Article 15Safety and security guidelines and procedures

1.

Member States shall ensure that their inspectors follow the procedures and guidelines specified in Annex VI.

2.

As far as security checks are concerned, Member States shall apply the relevant procedures set out in Annex VI to this Directive to all ships referred to in Articles 3(1), 3(2) and 3(3) of Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council11, calling at their ports and anchorages, unless they fly the flag of the port State of inspection.

3.

The provisions of Article 14 of this Directive concerning expanded inspections shall apply to ro-ro ferries and high-speed passenger craft, referred to in Article 2(a) and (b) of Directive 1999/35/EC.

When a ship has been surveyed in accordance with Articles 6 and 8 of Directive 1999/35/EC by a host State which is not the flag State of the ship, such specific survey shall be recorded as a more detailed or an expanded inspection, as relevant, in the inspection database and taken into account for the purposes of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of this Directive and for calculating the fulfilment of the inspection commitment of each Member State in as much as all the items referred to in Annex VII to this Directive are covered.

Without prejudice to a prevention of operation of a ro-ro ferry or a high-speed passenger craft decided in accordance with Article 10 of Directive 1999/35/EC, the provisions of this Directive concerning rectification of deficiencies, detention, refusal of access, follow-up to inspections, detentions and refusal of access, as appropriate, shall apply.

4.

If necessary, the Commission may, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 31(2), adopt the rules for the harmonised implementation of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article.