Decision (EU) 2015/799 authorising Member States to become party to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel

Summary:

Council Decision of 18 May 2015 authorising Member States, in the interest of the Union, to accede to the International Maritime Organisation's STCW-F Convention.

Further information:

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel of the International Maritime Organisation (the STCW-F Convention) was adopted on 7 July 1995. The objective of the Convention is to ensure that personnel on board fishing vessels are qualified and fit for the job, so that potential threats to safety of life and/or property at sea or to the marine environment are minimised during operations on board sea-going vessels. The Convention requires that personnel possess a minimum knowledge in specific matters and have performed duties on board a vessel during a minimum period of time.

Professional activities related to the STCW-F Convention are regulated in most of the Member States. In accordance with the AETR case law of the Court of Justice on external competence, Member States are not allowed to ratify the STCW-F Convention without European Union authorisation as the provisions concerning the recognition of regulated professions pursed by EU nationals on board fishing vessels affect the exercise of the Union's exclusive competence in this area. As regards those Member States that have already ratified the Convention before the entry into force of the proposed Decision, they are required to deposit with the IMO Secretary-General a statement whereby they acknowledge that EU law shall prevail in case of conflict in relations between Member States.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)595: Proposal for a Decision authorising Member States to sign and/or ratify the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:595:FIN

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