30.5.2005 Official Journal of the European Union L 136/1 II (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 14 April 2005 authorising Member States to ratify, in the interests of the European Community, the Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention of the International Labour Organisation (Convention 185) (2005/367/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, (3) Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 62(2)(b)(i) in conjunction with the first sentence of the first subparagraph of Article 300(2) and the first subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof, 4 Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, ©) Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1), Whereas: (6) () The European Community is working towards the establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice based, inter alia, on a common visa policy. (20 Convention 185 of the International Labour Organisation (hereinafter referred to as the ILO) on seafarers’ identity ) documents (revised) was adopted on 19 June 2003 by the General Conference of the ILO convened in Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office. (1) Opinion delivered on 23 February 2005 (not yet published in the The abovementioned Convention makes a valuable contribution to improving security in the shipping sector at international level and to promoting decent living and working conditions for seafarers, and it is therefore desirable that its provisions should be applied at the earliest opportunity. Some articles of the Convention fall within the Community’s competence in the area of visas. The Community cannot ratify the Convention, as only Member States can be parties thereto. The Council should therefore authorise those Member States which are bound by the Community rules on visas based on the Treaty to ratify the Convention in the interests of the Community, under the conditions laid down in this Decision. In accordance with Article 1 of the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Ireland and the United Kingdom are not parties to the adoption of this Decision. Consequently, and without prejudice to Article 4 of the Protocol, this Decision applies neither to Ireland nor to the United Kingdom. In accordance with Article 4 of the Protocol on the position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Denmark is an addressee of this Decision, Official Journal). HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: