COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/594

of 9 April 2021

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the European Committee for drawing up standards in the field of inland navigation and within the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine on the adoption of standards concerning professional qualifications in inland navigation

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91(1), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Revised Convention for the Navigation of the Rhine signed in Mannheim on 17 October 1868, as amended by the Convention amending the Revised Convention for the Navigation of the Rhine signed in Strasbourg on 20 November 1963, entered into force on 14 April 1967 (the ‘Convention’).

(2) Pursuant to Article 17 of the Convention, the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (‘CCNR’) may adopt requirements in the field of professional qualifications.

(3) The European Committee for drawing up standards in the field of inland navigation (‘CESNI’) was created on 3 June 2015 in the framework of the CCNR in order to develop technical standards for inland waterways in various fields, in particular as regards vessels, information technology and crew.

(4) CESNI, in its next meeting on 15 April 2021, is expected to adopt a standard for basic safety training for deckhands laying down training requirements that Member States could follow as their national requirements (‘CESNI standard 20_04’) and a standard for standardised communication phrases in four languages for boatmen and boatmasters to be able to cope with situations involving communication problems (‘CESNI standard 20_39’). Both CESNI standard 20_04 and CESNI standard 20_39 aim to facilitate the implementation of the requirements falling within the scope of Directive (EU) 2017/2397 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

(5) The CCNR, in its plenary meeting on 2 June 2021, is expected to adopt a resolution that will amend the Regulations for Rhine Navigation Personnel in order to include a reference to the European Standards for Qualifications in Inland Navigation (‘ES-QIN standards’), including CESNI standard 20_04 and CESNI standard 20_39.

(6) CESNI standard 20_04 and CESNI standard 20_39 aim to contribute to maintaining the highest level of safety in inland navigation and would encourage harmonisation in the context of Directive (EU) 2017/2397.

(7) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within CESNI and within the CCNR.

(8) The Union is not a member of the CCNR or of CESNI. The Union’s position should therefore be expressed by the Member States that are members of those bodies, acting jointly in the interests of the Union,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 1. The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within CESNI with regard to the adoption of CESNI standard 20_04 and CESNI standard 20_39 shall be to agree to their adoption. 2. The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the CCNR with regard to the adoption of a resolution amending the Regulations for Rhine Navigation Personnel in order to include a reference to the ES-QIN standards, including CESNI standard 20_04 and CESNI standard 20_39, shall be to support all proposals aligning the requirements of the Regulations for the Rhine Navigation Personnel with the ES-QIN standards.

Article 2 1. The position set out in Article 1(1) shall be expressed by the Member States that are members of the CESNI, acting jointly in the interests of the Union. 2. The position set out in Article 1(2) shall be expressed by the Member States that are members of the CCNR, acting jointly in the interests of the Union.

Article 3 Minor technical changes to the positions set out in Article 1 may be agreed upon without further decision of the Council.

Article 4 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 9 April 2021. For the Council The President A. P. ZACARIAS

(1) Directive (EU) 2017/2397 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 on the recognition of professional qualifications in inland navigation and repealing Council Directives 91/672/EEC and 96/50/EC (OJ L 345, 27.12.2017, p. 53).