The European Parliament adopted by 621 votes to 10, with 12 abstentions, a European Parliament legislative resolution on the draft Council decision authorising Member States to become party, in the interest of the European Union, to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel, of the International Maritime Organization.
The European Parliament gave its consent to the draft Council decision.
The decision under consideration is intended to enable Member States to ratify the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F Convention) without encroaching on the EU’s exclusive competence regarding the recognition of regulated professions pursed by EU nationals on board fishing vessels.
The STCW-F Convention was adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London on 7 July 1995; the 74 participating governments included those of 22 of the present EU Member States. The STCW-F Convention has been ratified by four Member States to date (Spain, Denmark, Latvia, and Lithuania).
The object of the STCW-F Convention is to ensure that personnel sailing on fishing vessels are qualified (as evidenced by official certificates) and fit for the job (on the strength of a medical certificate), so that potential threats to safety of life and/or property at sea or to the marine environment can, wherever possible, be minimised when operations are being carried out on seagoing vessels.