Press Release: Maritime: Task Force on maritime employment and competitiveness delivers report Brussels

The Task Force on maritime employment and competitiveness set up by Vice-President Kallas has delivered its report containing recommendations for possible future measures for the shipping industry.

The Task Force examined the legal framework and analysed the factors turning EU seafarers away from the profession as well as the incentives for employers to recruit EU seafarers.

The lack of available reliable data on seafarers has been an obstacle faced by the Task Force. However, the trends on the increase in the recruitment of non EU seafarers for international voyages, especially at the expense of EU ratings, clearly emerged. Despite recent improvements in some Member States, European officer recruitment and retention remains problematic.

In its report, the Task Force provides recommendations on topics such as the regulatory framework, ranging from recruitment, training, career paths, working and living conditions on board including access to new technologies, legal and administrative treatment of seafarers, the piracy threat, state aid and employment.

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