EC proposes to improve workers rights for seafarers and fishermen

21 Nov 13 - 13:18

EU stops possibility to exclude seafarers from five labour law Directives

A proposal to include seafarers within the scope of five EU labour law Directives has been recently presented by the European Commission.

The EU proposal would give them the same information and consultation rights in all 28 EU countries as on-shore workers in cases of collective redundancies and transfers of undertakings. 

They would also have the right to participate to European Works Councils.

The new proposal would amend five Directives in order to give seafarers the same rights as their colleagues on-shore. This would enhance their living and working conditions and so increase the attractiveness of working in the maritime sector for young people. This is important as the number of EU seafarers has been steadily decreasing over the last few years and the sector is threatened with labour shortages. A third important benefit of the proposal is that it would ensure fairer competition in the fisheries and shipping sectors within the EU as operators would have the same obligations in all EU Member States.