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Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/1179 3.6.2026
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION(EU) 2026/1179
of 1 June 2026
granting recognition in the Union, pursuant to Directive (EU) 2017/2397, to the certificates of
qualification based on examination organised under the responsibility of an administrative authority,
to service record books and logbooks in inland navigation, issued by Serbia
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Directive (EU) 2017/2397 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 on the
recognition of professional qualifications in inland navigation and repealing Council Directives 91/672/EEC
and 96/50/EC(1), and in particular Article 10(5) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In accordance with Article 10(4) of Directive (EU) 2017/2397, any third country may submit to the Commission a
request for recognition of certificates of qualification, service record books or logbooks that have been issued by its
authorities. The request is to be accompanied by all information necessary to determine whether the issuing of such
documents is subject to requirements that are identical to those laid down in that Directive.
(2) By letter of 16 December 2022, Serbia requested the recognition of certificates, service record books and logbooks
that had been issued by its authorities. Upon receiving the request for recognition, the Commission initiated the
assessment of the certification systems in Serbia.
(3) The assessment was based on the analysis of the submitted documentation and on the results of a fact-finding
inspection carried out by the Commission in Belgrade on 28 and 29 May 2024, which focused on the assessment of
the administrative exams (management level and operational level) organised by the Serbian authorities. In particular,
the fact-finding inspection assessed the carrying out of the administrative exams for boatmasters and other deck crew
members, issuance of service record books for deck crew members, logbooks and certificates of qualification, medical
check-up and issuance of medical certificates, and validation of navigation times in the service record books and
administrative procedures concerning logbooks.
(4) The assessment was carried out in accordance with Article 17(2), point (a), of Directive (EU) 2017/2397 pertaining to
examinations organised under the responsibility of an administrative authority. The procedure for approving training
programmes pursuant to Article 17(2), point (b), of Directive (EU) 2017/2397 was not part of the assessment and
should be undertaken at a later stage following the creation of the Training Institute in Belgrade.
(5) The fact-finding inspection identified several areas that needed to be addressed by the Serbian authorities, including
shortcomings related to provisions governing the issuance, validity, suspension and withdrawal of certificates of
qualification. In November 2024, the Serbian authorities submitted their reply addressing the identified
shortcomings.
(6) Based on the results of the fact-finding inspection, the replies to the shortcomings submitted by Serbia,
corresponding amendments in the relevant rulebooks and other available information, the Commission has
concluded that the Serbian authorities have taken measures to ensure that the issuing of the certificates of
qualification, service record books and logbooks specified in Serbia’s request is subject to requirements that are
identical to those laid down in Directive (EU) 2017/2397.
(1) OJ L 345, 27.12.2017, p. 53, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2017/2397/oj.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/1179/oj 1/2EN
OJ L, 3.6.2026
(7) In accordance with Article 10(3) of Directive (EU) 2017/2397 and considering that Serbia recognises within its
jurisdiction Union documents issued pursuant to that Directive, any certificate of qualification based on examination
organised under the responsibility of an administrative authority, service record book or logbook issued in
accordance with the national rules of Serbia, should be valid on all Union inland waterways.
(8) On 6 June 2024, Serbia submitted to the Commission a request to receive access to the European Crew Database for
certificates of qualifications and service record books and to the European Hull Database for logbooks.
(9) In accordance with Article 25(4) of Directive (EU) 2017/2397, authorities in third countries that issue certificates of
qualification, service record books or logbooks may be granted access to the database in so far as this is necessary for
the purposes referred to in Article 25(2) of Directive (EU) 2017/2397 provided that the requirements on data
protection of Article 47 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and the Council(2)are fulfilled,
the third country does not limit access by Member States or by the Commission to its corresponding database and if
the Commission ensures that the third country does not transfer the data to another third country or international
organisation without the Commission’s express written authorisation and under the conditions specified by the
Commission. Since special administrative arrangements pursuant to Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 are
necessary between the Commission and Serbia in order to ensure adequate level of data protection, the Commission
decision on providing access to the European Crew Database and to the European Hull Database to the authorities of
Serbia should be adopted at a later stage.
(10) Member States have been provided with information on the results of the assessment.
(11) It is therefore appropriate to recognise certificates of qualification that are issued based on examination organised
under the responsibility of an administrative authority, service record books and logbooks issued by Serbia for the
purposes of Article 10 of Directive (EU) 2017/2397.
(12) The measure provided in this Decision is in accordance with the opinion of the Committee referred to in Article 33 of
Directive (EU) 2017/2397,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The Commission grants recognition in the Union, pursuant to Article 10 of Directive (EU) 2017/2397, to the certificates of
qualification based on examination organised under the responsibility of an administrative authority, to service record
books and logbooks in inland navigation, issued by Serbia.
Article 2
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 Brussels, 1 June 2026.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
(2) Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons
with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of
such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39, ELI: http://data.
europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj).
2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/1179/oj