PURPOSE: to recast the legislation on the minimum level of training for seafarers (adaptation to the new regulatory procedure with scrutiny).
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Directive 2008/106/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the minimum level of training for seafarers (recast).
CONTENT: having reached agreement with the Parliament at first reading, the Directive recasts and adapts the legislation in force (Directive 2001/25/EC) to the new regulatory procedure with scrutiny (comitology), introduced by Decision 2006/512/EC and intended for use with measures of general scope designed to amend non-essential elements of a basic instrument adopted in accordance with the co-decision procedure. All the modifications are of a technical nature and aim to make Community law more readable.
The aim of the Directive is to define a minimum level of training for seafarers in the Community. That level should be based on the standards of training already agreed at international level, namely the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW Convention), as revised in 1995. All Member States are Parties to that Convention.
The text stresses that Member States should take and enforce specific measures to prevent and penalise fraudulent practices associated with certificates of competency as well as pursue their efforts within the IMO to achieve strict and enforceable agreements on the worldwide combating of such practices. Moreover, the European Maritime Safety Agency should assist the Commission in verifying that Member States comply with the requirements laid down in this Directive.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 23/12/2008.