Maritime safety: standards in respect of shipping using Community ports, package Erika I

The Council has adopted a common position on a text which reflects the content of the amended proposal adopted by the Commission after Parliament's first reading, and incorporates several new provisions. The most significant amendments concern the provisons on expanded mandatory inspections and on refusal of access to Community ports. The common position reflects the concern for flexibility voiced by Member States with the prospect of an increased workload, but at the same time shows their commitment to stepping up port State controls in the European Union. Compared with its previous stance, particularly that expressed on 2 October, the Council thus accepts a significant increase in the number of expanded inspections carried out and stricter application of the procedure for refusing access to Community ports for ships flying the flag of countries on the Paris MOU blacklist, and has made a clear political commitment to require ships sailing in Community waters to be equipped with "black boxes". Thus the common position as a whole remains true to the ambitious objectives of the Commission's proposal.�