Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Placing of Seamen Convention, 1920 (No. 9) - French Southern and Antarctic Territories

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 1 of the Convention. Scope of application. The Committee recalls that this Convention is revised by the Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers Convention, 1996 (No. 179), which was ratified by France in 2004. It also recalls that, in accordance with Article 9(4) of Convention No. 179, the ratification by France constituted an act of immediate denunciation of the Placing of Seamen Convention, 1920 (No. 9). However, neither at the time of communicating the instrument of ratification of Convention No. 179 on 27 April 2004 nor at any time thereafter has the Government expressed its intention to extend the application of that Convention to the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF) – as it had done by letter dated 9 March 1990 with respect to Convention No. 9. The Committee therefore notes that the Government is still formally bound by Convention No. 9 in respect of the TAAF, which is all the more unfortunate as the only ships currently registered in the TAAF are fishing vessels that fall outside the scope of application of the Convention (as decided by the International Labour Conference in 1920). In the light of the preceding remarks, and also noting that Convention No. 179 offers the possibility to extend its coverage to fishers, the Committee encourages the Government to consider the possibility of extending the application of ratified Convention No. 179 to the TAAF, which would formally terminate its obligations under Convention No. 9 with respect to that non metropolitan territory. The Committee requests the Government to keep the Office informed of any decision taken in this respect.