CFP

The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and Europêche, as the European Social Partners in the fisheries sector, have submitted a joint position paper to the European Commission. This response is part of the Commission's ongoing evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Both organizations emphasized the need to address the CFP’s socio-economic shortcomings and its impact on workers and communities in the fishing industry.

At the conference “What future for fishers in the Mediterranean?”, the ETF and its affiliates asked the European Commission to adopt balanced measures equally supporting the three dimensions of the EU Common Fishery Policy: environmental, social, and economic.

The ETF welcomes the space dedicated to the social dimension of fisheries in the Communication "The CFP policy today and tomorrow." Yet, CFP must have the ambition to protect the people working in an industry that plays such a crucial part in ensuring food security in the EU.

ETF expects significant improvements in the social dimension of the CFP from the upcoming publications by the Commission.

The living and working conditions on board fishing vessels need to improve. The ETF believes that alternative methods to calculate the gross tonnage could help achieve that aim and, at the same time, protect the sustainability of the resource.

Social partners in fisheries - ETF and Europeche - issued a new resolution, calling for an introduction of social objectives in the CFP.

ETF and EFFAT hosted a joint seminar about the future of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Workers, trade union activists, policymakers and experts joined the two-day event.