Implications of the EU Visa and Smart Border Package

The EU’s ports are among the world’s busiest, serving as locations for thousands of seafarers joining and leaving their ships and exercising their right to shore leave that is essential to their wellbeing.

Seafarers reside all over the world and large numbers of them work on ships that never call at ports in the countries where they live. Their risk profile has been shown to be low and strict vetting procedures and personal background checks are additionally conducted on seafarers by their employers.

The relationship between seafarer movement and the facilitation of world trade is inextricable. Their ability to do their jobs and fulfil their essential role in facilitating trade should not depend on their nationality or be stifled by restrictive conditions that they cannot satisfy because of the length of their contracts.

Whilst some ships are engaged in regular liner or ferry services, most are employed in “tramp” trades, with irregular itineraries and little advance of notice of port calls. This means that in such cases arrangements for seafarer travel- including visa applications- must be made within short time frames.  It is of the utmost importance to shipping in both Europe and elsewhere that the EU facilitates – and does not unnecessarily impede – the movement of seafarers.

This event will hear the Commission explain the new Visa Code and Smart Border Package and allow for an exchange on the implications for the shipping industry.

Industry and seafarer representatives will explain the industry, the practicalities and complexities of crew changes, the rights for seafarers to shore leave, crew management procedures by shipowners/operators or crew managers, the importance of seamless boarding and problems encountered when entering/exiting EU ports. These will take into account the state of play in view of procedures currently in place and those due to come into place with the new rules that will shortly come into force.

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