Flag State auditing process
Article 7
Member States shall take the necessary measures for an IMO audit of their administration at least once every seven years, subject to a positive reply of the IMO to a timely request of the Member State concerned, and shall publish the outcome of the audit in accordance with relevant national legislation on confidentiality. This Article shall expire at the latest on 17 June 2017 or at an earlier date, as established by the Commission in accordance with the regulatory procedure referred to in Article 10(2), if a mandatory IMO Member State Audit Scheme has entered into force.