EMEC welcomes EP report

The European Marine Equipment Council (EMEC), which represents more than 1,250 companies across Europe in the marine equipment sector, welcomes the draft EEuropean Parliament (EP TRAN) committee report from Luis de Grandes Pascual MEP, on the Commission?s Draft Classification Societies? Directive. The amendments proposed by the Rapporteur in the TRAN Committee, particularly amendments 26 and 27, improve significantly the text proposed by the Commission and contribute to the achievement of the Draft Directive?s objectives.

The Draft Report clearly sets the target for recognised organisations: class rules and regulations, as well as their implementation, will be progressively harmonised. All marine equipment produced in Europe or installed on ships classified by European recognised organisations will be based in the future on equivalent high standards.

The report provides that recognised organisations will introduce mutual recognition of certificates based on equivalent standards. In order to do so, they shall adopt the most demanding and rigorous models as their reference. The Draft Report foresees a scenario whereby all European recognised organisations will progressively improve their standards for the evaluation of ships and marine equipment. This will contribute to both safety at sea and to the competitiveness of the marine equipment industry: only the most efficient manufacturers and service providers will succeed in this market.

The proposed Classification Societies? Directive is largely based on a self-regulatory model. With the amendments proposed in the Report, the Commission will have the task of supervising the process of harmonisation of class rules. In addition, should self regulation fail to secure the expected result, it will have the duty of proposing the appropriate measures.

EMEC believes that the Report of Grandes Pascual MEP will greatly benefit both safety and competitiveness. European maritime equipment industry strongly supports any measure aimed at enhancing the efficiency of classification and, at the same time, aimed at achieving the highest possible standards for ships and marine equipment, in order to protect the environment and life at sea.

EMEC therefore urges the EP TRAN Committee to uphold the amendments proposed by the Rapporteur and to approve the Commission?s proposal.

The term ?marine equipment? refers to all products and services supplied for the building, conversion, and maintenance of ships (seagoing and inland). This includes technical services in the field of engineering, installation and commissioning, and ship maintenance (including repair).

The undertakings active in this important field, many of which are SMEs, are world leaders in many of the activities described in the definition above. They are responsible for 262,000 jobs directly and 436,000 indirectly, qualifying as the most important employer in the maritime industry. They generate a turnover of 26 billion Euro, 12 billion of which relate to the export market, contributing to European economic growth.