International Certificate of Competence
Encyclopedia
An International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is a certificate, which may be issued to anyone who has successfully completed certain national boating licenses or has successfully passed an examination to prove the necessary competence for pleasure craft
operation.
Although only guaranteed to be accepted in countries that have adopted the relevant UN Resolution, the ICC is a useful document to carry and will generally be accepted where proof of competence is required.
In very general terms an ICC is required for the inland waterways of Europe
and for inland and coastal waters of Mediterranean countries. For the coastal waters of Northern Europe
the ICC is generally not required, however to all of these generalisations there are exceptions.
Inland Water Committee (UN ECE IWC) Resolution 40 (hereafter called Resolution 40).
This states that the ICC may be issued by a government of one state to its nationals and residents who may be on the waters of a foreign state, on condition that both accept the requirements and conditions set out in Resolution 40. Governments may appoint competent authorities to issue ICC on their behalf. In the United Kingdom
the Royal Yachting Association
(RYA) but globally International Yacht Training Worldwide
(IYT) is such a competent authority.
The ICC provides documentary assurance from one government to another that the holder meets the levels of competence laid down in Resolution 40. However, the acceptance of Resolution 40 is often caveated.
and the need for reassurance that vessel operators were competent to ensure safety of navigation and protection of the environment as they moved from one country to another. As a result, on 29 January 1979, the United Nations Working Party on Inland Water Transport adopted Resolution 14, which recommended the introduction of a European document for an International Certificate (International Card) to provide those assurances. The Resolution was also intended to facilitate 'waterborne tourism'. Until then operators could well have been expected to produce competency certificates for each country whose waters they were on.
In the mid-nineties, the Working Group on Inland Water Transport considered that Resolution 14 needed updating and strengthening and on 16 October 1998 the Working Party adopted their revisions as Resolution 40; this replaced Resolution 14.
The International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft created in Resolution 40 is now more commonly referred to as the International Certificate of Competence or simply ICC. The ICC is only applicable where the visited state has also adopted or recognises the ICC as a valid standard of competency.
It is the professional opinion of the UNECE IWC that the standards set out in Resolution 40 provide a reasonable and appropriate level of competence for day sailing with due regard to the safety of navigation and crew and the protection of the environment. It is strongly recommended that governments recognise this rather than be drawn into discussions on where the ICC may or may not fit into their own national schemes – much the same as acceptance of the international driving licence
.
As of 2011 and somewhat surprisingly, only 21 countries have adopted either resolution so far, of which 16 are EU
member states
. In reality many countries choose to accept the ICC even though they have not adopted the resolution – but of course this is on their terms and can be subject to local variations. Spain
, Greece
and Portugal
, for example, have not adopted Resolution 40 but are still most likely to ask visitors for an ICC. In reality, the ICC is more widely accepted as proof of the holder’s competence than adoption of Resolution 40 would suggest.
member states have adopted the Resolution 40 and thus officially accept the ICC as a proof of competence on their territory:
Austria
,
Belarus
,
Bulgaria
,
Croatia
,
Czech Republic
,
Finland
,
Germany
,
Hungary
,
Ireland
,
Lithuania
,
Luxembourg
,
Netherlands
,
Romania
,
Serbia
,
Slovakia
,
Switzerland
and
United Kingdom
.
Belgium
,
France
,
Italy
and
Poland
.
(RYA) and International Yacht Training Worldwide
(IYT Worldwide) are with the authority of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
(MCA) approved to issue ICCs to those who meet the mandated requirements and the competency requirements.
UK ICCs are for use on British registered vessel to or in the waters of foreign states that participate in Resolution 40, without the need to comply with those states’ national certification requirements. An ICC does not enable a British skipper to skipper a non-British registered vessel. If a British skipper wants to skipper a non-British registered vessel then he/she must be qualified per the regulations of the country in which the vessel is registered.
The UK ICC is only available to British citizens or bona fide British residents.
and Irish Sailing Association
are authorized by the Irish Department of Transport
to issue an ICC to any NON EU citizen as well as Irish nationals and bona fide residents,provided they meet the knowledge and competency standards required.
The ICC enables owners vessels to use them in those European waters where an ICC is required, and proves to local authorities that the skipper has the required UK/Irish qualifications for skippering the vessel.
Pleasure craft
A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina...
operation.
Although only guaranteed to be accepted in countries that have adopted the relevant UN Resolution, the ICC is a useful document to carry and will generally be accepted where proof of competence is required.
In very general terms an ICC is required for the inland waterways of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and for inland and coastal waters of Mediterranean countries. For the coastal waters of Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
the ICC is generally not required, however to all of these generalisations there are exceptions.
Description of the ICC
The ICC is a product of the United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. It is one of five regional commissions under the administrative direction of United Nations headquarters. It has 56 member states, and reports to the UN Economic and...
Inland Water Committee (UN ECE IWC) Resolution 40 (hereafter called Resolution 40).
This states that the ICC may be issued by a government of one state to its nationals and residents who may be on the waters of a foreign state, on condition that both accept the requirements and conditions set out in Resolution 40. Governments may appoint competent authorities to issue ICC on their behalf. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the Royal Yachting Association
Royal Yachting Association
The Royal Yachting Association is the national governing body for certain watersports in the United Kingdom. Activities it covers include:* Sailing* Windsurfing* Motor cruising* Sportsboats* Personal watercraft* Powerboat racing...
(RYA) but globally International Yacht Training Worldwide
International Yacht Training Worldwide
International Yacht Training Worldwide is an independent sailing and boating training organization which provides education and training standards for professional and recreational boaters and yachtsmen and women...
(IYT) is such a competent authority.
The ICC provides documentary assurance from one government to another that the holder meets the levels of competence laid down in Resolution 40. However, the acceptance of Resolution 40 is often caveated.
History of the ICC
The origins of the ICC arose from navigation on the Rhine and the DanubeDanube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and the need for reassurance that vessel operators were competent to ensure safety of navigation and protection of the environment as they moved from one country to another. As a result, on 29 January 1979, the United Nations Working Party on Inland Water Transport adopted Resolution 14, which recommended the introduction of a European document for an International Certificate (International Card) to provide those assurances. The Resolution was also intended to facilitate 'waterborne tourism'. Until then operators could well have been expected to produce competency certificates for each country whose waters they were on.
In the mid-nineties, the Working Group on Inland Water Transport considered that Resolution 14 needed updating and strengthening and on 16 October 1998 the Working Party adopted their revisions as Resolution 40; this replaced Resolution 14.
The International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft created in Resolution 40 is now more commonly referred to as the International Certificate of Competence or simply ICC. The ICC is only applicable where the visited state has also adopted or recognises the ICC as a valid standard of competency.
Application of the ICC
Resolution 40 not only included operators of pleasure craft bound for or on the inland and coastal waters of foreign states but specifically included bareboat charter vessels. Significantly, it also set out the nautical, regulatory and technical competency requirements to be achieved and a minimum age (16 years of age) for the issue of an ICC irrespective of individual national schemes.It is the professional opinion of the UNECE IWC that the standards set out in Resolution 40 provide a reasonable and appropriate level of competence for day sailing with due regard to the safety of navigation and crew and the protection of the environment. It is strongly recommended that governments recognise this rather than be drawn into discussions on where the ICC may or may not fit into their own national schemes – much the same as acceptance of the international driving licence
International Driving Permit
An International Driving Permit allows an individual to drive a private motor vehicle in another nation when accompanied by a valid license from their home country. The document is slightly larger than a standard passport and is essentially a multiple language translation of one's own existing...
.
As of 2011 and somewhat surprisingly, only 21 countries have adopted either resolution so far, of which 16 are EU
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
member states
Member State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
. In reality many countries choose to accept the ICC even though they have not adopted the resolution – but of course this is on their terms and can be subject to local variations. Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, for example, have not adopted Resolution 40 but are still most likely to ask visitors for an ICC. In reality, the ICC is more widely accepted as proof of the holder’s competence than adoption of Resolution 40 would suggest.
Implementation of Resolution 40
The following UNECEUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. It is one of five regional commissions under the administrative direction of United Nations headquarters. It has 56 member states, and reports to the UN Economic and...
member states have adopted the Resolution 40 and thus officially accept the ICC as a proof of competence on their territory:
Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
,
Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
,
Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
,
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
,
Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
,
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
,
Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
,
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
,
Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
,
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
,
Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
,
Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
,
Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
,
Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
,
Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Implementation of Resolution 14
The following UNECE member states have adopted the earlier Resolution 14. Also these countries accept the ICC:Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
,
France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
,
Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and
Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
United Kingdom
The Royal Yachting AssociationRoyal Yachting Association
The Royal Yachting Association is the national governing body for certain watersports in the United Kingdom. Activities it covers include:* Sailing* Windsurfing* Motor cruising* Sportsboats* Personal watercraft* Powerboat racing...
(RYA) and International Yacht Training Worldwide
International Yacht Training Worldwide
International Yacht Training Worldwide is an independent sailing and boating training organization which provides education and training standards for professional and recreational boaters and yachtsmen and women...
(IYT Worldwide) are with the authority of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is a UK executive agency working to prevent the loss of lives at sea and is responsible for implementing British and International maritime law and safety policy.This involves coordinating search and rescue at sea through Her Majesty's Coastguard , ensuring that...
(MCA) approved to issue ICCs to those who meet the mandated requirements and the competency requirements.
UK ICCs are for use on British registered vessel to or in the waters of foreign states that participate in Resolution 40, without the need to comply with those states’ national certification requirements. An ICC does not enable a British skipper to skipper a non-British registered vessel. If a British skipper wants to skipper a non-British registered vessel then he/she must be qualified per the regulations of the country in which the vessel is registered.
The UK ICC is only available to British citizens or bona fide British residents.
Ireland
IYT WorldwideInternational Yacht Training Worldwide
International Yacht Training Worldwide is an independent sailing and boating training organization which provides education and training standards for professional and recreational boaters and yachtsmen and women...
and Irish Sailing Association
Irish Sailing Association
The Irish Sailing Association is the national governing body for sailing in Ireland.-Mission:The association's mission is: "To lead the promotion and development of "Sailing and Boating - The Lifelong sport".-Clubs and membership:...
are authorized by the Irish Department of Transport
Department of Transport (Ireland)
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for transport policy and overseeing transport services and infrastructure. The Department is led by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport who is assisted by two Ministers of State...
to issue an ICC to any NON EU citizen as well as Irish nationals and bona fide residents,provided they meet the knowledge and competency standards required.
The ICC enables owners vessels to use them in those European waters where an ICC is required, and proves to local authorities that the skipper has the required UK/Irish qualifications for skippering the vessel.
See also
- Code Européen des Voies de la Navigation Intérieure (European Code for Inland Waterways)