The EU fisheries sector social partners have launched a new digital hub, providing a one-stop platform to boost visibility, share resources, and drive forward joint action in the sector. The platform brings together the social partners’ collaborative work on safety, working conditions, fair recruitment, training and social sustainability, offering a fresh, accessible way to engage with ongoing developments in EU-level social fisheries policy and practice.
Developed as part of the EU Social Partners’ latest project under the Sea Fisheries Social Dialogue Committee, the platform goes far beyond a traditional project website. It captures the outcomes of years of cooperation between workers and employers in the fisheries sector and positions them within a broader strategy for sustainable and socially just fisheries. ‘We often see how lack of access to clear information can cause parties to get stuck in developments,’ said Cor Blonk, Chair of the Sea Fisheries Social Dialogue Committee.
‘This publicly-accessible platform is designed to provide everyone with relevant updates on social policy actions, in a user-friendly way. It’s more than just a digital space, it’s a living tool that gives access to useful material, tools and policy recommendations with the purpose to improve the social dimension of fisheries.’
Recognised in the 2020 Eurofound report as the representative bodies for the sector, Europêche and ETF have been central actors in EU social dialogue. Their work through the Committee continues to produce results with international relevance.
The Committee’s policy work and actions extend well beyond the EU. Its Guidelines on the Medical Examination of Fishers, developed by the social partners, were adopted at the joint ILO–IMO committee meeting in February 2024 and are being proposed as the basis for an IMO model course. The Fair Recruitment Guidelines of Migrant Fishers, developed under the latest project, will serve as a reference during the ILO’s 2025 Tripartite Meeting of Experts, helping shape new international standards for fair recruitment in the fishing sector.
These developments highlight the Committee’s growing voice in global labour policy and its ability to turn dialogue into meaningful, institutional change.
‘Social dialogue is more than just dialogue, it’s about delivering meaningful impact on the ground,’ said Juan Manuel Trujillo, Workers’ Spokesperson.
‘This platform reflects our impact and opens up new ways to share knowledge, tools, and ideas with the entire fishing community helping to build a stronger, safer and more attractive sector.’
Designed as a dynamic tool that will grow and incorporate future actions, guidance and contributions from across the EU fisheries community, the new digital hub features key components of the Committee’s joint work, with a clear introduction to who the partners are and how EU-level social dialogue functions in the fisheries sector.
It also provides access to core tools and deliverables, including the Fishery Speak App, Recruitment Guidelines, and Medical Examination Guidelines, a dedicated space for project outcomes, and a hub section to keep stakeholders informed and engaged with the Committee’s ongoing work.
