Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the 'Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Towards a new maritime strategy` (97/C 379/13)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Communication from the European Commission entitled 'Towards a new maritime strategy` (COM(96) 81 final);

having regard to the decision taken by the Commission on 13 March 1996, under the first paragraph of Article 198c of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult the Committee of the Regions on the matter;

having regard to its decision of 15 January 1997 to direct Commission 3 for Transport and Communications Network to draw up the relevant opinion;

having regard to the draft Opinion CdR 137/97 rev. adopted by Commission 3 on 19 June 1997 (rapporteur: Mr Laan),

adopted the following opinion at its 19th plenary session on 17 and 18 September 1997 (meeting of 17 September).

1. Introduction

1.1. The Committee of the Regions thanks the European Commission for its document entitled Towards a new maritime strategy. The document gives an insight into the high importance which the Commission attaches to a sound safety policy and the strengthening of the competitive position of the European shipping industry.

1.2. The Committee attaches great importance to a healthy and safe European transport sector. Shipping plays an important part in Community transport, and coastal shipping also ensures that peripheral areas of the Union continue to enjoy regular maritime transport services.

1.3. The Committee of the Regions welcomes the emphasis which the Commission places in the document on improving safety. Failure by ship-owners to comply with international safety rules carries considerable risks and may distort competition.

1.4. In this connection, the document pays considerable attention to sub-standard ships. The Committee is glad that the Commission is submitting policy proposals aimed at securing fair and uniform application of port state rules by the Member States.

The Committee would like to point out here that there is at present no clear definition of 'sub-standard` which is accepted by all parties. This also makes it impossible to establish clear rules on the responsibility of cargo-owners for using sub-standard ships.

1.5. The Committee welcomes the European Commission's emphasis on education and employment in the European shipping sector. It is important for the future of European shipping that Europe's maritime skills are not lost. Moreover, in ensuring the safety of shipping, it is important that staff, both at sea and on shore, be well trained.

1.6. The Committee stresses the opportunities offered by maritime transport for helping to bring about a significant reduction in pressure on the environment. Maritime transport should therefore be provided by all available means.

1.7. The Committee of the Regions has noted the strategic document with interest and looks forward to further developments. At all events, the Committee is always willing to exchange ideas with the Commission on ways of further developing the content of the document.

2. General comments

2.1. Supports the European Commission's efforts to achieve strict compliance with internationally agreed safety rules. With a view to this the Committee wholeheartedly supports the Commission's policy efforts to ensure that port state control is applied effectively and uniformly by the Member States.

The Committee also endorses the Commission's efforts, together with the Member States and with the support of other countries, to draw up criteria for the establishment and working methods of the management bodies and registers of flag states.

2.2. Believes that the Member States, from the points of view of both safety and competition, must draw up measures and sanctions which will be meaningful to parties contravening internationally agreed safety rules. The sanctions currently applied are not often an effective deterrent, as they are outweighed by the potential advantages to ship-owners of breaking international rules.

2.3. Endorses the Commission's initiative to improve the training and efficiency of European port state control inspectors. In this way the Commission will improve control; at the same time it will give a positive impetus to maritime training institutions and skills in Europe.

2.4. Welcomes the document's emphasis on promoting safety on board ships via proper initial and further training of all involved in the shipping industry, both at sea and on shore. Language problems between ship and shore all too often lead to misunderstandings and dangerous situations.

2.5. Believes that a public register is needed of demonstrably sub-standard ships and that this information should be rapidly and easily available to all. This would make clear information on sub-standard shipping, which is currently lacking, available. The Committee recognizes that establishing and implementing a public register of this kind will not be easy and therefore calls for the establishment of a temporary working party to advise the Commission on the difficulties and opportunities of a registration system of this kind. At the same time the temporary working party should make use of all available expertise, including that of transport users and ship-owners, in order to draw up meaningful recommendations on public registration. In this connection the European Shippers' Council, and the European Community Shipowners' Association, are together attempting to clarify the meaning of 'sub-standard`.

2.6. Supports the Commission's efforts to strengthen its role in the IMO. The Committee feels however that the Commission should not attempt to translate non-binding IMO resolutions into binding Community legislation. This would damage the operation of the IMO, which is based on voluntary cooperation between countries and implementation of IMO rules.

2.7. Welcomes the Commission's measures aimed at improving safety by encouraging ship operators to adopt higher safety standards. In order to achieve this the Committee feels that the port authorities should be empowered to set and apply the proposed sliding scale of charges based on ships' compliance/non-compliance with high safety standards.

2.8. Believes that government subsidies should be completely transparent. In present circumstances government subsidies aimed at compensating for shortcomings in European shipping arising from unequal competitive conditions worldwide are justified. Government subsidies should be granted only in order to strengthen the strategic position of the European maritime shipping sector and shore-based shipping-related activities, in view of their importance for added value and employment. The Committee feels that support measures by the Member States should be aimed mainly at safeguarding and creating jobs, both for European seafarers and shore-based staff.

2.9. Points to the importance of recognizing the intermodal transport chain and tackling its problems on a broad front. Frontiers are fading away in Europe and the transport of goods is becoming steadily easier. The Committee feels that a clean and cheap form of transport like shipping should be better integrated with terrestrial modes of transport to ensure better and faster exchange between the various modes of transport.

The Committee would point out that a previous Commission decision requires all necessary measures to be taken to expand short sea shipping vis-à-vis road and rail transport. Sea transport is the least polluting, the most economical and in terms of frequency, the most suitable form of transport.

2.10. The Committee calls for simplification and improvement of customs formalities where these still exist in the EU, to reduce the obstacles facing Community transport. The Committee hopes that the Commission will be able to continue successfully its current efforts to improve the efficiency and safety of customs traffic.

2.11. Finally, the Committee does not consider the paragraph on the application of the rules of competition in Community shipping entirely clear. There is no evidence that ship-owners' productivity has increased noticeably as a result of the application of EU competition rules. Nor is there any evidence to suggest that the major trade-lane conferences restrict the provision of global services by consortia.

The Committee would like further information from the Commission on the need to amend Regulation (EEC) No 4057/86 () on unfair pricing practices. The Green Paper is not entirely clear on the subject. Amendment could make sense.

Brussels, 17 September 1997.

The Chairman of the Committee of the Regions

Pasqual MARAGALL i MIRA

() OJ L 378, 31. 12. 1986, p. 14; OJ L 93, 7. 4. 1987, p. 18; OJ L 117, 5. 5. 1988, p. 33/35.