Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-10-Speech-1-106"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030310.5.1-106"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, free access to port services is very important for guaranteeing honest competition in ports. Competition between ports is also important, so the Commission must ensure greater transparency in government investments that benefit the ports. The present directive got off to a messy start, but we now finally have a good document on the table.
I would like to say something about two matters. Firstly, self-handling. Today and last week, there were dock workers demonstrating outside the Parliament buildings. They have every right to do so, but if ever there was a directive that took account of all the rights and interests of the dock workers, then it is this directive. Their position and social standing is extremely well protected by various articles in the directive, right up to their training and professional qualifications. Even if the port employers wanted to, it will not be possible to work with poorly trained, unqualified workers who could be a threat to the safety of the ports.
What we do want to set straight, however – and everyone is always talking about workers’ rights, Mr Bouwman – is that employers have rights too, even if nobody ever stands up for them. The employer’s right to know whom he will be working with is, I think, the employer’s right. I therefore do not support Amendment No 13 in which self-handling is again toned down – in a definition, would you believe. In order to guarantee that every Member State has regulations in which everything is guaranteed, I have tabled Amendment No 28, as we had promised in consultation with the FNV.
The second point of interest is pilotage services. I wholeheartedly endorse the Council’s viewpoint on this matter. In the formulation of the Council, Member States may liberalise their pilotage services if they want to, but they must do so under the directive. In other words, with all the protection and professional qualifications that this entails. I am not in favour of removing pilots from the directive. Anyway, what else is this directive about?
The common position forms a balanced text which we should not tinker with too much. Important points such as the provisions on transparency, the duration of licences, new ports and arrangements concerning the compensation that service providers have to pay when buying themselves out of a contract period, are in my opinion plain and clear. The compensation arrangement can, in my opinion, best be arranged between the market parties concerned without outside interference. The text of the common position does far more justice to the great diversity of situations and regulations on this point than the amendments tabled."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples