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1. Seafarers who do not possess the certificates of competency issued by Member States or the certificates of proficiency issued by Member States to masters and officers in accordance with Regulations V/1-1 and V/1-2 of the STCW Convention may be allowed to serve on ships flying the flag of a Member State provided that a decision on the recognition of their certificates of competency or certificates of proficiency has been adopted through the procedures set out in paragraphs 2 to 6 of this Article.

2. A Member State which intends to recognise, by endorsement, the certificates of competency or the certificates of proficiency referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article issued by a third country to a master, officer or radio operator, for service on ships flying its flag, shall submit a request to the Commission for the recognition of that third country, accompanied by a preliminary analysis of the third country’s compliance with the requirements of the STCW Convention by collecting the information referred to in Annex II to this Directive. In that preliminary analysis, further information on the reasons for recognition of the third country shall be provided by the Member State, in support of its request. Following the submission of such a request by a Member State, the Commission shall process that request without delay and shall decide, in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 31(2), on the initiation of the assessment of the training and certification system in the third country within a reasonable time, with due regard to the time limit set out in paragraph 3 of this Article. When a positive decision for initiating the assessment has been adopted, the Commission, assisted by the European Maritime Safety Agency and with the possible involvement of the Member State submitting the request and any other interested Member States, shall collect the information referred to in Annex II to this Directive and shall carry out an assessment of the training and certification systems in the third country for which the request for recognition was submitted, in order to verify that the third country concerned meets all the requirements of the STCW Convention and that appropriate measures have been taken to prevent the issuance of fraudulent certificates, and to consider whether it has ratified the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.

3. Where, as a result of the assessment referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, the Commission concludes that all those requirements are fulfilled, it shall adopt implementing acts laying down its decision on the recognition of a third country. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 31(2), within 24 months of the submission of the request by a Member State referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article. Where the third country concerned needs to implement major corrective actions, including amendments to its legislation, its education, training and certification system in order to meet the requirements of the STCW Convention, the implementing acts referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph shall be adopted within 36 months of the submission of the request by a Member State referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article. The Member State submitting that request may decide to recognise the third country unilaterally until an implementing act is adopted pursuant to this paragraph. In the event of such a unilateral recognition, the Member State shall communicate to the Commission the number of endorsements attesting recognition issued in relation to certificates of competency and certificates of proficiency referred to in paragraph 1, issued by the third country until the implementing act regarding the recognition of that third country is adopted.

4. A Member State may decide, with respect to ships flying its flag, to endorse certificates issued by the third countries recognised by the Commission, account being taken of the provisions laid down in points (4) and (5) of Annex II.

5. Recognitions of certificates issued by recognised third countries and published in the Official Journal of the European Union, C series, before 14 June 2005 shall remain valid. Those recognitions may be used by all Member States unless the Commission has subsequently withdrawn them pursuant to Article 21.

6. The Commission shall draw up and update a list of the third countries that have been recognised. The list shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, C series.

7. Notwithstanding Article 4(7), a Member State may, if circumstances require, allow a seafarer to serve in a capacity other than radio officer or radio operator, except as provided by the Radio Regulations, for a period not exceeding three months, on board a ship flying its flag, while holding an appropriate and valid certificate issued and endorsed as required by a third country, but not yet endorsed for recognition by the Member State concerned so as to render it appropriate for service on board a ship flying its flag. Documentary proof that an application for an endorsement has been submitted to the competent authorities shall be kept readily available.