European Commission

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.

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.

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.

In the global emergency of COVID-19 outbreak, dockers are on the frontline, ensuring loading and unloading of essential goods in European ports. Ahead of today's extraordinary meeting of the Council of EU Transport Ministers, ETF Dockers prepared a joint statement with IDC, FEPORT and ESPO.

Maritime transport Social Partners - ETF and ECSA - sent a letter to the Ministers of Transport ahead of the meeting of European Union Transport Ministers on the implications of COVID-19 on transport. In view of the vital importance of shipping and related services for the EU and its citizens, ECSA and ETF call on the European Commission and the Member States to take decisive and assertive action in facilitating the supply chains and seafarer travel, providing much-needed support to the industry and workforce.

Ahead of tomorrow’s extraordinary meeting of the Council of Transport Ministers, the ETF is once again reiterating its previous demands to the European Commission and has sent an overview of the latest developments in the transport industry.

ETF is now once again calling upon the Commission to take concrete action to protect Europe’s transport workers as new developments arise every day. Reports received from around Europe show that some employers are not taking the pandemic seriously, and are putting workers in danger with their failure to act appropriately.

On Wednesday, EU Transport Ministers adopted the Opatija Declaration on the future outlook of EU Waterborne Transport. ETF welcomes the attention given to some of the ongoing industry challenges, and at the same time highlights several points that we believe merit further consideration and follow-up both of the EU Member States and the European Commission.

In view of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and its on impact transport workers, we sent a letter to Adina Vălean, Commissioner for Transport and Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights where we outlined our concerns, and what a plan to remedy the current situation should look like.