Having concluded that France had not updated the minimum level of training of seafarers, as required by Directive 2012/35/EU, the European Commission sent it a reasoned opinion on Thursday 29 September.
The directive seeks to incorporate into EU law the amendments made in 2010 to the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers (known as the STCW Convention). Among the innovations are the requirement for officers to be able to use electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) to maintain the safety of navigation and additional medical fitness requirements including alcohol level limits for the prevention of alcohol abuse.
Member states had to transpose this directive by 4 July 2014. “To date, France, however, has failed to do so”, the Commission says. The French authorities now have two months to take the necessary measures to remedy the situation or risk having the Commission refer the case to the Court of Justice of the EU. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)