It creates a system of licensing (recognition), which is subject to a number of criteria and obligations to ensure that a recognised organisation* applies the same standards to all ships in its register, irrespective of the flag the ships fly.
EU recognition scheme
EU countries must submit a request to the European Commission to gain recognition for an organisation.
Recognition is granted and managed centrally by the Commission. It is a prerequisite for any organisation to be authorised by an EU country to perform statutory inspections and surveys of ships flying its flag (Directive 2009/15/EC, see summary).
To obtain recognition, the organisation must comply with the following minimum criteria:
The Commission may require the organisation to take preventive and remedial action if it fails to fulfil the requirements or when its performance in the areas of pollution prevention and safety has worsened significantly.
Fines, periodic penalty payments and withdrawal of recognition
The Commission may impose fines on a recognised organisation when worsening performance or serious or repeated failure to meet the minimum criteria or obligations of this regulation reveals serious shortcomings in the organisation’s structure, systems, procedures or internal controls. A fine may also be imposed if the organisation provides deliberately incorrect or incomplete information in the context of its assessment.
The Commission may also decide to issue periodic penalty payments against the recognised organisation if it does not implement the required remedial and preventive measures.
The Commission may decide, upon request from an EU country or on its own initiative, to withdraw recognition under specific circumstances. These may arise, in particular, when there is either serious and repeated failure to meet the regulation’s minimum criteria or requirements, or poor performance constitutes an unacceptable threat to safety or the environment.
Regulation (EU) No 788/2014 lays down detailed rules for the imposition of fines and periodic penalty payments and the withdrawal of recognition.
Assessment of organisations
The Commission, together with the EU country which submitted the request for recognition, must assess the recognised organisations at least every 2 years. Assessors must check compliance with the obligations and minimum criteria and pay special attention to safety, pollution prevention and casualty records.
Rules and procedures
Recognised organisations must consult with each other with the aim of harmonising their rules and procedures* and defining the conditions required for the mutual recognition of the class certificates* issued for materials, equipment and components. Certificates of marine equipment conforming to Directive 2014/90/EU (see summary) must be accepted by recognised organisations for classification purposes.
Independent quality assessment and certification body
Recognised organisations must set up an independent quality assessment and certification body which is responsible for assessing and certifying their quality management systems. The work of this body must be periodically assessed by the Commission.
It has applied since 17 June 2009.
Directive 2009/15/EC, adopted at the same time as Regulation (EC) No 391/2009, sets up the legal framework governing relations between EU countries and recognised organisations.
For more information, see:
Regulation (EC) No 391/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on common rules and standards for ship inspection and survey organisations (OJ L 131, 28.5.2009, pp. 11-23)
Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 391/2009 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
last update 19.02.2021