The adoption by the European Parliament of the proposal for a regulation establishing a European Maritime Single Window environment has been welcomed by the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF).
In a joint statement on April 18, ECSA and ETF said they look forward to the formal adoption of the regulation soon by the European Council in order for the regulation to enter into force and deliver on the “much-awaited administrative simplification for shipping.”
The proposal to establish a European Maritime Single Window environment replaces the Reporting Formalities Directive. The new, fully harmonized reporting environment for ships will significantly reduce the administrative burden on the maritime sector, improving competitiveness, according to the European Commission.
It will also make it easier for operators and authorities to work together, facilitating the exchange of data and avoiding duplications, it added.
“For several years now the maritime transport social partners have called for a reduction of the administrative burden for shipping. The endless paperwork faced today is detrimental to the motivation and functioning of the masters and officers working on board and the onshore shipping companies’ staff, as well as to smooth shipping operations in ports,” the ECSA and ETF statement said.
“With the adoption of the Regulation, shipping is a big step closer to enjoying a genuine single market and a true facilitation and simplification,” they stated.
Under the proposed regulation, there will be a harmonized, exhaustive list of the data elements that need to be provided. Additional requirements can only be allowed in exceptional and duly justified circumstances.
Particularly welcomed by the two groups is that harmonized spreadsheets will be developed and accepted in any port and that manual reporting can be done via a user-friendly graphical user interface that must be constructed and look in such a way that one can easily navigate through it and fulfill the reporting obligations whatever port is called at.
“Once the Council will have given the green light, the implementation of the Regulation can start, and ECSA and ETF call upon the Commission and Member States to stick to the ambition of the proposal: a real single market for shipping without an administrative burden on crew. ETF and ECSA stand ready to provide their expertise in the implementation phase,” the statement concluded.
Photo: S3l3totsirA
