'Blow' to EU port services liberalisation plan

The European Parliament's internal market and consumer protection committee delivered a blow to the European Commission's proposal to liberalise port services by voting to reject the directive, the Malta Labour Party said yesterday.

With 23 votes in favour and three against, the committee approved an amendment to reject the directive. Labour MEP Joseph Muscat moved the amendment on behalf of the Group of European Socialists.

A final vote will be taken in the plenary session in the coming weeks.

The European Commission wants ship owners to be allowed to engage crew in handling cargo instead of using port workers.

Apart from putting health and safety in such a delicate place in jeopardy, crew members often hail from non-EU member states and are grossly underpaid. Such a practice could lead to abuse and unfair competition, the MLP said.

Mr Muscat said that through the vote, the internal market committee was sending a strong signal to the Commission and to the rest of the European Parliament.

"We scored an important victory but there is more to be done. We need to keep working to make sure the directive is rejected even during the plenary session. We need to show we can put people before profit," Mr Muscat said.