Currently, people from the Philippines account for a quarter of the world’s merchant mariners. But the European Commission is considering a move that would bar people from the Philippines from serving onboard ships registered in European Union countries. This follows a determination by the European Maritime Safety Agency that maritime education institutions in the Philippines didn’t meet standards set by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. Under the proposed rule, the European Union would not recognize new competency certificates issued in the Philippines, though it would continue to recognize current certificates until they expire, which could be at most five years.
