TRANSPORT COUNCIL: EU STILL LOOKING AT WAYS TO ATTRACT YOUNG PEOPLE TO SEAFARING PROFESSION.

• Position: Brief article

"Boosting employment prospects in the Community maritime sector and attracting young people to the seafaring profession": such is the aim of conclusions adopted by the Council of EU Transport Ministers on December 5. Efforts are needed to reverse the current trend of Europeans deserting the seafaring profession. The conclusions address such issues as training, social and working conditions, the need to improve the profession's image, greater collaboration between all stakeholders in the sector, promotional campaigns, etc.

The conclusions make a series of specific requests to the European Commission which is invited to assist the member states in establishing partnerships between maritime training establishments - student/teacher or trainer mobility programmes, shared curricula and learning resources, etc. - and back programmes through EU funding; help states identify remaining...