The transport sector represented over five per cent of the Western Balkans’ workforce. Transport workers in the region need improved social standards, job security, and attractive and fair working conditions. But in the Western Balkans there is a lack of transposition and implementation of existing legislation in the field of social issues and passenger rights: working conditions, healthy and safe working environments, equal opportunities, and passenger rights. Therefore, the Transport Community Permanent Secretariat has prepared the Action plan for the Implementation of the EU Acquis in the area of Social Issues and Passenger Rights that aims to improve the overall situation on the ground as well as at the legislation level. The Action Plan was indorsed by the Regional Partners at the Regional Steering Committee on 28 March 2023.
The Action Plan provides a list of short and medium-term (2023 -2025) measures divided into four groups:
- workers’ fundamental rights which focus on improvements in the working environment concerning the health and safety of workers in the transport sector;
- equality to improve the gender balance and contribute to a more diverse workforce;
- just transition for transport workers as digitalisation and innovation bring new opportunities, solutions, but also challenges;
- passenger rights for reliable and accessible travels.
