Shipbuilding partners call for action to safeguard European industry & workers

One year on following SEA Europe and industriAll’s Joint Manifesto: Maritime Technology: A Strategic Sector for Europe (2018), the European Social Partners are calling for strong commitment from EU policy makers to defend European industry and protect European jobs.

The two partners met in Brussels for their annual plenary meeting. Reflecting on the year since the launch of their joint manifesto, the social partners have again united in their calls for European policymakers to fulfil the demands set out in the document.

The joint manifesto demands that the maritime technology sector be recognised as a strategic sector for Europe and calls for a dedicated European sectoral strategy. The social partners are disappointed that these requests have not been actioned and are joining forces to call on the new European Parliament and the new European Commission to use this mandate to invest in Europe’s industry and its workers.

Luis Colunga, Deputy General Secretary for industriAll Europe said: ‘’The maritime technology sector provides more than 1 million jobs in Europe. These are high-quality jobs and are crucial for many communities and regions across Europe. We cannot lose these jobs due to unfair trading practices in other countries."

He continued: ‘’Workers demand that the European Institutions listen and stand up for European workers. We need a new strategy for the sector that tackles unfair trade and invests in shipyards and their workforces. There is no time to lose!”

Christophe Tytgat, Secretary General of SEA Europe said: “In Europe there are around 300 shipyards and 22.000 maritime equipment and technology suppliers which are leading maritime innovation. The industry is committed to deliver zero emission ships and barges for inland navigation and short sea shipping by 2030 and ensure that by 2050 any ship will be zero emission. If Europe wants to stay ahead of innovation, achieve its Blue Growth targets and the decarbonisation of shipping it must put the framework conditions once for all so that maritime technology companies can compete in equal conditions in a fully unbalanced global market.”

 “The risk of losing Europe’s know-how, capabilities and leadership in advanced maritime technologies is high, particularly in the light of the ongoing unfair competition from Asia and China’s Made in China 2025 policy. Losing this knowhow and 1 million jobs is unaffordable for Europe! That’s why we are strongly calling upon the EU institutions to adopt a comprehensive sectoral EU policy to support the sector”.

A copy of the social partner’s joint manifesto can be seen here.

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