Brussels, 21 December 2015 – The European Commission
has opened the application procedure for the European List of ship recycling
facilities last Friday, 18 December. Facilities located outside EU Member
States are now invited to submit their applications before 1 July 2016. The
European Commission will review the applications and then publish a first
version of the European List before 31 December 2016 in accordance with the EU
Ship Recycling Regulation. Early in January 2016, the EC will also issue guidelines
on the requirements for ship recyclers and independent verifiers certifying the
yards.
“We encourage all ship recycling facilities globally
that think they are ready to comply with the European requirements to submit
their applications”, says Patrizia Heidegger, Executive Director of the NGO
Shipbreaking Platform, “the European List will for the first time provide all
stakeholders – in particular the ship owners, but also the shipping industry’s
business partners demanding clean logistics and sustainable shipping such as
banks, pension funds and the cargo owners – with a clear reference from where
to choose high-quality ship recycling facilities in line with international and
European environmental and labour standards.”
Apart from holding a licence in their respective
country, facilities intending to become EU-listed have to provide a certificate
from an independent verifier with expertise in the ship recycling sector and
have to accept additional audits if deemed necessary by the European Commission.
In order to be approved, ship recycling facilities need to show that they meet
both the strict requirements of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation regarding
infrastructure and procedures, for instance those meant to guarantee the
containment of all hazardous substances and their safe removal as well as safe
conditions for the workers. Beyond the structures necessary within the yard,
the approval of a facilities also depends on proper downstream waste management
as well as the guarantee of all core labour rights – both broadly equivalent to
European standards.
Source: NGO Shipbreaking Platform
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