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BackFor more than a year, MEPs were averse towards a new groundhandling regulation, which includes services such as loading and unloading of baggage, cleaning or servicing and refuelling of aircrafts at airports. Last year, the Commission proposal was rejected by both the competent Transport Committee and the plenum of the European Parliament. This week now the surprise turn: following a further debate of the dossier, a narrow majority of EU representatives now voted in favour of the proposal. To the detriment of employees.
For a long time, the majority of MEPs agreed that the new proposal by the Commission on Groundhandling Services would neither benefit employees nor passengers. That is why the dossier 2012 had been rejected by both the Transport Committee and the plenum. AK EUROPA has covered this several times – see Transport Committee stops Commission’s liberalisation craze. Nevertheless, MEPs decided to renegotiate the subject again at Commission level.
New compromises were negotiated; however, without substantial improvements of the already poor working conditions of employees. A big bone of contention was the issue concerning how many ground handling providers for each airport shall be allowed. This week now, two alliances have emerged: European People’s Party, Conservatives and Liberals are in favour of three providers, whilst Social Democrats and Greens support the idea of two providers. In the end, it was the proposal of the business-oriented parties that succeeded. However, only little progress has been made concerning conditions of employment.
In contrast to the rejection of the Directive proposal in November last year, now a narrow majority voted against rejecting the legislative text: 21 were in favour, 23 against – compared to 2012, when 22 still voted in favour and 20 against. The second chance of rejection, namely in form of rejecting the parliamentary report, was also unable to find majority support: 19 voted in favour, 15 against. However, a large number (ten) of MEPs abstained. Austria clearly rejected the proposal – all three Austrian members (SPÖ, ÖVP, Greens) represented in the Committee voted against it.
The last opportunity to stop the liberalisation craze of the Commission is in the plenum: MEPs shall make a final decision on the Directive proposal on Groundhandling Services in mid-April.
New compromises were negotiated; however, without substantial improvements of the already poor working conditions of employees. A big bone of contention was the issue concerning how many ground handling providers for each airport shall be allowed. This week now, two alliances have emerged: European People’s Party, Conservatives and Liberals are in favour of three providers, whilst Social Democrats and Greens support the idea of two providers. In the end, it was the proposal of the business-oriented parties that succeeded. However, only little progress has been made concerning conditions of employment.
In contrast to the rejection of the Directive proposal in November last year, now a narrow majority voted against rejecting the legislative text: 21 were in favour, 23 against – compared to 2012, when 22 still voted in favour and 20 against. The second chance of rejection, namely in form of rejecting the parliamentary report, was also unable to find majority support: 19 voted in favour, 15 against. However, a large number (ten) of MEPs abstained. Austria clearly rejected the proposal – all three Austrian members (SPÖ, ÖVP, Greens) represented in the Committee voted against it.
The last opportunity to stop the liberalisation craze of the Commission is in the plenum: MEPs shall make a final decision on the Directive proposal on Groundhandling Services in mid-April.