Legislative amendments in the transport sector

On 2 February 2023, the Government adopted a legislative proposal to amend certain acts in the transport sector. The amendments aim to update the acts to meet the requirements of European Union law and to make technical amendments. The goal is for the majority of the acts to enter into force on 1 March 2023.

The proposal will amend the Act on the Technical Safety and Safe Operation of Ships, the Ship Safety Control Act, the Act on Ships' Crews and the Safety Management of Ships, the Act on Transport Services, the Act on the Lists of Persons Aboard Passenger Ships, and the Act on Environmental Protection in Maritime Transport.

The proposal will also make an addition to the Act on Transport Services to implement the Directive amendment on the use of vehicles hired without drivers for the carriage of goods by road. In future, there will be more flexibility in hiring vehicles from another European Union Member State for licensed goods transport by road.

The Act on Transport Services will be updated to meet the new requirements of Union law concerning the risk rating of holders of a licence for passenger and goods transport by road. Provisions on sanctions concerning the submission of the necessary notifications, the acquisition of documents and their keeping in the vehicle will also be added to the Act.

The Ship Safety Control Act will be amended to exclude from the scope of the Act cable ferries that are not part of the road infrastructure, bringing the legislation more into line with the current practice. The proposal also includes amendments that will facilitate the measuring of Finnish vessels and ensure the availability of services for demanding vessel measuring in the future.

A training obligation concerning waste management in ports will be added to the Act on Environmental Protection in Maritime Transport, which will correspond to the Directive on port reception facilities for the delivery of waste from ships.

The Acts will be updated to include the number of the new Directive on the minimum level of training of seafarers in Finnish legislation

What's next?

On 3 February 2023, the proposal will be submitted for approval by the President of the Republic. A majority of the acts is scheduled to enter into force on 1 March 2023.

Inquiries:

Veli-Matti Syrjänen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 50 470 7708, veli-matti.syrjanen(at)gov.fi (road transport)

Katja Peltola, Senior Specialist, katja.peltola(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 50 530 2175 (maritime transport)

Pyry Takala, Director of Unit, pyry.takala(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 50 911 7627