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Article 4 1. The competent authority shall make arrangements for the holding of examinations and for the granting of certificates of qualification. 2. No person shall be granted a certificate of qualification unless — (a) He has reached a minimum age to be prescribed by the competent authority; (b) He has served at sea for a minimum period to be prescribed by the competent authority; and (c) He has passed an examination to be prescribed by the competent authority. 3. The prescribed examination shall provide a practical test of the candidate's ability to prepare meals ; it shall also include a test of his knowledge of food values, the drawing up of varied and properly balanced menus, and the handling and storage of food on board ship. 4. The prescribed examination may be conducted and certificates granted either directly by the competent authority or, subject to its control, by an approved school for the training of cooks or other approved body. Article 5 Article 3 of this Convention shall apply after the expiration of a period not exceeding three years from the date of entry into force of the Convention for the territory where the vessel is registered : Provided that, in the case of a seaman who has had a satisfactory record of two years' service as cook before the expiration of the aforesaid period, national laws or regulations may provide for the acceptance of a certificate of such service as equivalent to a certificate of qualification. Article 6 The competent authority may provide for the recognition of certificates of qualification issued in other territories. Article 7 The formal ratifications of this Convention shall be communicated to the Director of the International Labour Office for registration. Article 8 1. This Convention shall be binding only upon those Members of the International Labour Organization whose ratifications have been-registered with the Director. 2. It shall come into force six months after the date on which there have been registered ratifications by nine of the following countries : United States of America, Argentine Republic, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey and Yugoslavia, including at least five countries each of which has at least one million gross register tons of shipping. This provision is included for the purpose of facilitating and encouraging early ratification of the Convention by Member States. 3. Thereafter, this Convention shall come into force for any Member six months after the date on which its ratification has been registered. Article 9 1. A Member which has ratified this Convention may denounce it after the expiration of ten years from the date on which the Convention comes into force, by an act communicated to the Director of the International Labour Office for registration. Such denunication shall not take effect until one year after the date on which it is registered.

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