The IMO Council, meeting for its 113th session, agreed on a number of recommendations for action following a public consultation in which IMO sought widespread input on the administrative burdens that may result from compliance with IMO instruments.
The consultation gathered data from a broad spectrum of stakeholders. IMO recognizes that some administrative requirements contained in IMO instruments may have become unnecessary, disproportionate or even obsolete, and is committed to reducing their impact.
The final report of the consultation was presented to the Council, which agreed to consider the development of a draft Assembly resolution, to reflect some of recommendations from the report and took forward a number of the recommendations. In particular, the Council agreed:
• That the Organization should consider a clear policy target for universal acceptance of electronic recording of information as a full alternative to paper versions, taking into account implementation and enforcement criteria and security protocols;
• To encourage the responsible committees to review pertinent administrative requirements with a view to reducing administrative burdens;
• That the Organization should take account of the possible impact of an accumulation of administrative requirements, in particular in the consideration of proposals for developing new, or amending existing, mandatory instruments; and to continuously take account of such possible impact in developing new, or amending existing, mandatory instruments;
• That the Committees should take account of the possible indirect impact of non-mandatory instruments in the consideration of proposals for developing new, or amending existing, non mandatory instruments; to continuously take account of such possible indirect impact in developing new, or amending existing, non-mandatory instruments; and
• That the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) should take due note of stakeholders’ concerns about the regulatory framework for maritime security and ensure that actions are taken to remind users of the reasoning for the introduction of the ISPS Code.
IMO Member State Audit Scheme update
The Council was updated on the IMO Member State Audit Scheme, which will become a mandatory scheme from 1 January 2016.
To date, 86 Member States have so far volunteered for audit, representing 50% of the Membership of the Organization and 71 audits have been conducted, including 63 Member States, two Associate Members, five dependent territories and a second audit of a Member State.
Procedures for election of Secretary-General approved
The Council approved the procedures for holding the election of the Secretary-General at the June/July 2015 session of the Council (C 114). Applications from candidates for the position of Secretary General will be invited, to reach IMO by 31 March 2015 at the latest.
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