“Self-handling” proposal approved by EU conciliation body

“Self-handling” proposal approved by EU conciliation body

“Self-handling” proposal approved by EU conciliation body

   A controversial proposal to allow “self-handling” stevedoring operations on ships in the European Union, whereby seafarers rather than dockworkers could load and unload cargoes, was approved on Monday by a conciliation committee of the European Parliament and of the council of ministers.
   The Parliament announced a “difficult agreement” on a compromise text with the council concerning the directive on market access to port services. Within the European Parliament delegation, the compromise was approved with a narrow majority of 8-7. Renzo Imbeni, the chairman of the Parliament delegation, warned that a majority vote in favor of the compromise by the European Parliament’s plenary “could not be guaranteed.”
   The conciliation committee met as thousands of dockworkers demonstrated in Rotterdam to protest against the proposed liberalization of cargo handling through “self-handling.”
   The European Parliament said that the main issues of the committee were restrictions on loading and unloading in ports, pilotage and rules on prior authorizations to provide services.
   The conciliation committee adopted the Parliament’s amendment under which self-handling would be limited to seafaring personnel. “This means port users cannot use their own land-based staff for this purpose,” the Parliament said in a statement.
   Whereas the Parliament also wanted a system of prior authorizations for providers of port services, the compromise states that member states “may require” self-handling to be subject to prior authorization in accordance with criteria relating to employment, professional qualifications, social, environmental and other considerations.
   The European Transport Workers’ Federation, which represents European dockworkers, described the compromise agreement on self-handling and port services as “not acceptable for the European port workers.” The federation urged the European Parliament to reject the compromise agreement.
   The Parliament and the council delegations disagreed on the proposed liberalization of pilotage services. The Parliament had demanded that pilotage services should not come under the directive, but the council insisted on including it under the law proposal.
   “A compromise was reached stating that the special importance of pilotage services for the safety of maritime traffic and thus for the protection of the environment in particular vulnerable regions required specific rules to be applied,” the Parliament reported.
   The Parliament also said that every port and port system covered by the directive will now be obliged to submit financial information, including its links with public authorities. “The (European) Commission and the member states will use this information as a basis for any measures needed to ensure fair competition,” the Parliament said.
   The text of the directive will now go to the European Parliament for a plenary vote.