|  text only  |  accessibility  |  site help  |  site map  |
European Transport Workers' Federation
*
*
ETF Home > Press area

Google free translation service: Deutsch, Français, Español, Italiano, Português - About these links

Press area

Social Partners reach agreement to transpose ILO Maritime Labour Convention into EU law

12 November 2007

Concluding negotiations over the past year, the Sectoral Social Partners in the maritime shipping industry - the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) - have reached an agreement to incorporate certain provisions of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (ILO MLC 2006) into Community law.

The signature of the agreement concludes the negotiations they started on 29 September 2006, following a Communication on the strengthening of maritime labour standards adopted by the Commission on 15 June 2006 (COM(2006) 287 final).

Both ETF and ECSA have now requested the Commission to start working on a proposal for a Council decision through which the provisions contained in their agreement should be implemented at Community level.

The inclusion of certain provisions of the ILO MLC 2006 in the “acquis communautaire” by means of an EU directive will require all Member States to transpose the contents into their national legislation, thus rendering an internationally agreed instrument legally binding at EU level. In concluding their Agreement, the Social Partners stress the need to have labour standards applicable to all seafarers on board vessels.

To ensure a global level playing field, ETF and ECSA have also agreed that their agreement enters into force on the date that the ILO MLC 2006 enters into force.

The Commission welcomed the agreement and added that the procedure calls for legal analysis and conformity with EU law. It is possible that the Social Partners Agreement will be celebrated in late February 2008, preferably on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of the Convention, in the presence of both Commissioners Vladimír Špidla and Jacques Barrot, respectively responsible for Employment and Transport.


ENDS

For more information please contact:

European Transport Workers' Federation
Rue du Midi 165
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 (2) 285 4660
Fax: +32 (2) 280 0817
Email: etf@etf-europe.org
Web: www.etf-europe.org




*
Related documents:
*

Back to current press releases


*
Quick search
 
Advanced search
*
 
*
Press area
 
*
 
*
Galerie AGORA, Rue du Marché aux Herbes 105, Boîte 11 B - 1000 Bruxelles  |  +32 2 285 46 60   |  etf@etf-europe.org
Galerie AGORA, Rue du Marché aux Herbes 105, Boîte 11 B - 1000 Bruxelles  |  +32 2 285 46 60   |  etf@etf-europe.org