During the meeting of 29 October 2012, the Council reached a General Approach on the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC – 2006) Enforcement Package which consists of two legislative proposals laying down the responsibilities of flag states, on the one hand, and port states, on the other. The MLC, adopted by the International Labour Organisation in 2006, will enter into force as binding international law on August 20 2013.
In his concluding remarks, Cyprus’ Minister of Communications and Works, Mr. Efthemios Flourentzou, who chaired the meeting, stressed that this constitutes a major step forward in promoting improved working and living conditions for seafarers.
“Maritime transport is of course not possible without seafarers. It is essential for the future of shipping to be able to attract young people to the seafaring profession. Better working conditions also lead to less fatigue and fewer risks for accidents,” the minister underlined.
Source: Council of the EU
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