Article 1 Purpose
The purpose of this Directive is to lay down a uniform level of specific stability requirements for ro-ro passenger ships, which will improve the survivability of this type of vessel in case of collision damage and provide a high level of safety for the passengers and the crew.
Article 2 Definitions
For the purpose of this Directive, the following definitions shall apply: (a) ‘ro-ro passenger ship’ means a ship carrying more than 12 passengers, having ro-ro cargo spaces or special category spaces, as defined in Regulation II-2/3 of the SOLAS Convention, as amended; (b) ‘new ship’ means a ship the keel of which is laid or which is at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 October 2004: a similar stage of construction means the stage at which: (i) construction identifiable with a specific ship begins; and (ii) assembly of that ship has commenced comprising at least 50 tonnes or 1 % of the estimated mass of structural material, whichever is less; (b) ‘new ship’ means a ship the keel of which is laid or which is at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 October 2004: a similar stage of construction means the stage at which: (i) construction identifiable with a specific ship begins; and (ii) assembly of that ship has commenced comprising at least 50 tonnes or 1 % of the estimated mass of structural material, whichever is less; (c) ‘an existing ship’ means a ship which is not a new ship; (d) ‘a passenger’ is every person other than the master and the members of the crew or other persons employed or engaged in any capacity on board a ship on the business of that ship and other than a child under one year of age; (e) ‘international Conventions’ means the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (the SOLAS Convention), and the 1966 International Convention on Load Lines, together with Protocols and amendments thereto in force; (f) ‘regular service’ means a series of ro-ro passenger ship crossings serving traffic between the same two or more ports, which is operated either: (i) according to a published timetable; or (ii) with crossings so regular or frequent that they constitute a recognisable systematic series; (f) ‘regular service’ means a series of ro-ro passenger ship crossings serving traffic between the same two or more ports, which is operated either: (i) according to a published timetable; or (ii) with crossings so regular or frequent that they constitute a recognisable systematic series; (g) ‘Stockholm Agreement’ means the Agreement concluded at Stockholm on 28 February 1996 in pursuance of SOLAS 95 Conference Resolution 14 ‘Regional agreements on specific stability requirements for ro-ro passenger ships’, adopted on 29 November 1995; (h) ‘administration of flag State’ means the competent authorities of the State whose flag the ro-ro passenger ship is entitled to fly; (i) ‘host State’ means a Member State to or from whose ports a ro-ro passenger ship is engaged on a regular service; (j) ‘international voyage’ means a sea voyage from a port of a Member State to a port outside that Member State, or vice versa; (k) ‘specific stability requirements’ means the stability requirements set out in Annex I; (l) ‘significant wave height’ (‘h s ’) is the average height of the highest third of wave heights observed over a given period; (m) ‘residual freeboard’ (‘f r ’) is the minimum distance between the damaged ro-ro deck and the final waterline at the location of the damage, without taking into account the additional effect of the sea water accumulated on the damaged ro-ro deck.
Article 3 Scope
1. This Directive shall apply to all ro-ro passenger ships operating to or from a port of a Member State on a regular service, regardless of their flag, when engaged on international voyages. 2. Each Member State, in its capacity as host State, shall ensure that ro-ro passenger ships, flying the flag of a State which is not a Member State, comply fully with the requirements of this Directive before they may be engaged on voyages from or to ports of that Member State in accordance with Article 4 of Directive 1999/35/EC.
Article 4 Significant wave heights
The significant wave heights (h S ) shall be used for determining the height of water on the car deck when applying the specific stability requirements contained in Annex I. The figures of significant wave heights shall be those which are not exceeded by a probability of more than 10 % on a yearly basis.
Article 5 Sea areas
1. Host States shall establish, not later than 17 May 2004, a list of sea areas crossed by ro-ro passenger ships operating on regular service to or from their ports as well as the corresponding values of significant wave heights in these areas. 2. The sea areas and the applicable values of the significant wave height in these areas shall be defined by agreement between the Member States or, wherever applicable and possible, between Member States and third countries at both ends of the route. Where the ship's route crosses more than one sea area, the ship shall satisfy the specific stability requirements for the highest value of significant wave height identified for these areas. 3. The list shall be notified to the Commission and published in a public database available in the internet site of the competent maritime authority. The location of such information as well as any updates to the list and the reasons for such updates shall also be notified to the Commission.
Article 6 Specific stability requirements
1. Without prejudice to the requirements of Regulation II-I/B/8 of the SOLAS Convention (SOLAS 90 standard) relating to watertight subdivision and stability in damaged condition, all ro-ro passenger ships referred to in Article 3(1) shall comply with the specific stability requirements set out in Annex I to this Directive. 2. For ro-ro passenger ships operating exclusively in sea areas where the significant wave height is equal to or lower than 1,5 metres, compliance with the requirements of the regulation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be considered equivalent to compliance with the specific stability requirements set out in Annex I. 3. In applying the requirements set out in Annex I, Member States shall use the guidelines set out in Annex II, in so far this is practicable and compatible with the design of the ship in question.
Article 7 Introduction of the specific stability requirements
1. New ro-ro passenger ships shall comply with the specific stability requirements as set out in Annex I. 2. Existing ro-ro passenger ships, with the exception of those ships to which Article 6(2) applies, shall comply with the specific stability requirements as set out in Annex I not later than 1 October 2010. Existing ro-ro passenger ships which on 17 May 2003 are in compliance with the requirements of the regulation referred to in Article 6(1) shall comply with the specific stability requirements as set out in Annex I not later than 1 October 2015. 3. This Article shall be without prejudice to Article 4(1)(e) of Directive 1999/35/EC.
Article 8 Certificates
1. All new and existing ro-ro passenger ships flying the flag of a Member State shall carry a certificate confirming compliance with the specific stability requirements established in Article 6 and Annex I. This certificate, which shall be issued by the administration of the flag State and may be combined with other related certificates, will indicate the significant wave height up to which the ship can satisfy the specific stability requirements. The certificate shall remain valid as long as the ship operates in an area with the same or a lower value of significant wave height. 2. Each Member State acting in its capacity as host State shall recognise certificates issued by another Member State in pursuance of this Directive. 3. Each Member State acting in its capacity as host State shall accept certificates issued by a third country certifying that a ship complies with the specific stability requirements established.
Article 9 Seasonal and short-time period operations
1. If a shipping company operating a regular service on a year-round basis wishes to introduce additional ro-ro passenger ships to operate for a shorter period on that service, it shall notify the competent authority of the host State or States not later than one month before the said ships are operated on that service. However, in cases where, following unforeseen circumstances, a replacement ro-ro passenger ship must be introduced rapidly to ensure continuity of service, Directive 1999/35/EC shall apply. 2. If a shipping company wishes to operate seasonally a regular service for a shorter time period not exceeding six months a year, it shall notify the competent authority of the host State or States not later than three months before such operation takes place. 3. Where such operations take place under conditions of lower significant wave height than those established for the same sea area for all-year-round operation, the significant wave height value applicable for this shorter time period may be used by the competent authority for determining the height of water on the deck when applying the specific stability requirements contained in Annex I. The value of the significant wave height applicable for this shorter time period shall be agreed between the Member States or, wherever applicable and possible, between Member States and third countries at both ends of the route. 4. Following agreement of the competent authority of the host State or States for operations within the meaning of paragraphs 1 and 2, the ro-ro passenger ship which undertakes such operations shall be required to carry a certificate confirming compliance with the provisions of this Directive, as provided for in Article 8(1).
Article 10 
Adaptations The Annexes to this Directive may be amended by the Commission in order to take account of developments at international level, in particular in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and to improve the effectiveness of this Directive in the light of experience and technical progress. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 11(2).
Article 11 
Committee procedure 1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee on Safe Seas and the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (COSS) set up by Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2099/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 8 ) 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.
Article 12 Penalties
Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive and shall take all the measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The penalties provided for shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
Article 13 Implementation
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive before 17 November 2004. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. When Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by the Member States.
Article 14 Entry into force
This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
Article 15 Addressees
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.