International Chamber of Shipping fear proposed EC membership of IMO
London-based International Chamber of Shipping, a federation of associations of shipowners, has voiced its fears about the implications of the European Commission becoming a full member of the International Maritime Organization.
The European Commission recently said it intends to represent the 25 European Union member states at the IMO. The EC already negotiates on behalf of all 25 EU states at the World Trade Organization in trade disputes with other nations.
“The main concern of ICS is that the commission will restrict the freedom of national governments’ technical experts to comment on the development of IMO regulations without being constrained by the need to coordinate with Brussels,” the ICS said. “It is feared that IMO debates would become increasingly politicized. Much of the detailed technical input to IMO regulations still emanates from EU countries and weakening of EU national experts’ contributions would therefore diminish the level of technical debate at IMO, thus weakening IMO and the authority of the global regulatory regime.”
The ICS has requested that all national associations encourage their governments to make representations to the EU, as well as the foreign and transport Ministries of individual EU states, highlighting their interest in the debate about EU representation at IMO.
The EU Council of Transport Ministers will be invited to consider the Commission’s proposal to start negotiations on IMO membership at a meeting on June 27.