OpenLobby.EU
Explore

European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions

EFFAT

EFFAT is a European trade union federation representing workers in food, agriculture, and tourism.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Per Clausen (Member of the European Parliament) and EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION and European Transport Workers' Federation

10 Feb 2026 · Subcontracting

Meeting with David Boublil (Head of Unit Taxation and Customs Union) and Fødevareforbundet NNF

11 Dec 2025 · Revision of the Tobacco Taxation Directive

Meeting with Rudi Kennes (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Dec 2025 · Workers' rights, international trade

Meeting with Johan Danielsson (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

3 Dec 2025 · Subcontacting

Meeting with Cristina Maestre (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Nov 2025 · Trade unions movement for a more social CAP

Meeting with Johan Danielsson (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

22 Oct 2025 · Subcontacting

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Sept 2025 · Treffen zur GAP

Meeting with Valentina Schaumburger (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné) and UNI Europa and

11 Sept 2025 · Public procurement of labor-intensive services in the view of the coming public procurement reform

Meeting with Leila Chaibi (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF BUILDING AND WOODWORKERS

4 Sept 2025 · EMPL related issues

EFFAT demands binding EU rules to protect workers from heat

12 Aug 2025
Topic — A consultation on creating an integrated framework for European climate risk management.
Message — The federation calls for a new EU Directive establishing binding maximum temperatures and mandatory heat-management plans. They argue that current voluntary guidelines are insufficient to stop rising workplace fatalities from extreme heat.12
Why — This would force employers to implement safety measures that safeguard worker health and income.34
Impact — Employers would face increased costs for technical cooling infrastructure and mandatory work breaks.56
Read full response

Response to EU’s next long-term budget (MFF) – implementing EU funding with Member States and regions

7 Aug 2025

EFFAT is concerned about the creation of a Single Fund for CAP and cohesion. This scenario risks diluting agricultural and labour priorities, increasing fragmentation and re-nationalisation, as well as competition for limited funding. First, the lack of ring-fencing for the ESF+ budget is a source of concern. The ESF+ is the main EU financial instrument for supporting employment, education, training, and social inclusion. Without it, peoples pathways to quality jobs will be shut down. Active labour market policies, inclusion measures, initiatives that promote job quality, are core pillars of the ESF+. Without it, precarious jobs with low wages and poor working conditions could proliferate, increasing social inequality and labour market segmentation. Weakening, diluting or reducing ESF+ support would remove crucial lifelines to allow these vast sections of Europes population to access employment and would instead perpetuate desperation and dependency on the safety net of already overburdened social protection systems. Second, EFFAT views with concern the CAP budget cut from 386.6 billion to 302 billion a 22% reduction especially as it comes alongside a sharp rise in military spending, signalling a troubling shift away from social and agricultural priorities in the EU. EFFAT is alarmed by Article 62 of the proposed Regulation on establishing the European Economic, Territorial, Social, Rural and Maritime Sustainable Prosperity and Security Fund, which introduces two serious threats: Exemption for Farms Under 10 Hectares from the Farm Stewardship A derogation for farms under 10 ha would exempt over 70% of EU farms from controls and penalties. This effectively limits social conditionality to just 30% of holdings. Worker protection should not depend on farm size. Excluding small farms sends a harmful message: that violations of workers rights are acceptable if farms are small. Unclear Relation between Social Conditionality under Farm Stewardship and national employment The proposal appears to allow reductions in social conditionality penalties if national employment sanctions apply. This would undermine the systems integrity. Employment sanctions are legal consequences for violating labour laws, aimed at enforcing compliance. Social conditionality ensures that EU taxpayer money only goes to beneficiaries who respect those laws. More generally, the new proposal for reforming the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is weak in terms of budget and goals and fails to make the agriculture sector more attractive. The rebranding of conditionality as farm stewardship introduces no new protections for workers. EFFAT deeply regrets the lack of ambition to improve labour standards in European Agriculture. here are no incentives tied to creating quality jobs or rewarding social performance. Hectare-based payments remain the main criterion, disregarding the quality and quantity of employment and, ultimately, the human labour behind agricultural production.
Read full response

EFFAT Urges EU to Halt Export of Banned Pesticides

6 Aug 2025
Topic — Review of EU regulations governing the export and import of hazardous chemicals.
Message — EFFAT demands an automatic export ban on all pesticides prohibited within the EU for health or environmental reasons. They argue that simple notification procedures fail to protect global communities and ecosystems from toxic impacts.12
Why — Workers would benefit from safer global food systems and preventing toxic residues returning to Europe.34
Impact — Agrochemical giants would lose lucrative markets for substances currently banned for use on European soil.56
Read full response

Response to Simplification of the implementation of CAP Strategic Plans

1 Aug 2025

Excluding Social Conditionality from Crisis Payments Sets Risky Precedent FFAT expresses serious concern over todays European Commissions reported proposal to exclude social conditionality from the complementary crisis payments outlined in newly proposed Article 41a of the Strategic Plan Regulation (SPR). While we recognise that these are extraordinary payments of limited extent and scope, exempting them from social conditionality sets a dangerous precedent. This measure undermines a hard-fought achievement of the current CAP reform and raises serious concerns about future derogationsparticularly as we approach the debate on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy. EFFAT urges the Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council to uphold their commitment to decent work and social rights and refrain from watering down the social dimension of the current CAP framework. We call on all EU institutions to reject any exemption from social conditionality, including in times of crisis. Public funds must never reward those who violate workers rightscrisis or not.
Read full response

Meeting with Hanna Gedin (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

30 Jun 2025 · Public Procurement

Meeting with Eva Schultz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu) and UNI Europa and

21 May 2025 · Meeting on personal and household services

Meeting with Lara Wolters (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

7 May 2025 · Omnibus

Meeting with Rudi Kennes (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Apr 2025 · Workers' rights

Meeting with Gabriele Bischoff (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

24 Apr 2025 · Austausch zur Revision der Richtlinie zu Europäischen Betriebsräten

Meeting with Johan Danielsson (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Apr 2025 · Fusk och utnyttjande bland rekryterings- och bemanningsföretag

Meeting with Fabien Santini (Head of Unit Agriculture and Rural Development) and European Coordination Via Campesina and European Milk Board

26 Mar 2025 · UTP directive and CMO regulation

EFFAT demands just transition directive to address water scarcity risks

4 Mar 2025
Topic — The European Water Resilience Strategy aims to achieve a water-secure Europe by 2040.
Message — The federation calls for a new directive to protect workers during industrial changes caused by water shortages. They demand company-level contingency plans and assessments of how restrictions affect the agricultural and food workforce.123
Why — Proposed measures would ensure that employees are protected during restructuring and climate-related transformations.45
Impact — Other water-intensive industries may face tighter supply limits if food production receives priority access.6
Read full response

Meeting with Catherine Geslain-Laneelle (Director Agriculture and Rural Development)

25 Feb 2025 · vision on Agriculture and Food and the next CAP reform

Meeting with Johan Danielsson (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Feb 2025 · Kampen mot arbetslivskriminalitet i långa underleverantörsled

Meeting with Maria Noichl (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

6 Feb 2025 · animal welfare & workers' rights

Meeting with Antonella Rossetti (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen), Esther De Lange (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen)

20 Jan 2025 · Exchange of views on issues considered relevant by EFFAT

Meeting with Roxana Mînzatu (Executive Vice-President) and

14 Jan 2025 · Exchange of views on the social justice and quality jobs crisis Europe is facing Necessary initiatives to deliver quality jobs Improved working and living conditions in the European Union

Meeting with Francesco Corti (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

13 Jan 2025 · Introductory meeting

Meeting with Thomas Waitz (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Nov 2024 · Trade Union Representation for Agriculture, Food, and Tourism

Meeting with Majdouline Sbai (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

17 Oct 2024 · Révision règlement Détergents

Meeting with Stefano Bonaccini (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Sept 2024 · Meeting with EFAT

Meeting with Leila Chaibi (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Sept 2024 · Employment and social affairs issues

Meeting with Johan Danielsson (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Sept 2024 · Insatser mot arbetslivskriminalitet

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament)

31 Jan 2024 · Konferenz "Auf dem Weg zu einer gerechteren GAP für Arbeitnehmer und Arbeitnehmerinnen in der Landwirtschaft"

Response to Revision of the definition of engineered nanomaterial in food

12 Jan 2024

EFFAT is concerned about the proposed revised definition. We see it as a watering down of existing rules and see a risk for food safety and with it for the health and safety of the workers manipulating the ingredients during production. The revised definition published by the European Commission in June 2022 contains new elements that considerably restricts the number and variety of nano-objects that would ultimately be considered nanomaterials (ANSES 2023). This contraction lacks a foundational basis in either scientific rationale or health-related justification and represents a regressive step in the management and risk assessment of nanomaterials. The higher the nanoparticle number threshold, the higher the risk that some foods or ingredients containing nanoparticles may bypass the established safety risk assessment requirements. From an occupational perspective, there are several risks: A huge number of substances may no longer be classified as nanomaterials, leading to their absence from 'nano' labelling in ingredient lists Workers could face increased exposure to these substances, with a corresponding diminution in their right to be effectively protected from potential health hazards Risks assessment or nano-specific risk assessment may be neglected Workers' right to participate in risk assessments could be compromised According to the European Commission the update of the nano food definition is motivated by the need to ensure greater regulatory consistency and legal certainty. It brings the nano food definition in line with the horizontal nano definition set out in the Commission Recommendation 2022/C 229/01. But the Recommendation is not legally binding, it should be possible to deviate from it for health and safety reasons.
Read full response

Response to Adjusting size criteria for inflation in the Accounting Directive to define micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

6 Oct 2023

EFFAT would first like to object to the short period of only three weeks for this consultation, as this gives too little time for a proper discussion in many organizations that would like to respond. EFFAT opposes the 13 September 2023 European Commission proposal to adjust upwardly the size criteria for micro, small, medium-sized and large undertakings or groups. Particularly concerning is the proposed adjustment to the definition of large undertakings, which would reduce the number of companies in this size category according to the EU Accounting Directive by almost 12,000 (i.e. 14% of the universe of large companies). The thresholds defined in the EU Accounting Directive are crucial for determining what kinds of information companies have to publish. In particular, the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive defines a set of reporting requirements which apply to large EU undertakings. If implemented, this adjustment would result in a significant reduction in the number of undertakings that would have to report under the CSRD. According to official EU statistics, only 36% of employment in the EU is accounted for by large enterprises. The proposed adjustment would reduce the percentage of employees covered even further. It is not acceptable that reporting on environmental and social impacts and on human rights due diligence policies and practices be restricted companies that account for less than one third of total employees in the EU. EFFAT therefore urges the European Commission to reconsider this proposal and not adjust the size thresholds. Sustainability reporting should apply to the broadest possible universe of companies, and this change would clearly be in contradiction to this goal. Furthermore, no changes should be made in the future which would reduce the universe of undertakings obligated to report under the CSRD by adjusting the employment size criteria to more than 250.
Read full response

Meeting with Lara Wolters (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Open Society European Policy Institute and Altana Technologies, Inc.

13 Sept 2023 · Staff level: CSDD Directive

Meeting with Milan Brglez (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Jun 2023 · Staff level meeting on improving the rights of domestic workers in the EU

Meeting with Kurt Vandenberghe (Director-General Climate Action) and EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION and

28 Apr 2023 · FF55; Net Zero industrial plan; Climate risk assessment

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Mar 2023 · EFFAT Abschlusskonferenz

Meeting with Mounir Satouri (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Feb 2023 · Transition juste dans les secteurs de l'agriculture et du tourisme

Meeting with Ana Carla Pereira (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit) and European Trade Union Institute

3 Oct 2022 · Domestic Work sector

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

6 Sept 2022 · Working conditions of domestic workers and impact of the war in Ukraine on the agro-food sector.

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

25 Apr 2022 · LULUCF regulation & employment

Meeting with Elisabetta Gualmini (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Youth Forum and

12 Apr 2022 · 2nd roundtable on platform work directive

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

17 Mar 2022 · Skills and Talent Package, help for Ukrainian refugees.

Response to Application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products

14 Mar 2022

EFFAT expects the European Commission to include in the scope of the report “Application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products” key social considerations. Please find our input attached.
Read full response

Meeting with Nikolaj Villumsen (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

25 Oct 2021 · Asbestos

Meeting with Agnieszka Skonieczna (Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton)

30 Sept 2021 · Sustainable Corporate Governance

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

8 Mar 2021 · Meeting on minimum wages.

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

18 Feb 2021 · Pact for Skills roundtable with the representatives of agri-food sector

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

18 Feb 2021 · Pact for Skills roundtable with the representatives of agri-food sector.

Meeting with Lukas Visek (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

15 Jan 2021 · Social conditionality in CAP

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

1 Dec 2020 · Meeting on the labour standards in the meat sector and other concerns in the food and agriculture sectors.

Meeting with Andrea Nahles (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit) and Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund and

12 Nov 2020 · Social dialogue

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

29 Oct 2020 · Pact for Skills Roundtable with the tourism sector

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

29 Oct 2020 · Pact for Skills: Roundtable with tourism sector

Meeting with Andrea Nahles (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit) and industriAll European Trade Union and

2 Oct 2020 · Social dialogue

Meeting with Janusz Wojciechowski (Commissioner) and

1 Jul 2020 · EFFAT to share proposals on CAP and the Farm to Fork Strategy

Meeting with Ana Carla Pereira (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit) and EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION and

15 Jun 2020 · European trade unions’ call for swift action on worker involvement rights

Meeting with Annukka Ojala (Cabinet of Commissioner Stella Kyriakides), Karolina Herbout-Borczak (Cabinet of Commissioner Stella Kyriakides), Roberto Reig Rodrigo (Cabinet of Commissioner Stella Kyriakides) and Fødevareforbundet NNF

27 May 2020 · Farm to Fork Strategy

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

8 May 2020 · Videoconference on the challenges faced by seasonal workers in the agriculture sector.

Meeting with Ylva Johansson (Commissioner) and

5 May 2020 · Migrants’ challenges in the current COVID-19 crisis and their contribution to economic recovery

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President)

21 Apr 2020 · European Green Deal

Meeting with Ana Carla Pereira (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit)

10 Feb 2020 · Initiative on minimum wages

Meeting with Catherine Geslain-Laneelle (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski), Jorge Pinto Antunes (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski)

29 Jan 2020 · Conditions of agricultural workers, Green Deal, CAP

Meeting with Marianne Thyssen (Commissioner) and EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION and

23 Nov 2018 · Collective rights

Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) and EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION and

17 Sept 2018 · Key note speaker at the conference "European congress on cross-border social security Quo Vadis?"

Response to Update of the 2012 Bioeconomy Strategy

7 Mar 2018

We welcome the proposed roadmap. It is estimated that the bioeconomy sectors in the EU have an annual turnover of about Euros 2 trillion and employ between 17 and 19 million people with the food, beverages and tobacco industry generating over half of the turnover, and the agricultural sector accounting for over half of the jobs. This change is progressively having an impact on jobs and skills as we currently know them in our sectors and does raise many questions for trade unions and workers’ representatives in the food industry and the agriculture sector. In this regard, our organisation is committed to promote safe, high-quality jobs based on safe food and sustainable agriculture. It is our understanding that the development of the bioeconomy calls for new collaborative, cross-sectoral approaches in research and innovation to drive tangible improvements not only in the food supply chain but more broadly to Europe's social, economic and environmental welfare. In particular, we consider that discussions on the bioeconomy should not only focus on improving efficiency and technical solutions but should also give due attention to wider aspects such as the overall sustainability of food systems within the European Union and beyond its borders.
Read full response

Response to Initiative to improve the Food Supply Chain

31 Jul 2017

With regard to unfair trading practices, EFFAT is particularly concerned about the impact of these practices- which increase risk and uncertainty- on employment, social and working conditions of workers in the agriculture and food and drink manufacturing and processing sectors. EFFAT welcomes the development of the principles of good practices by business stakeholders however we observe that these voluntary initiatives are not enough and that there must be a legally binding instrument with a credible, independent enforcement mechanism providing protection, remedy and preserving confidentiality in respect of the sources of the complaint. As a consequence, we would prefer option 3 as described in the inception impact assessment document. In our view, it is essential to encourage fair trading practices, to deter and to sanction abuses in order to secure decent work and quality working conditions in the food supply chain within and outside of the European Union. The European Economic and Social Committee published last October 2016 an opinion on “A fairer agro-food supply chain”, that can be found here and which contains salient points or indicators that could be taken forward: • In the opinion, the EESC highlights the fact that the weak position of the most vulnerable players in the food supply chain must be addressed by putting an end to unfair trading practices (UTPs) by food retailers (N.B. in the opinion the word "retailers" refers to the large-scale retail sector) and some transnational companies, which increase risk and uncertainty for all operators along the food supply chain and therefore generate unnecessary costs. • The EESC strongly supports the European Parliament's resolution of 7 June 2016 highlighting the need for framework legislation at EU level in order to tackle UTPs of food retailers and some transnational companies and to ensure that European farmers and consumers have the opportunity to benefit from fair selling and buying conditions. The EESC believes that due to the nature of UTPs it is both a requirement and a necessity to have EU legislation to prohibit them. • In particular, the EESC calls on the Commission and the Member States to take swift action to prevent UTPs by establishing an EU harmonised network of enforcement authorities with this aim, so as to create a level playing field within the single market. • The EESC also welcomes the creation of the EU-wide Supply Chain Initiative (SCI) and other national voluntary systems, but only as an addition to effective and robust enforcement mechanisms at Member State level. However, there is a need to ensure that all stakeholders (e.g. farmers and trade unions) can participate and that complaints can be lodged anonymously. It is also necessary to establish dissuasive penalties. In addition, such platforms should be able to react independently. The EESC also proposes the establishment of an Ombudsman with regulatory powers in pre-trial mediation. • The EESC calls for a ban on abusive practices, for example those listed in point 3.3 of the opinion. In particular, the EESC recommends that suppliers, such as farmers, be paid a price that is not below the cost of production. The EESC also calls for an effective ban on food retailers selling below cost price. • The EESC recommends that alternative business models that play a role in shortening the supply chain between producers of food and the end consumer be encouraged and supported, e.g. through Member State public procurement policies. The EESC also suggests that the role and position of cooperatives and producer organisations should be strengthened in order to restore the balance of power in the food supply chain. • Finally, the EESC proposes to launch a Europe-wide information and awareness-raising campaign on "the value of food". This would be necessary to ensure a long-term change in consumers' behaviour.
Read full response

Meeting with Antoine Kasel (Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker) and European Federation of Public Service Unions and ARCTURUS GROUP

10 Oct 2016 · caractère des pratiques du groupe McDonald’s

Meeting with Jan Ceyssens (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis), Raquel Lucas (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis) and

26 Apr 2016 · Anti-Tax Avoidance Package; European Pillar of Social Rights

Meeting with Inge Bernaerts (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

12 Jun 2015 · Fair working conditions

Meeting with Antoine Kasel (Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker) and European Federation of Public Service Unions and

24 Mar 2015 · Tax Transparency Package