17.6.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L172/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 98/35/EC of 25 May 1998 amending Directive 94/58/EC on the minimum level of training of seafarers THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, prevention at sea should be in line with internationally agreed rules and standards; Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 84(2) thereof, (4) Whereas in its resolution of 24 March 1997 on a new strategy to increase the competitiveness of Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Community shipping(’) the Council sought to promote the employment of Community seafarers and shore-based personnel; whereas to that end the Council agreed that action should be undertaken to help Community shipping to continue striving for high quality and improve its competitiveness by Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in ensuring the continued high-quality training of Article 189¢ of the Treaty (°), Community seafarers of all ranks and of shore-based personnel; Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), (1) Whereas Article 12(2) of Council Directive 94/58/EC of 22 November 1994 on the minimum level of training of seafarers(*) provides that following the adoption of new instruments or protocols to the International Convention on Standards  of  Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) the Council, acting on a proposal from the Commission, shall decide on the detailed arrangements for ratifying those new instruments (5) Whereas the 1995 Conference of Parties to the STCW Convention adopted the revised Annex to the STCW Convention and the Seafarers’ Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code); (6) Whereas Member States may establish standards higher than the minimum standards laid down in or protocols, while ensuring that they are applied the STCW Convention and the Directive; uniformly and simultaneously in the Member States; (7) Whereas the Regulations of the STCW Convention (2) Whereas Article 9(3)(a) of that Directive provides set out in Annex I to this Directive shguld that a set of criteria for the recognition of types of be sgpplerpented by the mandatory provisions certificates issued by institutes or administrations of contained in Part A of the STCW Code; whereas third countries will be defined by the Council, PaFt B of .the STCW Code contains recommended acting in accordance with the conditions of the gu1danc§ intended to assist p arties to the STCW Treaty; Convention and those involved in implementing, applying or enforcing its measures to give the . . Convention full and complete effect in a uniform (3) Whereas actions to be taken at Community level manner; in the field of maritime safety and pollution (1) OJ C 367, 5.12.1996, p. 1. (8) Whereas the establishment of common criteria for () OJ C 206, 7.7.1997, p. 29. the Member States’ recognition of certificates issued (}) Opinion of the European Parliament of 29 May 1997 (O] by third countries should be based on the training C 182, 16.6.1997, p. 34), Council common position of and certification requirements as agreed in the 20 October 1997 (OJ C 389, 22121997, p. 1) and Decision framework of the STCW Convention; of the European Parliament of 29 January 1998 (O] C 56, 23.2.1998). (*) OJ L 319, 12.12.1994, p. 28. (°) OJ C 109, 8.4.1997, p. 1.