The European Union's recent decision not to vote immediately for derecog-nition of the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) certification of Filipino seafarers was not as clement as it first appeared. Member states have decided to grant the Philippines more time to rectify deficiencies in its seafarer training programme but have warned that, in the absence of rapid results, they are still ready to derecognise SCTW certification of Filipino seafarers. In fact, member states participating in a meeting of the EU Committee on Safe Seas (COSS) on 23 April declined to lift the threat of derecognition that has been hanging over Filipino seafarers for the past three years. Rather, they granted a stay of execution, and a short one at that.
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