EU Withdraws Plan to Open Up Port Services

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Commission on Wednesday gave up efforts to liberalize port services across the European Union that had sparked mass strikes by dockers and a violent protest outside the EU legislature.

The Commission said in a statement that national governments had “expressed their reluctance” on part of the draft law – which the European Parliament also rejected in January. The Commission plans to look at alternatives at the end of April, saying Europe’s ports needed help expanding to cope with a boom in shipping.

The EU originally wanted to open cargo handing to competition in ports where loading and unloading is currently run by monopoly handlers. It would also allow ship crews to handle cargo themselves on some EU routes.

Dockers’ unions and some European governments feared the new legislation would lower wages, compromise safety and do little to enhance competition at European ports.

Importers and exporters, on the other hand, complain ports are overcharging for cargo handling and would have welcomed a change of the rules.

In January, dock workers clashed with police during a march through Strasbourg and smashed windows of the EU legislature in a protest over the proposals. Strikes and work slowdowns also disrupted cargo handling at several major ports as trade unions pressed their opposition to the bill.