Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003, as amended (No. 185) - Bosnia and Herzegovina (Ratification: 2010)

The Committee notes that the 2016 amendments to the annexes of the Convention entered into force for Bosnia and Herzegovina on 8 January 2017. The Committee recalls that these amendments aim at aligning the technical requirements of the Convention with the latest standards adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with respect to the technology for seafarers’ identity documents (SIDs) provided for in the Convention. In particular, they intend to change the biometric template in SIDs from a fingerprint template in a two-dimensional barcode to a facial image stored in a contactless chip as required by ICAO Document 9303.

Articles 2–5 of the Convention. SIDs. In its previous comment, noting that SIDs continue to be regulated by the Regulations on Maritime and Shipping Booklets (Official Gazette of BiH, No. 14/01) which however do not give effect to key requirements of the Convention such as the insertion of a biometric template and the establishment of a national electronic database, the Committee had requested the Government to provide detailed information on any concrete measures taken for the implementation of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that there have been no changes compared to the previous reporting period. The Committee further notes that the Government does not refer to any specific measure undertaken or envisaged in order to implement the 2016 amendments to the Convention. The Committee accordingly requests the Government to adopt, in the near future, the necessary measures to give effect to the provisions of the Convention, as amended in 2016 and to provide relevant information in this regard.

Article 3. Content and form. The Committee notes the specimen SIDs supplied by the Government. It observes that both the form and the content of the specimen are not in conformity with the requirements of the Convention. Concerning the form, as indicated above, the Committee notes that the Seaman’s Book does not comply with the technical requirements of the annexes of the Convention. Concerning the content, the Committee notes that the Seaman’s Book does not contain the name of the issuing authority nor the statements required under Article 3(5). The Committee further notes that the Seaman’s Book encompasses not only the information related to the identity of seafarers but also to their qualifications, medical certificates, record of employment and visas. The Committee recalls in this regard that Article 3(7) of the Convention stipulates that particulars about the holder included in the SID “shall be restricted” to those enumerated in that Article. In addition, Annex I of the Convention states that “the document shall have no more space than is necessary to contain the information provided for by the Convention”. The Committee recalls in this regard that the preparatory work of the Convention clearly confirms that the tripartite constituents agreed to limit the content of the SID to those related to the identity of seafarers excluding any other information, including that related to their training or employment. The Committee therefore requests the Government to take these elements into account when adopting the requested measures to give effect to the Convention.