EU Regulation 1257/2013 on ship recycling relating to authorisation of UK ship recycling facilities

This is a joint consultation between Defra and the Department of Environment Northern Ireland and relates to the introduction of draft GB and draft Northern Ireland 2015 Regulations. The Regulations would introduce a domestic legal framework that implements the requirements of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation.

The proposed approach will validate that UK facilities who wish to be included in the European List meet the environmental and health and safety requirements of the EU Regulation and will ensure that the necessary controls are in place to protect the environment, the health and safety of workers and the population in the vicinity of the ship recycling facility caused by ship recycling activities.

The Regulations will address the following points:

•  Introducing the most appropriate measure for ensuring compliance with the relevant obligations in the EU Ship Recycling Regulation relating to the authorisation of ship recycling facilities;
• Ensuring that UK facilities that wish to undertake recycling activities on ships flying the flag of EU Member States have a means of becoming authorised and are able to compete with other EU and international companies in that market;
• Appointing competent authorities responsible for implementing and enforcing the relevant provisions of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation with regard to authorisation of UK facilities;
• Developing an approach that doesn’t impose unnecessary burdens on business and that implements a consistent method for authorising facilities, fully considering and integrating existing permitting, licensing and authorisation processes;
• Enabling the competent authorities to vary existing permits and approvals so that they also provide authorisation for the purposes of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and therefore avoid unnecessary duplication of information and work by operators of ship recycling facilities.