CHAPTER 3

CERTIFICATION OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
SECTION I

Procedure for issuing Union certificates of qualification and specific authorisations

Issuing and validity of specific authorisations for boatmasters
Article 12
1
Member States shall ensure that applicants for specific authorisations referred to in Article 6 provide satisfactory documentary evidence:
a
of their identity;
b
that they meet the minimum requirements laid down in Annex I on age, competence, administrative compliance and navigation time for the specific authorisation for which they have applied;
c
that they hold a Union certificate of qualification as a boatmaster or of a certificate recognised in accordance with Article 10(2) and (3), or that they meet the minimum requirements for Union certificates of qualification for boatmasters provided for by this Directive.
2
By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, for specific authorisations for sailing on stretches of inland waterways with specific risks required pursuant to point (b) of Article 6, applicants shall provide to the competent authorities of the Member States referred to in Article 20(3) satisfactory documentary evidence:
a
of their identity;
b
that they meet the requirements established in accordance with Article 20 for the competence for specific risks for the specific stretch of inland waterway for which the authorisation is required;
c
that they hold a Union certificate of qualification as a boatmaster or of a certificate recognised in accordance with Article 10(2) and (3), or that they meet the minimum requirements for Union certificates of qualification for boatmasters provided for by this Directive.
3
Member States shall issue the specific authorisations referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 after having verified the authenticity and validity of the documents provided by the applicant.
4
Member States shall ensure that the competent authority that issues Union certificates of qualification to boatmasters specifically indicates in the certificate any specific authorisation issued pursuant to Article 6 in accordance with the model referred to in Article 11(3). The validity of such specific authorisation shall end when the validity of the Union certificate of qualification ends.
5
By way of derogation from paragraph 4 of this Article, the specific authorisation referred to in point (d) of Article 6 shall be issued as a Union certificate of qualification as a liquefied natural gas expert in accordance with the model referred to in Article 11(3), the period of validity of which shall be set in accordance with Article 11(6).