2.5.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 112/42 DECISION (EU) 2018/646 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 18 April 2018 on a common framework for the provision of better services for skills and qualifications (Europass) and repealing Decision No 2241/2004/EC (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 165 and 166 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (2), Whereas: (1) Individuals, when looking for a job, or making decisions on learning, studying or working, need access to information and guidance on what opportunities are available, on how to assess their skills and on ways to present information about their skills and qualifications. (2) Differences in definitions, document formats, languages as well as assessment and validation methods all pose considerable challenges for individuals, employers, competent authorities and bodies. Those challenges arise mainly when individuals move between countries, including third countries, but also when they are looking for a new job or engaging in learning and career management. Clear and widely disseminated information, a shared understanding and improved transparency of skills and qualifications are important in order to address those challenges. (3) The New Skills Agenda for Europe, adopted by the Commission on 10 June 2016, invites Member States, social partners, industry and other stakeholders to work together on ten actions to improve the quality and relevance of skills formation, to make skills more visible and comparable and to improve skills intelligence and especially information for better career choices. A revision of the Europass framework was proposed as one of the ten actions that offer a key route to achieving and supporting those objectives. (4) Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) established a framework to address the challenges relating to job seeking, engaging in learning and career management. The aim of that Decision was to achieve better transparency of qualifications and competences through a portfolio of documents known as ‘Europass’, which individuals can use on a voluntary basis. That Decision also established national bodies, known as National Europass Centres, in order to implement the Europass framework. (5) To achieve its main objective, the Europass framework focuses on tools for the documentation of skills and qualifications. Those tools have become widely used through the Europass internet-based information system. (6) The National Europass Centres provide support to users and promote the documentation of skills and qualifications. The Euroguidance Network, which promotes the European dimension in guidance and provides high quality information on lifelong guidance and transnational mobility for learning purposes, has also contributed to the development of information provision regarding Union tools for skills and qualifications. The European Qualifications Framework National Coordination Points support national authorities in referencing national qualifications frameworks or systems to the European Qualifications Framework (‘EQF’) and focus on bringing the EQF closer to individuals and organisations. Support for, and greater coordination of, those national services should be ensured in order to enhance their impact while respecting the diversity of national systems. (7) In its report to the European Parliament and the Council of 19 December 2013 on the evaluation of Europass, the Commission concluded that the National Europass Centres' mission of raising awareness of Europass and providing the necessary information to interested parties was a satisfactory model for the implementation of Europass. The Commission further concluded, however, that most Europass tools still did not reach all potential users and had an unequal reach in terms of geography and age group, and that better coordination and integration of services supporting guidance and mobility within the Europass framework would enable more potential users to be targeted. (8) Evidence shows that Europass is used by social groups with high digital literacy while less advantaged groups, such as people with lower levels of education, older persons or long-term unemployed persons are often not aware of the existence of Europass and its tools and therefore cannot benefit from it. (9) The Europass portfolio is one of a number of tools and instruments that have been put in place at Union level to improve transparency and understanding of skills and qualifications. (10) The Europass portfolio comprises five document templates. The Europass Curriculum Vitae (CV) template allows individuals to complete their CVs in a standardised format. Since the Europass CV was first established in 2004, more than 100 million Europass CVs have been created online. Two qualification supplement templates, namely the Europass Diploma Supplement and the Europass Certificate Supplement, offer information on the content and learning outcomes associated with a qualification and on the education system of the country issuing the qualification. The Europass Language Passport is used to describe language skills. The Europass Mobility template describes the skills acquired abroad on mobility experiences for learning or work. (11) The Council Recommendation of 22 May 2017 (4) provides a common reference framework to help individuals and organisations compare different qualification systems and the levels of qualifications from those systems. (12) The Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 (5) invited Member States to have in place, by 2018, in accordance with national circumstances and specificities, and as they deem appropriate, arrangements for the validation of non-formal and informal learning, which enable individuals to have their knowledge, skills and competences, which have been acquired through non-formal and informal learning, validated, and to obtain a full qualification, or, where applicable, partial qualification. (13) The Council Resolution of 28 May 2004 on strengthening policies, systems and practices in the field of guidance throughout life sets out the key objectives of a lifelong guidance policy for all citizens of the Union. The Council Resolution of 21 November 2008 (6) highlights the importance of guidance for lifelong learning. (14) The Learning Opportunities and Qualifications in Europe portal gives access to information on learning opportunities and qualifications offered in different education systems in Europe and on the comparison of national qualifications frameworks using the EQF. (15) The EU Skills Panorama provides information on skills for different occupations and specific industries, including demand and supply at national level. (16) The analysis of job vacancies and of other labour market trends is an established way of developing skills intelligence to understand the issues of skills gaps and shortages as well as qualification mismatches. (17) The multilingual European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations classification (‘ESCO’), developed and continuously updated by the Commission, in close cooperation with Member States and stakeholders, aims to promote the transparency of skills and qualifications for education and training, as well as for work-related purposes. Following appropriate testing, and having due regard for the position of Member States, ESCO could be used by the Commission within the Europass framework; the use of ESCO by Member States is on a voluntary basis, following testing with, and evaluation by, the Member States. (18) The European network of employment services (‘EURES’), established by Regulation (EU) 2016/589 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7), is a cooperative network for exchanging information and facilitating interaction between jobseekers and employers. It provides free assistance to jobseekers who wish to move to another country and assists employers who wish to recruit workers from other countries. Synergies and cooperation between the Europass and EURES portals could reinforce the impact of both services. (19) Labour market processes such as the publication of job vacancies, job applications, skills assessments and recruitment are increasingly managed online through tools that use social media, big data and other technologies. Candidate selection is managed through tools and processes that seek information on skills and qualifications acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings. (20) Formal, non-formal and informal learning currently also takes place in new forms and settings, and is offered by a variety of providers, particularly through the use of digital technologies and platforms, distance learning, e-learning, peer-to-peer learning, massive open online courses and open educational resources. Furthermore, skills, experiences and learning achievements are acknowledged in different forms, for example digital open badges. Digital technologies are also used for skills obtained through non-formal learning such as youth work and volunteering. (21) For the purposes of this Decision, skills are understood in a broad sense covering what a person knows, understands and can do. Skills refer to different types of learning outcomes, including knowledge and competences as well as ability to apply knowledge and to use knowhow in order to complete tasks and solve problems. In addition to the acknowledged importance of professional skills, there is an acknowledgement that transversal or soft skills, such as critical thinking, team work, problem solving and creativity, digital or language skills, are increasingly important and are essential prerequisites for personal and professional fulfilment and can be applied in different fields. Individuals could benefit from tools and guidance on assessing and describing those and other skills. (22) Traditionally, individuals have presented information on their acquired skills and qualifications in a CV and in supporting documents such as certificates or diplomas. Now, new tools are available which can facilitate the presentation of skills and qualifications by using varied online and digital formats. The new tools can also support self-assessment by individuals of skills acquired in different settings. (23) The Europass framework should respond to current and future needs. Users need tools to document their skills and qualifications. In addition, tools for assessment of skills and self-assessment of skills, as well as access to relevant information, including information on validation opportunities and guidance, can be beneficial for making decisions on employment and learning opportunities. (24) Union tools for skills and qualifications should adapt to changing practices and advances in technology in order to ensure they remain relevant and beneficial to users. This should be achieved by, among other things, creating innovative features, such as interactive tools, editing and design of documents, by seeking to ensure more comprehensive, effective and efficient tools and simplification, as well as increased technical interoperability and synergies between related tools, including those developed by third parties, and by taking into account the specific needs of people with disabilities. In addition, authentication measures could be used to support the verification of digital documents on skills and qualifications. (25) The Europass framework established by Decision No 2241/2004/EC should therefore be replaced by a new framework to address evolving needs. (26) The new Europass framework should meet the needs and expectations of all individual end-users, such as learners, job seekers, including unemployed persons and workers, as well as of other relevant stakeholders, such as employers (in particular small and medium-sized enterprises), chambers of commerce, civil society organisations, volunteers, guidance practitioners, public employment services, social partners, education and training providers, youth organisations, youth work providers, responsible national authorities and policy makers. It should also consider the needs of third country nationals arriving or residing in the Union to support their integration. (27) The Europass framework should evolve in order to allow for the description of different types of learning and skills and, in particular, those acquired through non-formal and informal learning. (28) The Europass framework should be developed through a user-centric approach based on feedback, and through requirements gathering, including through surveys and testing, with attention paid to the particular current and future needs of Europass target groups. Europass' features should in particular reflect the Member States' and the Union's commitment to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to the labour market and to information and communication technologies and systems. Europass tools should be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust, thereby enabling them to be more accessible to users, in particular to persons with disabilities. (29) Updates and changes to the Europass framework should be made in cooperation with relevant stakeholders, such as employment services, guidance practitioners, education and training providers, the social partners such as trade unions and employers' associations, and in full respect of ongoing political cooperation, such as the Bologna Process in the European Higher Education Area. Constructive collaboration between the Commission, Member States and stakeholders is of paramount importance to the successful development and implementation of the Europass framework. (30) Relevant Union law on personal data protection and national implementing measures should apply to the processing of personal data that are stored and processed pursuant to this Decision. Users should have the possibility to restrict access to their personal data. (31) Participation in the framework should be open to members of the European Economic Area which are not Member States of the Union, acceding States, candidate States and potential candidate States for accession to the Union, given their long-standing interest and cooperation with the Union in this field. Participation should be in accordance with the relevant provisions of the instruments governing relations between the Union and those countries. Information on skills and qualifications provided through the Europass framework should come from a wider range of countries and education systems than those of participating countries and reflect migration movements from and to other parts of the world. (32) The Commission should ensure the coherent implementation and monitoring of this Decision through a Europass advisory group composed of representatives of the Member States and relevant stakeholders. The advisory group should, in particular, develop a strategic approach to the implementation and future development of Europass, and advise on the development of web-based tools, including through testing, and on information provided through the Europass online platform, in cooperation with other groups, where relevant. (33) Co-funding for the implementation of this Decision is provided, inter alia, by the Union programme Erasmus+, as established by Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8). The committee created under that Regulation is involved in strategic discussions on the progress of Europass implementation, and on future developments. (34) Since the objective of this Decision, namely the establishment of a comprehensive and interoperable framework of tools and information, in particular for transnational employment and learning mobility purposes, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of the effects of the action, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective. (35) As a general principle, the obligations and administrative and financial burdens on the Member States should be balanced with regard to costs and benefits. (36) The activities carried out in the context of this Decision should be supported by the expertise of the Union agencies, in particular by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, within their domains of competence. (37) Decision No 2241/2004/EC should therefore be repealed, without prejudice to the validity or status of previously issued Europass documents. All established Europass document templates should be maintained within the new framework until such time as necessary changes or updates are made in accordance with this Decision. In order to ensure a smooth transition to the Europass online platform, the Europass internet-based information system established by Decision No 2241/2004/EC should continue to operate until the Europass online platform is set up and becomes operational, HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Subject matter and scope 1. This Decision establishes a European framework to support the transparency and understanding of skills and qualifications acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings, including through practical experiences, mobility and volunteering (‘Europass’). 2. Europass shall consist of web-based tools and relevant available information, including information to support the European dimension of guidance provided through an online platform and supported by national services intended to help users to better communicate and present skills and qualifications and to compare qualifications. 3. Europass shall be targeted at: (a) individual end-users, such as learners, job seekers, workers and volunteers, and (b) relevant stakeholders, such as education and training providers, guidance practitioners, employers, public employment services, social partners, youth work providers, youth organisations and policy makers. 4. The use of Europass shall be voluntary and shall not impose any obligations or confer any rights other than those defined in this Decision. Article 2 Definitions For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions apply: (a) ‘certificate supplement’ means a document attached to a vocational education and training or professional certificate issued by the competent authorities or bodies, in order to make it easier for third persons – particularly in another country – to understand the learning outcomes acquired by the holder of the qualification, as well as the nature, level, context, content and status of the education and training completed and skills acquired; (b) ‘diploma supplement’ means a document attached to a higher education diploma issued by the competent authorities or bodies, in order to make it easier for third persons – particularly in another country – to understand the learning outcomes acquired by the holder of the qualification, as well as the nature, level, context, content and status of the education and training completed and skills acquired; (c) ‘Europass supplements’ means a set of documents, such as diploma supplements and certificate supplements, issued by the competent authorities or bodies; (d) ‘guidance’ means a continuous process that enables individuals to identify their capacities, skills and interests, through a range of individual and collective activities to make educational, training and occupational decisions and to manage their individual life paths in learning, work and other settings in which those capacities and skills are learned or used; (e) ‘European dimension of guidance’ means cooperation and support at Union level to strengthen policies, systems and practices for guidance within the Union; (f) ‘qualification’ means a formal outcome of an assessment and validation process which is obtained when a competent authority or body determines that an individual has achieved learning outcomes to given standards; (g) ‘assessment of skills’ means the process or method used to evaluate, measure and eventually describe, through self-assessment or assessment certified by a third party, or both, the skills of individuals acquired through formal, non-formal or informal settings; (h) ‘self-assessment of skills’ means the process of systematic reflection by individuals on their skills through reference to an established description of skills; (i) ‘skills intelligence’ means available quantitative or qualitative analysis of aggregated data on skills from existing sources in relation to the labour market and of corresponding learning opportunities in the education and training system which can contribute to guidance and counselling, recruitment processes, the choice of education, training and career paths; (j) ‘authentication services’ means technical processes, such as electronic signatures and website authentication, which allow users to verify information, such as their identity, through Europass; (k) ‘technical interoperability’ means the ability of information and communication technology systems to interact so as to enable the sharing of information, achieved through agreement by all parties and owners of the information; (l) ‘validation’ means the process by which a competent authority or body confirms that an individual has acquired learning outcomes, including those acquired in non-formal and informal learning settings, measured against a relevant standard, and which consists of four distinct phases, namely identification, documentation, assessment and certification of the results of the assessment in the form of a full qualification, credits or a partial qualification, as appropriate and in line with national circumstances; (m) ‘open standards’ means technical standards that have been developed in a collaborative process, and have been published for free use by any interested party; (n) ‘online platform’ means a web-based application that provides information and tools to end users and allows them to complete specific tasks online; (o) ‘personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. Article 3 Online platform 1. Europass shall provide, through an online platform, web-based tools for: (a) documenting and describing personal information in a variety of formats, including curriculum vitae (CV) templates; (b) documenting and describing skills and qualifications acquired through working and learning experiences, including through mobility and volunteering; (c) the assessment of skills and self-assessment of skills; (d) documenting the learning outcomes of qualifications, including the Europass supplement templates, as referred to in Article 5. The use of Europass tools for the assessment of skills and self-assessment of skills as referred to in point (c) shall not lead directly to formal recognition or the issuance of qualifications. 2. The Europass online platform shall provide available information or links to available information on the following topics: (a) learning opportunities; (b) qualifications and qualifications frameworks or systems; (c) opportunities for validation of non-formal and informal learning; (d) recognition practices and relevant legislation in different countries, including third countries; (e) services offering guidance for transnational learning mobility and career management; (f) skills intelligence as produced by relevant Union-level activities and agencies within their domains of competence; (g) information on skills and qualifications that could be relevant to the particular needs of third country nationals arriving or residing in the Union to support their integration. Article 4 Main principles and features 1. The Europass online platform and web-based tools, including their content and functionality, shall be user-friendly and secure and be made available free-of-charge to all users. 2. The Europass online platform and web-based tools, including their content and functionality, shall be accessible to persons with disabilities, in accordance with the accessibility requirements established in relevant Union law. 3. Europass web-based tools shall use open standards to be made available free of charge, for reuse by Member States and other stakeholders on a voluntary basis. 4. Europass web-based tools shall refer to the EQF in information on qualifications, descriptions of national education and training systems and other relevant topics, as appropriate and in line with national circumstances. 5. The Europass online platform may include an option for users to store personal data such as a personal profile. Union data protection law shall apply to the processing of such personal data. A number of options shall be made available to users to enable them to restrict access to their data or to certain attributes. 6. Europass shall support authentication services for any digital documents or representations of information on skills and qualifications. 7. Europass web-based tools shall be delivered in the official languages of the institutions of the Union. 8. Europass web-based tools shall support and ensure technical interoperability and synergies with other relevant instruments and services offered at Union and, where appropriate, national levels. Article 5 Europass supplements 1. Europass supplements shall be issued, in accordance with templates, by the competent authorities or bodies. In particular, the order of each item in the templates shall be respected, to ensure ease of understanding and the provision of complete information. 2. The templates referred to in paragraph 1 shall be developed and, when necessary, revised by the Commission, in close cooperation and consultation with the Member States and other stakeholders such as the Council of Europe and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to ensure relevance and usability of the supplements. 3. Europass supplements shall be issued free of charge and, where possible, in electronic form. Europass supplements shall be issued in the national language and, where possible, in another European language. 4. Europass supplements shall not replace original diplomas or certificates and shall not amount to formal recognition of the original diploma or certificate by competent authorities or bodies of other countries. Article 6 The Commission's tasks 1. The Commission shall manage the Europass online platform. In that regard the Commission shall: (a) ensure the availability and high quality of Union-level information or links to such available information as referred to in Article 3(2); (b) develop, test and, when necessary, update the Europass online platform, including open standards, in line with user needs and technological advancements as well as changes in labour markets and in the provision of education and training; (c) keep up to date with and incorporate, where relevant, the latest technological developments that can improve the accessibility of Europass for older persons and persons with disabilities; (d) ensure that any development or updating of the Europass online platform, including open standards, supports consistency of information and demonstrates clear added value; (e) ensure that any web-based tools, in particular tools for assessment and self-assessment, are fully tested and quality-assured; and (f) ensure the quality and monitor the effectiveness of the Europass online platform including web-based tools in line with user needs. 2. The Commission shall ensure the effective implementation of this Decision. In that regard the Commission shall: (a) ensure the active participation and involvement of Member States in strategic planning, including setting and steering strategic objectives, quality assurance and financing, and take due regard of their positions; (b) ensure the active participation and involvement of Member States in the development, testing, updating and evaluation of the Europass online platform, including open standards, and take due regard of their positions; (c) ensure that, at Union level, relevant stakeholders are involved in the implementation and evaluation of this Decision; (d) set up learning activities and best practice exchanges between Member States and, where appropriate, facilitate peer counselling at the request of Member States; and (e) ensure that effective and adequate promotion, guidance and information activities are carried out at Union level in order to reach relevant users and stakeholders, including persons with disabilities. Article 7 Member States' tasks 1. Each Member State shall be responsible for the implementation of this Decision at national level through the relevant national services and without prejudice to national arrangements in terms of implementation and organisation. In that regard Member States shall: (a) coordinate the activities related to the implementation of Europass web-based tools; (b) promote the use and strengthen the awareness and visibility of Europass; (c) promote and provide information on services offering guidance for transnational learning mobility and career management, including, where appropriate, individual guidance services; (d) make information on learning opportunities, qualifications and recognition practices available on the Europass online platform, including through links to relevant national websites; (e) involve stakeholders from all relevant sectors, and promote cooperation among public and private stakeholders, in the activities under their responsibility. 2. The provision of information to the Europass online platform under Article 3(2) shall not create any additional obligations for Member States. Article 8 Data processing and protection The measures provided for in this Decision shall be carried out in accordance with Union law on protection of personal data, in particular Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (9) and Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (10). Article 9 Monitoring and evaluation 1. The Commission shall report on progress and expected future developments following the adoption of this Decision, as appropriate, in the context of relevant education, training and employment policy frameworks. 2. By 23 May 2023, and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and to the Council an evaluation report on the implementation and impact of this Decision. 3. The evaluation shall be carried out by an independent body based on qualitative and quantitative indicators developed by the Commission in consultation with Member States. Article 10 Participating countries 1. Participation in the activities referred to in this Decision shall be open to members of the European Economic Area which are not Member States of the Union in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Agreement on the European Economic Area. 2. Participation shall also be open to acceding States, candidate States and potential candidate States for accession to the Union in accordance with their agreements concluded with the Union. Article 11 Financial provisions The implementation of this Decision at national level shall be co-financed through Union programmes. The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the European Parliament and the Council within the limits of the multiannual financial framework. Article 12 Repeal and transitional provisions 1. Decision No 2241/2004/EC is repealed. 2. The Europass internet-based information system established by Decision No 2241/2004/EC shall continue to operate until such time as the Europass online platform established by this Decision is set up and becomes operational. Article 13 Entry into force This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Done at Strasbourg, 18 April 2018. For the European Parliament The President A. TAJANI For the Council The President L. PAVLOVA (1) OJ C 173, 31.5.2017, p. 45. (2) Position of the European Parliament of 15 March 2018 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 12 April 2018. (3) Decision No 2241/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 on a single Community framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) (OJ L 390, 31.12.2004, p. 6). (4) Council Recommendation of 22 May 2017 on the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning and repealing the recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (OJ C 189, 15.6.2017, p. 15). (5) Council Recommendation of 20 December 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning (OJ C 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1). (6) Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 21 November 2008 on better integrating lifelong guidance into lifelong learning strategies (OJ C 319, 13.12.2008, p. 4). (7) Regulation (EU) 2016/589 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 April 2016 on a European network of employment services (EURES), workers' access to mobility services and the further integration of labour markets, and amending Regulations (EU) No 492/2011 and (EU) No 1296/2013 (OJ L 107, 22.4.2016, p. 1). (8) Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50). (9) Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 281, 23.11.1995, p. 31). (10) Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1).

Summary: Europass — supporting learning and working in Europe Europass — supporting learning and working in Europe SUMMARY OF: Decision (EU) 2018/646 on a common framework for the provision of better services for skills and qualifications (Europass) WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION? It updates the Europass service to help people communicate their skills, qualifications and experience using standardised templates. This aims to meet the evolving needs of: individual users, such as learners, job-seekers, employers, workers and volunteers; relevant stakeholders, such as education, training and youth work providers, guidance providers, employers, public employment services, trades unions, youth organisations and policymakers. Europass is based on web-based tools and relevant available information. Its use is entirely voluntary. The decision repeals Decision No 2241/2004/EC. KEY POINTS Europass uses an online platform to provide: web-based tools to document and describe personal information in a variety of formats, including CV templates;document and describe skills* and qualifications acquired thorough work or education;assess and self-assess skills;access Europass supplement* templates; information on and links to learning opportunities;qualifications and their frameworks and systems;opportunities to validate non-formal and informal learning;mutual recognition practices in different countries;learning and career guidance for those looking abroad;resources of relevant EU-level activities and agencies;skills and qualifications of use to a non-EU national coming to, or living in, the EU. The online platform and the web-based tools and content: are user-friendly, secure, free of charge and accessible to people with disabilities; permit reuse by national authorities and other stakeholders; allow users to store data, such as a personal profile; exist in all EU official languages; support services to authenticate digital documents. Europass supplements: are issued by national authorities using the relevant template; are developed and updated by the European Commission in close cooperation with national governments, stakeholders, Council of Europe and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO); are issued free of charge, preferably electronically, in the national (or where possible another European) language; do not replace, or formally recognise, an original diploma or certificate. The Commission: manages the online platform; ensures the active participation of national authorities and stakeholders in implementing and developing the system; provides for exchange of best practice; ensures effective and adequate EU-wide promotion, guidance and information is available for users and stakeholders; must submit an evaluation report to the European Parliament and the Council by 23 May 2023 and again every 5 years. EU countries’ national authorities are responsible for implementing the system and providing it with the necessary support and visibility, including links to relevant national websites. The Europass system: respects EU personal data protection legislation, especially Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of personal data and Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies; is open to other European countries; receives EU co-financing. FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY? It has applied since 22 May 2018. BACKGROUND On 10 June 2016, the Commission issued a communication ‘The New Skills Agenda for Europe’. This was designed to make skills more visible and comparable to help individuals make better career choices. One of its 10 proposals was to update the original Europass framework adopted in 2004 (Decision No 2241/2004/EC). This contains a set of 5 templates to help people identify their skills and qualifications to create CVs and portfolios. Europass aims to reach all potential users, including the less-well educated, the elderly, the long-term unemployed and people with disabilities, as well as the highly educated and digitally literate. Since 2005, over 93 million document templates have been downloaded and over 60 million Europass CVs created online. For more information, see: Europass (European Commission). KEY TERMS Skills: what a person knows, understands and can do through formal, informal or non-formal learning. Europass supplements: documents, such as diplomas and certificates, issued by the relevant authority. MAIN DOCUMENT Decision (EU) 2018/646 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 April 2018 on a common framework for the provision of better services for skills and qualifications (Europass) and repealing Decision No 2241/2004/EC (OJ L 112, 2.5.2018, pp. 42-50) RELATED DOCUMENT Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — A New Skills Agenda for Europe: Working together to strengthen human capital, employability and competitiveness (COM(2016) 381 final, 10.6.2016) last update 28.06.2019


16.7.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 179/14 REGULATION (EU) 2018/974 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 4 July 2018 on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways (codification) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 338(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (1), Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) has been substantially amended several times (3). In the interests of clarity and rationality, that Regulation should be codified. (2) Inland waterways are an important part of the Union's transport networks and the promotion of inland waterways transport is one of the objectives of the common transport policy, both for reasons of economic efficiency and in order to reduce energy consumption and the environmental impact of transport. (3) The Commission needs statistics concerning the transport of goods by inland waterways in order to monitor and develop the common transport policy, as well as the transport elements of policies on the regions and on trans-European networks. (4) European statistics on all modes of transport should be collected according to common concepts and standards, with the aim of achieving the fullest practicable comparability between transport modes. (5) Inland waterways transport does not occur in all Member States and, therefore, the effect of this Regulation is limited to those Member States where this mode of transport exists. (6) Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) provides a reference framework for the provisions laid down by this Regulation. (7) In order to take into account economic and technical trends and changes in definitions adopted at international level, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of amending this Regulation to raise the threshold above 1 000 000 tonnes for statistical coverage of inland waterways transport, to adapt definitions or provide for new ones, as well as to adapt the Annexes to this Regulation to reflect changes in coding and nomenclature at international level or in the relevant Union legislative acts. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making (5). In particular, in order to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States' experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts. (8) The Commission should ensure that those delegated acts do not impose a significant additional burden on the Member States or on the respondents. (9) In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission so as to enable it to adopt arrangements for transmitting data, including data interchange standards, for the dissemination of results by the Commission (Eurostat) and also to develop and to publish methodological requirements and criteria designed to ensure the quality of the data produced. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6). (10) It is necessary for the Commission to arrange for pilot studies to be conducted on the availability of statistical data relating to passenger transport by inland waterways, including by cross border transport services. The Union should contribute to the cost of carrying out those pilot studies. Such contributions should take the form of grants awarded to the national statistical institutes and other national authorities referred to in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009, in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7). (11) Since the objective of this Regulation, namely the creation of common statistical standards that permit the production of harmonised data, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of the scale of that creation, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective, HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Subject matter This Regulation establishes common rules for the production of European statistics concerning inland waterways transport. Article 2 Scope 1. Member States shall transmit data relating to inland waterways transport on their national territory to the Commission (Eurostat). 2. Member States in which the total volume of goods transported annually by inland waterways as national, international or transit transport exceeds 1 000 000 tonnes shall supply the data referred to in Article 4(1). 3. By way of derogation from paragraph 2, Member States which do not have international or transit inland waterways transport but in which the total volume of goods transported annually by inland waterways as national transport exceeds 1 000 000 tonnes shall supply only the data required under Article 4(2). 4. This Regulation shall not apply to: (a) the carriage of goods by vessels of less than 50 deadweight tonnes; (b) vessels used principally for the carriage of passengers; (c) vessels used for ferrying purposes; (d) vessels used solely for non-commercial purposes by port administrations and public authorities; (e) vessels used solely for bunkering or storage; (f) vessels not used for the carriage of goods such as fishery vessels, dredgers, floating workshops, houseboats and pleasure craft. 5. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 10 concerning the amendment of paragraph 2 of this Article in order to raise the threshold for statistical coverage of inland waterways transport referred to therein so as to take economic and technical trends into account. When exercising that power, the Commission shall ensure that the delegated acts do not impose a significant additional burden on the Member States or on the respondents. Furthermore, the Commission shall duly justify the statistical actions for which those delegated acts provide, using, where appropriate, a cost-effectiveness analysis, including an assessment of the burden on respondents and of the production costs as referred to in Article 14(3)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009. Article 3 Definitions For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply: (a) ‘navigable inland waterway’ means a watercourse, not part of the sea, which by natural or man-made features is suitable for navigation, primarily by inland waterway vessels; (b) ‘inland waterway vessel’ means a floating craft designed for the carriage of goods or public transport of passengers which navigates predominantly in navigable inland waterways or in waters within, or closely adjacent to sheltered waters or areas where port regulations apply; (c) ‘nationality of the vessel’ means the country where the vessel is registered; (d) ‘inland waterways transport’ means any movement of goods and/or passengers using inland waterways vessels which is undertaken wholly or partly in navigable inland waterways; (e) ‘national inland waterways transport’ means inland waterways transport between two ports of a national territory irrespective of the nationality of the vessel; (f) ‘international inland waterways transport’ means inland waterways transport between two ports located in different national territories; (g) ‘transit inland waterways transport’ means inland waterways transport through a national territory between two ports both located in another national territory or national territories provided that in the total journey within the national territory there is no transshipment; (h) ‘inland waterways traffic’ means any movement of a vessel on a given navigable inland waterway. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 10 concerning the amendment of the first paragraph of this Article to adapt the definitions contained therein or to provide for new ones in order to take relevant definitions amended or adopted at international level into account. When exercising that power, the Commission shall ensure that the delegated acts do not impose a significant additional burden on the Member States or on the respondents. Furthermore, the Commission shall duly justify the statistical actions for which those delegated acts provide, using, where appropriate, a cost-effectiveness analysis, including an assessment of the burden on respondents and of the production costs as referred to in Article 14(3)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009. Article 4 Data collection 1. Data shall be collected in accordance with the tables set out in Annexes I to IV. 2. In the case referred to in Article 2(3), data shall be collected in accordance with the table set out in Annex V. 3. For the purposes of this Regulation, goods shall be classified in accordance with Annex VI. 4. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 10 concerning the amendment of the Annexes to reflect changes in coding and nomenclature at international level or in the relevant Union legislative acts. When exercising that power, the Commission shall ensure that the delegated acts do not impose a significant additional burden on the Member States or on the respondents. Furthermore, the Commission shall duly justify the statistical actions for which those delegated acts provide, using, where appropriate, a cost-effectiveness analysis, including an assessment of the burden on respondents and of the production costs as referred to in Article 14(3)(c) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009. Article 5 Pilot studies 1. By 8 December 2018, the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, shall develop the appropriate methodology for compiling statistics on passenger transport by inland waterways, including by cross-border transport services. 2. By 8 December 2019, the Commission shall launch voluntary pilot studies to be carried out by Member States that provide data within the scope of this Regulation on the availability of statistical data relating to passenger transport by inland waterways, including by cross-border transport services. Those pilot studies shall aim to assess the feasibility of those new data collections, the costs of the related data collections and the statistical quality implied. 3. By 8 December 2020, the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the results of such pilot studies. Depending on the results of that report, and within a reasonable period, the Commission shall submit, if appropriate, a legislative proposal to the European Parliament and to the Council to amend this Regulation with regard to statistics on passenger transport by inland waterways, including by cross-border transport services. 4. The general budget of the Union shall, where appropriate and taking into account the Union's added value, contribute to the financing of those pilot studies. Article 6 Transmission of data 1. The transmission of data shall take place as soon as possible and no later than five months after the end of the relevant period of observation. 2. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the arrangements for transmitting data to the Commission (Eurostat), including data interchange standards. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 11(2). Article 7 Dissemination European statistics based on the data referred to in Article 4 shall be disseminated with a frequency similar to that laid down for the transmission of data by the Member States. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the arrangements for disseminating results. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 11(2). Article 8 Quality of data 1. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the methodological requirements and criteria designed to ensure the quality of the data produced. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 11(2). 2. Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure the quality of the data transmitted. 3. The Commission (Eurostat) shall assess the quality of the data transmitted. Member States shall supply the Commission (Eurostat) with a report containing such information and data as it may request in order to verify the quality of the data transmitted. 4. For the purposes of this Regulation, the quality criteria to be applied to the data to be transmitted are those referred to in Article 12(1) of Regulation (EC) No 223/2009. 5. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the detailed arrangements, structure, periodicity and comparability elements for the quality reports. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 11(2). Article 9 Reports on implementation By 31 December 2020 and every five years thereafter, the Commission, after consulting the European Statistical System Committee, shall submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of this Regulation and on future developments. In that report, the Commission shall take relevant information provided by Member States on potential improvements and on users' needs into account. In particular, that report shall assess: (a) the benefits accruing to the Union, the Member States and the providers and users of statistical information, of the statistics produced, in relation to their costs; (b) the quality of the data transmitted and the data collection methods used. Article 10 Exercise of the delegation 1. The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article. 2. The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 2(5), Article 3 and Article 4(4) shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from 7 December 2016. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period. 3. The delegation of power referred to in Article 2(5), Article 3 and Article 4(4) may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or by the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated acts already in force. 4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. 5. As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council. 6. A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 2(5), Article 3 or Article 4(4) shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament and the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council. Article 11 Committee procedure 1. The Commission shall be assisted by the European Statistical System Committee established by Regulation (EC) No 223/2009. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. 2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply. Article 12 Repeal Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 is hereby repealed. References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table in Annex VIII. Article 13 Entry into force This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Strasbourg, 4 July 2018. For the European Parliament The President A. TAJANI For the Council The President K. EDTSTADLER (1) Position of the European Parliament of 29 May 2018 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 18 June 2018. (2) Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006 on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways and repealing Council Directive 80/1119/EEC (OJ L 264, 25.9.2006, p. 1). (3) See Annex VII. (4) Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and repealing Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1101/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community Statistics, and Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom establishing a Committee on the Statistical Programmes of the European Communities (OJ L 87, 31.3.2009, p. 164). (5) OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1. (6) Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission's exercise of implementing powers (OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13). (7) Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, p. 1). ANNEX I Table I1. Goods transport by type of goods (annual data) Elements Coding Nomenclature Unit Table 2-alpha ‘I1’ Reporting country 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) Year 4-digit ‘yyyy’ Country/region of loading 4-alpha NUTS2 (1) Country/region of unloading 4-alpha NUTS2 (1) Type of transport 1-digit 1 = national 2 = international (except transit) 3 = transit Type of goods 2-digit NST 2007 Type of packaging 1-digit 1 = goods in containers 2 = goods not in containers and empty containers Tonnes transported tonnes Tonnes-km tonnes-km (1) When the regional code is unknown or not available, the following codification shall be used: — ‘NUTS0 + ZZ’ when the NUTS code exists for the partner country. — ‘ISO code + ZZ’ when the NUTS code does not exist for the partner country. — ‘ZZZZ’ when the partner country is completely unknown. ANNEX II Table II1. Transport by nationality of the vessel and type of vessel (annual data) Elements Coding Nomenclature Unit Table 3-alpha ‘II1’ Reporting country 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) Year 4-digit ‘yyyy’ Country/region of loading 4-alpha NUTS2 (1) Country/region of unloading 4-alpha NUTS2 (1) Type of transport 1-digit 1 = national 2 = international (except transit) 3 = transit Type of vessel 1-digit 1 = self-propelled barge 2 = barge not self-propelled 3 = self-propelled tanker barge 4 = tanker barge not self-propelled 5 = other goods-carrying vessel 6 = seagoing vessel Nationality of vessel 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) (2) Tonnes transported tonnes Tonnes-km tonnes-km Table II2. Vessel traffic (annual data) Elements Coding Nomenclature Unit Table 3-Alpha ‘II2’ Reporting country 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) Year 4-digit ‘yyyy’ Type of transport 1-digit 1 = national 2 = international (except transit) 3 = transit Number of movements of loaded vessels movements of vessels Number of movements of empty vessels movements of vessels Vessel-km (loaded vessels) vessel-km Vessel-km (empty vessels) vessel-km NOTE: The provision of Table II2 is optional. (1) When the regional code is unknown or not available, the following codification shall be used: — ‘NUTS0 + ZZ’ when the NUTS code exists for the partner country. — ‘ISO code + ZZ’ when the NUTS code does not exist for the partner country. — ‘ZZZZ’ when the partner country is completely unknown. (2) When a NUTS code does not exist for the country of registration of the vessel, the ISO national code shall be reported. Where the nationality of the vessel is unknown, the code to use is ‘ZZ’. ANNEX III Table III1. Container transport by type of goods (annual data) Elements Coding Nomenclature Unit Table 4-alpha ‘III1’ Reporting country 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) Year 4-digit ‘yyyy’ Country/region of loading 4-alpha NUTS2 (1) Country/region of unloading 4-alpha NUTS2 (1) Type of transport 1-digit 1 = national 2 = international (except transit) 3 = transit Size of containers 1-digit 1 = 20′ freight units 2 = 40′ freight units 3 = freight units > 20′ and < 40′ 4 = freight units > 40′ Loading status 1-digit 1 = loaded containers 2 = empty containers Type of goods 2-digit NST 2007 Tonnes transported tonnes tonnes-km tonnes-km TEU TEU TEU-km TEU-km (1) When the regional code is unknown or not available, the following codification shall be used: — ‘NUTS0 + ZZ’ when the NUTS code exists for the partner country. — ‘ISO code + ZZ’ when the NUTS code does not exist for the partner country. — ‘ZZZZ’ when the partner country is completely unknown. ANNEX IV Table IV1. Transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data) Elements Coding Nomenclature Unit Table 3-alpha ‘IV1’ Reporting country 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) Year 4-digit ‘yyyy’ Quarter 2-digit 41 = quarter 1 42 = quarter 2 43 = quarter 3 44 = quarter 4 Type of transport 1-digit 1 = national 2 = international (except transit) 3 = transit Nationality of the vessel 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) (1) Tonnes transported tonnes Tonnes-km tonnes-km Table IV2. Container transport by nationality of vessels (quarterly data) Elements Coding Nomenclature Unit Table 3-alpha ‘IV2’ Reporting country 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) Year 4-digit ‘yyyy’ Quarter 2-digit 41 = quarter 1 42 = quarter 2 43 = quarter 3 44 = quarter 4 Type of transport 1-digit 1 = national 2 = international (except transit) 3 = transit Nationality of vessel 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) (2) Loading status 1-digit 1 = loaded containers 2 = empty containers Tonnes transported tonnes Tonnes-km tonnes-km TEU TEU TEU-km TEU-km (1) When a NUTS code does not exist for the country of registration of the vessel, the ISO national code shall be reported. Where the nationality of the vessel is unknown, the code to use is ‘ZZ’. (2) When a NUTS code does not exist for the country of registration of the vessel, the ISO national code shall be reported. Where the nationality of the vessel is unknown, the code to use is ‘ZZ’. ANNEX V Table V1. Goods transport (annual data) Elements Coding Nomenclature Unit Table 2-alpha ‘V1’ Reporting country 2-letter NUTS0 (national code) Year 4-digit ‘yyyy’ Type of transport 1-digit 1 = national 2 = international (except transit) 3 = transit Type of goods 2-digit NST 2007 Tonnes transported tonnes Tonnes-km tonnes-km ANNEX VI NST 2007 Division Description 01 Products of agriculture, hunting, and forestry; fish and other fishing products 02 Coal and lignite; crude petroleum and natural gas 03 Metal ores and other mining and quarrying products; peat; uranium and thorium 04 Food products, beverages and tobacco 05 Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 06 Wood and products of wood and cork (except furniture); articles of straw and plaiting materials; pulp, paper and paper products; printed matter and recorded media 07 Coke and refined petroleum products 08 Chemicals, chemical products, and man-made fibres; rubber and plastic products; nuclear fuel 09 Other non-metallic mineral products 10 Basic metals; fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment 11 Machinery and equipment n.e.c.; office machinery and computers; electrical machinery and apparatus n.e.c.; radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus; medical, precision and optical instruments; watches and clocks 12 Transport equipment 13 Furniture; other manufactured goods n.e.c. 14 Secondary raw materials; municipal wastes and other wastes 15 Mail, parcels 16 Equipment and material utilised in the transport of goods 17 Goods moved in the course of household and office removals; baggage transported separately from passengers; motor vehicles being moved for repair; other non-market goods n.e.c. 18 Grouped goods: a mixture of types of goods which are transported together 19 Unidentifiable goods: goods which for any reason cannot be identified and therefore cannot be assigned to groups 01—16 20 Other goods n.e.c. ANNEX VII REPEALED REGULATION WITH LIST OF ITS SUCCESSIVE AMENDMENTS Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 264, 25.9.2006, p. 1). Commission Regulation (EC) No 425/2007 (OJ L 103, 20.4.2007, p. 26). Only Article 1 Commission Regulation (EC) No 1304/2007 (OJ L 290, 8.11.2007, p. 14). Only Article 4 Regulation (EU) 2016/1954 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 311, 17.11.2016, p. 20). ANNEX VIII Correlation Table Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 This Regulation Articles 1 to 4 Articles 1 to 4 Article 4a Article 5 Article 5 Article 6 Article 6 Article 7 Article 7 Article 8 Article 8 Article 9 Article 10 Article 11 Article 11 — — Article 12 Article 12 Article 13 Annex A Annex I Annex B Annex II Annex C Annex III Annex D Annex IV Annex E Annex V Annex F Annex VI — Annex VII — Annex VIII

Summary: EU statistics of goods transport by inland waterways EU statistics of goods transport by inland waterways SUMMARY OF: Regulation (EU) 2018/974 on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION? It sets out the rules for the production of comparable EU-wide statistics on inland waterways freight transport. It seeks to provide a picture of the volume and performance of freight transport on the EU inland waterway network. It codifies and repeals Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 which had been substantially amended several times. KEY POINTS Scope EU countries must each compile and transmit to the European Commission (Eurostat) data relating to inland waterways transport. The regulation does not apply to the carriage of goods by vessels of less than 50 deadweight tonnes or to vessels: used mainly for transporting passengers; used for ferrying purposes; used solely for non-commercial purposes by port authorities and public authorities; used solely for bunkering or storage; not used to carry goods such as fishery vessels, dredgers, floating workshops, houseboats and pleasure craft. EU countries in which the total volume of goods transported annually by inland waterways — national, international or transit — exceeds 1 million tonnes must provide data stipulated in the tables in Annexes I to IV to the regulation. EU countries which do not have international or transit inland waterways transport, but in which the total volume of goods transported annually by inland waterways as national transport exceeds 1 million tonnes, shall supply only the data required by Annex V to the regulation. The effect of this regulation is limited to those countries in which this mode of transport exists. Pilot studies By 8 December 2018, the European Commission, in cooperation with EU countries, is to develop the appropriate methodology for compiling statistics on passenger transport by inland waterways, including by cross-border transport services. In 2019, the Commission will launch voluntary pilot studies to be carried out by EU countries that provide data within the scope of this regulation on the availability of statistical data relating to passenger transport by inland waterways. The studies shall assess the feasibility of those new data collections, the costs of the related data collections and the statistical quality implied. By 8 December 2020, the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the results of the pilot studies. Data collection and transmission Data are reported on the basis of the territoriality principle whereby each country reports the loading, unloading and movements of goods that take place on its national territory. The tables in Annexes I to V to the regulation lay down the rules and formats for data collection. EU countries must transmit to Eurostat the data they have gathered no later than 5 months after the end of the relevant period of observation. The Commission is to adopt implementing acts laying down the arrangements for transmitting data to Eurostat. Dissemination of data Eurostat disseminates the data at a frequency similar to that laid down for the transmission of data (quarterly or annually). Quality of data The Commission is to adopt implementing acts laying down the methodological requirements and criteria designed to ensure the quality of the data produced. EU countries must ensure the quality of data transmitted and supply the Commission (Eurostat) with a report containing such information and data as it may request in order to verify the quality of the data transmitted. Reports on implementation The Commission (Eurostat) shall report for the first time by 31 December 2020, and thereafter every 5 years, to the European Parliament and the Council on the regulation’s implementation and on future developments. Committee procedure The Commission is advised and assisted by the European Statistical System Committee established by Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 (How the European Statistical System works). FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY? It has applied since 5 August 2018. Regulation (EU) 2018/974 codifies and replaces Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 and its subsequent amendments. BACKGROUND For more information, see: Inland waterways transport statistics (Eurostat). MAIN DOCUMENT Regulation (EU) 2018/974 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways (codification) (OJ L 179, 16.7.2018, pp. 14-29) RELATED DOCUMENTS Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and repealing Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1101/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities, Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community Statistics, and Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom establishing a Committee on the Statistical Programmes of the European Communities (OJ L 87, 31.3.2009, pp. 164-173) Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only. Regulation (EC) No 1365/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006 on statistics of goods transport by inland waterways and repealing Council Directive 80/1119/EEC (OJ L 264, 25.9.2006, pp. 1-11) See consolidated version. last update 19.09.2018