.endseurope.com/15558). For example, substandard vessels do not face permanent exclusion from EU ports, and safety investigations will only be mandatory for "very serious" rather than merely "serious" accidents.

The two other laws in the Erika III package, on flag state obligations and civil liability, were also agreed as part of the December deal. Here the parliament agreed to accept council's second-reading positions, a council spokesperson told ENDS.

The full parliament will vote on all seven maritime safety laws at the first of two plenary sessions in March. This will formally conclude the adoption process for the five laws agreed through conciliation. Ministers will still need to rubber-stamp the other two laws.

Follow-up: EU council of ministers http://consilium.europa.eu/,

plus original press release on the agreements

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st16/st16939.en08.pdf

and agreed texts on accident investigations

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st03/st03723.en08.pdf,

port state control http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st03/st03721.en08.pdf,

EU vessel traffic monitoring and information system

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st03/st03722.en08.pdf,

liability of passenger carriers in the event of accidents

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st03/st03724.en08.pdf,

and standards for ship inspections and survey organisations (a

directive) http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st03/st03719.en08.pdf

and ship inspection and survey organisations (a regulation).

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st03/st03720.en08.pdf.

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