Fourth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee established under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 Part II - EU Opening Statement

EU Opening Statement

Thank you Chair,

I speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries, Montenegro[1] and Albania*, and Georgia align themselves with this statement. 

We are delighted to be here in person for Part II of the fourth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee and we thank the Office for facilitating us in this regard. The Maritime Labour Convention is an essential instrument not only for the promotion of decent work but also for the improvement of living and working conditions for seafarers and fairer competition for shipowners worldwide. As the last few years have demonstrated, such instruments are of paramount importance in establishing international labour standards and providing regulatory guidance across the globe, especially in times of crisis.

However, any such instruments must be drafted with a view to their continued relevance in order to meet the changing maritime and global situation. To this end, we are pleased to note the submission of 12 amendments from social partners and governments which seek to address new and emerging needs and which will form the basis of discussions over the coming week. We also look forward to discussing our own amendment on behalf of the EU Member States, which we have proposed in a bid to safeguard and strengthen the rights of seafarers with regard to the maximum duration of services periods on board.

While the pandemic highlighted the importance of the MLC, 2006 and the essential role of seafarers, it also exposed the difficult and challenging environment in which they operate. Many of them were and still are working far beyond the duration of their contracts and sometimes even beyond the maximum duration of service set out in the MLC, 2006, to the detriment of their health and maritime safety. International shipping and the two million seafarers working in the industry are key to ensuring the continued supply of goods, including energy, medical supplies and food.

The European Union and its Member States believe that seafarers should be recognised as key workers and issued guidelines on facilitating their free movement, health and safety, as well as guidance on crew changes and repatriation during the pandemic.[2] We also strongly welcomed the guidance issued by the ILO and IMO during this period. This meeting is a welcome opportunity to look at ways to improve living and working conditions for these key workers and further strengthen the MLC , 2006 and the role of the ILO, especially in times of crisis.

In addition to the pandemic, seafarers are often at the mercy of changing geopolitical circumstances. As we speak, hundreds of seafarers and vessels are stranded in Ukrainian ports and nearby waters following Russian Federation’s aggression against the country and are experiencing dire conditions amidst fears for their safety.

The EU and its Members States have supported the ILO’s work on the MLC, 2006 since its inception. Nearly all of our Member States, including all those who are not landlocked, have ratified the Convention. Furthermore, the bulk of the MLC, 2006 has also been implemented into EU law through a social partners’ agreement. The implementation and enforcement of the Convention’s rules are safeguarded through further EU legislation on flag State requirements and port State control. The EU and its Member States wish to achieve a level playing field in the maritime industry. We welcome the ratifications deposited by Oman, San Marino and Sierra Leone this year and encourage the Office to promote further ratification of the MLC, 2006. We support all efforts geared towards an effective and full implementation of the Convention.

We look forward to the exchange of views with all members participating in this Committee, and stand ready to constructively engage in what we hope will be a fruitful debate on both the proposed amendments to the Code and the submission of any resolutions.

Thank you, Chair.

[1] Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process

[2] C/2020/3100, Communication from the Commission Guidelines on protection of health, repatriation and travel arrangements for seafarers, passengers and other persons on board ships, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020XC0414(01)