Article 1 
The purpose of this Directive is to put into effect the Agreement on the organisation of working time of seafarers concluded on 30 September 1998 between the organisations representing management and labour in the maritime sector (ECSA and FST) as set out in the Annex hereto.
Article 2 Minimum requirements
1. Member States may maintain or introduce more favourable provisions than those laid down in this Directive. 2. The implementation of this Directive shall under no circumstances constitute sufficient grounds for justifying a reduction in the general level of protection of workers in the fields covered by this Directive. This shall be without prejudice to the rights of Member States and/or management and labour to lay down, in the light of changing circumstances, different legislative, regulatory or contractual arrangements to those prevailing at the time of the adoption of this Directive, provided always that the minimum requirements laid down in this Directive are adhered to.
Article 3 Transposition
1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 30 June 2002, or shall ensure that, by that date at the latest, management and labour have introduced the necessary measures by agreement, the Member States being required to take any necessary measure to enable them at any time to be in a position to guarantee the results imposed by this Directive. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. 2. When Member States adopt the provisions referred to in the first paragraph, these shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference at the time of their official publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by the Member States.
Article 4 Addressees
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.