New proposals from the EU Commission
On June 1, 2023, the European Commission presented five legislative proposals. With 75% of external trade transported by sea, the need for regulation is constant. These proposals have two objectives: firstly, to modernize maritime safety rules and secondly to combat pollution caused by ships.
The proposal aims to introduce clear requirements for flag state inspections. This will facilitate the exchange of information on inspection results.
Vessel targeting criteria will be explicitly defined. Thus, the detection of ships by member states will improve, and the lack of compliance will be corrected.
Investigations of fishing vessels will also increase. To facilitate cooperation, control operations will be digitized. The use of electronic certificates will be encouraged.
The European Commission aims to protect its seas. It strives to prevent all types of illegal discharges into its waters. EU regulations will be brought into line with international regulations. Polluting substances subject to restrictions will be extended.
Clean Sea Net, a monitoring and information-sharing database, will be optimized. Created by EMSA, it will facilitate the rapid application of legislation and cooperation between member states, particularly in cases of cross-border pollution by ships.
We could assume that these proposals are link to the development of shadow fleets. Indeed, these dark fleets raise concerns about the ecological risks they entail. Aged and worn out, the vessels used for this illegal trade are often the victims of fire, leakage or other accidents.
