Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-01-17-Speech-4-139"
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"en.20020117.7.4-139"2
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"Madam President, Europeans have been seafarers since the earliest decades of history. Not only European integration but the growing together of Europe has its first roots in the sea voyages of antiquity which took merchants and explorers from the east coast of the Mediterranean to the North Atlantic and to the British Isles. But globalisation, our globe that is growing ever closer, began with sea travels that made contacts between people on different continents possible.
The maritime sector has throughout the course of European history played a crucial role in the political, economic, social and scientific development of our nations. Seafaring and ship building remain crucial fields of activity in today's European Union. The merchant shipping sector is, for example, of strategic importance to the economic well-being of the European Union.
The last two decades have unfortunately seen a sharp decline in the number of EU seafarers. This is caused mainly by two factors. First, EU shipowners have a lower demand for EU seafarers because of financial considerations. Third-country nationals who might not be as highly educated and trained as their EU colleagues are employed instead. Secondly, the supply of well-qualified EU seafarers is declining since fewer and fewer young Europeans choose maritime careers.
A number of the causes that underlie the unwillingness of young Europeans to choose maritime careers can clearly be identified. Community and international law on living and working conditions is inadequately applied on EU merchant vessels. Modern technologies are not used enough to improve living and working conditions on board. National authorities and the social partners will have to step up their efforts and see to it that existing legislation is fully applied.
Maritime training in the EU needs to be developed further. A high-quality system of maritime education and training is vital to the future of EU seafaring. I encourage, therefore, the building of networks between the academic institutions for seafarers' education and training. Cooperation between training institutions and companies in this sector should be increased. For example, the sharing of facilities and specialisation may allow institutions to purchase capital equipment and to launch courses for the new target groups.
The Community offers financial support for training and human resource development, so these should be used to their full extent. I urge Member States and social partners to exploit fully all possibilities of funding, such as the European Social Fund, Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes. The existing Community funds should be used to supplement existing funding from national and regional budgets for maritime education and training.
The Commission communication is an excellent resumé of the current situation. We in Parliament thus ask the Commission to enlarge its valuable analyses further. Employment and training of seafarers depends closely on the market conditions of the maritime transport sector. I therefore urge the Commission also to provide an analysis of the underlying economic variables relating to maritime transport, in particular with regard to the competitive position of the EU fleet. The industry, in discussion with MET institutes and the social partners, should intensify its efforts to develop career paths, training and job content that take account of opportunities available in the wider maritime sector, following time employed at sea.
I will summarise by saying that the shortfall of EU seafarers in general, of well-trained personnel, is likely to have negative consequences as far as safe navigation, number of accidents and marine pollution are concerned. These accidents are mostly caused by human error. There is a clear need to safeguard the employment of EU seafarers on board and on shore, to preserve the maritime know-how in the Community, to develop maritime skills and to improve the safety of maritime transport. This requires high-standard training possibilities as well as adequate employment and career prospects. The responsibility for the necessary action is shared between the industry, the social partners and the Member States' authorities. But you clearly know that the Commission has a big role to play in this area."@en1
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