The European Commission proposed new rules to ensure that European ships are only recycled in facilities that are safe for workers and environmentally sound. The new rules, which will take the form of a Regulation, propose a system of survey, certification and authorisation for large commercial seagoing vessels that fly the flag of an EU Member State, covering their whole life cycle from construction to operation and recycling.

This system builds upon the Hong Kong Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships, which was adopted in 2009. The proposal aims to implement the Convention quickly, without waiting for its ratification and entry into force, a process which will take several years.
To speed up the formal entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention, the Commission also presented a draft decision requiring Member States to ratify the Convention.
European ships will have to draw up an inventory of the hazardous materials present on board, and apply for an inventory certificate. The amount of hazardous waste on board must be reduced before the ship is delivered to a recycling facility. Ship recycling facilities will have to meet a set of environmental and safety requirements in order to be included on a list of authorised facilities world wide. European ships will be allowed to be recycled only in facilities on the list.

More information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/ships/index.htm