Vol. 445 No. 9
181 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Marine the proposals, if any, he has to enter into a reciprocal agreement with Germany and other European Union countries in relation to the recognition of marine engineering qualifications in view of the fact that the United Kingdom has such an agreement with EU countries; and his views on whether the present lack of an agreement allows discrimination to exist against foreign nationals living in this country. [1516/94]
Standards of training for the award of professional qualifications to seagoing personnel vary one member state to another. In order, therefore, to allow for the reciprocal recognition of such qualifications on an EU wide basis, common criteria for training standards need to be established which are consistent with overall maritime safety objectives.
Ireland, the UK and other member states are currently developing these criteria under the recently agreed directive on the minimum level of training for seafarers with a view to reciprocal recognition of qualifications at an early date.
