Strengthening of maritime labour standards

This Communication comes in the wake of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 2006 Convention on maritime labour standards which was adopted almost unanimously in Geneva on 23 February 2006.

That Convention incorporates the conventions and recommendations on maritime labour adopted by the ILO since 1919 into a single consolidated text to serve as a basis for the first universal Maritime Labour Code.

The Commission has actively supported the work of preparing this instrument from the outset. Moreover, it obtained negotiating directives by Council decision of 21 April 2005 to act alongside Member States to safeguard the Community acquis during ILO negotiations.

Now that the Convention has been adopted, the Commission considers it essential to mobilise sufficient means to implement it at both Community and national level.