This agreement was adopted by the European social partners in the sea fisheries sector, Europêche and Cogeca on the employer’s side and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) on the trade union side. The agreement implements the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention on "Work in the fishing sector" (n° 188) at EU level establishing minimum standards for working conditions in the fishing industry. These standards cover employment relationships, minimum age requirements, working hours, health and safety, and social protection.
The fishing vessel owner has the overall responsibility to ensure that the skipper is provided with the necessary resources and facilities, while the skipper has the responsibility for the safety of the fishermen on board and the safe operation of the vessel. The Agreement sets out minimum age, compulsory medical examinations and certificates for fishermen. It deals with manning and specifies the limits on hours of work and rest. For every fishing vessel crew lists have to be drawn up and every fisherman has to be covered by a work agreement. The cost of the repatriation of a fisherman who becomes unable to work or whose agreement terminates shall be borne by the owner of the vessel.
The Agreement sets out minimum requirements concerning food, drink and accommodation. Fishermen shall be provided with medical care on board, and have the right to be taken ashore in a timely manner for treatment in the event of serious injury or illness.
Annexes
- Annex I: Equivalence in measurement
- Annex II: Fisherman’s work agreement
- Annex III: Fishing vessel accommodation
Addendums are not part of the social partners’ agreement but give useful information on the relationship to other international agreements in that sector:
- Correlation table
- Explanatory notes
- Contractual relations: recruitment and placement services
- Contractual relations: assignment / posting / lending-out services
- Ratifications of ILO labour market instruments
- Ratifications of ILO instruments for the fishing sector
- Provision and payment of health care to fishermen
- Work In Fishing Convention, 2007
The agreement was annexed to Council Directive 2017/159/EU of 19 December 2016 implementing the Agreement concerning the implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 of the International Labour Organisation.
Publication details
Title: Agreement between the social partners in the European Union’s sea-fisheries sector of 21 May 2012 concerning the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 of the International Labour Organization.
Published by: European social partners in the sea fisheries sector
Publication date: 21 May 2012
Number of pages: 67 pp.
English