Recommendation 770
(1975)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 7 October 1975 (15th Sitting) (see Doc. 3662, report of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development). Text adopted by the Assembly on 7 October 1975 (15th Sitting).
- Thesaurus
The Assembly,
1. Having regard to the report of its Committee on Economic Affairs and Development on a European shipping policy (
Doc. 3662) ;
2. Considering that more than 40% of the world merchant fleet is operating under flags of Council of Europe member states ;
3. Expressing its grave concern at the growing part of the world's merchant fleet operating under flags of convenience, which have been systematically undermining the shipping trade in the maritime Council of Europe member states by allowing undermanning, inadequate social and health benefits for crews, low standards of maintenance, inadequate enforcement of safety regulations or low taxes ;
4. Emphasising the importance of the implementation by all countries concerned of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and Protocol, adopted at the Conference on Marine Pollution in London on 2 November 1973 ;
5. Considering that the Council of Europe member states should make a contribution to the upward harmonisation of regulations on working and health conditions, safety, manning and taxation, and on their enforcement, in order to avoid unfair competition resulting from lax legislation in these matters ;
6. Stressing the need for Council of Europe member states to ratify and implement the international labour conventions for seafarers ;
7. Recalling its
Recommendation 713 (1973), on the law of the sea, and deploring the lack of significant action on this recommendation by the Committee of Ministers ;
8. Recognising that merchant fleets of developing countries should carry a fairer share of the world's total volume of seaborne trade ;
9. Regretting the discord among the Council of Europe member countries on the United Nations Convention on a Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences, and underlining that European shipping policies should be co-ordinated in the interest of European trade ;
10. Considering that there is an urgent need for the Council of Europe member states to work out common policies on a number of crucial problems at present facing the sea transport sector,
11. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers take the initiative for the convening of a European conference of the Ministers concerned with shipping, for the purpose of establishing a common shipping policy, in particular with regard to such crucial questions as the United Nations Convention on a Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences, a common programme of action with regard to flags of convenience, an upward harmonisation of social, health and manning conditions on board ship and the consequential regulations for the inspection and enforcement of international legislation, measures against pollution of the seas caused by ships, and the ratification and implementation of the relevant international conventions, e.g. international labour and IMCO conventions.
