In order to support clean, safe and modern maritime transport in the European Union, the Council has adopted four new regulatory acts of the so-called maritime safety package, namely those amending the relevant directives on:

– accident investigation in the maritime transport sector
– pollution from ships
– compliance with flag state requirements
– port state control
The revised package strikes a careful balance between, on the one hand, the need to ensure a high quality of shipment and, on the other hand, the need to safeguard the competitiveness of the European maritime sector,while maintaining reasonable costs for operators and administrations in the Member States.
In a general sense, it will equip the Union with modern tools to support clean transport, aligning EU rules with international standards while improving implementation and enforcement through an enhanced cooperation framework between European and national authorities.
The revised directive on accident investigation in the maritime sector:
• enhances the protection of fishing vessels, their crews and the environment, with fishing vessels less than 15 metres in length now included within the scope of the directive, which means that accidents involving fatalities and loss of vessels will be investigated in a harmonised way.
• clarifies definitions and legal provisions for accident investigation bodies in the Member States to investigate all accidents that need to be investigated in a timely and harmonised way.
• improves the ability of accident investigation agencies to conduct accident investigations and report accidents in a timely, expert and independent manner.
• updates various definitions and references to EU legislation and regulations to ensure clarity and consistency.
• enables accident investigation bodies to carry out accident investigations in a harmonised way throughout the EU, making existing rules clearer and more consistent with international rules.
• strengthens the provisions on the independence of accident investigation bodies and the confidentiality of their findings and reduces unnecessary administrative burdens.
The revised directive incorporates international standards into EU legislation, ensuring that those responsible for illegal discharges of pollutants are subject to dissuasive, effective and proportionate sanctions to improve maritime safety and better protect the marine environment from pollution from ships.
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