In response to the recent CBER prolongation, social partners sent a letter to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, expressing their disapproval of the decision pointing to the negative consequences of this action. The decision was not subject to a proper prior evaluation of effects and will likely have detrimental effects on many companies and workers of the logistics and supply chains in the EU.

European Commission declared a four-year prolongation of the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER), now valid until 2024. The decision disregards a public consultation and reinforces the inequality and unfairness that is rampant in the maritime industry.

In light of the WTO negotiations on fishery subsidies, ETF joined Europêche, Cogeca, EAPO and AIPCE-CEP in presenting their case against the fuel de-taxation schemes in fisheries.

The EC Communication and its recommended measures – meant to keep intra-EU borders open during this time of crisis - seem to be somehow disconnected from reality, both with regard to the development of the pandemic and to the expected transport trends.

European Commission's communication on the implementation of the Green Lanes does not provide the concrete measures that are needed to protect the transport workers who are on the frontline and who will bear the consequences of inaction.

ETF CAS statement on continuous developments in civil aviation. The situation is dire, and there is a clear need for a long-term vision.

A joint statement by European associations representing transport, infrastructure managers, operators, workers in all transport modes and logistics, contractors, local and regional authorities, logistics service providers, shippers, users and equipment suppliers in the maritime, port, inland waterways, railways, road, cycling, aviation and intermodal sectors, as well as supporting industries and companies.

ETF would like to stress that this must be a temporary measure, strictly limited to the transport of goods of strict necessity!

We were shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible train accident of March 18, 2020, near the Strasbourg train station in which a railway track maintainer lost his life and a second track maintainer was seriously injured. Solidarité à nos affiliés français et à tous les cheminots dans ce moment difficile.

In the wake of the informal meeting of the Council of Transport Ministers, the ETF has once again sent a letter to Commissioner Vălean. The ETF waited for the outcome of this meeting, in hopes that concrete measures to protect our transport workers would emerge from it. What emerged was the exact opposite, and we are extremely disappointed in the Council's (un)willingness to tackle this safety emergency that poses a threat, which grows by the minute, for transport workers.

In view of the ongoing crisis and its effect on drivers in the road transport industry, and the lack of response to their dire situation in the communication of yesterday's Council of Transport Ministers meeting, the ETF has addressed a statement to the Commissioner for Transport, Adina-Ioana Vălean in which the ETF urges the European Commission and the Member States to adopt an emergency action plan for truck drivers, before our drivers fall subject to a humanitarian and health crisis in Europe.

This morning, European Barge Union released a statement, calling for the free movement of vessels and crew members, as well as flexibility in the application of the working time directive crewing regulations. On top of that, they propose the elimination of penalties in cases where these regulations are not respected. In response, we sent out a letter to EBU and ESO, emphasising the need for social dialogue in Inland Waterways in these difficult times.