Towards a new European Crewing Regulation

29 Nov 2022

Crewing is currently regulated per river basin, based on an extensive Regulation for navigation personnel established over 30 years ago by the Central Rhine Commission for the Navigation on the Rhine.

But the time has come to develop a solid future-proof European crewing regulation applicable across the European interconnected waterway network and beyond. It is also the right time for ETF and its affiliates to get adequately involved in the ongoing negotiations on future crewing regulation.

The Comité Européen pour les Standards Dans la Navigation Intérieure (CESNI) has already established a solid basis based on the outcomes of the ongoing negotiations. A draft proposal of the future European Crewing Regulation must be finalised by mid-2023. After which, CESNI will send the proposal to the European Commission by the end of 2023. The European Commission will develop the new EU crewing Regulation based on this proposal.

The IWT Social Partners decided to set up a 2nd Sector Consultation event to take place on 14 December, where employees, employers, authorities, trade union representatives and other stakeholders will be consulted on the following topics:

  • One Singe crewmember operations
  • Mandatory resting times
  • Mandatory resting days
  • Technical standards
  • Minimum crew during loading & unloading
  • Operating modes
  • Entry level

We encourage our members to register for the event and to actively participate in the online 14-December consultation. One day before, ETF will organise an online preparatory meeting with all registered participants.

ETF agreed with the European employers’ organisations EBU/ESO that our rank-and-file members get enough time freed to enable them to participate in the event.

More details about the ongoing consultation are available here!

If you want to participate, get in touch with your national trade union or contact the ETF Secretariat at:  m.chaffart@etf-europe.org.