Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-03-13-Speech-2-323"
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"en.20070313.24.2-323"2
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"Mr President, ‘the ILO Maritime Labour Convention is the best thing that has ever been developed in the maritime labour field.’ These are not my words, but the words of Dierk Lindemann, who was the spokesperson for shipowners during the negotiations on the Convention.
I should like to make some additional remarks about other measures that could be undertaken by the EU. The Commission’s excellent communication on strengthening maritime labour standards provides a good starting point, and I hope that my report makes some small contribution to doing just that. The EU needs to look at areas not fully covered by the Convention and, in particular, the regulation of recruitment agencies. The EU should look at how to strengthen, complement or extend the standards of the ILO Convention and to go further in protecting the rights and interests of seafarers. The EU should look at adopting measures to reduce the risks of different interpretations of the Convention between EU Member States. Proposals should be brought forward to allow for family-friendly facilities to be available on ships. The EU should try to enforce minimum employment standards and wages for all vessels operating in its waters and, in particular, I would say that the Commission should retable the proposal for an EU ferries directive.
However, the first and the most important step is the ratification of this ILO Maritime Labour Convention. There is no time to be wasted in this matter and there can be no delay.
The Convention brings together 65 previous ILO conventions into one consolidated document. It sets minimum requirements for seafarers, with provisions on employment conditions and recruitment, working hours, wage protection, leave and repatriation, accommodation, recreation, food and catering, health and medical care, welfare and social security. It will immeasurably improve the conditions of the millions of workers in this sector worldwide. Because the maritime industry is global, it is important that global standards be adopted in order to limit the negative effects of globalisation, in particular social dumping.
The Convention, when ratified, will apply to all ships, even those flagged by countries which have not individually ratified. It will shift the behaviour pattern of the whole industry by creating minimum standards, avoiding social dumping.
Immediately following its adoption in February 2006, Chris Horrocks, Secretary-General of the International Shipping Federation, said, ‘This landmark decision is just the beginning. Now we have to ensure that every government ratifies this Convention as soon as possible and applies it in full.’
In July 2006, the European Community Shipowners’ Association and the European Transport Workers’ Federation confirmed their full support for the Convention in a letter to EU transport ministers. In their letter, they strongly recommend that Member States ratify the Convention and engage in processes to that end as soon as possible.
The representative of the ILO, Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, speaking at the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, where it was discussed, said that a delay in ratification could slow down the extraordinary momentum which has built up in support of the Convention. Strong words indeed for a representative of the ILO!
The Commission, having invested much in the negotiations on the Convention and ensuring that it was compatible with EU law, is also on record as supporting ratification of the Convention by the end of 2008. Ratification by that date would enable the Convention to enter into force by 2009, almost ten years after negotiations began.
It seems to me that the only people who do not want the Convention to be ratified by 2008 are the Member States, who want, in their own words, ‘to make efforts to ratify the Convention, preferably before 31 December 2010’.
The reality is that without the Convention, shipping in Europe will find it difficult to compete, as it is increasingly being undercut by ships flying flags of convenience. I would urge Members to endorse the Convention overwhelmingly and, in adopting this report, send a message to the Member States that the shipping industry, and particularly workers within that industry, cannot wait. Member States should stop dragging their feet and ratify this Convention speedily."@en1
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