Parliament backs tougher, IMO-aligned stability rules for ro‑ro passenger ships
Decision
The European Parliament adopted its position at first reading on the Commission proposal to amend Directive 2003/25/EC, recorded under A9‑0255/2022 and with texts adopted as P9_TA(2023)0064; the Committee on Transport and Tourism adopted its committee report on 10.10.2022 by a roll‑call vote of 29 in favour, none against and no abstentions.
What Changes
The proposal streamlines and clarifies stability requirements for ro‑ro passenger ships by aligning EU rules with IMO instruments while preserving additional EU safeguards where needed, and divides requirements by ship capacity above and below 1 350 persons; the Commission’s expert study concluded SOLAS 2020 alone did not provide sufficient protection for ships with capacity of 1 350 persons or less and supplied an additional safety framework. The committee amendments add provisions on EMSA assessment, a definition of company and a derogation for Member States without seaports.
Who Is Affected
The changes directly affect Member States, ro‑ro passenger ships operating in EU ports and the companies that own or operate those ships.
Sources
Official Documents
- REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/25/EC as regards the inclusion of improved stability requirements and its alignment with stability requirements defined by the International Maritime Organisation The European Parliament adopts at first reading its position on amending Directive 2003/25/EC to align EU stability requirements for ro-ro ships with IMO/SOLAS and streamline the regulatory framework.
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