Independent MEP Maria Zacharia has asked the European Commission to acknowledge a regulatory gap in EU law and to consider proposing binding minimum standards for the protection of seafarers serving in maritime war zones and high-risk areas. In a parliamentary question dated 3 August 2026, Zacharia argues that current protections depend on the ship's flag, contractual regime, or collective bargaining agreement, leading to unequal treatment across European shipping. She specifically calls for the right of seafarers to refuse to work in such areas without risking dismissal or other adverse consequences, as well as common rules on information, insurance, compensation cover, and repatriation.
The question, addressed to the Commission, highlights that despite the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, transposed into EU law through Directive 2009/13/EC, there is no specific, comprehensive, and binding European framework for seafarers in these dangerous zones. Zacharia asks whether the Commission intends to consult European social partners in the maritime sector on developing such a framework, taking into account existing international arrangements for Warlike Operations Areas.
This initiative comes amid heightened concerns over attacks on merchant ships and the destabilisation of critical sea corridors, which have severely increased seafarers' exposure to danger. The question is a formal step in the European Parliament's oversight role, and the Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks. The reply will signal whether the executive is open to new legislation or prefers to rely on existing international and national measures.
The proposal would directly affect seafarers, who would gain clearer rights to refuse dangerous assignments and better protection for insurance and repatriation. Shipowners and maritime employers would face new compliance costs and potential operational disruptions if the right to refuse work is enshrined. EU member states would need to harmonise their national laws, while the European Commission would take on a more active regulatory role in the maritime sector. The question reflects a push for stronger EU-level intervention to ensure uniform safety standards, balancing the interests of worker protection against the operational flexibility of the shipping industry.