Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91(1), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

Action by the Union in the sector of inland navigation should aim to ensure uniformity in the development of technical requirements for inland waterway vessels to be applied in the Union.

The European Committee for drawing up standards in the field of inland navigation (CESNI) was established on 3 June 2015 in the framework of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) in order to develop technical standards for inland waterways in various fields, in particular as regards vessels, information technology and crew.

CESNI is expected to adopt a standard concerning technical requirements for inland waterway vessels (‘the standard’) at its meeting on 26 November 2015. The plenary session of the CCNR will amend its legislative framework, the Rhine Vessel Inspection Regulations (‘the RVIR’), to refer to the standard, making it mandatory in the framework of the application of the Revised Convention for Rhine navigation.

The standard lays down the uniform technical requirements necessary to ensure the safety of inland waterway vessels. It includes provisions regarding shipbuilding, fitting out and equipment for inland waterway vessels, special provisions regarding specific categories of vessels such as passenger vessels, pushed convoys and container vessels, provisions regarding vessel identification, model of certificates and register, transitional provisions as well as instructions for the application of the standard. Directive 2006/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council^f1 ensures that Union inland navigation certificates are issued for crafts which are compliant with the technical requirements for inland waterway vessels laid down in Annex II to that Directive for which equivalence with the technical requirements laid down in the application of the Revised Convention for Rhine Navigation has been established. Moreover, on 10 September 2013, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Directive 2006/87/EC, which takes into account the developments arising in this field from the work of international organisations, in particular that of the CCNR in the application of technical requirements for inland waterway vessels.

Therefore, the standard concerning technical requirements for inland waterway vessels to be adopted under the auspices of the CCNR will affect Directive 2006/87/EC, as well as the foreseeable development of the acquis in this area.

The revision of the RVIR, which is intended to facilitate a direct reference to the standard, has not been finalised within the CCNR. However, in order to take account of the standard even before the direct reference can be included in the RVIR, it is appropriate to include individual provisions, including those relating to liquefied natural gas (LNG), in the RVIR.

The Union is neither a member of the CCNR nor of CESNI. It is therefore necessary for the Council to authorise the Member States to express the position of the Union as regards the standard within those bodies,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: