WRITTEN QUESTION E-1637/03 by Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission. Conditions of employees on board cruise ships.
Date: 2003-05-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: International Labour Organisation, crew, international convention, maritime transport, pleasure craft, working conditions

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/203

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2003)

According to the information in the Commission’s possession, the institute in question has not been
provided with Community funding.

(2004/C 11 E/228)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1637/03

by Catherine Stihler (PSE) to the Commission

(16 May 2003)

Subject: Conditions of employees on board cruise ships

The report ‘Sweatships: What it is really like to work on board cruise ships’, published recently by War on
Want and the International Transport Workers’ Federation, details very poor working conditions on board
cruise ships. These include low salaries, illegal charges to get a job, sometimes amounting to as much as
GBP 1 000, opposition to the forming of workers’ trade unions and evasion of minimum wage legislation
via the use of ‘flags of convenience’ registration.

Ratification of the ILO Maritime Convention would assist in tackling these abuses. What action is the
Commission taking in regard to pressing Member States to sign up to the ILO Maritime Convention?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 2003)

the Commission makes every effort

Bearing in mind that living and working conditions are crucial for seafaring profession and may also affect
seafarers’ performance,
the
application of the existing Community social provisions that apply also to seafarers. The Commission
would like to underline that Directive 1999/63/EC (1), implementing the Agreement on the organisation of
working time of seafarers concluded by the social partners, applies to seafarers on board every sea-going
ship, whether publicly or privately owned, which is registered in the territory of any Member State and is
ordinarily engaged in commercial maritime operations. It lays down minimum requirements concerning
the working conditions of seafarers, notably maximum weekly working time, minimal age to work at night
or on board a ship, annual paid leave, etc. The deadline for transposition of the Directive into national law
was 30 June 2002.

the Union,

throughout

to ensure,

On the other hand, Directive 1999/95/EC (2) provides a mechanism for the verification and enforcement of
compliance by ships calling at ports of Member States with Directive 1999/63/EC in order to improve
maritime safety, working conditions and the health and safety of seafarers on board ships. It applies
therefore to every ship calling at ports of a Member State, irrespective of the place of registration.

It is also deeply concerned about the inconsistent record of the Member States in ratifying some of the
the International Labour Office (ILO) dictating minimum international
international Conventions of
maritim labour standards.

In this regard, the Commission is following very closely the developments within the Member States, but
also the Candidate countries, as regards the ratification of the international requirements, as scarce

C 11 E/204

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.1.2004

ratification might as well
instigated by the ILO in Geneva, on top of encouraging the subsistence of an uneven playing field.

jeopardise the consolidation process of all maritime Conventions recently

(1) Council Directive 1999/63/EC of 21 June 1999 concerning the Agreement on the organisation of working time of
seafarers concluded by the European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) and the Federation of Transport
Workers’ Unions in the European Union (FST), OJ L 167, 2.7.1999.

(2) Directive 1999/95/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 concerning the enforcement of
provisions in respect of seafarers’ hours of work on board ships calling at Community ports, OJ L 14, 20.1.2000.

(2004/C 11 E/229)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1643/03

by Stavros Xarchakos (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Composition of the control services in Greece

(16 May 2003)

It is well known that Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 (1) of 21 July 1999 set up the framework for
the administration, monitoring and financial control of the third CSF. The requirement for effective and
efficient management of Community funds derives from the letter and the spirit of this regulation. In order
to ensure that this Community requirement is adhered to, each Member State is obliged to create an
independent service which can intervene, detect and correct any irregularities and which will keep the
Commission informed.

In Greece the competent authorities are the EDEL (Committee on Budgetary Control) and the 51st and
52nd financial control departments, which are part (as is EDEL) of the Greek Ministry of Economic Affairs
technicians,
and are mainly staffed by administrative employees, and not by specialised agricultural
engineers, environmentalists etc., which would have made the relevant checks more substantial and
reliable.

Could the Commission forward to me the letters dated 13 June 2001 from the Ministry of Economic
Affairs to the Regional Policy Directorate-General, the letter with reference number 107569/14-8.2001
from the Regional Policy DG to the Greek authorities, the reply from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to
the Regional Policy DG’s document G.3/EM/103141/2-4-2002, D(2002) 830233, and the financial control
report by the Regional Policy DG for the Ionian islands ROP and the Epirus ROP?

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(23 June 2003)

The Honourable Member’s question relates to requests for access to documents. Such requests are
governed by Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May
2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (1).

The Commission will appraise the Honourable Member’s request in accordance with the procedure laid
down in that Regulation.

(1) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001.

(2004/C 11 E/230)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1644/03

by Avril Doyle (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(16 May 2003)

Subject: EU disabled parking

Can the Commission clarify the rules in relation to EU disabled parking? What are the precise rules of use?
Where can individuals displaying a disabled parking sticker park? Are there any restrictions on the use of
this facility?