Proposed merger of Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri with French rival Chantiers de l’Atlantique has been pushed by both governments as the way to create a dockyard standard-bearer for Europe to better compete in global markets.
Ahead of a planned visit to Egypt later this month by French President Emmanuel Macron, an Irish human rights NGO has highlighted the serious violations of the labour rights of Egyptian workers employed in the construction of French-designed battleships at naval yards where staff from France's Naval Group company have a permanent presence.
Ministers dismissed call to nationalize the shipyard but say they are committed to its survival after South Korean shareholder threatened to sell its stake.
