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BackThis week, Siim Kallas, EU Commissioner for Transport, presented the new package of measures for the air transport sector in the Transport Committee of the European Parliament, including a new legislative proposal for ground handling services. This concerns among others services such as aircraft loading and unloading, as well as the de-icing and refuelling of planes. Regarding these services, the Commission would like to see even more competition than has been possible until now. However, in the discussion with the Commissioner, most comments by MEPs were sceptical or of a disapproving nature. The problem was not competition, but security and efficiency.
MEP Mathieu Grosch of the European People’s Party stressed that it could not be the objective of reviewing the existing Groundhandling Directive to make the services cheaper, but to increase efficiency and security. One of his fellow party members even demanded better trained personnel, whose wages would be higher. This would also ensure more security.
Strong criticism was voiced by Jörg Leichtfried, EU representative of the European Socialists & Democrats: neither he nor his colleagues were able to see the purpose of this proposal. Acting on it, would only worsen, but not improve the situation at airports. Wages would fall even further, said Leichtfried. Taking Heathrow as an example one could see where this policy would lead to; ground handling at Heathrow was not working at all. The Commission was mistaken if it thought the proposal would benefit personnel or passengers. His colleague and Committee chairman Brian Simpson expressed concern that a race might be entered for the lowest wages and standards.
The Liberal MEP Gesine Meissner also asked whether the proposal would bring improvements. There was probably room for more competition in some areas, however, not in others. She did not understand why the Commission had presented a draft Proposal. The transition from a Directive to a Regulation would deprive the Member States of any room for manoeuvre, said Meissner. However, she ended her comments by voicing the opinion that the Proposal might entail better wages.
Eva Lichtenberger, Green MEP, also voiced her unequivocal criticism. Nowadays, when a passenger lost his luggage, he had to speak to seven people on the phone without ever getting to the competent department or person, said the representative. This could not be called improvement. Liberalisation only made things more complicated for customers. Legislative proposals should not only aim at meeting financial interests, commented Lichtenberger.
Jacqueline Foster of the European Conservatives was one of few MEPs, whose comments on the Commission Proposal were not negative. She had no problem with the proposal; Great Britain had always liberalised this sector. However, she conceded that sub-contractors might cause problems with regard to ground handling services, for example when it came to baggage handling.
Jaromír Kohlíček from the European Left demanded that the social conditions concerning ground handling would be given important role. Unfortunately, many would see ground handling services only in terms of cost. His fellow party member, Sabine Wils, added that in Germany some employees working in this sector would only earn EUR 7 € per hour. Some of them had to take on an additional part-time job or would receive social transfer.
EU Commissioner Kallas reacted defensively to the critical comments of the MEPs. The problem, said Kallas, was that three quarters of all delays were the result of inefficient ground handling. However, he agreed with MEPs that one should not only focus on the costs, but on the quality of the service. The Commission had already held discussions with the trade unions - the jobs should be safe; the outcome was not to make the employment situation more insecure or precarious.
It has not been decided yet, who of the MEPs will be the rapporteur for this dossier. However, it has already been agreed that it will be a representative of the European People’s Party. The schedule to deal with the ground handling services in the European Parliament has not been set; shall, however, be determined in the near future.
Strong criticism was voiced by Jörg Leichtfried, EU representative of the European Socialists & Democrats: neither he nor his colleagues were able to see the purpose of this proposal. Acting on it, would only worsen, but not improve the situation at airports. Wages would fall even further, said Leichtfried. Taking Heathrow as an example one could see where this policy would lead to; ground handling at Heathrow was not working at all. The Commission was mistaken if it thought the proposal would benefit personnel or passengers. His colleague and Committee chairman Brian Simpson expressed concern that a race might be entered for the lowest wages and standards.
The Liberal MEP Gesine Meissner also asked whether the proposal would bring improvements. There was probably room for more competition in some areas, however, not in others. She did not understand why the Commission had presented a draft Proposal. The transition from a Directive to a Regulation would deprive the Member States of any room for manoeuvre, said Meissner. However, she ended her comments by voicing the opinion that the Proposal might entail better wages.
Eva Lichtenberger, Green MEP, also voiced her unequivocal criticism. Nowadays, when a passenger lost his luggage, he had to speak to seven people on the phone without ever getting to the competent department or person, said the representative. This could not be called improvement. Liberalisation only made things more complicated for customers. Legislative proposals should not only aim at meeting financial interests, commented Lichtenberger.
Jacqueline Foster of the European Conservatives was one of few MEPs, whose comments on the Commission Proposal were not negative. She had no problem with the proposal; Great Britain had always liberalised this sector. However, she conceded that sub-contractors might cause problems with regard to ground handling services, for example when it came to baggage handling.
Jaromír Kohlíček from the European Left demanded that the social conditions concerning ground handling would be given important role. Unfortunately, many would see ground handling services only in terms of cost. His fellow party member, Sabine Wils, added that in Germany some employees working in this sector would only earn EUR 7 € per hour. Some of them had to take on an additional part-time job or would receive social transfer.
EU Commissioner Kallas reacted defensively to the critical comments of the MEPs. The problem, said Kallas, was that three quarters of all delays were the result of inefficient ground handling. However, he agreed with MEPs that one should not only focus on the costs, but on the quality of the service. The Commission had already held discussions with the trade unions - the jobs should be safe; the outcome was not to make the employment situation more insecure or precarious.
It has not been decided yet, who of the MEPs will be the rapporteur for this dossier. However, it has already been agreed that it will be a representative of the European People’s Party. The schedule to deal with the ground handling services in the European Parliament has not been set; shall, however, be determined in the near future.