Carriage of goods and persons by inland waterway: conditions for obtaining national boatmasters' certificates

Also voted was the draft recommendation for second reading by Mr Leen VAN DER WAAL (SYN94/0196). Rapporteur and Committee could agree with the common position with regard to changing the scope of aplication and introducing a separate directive for the transport of dangerous goods over the inland waterways in the EU. Mr VAN DER WAAL could also accept the new Article 10 on sailing passenger vessels, the date of entry into force of the Directive and the changes of the annexes. The rapporteur's position was different with Article 7, where the Council reduces the minimum professional experience required by up to 3 years if the applicant is a holder of a recognized diploma, or has 4 years' experience on a seagoing vessel or has passed a practical examination. Cutting professional experience to 3 years is not in the interests of safe transport on inland waterways and would create a discrepancy in respect of the Rhine navigation licence. Amendments 1 and 5 on same standards of knowledge and skills and on harmonization of certificates were also carried, as was am 4, which seeks to ensure that a Member State can only impose additional requirements on a boatmaster if the Commission's approval is obtained for this. Amendment 2 proposes that examinations of boatmasters over the age of 65 should be at three-year intervals. An annual examination would go too far. �