Europese Commissie zendt een met redenen omkleed advies naar Slowakije over veiligheid van scheepvaart (en)

IP/09/1024

Brussels, 25 June 2009

Safety of ships: The Commission sends a reasoned opinion to Slovakia

The European Commission i today sent a reasoned opinion – the last stage before bringing possible proceedings before the Court of Justice i – to Slovakia for not having correctly transposed a Community directive in the field of maritime safety. The Directive i concerned lays down common rules for ship inspection and survey organisations.

Article 3 of Directive 1994/57/EC ¹ provides that the Member States are to entrust duties of inspection and survey of ships flying their flag only to organisations granted recognition by the Commission following a procedure laid down by the Directive.

The Commission found that Slovak legislation allowed the use of a classification society other than a society recognised under the Directive provided that it had submitted an application to the Commission connected with that recognition. However, there are no provisions in the Directive allowing the use of a classification society if it has not been the subject of a formal recognition decision by the Commission. Slovakia had therefore failed to have regard to the requirements of the Directive.

¹ :

Council Directive 94/57/EC of 22 November 1994 on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organisations and for the relevant activities of maritime administrations