At its last plenary session, the CCNR adopted a Resolution creating a European committee for drawing up common standards in the field of inland navigation (Comité Européen pour l’Élaboration de Standards dans le Domaine de Navigation Intérieure – CESNI). This Resolution promotes the development of uniform, modern, user-friendly requirements and takes into account the CCNR’s “Vision 2018” for the sustainable development of inland navigation.

The creation of this new working body is in line with the desire of the CCNR, shared by the European Union, to reinforce governance at the European level, particularly in the field of regulations governing inland navigation. An Administrative Arrangement on this was concluded in 2013 by the Director General for Mobility and Transport and the Secretary General of the CCNR.

The purpose of the new committee is to bring together experts from the Member States of the European Union and the CCNR and representatives of international organisations with an interest in inland navigation. The various stakeholders and professions in navigation in Europe will be well represented. In creating the committee, the European Commission – as well as the CCNR – is looking to simplify procedures in the field of regulating inland navigation, so that the experience acquired by the CCNR can be made fully available to all the institutional partners and stakeholders concerned.

The CESNI will be involved in drawing up standards for the technical requirements for inland navigation vessels and the demands made of crew members, and in the various implementing measures in the regulatory fields concerned. The regulatory frameworks of the European Union – new directives are currently been discussed – and of the CCNR – the Rhine Vessel Inspection Regulations and the Regulations for Rhine navigation personnel – will in future refer to the standards developed by the CESNI.

The inaugural meeting of this new CESNI committee took place on 17th June 2015, in Strasbourg. The functioning of the committee and it procedures will be assessed before the end of 2017.