Member States shall ensure that the provisions of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol are applied to the fishing vessels concerned flying their flag, unless Annex I to this Directive provides otherwise.

Unless provided otherwise in this Directive, existing fishing vessels shall comply with the relevant requirements of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol not later than 1 July 1999.

Member States shall ensure that those requirements in Chapters IV, V, VII and IX of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol which apply to vessels of 45 metres in length and over are also applied to new fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over, flying their flag, unless Annex II to this Directive provides otherwise.

However, Member States shall ensure that vessels flying their flag operating in specific areas shall comply with the provisions for the relevant areas, as defined in Annex III.

Member States shall ensure that vessels flying their flag shall comply with the specific safety requirements laid down in Annex IV.

Member States shall prohibit fishing vessels flying the flag of a third country from operating in their internal waters or territorial sea or landing their catch in their ports unless they are certified by their flag State administration to comply with the requirements referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 and in Article 5.

Marine equipment listed in Annex A.1 to Directive 96/98/EC and complying with the requirements of the latter, when placed on board a fishing vessel to comply with the provisions of this Directive, shall be automatically considered to be in conformity with such provisions, whether or not these provisions require that the equipment must be approved and subjected to tests to the satisfaction of the administration of the flag State.