Justyna Bartnika

Policy Officer - Maritime Safety Unit at European Commission

Speaker

Justyna BARTNICKA is a maritime policy professional with extensive experience in European and international shipping policy, with a particular focus on seafarers’ education, training and certification, as well as their living and working conditions at sea.

Since 2018, Justyna has been working at the European Commission, DG MOVE, Maritime Safety Unit, where she is responsible for a broad range of issues related to seafarers and maritime labour. She is currently closely involved in the European Union’s work on the IMO STCW Convention review and revision and on the ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, including its implementation and possible amendments. Her work involves close cooperation with EU Member States, the IMO and ILO, UN agencies, European social partners and the international shipping industry.

During the COVID-19 pandemic and following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Justyna was intensively involved in the European Commission’s efforts to address the challenges faced by seafarers and facilitate crew changes, working closely with governments, international organisations and the shipping industry. She has also been actively involved in initiatives aimed at strengthening maritime professions, addressing future skills needs and improving the attractiveness and sustainability of careers at sea.

Justyna regularly represents the European Commission at international conferences and industry events and has extensive experience as a public speaker on seafarers, maritime skills, training and working conditions. She is particularly interested in the interaction between international regulatory frameworks, technological developments and the realities faced by seafarers and employers on board ships.

Before joining the European Commission, Justyna spent seven years at the Permanent Representation of Poland to the European Union, where she worked on EU transport and maritime policy, initially as Shipping Attaché and subsequently as Head of the Transport Policy Division. In this capacity, she represented Poland in EU negotiations and worked extensively with the European Commission, Member States, the European Parliament and the maritime industry.

Justyna holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Szczecin, specialising in international relations and NATO.