Maritime safety: monitoring, control and information for traffic, package Erika II (repeal. Directive 93/75/EEC)

The House approved the report by Mr Dirk STERCKX (ELDR, B) with a number of amendments. (Please refer to the previous text). In addition to the amendments set out in the previous document, Parliament also expresses the vulnerability of the Baltic sea. The House believes that the EU should make a request to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to declare at least the Gulf of Finland, and probably other zones of the Baltic Sea, to be part of a compulsory reporting system approved by the IMO. After EU enlargement this sea would almost be part of EU inland waters. A proper ice classification system was also considered important for safety purposes, in particular for the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea. Finally, amendments were adopted regarding the installation of voyage data recorders (VDR or black boxes). This equipment is vital for the smooth operation of the monitoring, control and information system for maritime traffic. Parliament took the view that it was unacceptable, especially for the ships most at risk, for the installation of black boxes to be delayed.�