Luxembourg, 06/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the European Council adopted conclusions defining ways to promote maritime transport and to attract young people to maritime professions. The number of Community seafarers employed on board ships registered under Community flags has fallen by 40% since 1985. Today, there are 120,000, with seafarers from third countries increasing from 29,000 in 1983 to 34,500 in 2001, the Commission notes in a communication of April 2001. "Young Europeans do not have a seafaring vocation", Loyola de Palacio remarked on Thursday.
In order to enhance the profession, the Council's conclusions recommend, to begin with, rapid review of the Community guidelines on State aid to the maritime sector, in order to "stimulate ongoing competitiveness and the promotion of know-how in European maritime transport and maritime training, as well as the employment of European seafarers".
The Council discussed the possibility of creating a "European Maritime Day" and a "European Maritime Image Prize" including a campaign to promote the sector. It called upon the Commission to look into the possibility of setting up a European "quality premium" system, aimed at operators who, amongst other things, conform to standards governing safety, and living and working conditions for seafarers. The Council also called upon the Member States to make sure that the quality of maritime transport is encouraged, by respecting the most stringent standards of the International Maritime Organisation and the International Labour Organisation. It also hopes that maritime professions will be uprated, ensuring that seafarers are able to carry out their duties in proper working and safety conditions, and that "their social rights are respected", and encourages them to "improve the relevant provisions to increase the number and quality of social services and equipment available to the families of seafarers". The social partners are encouraged to contribute to efforts to create "working conditions and attractive pay in line with their level of training", and shipbuilders to promote employment of seafarers from within the Community, and the mobility of their careers.