At the initiative of the social partners in the European fisheries sector (Europêche and the E.T.F. ) representatives of the sector, training centres and competent national authorities met in Brussels for a Round Table aimed at setting up REFOPE, the European Network for Fisheries Training and Employment.
The project, is being undertaken with co-financing from the European Community (DG Fisheries and Maritime Affairs) in particular in response to the need to improve the prevention of accidents at sea and to promote the mutual recognition of certificates in order to facilitate the free movement of workers in the fishing sector.
REFOPE is also intended to stimulate the entry of young people into the profession, and plans to set up an employment web page. At the same time, all interested parties, and in particular the new EU Member States where vocational training in sea fishing is inexistent, can use the Network"s database containing a list of European centres and of courses given in order to organise among themselves exchanges of training staff, teaching material and expensive equipment (navigation simulators, school premises, firefighting training areas, etc.) This database also enables interested parties to get to know and compare the different training courses available in the EU.
At the Round Table, which was honoured with the presence of several European Commission representatives (DG Fisheries and Maritime Affairs and DG Education and Culture, participants mentioned certain action priorities for REPOPE, including the pooling of training modules on work safety, environmental conservation, the Common Fisheries Policy, etc.
