The European Union is adapting legislation to make sure of the legal certainty of vessel operators after Brexit. Member states’ ambassadors meeting in the Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee approved amended rules on the assessment of ship inspection organisations, whose task it is to ensure the safety of ships and prevent marine pollution. The presidency reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on 21 January.
Specifically, EU flag states are able to represent surveys and certification of their ships to classification societies that are recognised by the EU.
Each of these classes has a sponsor member state, meaning the country that initially submitted the request of the organisation.
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Moreover, as the Commission assesses recognised classes at least every two years, the sponsor country should take part in the assessment.
Additionally, the UK is the sponsor of two organisations recognised by the EU. Therefore, because of Brexit, it won’t be able to participate in the assessment for these two organisations.
Consequently, the rules will replace the requirement that only the initial sponsor of each country should take place in the assessment. As a result, organisations that have the UK as their sponsor will continue carry out inspections on behalf of member states.
In conclusion, the agreed text is to undergo legal finalisation. It has to be officially adopted firstly by the Parliament and then by the Council. After that, the regulation will be published in the EU’s official Journal and become applicable the day after the EU applies it to the UK.