EU social partners: Partners agree on implementation of maritime convention

On 19 May 2008, the European-level social partner organisations in the maritime shipping industry signed an agreement - which should now be implemented by an EU Directive - to incorporate the 2006 International Labour Organisation (ILO) maritime labour convention in EU law.

In June 2006, the European Commission asked the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and the European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) to negotiate an agreement on the implementation of the convention across the EU, stating that any agreement would be given legal force by an EU Directive (in accordance with art.