Proposal for a Regulation on the European Maritime Safety Agency and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002

Author (Corporate)
Series Details COM (2023) 269
Publication Date 01/06/2023
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Summary:

Legislative initiative - tabled by the European Commission on 1 June 2023 - seeking to update the mandate of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and repeal Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002. This is a text with EEA relevance.

Further information:

The first building blocks of the European maritime safety policy were laid out as a consequence of major oil tanker accidents. In particular, the Erika oil tanker accident envisaged the establishment of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to support the European Commission and Member States of the European Union (EU) with the application and monitoring of EU legislation in the field of maritime safety, as well as the evaluation of its effectiveness. EMSA was established by Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002.

Following the adopting of its founding Regulation, successive amendments progressively expanded the Agency's objectives and tasks to adapt its activities to EU maritime policy developments. The Regulation was modified five times since 2002, mainly due to changes to the EU's maritime legislation. EMSA was also subject to an external evaluation in 2017, which concluded that while its objectives, activities and outputs are adequate, changes to its mandate might be required to adapt it to developments in legislation, the sector and emerging political priorities.

The European Green Deal announced in 2019 emphasised the need to accelerate the transition to a zero pollution and climate-neutral economy, including through the shift to sustainable mobility with significant shifts towards cleaner fuels and more sustainable maritime sector transport. In 2020, the Commission adopted its Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategywhich included the revision of the EMSA's founding Regulation.

The draft law seeks to revise EMSA’s mandate to better reflect the growing role the Agency plays in many maritime transport areas. It was adopted by the European Commission on 1 June 2023 as part of a legislative package seeking to modernise rules on maritime safety while preventing water pollution from ships.

Source Link Link to Main Source https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2023:269:FIN
Related Links
Official
EUR-LEX: SWD(2023)147: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Revision of Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 establishing a European Maritime Safety Agency https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2023:147:FIN
European Commission: Press Release, 01/06/2023: Maritime safety: new proposals to support clean and modern shipping https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_2919
European Commission: Questions and Answers on Maritime safety: new proposals to support clean and modern shipping (1 June 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_23_2920

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