The European Union has decided that ships repeatedly failing port state control inspections will be banned permanently from European Union ports. Rather than a temporary ban as governments had wanted, it has emerged following behind-closed-doors talks in Brussels, that the European parliament over-ruled governments so that repeat offenders will be placed on a permanent black list. The ban is part of the port state control directive, one of seven 'Erika 3' EU maritime safety laws making their way to the statute books. The Council of ministers had wanted only a temporary ban on the use of substandard vessels in EU ports. This was in contrast to the European parliament's first and second reading reports, drawn up by French Euro MP Dominique Vlasto, following the completion of tie-breaking 'conciliation' talks earlier this week. At Parliament's insistence, however, ships repeatedly found to be breach of the rules may be put on an EU-wide black list permanently.
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