News March 11, 2026 The ETF voices concerns over yesterday’s European Parliament vote on the EC Talent Pool Yesterday, the EP adopted in plenary its first reading position on the EC Talent Pool proposal, a matching platform connecting job seekers from non-EU countries with EU based companies. Judging from the experience so far, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) believes this is a missed opportunity to do justice to those third country nationals hoping for decent jobs and living conditions in the EU.
News March 6, 2026 The hidden reality for non-EU truck drivers in Europe On Thursday, ETF joined its Dutch affiliate, FNV, in the East of the Netherlands to observe a court case involving a truck driver who has been living in his truck for months without getting his agreed or legally required payments. The truck driver, Muhammad, originally from Tajikistan, was brought to the Dutch court by his Lithuanian employer.
News March 6, 2026 Safety Must be the foundation of Europe’s Railway future On 4 March 2026, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) Rail Section, along with Vida (Austria) and AK Europa, gathered key stakeholders at the Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU for a high-level lunch discussion on “Improving Rail Safety”. The event brought together a broad range of participants, including trade unionists, policy experts from the European Commission (DG MOVE), representatives of the European Parliament, and attachés. Our goal was to discuss a fundamental premise: rail safety is not a technical abstraction. It is directly linked to the working conditions of those who keep Europe moving.
News March 4, 2026 ETF reaction to the Port Strategy and Maritime Industrial Strategy The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) welcomes today’s European Commission proposals for an EU Port Strategy and an EU Industrial Maritime Strategy, insisting that workers must be placed at the heart of both initiatives. ETF stands ready to engage constructively with the European Commission, industry stakeholders and social partners to ensure that the final Strategy delivers a just, sustainable and socially responsible maritime future for Europe.
News March 4, 2026 European social partners welcome upcoming entry into force of the IMO Cape Town Agreement, paving the way for a safer global fishing industry The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), Europêche and Copa-Cogeca warmly welcome the formal accession of Argentina to the 2012 Cape Town Agreement (CTA). This decisive step oGicially triggers the conditions for the global treaty to enter into force in February 2027, marking a historic milestone for global safety at sea.
News March 3, 2026 Joint letter to Ursula von der Leyen on the alarming decline of the EU fishing fleet The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), together with Europêche and Copa-Cogeca, has sent a formal letter to Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission warning about the alarming and structural decline of the EU fishing fleet. The full letter can be downloaded here to learn more about the concerns raised and the concrete proposals put forward by the social partners.
News March 2, 2026 Malta’s Role in European Aviation: Safety, Social Protection and Governance Must Go Hand in Hand Last week, the ETF’s civil aviation section held meetings in Malta to discuss the country’s growing strategic role in European aviation governance. Discussions in Valletta and Lija focused on the economic, safety and social dimensions of aviation oversight, as Malta has become an important hub for Air Operator Certificate (AOC) issuance.
News February 27, 2026 Judicial supervision for Deliveroo and Glovo: A turning point for platform workers in Italy The Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office has sent a clear message to the platform economy: the systematic exploitation of workers is a criminal matter. Following a recent investigation into Foodinho (Glovo), Italian authorities have now placed Deliveroo Italy under judicial supervision. This rare legal measure, typically reserved for cases involving “caporalato” (gangmaster-style labor exploitation), follows evidence that couriers were being paid wages up to 90% below the poverty line.
News February 26, 2026 The subcontracting challenges in Road Transport The parcel that arrives at your door has likely travelled through a labyrinth. A common practice for subcontracting in road transport is the following: A client places an order with a transport supplier. This could be a transport company that employs its own drivers, or a logistics company provided with a wider service than only road transport, or a freight forwarder who does not own assets and would always subcontract to others. The chain ends somewhere. In road transport, it ends with the driver. It is time to make sure justice reaches them.
News February 25, 2026 Safety Cannot Be Tendered: ETF Warns of Growing Fatigue Risks and Labour Violations at Spanish Control Towers Jerez de la Frontera/Brussels – The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) is raising serious concerns over working conditions and potential safety risks at liberalised airport control towers in Spain, following a recent meeting with air traffic controllers, represented by ETF-affiliated trade union, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), at Jerez Airport.
Press Release February 24, 2026 Open letter: A competitive and resilient Europe requires a stronger EU transport budget A total of 45 European transport organisations are joining forces and collectively urge national governments to strengthen European funding for transport under the future EU budget and particularly to increase the budget of the future Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to at least €100 billion.
News February 23, 2026 Urgent Call to EU Leaders: Safeguard Funding for Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Next MFF A CFP equipped with appropriate financial resources is not a cost, but a strategic investment in the resilience and competitiveness of Europe’s food system and fisheries sector.