Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, in the European Committee for drawing up standards in the field of inland navigation (CESNI) and at the plenary session of the Central Commission for the Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR) on the adoption of a standard concerning technical requirements for inland waterways vessels

The CCNR adopted at its Spring Plenary session on 3 June 2015 Resolution CCNR 2015-I-3 concerning the creation and functioning of a European Committee for drawing up standards in the field of inland navigation (CESNI). Its mission includes the adoption of technical standards in various fields, in particular as regards vessels, information technology and crew, the uniform interpretation of these standards and of the corresponding procedures as well as deliberations on safety of navigation, protection of environment or other areas of navigation.

CESNI is composed of experts representing Member States of the CCNR and of the EU. The parties to the CCNR (Germany, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland) and the remaining Member States of the EU have voting rights on the basis of one vote per State. The EU is not a party to the CCNR or to CESNI. However, it may participate in the work of CESNI, along with international organisations whose mission covers the areas concerned by CESNI, without voting rights.

The CESNI Committee adopts standards by unanimity of the votes of the CCNR and EU Member States present. In the absence of a consensus regarding the decision to put the adoption of standards on the agenda, CESNI decides by two-thirds majority of the votes of those Members present at the meeting. In a second step, the CESNI adopts standards by unanimity of the votes of the CCNR and EU Member States present. Once decided, standards are given a unique reference number and are published.

The CCNR has built up significant experience in establishing technical requirements for inland waterway vessels. Established in the framework of CCNR and with the participation of all EU Member States, CESNI therefore possesses the necessary expertise and geographical representativeness to draw up standards common to the entire network of inland waterways in the European Union.

EUR-Lex: COM(2015)549: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2015:549:FIN

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