Article 23 Cooperation between Member States and the Commission

Member States and the Commission shall cooperate in attaining the following objectives:

1. (a)

   making optimum use of the information notified pursuant to this Directive, notably by developing appropriate telematic links between coastal stations and port authorities with a view to exchanging data relating to ships' movements, their estimated times of arrival in ports and their cargo;

2. (b)

   developing and enhancing the effectiveness of telematic links between the coastal stations of the Member States with a view to obtaining a clearer picture of traffic, improving the monitoring of ships in transit, and harmonising and, as far as possible, streamlining the reports required from ships en route;

3. (c)

   F1extending the cover of the Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system, and/or updating it, with a view to enhanced identification and monitoring of ships, taking into account developments in information and communication technologies. To this end, Member States and the Commission shall work together to put in place, where necessary, mandatory reporting systems, mandatory maritime traffic services and appropriate ship's routing systems, with a view to submitting them to the IMO for approval. They shall also collaborate, within the regional or international bodies concerned, on developing long-range identification and tracking systems;

4. (d)

   drawing up, if appropriate, concerted plans to accommodate ships in distress;

5. (e)

   F2ensuring the interconnection and interoperability of the national systems used for managing the information referred to in Annex I, and developing and updating SafeSeaNet.