MEPs to return to port services shake-up

The European Parliament is set to vote on laws aimed at liberalising port services, two years after unceremoniously dumping the controversial proposals.

MEPs will have the chance on January 17 to vote again on the port services directive which they threw out in November 2003.

The package sank over fears that new laws would compromise safety and allow a flood of cheap unqualified labourers to replace skilled professional dockers.

Former EU transport chief, Loyola de Palacio, refloated the directive in October 2004, in the final weeks of the outgoing Prodi commission, amid accusations that she was leaving the incoming EU executive with a political ‘hot potato’.

The directive was intended to open up port services to liberalisation, but the debate quickly revolved around the thorny issue of ‘self handling’ – cargo handling carried out by ships’ crews rather than dockworkers.

Opposition to the proposals which would have forced docks to allow cargo handling by land-based personnel employed by ship owners or by the crew themselves sparked protests throughout Europe and split the European Parliament’s political groups.

In its final reading, deputies narrowly threw out the directive by just 20 votes.

The commission’s second attempt at introducing the directive has also received a rocky ride from MEPs.

The parliament’s transport committee again rejected the proposals in November 2005 with MEPs from across the four main political groups voicing opposition.

Parliament’s rapporteur on the port services package, German centre right MEP, Georg Jarzembowski is urging MEPs to back his compromise text during the debate and vote in Strasbourg on January 17.

“The time has come to take a decision”, said Jarzembowski during a media workshop on the directive on Tuesday.

However, MEP opposition to the directive is strong.  Standing in for shadow rapporteur Paolo Costa, Dutch MEP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert called for a complete rethink on the proposals.

“We need to ask the European Commission for a white paper on what exactly they want to do as soon as possible and propose legal instruments,” said Hennis-Plasschaert.

UEN deputy Roberts Zile said the current proposals should again be thrown out by MEPs.

“This is a proposal that needs to be rejected quite clearly,” said Zile, while German Green MEP Michael Cramer said he was “counting on the proposals being voted down.”

Around 3000 trade unionists are expected to take part in a large scale demonstration in Brussels, against the directive, on January 16 ahead of the Strasbourg vote.

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