Maritime industry and seafarers: ratication by Member States of the 2006 Consolidated Maritime Labour Convention of the International Labour Organisation ILO, 23 February 2006

Pending the adoption of the European Parliament's opinion, the Council reached agreement on a general approach on a proposal for a decision authorising Member States to ratify, in the interest of the European Community, the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The draft decision is aimed at authorising Member States to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention, since some of the issues covered by it fall within the competence of the European Community and others under the competence of the Member States and the European Community as such is not a party to ILO or to the above Convention. In addition, the draft decision lays down the end of 2010 as a possible deadline for ratification by the Member States.