Article 1 point 2 a (new)
Directive 2002/59/EC
Article 4 a (new)
(2a) After point 2 a new point 2aa will be added as follows: The following article will be inserted: Exemptions Article 4a 1. Member States may exempt scheduled services performed between ports located on their territory from the requirement laid down in Article 4 provided the following conditions have been met: (a) the company operating the scheduled services referred to above keeps and updates a list of the ships concerned and sends it to the competent authority concerned; (b) for each voyage performed, the information listed in Annex I(1) is kept available for the competent authority upon request. The company must establish an internal system to ensure that, upon request 24 hours a day and without delay, that information can be sent to the competent authority electronically, in accordance with Article 4(1); (c) any deviations to the estimated time of arrival at the port of destination or pilot station, of six hours or more shall be notified to the port of arrival in accordance with Article 4; (d) exemptions shall only be granted to individual vessels on a specific service; (e) a service shall not be regarded as a scheduled service unless it is intended to be operated for a minimum of one month; (f) exemptions from the requirements laid down in Article 4 shall be limited to voyages of up to 12 hours' scheduled duration. 2. When an international scheduled service is operated between two or more States, of which at least one is a Member State, any of the Member States involved may request of the other Member States that an exemption be granted to that service. All Member States involved, including the coastal States concerned, shall collaborate in granting an exemption to the service concerned in accordance with the conditions laid down in paragraph 1. 3. Member States shall periodically check that the conditions laid down in paragraphs 1 and 2 are being met. Where at least one of these conditions is no longer being met, Member States shall immediately withdraw the privilege of the exemption from the company concerned. 4. Member States shall communicate to the Commission a list of companies and ships granted an exemption under this Article, as well as any updating of that list.