Questionnaire on Marine Equipment Manufacturers experiences with Class Rules and Certificates

This survey questionnaire has been designed specifically to collect data from the Marine Equipment industry, with a view to illustrating the current practice in the field of marine equipment certification, the experience of individual companies in their dealing with surveyors and the interpretation, made by the latter, of classification rules.

Only equipment that is certified according to the rules of the European Recognised Organisations is subject to this questionnaire. This survey does not include equipment falling under the MED Marine Equipment Directive 96/98 i.e. life saving appliances, fire protection, navigation equipment, and radio communication equipment.

All data will be used only as a reference for EMEC and in a form that will make it impossible to determine the identity of the individual responses. That is, the questionnaire responses will not be integrated, analyzed, or reported in any way in which the confidentiality of the questionnaire responses is not absolutely guaranteed.

All questionnaire responses will be transferred to a secure, password-restricted server. Access to raw data will be tightly restricted to EMEC staff and consultants directly involved in data analysis on the basis of a confidentiality agreement. EMEC will retain the sole ownership of all raw data.

Should you prefer to do the questionnaire by fax or with a EMEC member over the phone, please contact our offices at the following details:

European Marine Equipment Council
Rue Belliard, 159
B-1040 Bruxelles
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 230 90 64
Fax: +32 2 280 30 01
secretariat@emec.eu

1. General Info

Company Size:


To which of the following European Recognised Organisations (ROs) do you apply for certificates?

How much percent of your annual turnover do you spend on direct and indirect expenses for certification, renewal of certificates, in-house inspections and other related work? Give an estimate.

2. Please reply to the following questions regarding harmonisation of Class rules

Is there a difference in Class rules between the different ROs for your product(s)?

Examples or comments:

Do ROs apply Class rules differently for your product/material/service according to the countries?

Examples or comments:

Are certificates for the same product being delivered by a RO in one country but not in another country?

Examples or comments:

Are you aware of any activity being done by ROs towards harmonisation of Class rules?

Examples or comments:

If Yes, which ROs are involved?

Have you noticed any progress with the harmonisation of Class rules by a RO since Article 10 of Regulation 391/2009 became applicable in April 2009?

Examples or comments:

If Yes, which ROs are involved?

How much of the expenses of certification would you save should harmonisation of Class rules be fully implemented by ROs? Give an estimate.

3. Are you aware of any of the following matters regarding mutual recognition of Class certificates?

Certificates for products already installed on board being recognised by one or more ROs.

Examples or comments:

ROs relying on a surveyor from another RO for issuing a certificate.

Examples or comments:

Existing certificates being accepted by another RO on the occasion of a transfer of property of a vessel or a change of class.

Examples or comments:

Certificates of new products issued by one RO being recognised by one or more ROs.

Examples or comments:

If Yes, which RO?

Have you noticed any progress towards mutual recognition by a RO since Article 10 became applicable in April 2009?

Examples or comments:

If Yes, which ROs?

How much of the expenses of certification would you save should Mutual Recognition of certificates be fully implemented by ROs. Give an estimate.

4. General Questions

Would your company be prepared to cooperate with the ROs to help harmonising the existing Class rules?

Examples or comments:

Have ROs ever asked or considered your advice regarding new Class rules?

Examples or comments:

Other matters occurring concerning classification that you would like to mention: