From this year, vessels carrying the new European safety certificate will be finally allowed to navigate on all the rivers in the Union, including the Rhine. This is in accordance with Directive 2006/87/EC which establishes harmonised conditions for issuing technical certificates for inland waterway vessels.

The directive establishes high level safety standards, equivalent to those already in existence for shipping on the Rhine and is aimed at increasing the safety of passengers and freight transport by inland waterway in Europe. The new certificate, delivered in compliance with the common requirements, is valid for navigation on all European inland waterways, including the Rhine.

According to the new Community rules the certificate is delivered on technical requirements for inland waterway vessels. The implementation of these common rules is considered a great step forward for the safety of inland waterway transport in Europe.

The new Directive replaces the previous 25-year-old technical rules and certificate, which was not valid for navigation on the Rhine, through which the major part of Europe’s inland waterway transport is channelled.
Community waterways are classified into different navigable zones. Depending on the zone, reduced or additional technical requirements may be applied by the Member States. The Directive also allows a number of derogations from the common rules, if justified by local navigation conditions.

Following decisions by the international river commissions in November and December 2008, the new certificate is also valid for navigation on the stretches of the Rhine and the Danube outside the EU territory.

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