BETA

Awaiting Council 1st reading position / budgetary conciliation convocation



2016/0170(COD) Safety rules and standards for passenger ships: simplification; aligning the Directive with the TFEU (Commission delegated and implementing powers)
RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Opinion ENVI
Opinion JURI BERGERON Joëlle (EFD)
Lead TRAN AIUTO Daniela (EFD) POGLIESE Salvatore Domenico (EPP), AYALA SENDER Inés (S&D), FOSTER Jacqueline (ECR), BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun (ALDE), KOULOGLOU Stelios (GUE/NGL), TAYLOR Keith (Verts/ALE), ARNAUTU Marie-Christine (ENF)
Lead committee dossier: TRAN/8/06750
Legal Basis TFEU 100-p2

Activites

  • 2017/10/04 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • 2017/10/03 Debate in Parliament
  • 2017/07/11 Approval in committee of the text agreed at 1st reading interinstitutional negotiations
  • 2017/04/21 Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
    • A8-0167/2017 summary
  • 2017/04/11 Committee decision to open interinstitutional negotiations with report adopted in committee
  • 2017/04/11 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • #3505
  • 2016/12/01 Council Meeting
  • 2016/06/09 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • 2016/06/06 Legislative proposal published
    • COM(2016)0369 summary
    • DG {'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/mobility-and-transport_en', 'title': 'Mobility and Transport'}, BULC Violeta

Documents

AmendmentsDossier
47 2016/0170(COD)
2016/12/12 JURI 2 amendments...
source: 595.626
2017/03/14 TRAN 45 amendments...
source: 601.014

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Council 1st reading position / budgetary conciliation convocation
New
Provisional agreement between Parliament and Council on final act
activities/7/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20171003&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament
activities/7/type
Old
Debate in plenary scheduled
New
Debate in Parliament
activities/8/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2017-0373 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0373/2017
activities/8/type
Old
Vote in plenary scheduled
New
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
New
Awaiting Council 1st reading position / budgetary conciliation convocation
links/Research document
url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2017)595900
title
Briefing
activities/7/type
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
Debate in plenary scheduled
activities/8
date
2017-10-04T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Vote in plenary scheduled
activities/6/docs/0/title
Old
PE609.506 GEDA/T/(2017)007854
New
PE609.506 GEDA/A/(2017)007854
activities/6/docs/0/title
Old
PE609.506
New
PE609.506 GEDA/T/(2017)007854
activities/6/docs/0/url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/commissions/tran/inag/2017/06-21/TRAN_AG(2017)609506_EN.pdf
activities/6/docs
  • type: Approval in committee of the text agreed at 1st reading interinstitutional negotiations title: PE609.506
activities/6
date
2017-07-11T00:00:00
body
unknown
type
Approval in committee of the text agreed at 1st reading interinstitutional negotiations
activities/6
date
2017-10-03T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
activities/5/docs/0/text
  • The Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted the report by Daniela AIUTO (EFDD, IT) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2009/45/EC on safety rules and standards for passenger ships.

    The committee recommended that the European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading, following the ordinary legislative procedure, should amend the Commission proposal as follows:

    Ship-carried tenders: these are used to ferry passengers from passenger ships (primarily cruise ships) directly to shore and back, undertaking the shortest sea route. Members considered that they are not appropriate, and should not be used, for other types of services such as coastal sightseeing excursions. Such excursions should be undertaken by ships that meet the requirements for passenger ships of the coastal State.

    The Commission should assess the need for common European requirements, including mandatory provisions, for ship carried tenders and should issue specific guidelines before 2020, in order to inter alia facilitate the harmonisation of rules and standards between Member States.

    Sailing ships: in order to maintain harmonised safety levels for sailing ships in Europe, Members suggested that the Commission assess and issue common requirements for this category, publishing specific guidelines by 2020.

    Off-shore service ships: according to Members, Member States should actively support the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) work as regards the definition of adequate safety standards for offshore vessels.

    These vessels which carry workers require different and specific rules on safety.

    Smaller ships below 24 metres: in determining the specific standards for smaller ships, Member States should act in accordance with guidelines to be published by the Commission.  In doing so, they should take into consideration other international agreements and conventions by the IMO, and should avoid introducing additional requirements that go beyond existing international rules.

    Aluminium: Members considered that aluminium should be regarded as an equivalent material to steel in all Member States. Given that the national rules in place for aluminium ships ensure a high level of safety for passengers sailing domestically, Member States should be allowed to keep their current stricter fire prevention methods.

    The amended text provides that a Member State that has more than 60 passenger ships made from aluminium alloy flying its flag may exempt, until 8 years after the transposition date, passenger ships of Classes B, C and D which are made from aluminium alloy from the provisions of this Directive, provided there is no reduction in the level of safety.

    Transparency: any exemption, equivalency or additional safety measure taken by the Member States should be published on a publically accessible website. The general modalities of access to and use of the respective database should be specified in due time by the Commission, through an appropriate delegated act.

    Safety standards and ship crew: in order to maintain a high level of safety throughout a passenger ships voyage, Members suggested that account be taken of not only the vessels’ physical structure and equipment but also the link between safety, shipboard living, working conditions and training of the crew. The Directive should spell out that the EU needs to take a proactive approach in this role, including in the international framework, in order to monitor and improve the social dimension of workers on the ships.

    Greece: Greece should be allowed to derogate from the requirement of establishing sea areas. In particular, it should be allowed to classify passenger ships according to the specific sea route that they operate, while maintaining the same criteria for classes of passenger ships and the same safety standards.

links/Research document
url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2017)595900
title
Briefing
activities/3
date
2017-04-11T00:00:00
body
unknown
type
Committee decision to open interinstitutional negotiations with report adopted in committee
activities/5/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2017-0167&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading title: A8-0167/2017
activities/4
date
2017-04-21T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
committees
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
activities/3
date
2017-04-11T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
committees
procedure/Modified legal basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 150
procedure/Mandatory consultation of other institutions
Old
Economic and Social Committee Committee of the Regions
New
European Economic and Social Committee European Committee of the Regions
activities/0/docs/0/celexid
CELEX:52016PC0369:EN
activities/0/docs/0/celexid
CELEX:52016PC0369:EN
activities/0/commission/0/DG/url
Old
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/transport/index_en.htm
New
http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/mobility-and-transport_en
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/3/mepref
Old
53b2d978b819f205b000005e
New
4f1ac661b819f25efd000038
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/3/name
Old
FARIA José Inácio
New
BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun
committees/2/shadows/3/mepref
Old
53b2d978b819f205b000005e
New
4f1ac661b819f25efd000038
committees/2/shadows/3/name
Old
FARIA José Inácio
New
BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun
links/Research document
url
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2017)595900
title
Briefing
other/0/dg/url
Old
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/transport/index_en.htm
New
http://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/mobility-and-transport_en
activities/2
body
CSL
meeting_id
3505
docs
url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=3505*&MEET_DATE=01/12/2016 type: Debate in Council title: 3505
council
Transport, Telecommunications and Energy
date
2016-12-01T00:00:00
type
Council Meeting
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/4
group
GUE/NGL
name
KOULOGLOU Stelios
committees/2/shadows/4
group
GUE/NGL
name
KOULOGLOU Stelios
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/4
group
Verts/ALE
name
TAYLOR Keith
committees/2/shadows/4
group
Verts/ALE
name
TAYLOR Keith
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/4
group
ENF
name
ARNAUTU Marie-Christine
committees/2/shadows/4
group
ENF
name
ARNAUTU Marie-Christine
activities/1/committees/2/date
2016-06-15T00:00:00
activities/1/committees/2/rapporteur
  • group: EFD name: AIUTO Daniela
committees/2/date
2016-06-15T00:00:00
committees/2/rapporteur
  • group: EFD name: AIUTO Daniela
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/3
group
ALDE
name
FARIA José Inácio
committees/2/shadows/3
group
ALDE
name
FARIA José Inácio
activities/1/committees/2/shadows/2
group
ECR
name
FOSTER Jacqueline
committees/2/shadows/2
group
ECR
name
FOSTER Jacqueline
activities/1/committees/1/date
2016-07-11T00:00:00
activities/1/committees/1/rapporteur
  • group: EFD name: BERGERON Joëlle
committees/1/date
2016-07-11T00:00:00
committees/1/rapporteur
  • group: EFD name: BERGERON Joëlle
activities/0/docs/0/text
  • PURPOSE: to simplify and streamline the existing EU passenger ship safety regulatory framework (safety standards).

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

    ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

    BACKGROUND : Directive 2009/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council aims to attain a high level of safety and to remove barriers to trade, by setting harmonised safety standards at an appropriate level for passenger ships and craft operating domestic services.

    This Directive has brought about a common high safety level across the EU and important internal market benefits.

    In the spirit of the Commission's REFIT and Better Regulation agenda and as an immediate

    follow-up to the fitness check on EU passenger ship safety legislation, the Commission considers that the existing EU passenger ship safety regulatory framework should be simplified and streamlined in order to (i) maintain EU rules where necessary and proportionate; (ii) ensure their correct implementation; and (iii) eliminate potential overlap of obligations and inconsistencies between related pieces of legislation.

    The fitness check revealed that:

    • the Directive currently applies only to 70 out of 1950 small ships, the key safety aspects of which have been already defined by Member States;
    • several Member States certify aluminium ships under this Directive while few others do not. This creates an uneven situation resulting from a different interpretation of the Directive's scope related to the definition of an 'equivalent material' and the applicability of the corresponding fire safety standards.

    The proposal is fully consistent with the simplification proposals amending Council Directive 98/41/EC and the proposal replacing Council Directive 1999/35/EC

    CONTENT: the Commission proposes to clarify and simplify the safety rules and standards for passenger ships so that they are easier to update, monitor and enforce.

    The main amendments proposed are as follows:

    • to eliminate a number of redundant, inconsistent or incorrect references, in particular related to the Intact Stability Code, High Speed Craft Code, bow height definition, port area (aligned with the definition of a sea area), place of refuge (removed), port State (replacing host State in line with the review of Directive 1999/35/EC), and recognised organisation;
    • to provide for new definitions of traditional ship, sailing ship, pleasure yacht and craft, tender, and equivalent material. In particular, the definition of traditional ship should be better aligned with Directive 2002/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council18, while preserving the current criteria of the year of built and type of material. The definition of pleasure yacht and craft should be further aligned with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention);
    • to clarify the definition of equivalent material to avoid the non-uniform application arising from the interpretation of the Directive's scope related to the definition of aluminium as an equivalent material and the applicability of the corresponding fire safety standards. Ships built from such materials have to be certified according to this Directive;
    • to exclude ships below 24 metres from the scope of the Directive, and to clarify that the Directive does not apply to sailing ships, tenders and ships referred to in the SPS code (including offshore supply vessels);
    • to simplify the definitions of sea areas C and D (references to the criteria of 'where the shipwrecked persons can land' and 'distance to place of refuge' removed), and to clarify that the sea areas is established by Member States in such a manner that the inner border of sea area D is clearly delimited;
    • to update the reference to the host State (replaced by port State), to clarify that the conversion requirement is meant to apply to all ships (when converted in a passenger ships), not only to existing passenger ones and to insert a new date of application for ships built in equivalent material before the entry into force of the Directive;
    • to increase transparency and to facilitate the notification of exemptions, equivalencies and additional safety measures by Member States, by providing for the establishment of a database by the Commission. It should include the notified measures in their draft and adopted form;
    • to clarify that only ships fulfilling the requirements of this Directive are provided with a Passenger ship Safety Certificate;
    • to align Directive 2009/45/EC with the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU with regard to the power to adopt delegated and implementing acts conferred on the Commission.

    DELEGATED ACTS: the proposal contains provisions empowering the Commission to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

activities/1/committees/2/shadows
  • group: EPP name: POGLIESE Salvatore Domenico
  • group: S&D name: AYALA SENDER Inés
committees/2/shadows
  • group: EPP name: POGLIESE Salvatore Domenico
  • group: S&D name: AYALA SENDER Inés
activities
  • date: 2016-06-06T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/com/2016/0369/COM_COM(2016)0369_EN.pdf title: COM(2016)0369 type: Legislative proposal published celexid: CELEX:52016PC0369:EN body: EC type: Legislative proposal published commission: DG: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/transport/index_en.htm title: Mobility and Transport Commissioner: BULC Violeta
  • date: 2016-06-09T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee: ENVI body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Legal Affairs committee: JURI body: EP responsible: True committee_full: Transport and Tourism committee: TRAN
committees
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee: ENVI
  • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Legal Affairs committee: JURI
  • body: EP responsible: True committee_full: Transport and Tourism committee: TRAN
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/transport/index_en.htm title: Mobility and Transport commissioner: BULC Violeta
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
TRAN/8/06750
Mandatory consultation of other institutions
Economic and Social Committee Committee of the Regions
reference
2016/0170(COD)
subtype
Legislation
legal_basis
Treaty on the Functioning of the EU TFEU 100-p2
stage_reached
Awaiting committee decision
summary
Amending Directive 2009/45/EC
instrument
Directive
title
Safety rules and standards for passenger ships: simplification; aligning the Directive with the TFEU (Commission delegated and implementing powers)
type
COD - Ordinary legislative procedure (ex-codecision procedure)
subject