EFT advocates for stronger social justice and worker rights in the European Commission’s EU Ocean Pact
The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) has welcomed the European Commission’s launch of the European Ocean Pact, recognising it as an important step towards a sustainable, inclusive, and fair blue economy.
Representing over five million transport workers across Europe, including those in fisheries, maritime transport, and ports, the ETF strongly supports the Pact’s environmental ambitions, but insists that the people who work on the ocean must be at the heart of this crucial transition.
Livia Spera, ETF General Secretary, stated: “The ocean is not just a resource – it is a workplace. Any vision for its future must include the rights, safety, and voices of those who sustain it.”
A Just Transition Demands Worker Commitment
While the ETF welcomes the Pact’s high-level vision, it urges the Commission to follow through with binding policies and adequate funding. This necessitates ensuring social and sectoral justice, where fishers, seafarers, and port workers are not merely consulted but meaningfully involved in decisions shaping their industries. The ETF stresses the need for robust labour representation within the newly proposed High-Level Ocean Board, advocating for a dedicated seat at the table to represent the interests of maritime, fisheries, and port workers alongside industrial and environmental stakeholders.
Balancing Green Goals with Labour Rights
Although the ETF supports the expansion of marine protected areas (MPAs) and an ecosystem-based approach to ocean management, it cautions against policies that disproportionately target fisheries while neglecting pollution from other sectors. Decisions concerning MPAs must involve fishers and local communities, and all sectors must be held equally accountable for marine health.
On maritime emissions, the ETF supports the Emission Trading System (ETS) but expresses concerns about evasive port calls, where vessels may divert to non-EU ports to bypass ETS requirements. This practice risks undermining climate goals and harming EU ports and jobs. The ETF calls for robust monitoring of non-EU ports and potential regulatory expansion to prevent unfair competition and distortions in shipping routes.
Support for Coastal Communities and Fair Funding
Despite growing expectations for fisheries to modernise, innovate, and contribute to climate targets, the ETF highlights a significant lack of new funding under the Ocean Pact. The current European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) is deemed insufficient. The ETF calls for a substantial increase in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2028–2034) to support fishers, invest in local infrastructure, and build resilient coastal communities.
Securing Decent Work in the Blue Economy
The ETF welcomes the Pact’s commitment to social issues such as generational renewal, gender equality, and skills development, but insists on a broader social agenda. This includes ensuring decent wages and working conditions, strengthening occupational health and social protection, and guaranteeing fair treatment for migrant fishers and seafarers across the EU fleet.
Global Responsibility, Global Standards
Finally, the ETF urges the European Commission to strengthen the social dimension of international fisheries governance, using the EU’s influence to promote decent work and fair competition worldwide. The ETF looks forward to contributing to the upcoming 2026 Communication on the external dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
The ETF’s core message to the European Commission remains clear: ensure labour representation at all levels of governance; match ambition with funding for fisheries and coastal regions; mainstream the social dimension across all policies; and treat fisheries as part of the solution, not the problem. The ETF remains committed to shaping an ocean future that is not only sustainable but also fair, inclusive, and respectful of the people who make the blue economy possible.
Source: Press Release