IndustriAll Europe and SEA Europe agree on joint priorities ahead of the 2024 EU elections
SEA Europe and industriAll Europe – the social partners for shipbuilding and ship repair – jointly call upon the next European Commission to issue a robust EU maritime industrial strategy, according to SEA Europe's release.
This call, echoing the Antwerp Declaration for a European Industrial Deal – emphasises the urgent need to fortify strategic European industrial sectors amid geopolitical dynamics. The proposed European maritime industrial strategy will enable European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers, as well as their employees, who have first-class expertise, to maintain Europe’s position as global technology leader whilst regaining strategic markets and tapping into emerging markets. To that end, the EU must not only safeguard but also reinforce its industrial production capacity.
The key pillars of a future European maritime industrial strategy are four-fold: reinforce Europe’s industrial sovereignty and competitiveness; a supportive regulatory framework; reinforce Europe’s technological leadership; and attract a skilled workforce. Policy recommendations are the introduction of "Made in Europe" requirements in strategic public procurement markets; the introduction of financial incentives to narrow the price gap between European and Asian shipyards; and conditionalities in EU financial instruments to prevent investments outside Europe.
To attract a skilled workforce, the social partners propose, amongst others, to better promote the maritime technology industry as an attractive sector, to develop a Just Transition policy framework to anticipate and manage changes in the maritime industries, with access to quality training for all workers at its core, or to support companies’ efforts to upskill and reskill workers. Besides calling for a maritime industrial strategy, the social partners also re-emphasise the importance of the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills and reiterate the need to set up a Maritime Expert Group to discuss and elaborate the proposed policy recommendations.
SEA Europe and industriAll Europe furthermore stress the significant role of social dialogue and workers' participation in building a sustainable and resilient maritime technology industry.
