Inspections of ro-ro ferries and high-speed passenger craft

Briefing 15-02-2018

The European Commission, in line with its regulatory fitness and performance programme (REFIT), has evaluated existing EU legislation on passenger ship safety and presented three proposals for directives, aimed at simplifying rules and cutting administrative costs, while at the same time making sea travel safer. This proposal seeks to rationalise inspections conducted by national administrations while ensuring a high level of passenger ship safety and without unnecessarily limiting the ship’s commercial operations, making the inspections system for these ships simpler, more effective and cheaper. This would be achieved by changing focus from initial company-based inspections to ship-based ones and by ensuring that subsequent inspections occur at regular intervals. After interinstitutional negotiations concluded on 14 July 2017, the European Parliament adopted the agreed text on 4 October 2017 and the Council on 23 October 2017. The final act entered into force on 20 December 2017 and the new provisions will apply from 21 December 2019. Fourth edition. The ‘EU Legislation in Progress’ briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure. Please note this document has been designed for on-line viewing.