Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will undertake a European Maritime Safety Agency audit to ensure that maritime qualifications obtained in the UK will continue to be recognised by the international industry after the UK leaves the EU.

The UK already provides information to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

EMSA is aware of the high quality of UK training and certification. UK maritime qualifications will continue to be recognised internationally even after the UK leaves the EU.

EU law requires that the EU assesses the training and certification of non-EU countries before recognising their certificates. This assessment is carried out by EMSA. Since the UK is already operating to international standards and will continue to do so after exit, we expect EMSA’s assessment of the UK’s training and certification systems to be straightforward.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will be ready to provide any additional information that EMSA may ask for.