Legal provisions of COM(2004)76 - Enhancing port security

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dossier COM(2004)76 - Enhancing port security.
document COM(2004)76 EN
date October 26, 2005


Article 1

Subject matter

1. The main objective of this Directive is to introduce Community measures to enhance port security in the face of threats of security incidents. This Directive shall also ensure that security measures taken pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 benefit from enhanced port security.

2. The measures referred to in paragraph 1 shall consist of:

(a)common basic rules on port security measures;

(b)an implementation mechanism for these rules;

(c)appropriate compliance monitoring mechanisms.

Article 2

Scope

1. This Directive lays down security measures which shall be observed in ports. Member States may apply the provisions of this Directive to port-related areas.

2. The measures laid down in this Directive shall apply to every port located in the territory of a Member State in which one or more port facilities covered by an approved port facility security plan pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 is or are situated. This Directive shall not apply to military installations in ports.

3. Member States shall define for each port the boundaries of the port for the purposes of this Directive, appropriately taking into account information resulting from the port security assessment.

4. Where the boundaries of a port facility within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 have been defined by a Member State as effectively covering the port, the relevant provisions of Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 shall take precedence over those of this Directive.

Article 3

Definitions

For the purpose of this Directive:

1.‘port’ means any specified area of land and water, with boundaries defined by the Member State in which the port is situated, containing works and equipment designed to facilitate commercial maritime transport operations;

2.‘ship/port interface’ means the interactions that occur when a ship is directly and immediately affected by actions involving the movement of persons or goods or the provision of port services to or from the ship;

3.‘port facility’ means a location where the ship/port interface takes place; this includes areas such as anchorages, waiting berths and approaches from seaward, as appropriate;

4.‘focal point for port security’ means the body designated by each Member State to serve as contact point for the Commission and other Member States and to facilitate, follow up and provide information on the application of the port security measures laid down in this Directive;

5.‘port security authority’ means the authority responsible for security matters in a given port.

Article 4

Coordination with measures taken in application of Regulation (EC) No 725/2004

Member States shall ensure that port security measures introduced by this Directive are closely coordinated with measures taken pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 725/2004.

Article 5

Port security authority

1. Member States shall designate a port security authority for each port covered by this Directive. A port security authority may be designated for more than one port.

2. The port security authority shall be responsible for the preparation and implementation of port security plans based on the findings of port security assessments.

3. Member States may designate a ‘competent authority for maritime security’ provided for under Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 as port security authority.

Article 6

Port security assessment

1. Member States shall ensure that port security assessments are carried out for the ports covered by this Directive. These assessments shall take due account of the specificities of different sections of a port and, where deemed applicable by the relevant authority of the Member State, of its adjacent areas if these have an impact on security in the port and shall take into account the assessments for port facilities within their boundaries as carried out pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 725/2004.

2. Each port security assessment shall be carried out taking into account as a minimum the detailed requirements laid down in Annex I.

3. Port security assessments may be carried out by a recognised security organisation as referred to in Article 11.

4. Port security assessments shall be approved by the Member State concerned.

Article 7

Port security plan

1. Subject to the findings of port security assessments, Member States shall ensure that port security plans are developed, maintained and updated. Port security plans shall adequately address the specificities of different sections of a port and shall integrate the security plans for port facilities within their boundaries established pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 725/2004.

2. Port security plans shall identify, for each of the different security levels referred to in Article 8:

(a)the procedures to be followed;

(b)the measures to be put in place;

(c)the actions to be undertaken.

3. Each port security plan shall take into account as a minimum the detailed requirements specified in Annex II. Where, and to the extent appropriate, the port security plan shall in particular include security measures to be applied to passengers and vehicles set for embarkation on seagoing vessels which carry passengers and vehicles. In the case of international maritime transport services, the Member States concerned shall cooperate in the security assessment.

4. Port security plans may be developed by a recognised security organisation as referred to in Article 11.

5. Port security plans shall be approved by the Member State concerned before implementation.

6. Member States shall ensure that the implementation of port security plans is monitored. The monitoring shall be coordinated with other control activities carried out in the port.

7. Member States shall ensure that adequate exercises are performed, taking into account the basic security training exercise requirements listed in Annex III.

Article 8

Security levels

1. Member States shall introduce a system of security levels for ports or parts of ports.

2. There shall be three security levels, as defined in Regulation (EC) No 725/2004:

‘Security level 1’ means the level for which minimum appropriate protective security measures shall be maintained at all times;

‘Security level 2’ means the level for which appropriate additional protective security measures shall be maintained for a period of time as a result of a heightened risk of a security incident;

‘Security level 3’ means the level for which further specific protective security measures shall be maintained for a limited period of time when a security incident is probable or imminent, although it may not be possible to identify the specific target.

3. Member States shall determine the security levels in use for each port or part of a port. At each security level, a Member State may determine that different security measures are to be implemented in different parts of the port depending on the findings of the port security assessment.

4. Member States shall communicate to the appropriate person or persons the security level in force for each port or part of a port as well as any changes thereto.

Article 9

Port security officer

1. A port security officer shall be approved by the Member State concerned for each port. Each port shall, where practicable, have a different port security officer, but may, if appropriate, share a security officer.

2. Port security officers shall fulfil the role of point of contact for port security related issues.

3. Where the port security officer is not the same as the port facility(ies) security officer(s) under Regulation (EC) No 725/2004, close cooperation between them shall be ensured.

Article 10

Reviews

1. Member States shall ensure that port security assessments and port security plans are reviewed as appropriate. They shall be reviewed at least once every five years.

2. The scope of the review shall be that of Articles 6 or 7, as appropriate.

Article 11

Recognised security organisation

Member States may appoint recognised security organisations for the purposes specified in this Directive. Recognised security organisations shall fulfil the conditions set out in Annex IV.

Article 12

Focal point for port security

Member States shall appoint for port security aspects a focal point. Member States may designate for port security aspects the focal point appointed under Regulation (EC) No 725/2004. The focal point for port security shall communicate to the Commission the list of ports concerned by this Directive and shall inform it of any changes to that list.

Article 13

Implementation and conformity checking

1. Member States shall set up a system ensuring adequate and regular supervision of the port security plans and their implementation.

2. The Commission shall, in cooperation with the focal points referred to in Article 12, monitor the implementation of this Directive by Member States.

3. This monitoring shall be conducted jointly with the inspections provided for in Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 725/2004.

Article 14

Adaptations

Annexes I to IV may be amended in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 15(2), without broadening the scope of this Directive.

Article 15

Committee procedure

1. The Commission shall be assisted by the committee set up by Regulation (EC) No 725/2004.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at one month.

3. The Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.

Article 16

Confidentiality and dissemination of information

1. In applying this Directive, the Commission shall take, in accordance with Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom (6), appropriate measures to protect information subject to the requirement of confidentiality to which it has access or which is communicated to it by Member States.

Member States shall take equivalent measures in accordance with relevant national legislation.

2. Any personnel carrying out security inspections, or handling confidential information related to this Directive, shall have an appropriate level of security vetting by the Member State of which the person concerned is a national.

Article 17

Penalties

Member States shall ensure that effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties are introduced for infringements of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive.

Article 18

Implementation

1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 15 June 2007. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

When Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by Member States.

2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.

Article 19

Evaluation report

By 15 December 2008 and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall submit an evaluation report to the European Parliament and the Council based, among other things, on the information obtained pursuant to Article 13. In the report, the Commission shall analyse compliance with this Directive by Member States and the effectiveness of the measures taken. If necessary, it shall present proposals for additional measures.

Article 20

Entry into force

This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Article 21

Addressees

This Directive is addressed to the Member States which have ports as referred to in Article 2(2).