Maritime safety: minimum level of training of seafarers

The Commission's amended proposal incorporates, wholly or in part, 19 of the 35 amendments adopted by Parliament at first reading. The main amendments accepted relate to the following points: - recognition by Member States of qualifications only where they testify to a level of training equivalent to the requirements of the STCW Convention; - possibility for Member States to adopt stricter standards than those of the directive; - application, from the date of entry into force of the directive, of all provisions and recommendations of the STCW Convention; - implementation of measures to attract young people to the maritime profession; - updating of the definition of ships flying the flag of a Member State; - notification of the Commission of the decision on the definition of near-coastal voyages (rather than the establishing of a committee procedure); - improvement of oral communication on ships; - introduction of a single working language on ships (including oil and other tankers). Ships flying the flag of a third country and operating in a Member State will be inspected by the competent port authorities under the provisions of Directive 95/21/EC in order to ensure that a common working language has been adopted; - introduction of specific provisions on watchkeeping; - review of the Directive every five years, and more frequently if required in certain sectors, through a simple committee procedure; - addition of a new annex on procedures and criteria for the recognition of certificates of third countries. The Commission has not accepted the amendments on harmonizing levels of training of seafarers in the Community or on setting up a European training institute. �