Monday

11th Dec 2023

Dock workers rampage against new EU bill

  • Dock workers argue that the new bill would lead to job redundancies for thousands (Photo: EUobserver)

The European Parliament is fearing fresh demonstrations by dock workers today (17 January), as the bill on liberalising port services is to be debated in the Strasbourg plenary.

According to parliament officials, over 6,000 demonstrators took to the streets at the French site of the EU legislature on Monday (16 January), while the docker's union representatives claimed that between 8,000 to 10,000 protesters attended the march.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Twelve policemen were injured, one of them seriously, during the clashes.

The demonstrators gathered around the parliament just as its officials and MEPs were arriving for the beginning of the session, throwing metal objects and bottles at the police, who responded with water cannons and tear gas.

According to the parliament's spokesman "considerable damage" was caused to the building.

"We have come to make clear our anger at the fact that the parliament is again planning to debate and vote on the plan it has previously refused," Frank Leys from the International Transport Workers' Federation told EUobserver.

The bill on port services which favours opening up the sector to competition was rejected by MEPs in 2003, and in an amended form put back on the table by the European Commission last year.

But according to Mr Leys, the changes made to the original proposal are not sufficient to gather support among the dock workers.

"We have most EU countries represented in the demonstrations against the bill, and even people from the US and Australia came to support us as they also fear that if Europe allows to happen what is suggested by the new bill, it will influence their situation too," he said.

Mr Leys rebuffed the idea that European ports are currently in a poor economic state and that liberalising them could improve it.

"The European ports are the most efficient in the world and get the most amount of work done for the best money," he argued, adding that the liberalisation plan would cause loss of jobs for many workers and the overall worsening of safety conditions at ports across Europe.

Socialist, green and some liberal MEPs are ready to support the demonstrators and reject the bill on Wednesday (18 January).

Their colleagues in the transport committee already made their stance clear when they rejected the report favouring liberalisation, filed by German rapporteur Georg Jarzembowski.

He argues that the draft directive would increase competition in and between sea ports, as well as improve transparency rules for state funds in the area.

Last year's split in the transport committee was tight, and the votes seem to be evenly divided just hours before the final vote.

Monday's demonstrations were also supported by dock worker strikes across Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Sweden and Denmark, with serious disruptions of port activities.

Polish truck protest at Ukraine border disrupts war supplies

Disruption at the Polish-Ukrainian border by disaffected Polish truckers is escalating, potentially affecting delivery of military aid to Ukraine. A Polish request to reintroduce permits for Ukrainian drivers has been described as "a shot to the head" during war.

Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law

The Spanish government remains secretive about its negotiations with pro-independence Catalans, but claims the EU Commission has "zero concerns" about their proposed amnesty law for Catalan separatists. The EU executive denies that.

Interview

Why populism appeals to less brainy EU voters

People who voted for Brexit tended to be less clever, research shows, in findings that also shed light on the appeal of EU populists, such as Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who won elections this week.

Analysis

How Wilders' Dutch extremism goes way beyond Islamophobia

Without losing sight of his pervasive Islamophobia, it is essential to note Geert Wilders' far-right extremism extends to other issues that could drastically alter the nature of Dutch politics — and end its often constructive role in advancing EU policies.

Opinion

Tusk's difficult in-tray on Poland's judicial independence

What is obvious is that PiS put in place a set of interlocking safeguards for itself which, even after their political defeat in Poland, will render it very difficult for the new government to restore the rule of law.

Opinion

Can Green Deal survive the 2024 European election?

Six months ahead of the EU elections, knocking an 'elitist' climate agenda is looking like a vote-winner to some. Saving the Green Deal and the EU's climate ambitions starts with listening to Europeans who are struggling to make ends meet.

Latest News

  1. How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis
  2. Many problems to solve in Dubai — honesty about them is good
  3. Sudanese fleeing violence find no haven in Egypt or EU
  4. How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?
  5. EU suggests visa-bans on Israeli settlers, following US example
  6. EU ministers prepare for all-night fiscal debate
  7. Spain's Nadia Calviño backed to be EIB's first female chief
  8. Is there hope for the EU and eurozone?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us