Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the "Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the minimum level of training for seafarers (consolidated text)"

(2001/C 14/09)

On 23 June 2000 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 71 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 8 September 2000. The rapporteur was Mr Chagas.

At its 376th plenary session (meeting of 19 October 2000), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 93 votes to none, with one abstention.

1. Introduction

1.1. The Economic and Social Committee has repeatedly expressed its agreement with the Commission's decision to consolidate legislative measures which have been amended several times, with the aim of making them more accessible and comprehensible to the public.

1.2. The present proposal for consolidation of Directive 94/58/EC(1) is justified by the fact that since its publication it has been amended substantially, notably by Directive 98/35/EC(2) which took account of the amendments made by the International Maritime Organisation in the 1995 revision of the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, among other relevant international provisions on safety of shipping, prevention of pollution and living and working conditions on board.

1.3. The consolidated text will ensure that the codified directives' content "is fully preserved, and they are brought together with only such formal amendments as are required by the codification exercise itself".

2. General comments

2.1. The Committee takes the view that establishment of, and harmonised compliance with, standards of training and certification of seafarers is one of the basic requirements for a maritime transport policy which promotes safety at sea and prevents pollution.

2.2. It is equally important for the legislation to be accessible and comprehensible to those whom it concerns; otherwise it will never fully achieve its objectives.

2.3. The Committee endorses the Commission proposal, which should help to systematise legislation on the training and certification of seafarers.

2.4. The ESC still thinks it essential for the Member States to be empowered to carry out effective checks on the quality of the certificates and training of seafarers - whether from the EU or not - who use their ports. It therefore calls on the Commission to carry out an assessment of the effective capacity currently available in the Member States, especially as regards Port State Control, with a view to finding ways of overcoming current deficiencies and omissions and ensuring the maintenance of training and certification standards which conform to international rules.

Brussels, 19 October 2000.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Göke Frerichs

(1) Council Directive 94/58/EC of 22 November 1994 on the minimum level of training of seafarers (OJ L 319, 12.12.1994, p. 28). - ESC opinion: OJ C 34, 2.2.1994, p. 10.

(2) Council Directive 98/35/EC of 25 May 1998 amending Directive 94/58/EC on the minimum level of training of seafarers (OJ L 172, 17.6.1998, p. 1) - ESC opinion: OJ C 206, 7.7.1997, p. 29.