Directive 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

1. PROVISIONS RELATING TO MEMBER STATES

(1) For the purposes of appointing a competent authority responsible for the duties set out in Article 8, Member States shall as a minimum undertake the following:

(a)

make organisational arrangements which allow for the duties assigned to the competent authority in this Directive to be effectively discharged, including arrangements for regulating safety and environmental protection in an equitable manner;

(b)

prepare a policy statement describing the aims of oversight and enforcement, and the obligations on the competent authority to achieve transparency, consistency, proportionality and objectivity in its regulation of offshore oil and gas operations.

(2) Member States shall make the necessary provisions to bring the arrangements in point 1 into effect, including:

(a)

funding sufficient specialist expertise available internally or by formal agreements with third parties or both in order that the competent authority may inspect and investigate operations, take enforcement action, and to handle reports on major hazards and notifications;

(b)

where there is reliance on external sources of expertise, funding the preparation of sufficient written guidance and oversight to maintain consistency of approach and to ensure the legally appointed competent authority retains full responsibility under this Directive;

(c)

funding essential training, communication, access to technology, travel and subsistence of competent authority personnel for the carrying out of their duties, and to facilitate the active cooperation between competent authorities pursuant to Article 27;

(d)

where appropriate, requiring operators or owners to reimburse the competent authority for the cost of carrying out its duties pursuant to this Directive;

(e)

funding and encouraging research pursuant to the competent authority’s duties under this Directive;

(f)

providing funding for reports by the competent authority.