The European Transport Workers’ Federation together with Europêche has been awarded a grant by the European Commission for the project "Pillars of the Sea 4" (PILLARS4) – 101262519. This project is part of the European Social Dialogue for the Sea Fisheries sector. Its main objective is to improve social sustainability in the industry through three main pillars.

The ETF stands in full solidarity with our colleagues from the United Transport Workers’ Union (BTS), representing workers across the transport sector in Türkiye, including civil aviation and air traffic management staff. Following months of unresolved concerns and a continued lack of meaningful dialogue, BTS has announced industrial action for Wednesday, 18 February 2026

Press release: European Parliament calls for European Legislation to tackle Exploitative Subcontracting and Labour Intermediation - Today, the European Parliament adopted the EMPL Committee's own-initiative report Addressing subcontracting chains and the role of intermediaries in order to protect workers’ rights, sending a clear political signal to the European Commission on the imperative need to propose an ambitious EU Directive on Subcontracting and Labour Intermediaries as part of the Quality Jobs Act.

Spain's railway unions CCOO and UGT have secured a historic agreement with the government after just one day of strike action, preventing what would have been a three-day nationwide rail shutdown. The strike started on February 9, but by the end of that same day, the unions had reached an agreement with the Ministry of Transport. This rapid success shows what can be achieved when unions stand together with clear demands and strong worker support.

ETF has recently engaged with the Romanian Government and the Romanian Parliament following concerns raised by its national aviation affiliate, Flight Personnel Union Romania (FPU Romania), regarding the use of employer-controlled psychological assessments on cabin crew members.

The action was organised to mobilise support ahead of the upcoming vote on the European Parliament's own-initiative report on subcontracting and intermediaries, and to urge the European Commission to propose a binding EU initiative to limit contracting and subcontracting, regulate labour intermediation, and ensure equal treatment and fair competition across the EU labour market.

At the recent Danube Commission meetings in Budapest, the ETF addressed the regulatory and social challenges facing inland navigation workers. From labour rights enforcement to the recognition of professional qualifications, the ETF’s participation ensured that workers’ concerns were integrated into the region’s transport framework.

Yesterday, February 4th 2026, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) published its special report on the effectiveness of the EU’s urban mobility policy. With over 75% of the EU population living in cities and urban transport making up an eighth the EU’s total CO2 emissions, the report clearly recognises the need for a comprehensive European strategy to organise and improve mobility in urban areas. The Court of Auditors also sets out the significant costs of inaction, noting that congestion alone from private cars costs around €180 billion a year.

ETF, together with the European Network Airlines’ Association (ENAA) and the European Cockpit Association (ECA), has issued a joint statement calling for the immediate suspension and reassessment of the EU–Qatar Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement.

The research reveals that major logistics companies, e-retailers, and postal operators routinely outsource delivery operations to networks of subcontractors, creating chains that obscure accountability and foster non-compliant labour practices. In some European countries, subcontracting has reached saturation: Germany outsources 50% of transport services, while in Poland the figure approaches 100%.

The European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) has declared its full solidarity with ver.di (United Services Trade Union, Germany) members who are striking nationwide today across Germany's municipal public transport companies. The action affects nearly 100,000 employees in 150 transport companies and highlights a growing crisis in the sector.

On 8 December 2025, the second edition of the European Maritime Safety Report - #EMSAFE was presented in EMSA’s: ‘Safety First’ conference at the Agency’s headquarters in Lisbon. EMSAFE 2 consolidates data from all EMSA-hosted databases, offering a comprehensive overview of the state of maritime safety in the European Union. Its strong focus on the human dimension of safety makes it particularly relevant.