13. 12. 93 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 307/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 93/103/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels (thirteenth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European - Community, and in particular Article 118a thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), drawn up after consultation with the Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work, In cooperation with the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas, in its resolution of 21 December 1987 on safety, hygiene and health at work (4), the Council noted the Commission’s intention of submitting to it minimum requirements concerning the organization of the safety and health of workers at work; Whereas occupational safety and health measures should be introduced as part of the various Community measures for the fisheries sector; Whereas compliance with the minimum requirements for ensuring a better level of safety and health on board fishing vessels is essential to ensure the safety and health of the workers concerned; (1) OJ No C 337, 31. 12. 1991, p. 21; 0J No C 311, 27. 11. 1992, p. 21. (2) OJ No C 241, 21. 9. 1992, p. 106; and Decision of 27 October 1993 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) O] No C 169, 6. 7. 1992, p. 46. (4) OJ No C 28, 3. 2. 1988, p. 1, Whereas, because of the specific and particularly difficult working and living conditions on board fishing vessels, the incidence of fatal accidents among workers engaged in sea fishing is very high; Whereas, on 15 April 1988, the European Parliament adopted a resolution recognizing the importance of the preventive aspects of safety at work on board fishing vessels; Whereas, for the safety and health of the workers concerned, prominence should be given to locating fishing vessels in an emergency, particularly through the use of new technologies; Whereas this Directive is an individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 (1) of Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (5); whereas, therefore, the provisions thereof are fully applicable to work on board fishing vessels, without prejudice to more stringent and/or specific provisions contained in this Directive; Wheteas the individual Directives already adopted in the field of safety and health at work apply, unless otherwise specified, to sea fishing; whereas, therefore, it may in some cases be necessary to specify the particular characteristics of this activity in order to ensure that the * individual Directives are applied in the best way; Whereas Council Directive 92/29/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the minimum safety and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels (¢) is applicable in full to the sea fishing industry; (5) OJ No L 183, 29. 6. 1989, p. 1. (6) OJ No L 113, 30. 4. 1992, p. 19.