Reducing Administrative Burdens
Through resolution A.1043(27), the 27th Assembly in November 2011 adopted a process of periodic review of administrative requirements in mandatory instruments, and acknowledged that releasing resources from administrative tasks for Administrations and industry alike, contributes to the Organization's goals of efficient regulation of safety and security of shipping and the prevention and control of pollution by ships.
The Ad Hoc Steering Group for Reducing Administrative Requirements (SG-RAR), established by the Council at its 108th session in 2012, evaluated the responses received in the public consultation and developed recommendations on how to alleviate administrative burdens that have become unnecessary, disproportionate or even obsolete. The recommendations were presented to the 113rd Session of the Council on December 3rd,2014.
[Click on the image above to see the full list of our recommendations]
The Council, in general, agreed with the recommendations, and took the following action:
- A draft resolution to emphasize the importance of considering and reducing administrative burdens, will be prepared for discussion by the council at its 114th session with the aim of adoption at the 29th session of the Assembly at the end of 2015 (recommendations: 1, 3, 4, 9 and 11);
- Relevant committees have been tasked to further consider a number of issues (recommendations: 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10) that came up during analysis of findings at their sessions in 2015.
- The IMO Secretariat was requested to provide more information on a web-based information portal that could help alleviate burdens experienced by stakeholders (recommendation 2)
- Further information and proposals were requested from Member States in relation to review of non-mandatory instruments (recommendation 10), specific principles and criteria for future regulations (recommendation 12); and
- Sent the recommendations to the checklist for identifying administrative burdens to the established Correspondence Group (recommendation 13)
Below you will find the final report of the SG-RAR detailing the recommendations, as well as the formal report sent to Council.
As the SG-RAR has now completed its work, we would once again like to extend to you our sincere thanks for participating in the public consultation. The work of the Steering Group would not have been successful without the excellent contributions by all respondents –individuals and organizations- that took the time to respond and offer indispensable insights into the practical implications of IMO's mandatory administrative requirements.