The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) welcomes the Council’s adoption of conclusions on the EU Maritime Industrial Strategy and the EU Port Strategy, recognising their importance for strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, technological leadership and strategic autonomy.
The Council conclusions acknowledge many of the priorities long advocated by ETF, including investment in maritime skills, workforce development, industrial capacity, security and the resilience of critical infrastructure. They also recognise the strategic role that ports play in Europe’s economy, energy security and supply chains. These are important steps forward for Europe’s maritime future.
Workers must be at the heart of Maritime Industrial Policy
However, we stress that the success of both strategies will ultimately depend on whether workers are placed at their centre. While the Council rightly highlights labour shortages, skills challenges and the need for training, the social dimension remains insufficiently reflected throughout the conclusions. (....)