Maritime safety: seafarers, minimum training level

The Commission incorporated Parliament's amendments which sought: - to improve the wording of the text in order to take better account of the IMO Convention on standards of training for seafarers, the requirements of the STCW Convention on certification and watchkeeping for seafarers and IMO Resolution A 778(18) on minimum training requirements for those appointed to assist passengers in the event of an emergency arising on board passenger ships; - to make reference to training and certification in non-Community countries and to introduce common criteria to be applied throughout the EU for the recognition of these certificates; - to strengthen measures for aptitude inspections to be carried out by the State port authorities. �