Article 10

In exercising their inspection rights and obligations as port States, Member States shall report to the Commission and to other Member States, and inform the flag State concerned, if they find that valid statutory certificates have been issued by recognised organisations acting on behalf of a flag State to a ship which does not fulfil the relevant requirements of the international conventions, or in the event of any failure of a ship carrying a valid class certificate and relating to items covered by that certificate. Only cases of ships representing a serious threat to safety and the environment or showing evidence of particularly negligent behaviour of the recognised organisations shall be reported for the purposes of this Article. The recognised organisation concerned shall be advised of the case at the time of the initial inspection so that it can take appropriate follow-up action immediately.