Upon an invitation from the Danube Commission (DC), the ETF participated in the EDINNA workshop on education and professional training in inland navigation, as well as in the Expert Group for Personnel Issues in Navigation on the Danube, held on 28–29 January 2026 in Budapest. The DC is an intergovernmental organisation established by the Belgrade Convention of 1948, coordinating navigation across ten member states: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine.
The ETF presented a concept note outlining critical concerns about working conditions and the enforcement of labour rights affecting nautical and hospitality crew members in the region:
Unclear market rules
In summer 2025, Ukrainian crew members on four Slovak-flagged vessels in Novi Sad were abandoned without pay or valid contracts. None of the authorities the ETF contacted was able to assist the abandoned crew members. This example illustrates the need to clarify the legal responsibilities of owners and operators, as well as insurance, technical and environmental compliance obligations. Crew members must also have effective legal remedies to claim their rights.
Minimum wage and transparent working conditions
The complex interaction between EU law and the Belgrade Convention creates uncertainty about the minimum wage applicable to crew members. It is also unclear how EU legislation mandating transparent and predictable working conditions applies to Danube crew members, including written information on working time, place of work, remuneration (including allowances), and social security arrangements. The interaction between general EU rules and the Belgrade Convention makes determining the applicable labour law and social security obligations highly complex, and no comprehensive, sector-specific analysis currently exists.
Working time fraud and enforcement
Fraud in recording working and resting times, particularly for hotel and catering staff on river cruise vessels, remains widespread. The ETF advocates for mandatory tamper-proof digital recording tools certified at EU level, providing real-time access for workers and inspectors. Any minimum crewing requirements must enable full compliance with the EU Working Time Directive. According to the ELA-AQUAPOL 2023 report on concerted and joint cross-border inspections, Austrian law enforcement authorities face legal constraints in verifying social compliance on Danube vessels. They generally avoid controlling transit or international operations due to legal uncertainty and only inspect workers involved in cabotage operations, which are reported to be relatively rare.
Recognition of professional qualifications
Boatmasters from EU candidate countries still face difficulties in obtaining recognition of their certificates issued under the former Directive 96/50/EC, which was the governing EU legal framework before the introduction of Directive (EU) 2017/2397. This further aggravates the general shortage of workers and negatively impacts the attractiveness of the sector.
Visa barriers for third-country crew
Visa requirements create obstacles for qualified Serbian, Moldovan and Ukrainian citizens working on EU waterways. German visa restrictions now prevent Serbian apprentices from completing mandatory on-board training.
Moving forward
The meetings provided a platform for social partners to engage with government representatives, water police authorities, educational institutions and shipping companies on labour law challenges facing the sector. This collaboration ensures workers’ voices are heard in shaping the regulatory framework for Danube river transport. The ETF’s engagement at the Danube Commission reflects its broader strategy to strengthen advocacy for transport workers across Central and Eastern Europe, as committed at the recent ETF Congress.
