On 3 December, the European Council reached a general approach on a proposal to bring together all reporting formalities associated with a port call, under a system called a European maritime single window. The proposal is expected to increase efficiency of maritime operations by ensuring reporting procedures are the same for all port calls, aiming to boost competitiveness of the maritime sector in the long-run.
The regulation is part of the Mobility Package III which the Commission adopted in May 2018. The European maritime single window environment aims to address the issue of numerous, non-harmonised reporting obligations by linking the existing national maritime single windows together in a coordinated and harmonised way. The reform will improve interoperability between various systems, making it much easier to share and reuse data.
A single reporting window for ships will significantly reduce the administrative burden on maritime transport. We are creating conditions for increased application of the once-only principle, so that ships would only need to report once per port call and the same information would be reused for subsequent port calls within the EU.
…said Norbert Hofer, Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology of Austria, President of the Council.
The general approach approved Monday on single window constitutes the Council’s position for negotiations with the European Parliament. Both institutions must agree on the final text.
I’m very happy with the General Approach adopted by the Council. The compromise text is in line with the main objectives of our proposal and will, no doubt, represent a big step towards reducing the administrative burden, and modernising the shipping sector. I am now very confident that an agreement with the European Parliament will be reached soon, before the end of its mandate,
…stated Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc.
In addition, the EU Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) reached a General Approach on minimum training of seafarers. The main aim behind the Commission’s proposal was:
- to align the legislation with the latest amendments to the IMO framework on the minimum standards for training and certification of seafarers;
- to improve the efficiency of the centralised EU mechanism under which the training systems of third countries are recognised at EU level, allowing seafarers educated abroad to work on-board our flagged fleet; and
- to provide greater legal clarity of the process by which the certification of seafarers is recognised between Member States.
The European Commission welcomed this early agreement on a General Approach and hopes to find an agreement with the European Parliament before the end of its mandate.