Yesterday, the European Parliament’s Plenary session adopted the agreement reached in trialogue with the Council of the EU last May, on the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on seafarers. This adoption marks the end of a very long process, which started some eight years ago and which had opposed shipowners to trade unions for many years.

However, in October last year, the Social Partners for Maritime Transport, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), managed to reach an agreement that aimed at amending the Commission’s original proposal on several essential points.

The joint ECSA/ETF agreement was presented both to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU and both institutions commended the social partners for having reached such agreement on an important matter for the shipping industry in general and its seafarers in particular. Hence, the agreement was fully taken onboard in the subsequent positions adopted by both EU Institutions.

Following this adoption, the following four EU Directives will soon also apply to the shipping industry, notably:

- Directive 2002/14/EC on information and consultation of employees in the EU
- Directive 2009/38/EC on the establishment of European Works’ Councils for the purposes of informing and consulting employees,
- Directive 98/59/EC on collective redundancies, and
- Directive 2001/23 on the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of a transfer of undertakings.

ECSA and ETF very much welcome today’s adoption of the trialogue agreement by the European Parliament’s Plenary session and both social partners for maritime transport take this opportunity to express their thanks to all key players in the European Parliament as well as the Council of the EU for their acceptance of the work carried out by ECSA and ETF last year, as expressed in their joint agreement that amended the Commission’s original proposal substantially.

For more information please contact:

Philippe Alfonso, ETF Political Secretary for Maritime Transport at Galerie Agora – Rue du Marché aux Herbes, 105 (bte 11) – 1000 Brussels - Tel. +32.2.285.45.84 - email p.alfonso@etf-europe.org

Christophe Tytgat, ECSA Senior Director at Rue Ducale/Hertogstraat 67 – 1000 Brussels - Tel: +32 2 510 61 29 - email: christophe.tytgat@ecsa.eu