European Aviation Package

It sends a positive signal stressing that aviation remains a key factor for economic growth, job creation and connectivity. This is reflecting the importance of the aviation sector for both the people and the industry in Europe.

Nevertheless, this strategy remains with a lack of concrete measures on the social dimension of air transport in Europe. For EurECCA, the social dimension should be an integral part of the aviation policy in Brussels. This has been stated during the high-level conference on the social dimension of transport with the DG MOVE and DG EMPL earlier this year.
Only a real political will can fight effectively against atypical forms of work (temporary agencies, zero hour- contracts, false self-entrepreneurs), flags of convenience and social dumping.
For EurECCA, the European civil aviation policy must be based on three essential positions: safety, social dimension and fair competition.

1. Aviation safety is non-negotiable. As safety is the key to a successful aviation industry, it is important to increase the safety and security level in European aviation constantly. As the impact of working conditions on the safety level is obvious, Europe must block any types of employment schemes that can have negative impact on safety.
   The direct full-time employment with a guaranteed payment scheme should still serve as the guideline.
   Cabin Crew has a key function in the safety- chain. Therefore, it is essential to enforce the role of cabin crew by constant development of training standards and by re- implementing cabin crew licensing.
2. The social dimension as an integral part of the aviation policy to avoid social dumping. In that case, it is necessary to enforce the coordination of social security in a way to protect quality-working conditions for Cabin Crew.
   To enforce the social dimension, EurECCA proposes the development of a European trans- national legal framework that can strengthen the role of the social partners on the European level as well as on the national level.
   As the transport sector is clearly one of the most trans-national organized ones within Europe it is time to develop a new dimension of a European social dialogue.
3. The competitiveness and fair competition both within Europe and with third countries (Gulf countries, China, Turkey, etc.) must be guaranteed. In order to compete in a level- playing- field it is necessary to take strong measures against any social, financial and legal discrimination of the European aviation industry and its stakeholders.

EurECCA is considering the social dimension of the Aviation package is meeting neither the expectations nor are the proposed measures concrete enough to serve as the base for a future development.

EurECCA ask the commission to revise its strategy on the social dimension of the Package.