Fishing Vessels (EC Directive on Harmonised Safety Regime) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (No. 1112 of 2003).

These Regulations give effect to Commission Directive 2002/35/EC amending Council Directive 97/70/EC, which set up a harmonised safety regime for fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over. Directive 97/70/EC established a harmonised safety regime for these fishing vessels, by applying to them the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels 1995. The purpose of the Commission Directive is to ensure consistency in the application of the provisions of the Torremolinos Protocol by harmonising the interpretation of those provisions. These Regulations amend the Fishing Vessels (EC Directive on Harmonised Safety Regime) Regulations 1999 in relation to standards for construction of vessels. These standards were previously left to the discretion of the Administration of the relevant Member State but must now instead be in accordance with the rules of a recognised organization.