Mutual recognition of seafarers' certificates issued by the Member States

The committee adopted the report by Robert EVANS (PES, UK) approving the proposal under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure, subject to a number of amendments designed to tighten up and clarify parts of the directive:

- Member States should keep up their efforts in the context of the IMO to achieve strict and enforceable agreements on the worldwide combating of fraud involving seafarers' certificates, given that non-EU vessels and crews not covered by the directive also enter European ports and so constitute a risk to safety at sea in the Union;

- a new paragraph should be inserted clarifying the requirements for recognition of certificates;

- MEPs tightened up the provisions relating to confirmation of the authenticity of seafarers' certificates so as to impose a clear requirement on Member States to supply a written confirmation - or denial - to the host country if it requests one;

- after 5 years, the Commission should submit an evaluation report to Parliament and the Council analysing Member States' compliance with the directive and, where necessary, proposing additional measures.