EP verwerpt versoepeling havenregels (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Parliament has voted against liberalising port services all over the EU, probably shelving any proposals for common EU rules on this issue for at least a few years.

The European ports directive was rejected with a narrow majority, 209 in favour, 229 against and 16 abstentions.

Although the Christian Democrats and Liberals supported it, the Socialists, the Left and the Greens voted against.

The directive had been the subject of major controversy, and was rejected amid fears that this could lead to a deterioration in social and safety standards in ports, with port users opting to employ cheap, untrained labour.

Disappointment

German Christian Democrat Georg Jarzembowski, who drafted the Parliament's report on this issue, was visibly stunned after the vote.

Talking to the EUobserver, he said he thought the directive would have been passed with a slight majority, "so I was quite disappointed", he said.

Mr Jarzembowski also believes that the Commission will not now propose new legislation on the issue for years to come, and said that due to today's rejection there will be no European legislation, which would provide fair competition amongst ports.

"I have to accept the majority vote, but it was a mistake", he said.

Port sector warned

The International Transport Workers' Federation, who had organised various protests against this directive, was clearly satisfied with the vote, saying that with today's vote "members of the European Parliament have proven that democracy still exists in Europe".

Yet, the port sector was warned, as the European Commission might still enforce competition rules on European ports through direct court action.

"Instead of allowing a controlled liberalisation of port services to go ahead, those who opposed the directive today have only succeeded in making the liberalisation process a great deal more abrupt and painful for the sector", Dutch Liberal MEP Herman Vermeer i said.