Maritime transport: ship and port facility security

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Rosa MIGUELEZ RAMOS (PES, Spain), making many amendments to the Commission's proposal. (Please see the summary dated 04/11/03). In the debate, Members were concerned about the financial consequences for the maritime sector. They argued that the effective and standard application of measures under this policy raised important questions in relation to its funding. Funding certain additional measures ought not to give rise to distortion of competition. Commissioner Loyola de PALACIO accepted Parliament's demand that the Commission should immediately undertake a study, intended to address in particular the way financing is shared between the public authorities and the operators. An amendment was also adopted stating that the Member States should, after a mandatory security risk assessment, decide to which extent they will apply, by 1 July 2007, the provisions of the regulation to different categories of ships operating certain domestic services, their companies and the port facilities serving them. In addition : - the term "malicious act" was deleted and a definition adopted for the substitute term "intentional unlawful act." - Member States must ensure, when ship security plans and port facility security plans are approved, that the plans contain appropriate provisions to ensure that the security of ships to which the regulation applies is not compromised by any ship or port interface or ship-to-ship activity with any ship which is not part of the Regulation. - Parliament deleted the provision stating that the European Maritime Agency will assist the Commission. Finally, a great number of more technical amendments were also adopted.�