Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the International Maritime Organization during the 110th session of the Maritime Safety Committee on the adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the 1994 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (1994 HSC Code) and the 2000 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (2000 HSC Code)
Date: 2025-05-22
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: International Maritime Organisation, harmonisation of standards, international convention, international standard, maritime safety, revision of an agreement, safety standard, technical specification, vessel

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 22.5.2025  COM(2025) 249 final 2025/0121 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the International Maritime Organization during the 110th session of the Maritime Safety Committee on the adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the 1994 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (1994 HSC Code) and the 2000 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (2000 HSC Code)  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PROPOSAL 

This proposal concerns a decision establishing the position to be taken on the Union's behalf 
at the 110th session of the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee 
(MSC 110), scheduled to take place from 18 to 27 June 2025.  

During the MSC 110, it is envisaged to adopt amendments to: 

the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, 

the 1994 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (1994 HSC Code) and  

the 2000 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (2000 HSC Code). 

2. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

2.1. 

The Convention on the International Maritime Organization  

The Convention on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) establishes the IMO. The 
IMO’s purpose is to provide a forum for co-operation in the field of regulation and practices 
relating to technical matters of all kinds affecting shipping engaged in international trade. It 
furthermore  aims  to  encourage  the  general  adoption  of  the  highest  practicable  standards  in 
matters  concerning  maritime  safety,  efficiency  of  navigation  and  prevention  and  control  of 
marine  pollution  from  ships,  promoting  a  level  playing  field.  It  also  to  deal  with  related 
administrative and legal matters. 

The Convention entered into force on 17 March 1958. 

All Member States are parties to the Convention. The Union is not a party to the Convention. 

All  Member  States  are  parties  to  the  International  Convention  for  the  Safety  of  Life  at  Sea 
('SOLAS'),  1974,  which  entered  into  force  on  25  May  1980.  The  Union  is  not  a  party  to 
SOLAS.  

2.2. 

The International Maritime Organization  

The  International  Maritime  Organization  (IMO)  is  the  United  Nations’  specialised  agency 
with  responsibility  for  the  safety  and  security  of  shipping  and  the  prevention  of  marine 
pollution  by  ships.  It  is  the  global  standard-setting  authority  for  the  safety,  security,  and 
environmental  performance  of  international  shipping.  Its  main  role  is  to  create  a  regulatory 
framework  for  the  shipping  industry  that  is  fair  and  effective,  universally  adopted  and 
universally implemented.  

Membership in the IMO is open to all States and all EU Member States are IMO members. 
The  EC’s  relations  with  IMO  are  based  today  on  the  IMO  Resolution  A.1168(32)  which 
prescribes the procedures and terms for the cooperation between IMO and intergovernmental 
organisations.  

IMO’s  Maritime  Safety  Committee  (MSC)  consists  of  all  the  IMO  Members  and  meets  at 
least once a year. It considers any matter within the scope of the Organization concerned with 
aids to navigation, construction, and equipment of vessels, manning from a safety standpoint, 
rules  for  the  prevention  of  collisions,  handling  of  dangerous  cargoes,  maritime  safety 
procedures and requirements, hydrographic information, log-books and navigational records, 
marine  casualty  investigation,  salvage  and  rescue,  and  any  other  matters  directly  affecting 
maritime safety.  

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Pursuant  to  Article  28(b)  of  the  IMO  Convention,  IMO’s  Maritime  Safety  Committee 
provides machinery for performing any duties assigned to them by the IMO Convention, the 
IMO  Assembly  or  the  IMO  Council,  or  any  duty  within  the  above  scope  which  may  be 
assigned  to  them  by  or  under  any  other  international  instrument  and  accepted  by  the  IMO. 
Decisions of the Maritime Safety Committee, and of their subsidiary bodies, are adopted by a 
majority of their Members.  

The envisaged act of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee 

2.3. 
On 18 to 27 June 2025, during its 110th session, the Maritime Safety Committee is to adopt 
amendments  to  chapters  II-1,  II-2  and  V  of  SOLAS  and  1994  HSC  Code  and  2000  HSC 
Code. 

The purpose of the envisaged amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-1 is to provide clarification 
and certainty on the application of the IGF Code to gaseous fuels.  

The  purpose  of  the  envisaged  amendments  to  SOLAS  Chapter  II-2  is  to  ensure  consistent 
implementation of this provision for passenger ships and cargo ships. 

The purpose of the envisaged amendments to SOLAS Chapter V is to improve the safety of 
pilots at sea.  

The  purpose  of  the  envisaged  amendments  to  1994  HSC  Code  and  2000  HSC  Code  is  to 
harmonise the lifejacket carriage requirements with the requirements in SOLAS chapter III. 

3. 

POSITION  TO  BE  TAKEN  ON  THE  UNION'S  BEHALF  IN  THE  110TH  SESSION  OF  THE 
MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE  

3.1. 

Amendments to Chapter II-1 of SOLAS 

At its 108th session, the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 108) considered the application of 
the IGF Code to fuels with a low-flashpoint and other gaseous fuels, noted a need to clarify 
whether or not the IGF Code applies to ships using gas as fuel irrespective of flashpoint and 
agreed to refer the issue to Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 10) 
and to receive the advice of CCC at MSC 109.  

During CCC 10, the Sub-Committee agreed to the general approach that the IGF Code should 
apply  to  low-flashpoint  fuels  and  gas  fuels  and  recommended  to  MSC  109  that  SOLAS 
chapter  II-1  would  require  an  amendment.  The  Union’s  position  in  CCC  10  was  to  support 
further consideration on the best way forward on how and whether all gaseous fuels should be 
considered as falling within the scope of the IGF Code. 

MSC 109 established the Working Group on Development of a Safety Regulatory Framework 
to  Support  the  Reduction  of  GHG  Emissions  from  Ships  Using  New  Technologies  and 
Alternative  Fuels  and  instructed  it  to  prepare  draft  amendments  to  SOLAS  regulations  II-
1/2.29, 56 and 57 for consideration by the Committee. The Union’s position in MSC 109 was 
to support the need to clarify urgently the scope of application of the IGF code by adopting, if 
relevant, draft amendments to SOLAS.  

Having  considered  the  report  of  the  Working  Group,  MSC  109  approved  the  draft  SOLAS 
amendments in relation to the application of the IGF Code with a view to adoption at MSC 
110. These amendments are circulated through IMO Circular Letter No.4953 of 17 December 
2024 in Annex 1.  

The  Union  should  support  these  amendments  because  they  will  provide  clarification  and 
certainty on the application of the IGF Code to gaseous fuels. 

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Amendments to Chapter II-2 of SOLAS 

3.2. 
At its 10th session, the Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 10) considered 
document  minor  corrections  to  SOLAS  regulations  II-2/11.2  and  11.4.1,  with  a  view  to 
ensuring  consistent  implementation  of  this  provision  for  passenger  ships  and  cargo  ships. 
Following  discussion,  the  Sub-Committee  supported  the  proposal  and  agreed  to  the  draft 
amendments to SOLAS regulation II-2/11, as minor corrections 7, with a view to approval by 
MSC 109 and adoption by MSC 110. The Union’s position in SSE 10 was to support these 
amendments  in  order  to  ensure  consistent  implementation  of  this  provision  for  passenger 
ships and cargo ships.  

MSC  109  approved  the  draft  amendments  to  SOLAS  regulation  II-2/11,  for  consistent 
implementation of this provision for passenger ships and cargo ships, with a view to adoption 
at  MSC 110. These amendments are circulated through  IMO Circular Letter No.4953  of  17 
December 2024 in Annex 1. 

The  Union  should  support  these  amendments  because  they  will  ensure  consistent 
implementation of this provision for passenger ships and cargo ships. 

3.3. 

Amendments to Chapter V of SOLAS 

MSC  106  agreed  to  include  in  the  biennial  agenda  of  the  Sub-Committee  on  Navigation, 
Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) for 2022-2023 and the provisional agenda 
for NCSR 10 an output on "Revision of SOLAS regulation V/23 and associated instruments to 
improve the safety of pilot transfer arrangements", with a target completion year of 2024. The 
Union’s  position  in  MSC  106  was  to  support  in  principle  the  proposal  to  establish  a  new 
output to amend SOLAS regulation V/23 and associated instruments to improve the safety of 
pilot transfer arrangements. 

NCSR  10  commenced  the  work  on  the  necessary  revision  of  SOLAS  regulation  V/23.  To 
continue the work the Sub-Committee agreed to establish a Correspondence Group on Pilot 
Transfer  Arrangements  under  the  coordination  of  China  with  a  view  to  finalization  of  this 
output  at  NCSR  11.  The  Union’s  position  in  NCSR  10  was  to  propose  that  the  technical 
discussion should continue by experts in a working group.  

The  Correspondence  Group  presented  to  NCSR  11  draft  amendments  to  SOLAS  regulation 
transfer  arrangements.  Following 
V/23  and  draft  performance  standards  for  pilot 
consideration,  the  Sub-Committee  referred  this  report  to  the  Working  Group  on  Navigation 
for  review  and  finalization  of  the  draft  amendments  to  SOLAS  and  the  draft  performance 
standards. Having  considered the Working Group's report, the Sub-Committee agreed to the 
draft amendments to SOLAS regulation V/23 and the appendix (Certificates), the associated 
draft  MSC  resolution  on  performance  standards  for  pilot  transfer  arrangements,  and  invited 
the Committee to approve them, for subsequent adoption. The Union’s position in NCSR 11 
was to propose that all documents are referred to the Working Group on Navigation to further 
develop the amendments to SOLAS regulation V/23, and the associated instruments. 

MSC  109  approved  the  draft  amendments  to  SOLAS  regulation  V/23  and  the  appendix 
(Certificates), with a view to adoption at MSC 110. These amendments are circulated through 
IMO Circular Letter No.4953 of 17 December 2024 in Annex 1. 

The Union should support these amendments because they will improve the safety of pilots at 
sea.  

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3.4. 

Amendments to 1994 HSC Code and 2000 HSC Code 

MSC  101  agreed  to  include,  in  its  post-biennial  agenda,  an  output  on  "Development  of 
amendments  to  paragraph  8.3.5  and  annex  1  of  the  1994  and  2000  HSC  Codes",  with  one 
session  needed  to  complete  the  item,  assigning  the  SSE  Sub-Committee  as  the  associated 
organ. The Union’s position in MSC 101 was to support the proposal for the establishment of 
a new output for the SSE Sub-Committee to harmonize the lifejacket requirements suitable for 
infants in the HSC Codes to the lifejacket carriage requirements of SOLAS chapter III. 

SSE  9  had  agreed  to  include  the  agenda  item  in  the  provisional  agenda  of  SSE  10. SSE  10 
instructed the LSA Working Group, taking into account comments made and decisions taken 
in  plenary,  to  finalize  the  draft  amendments  to  the  1994  and  2000  HSC  Codes.  Having 
considered the relevant part of the report of the LSA Working Group, SSE 10 agreed to the 
draft  amendments  to  the 1994 and 2000 HSC Codes, with  a view to  approval  by MSC 109 
and subsequent adoption by MSC 110. 

MSC 109 approved the draft amendments to paragraph 8.3.5 (Personal life-saving appliances) 
and  annex  1  (Record  of  Equipment),  of  the  1994  HSC  Code  and  paragraph  8.3.5  (Personal 
life-saving  appliances)  and  annex  1  (Record  of  Equipment),  of  the  2000  HSC  Code,  with  a 
view  to  adoption  at  MSC  110,  and  expected  entry  into  force  on  1  January  2028.  These 
amendments  are  circulated  through  IMO  Circular  Letter  No.4953  of  17  December  2024  in 
Annex 2 and 3.  

The  Union  should  support  these  amendments  because  they  will  harmonise  the  lifejacket 
carriage requirements with the requirements in SOLAS chapter III and improve the safety of 
infants in case of an accident.  

4. 

RELEVANT EU LEGISLATION AND EU COMPETENCE 

4.1. 

Relevant EU legislation 

4.1.1.  Amendments to Chapter II-1 of SOLAS 
Article 6(2)(a)(i) of Directive 2009/45/EC1  on safety rules and standards for passenger ships 
provides  that  new  passenger  ships  of  Class  A  engaged  in  domestic  voyages  within  the  EU 
shall comply entirely with the requirements of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended.  

In addition, Annex I of Directive 2009/45/EC includes two regulations related to ships using 
low-flashpoint fuels:  

• 

• 

Regulation II-1/G/1: applicable to New Class B, C and D [and existing Class B 
ships] - “Ships, irrespective of the date of  construction, converted to using or 
which  undertake  to  use  gaseous  or  liquid  fuel  having  a  flashpoint  lower  than 
otherwise  permitted  under  Regulation  II-2/A/10,  subparagraph.1.1,  shall 
comply  with  the  requirements  of  the  IGF  Code,  as  defined  in  SOLAS  II-
1/2.28.”; and  

Regulation  II-1/G/57:  Requirements  for  ships  using  low-flashpoint  fuels  - 
“ships  using  gaseous  or  liquid  fuel  having  a  flashpoint  lower  than  otherwise 
permitted under Regulation II- 2/4.2.1.1 shall comply with the requirements of 
the IGF Code, as defined in SOLAS II-1/2.28. 

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OJ L 163, 25.6.2009, p. 1 

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Therefore, the amendments  to  Chapter II-1 of SOLAS are  capable of  decisively influencing 
the  content  of  Directive  2009/45/EC.  This  is  because  Article  6(2)(a)(i)  provides  that  new 
passenger ships of Class A shall comply entirely with the requirements of the 1974 SOLAS 
Convention, as amended. 

4.1.2.  Amendments to Chapter II-2 of SOLAS 

Article 6(2)(a)(i) of Directive 2009/45/EC  on safety  rules and standards for passenger ships 
provides  that  new  passenger  ships  of  Class  A  engaged  in  domestic  voyages  within  the  EU 
shall comply entirely with the requirements of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended.  

Therefore, the amendments  to  Chapter II-2  of SOLAS are  capable of decisively  influencing 
the application of Directive 2009/45/EC. This is because Article 6(2)(a)(i) provides that new 
passenger ships of Class A shall comply entirely with the requirements of the 1974 SOLAS 
Convention, as amended. 

4.1.3.  Amendments to Chapter V of SOLAS 

Article 6(2)(a)(i) of Directive 2009/45/EC  on safety  rules and standards for passenger ships 
provides  that  new  passenger  ships  of  Class  A  engaged  in  domestic  voyages  within  the  EU 
shall comply entirely with the requirements of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended.  

In addition, navigation equipment, including the carriage, performance, and type approval of 
pilot  ladders,  is  listed  in  Section  4  of  Commission  Implementing  Regulation  (EU) 
2024/19752.  The  Implementing  Regulation  contains  design,  construction  and  performance 
requirements and testing standards for marine equipment. It is based on the empowerment of 
the  Commission  to  indicate,  through  implementing  acts,  the  design,  construction  and 
performance requirements as well as the testing standards for marine equipment falling within 
the  scope  of  Directive  2014/90/EU  on  marine  equipment3,  in  accordance  with  Article  35(2) 
thereof.  

Therefore, the amendments to Chapter V of SOLAS are capable of decisively influencing the 
application  of  Directive  2009/45/EC  and  Commission  Implementing  Regulation  (EU) 
2024/1975. This is because the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1975 in its 
section 4 lists navigation equipment, including the carriage, performance, and type approval 
of pilot ladders, which are provided for in SOLAS Regulation V/23. 

4.1.4.  Amendments to 1994 HSC Code and 2000 HSC Code 

Article  2(c)  of  Directive  2009/45/EC  defines  the  ‘High  Speed  Craft  Code’  as  the 
‘International  Code  for  Safety  of  High  Speed  Craft’  contained  in  IMO  Resolution  MSC  36 
(63) of 20 May 1994, or the International Code for Safety of High-Speed Craft, 2000 (2000 
HSC Code), contained in IMO Resolution MSC.97(73) of December 2000, in their up-to-date 
versions. 

Article  6(4)  of  Directive  2009/45/EC  on  safety  rules  and  standards  for  passenger  ships 
provides that high speed passenger craft, when engaged on domestic voyages, constructed or 
subjected  to  repairs,  alterations  or  modifications  of  a  major  character  on  or  after  1  January 

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OJ L, 2024/1975, 26.7.2024 
OJ L 257, 28.8.2014, p. 146 

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1996  shall  comply  with  the  requirements  of  Regulation  X/2  and  X/3  of  the  1974  SOLAS 
Convention, which provide for the application of the ‘High Speed Craft Code’. 

Therefore, the amendments to 1994 HSC Code and 2000 HSC Code are capable of decisively 
influencing  the  application  of  Directive  2009/45/EC.  This  is  because  Article  6(4)  provides 
that high speed passenger craft, when engaged on domestic voyages, constructed or subjected 
to repairs, alterations or modifications of a major character on or after 1 January 1996 shall 
comply  with  the  requirements  of  Regulation  X/2  and  X/3  of  the  1974  SOLAS  Convention, 
which provide for the application of the ‘High Speed Craft Code’. 

4.2. 

EU competence 

The subject matter of the envisaged acts concerns an area for which the Union has exclusive 
external competence by virtue of the last limb of Article 3(2) TFEU, as the envisaged acts are 
liable to ‘affect common rules or alter their scope’. 

5. 

LEGAL BASIS 

5.1. 

Procedural legal basis 

5.1.1.  Principles 

Article 218(9) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) provides for 
decisions establishing ‘the positions to be adopted on the Union’s behalf in a body set up by 
an  agreement,  when  that  body  is  called  upon  to  adopt  acts  having  legal  effects,  with  the 
exception of acts supplementing or amending the institutional framework of the agreement.’ 

Article 218(9) TFEU applies regardless of whether the Union is a member of the body or a 
party to the agreement.4 

The concept of ‘acts having legal effects’ includes acts that have legal effects by virtue of the 
rules of international law governing the body in question. It also includes instruments that do 
not  have  a  binding  effect  under  international  law,  but  that  are  ‘capable  of  decisively 
influencing the content of the legislation adopted by the EU legislature’.5 

5.1.2.  Application to the present case 

The IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee is a body set up by an agreement in accordance with 
the Convention on the International Maritime Organization.  

The  acts  which  this  IMO  committee  is  called  upon  to  adopt  constitute  acts  having  legal 
effects. The envisaged acts are capable of decisively influencing the content of the following 
EU legislation and notably: 

– 

Directive  2009/45/EC  on  safety  rules  and  standards  for  passenger  ships.  This  is 
because Article 6(2)(a)(i) provides that new passenger ships of Class A shall comply 
entirely  with  the  requirements  of  the  1974  SOLAS  Convention,  as  amended  and 
Article  6(4)  provides  that  high  speed  passenger  craft,  when  engaged  on  domestic 
voyages, constructed or subjected to repairs, alterations or modifications of a major 
character  on  or  after  1  January  1996  shall  comply  with  the  requirements  of 
Regulation  X/2  and  X/3  of  the  1974  SOLAS  Convention,  which  provide  for  the 
application of the ‘High Speed Craft Code’.   

4 
5 

Case C-399/12 Germany v Council (OIV), ECLI:EU:C:2014:2258, paragraph 64.  
Case C-399/12 Germany v Council (OIV), ECLI:EU:C:2014:2258, paragraphs 61-64.  

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– 

– 

Commission  Implementing  Regulation  (EU)  2024/1975  laying  down  rules  for  the 
application of Directive 2014/90/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, 
as regards design,  construction and performance requirements and testing standards 
for  marine  equipment  and  repealing  Commission  Implementing  Regulation  (EU) 
2023/1667.  This  is  because  in  its  section  4  it  lists  navigation  equipment,  including 
the carriage, performance, and type approval of pilot ladders, which are provided for 
in SOLAS Regulation V/23. 

The  envisaged  acts  do  not  supplement  or  amend  the  institutional  framework  of  the 
Agreement. 

Therefore, the procedural legal basis for the proposed decision is Article 218(9) TFEU. 

5.2. 

Substantive legal basis 

5.2.1.  Principles 

The  substantive  legal  basis  for  a  decision  under  Article  218(9)  TFEU  depends  primarily  on 
the objective and content of the envisaged act in respect of which a position is taken on the 
Union's  behalf.  If the  envisaged act  pursues two  aims or has two components  and if one of 
those  aims  or  components  is  identifiable  as  the  main  one,  whereas  the  other  is  merely 
incidental, the decision under Article 218(9) TFEU must be founded on a single substantive 
legal basis, namely that required by the main or predominant aim or component. 

5.2.2.  Application to the present case 

The main objective and content of the envisaged acts relate to maritime transport. Therefore, 
the substantive legal basis of the proposed decision is Article 100(2) TFEU. 

5.3. 

Conclusion 

The legal basis of the proposed decision should be Article 100(2) TFEU, in conjunction with 
Article 218(9) TFEU. 

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2025/0121 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the International 
Maritime Organization during the 110th session of the Maritime Safety Committee on 
the adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at 
Sea (SOLAS), the 1994 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (1994 HSC 
Code) and the 2000 International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (2000 HSC Code) 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 100(2), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,  

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

The Convention on the International Maritime Organization (‘IMO’) entered into force 
on 17 March 1958.  

The  IMO  is  a  specialised  agency  of  the  United  Nations  with  responsibility  for  the 
safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution 
by  ships.  All  Union  Member  States  are  members  of  the  IMO.  The  Union  is  not  a 
member of the IMO. 

Pursuant  to  Article  28(b)  of  the  Convention  on  the  IMO,  the  Maritime  Safety 
Committee  provides  machinery  for  the  performance  of  any  duties  assigned  to  it  in 
accordance  with  that  Convention,  by  the  IMO  Assembly  or  by  the  IMO  Council,  or 
any  duty  within  the  scope  of  that  Article  which  may  be  assigned  to  the  Maritime 
Safety Committee under any other international instrument and accepted by the IMO. 
The IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee, in its 110th session from 18 to 27 June 2025, 
is to adopt amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 
(SOLAS),  1974,  the  1994  International  Code  of  Safety  for  High-Speed  Craft  (1994 
HSC  Code)  and  the  2000  International  Code  of  Safety  for  High-Speed  Craft  (2000 
HSC Code). 

 It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf during the 
110th  session  of  the  IMO’s  Maritime  Safety  Committee,  as  the  envisioned  acts  are 
capable  of  decisively  influencing  the  content  of  Union  law,  namely  Directive 
2009/45/EC  on  safety  rules  and  standards  for  passenger  ships1  and  Commission 
Implementing  Regulation  (EU)  2024/1975  laying  down  rules  for  the  application  of 
Directive  2014/90/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council,  as  regards 
design,  construction  and  performance  requirements  and  testing  standards  for  marine 
equipment and repealing Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/16672. 

1 
2 

OJ L 163, 25.6.2009, p. 1 
OJ L, 2024/1975, 26.7.2024 

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(6) 

Therefore, the Union should support the amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-1, because 
they  will  provide  clarification  and  certainty  on  the  application  of  the  IGF  Code  to 
gaseous  fuels.  The  Union  should  support  the  amendments  to  SOLAS  Chapter  II-2, 
because  they  will  ensure  consistent  implementation  of  this  provision  for  passenger 
ships and cargo ships. The Union should support the amendments to SOLAS Chapter 
V, because they will improve the safety of pilots at sea. The Union should support the 
amendments to 1994 HSC Code and 2000 HSC Code because they will harmonise the 
lifejacket  carriage  requirements  with  the  requirements  in  SOLAS  chapter  III  and 
improve the safety of infants in case of an accident. 

(7) 

The  Union's  position  is  to  be  expressed  by  the  Member  States  of  the  Union  that  are 
members of the IMO, and by the Commission, acting jointly, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

The  position  to  be  taken  on  the  Union’s  behalf  in  the  110th  session  of  the  IMO’s  Maritime 
Safety Committee shall be to agree to the adoption of amendments to chapters II-1, II-2 and V 
of  to  the  International  Convention  for  the  Safety  of  Life  at  Sea  (SOLAS),  1974,  the  1994 
International  Code  of  Safety  for  High-Speed  Craft  (1994  HSC  Code)  and  the  2000 
International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (2000 HSC Code) as set out in Annex 1, 2 
and 3 of IMO Circular Letter No.4953 of 17 December 2024. 

The  position  referred  to  in  Article  1  shall  be  expressed  by  the  Commission  and  by  the 
Member  States  of  the  Union  that  are  members  of  the  IMO’s  Maritime  Safety  Committee, 
acting jointly in the interest of the Union. 

Article 2 

This Decision is addressed to the Commission and the Member States.   

Article 3 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

EN 

9 

  EN