Directive 2009/17/EC of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

ANNEX

“ANNEX III ELECTRONIC MESSAGES AND SAFESEANET

1. General concept and architecture

The Community maritime information and exchange system, SafeSeaNet, shall enable the receipt, storage, retrieval and exchange of information for the purpose of maritime safety, port and maritime security, marine environment protection and the efficiency of maritime traffic and maritime transport.

SafeSeaNet is a specialised system established to facilitate the exchange of information in an electronic format between Member States and to provide the Commission with the relevant information in accordance with Community legislation. It is composed of a network of national SafeSeaNet systems in Member States and a SafeSeaNet central system acting as a nodal point.

The SafeSeaNet network shall link all national SafeSeaNet systems and include the SafeSeaNet central system.

2. Management, operation, development and maintenance of SafeSeaNet

2.1. Responsibilities

2.1.1. National SafeSeaNet systems

Member States shall establish and maintain a national SafeSeaNet system allowing for the exchange of maritime information between authorised users under the responsibility of a national competent authority (NCA).

The NCA shall be responsible for the management of the national system, which shall include the national coordination of data users and data providers as well as ensuring that UN LOCODES are designated and that the necessary national IT infrastructure and the procedures described in the interface and functionalities control document referred to in point 2.3 are established and maintained.

The national SafeSeaNet system shall enable the inter-connection of users authorised under the responsibility of an NCA and may be made accessible to identified shipping actors (shipowners, agents, masters, shippers and others) when authorised by the NCA, in particular in order to facilitate the electronic submission of reports in accordance with Community legislation.

2.1.2. Central SafeSeaNet system

The Commission is responsible for the management and development at policy level of the central SafeSeaNet system and for the oversight of the SafeSeaNet system, in cooperation with Member States, while, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council(1), the Agency, in cooperation with the Member States and the Commission, is responsible for its technical implementation.

The central SafeSeaNet system, acting as a nodal point, shall interconnect all national SafeSeaNet systems and shall establish the necessary IT infrastructure and procedures as described in the interface and functionalities control document referred to in point 2.3.

2.2. Principles of management

The Commission shall establish a high-level steering group, which shall adopt its rules of procedure, composed of representatives of the Member States and of the Commission to:

• make recommendations to improve the effectiveness and security of SafeSeaNet,

• provide appropriate guidance for the development of SafeSeaNet,

• assist the Commission in reviewing the performance of SafeSeaNet,

• approve the interface and functionalities control document referred to in point 2.3, and any amendments thereto.

2.3. Interface and functionalities control document and SafeSeaNet technical documentation

The Commission shall develop and maintain, in close cooperation with the Member States, an interface and functionalities control document (IFCD).

The IFCD shall describe in detail the performance requirements and procedures applicable to the national and central elements of SafeSeaNet designed to ensure compliance with the relevant Community legislation.

The IFCD shall include rules for:

• access rights guidance for data quality management,

• security specifications for data transmission and exchange, and

• the archiving of information at national and central level.

The IFCD shall indicate the means of storage and the availability of the information on dangerous or polluting goods concerning scheduled services to which an exemption has been granted in accordance with Article 15.

Technical documentation related to SafeSeaNet, such as standards for data exchange format, users’ manuals and network security specifications, shall be developed and maintained by the Agency in cooperation with the Member States.

3. Exchange of data through SafeSeaNet

The system shall use industry standards and be able to interact with public and private systems used to create, provide or receive information within SafeSeaNet.

The Commission and the Member States shall cooperate in order to examine the feasibility and development of functionalities that as far as possible will ensure that the data providers, including masters, owners, agents, operators, shippers and relevant authorities, need to submit information only once. Member States shall ensure that the information submitted is available for use in all relevant reporting, notification and VTMIS systems.

Electronic messages exchanged in accordance with this Directive and relevant Community legislation shall be distributed through SafeSeaNet. To this end, Member States shall develop and maintain the necessary interfaces for automatic transmission of data by electronic means to the SafeSeaNet.

Where internationally-adopted rules allow routing of LRIT information concerning third country vessels, SafeSeaNet networks shall be used to distribute amongst Member States, with an appropriate level of security, the LRIT information received in accordance with Article 6b of this Directive.

4. Security and access rights

The central and the national SafeSeaNet systems shall comply with the requirements of this Directive concerning confidentiality of information, as well as with the security principles and specifications described in the IFCD, in particular as regards access rights.

Member States shall identify all users to which a role and a set of access rights is attributed in compliance with the IFCD.”

(1)

OJ L 208, 5.8.2002, p. 1.