Opleiding voor schippers: Europese Commissie start procedure tegen Cyprus, de Tsjechische Republiek en het Verenigd Koninkrijk (en)

The European Commission today sent reasoned opinions to Cyprus, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom for failure to adopt as agreed national legislation on the mutual recognition of seafarers' certificates issued by the Member States. Sending a reasoned opinion is the last step before lodging a formal complaint to the Court of Justice.

The Commission has decided to act against Cyprus, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom for failure to transpose fully into national law a 2005 Directive^[1]. The Directive aims to improve the image of European shipping and to attract young people to the seafaring profession. It fosters professional mobility of seafarers within the European Union, with particular emphasis on recognition procedures for seafarers' certificates of competency, while ensuring thorough compliance with the requirements of relevant International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Conventions.

Under the agreement reached when the European Parliament and the Council adopted the Directive, Member States had until 20 October 2007 to write it into national law.

[1] Directive 2005/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the mutual recognition of seafarers' certificates issued by the Member States and amending Directive 2001/25/EC (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 160)