Luxembourg, 29/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 29 October, EU transport ministers adopted a general orientation on two draft directives on working conditions for seafarers, according to the state or flag flown. This involves the transposition of rules in the Maritime Labour Convention, set up by the International Labour Organisation in 2006. These two directives will be binding as from August 2013 and will guarantee rights and protection for all seafarers with regard to minimum working conditions, the place of work, social security and health care. France was keen to show its support for this initiative. The general orientation adapts directive 2009/16/EC on control by the state of the port, according to Maritime Labour Convention precepts. This will, for example, include the extension of the scope of inspections, the inclusion of the Maritime Labour certificate, modalities for tackling complaints and authorising the immobilisation of a ship in the event of a serious infringement. Nonetheless, ministers decided not to subject ships flying the flags of states that had not been ratified by the Maritime Labour Convention to surprise inspections. The Commission said that it was disappointed by the approach adopted by the Council because this initially involved encouraging acceptance of the convention by targeting those that had not ratified it, explained the European Commissioner for transport, Siim Kallas.
The directive on the state flag flown stipulates that member states check boats flying their flag respect the new provisions set out by the Maritime Labour Convention. Slovenia abstained from the vote because it has reservations about the legal basis of the initiative. This delegation does not see any added value with regard to the similar directive that already exists (2009/13). The Commission has similar reservations and regretted that an exclusively Maritime Labour Convention reference suggests that an international convention is put in place, when a directive already exists. Malta and Croatia welcomed the exemption for boats of less than 200 gross tonnage. (MD/trans/fl)