IndustriAll Europe and SEA Europe – the Social Partners of the Maritime Technology (MT) sector in Europe – call upon the European policy-makers to formally recognise the strategic nature of the MT sector for Europe by adopting a dedicated European industrial strategy for this sector. Without such a strategy, the MT sector in Europe will not be able to meet its societal challenges or to take advantage of its promising opportunities. Moreover, without such a strategy, the competitiveness of the MT sector will clearly be at risk, as recognised in a recent study carried out on behalf of DG GROW1. Many regions across Europe are reliant on the MT sector for the prosperity of their communities, and therefore need a clear commitment from the EU regarding their future and the future of their workers.
Conscious of standards already set by European agreements such as the Charter ofFundamental Rights and the acquis communitaire as a whole, SEA Europe and industriAll -European Trade Union jointly adopt the following set of social standards for the Europeanshipbuilding sector in pursuance of their effort to promote safe and socially just workingconditions in all shipyards. This document is not legally binding and obeys the principle ofsubsidiarity regarding national rules.
(Image: Abeking & Rasmussen: A&R)