EU - Maritime transport sector - Directive to give legal effect to the EU-level agreement reached by the social partners 03.02.2009
The European Commission welcomed the Council's decision to improve the working conditions of around 300,000 maritime workers.
The Directive will give legal effect to the EU-level agreement reached by the social partners in the maritime transport sector to implement internationally-agreed labour standards set by the International Labour Organisation in 2006.
The maritime shipping sector is an industry operating worldwide under stringent global competition. Against this background it is essential to define and effectively enforce global minimum standards of employment and heath and safety conditions for employees working on board of seagoing ships. The Council Directive will enter in force simultaneously with the 2006 ILO Maritime Labour Convention. It is expected that the Directive will encourage Member States to ratify the Convention and therefore contribute to the binding enforcement of the related social standards.
