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BackThis was probably not what EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas had in mind: his legislative proposal on groundhandling services - aircraft loading and unloading, maintenance, security personnel, de-icing etc. - was rejected by a clear majority. Even many of his fellow party members of the European People’s Party had criticised the proposal in the run-up to the vote, reasoning that it would not bring additional efficiency but result in even more pressure for the workforce. However, this rejection does not mean that the Commission Proposal is now dead and buried: the text has now been referred back to the Transport Committee.
The proposal on groundhandling services had already been rejected in the Transport Committee. Now the vote of the Committee was confirmed in the plenum with a clear majority of 396 to 272 votes. Kallas’ proposal planned to further liberalise groundhandling services at airports – without taking into account qualification requirements and working conditions. Labour representatives throughout the EU drew attention to these working conditions, some of which could even be described as precarious, and demanded to reject the draft proposal, among them the Chamber of Labour. What was remarkable was the fact that all Austrian MEPs supported the rejection (only EU representative Hans-Peter Martin didn’t vote). For now, the proposal has been rejected; however, it has been referred back to the competent Transport Committee to be reviewed.
Hence there is another opportunity for MEPs to improve qualifications and service conditions of workers and employees. Unfortunately, the original proposal of Parliament rapporteur Artur Zasada of the European People’s Party, which almost exclusively focused on liberalising groundhandling services even beyond the intentions of EU Transport Commissioner Kallas, provided little cause for optimism.
It will take months for the Transport Committee to come up with a new draft proposal. In case that the text has not been improved by then, there is a chance that the European Parliament will finally reject the Commission proposal. This would force Transport Commissioner Kallas to withdraw his draft proposal.
Hence there is another opportunity for MEPs to improve qualifications and service conditions of workers and employees. Unfortunately, the original proposal of Parliament rapporteur Artur Zasada of the European People’s Party, which almost exclusively focused on liberalising groundhandling services even beyond the intentions of EU Transport Commissioner Kallas, provided little cause for optimism.
It will take months for the Transport Committee to come up with a new draft proposal. In case that the text has not been improved by then, there is a chance that the European Parliament will finally reject the Commission proposal. This would force Transport Commissioner Kallas to withdraw his draft proposal.