PURPOSE: To harmonise river information services (RIS) on inland waterways in the EU

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

CONTENT: This Directive has been approved in order to ensure a harmonised, inter-operable and open navigational aid and information system on the inland waterway network of the Community. Further, it establishes common requirements and technical specifications. The setting up of a River Information Service, otherwise known as RIS, is based on inter-operable systems according to public standards. The provisions in the Directives specify:

- The Directive applies to all inland waterways of the Member States and includes ports. The types of waterways to which the Directive applies are specified in the Annexes. Member States may, though they are not obliged to do so, implement the provisions on their inland waterways and ports, which have no contact with the waterways of another Member State.

- The Directive gives a list of terms, which are defined for the purpose of the Directive. They are River Information Service, fairway information, tactical traffic information, strategic traffic information, RIS application, RIS centre, RIS user and inter-operability.

- Member States are expected to set up all necessary measures to implement RIS on inland waterways. In addition, Member States will are expected to supply RIS users with all relevant data concerning navigation and voyage planning, ensure that all users of inland waterways have access to electronic navigational charts, ensure that the competent authorities receive electronic ship reports and ensure that skippers receive timely information on water levels and ice reports based on a standard referenced format.

- As far as technical guidelines and specifications are concerned, the Commission will be responsible for their definition. Technical specifications will include electronic chart display and information system for inland navigation (ECDIS), electronic ship reporting, notices to skippers, vessel tracking and tracing systems and a set of specifications that makes the equipment used for RIS compatible.

- RIS guidelines should be completed by 20/06/2006. Technical specifications regarding ECDIS and electronic ship reporting and notice to skippers should be completed by 20/10/2006 and technical specifications regarding vessel tracking and tracing systems should be completed by 20/12/2006.

- The Directive requires type-approval for RIS equipment, with the Member States notifying the Commission of the national bodies responsible for type-approval.

- The Directive’s provisions must comply with Community legislation on privacy, security and the re-use of information.

- The Annexes may be amended in the light of experience gained from the Directive’s application.

TRANSPOSITION: 20/10/2007

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 20/10/2005.

Directive 2005/44
OJ L 255 30.09.2005, p. 0152-0159

03612/3/2005

SP(2005)1076/2

The European Parliament adopted the report by Renate SOMMER (EPP-ED, Germany) which means that this piece of legislation can now be adopted. (Please refer to the summary dated 23/11/2004 for the amendments adopted by the Parliament). It should be added that the Commission was asked to monitor the setting up of RIS and to report within three years of the Directive's entry into force.

T6-0042/2005
OJ C 304 01.12.2005, p. 0138-0245 E

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted the report by Renate SOMMER (EPP-ED, Germany) which means that this piece of legislation can now be adopted. (Please refer to the summary dated 23/11/2004 for the amendments adopted by the Parliament). It should be added that the Commission was asked to monitor the setting up of RIS and to report within three years of the Directive's entry into force.

T6-0042/2005

Debate in Parliament

CES1634/2004
OJ C 157 28.06.2005, p. 0056-0060

A6-0055/2004

A6-0055/2004

The committee adopted the report by Renate SOMMER (EPP-ED, DE) tabling a number of amendments to the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure:

- RIS guidelines and technical specifications should take account of and build on work carried out in this field by relevant international organisations;

- the list of objectives laid down for RIS should not include security, as this relates to persons rather than to traffic and transport and is therefore inappropriate in this context;

- to simplify the scope of the directive, MEPs specified that it should apply only to waterways of class IV and above which are linked by a similar waterway to a waterway of class IV or above of another Member State. They accordingly deleted the exemption provision for a waterway network not linked to the network of another Member State (isolated network), as it would now be excluded from the outset;

- the list of possible RIS services should be included in the definition in Article 3(a) rather than in Article 4, to make it clear that these are possibilities and not compulsory elements;

- notices to skippers should include such important safety information as the maximum allowable draught, as well as simply the water level;

- the committee proposed new wording to Article 4 to make it clear that the directive obliges the Member States to take measures to establish RIS services and encourage their use, but does not place any obligation on private users, boat masters and ship operators to install the relevant equipment;

- to ensure consistent legislation in the field of transport, the corresponding wording of the 2004 directive on the interoperability of electronic road tolls in the EU should be adopted with regard to the use of satellite positioning technologies;

- the Commission should be able to extend the 24-month deadline for Member States to comply with the requirements for setting up RIS not only in the case of inland waterways with low traffic density but also "in respect of inland waterways for which the cost of such implementation would be disproportionate to its benefits".

Pending adoption by the European Parliament at first reading, the Council agreed on a general approach on the proposal for a Directive on harmonised River Information Services (RIS) on inland waterways in the Community.

The Commission will have the task of defining technical guidelines and technical specifications for ensuring the implementation and interoperability of the River Information Services. The Council introduced three main modifications into the original Commission's proposal. Firstly, more account is taken of work done by international organisations in the field of inland navigation. Secondly, the scope of the Directive has been made more precise, excluding small waterways and waterways that have no connection with a waterway of another Member State. Finally, the use of satellite positioning is recommended but not compulsory.

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PURPOSE : to increase the safety, reliability and efficiency of inland waterway transport, and thus improve the competitiveness of this cheap, economical and environmentally friendly transport mode.

PROPOSED ACT : Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT : this proposed Directive aims to establish a framework for the deployment and use of harmonised River Traffic Information Services (RIS) in the Community in order to support inland waterway transport with a view to enhance safety, security, efficiency and environmental friendliness and to facilitate the interface with other transport modes.

The proposal provides a framework under which technical requirements, specifications and conditions to ensure harmonised, interoperable and open RIS on the Community Inland Waterways will be developed. Continuity shall be ensured with other modal traffic management services, in particular maritime vessel traffic management and information services.

More specifically, base don advanced information and communication technologies, RIS will include, amongst others, information regarding the navigation conditions of the waterways, the actual traffic situation in the immediate vicinity of a vessel as well as strategic traffic information important for planning of voyages, including lock, port and terminal scheduling. They will also allow for enhanced cargo and fleet management and the tracking of vessels and shipments. Data such as the position and heading of the vessel, ship's name and speed as well as information related to the cargo will be captured electronically and processed automatically.

Many economic and environmental benefits are expected from RIS. Vessel operators will have their navigational operations supported. Shipping companies, ports and logistics companies will be able to optimise their transport and logistics processes and to offer the industry high quality services at lower costs. Through better planning of voyages, waiting times at locks and ports are likely to be reduced, traffic speeds adapted and fuel consumption optimised.

In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the use of a (framework) directive is considered to be the most appropriate form to achieve the intended purpose. The technical details and standards for the implementation, however, will be adopted by the Commission in cooperation with the Member States by means of a committee procedure.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS :

- Budget line : A - 7031, Heading: Meetings and invitations in general (ABB

nomenclature: 06.01.02.11).

- Total cost of the action : EUR 595 500. EUR 119 100 per annum.

- period of application : 2005 and end not determined.

COM(2004)0392
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE : to increase the safety, reliability and efficiency of inland waterway transport, and thus improve the competitiveness of this cheap, economical and environmentally friendly transport mode.

PROPOSED ACT : Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT : this proposed Directive aims to establish a framework for the deployment and use of harmonised River Traffic Information Services (RIS) in the Community in order to support inland waterway transport with a view to enhance safety, security, efficiency and environmental friendliness and to facilitate the interface with other transport modes.

The proposal provides a framework under which technical requirements, specifications and conditions to ensure harmonised, interoperable and open RIS on the Community Inland Waterways will be developed. Continuity shall be ensured with other modal traffic management services, in particular maritime vessel traffic management and information services.

More specifically, base don advanced information and communication technologies, RIS will include, amongst others, information regarding the navigation conditions of the waterways, the actual traffic situation in the immediate vicinity of a vessel as well as strategic traffic information important for planning of voyages, including lock, port and terminal scheduling. They will also allow for enhanced cargo and fleet management and the tracking of vessels and shipments. Data such as the position and heading of the vessel, ship's name and speed as well as information related to the cargo will be captured electronically and processed automatically.

Many economic and environmental benefits are expected from RIS. Vessel operators will have their navigational operations supported. Shipping companies, ports and logistics companies will be able to optimise their transport and logistics processes and to offer the industry high quality services at lower costs. Through better planning of voyages, waiting times at locks and ports are likely to be reduced, traffic speeds adapted and fuel consumption optimised.

In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, the use of a (framework) directive is considered to be the most appropriate form to achieve the intended purpose. The technical details and standards for the implementation, however, will be adopted by the Commission in cooperation with the Member States by means of a committee procedure.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS :

- Budget line : A - 7031, Heading: Meetings and invitations in general (ABB

nomenclature: 06.01.02.11).

- Total cost of the action : EUR 595 500. EUR 119 100 per annum.

- period of application : 2005 and end not determined.

COM(2004)0392
EUR-Lex