Finland & Greece ratify ILO MLC 2006

The Government of Finland and Greece became the 33rd and 34th International Labour Office ILO member State to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006).

The landmark Convention sets out decent working and living conditions for seafarers as well as fair competition for ship-owners.

The MLC, 2006 will enter into force on August 20, 2013, 12 months after the date on which it was ratified by 30 Members.

The port of Helsinki, Finland’s capital is among the busiest ports in the Baltic Sea with the value of its cargo traffic standing approximately one-third of all Finnish foreign trade.

"Only five days after registering the ratification of the MLC, 2006 by Greece - Europe's southernmost country, Finland - Europe's northernmost country - joins today the group of maritime nations who endorse the principles and standards set out in the MLC, 2006 in the interest of promoting quality shipping operations and protecting all those men and women who earn their living at sea," said ILO’s Director General Guy Ryder.

He added, “The ratification by Finland comes on top of the ten other ratifications already received for European Union countries in implementation of the EU Council decision of 2007 authorizing the ratification of the Convention and inviting member States to complete the ratification process rapidly. This ratification proves that there is a strong momentum in Europe for the ratification and implementation of this significant instrument and signals to the remaining 16 EU members to come on board. I am confident that several other European countries which are finalizing their preparations for the legislative implementation of the MLC, 2006 will soon follow the example of Finland."