Council Directive (EU) 2017/159 of 19 December 2016 implementing the Agreement concerning the implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 of the International Labour Organisation, concluded on 21 May 2012 between the General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives in the European Union (Cogeca), the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) and the Association of National Organisations of Fishing Enterprises in the European Union (Europêche) (Text with EEA relevance. )

This Directive shall implement the Agreement concerning the implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 of the International Labour Organisation, concluded on 21 May 2012 between management and labour (‘social partners’) at Union level in the sea-fisheries sector, namely the General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives in the European Union (Cogeca), the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) and the Association of National Organisations of Fishing Enterprises in the European Union (Europêche). The text of the Agreement is set out in the Annex to this Directive.

1 Member States may maintain or introduce provisions more favourable to workers in the sea fishing sector than those laid down in this Directive.

2 The implementation of this Directive shall under no circumstances constitute sufficient grounds for justifying a reduction in the general level of protection of workers in the fields covered by this Directive. This shall be without prejudice to the rights of Member States and social partners to adopt, in the light of changing circumstances, different laws and regulations or make different contractual arrangements to those prevailing at the time of the adoption of this Directive, provided always that the minimum requirements laid down in this Directive are complied with.

3 The application and interpretation of this Directive shall be without prejudice to any Union or national provision, custom or practice providing for more favourable conditions for the workers concerned.

Member States shall determine what penalties are applicable when national provisions enacted pursuant to this Directive are infringed. The penalties shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.

1 Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 15 November 2019. They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof. When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such reference shall be laid down by Member States.

2 Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.

The Commission shall, after consulting the Member States and the social partners at Union level, present a report to the Council on the implementation, application and evaluation of this Directive no later than 15 November 2022.

This Directive shall enter into force on the day of entry into force of the International Labour Organization Work in Fishing Convention, 2007. The Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union the date of entry into force of that Convention.

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

For the purposes of this Agreement: (a) fishing operation means catching, or catching and processing, of fish or other living resources of the sea; (b) commercial fishing means all fishing operations with the exception of subsistence fishing and recreational fishing; (c) competent authority means the minister, government department or other authority designated by a Member State having power to issue and enforce regulations, orders or other instructions having the force of law in respect of the subject matter of the provision concerned; (d) consultation means consultation by the competent authority with the representative organizations of employers and workers concerned, and in particular the representative organizations of fishing vessel owners and fishermen, where they exist; (e) fishing vessel owner or owner means the owner of the fishing vessel or any other organization or person, such as the manager, agent or bareboat charterer, who has assumed the responsibility for the operation of the vessel from the owner and who, on assuming such responsibility, has agreed to take over the duties and responsibilities imposed on fishing vessel owners in accordance with this Agreement, regardless of whether any other organization or person fulfils certain of the duties or responsibilities on behalf of the fishing vessel owner; (f) fisherman means every person employed or engaged or working in any capacity on board any fishing vessel under the conditions laid down in Article 2, but excluding port pilots and shore personnel carrying out work on board a fishing vessel at the quay side; (g) fisherman's work agreement means a contract of employment, articles of agreement or other similar arrangements, or any other contract governing a fisherman's living and working conditions on board a fishing vessel; (h) fishing vessel or vessel means any ship or boat, flying the flag of a Member State or registered under the plenary jurisdiction of a Member State, of any nature whatsoever, irrespective of the form of ownership, used or intended to be used for the purpose of commercial fishing; (i) length (L) shall be taken as 96 per cent of the total length on a waterline at 85 per cent of the least moulded depth measured from the keel line, or as the length from the foreside of the stem to the axis of the rudder stock on that waterline, if that be greater; in vessels designed with rake of keel, the waterline on which this length is measured shall be parallel to the designed waterline; (j) length between perpendiculars (LBP) means the distance between the forward and the after perpendiculars; the forward perpendicular shall be coincident with the foreside of the stem on the waterline on which the length (L) is measured; the after perpendicular shall be coincident with the axis of the rudder stock on that waterline; (k) skipper means the fisherman having command of a fishing vessel; (l) recruitment and placement service means any person, company, institution, agency or other organisation, in the public or the private sector, which is engaged in recruiting fishermen on behalf of, or placing fishermen with, fishing vessel owners; (m) private employment agency means any person, company, institution, agency or other organization in the private sector engaged in employing or engaging fishermen with a view to making them available to fishing vessel owners who assign their tasks and supervise the execution of these tasks.

1 Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement applies to: (a) all fishermen working in any capacity under a contract of employment or in an employment relationship on all fishing vessels engaged in commercial fishing; (b) all other fishermen who are present on the same vessel with fishermen referred to in (a) in order to ensure the protection of the overall safety and health.

2 In the event of doubt as to whether a vessel is engaged in commercial fishing, the question shall be determined by the competent authority after consultation.

3 Any Member State, after consultation, may extend, in whole or in part, to fishermen working on vessels of less than 24 metres in length the protection provided in this Agreement for fishermen working on vessels of 24 metres in length and over.

1 Where the application of this Agreement raises special problems of a substantial nature in the light of the particular conditions of service of the fisherman or of the fishing vessels' operations concerned, a Member State may, on objective grounds, after consultation, exclude limited categories of fishermen or fishing vessels from the requirements of this Agreement or from certain of its provisions.

2 In case of exclusions under the preceding paragraph, the competent authority shall take measures, as appropriate, to extend progressively the requirements under this Agreement to all categories of fishermen or fishing vessels concerned within a maximum period of 5 years since the entry into force of this Agreement.

3 The application of this Article shall under no circumstances constitute grounds for justifying a reduction in the general level of protection of workers in the fields covered under EU law at the time of entry into force of this Agreement.

Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any law, award or custom, or any agreement between fishing vessel owners and fishermen, which ensures more favourable conditions to fishermen than those provided for in this Agreement.

1 This Article applies without prejudice to Directive 93/103/EC.

2 The fishing vessel owner has the overall responsibility to ensure that the skipper is provided with the necessary resources and facilities to comply with the obligations of this Agreement.

3 In order to ensure the safety of the fishermen on board and the safe operation of the vessel the skipper's responsibilities include, but are not limited to: (a) providing such supervision as well as ensuring that, as far as possible, fishermen perform their work in the best conditions of safety and health; (b) managing the fishermen in a manner which respects safety and health, including prevention of fatigue; (c) facilitating on-board occupational safety and health awareness training; and (d) ensuring compliance with safety of navigation, watch keeping and associated good seamanship standards.

4 The skipper shall not be constrained by the fishing vessel owner from taking any decision which, in the professional judgement of the skipper, is necessary for the safety of the fishermen on board, or the vessel and its safe navigation and safe operation.

5 Fishermen shall comply with the lawful orders of the skipper and applicable safety and health measures.

1 This Article applies without prejudice to Directive 94/33/EC.

2 The minimum age for work on board a fishing vessel shall be 16 years provided a young person is no longer subject to compulsory full-time schooling under national law. However, the competent authority may authorize a minimum age of 15 for persons who are no longer subject to compulsory schooling as provided by national legislation, and who are engaged in vocational training in fishing.

3 The competent authority, in accordance with national laws and practice, may authorize persons of the age of 15 to perform light work during school holidays. In such cases, it shall determine, after consultation, the kinds of work permitted and shall prescribe the conditions in which such work shall be undertaken and the periods of rest required.

4 The minimum age for assignment to activities on board fishing vessels, which by their nature or the circumstances in which they are carried out are likely to jeopardize the health, safety, physical, mental or social development, education or morals of young persons, shall not be less than 18 years.

5 The types of activities to which paragraph 4 of this Article applies shall be determined by national laws or regulations, or by the competent authority, after consultation, taking into account the risks concerned and the applicable international standards.

6 The performance of the activities referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article as from the age of 16, provided a young person is no longer subject to compulsory fulltime schooling under national law, may be authorized by national laws or regulations, or by decision of the competent authority, after consultation, on condition that the health, safety, physical, mental and social development, education and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that the young persons concerned have received adequate specific instruction or vocational training and have completed basic pre-sea safety training. The requirements under Article 7.3 of Directive 94/33/EC shall be respected.

7 The engagement of fishermen under the age of 18 for work at night shall be prohibited. For the purpose of this Article, ‘night’ shall be defined in accordance with national law and practice. It shall cover a period of at least nine hours, starting no later than midnight and ending no earlier than 5 a.m. An exception to strict compliance with the night work restriction may be made by the competent authority, provided that the requirements under Article 9 of Directive 94/33/EC are respected, when: (a) the effective training of the fishermen concerned, in accordance with established programmes and schedules, would be impaired; or (b) the specific nature of the duty or a recognized training programme requires that fishermen covered by the exception perform duties at night and the authority determines, after consultation, that the work will not have a detrimental impact on their health or well-being.

8 Nothing in this Article shall affect any obligations assumed by the Member State arising from the ratification of any international labour Convention guaranteeing more protective conditions to the young fishermen concerned in this Article.

1 No fishermen shall work on board a fishing vessel without a valid medical certificate attesting to fitness to perform their duties.

2 The competent authority, after consultation, may grant exemptions from the application of paragraph 1 of this Article, taking into account the safety and health of fishermen, size of the vessel, availability of medical assistance and evacuation, duration of the voyage, area of operation, and type of fishing operation.

3 The exemptions in paragraph 2 of this Article shall not apply to a fisherman working on a fishing vessel of 24 metres in length and over or which normally remains at sea for more than three days. In urgent cases, the competent authority may permit a fisherman to work on such a vessel for a period of a limited and specified duration until a medical certificate can be obtained, provided that the fisherman is in possession of an expired medical certificate of a recent date.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures providing for: (a) the nature of medical examinations; (b) the form and content of medical certificates; (c) the issue of a medical certificate by a duly qualified medical practitioner or, in the case of a certificate solely concerning eyesight, by a person recognized by the competent authority as qualified to issue such a certificate; these persons shall enjoy full independence in exercising their professional judgement; (d) the frequency of medical examinations and the period of validity of medical certificates; (e) the right to another, binding examination by an independent medical practitioner, who has been appointed by the Member State as referee, (i) in the event that a person has been refused a certificate or has had limitations imposed on the work he or she may perform; (ii) in the event that a person, during his or her examination, has indicated that he or she finds himself or herself unfit to perform his or her duties on board a fishing vessel, but the medical examiner issues a medical certificate nonetheless attesting that the person is medically fit to perform his or her duties on board a fishing vessel; (iii) in the event that a person has been refused a certificate or has had limitations imposed on the work he or she may perform, in case the medical reasons for such refusal have disappeared. (f) other relevant requirements.

In addition to the minimum requirements set out in Article 7 and Article 8, on a fishing vessel of 24 metres in length and over, or on a vessel which normally remains at sea for more than three days: (a) the medical certificate of a fisherman shall state, at a minimum, that: (i) the hearing and sight of the fisherman concerned are satisfactory for the fisherman's duties on the vessel, and (ii) the fisherman is not suffering from any medical condition likely to be aggravated by service at sea or to render the fisherman unfit for such service or to endanger the safety or health of other persons on board; (b) the medical certificate shall be valid for a maximum period of two years unless the fisherman is under the age of 18, in which case the maximum period of validity shall be one year; (c) if the period of validity of a certificate expires in the course of a voyage, the certificate shall remain in force until the end of that voyage.

1 Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that owners of vessels flying its flag or registered under its plenary jurisdiction ensure that their vessels are sufficiently and safely manned for the safe navigation and operation of the vessel and under the control of a competent skipper.

2 In addition to the requirements set out in paragraph 1 of this Article, the competent authority shall, for fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over, establish a minimum level of manning for the safe navigation of the vessel, specifying the number and the qualifications of the fishermen required.

3 The competent authority, after consultation, may establish alternative requirements to those in paragraph 2 of this Article. However, the Member State shall satisfy itself that the alternative: (a) is conducive to the full achievement of the general object and purpose of this Article and of Article 11 hereafter; (b) gives effect to paragraph 2 of this Article; and (c) shall not jeopardise the safety and health of the fishermen.

1 (a) Articles 3 to 6 inclusive, 8, and 21 of Directive 2003/88/EC shall not apply to fishermen covered under this Agreement. (b) Each Member State shall, however, adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that owners of vessels flying its flag ensure that fishermen are entitled to adequate rest and that the fishermen's hours of work are limited to 48 hours a week on average, calculated over a reference period not exceeding 12 months.

2 (a) Within the limits set out in paragraph 1, subparagraph (b), and paragraphs 3 and 4 of this Article, each Member State shall, after consultation, take the necessary measures to ensure that, in keeping with the need to protect the safety and health of the fishermen and for the purpose of limiting fatigue: (i) the working hours are limited to a maximum number of hours which shall not be exceeded in a given period of time; or (ii) a minimum number of hours of rest are provided within a given period of time. (b) The maximum number of hours of work or the minimum hours of rest shall be specified by law, regulations, administrative provisions or by collective agreements or agreements between the two sides of the industry.

3 The limits on hours of work or rest shall be either: (a) maximum hours of work which shall not exceed: (i) 14 hours in any 24-hour period, and (ii) 72 hours in any seven-day period; or (b) minimum hours of rest which shall not be less than: (i) 10 hours in any 24-hour period, and (ii) 77 hours in any seven-day period.

4 Hours of rest may be divided into no more than two periods, one of which shall be at least six hours in length, and the interval between two consecutive periods of rest shall not exceed 14 hours.

5 In accordance with the general principles of the protection of the health and safety of workers, and for objective or technical reasons or reasons concerning the organisation of work, Member States may allow exceptions, including the establishment of reference periods, to the limits laid down in paragraph 1, subparagraph (b), and paragraphs 3 and 4. Such exceptions shall, as far as possible, comply with the standards laid down but may take account of more frequent or longer leave periods or the granting of compensatory leave for the fishermen. These exceptions may be laid down by means of: (a) laws, regulations or administrative provisions provided there is consultation and efforts are made to encourage all relevant forms of social dialogue; or (b) collective agreements or agreements between the two sides of industry.

6 If exceptions under paragraph 5 are allowed to the limits laid down in paragraph 3, the fishermen concerned shall receive compensatory periods of rest as soon as practicable.

7 Nothing in this Article shall be deemed to impair the right of the skipper of a vessel to require a fisherman to perform any hours of work necessary for the immediate safety of the vessel, the persons on board or the catch, or for the purpose of giving assistance to other boats or ships or persons in distress at sea. Accordingly, the skipper may suspend the schedule of hours of rest and require a fisherman to perform any hours of work necessary until the normal situation has been restored. As soon as practicable after the normal situation has been restored, the skipper shall ensure that any fishermen who have performed work in a scheduled rest period are provided with an adequate period of rest.

8 Each Member State may provide that fishermen on board fishing vessels flying its flag or registered under its plenary jurisdiction for which national legislation or practice determines that these vessels are not allowed to operate in a specific period of the calendar year exceeding one month, shall take annual leave in accordance with Article 7 of Directive 2003/88/EC within that period.

Every fishing vessel shall carry a crew list, a copy of which shall be provided to authorized persons ashore prior to departure of the vessel, or communicated ashore immediately after departure of the vessel. The competent authority shall determine to whom and when such information shall be provided and for what purpose or purposes.

Articles 14 to 18 inclusive apply without prejudice to Directive 91/533/EEC.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures: (a) requiring that fishermen working on vessels flying its flag or registered under its plenary jurisdiction have the protection of a fisherman's work agreement that is comprehensible to them and is consistent with the provisions of this Agreement; and (b) specifying the minimum particulars to be included in fisherman's work agreements in accordance with the provisions contained in Annex I to this Agreement.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures regarding: (a) procedures for ensuring that a fisherman has an opportunity to review and seek advice on the terms of the fisherman's work agreement before it is concluded; (b) where applicable, the maintenance of records concerning the fisherman's work under such an agreement; and (c) the means of settling disputes in connection with a fisherman's work agreement.

The fisherman's work agreement, a copy of which shall be provided to the fisherman, shall be carried on board and be available to the fisherman and, in accordance with national law and practice, to other parties concerned on request.

Articles 14 to 16 inclusive and Annex I to this Agreement do not apply to a fishing vessel owner who is also single-handedly operating the vessel.

It shall be the responsibility of the fishing vessel owner to ensure that each fisherman has a written fisherman's work agreement, which is signed by all parties to that agreement, and which provides the fisherman with decent work and living conditions on board the vessel as required by this Agreement.

1 Each Member State shall ensure that fishermen on a fishing vessel that flies its flag or is registered under its plenary jurisdiction and that enters a foreign port are entitled to repatriation in the event that the fisherman's work agreement has expired or has been terminated for justified reasons by one or more of the parties to that agreement, or the fisherman is no longer able to carry out the duties required under the fisherman's work agreement or cannot be expected to carry them out in the specific circumstances. This also applies to fishermen from that vessel who are transferred for the same reasons from the vessel to the foreign port.

2 The cost of the repatriation referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be borne by the fishing vessel owner, except where the fisherman has been found, in accordance with national laws, regulations or other measures, to be in serious default of his or her obligations under the fisherman's work agreement.

3 Member States shall prescribe, by means of laws, regulations or other measures, the precise circumstances entitling a fisherman covered by paragraph 1 of this Article to repatriation, the maximum duration of service periods on board following which a fisherman is entitled to repatriation, and the destinations to which fishermen may be repatriated.

4 If a fishing vessel owner fails to provide for the repatriation referred to in this Article, the Member State whose flag the vessel flies shall arrange for the repatriation of the fisherman concerned and shall be entitled to recover the cost from the fishing vessel owner.

5 National laws and regulations shall not prejudice any right of the fishing vessel owner to recover the cost of repatriation under third party contractual agreements.

1 This Article applies without prejudice to Directive 2008/104/EC.

2 For the purpose of this Article private labour market services consist of recruitment and placement services in the private sector and the services of private employment agencies.

3 A Member State shall: (a) prohibit private labour market services from using means, mechanisms or lists intended to prevent fishermen from engaging for work; and (b) require that no fees or other charges for private labour market services be borne directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by the fisherman.

4 Nothing in this Article shall prevent any Member State who has ratified C188 from exercising the right it may have to allocate, within the limitations prescribed by the Convention, certain responsibilities under C188 to private employment agencies.

1 Articles 22 to 25 inclusive apply without prejudice to Directive 93/103/EC.

2 National provisions implementing the Articles 22 to 25 inclusive shall be observed with due regard to hygiene and overall safe, healthy and comfortable conditions.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures for fishing vessels that fly its flag or is registered under its plenary jurisdiction with respect to accommodation, food and potable water on board.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that accommodation on board fishing vessels that fly its flag or is registered under its plenary jurisdiction shall be of sufficient size and quality and appropriately equipped for the service of the vessel and the length of time fishermen live on board. In particular, such measures shall address, as appropriate, the following issues: (a) approval of plans for the construction or modification of fishing vessels in respect of accommodation; (b) maintenance of accommodation and galley spaces; (c) ventilation, heating, cooling and lighting; (d) mitigation of excessive noise and vibration; (e) location, size, construction materials, furnishing and equipping of sleeping rooms, mess rooms and other accommodation spaces; (f) sanitary facilities, including toilets and washing facilities, and supply of sufficient hot and cold water; and (g) procedures for responding to complaints concerning accommodation that does not meet the requirements of this Agreement.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that: (a) the food carried and served on board be of a sufficient nutritional value, quality and quantity; (b) potable water be of sufficient quality and quantity; and (c) the food and water shall be provided by the fishing vessel owner at no cost to the fisherman; however, in accordance with national laws and regulations, the cost can be recovered as an operational cost if the collective agreement governing a share system or a fisherman's work agreement so provides.

The laws regulations or other measures to be adopted by the Member State in accordance with Articles 22 to 24 inclusive shall give full effect to Annex II to this Agreement.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that a fisherman aboard a fishing vessel that flies its flag or is registered under its plenary jurisdiction: (a) has the right to medical treatment ashore and the right to be taken ashore in a timely manner for treatment in the event of serious injury or illness occurring to him; (b) shall be provided by the fishing vessel owner with health protection and medical care while he is (i) aboard, or (ii) landed in a port outside the country responsible for the fisherman's social security protection; and (c) shall, in the event of work-related illness or injury, further have access to appropriate medical care in accordance with its national laws, regulations or practice.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that the health protection and medical care referred to in Article 26, paragraph (b), shall: (a) be subject to the applicable provisions of Directive 92/29/EEC and of Article 28 hereafter if the fisherman is aboard; and shall (b) include medical treatment and related material assistance and support during medical treatment if the fisherman is landed in a port outside the country responsible for the fisherman's social security protection.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that: (a) in addition to the requirements of Article 2, paragraph 1 (b), of Directive 92/29/EEC, the medical products and medical equipment to be carried on board a fishing vessel shall also depend on the area of operation; (b) in addition to the requirements of Article 5, paragraph 3, of Directive 92/29/EEC, the special training of fishermen provided for shall also take into account the number of fishermen aboard, the area of operation and the length of the voyage; (c) the guides provided for in Article 5, paragraph 1, of Directive 92/29/EEC shall be in a language and format understood by the trained fishermen referred to in paragraph (b) of this Article; (d) the medical consultations referred to in Article 6, paragraph 1, of Directive 92/29/EEC shall also be available through satellite communication and that fishing vessels flying its flag or registered under its plenary jurisdiction shall, for the purpose of obtaining such consultations, be equipped for radio or satellite communication; and (e) fishing vessels flying its flag or registered under its plenary jurisdiction carry a medical guide adopted or approved by the competent authority, or the latest edition of the International Medical Guide for Ships.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures requiring that: (a) to the extent consistent with the Member State's national law and practice, the medical care prescribed in Article 26, paragraph (b), and further in Article 28, shall be provided free of charge to the fisherman; and that (b) until the fisherman has been repatriated, the fishing vessel owner shall defray the cost of the medical care the fisherman is exempted from under paragraph (a) of this Article to the extent the country, responsible for the fisherman's social security protection, does not cover the cost under its social security system; and that (c) the fishing vessel owner shall be liable for defraying the cost of the medical care prescribed in Article 26, paragraph (c), to the extent the country, responsible for the fisherman's social security protection, does not cover the cost under its social security system.

National law or regulations may permit the exclusion of the fishing vessel owner's responsibility to defray the cost of medical care as referred to in Article 29, paragraphs (b) and (c), if the injury occurred otherwise than in the service of the fishing vessel or the sickness or infirmity was concealed during engagement, or the fishing vessel owner proves that the injury or sickness was due to wilful misconduct of the fisherman.

1 Each Member State shall take measures to provide fishermen with protection, in accordance with national laws, regulations or practice, for work-related sickness, injury or death.

2 In the event of injury due to occupational accident or disease, the fisherman shall have access to the corresponding compensation in accordance with national laws and regulations.

3 To the extent the country, responsible for the fisherman's social security protection, does not cover the protection referred to in paragraph 1, and consequently 2, of this Article under its social security system, the fishing vessel owner shall be responsible for it.

Taking into account the characteristics within the fishing sector, the financial responsibilities of the fishing vessel owner under the Articles 29 and 31 may be ensured through: (a) a system of fishing vessel owners' liability; or (b) compulsory insurance, workers' compensation, or other schemes.

Articles 34 to 36 inclusive apply without prejudice to Directive 89/391/EEC, Directive 92/29/EEC, and Directive 93/103/EC.

Each Member State shall adopt laws, regulations or other measures concerning: (a) the prevention of occupational accidents, occupational diseases and work-related risks on board fishing vessels, including risk evaluation and management, training and on-board instruction of fishermen; (b) training for fishermen in the handling of types of fishing gear they will use and in the knowledge of the fishing operations in which they will be engaged; (c) the obligations of fishing vessel owners, fishermen and others concerned, due account being given of the safety and health of fishermen under the age of 18; (d) reporting and investigation of accidents on board fishing vessels flying its flag or registered under its plenary jurisdiction; and (e) the setting up of joint committees on occupational safety and health or, after consultation, of other appropriate bodies.

1 The requirements of this Article shall apply to all fishing vessels, taking into account the number of fishermen on board, the area of operation, and the duration of the voyage.

2 The competent authority shall: (a) after consultation, require that the fishing vessel owner, in accordance with national laws, regulations, collective bargaining agreements and practice, establish on-board procedures for the prevention of occupational accidents, injuries and diseases, taking into account the specific hazards and risks on the fishing vessel concerned; and (b) require that fishing vessel owners, skippers, fishermen, and other relevant persons be provided with sufficient and suitable guidance, training material, or other appropriate information on how to evaluate and manage risks to safety and health on board fishing vessels.

3 Fishing vessel owners shall: (a) ensure that every fisherman on board is provided with appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment; (b) ensure that every fisherman on board has received basic safety training approved by the competent authority; and (c) ensure that fishermen are sufficiently and reasonably familiarized with equipment and its methods of operation, including relevant safety measures, prior to using the equipment or participating in the operations concerned.

Risk evaluation in relation to fishing shall be conducted with the participation of fishermen or their representatives as appropriate.

1 Subsequent to any amendments to any of the provisions of the Convention, and if requested by either one of the signatory parties to this Agreement, a review of the application of this Agreement and its Annexes shall be carried out.

2 Subsequent to any change in European legislation which may affect this Agreement, and if requested by either one of the signatory parties to this Agreement, an evaluation and a review of this Agreement shall be carried out any time.

The signatory parties make this Agreement on condition that it shall not enter into force until the date when the Convention enters into force. The Convention enters into force 12 months after the date on which the ratifications of ten Member States of the ILO, eight of which are coastal States, have been registered with the Director-General of the International Labour Office. IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have affixed their signatures to this Agreement.