ДОКЛАД относно предложението за регламент на Европейския парламент и на Съвета относно отговорността на превозвачите на пътници по море и вътрешни водни пътища в случай на авария

8.3.2007 - (COM(2005)0592 – C6‑0057/2006 – 2005/0241(COD)) - ***I

Комисия по транспорт и туризъм
Докладчик: Paolo Costa

Процедура : 2005/0241(COD)
Етапи на разглеждане в заседание
Етапи на разглеждане на документа :  
A6-0063/2007
Внесени текстове :
A6-0063/2007
Приети текстове :

ПРОЕКТ НА ЗАКОНОДАТЕЛНА РЕЗОЛЮЦИЯ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ ПАРЛАМЕНТ

относно предложението за регламент на Европейския парламент и на Съвета относно отговорността на превозвачите на пътници по море и вътрешни водни пътища в случай на авария

(COM(2005)0592 – C6‑0057/2006 – 2005/0241(COD))

(Процедура на съвместно вземане на решение: първо четене)

Европейският парламент,

–   като взе предвид предложението на Комисията към Европейския парламент и към Съвета (COM(2005)0592)[1],

–   като взе предвид член 251, параграф 2 и член 80, параграф 2 от Договора за ЕО, съгласно които предложението му е представено от Комисията (C6‑0057/2006),

–   като взе предвид член 51 от своя правилник,

–   като взе предвид доклада на комисия по транспорт и туризъм и становището на Комисията по правни въпроси (А6-0063/2007)

1.  одобрява предложението на Комисията във вида, в който е изменено;

2.  призовава Комисията да се отнесе до него отново, в случай че възнамерява да внесе съществени изменения в своето предложение или да го замени с друг текст;

3.  възлага на своя председател да предаде позицията на Парламента на Съвета и на Комисията.

Текст, предложен от КомисиятаИзменения, внесени от Парламента

Изменение 1

Съображение 3 a (ново)

 

(3а) Застрахователните спогодби, изискуеми по Атинската конвенция от 2002 г.трябва да съответстват на капацитета на корабособствениците и застрахователните компании. Корабособствениците трябва да бъдат в състояние да управляват своите застрахователни спогодби по икономически приемлив начин и по-специално в случая на малки корабособственици, извършващи национални транспортни услуги,трябва да се отчете сезонния характер на техните операции. Преходният период, предвиден за прилагането на настоящия регламент трябва да бъде достатъчно дълъг, за да позволи задължителната застраховка, предвидена от настоящия регламент да бъде приложена, без да се засегнат съществуващите застрахователни схеми

Justification

If the system of compensation is to function realistically and effectively, insurance companies must be able to fulfil the provisions of the Convention, and there must also be a way to ensure the viability and competitiveness of shipping companies, particularly those of small and medium size.

Изменение 2

Съображение 4

(4) Целесъобразно е превозвачът да бъде задължен да изплаща аванси в случай на смърт или телесна повреда на пътник.

 

(4) Целесъобразно е превозвачът да бъде задължен да изплаща аванси в случай на смърт или телесна повреда на пътник, при която авансът не представлява признаване на вината.

Justification

It should be clarified that any advance payments to a passenger made while the process of establishing fault and/or liability is ongoing should not constitute recognition of liability in legal terms.

Изменение 3

Съображение 5

(5) Пътниците следва да бъдат подходящо информирани преди пътуването за новите права, които им се предоставят.

(5) Пътниците следва да бъдат подходящо, пълно и разбираемо информирани преди пътуването за новите права, които им се предоставят.

Justification

To guarantee a high standard of information for passengers on their new rights.

Изменение 4

Съображение 7 a (ново)

 

(7a) Поради необходимостта от по-засилени консултации между държавите-членки относно въпросите на морската безопасност, е жизненоважно да се направи повторна оценка на правомощията на Европейската агенция за морска безопасност (EMSA ) и по възможност да се помисли за разширяване на нейните правомощия.

Justification

As with the European Aviation Safety Agency, it appears vital to consider whether the EMSA’s powers might need to be extended and, if its powers are indeed increased, whether this would boost the EU’s capacity to respond to maritime accidents.

Изменение 5

Съображение 7 б (ново)

 

(7б) Националните власти, по-специално пристанищните власти, играят основна и жизненоважна роля при определянето и управляването на различните рискове, застрашаващи морската безопасност.

Justification

Reference should be made to the fundamental role played by national authorities and particularly the port authorities in the timely identification and management of the various risks to maritime safety.

Изменение 6

Член 3, параграф 1

Отговорността на превозвача и на фактическия превозвач по отношение на пътниците и личния им багаж се урежда от всички относими към тази отговорност разпоредби на Атинската конвенция от 2002 г.

Отговорността на превозвача и на фактическия превозвач по отношение на пътниците и личния им багаж се урежда от всички относими към тази отговорност разпоредби на Атинската конвенция от 2002 г. , в това число запазването на параграф 1 от ръководните принципи за прилагане на Конвенцията, приета от Правния комитет на ММО на 19 октомври 2006 г, и двете приложени към настоящия регламент.

Justification

The special scheme for liability concerning terrorist risk that has been set up by IMO legal Committee should be upheld in order to reach a financially sustainable coverage of those risks through the insurance market.

Изменение 7

Член 4, параграф 1

Разпоредбите на член 7, параграф 2 от Атинската конвенция от 2002 г. не се прилагат за превоза на пътници, попадащ в приложното поле на настоящия регламент, освен ако всички държави-членки се договорят тези разпоредби да се прилагат по повод изменението на настоящия регламент.

Разпоредбите на член 7, параграф 2 от Атинската конвенция от 2002 г. не се прилагат за превоза на пътници, попадащ в приложното поле на настоящия регламент, освен ако Европейският парламент и Съветът не изменят настоящия регламент за тази цел, като действат в съответствие с процедурата по член 251 от Договора.

Justification

As article 7(2) of the Athens Convention concerns the limit of liability for death and personal injury, it is safer to specify that the application of this provision can be amended only through co-decision procedure.

This technical amendment corrects an unlawful drafting from the Commission and JURI as it is possible neither to require unanimity for the adoption or the amendment of a Regulation taken in codecision (Commission and JURI) nor to ignore the competence of the Parliament in the codecision process (JURI).

Изменение 8

Член 4, параграф 1 a (нов)

 

Член 19 от Атинската конвенция от 2002 г. не се прилага за превоза на пътници, който попада в приложното поле на настоящия регламент.

Justification

Article 19 of the Athens Convention 2002 states that: "This Convention shall not modify the rights or duties of the carrier, the performing carrier, and their servants or agents provided for in international conventions relating to the limitation of liability of owners of seagoing ships."

As it stands, Article 19 would authorise a carrier liable for death or injury to passengers on the basis of the Athens Convention 2002 to limit his liability by referring to global liability ceilings imposed by other international Conventions[2]. In some case, these global liability ceilings might prevent passengers from recovering a substantial part of their claims under the Athens Convention which entitles passengers to recover 250 000 SDR minimum without any global ceiling (a global ceiling fixes a total amount for all claims for any given incident/accident).

The consequence of this amendment will be that no other international Convention could be opposed to victims to limit their claims for death or injury on the basis of Article 3.1 and 7 of the Athens Convention.

Изменение 9

Член 5

При смърт или телесна повреда на пътник превозвачът изплаща в 15-дневен срок от установяване на самоличността на лицето, което има право на обезщетение за вреди, аванс в размер, достатъчен за покриване на непосредствени финансови нужди. При смърт 75%.

При смърт или телесна повреда на пътник, вследствие на инцидент по време на превоза или превозвачът или фактическият превозвач , изплаща в 15-дневен срок от установяване на самоличността на лицето, което има право на обезщетение за вреди, аванс в размер, достатъчен за покриване на непосредствени финансови нужди. При смърт или в случай на абсолютна и постоянна инвалидност на пътника, или щети, засягащи 75% или повече от 75% от тялото на пътника, които клинически са доказани за много сериозни 75%.

Justification

For evident reasons of justice, it is important to ensure that passengers have access to advance payment in the cases referred to, in order to cover economic needs. For reasons of justice, carriers should be able to recover the advance payment if they were in fact cleared of fault. This provision is consistent with the legislation applicable in the field of air transport, i.e. Regulation (EC) No 889/2002 amending Regulation (EC) No 2027/97.

It is necessary to limit the possibility of an advance payment to claims resulting from shipping incidents because in this case only a strict (automatic) liability is engaged (up to 300 000 euros per passenger's claim) and no fault would have to be assigned to the carrier beforehand in order to benefit from the advance payment. The advance payment will thus be swifter because it will not lead to disputations on the existence of a fault. Finally it is also fair not to allow any advance payment when the passenger has been injured following an incident which does not involved the whole ship (for example a passengers falls on the deck following abuse of alcohol).

It is also necessary to include the performing carrier whose strict liability may also be engaged following Athens Convention 2002 (Art.1.1 and 3).

Изменение 10

Член 5, параграфи 1 a и б (нови)

 

Авансът не представлява признаване на отговорността и може да бъде приспаднато от всяка последващо изплатена сума въз основа на настоящия регламент и тя не се възстановява, освен в случаите, когато лицето, получило аванс, не е било лицето с право на обезщетение или се счита , че превозвачът няма вина. Получаването на авансовото плащане ще позволи на превозвача, фактическия превозвач или пътника да предприемат съдебни действия за установяване на отговорност и вина.

Justification

A similar provision is included in Regulation (EC) 889/2002 of 13 May 2002 amending Council Regulation (EC) 2027/97 on air carrier liability in the event of accidents.

For evident reasons of justice, it is important to ensure that passengers have access to advance payment in the cases referred to, in order to cover economic needs. For reasons of justice, carriers should be able to recover the advance payment if they were in fact cleared of fault. This provision is consistent with the legislation applicable in the field of air transport, i.e. Regulation (EC) No 889/2002 amending Regulation (EC) No 2027/97.

For evident reasons of justice, it is important to ensure that passengers have access to advance payment in the cases referred to, in order to cover economic needs. For reasons of justice, carriers should be able to recover the advance payment if they were in fact cleared of fault. This provision is consistent with the legislation applicable in the field of air transport, i.e. Regulation (EC) No 889/2002 amending Regulation (EC) No 2027/97.

Изменение 11

Член 6, параграф 1

Превозвачът, фактическият превозвач и/или туроператорът предоставят на пътниците, преди отпътуването им, информация относно правата им съгласно настоящия регламент, по-специално информация относно пределите на обезщетението при смърт, телесна повреда или погиване и повреждане на багаж, относно правото им да предявят пряк иск срещу застрахователя или лицето, предоставящо финансово обезпечение, както и относно правото им да получат аванс.

Превозвачът, фактическият превозвач и/или туроператорът предоставят на пътниците, преди отпътуването им, подходяща, пълна и разбираема информация относно правата им съгласно настоящия регламент, по-специално информация относно пределите на обезщетението при смърт, телесна повреда или погиване и повреждане на багаж, относно правото им да предявят пряк иск срещу застрахователя или лицето, предоставящо финансово обезпечение, както и относно правото им да получат аванс.

Justification

Legal clarification to increase the legal certainty of the regulation and passengers’ access to information.

Изменение 12

Член 6, параграф 2

Тази информация се предоставя във възможно най-подходяща форма.

Тази информация се предоставя в подходяща, пълна и разбираема форма и, в случай на предоставяне на информацията от туроператори, в съответствие с член 4 от Директива 90/314/ЕИО на Съвета от 13 юни 1990 г. относно пакетните туристически пътувания, пакетните туристически ваканции и пакетните туристически обиколки.1.

___________________

1 OВ L 158, 23.6.1990 г., стp. 59.

Justification

Legal clarification to increase the legal certainty of the regulation and passengers’ access to information.

Изменение 13

Член 8, параграф 2 a (нов)

 

Във връзка с вътрешните превози от редовни фериботни линии, той се прилага две години след [датата на влизането му в сила или датата на влизане в сила за Общността на Атинската конвенция, която от двете дати е по-късна].

Justification

A different implementation deadline for domestic ferry lines should be offered to carriers as to ensure efficient and financially sustainable civil liability coverage.

Изменение 14

Член 8, параграф 2 б (нов)

 

Във връзка с превоза по вътрешни водни пътища, той се прилага четири години [датата на влизането му в сила или датата на влизане в сила за Общността на Атинската конвенция, която от двете дати е по-късна].

Justification

See justification to amendment 1. A longer deadline for inland waterway transport is necessary because carriers are not covered by P&I clubs.

Изменение 15

Член 8, параграф 2 в (нов)

 

Във връзка с вътрешните превози от редовни фериботни линии в региони, попадащи в обхвата на член 299, параграф 2 от Договора, той се прилага четири години след [датата на влизането му в сила или датата на влизане в сила за Общността на Атинската конвенция, която от двете дати е по-късна].

Justification

In line with the rapporteur’s position, a different implementation deadline for domestic ferry lines should be offered to carriers so as to ensure efficient and financially sustainable civil liability coverage.

The provision concerning the regions described in Article 299(2) of the EC Treaty makes it possible to set a different implementation deadline for domestic ferry lines in these regions in order to ensure efficient and financially sustainable civil liability coverage that is adapted to the permanent constraints on these regions.

  • [1]  Все още непубликувано в ОВ.
  • [2]  For claims relating to death or injury to passengers, the LLMC (Convention on limitation of liability for maritime claims - Article 7) has a global liability ceiling of 175 000 SDR multiplied by number of passengers and the CLNI (Convention on limitation of liability for inland navigation (Rhine and Moselle) - Article 7) has a global liability ceiling of 60 000 SDR multiplied by the number of passengers.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

EU passengers' rights have been firmly present on the agenda of the common transport policy since the publication of Commission's White paper in 2001[1]. As an integral part of this agenda, the protection of EU passengers under an efficient system of liability has been relayed in the different transport modes through the ratification of the Montreal Convention[2] and additional EC rules[3] for air transport and through the publication of Commission's Proposal of Regulation on International Rail Passengers’ Rights and Obligations[4].

As far as passengers by sea are concerned, the implementation of a liability system in EC has been more complex.

The Commission presented on 24 June 2003 a proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion by the European Community of the Protocol of 2002 to the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea[5], the Commission proposed that the Community becomes a Contracting Party to the Protocol at the earliest possible moment and that the Member States shall do likewise before the end of 2005.

As no progress has been made on this Proposal within the Council, the Proposal under examination now aims at incorporating the Athens Convention into EC law and adds some adaptations to it, in particular on its scope of implementation.

The proposal will guarantee a level playing field at EU level for civil liability concerning damages caused to passengers and to their belongings, by ship.

The overall objective followed by Commission has to be upheld. Issues of primary importance are tackled and the Proposal should provide to passengers by sea a comprehensive liability scheme, offering a good harmonised basis on civil liability.

1. The Athens Convention

Introduction

The Protocol of 2002 to the Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea, 1974, was adopted on 1 November 2002.

The 2002 protocol should enter into force 12 months after being accepted by 10 States, which is not yet the case.

The EU Member States which have signed the 2002 protocol are: FI, DE, ES, SE, UK

The Protocol introduces compulsory insurance to cover passengers on ships and raises the limits of liability. It also introduces other mechanisms to assist passengers in obtaining compensation, based on well-accepted principles applied in existing liability and compensation regimes dealing with environmental pollution. These include replacing the fault-based liability system with a strict liability system for shipping related incidents, backed by the requirement that the carrier take out compulsory insurance to cover these potential claims.

The limits contained in the Protocol set a maximum limit, empowering - but not obliging - national courts to compensate for death, injury or damage up to these limits.

The Protocol also includes an "opt-out" clause, enabling State Parties to retain or introduce higher limits of liability (or unlimited liability) in the case of carriers who are subject to the jurisdiction of their courts.

Compulsory insurance

A new Article 4bis of the Convention requires carriers to maintain insurance or other financial security, such as the guarantee of a bank or similar financial institution, to cover the limits for strict liability under the Convention in respect of the death of and personal injury to passengers.

The limit of the compulsory insurance or other financial security shall not be less than 250,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) (about Euros 300 000) per passenger on each distinct occasion. Ships are to be issued with a certificate attesting that insurance or other financial security is in force and a model certificate is attached to the Protocol in an Annex.

Limits of liability

The limits of liability have been raised significantly under the Protocol, to reflect present day conditions and the mechanism for raising limits in the future has been made easier.

The carrier is liable, unless the carrier proves that the incident resulted from an act of war, hostilities, civil war, insurrection or a natural phenomenon of an exceptional, inevitable and irresistible character; or was wholly caused by an act or omission done with the intent to cause the incident by a third party.

If the loss exceeds the limit, the carrier is further liable - up to a limit of 400,000 SDR (480 000 euros) per passenger on each distinct occasion - unless the carrier proves that the incident which caused the loss occurred without the fault or neglect of the carrier.

For the loss suffered as a result of the death of or personal injury to a passenger not caused by a shipping incident, the carrier is liable if the incident which caused the loss was due to the fault or neglect of the carrier. The burden of proving fault or neglect lies with the claimant.

The liability of the carrier only includes loss arising from incidents that occurred in the course of the carriage. The burden of proving that the incident which caused the loss occurred in the course of the carriage, and the extent of the loss, lies with the claimant.

Loss of or damage to luggage and vehicles:

- The liability of the carrier for the loss of or damage to cabin luggage is limited to 2,250 SDR per passenger, per carriage.

- The liability of the carrier for the loss of or damage to vehicles including all luggages carried in or on the vehicle is limited to 12,700 SDR per vehicle, per carriage.

- The liability of the carrier for the loss of or damage to other luggage is limited to 3,375 SDR per passenger, per carriage.

- The carrier and the passenger may agree that the liability of the carrier shall be subject to a deductible not exceeding 330 SDR in the case of damage to a vehicle and not exceeding 149 SDR per passenger in the case of loss of or damage to other luggage, such sum to be deducted from the loss or damage.

"Opt-out" Clause

The Protocol allows a State Party to regulate by specific provisions of national law the limit of liability for personal injury and death, provided that the national limit of liability, if any, is not lower than that prescribed in the Protocol.

Amendment of limits

The 2002 Protocol introduces a new tacit acceptance procedure for raising the limits of liability. A proposal to amend the limits, as requested by at least one-half of the Parties to the Protocol, would be circulated to all IMO Member States and al States Parties and would then be discussed in the IMO Legal Committee. Amendments would be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the States Parties to the Convention as amended by the Protocol present and voting in the Legal Committee, and amendments would enter into force 18 months after its deemed acceptance date. The deemed acceptance date would be 18 months after adoption, unless within that period not less than one fourth of the States that were States Parties at the time of the adoption of the amendment have communicated to the IMO Secretary-General that they do not accept the amendment.

Regional Economic Integration Organizations

For the first time in an IMO Convention, a regional economic integration organization may sign up the document. An article in the Protocol states that a Regional Economic Integration Organization, which is constituted by sovereign States that have transferred competence over certain matters governed by this Protocol to that Organization, may sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Protocol. A Regional Economic Integration Organization which is a Party to this Protocol will have the rights and obligations of a State Party, to the extent that the Regional Economic Integration Organization has competence over matters governed by this Protocol.

2. What are the current rules governing liability for transport of passengers by sea in the EU?

As long as the Athens Convention is not approved and/or incorporated in EU law, liability issues for passengers by sea will be governed by two sets of law: the internal law of the Member States and the international law for those Member States that have ratified the 1976 Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC)[6] or its 1996 Protocol[7].

The liability ceiling foreseen in the two versions of the LLMC are different, the 1996 Protocol which is more "generous" however has a lower liability ceiling than the one foreseen in the Athens Convention. (see table)

 

Maximal amount of reparation per passenger

Athens Convention (1974)

- 46 666 SDR[8]

Athens Convention (as modified in 2002)

(

- 250 000 SDR[9] (full liability for maritime incidents)

- 400 000 SDR[10] (liability for fault)

LLMC 1976

46 666 SDR[11]

with a global limitation of 25 millions SDR[12]

LLMC 1996 Protocol

175 000 SDR[13]

The incorporation of the Athens Convention in EC law would thus give a stronger protection for passengers at EU level while generating some difficulties as regard the coordination of these sets of law.

3. Additional provisions to Athens Convention in the Proposal

Extension of the scope of application to domestic traffic (cabotage) and inland waterways: The scope of the proposed Regulation is wider compared to the scope of the Athens Convention 2002. It covers the scope of the Athens Convention (in order to make the whole Convention fully enforceable within the EU), but is extended to carriage within a single Member State and traffic on inland waterway.

The proposed Regulation removes the possibility for Member States under the Athens Convention 2002 of fixing limits of liability higher than those provided for in the Convention. The Commission invokes as a justification the aim of having total uniformity within the EU.

For damage or loss of mobility equipment/medical equipment belonging to a passenger with reduced mobility, the compensation will be, at the maximum, equivalent to the replacement value of the equipment. This provision is in line with the Proposal on rail's passenger's rights as it stands now in codecision.

An advance payment is provided for in line with the scheme foreseen for air and rail sectors.

Finally, a pre-journey information provision is foreseen, it concerns in particular information on the limits of compensation for death, personal injury or loss and damage of luggage, the right of direct action against the insurer or the person providing financial security and on the entitlement to an advance payment. No particular mean of information is provided for in the Proposal (contrary to air transport - see Regulation on the Blacklist of air carriers and the identity of performing carrier).

4. Position of the Rapporteur

· Extension of the scope of application to domestic traffic (cabotage) and inland waterway transport. It has been mentioned that the implementation of this Proposal to cabotage transport and to inland waterways would create an unnecessary burden for the operators in this sector. But no precise elements have been yet put on the table showing the inadequacy of the extension of the scheme for those markets, particularly concerning the liability ceiling. The Rapporteur is of the opinion that this extension is feasible and that the insurance market will have the capacity to insure these type of risks with a reasonable extra cost for the passengers. However, as operators of domestic traffic by sea and inland waterways are not familiar with the schemes implemented at international level and that the insurance market will have to be mobilised to organise the guarantee and direct actions on risks, it is suggested those operators and actors in the insurance market be given a supplementary deadlines for applying the Regulation, two years for regular ferry lines operating on domestic traffic by sea and four years for inland waterways should be a sufficient time frame in this view.

· Pre-journey information: this provision has to be upheld but it would have to be in line with what has been done in other transport modes (in the air sector, see the Regulation on identity of air carriers). The content of obligation to inform could be made more precise later on (attached to the ticket (general sales conditions) and/or inserted in the brochures).

· Treatment of terrorist risks

The issue of the inclusion, exclusion or special treatment for the terrorist risk in the liability scheme of the Athens Convention is at present under discussion at IMO (legal committee-LEG). It is linked to a so called impossibility of insuring those risks (at least from the P&I point of view) with regard to Article 3.1 (b) of the Convention which states that the carrier is not liable only unless he proves that the incident "was wholly caused by an act or omission done with the intent to cause the incident by a third party". The compromise would consist of having a specific coverage of terrorist risks by organising the currently available war risk insurance in such a way as to establish an entity similar to the P&I Clubs that could act as the provider of insurance cover. This entity could issue a financial guarantee only in respect of the war risk part of the insurance, and be 100% reinsured in the war risk market. According to the latest information from IMO, a London broker would be ready to cover these risks.

Hence a compromise could be found on this issue in the next session of the LEG in October but these discussions will probably not be completed before adoption of the Report at first reading. However the issue could be dealt with through amendments to the Proposal if a special treatment of terrorist risks appears necessary and if EP wants to have the right to co-decide now on this issue and/or wants terrorist risks to be clearly in the scope of the Regulation.

  • [1]  White Paper “European transport policy for 2010: time to decide”, COM(2001)0370 of 12.9.2001.
  • [2]  Council Decision (2001/539/EC) of 5 April 2001 on the conclusion by the European Community of the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air (the Montreal Convention).
  • [3]  Regulation (2027/1997) on air carrier liability in case of accidents as modified by Regulation (889/2002/EC).
  • [4]  COM(2004)0143, amended by TRAN (Report EP/ TRAN (A6-0123/2005))
  • [5]  COM(2003)0375.
  • [6]  FR, LT, NL have ratified the LLMC 1976 but not the Athens Convention.
  • [7]  DK, FI, DE and MT have ratified the LLMC 1996 Protocol but not the Athens Convention.
  • [8] 56 000 €.
  • [9] 300 000 €.
  • [10] 480 000 €.
  • [11] 56 000 €.
  • [12] 30 millions €.
  • [13] 210 000 €.

OPINION of the Committee on Legal Affairs (22.11.2006)

for the Committee on Transport and Tourism

on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the liability of carriers of passengers by sea and inland waterways in the event of accidents

(COM(2005)0592 – C6‑0057/2006 – 2005/0241(COD))

Draftswoman: Piia-Noora Kauppi

SHORT JUSTIFICATION

The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament fully supports the goal of the Commission to incorporate the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Athens Protocol of 2002 into Community legislation. Moreover, the EU maritime passenger liability regime rightly includes both sea and inland waterways in the event of accidents, adding to passenger safety.

However, before the 2002 Protocol can be brought into Community legislation, the IMO should find a global solution to two open questions related to the Protocol, namely the possibility for the insurers to offer passenger carriers insurances covering the liabilities assigned by the 2002 Protocol and the question whether the insurance fees for such insurances are reasonable for the carriers, as well as whether the carriers should be exempted from their liability in the event of accidents caused by terrorism. Concerning small carriers operating in domestic waterways, special attention should be paid to the cyclical nature of their activities. The requirement to make advance payments should only apply in the case of shipping incidents where the carriers’ liability is strict.

This regulation should, as regards its essential parts, be equivalent to the 2002 Protocol and it should be implemented at the same time as the Protocol.

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Legal Affairs calls on the Committee on Transport and Tourism, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:

Text proposed by the Commission[1]Amendments by Parliament

Amendment 1

Recital 3 a (new)

(3a) This Regulation, with the exception of the derogations set out separately therein, should be identical in substance to the Athens Convention 2002. This Regulation and the Athens Convention 2002 should be brought into force at the same time.

Amendment 2

Recital 3 b (new)

(3b) The insurance systems required under the Convention should be reasonable for shipowners. Shipowners should be in a position to manage their insurance systems in an economically reasonable way, and, especially as regards small shipowners operating domestic services, the seasonal nature of their operations should be taken into account. The transitional period to be allowed when implementing this Regulation should be sufficiently long to enable compulsory insurance under this Regulation to be applied without prejudice to the insurance systems in force.

Amendment 3

Recital 4

(4) It is appropriate to oblige the carrier to make advance payment in the event of the death of, or personal injury to, a passenger.

(4) It is appropriate to oblige the carrier to make advance payment in the event of the death of, or personal injury to, a passenger in shipping incidents in respect of which strict liability for damage has been assigned to the carrier.

Amendment 4

Article 4, paragraph 1

Article 7(2) of the Athens Convention 2002 is not applicable to the carriage of passengers falling within the scope of this Regulation, except if all Member States agree on such an application when amending this Regulation.

Article 7(2) of the Athens Convention 2002 is not applicable to the carriage of passengers falling within the scope of this Regulation, except if all Member States agree on such an application when amending this Regulation unless the Council, acting unanimously throughout the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the Treaty, amends this Regulation.

Justification

As article 7(2) of the Athens Convention concerns the limit of liability for death and personal injury, it is safer to specify that the application of this provision can be amended only through co-decision procedure.

Amendment 5

Article 5

In the event of the death of, or personal injury to, a passenger the carrier shall make an advance payment sufficient to cover immediate economic needs, within 15 days from the identification of the person entitled to damages. In the event of death this payment shall not be less than EUR 21 000.

In the event of the death of, or personal injury to, a passenger the carrier shall make an advance payment sufficient to cover immediate economic needs, within 15 days from the identification of the person entitled to damages. In the event of death this payment shall not be less than EUR 21 000. The advance payment shall apply only in the case of shipping incidents in respect of which strict liability for damage has been assigned to the carrier. An advance payment shall not constitute recognition of liability and may be offset against any subsequent sums paid pursuant to this Regulation.

Amendment 6

Article 6, paragraph 1

The carrier, the performing carrier and/or the tour operator shall provide passengers, prior to their departure, with information regarding their rights under this Regulation, in particular with information on the limits of compensation for death, personal injury or loss and damage of luggage, on their right of direct action against the insurer or the person providing financial security and on their entitlement to an advance payment.

The carrier, the performing carrier and/or the tour operator shall provide passengers, prior to their departure, with information regarding their rights under this Regulation, in particular with information on the limits of compensation for death, personal injury or loss and damage of luggage, on their right of direct action against the insurer or the person providing financial security and on their entitlement to an advance payment regarding those shipping incidents in respect of which strict liability for damage has been assigned to the carrier.

Amendment 7

Article 8, paragraph 2

It shall apply from the date of its entry into force or from the date of the entry into force of the Athens Convention for the Community, whichever is the later.

It shall apply from the date of the entry into force of the Athens Convention for the Community and in any case from the date of the adoption by the International Maritime Organization of measures ensuring reasonable insurance costs for carriers and their exemption from liability in the event of accidents caused by terrorism, whichever is the later.

  • [1]  Not yet published in OJ.

ПРОЦЕДУРА

Позовавания

COM(2005)0592 - C6-0057/2006 - 2005/0241(COD)

Водеща комисия

       Дата на обявяване в заседание

TRAN

16.2.2006

Комисия(и), сезирана(и) за становище

       Дата на обявяване в заседание

JURI

16.2.2006

 

 

 

Докладчик(ци)

       Дата на назначаване

Paolo Costa

21.3.2006

 

 

Разглеждане в комисия

19.4.2006

10.10.2006

23.11.2006

 

Дата на приемане

27.2.2007

 

 

 

Резултат от окончателното гласуване

+:

–:

0:

45

0

1

Депутати, присъстващи на окончателното гласуване

Gabriele Albertini, Inés Ayala Sender, Etelka Barsi-Pataky, Paolo Costa, Michael Cramer, Luis de Grandes Pascual, Arūnas Degutis, Christine De Veyrac, Petr Duchoň, Saïd El Khadraoui, Robert Evans, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, Mathieu Grosch, Georg Jarzembowski, Stanisław Jałowiecki, Timothy Kirkhope, Dieter-Lebrecht Koch, Jaromír Kohlíček, Sepp Kusstatscher, Jörg Leichtfried, Bogusław Liberadzki, Eva Lichtenberger, Erik Meijer, Seán Ó Neachtain, Josu Ortuondo Larrea, Willi Piecyk, Luís Queiró, Luca Romagnoli, Gilles Savary, Brian Simpson, Renate Sommer, Dirk Sterckx, Ulrich Stockmann, Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, Georgios Toussas, Yannick Vaugrenard, Marta Vincenzi, Lars Wohlin, Corien Wortmann-Kool, Roberts Zīle

Заместник(ци), присъстващ(и) на окончателното гласуване

Zsolt László Becsey, Johannes Blokland, Philip Bradbourn, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Anne E. Jensen

Заместник(ци) (чл. 178, пар. 2), присъстващ(и) на окончателното гласуване

Thijs Berman

Дата на внасяне

8.3.2007                                          A6-0063/2007