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Summaries of EU Legislation

Inland waterways — river information services (RIS)

Date of last review:
16/10/2020
Author:
Publications Office of the European Union
Responsible entity(ies):
Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport

Inland waterways — river information services (RIS)

 

SUMMARY OF:

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1744 on technical specifications for electronic ship reporting in inland navigation

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/838 on technical specifications for vessel tracking and tracing systems

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 909/2013 on the technical specifications for the electronic chart display and information system for inland navigation (Inland ECDIS) referred to in Directive 2005/44/EC

Regulation (EC) No 416/2007 concerning the technical specifications for notices to skippers

Regulation (EC) No 414/2007 concerning the technical guidelines for the planning, implementation and operational use of river information services (RIS) referred to in Directive 2005/44/EC

Directive 2005/44/EC on harmonised river information services (RIS) on inland waterways in the EU

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE LEGISLATION?

  • Directive 2005/44/EC establishes river information services (RIS), aiming to:
    • increase competitiveness in the sector;
    • optimise the use of existing inland waterway infrastructures;
    • improve safety and security in waterway transport;
    • reduce the sector’s negative environmental impacts.
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1744 outlines detailed technical specifications for electronic ship reporting and repeals Regulation (EU) No 164/2010.
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/838 outlines detailed technical specifications for vessel tracking and tracing systems and repeals Regulation (EC) No 415/2007.
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) No 909/2013, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1973, defines technical specifications for the electronic chart display and information system.
  • Regulation (EC) No 416/2007, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2032, defines the technical specifications for notices to skippers.
  • Regulation (EC) No 414/2007 defines guidelines for RIS planning, implementation and operations.

KEY POINTS

Directive 2005/44/EC establishes EU river information services (RIS) aiming to enhance safety, efficiency and environmental friendliness and facilitate interfaces with other transport modes. EU countries are responsible for its implementation, including establishing RIS centres and designating authorities to oversee its application and the exchange of international data. The European Commission is responsible for setting out technical guidelines for RIS planning, implementation and operations in a series of implementing acts.

RIS are the harmonised information services to support traffic and transport management in inland navigation, including interfaces with other transport modes. RIS may interface with commercial activities other than those happening internally between companies. RIS comprise services, such as:

  • geographical, hydrological, and administrative information about the waterway (fairway information),
  • traffic information,
  • traffic management,
  • calamity abatement support,
  • information for transport management,
  • statistics and customs services,
  • waterway charges and port dues.

The directive outlines a framework to develop technical requirements and specifications to:

  • achieve a harmonised exchange of information between different actors providing RIS;
  • improve the interaction with other traffic management systems of other transport modes, in particular maritime vessel traffic management and information services;
  • develop interoperable systems for inland waterway transport services;
  • set up a framework to develop guidelines and specifications.

Annexes specify minimum data requirements and principles covering RIS guidelines and technical specifications. The Commission can adopt implementing acts amending the annexes in the light of experience and technical progress.

Regulation (EC) No 414/2007 defines guidelines for RIS planning, implementation and operations, including:

  • participating vessels;
  • RIS architecture, including stakeholders, service providers, users, objectives, tasks and applications;
  • recommendations for individual services, including:
    • a radiotelephone service,
    • an internet service,
    • the electronic chart display and information system for inland navigation (Inland ECDIS),
    • traffic information,
    • traffic management,
    • navigational support,
    • lock and bridge management,
    • calamity abatement support,
    • information for transport logistics,
    • information for law enforcement;
  • RIS planning, including training;
  • stepwise development of RIS;
  • RIS standardisation procedures.

Regulation (EC) No 416/2007, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2032, defines the technical specifications for notices to skippers. Fairway information services (FIS) are used by boat-masters and fleet managers to plan, execute and monitor a voyage. The terms ‘boat-master’, ‘skipper’ and ‘shipmaster’ are considered equivalent in RIS.

FIS provide dynamic information (such as water levels and water-level predictions) as well as static information (such as the operating times of locks and bridges), thereby helping users to make tactical and strategic navigation decisions.

Implementing Regulation (EU) No 909/2013, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1973, defines technical specifications for the electronic chart display and information system for inland navigation (Inland ECDIS). Its annex includes detailed specifications for:

  • performance standards,
  • data standards,
  • codes for producers and waterways,
  • presentation standards,
  • operational and performance requirements, methods of testing and required test results,
  • measures to ensure software quality,
  • system configurations.

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/838 repeals Regulation (EC) No 415/2007 and outlines detailed technical specifications for vessel tracking and tracing systems in inland waterway transport, including rules related to aids to navigation in inland navigation.

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1744 repeals Regulation (EU) No 164/2010 and outlines detailed technical specifications for electronic ship reporting in inland navigation, including:

  • a message implementation manual convention for electronic ship reporting in inland navigation, based on the United Nations rules for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT)*:
    • (dangerous) goods reporting,
    • passenger and crew lists,
    • response and receipt message (an automatic response sent using the EDIFACT protocol indicating the receipt of a message),
    • berth management port notification (where a vessel needs to unload its cargo, it notifies the relevant port in advance; this allows the port to manage how it allocates berths);
  • codes and references used in electronic ship reporting for inland navigation.

FROM WHEN DOES THIS LEGISLATION APPLY?

  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1744 applies from 26 April 2022.
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/838 applies from 13 June 2020.
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) No 909/2013 applies from 20 June 2021.
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2032, which amends Regulation (EC) No 416/2007, applies from 29 June 2021.
  • Regulation (EC) No 414/2007 has applied since 24 April 2007.
  • Directive 2005/44/EC has applied since 20 October 2007. It had to become law in the EU countries by 20 October 2007.

BACKGROUND

See also:

KEY TERMS

UN/EDIFACT: a global set of rules defined by the United Nations for the electronic data exchange between 2 or more partners via electronic data interchange (EDI). EDI optimises workflow by replacing previous communication processes such as mail, fax or email and electronically exchanges specific business documents between 2 or more parties. EDI takes in the entire electronic data interchange process: the message transmission, message flow, document format, and the software used to interpret the documents.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1744 of 17 September 2019 on technical specifications for electronic ship reporting in inland navigation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 164/2010 (OJ L 273, 25.10.2019, pp. 1-182)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/838 of 20 February 2019 on technical specifications for vessel tracking and tracing systems and repealing Regulation (EC) No 415/2007 (OJ L 138, 24.5.2019, pp. 31-69)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2032 of 20 November 2018 amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 416/2007 concerning the technical specifications for Notices to Skippers (OJ L 332, 28.12.2018, pp. 1-181)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 909/2013 of 10 September 2013 on the technical specifications for the electronic chart display and information system for inland navigation (Inland ECDIS) referred to in Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 258, 28.9.2013, pp. 1-39)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 909/2013 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 416/2007 of 22 March 2007 concerning the technical specifications for Notices to Skippers as referred to in Article 5 of Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised river information services (RIS) on inland waterways in the Community (OJ L 105, 23.4.2007, pp. 88-253)

See consolidated version.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 414/2007 of 13 March 2007 concerning the technical guidelines for the planning, implementation and operational use of river information services (RIS) referred to in Article 5 of Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on harmonised river information services (RIS) on inland waterways in the Community (OJ L 105, 23.4.2007, pp. 1-34)

Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on harmonised river information services (RIS) on inland waterways in the Community (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, pp. 152-159)

See consolidated version.

last update 16.10.2020

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