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.

The European Transport Workers’ Federation has sent a formal letter to the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans raising urgent concerns about the implementation of the new Fisheries Control Regulation (EU) 2023/2842.

The Danish case demonstrates that high union coverage and fair competition can be restored through a combination of strong local organising and robust European regulation. While national contexts vary across the EU, Denmark’s success highlights the practical value of the Mobility Package when combined with strong implementation efforts to bring companies into the scope of collective bargaining.

Fatigue among cabin crew is no longer a hidden issue. It is a widespread, systemic problem that is undermining safety, damaging health, and eroding the sustainability of aviation jobs. A new global survey of 114 cabin crew union representatives from 45 airlines, conducted by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), makes it clear: fatigue is a daily reality for cabin crew, and airlines are not taking it seriously enough.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Aviation Services Association (ASA World) congratulate the Royal Schiphol Group for its new tendering procedure to select three ground handling companies to operate at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.