EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Real Estate, Transport

The EU Directive 2006/87/EC adopted in 2006 established harmonised conditions for issuing technical certificates for inland waterway vessels. The Directive is aimed at increasing the safety of passengers and freight transport by inland waterway in the European Union. The new certificate, delivered in compliance with the common requirements, will be valid for navigation on all European inland waterways, including the Rhine.

The new Directive replaces 25-year-old technical rules, i.e. Directive 82/714/EEC and establishes high level safety standards, equivalent to those for shipping on the Rhine. These requirements can be adapted in the future to reflect technical progress. The previous certificate was not valid for navigation on the Rhine, through which the major part of Europe’s inland waterway transportation is channeled (IP/09/5, Brussels, 05 January 2009).

Community waterways are classified into four different navigable zones. Depending on the zone, reduced or additional technical requirements may be applied by the Member States. The Directive also allows a number of derogations from the common rules, if justified by local navigation conditions.

Following decisions by the international river commissions in November and December 2008, the new certificate is also valid for navigation on the stretches of the Rhine and the Danube outside the EU territory.

More information on:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/inland/index_en.htm