The Dockers’ Section and Seafarers’ Section of the International Transport Workers’ Federation and the Dockers’ Section and Seafarers’ Section of the European Transport Workers’ Federation have issued the following joint statement expressing both organizations’ “deep regret and grave concern” at the European Commission’s re-tabling of the revised version of the Port Services Directive:The ITF and ETF Dockers’ and Seafarers’ Sections have noted with deep regret and grave concern that the European Commission has re-tabled a revised version of its previous Directive on Market Access to Port Services. Although it has been revised, it is not acceptable to either seafarers or dockers, since the key philosophy of the Commission remains the same.
Not only is the timing wrong, but also contrary to statements made by the Vice President Loyola de Palacio, nor does the revised version contain the necessary measures to address the real concerns we had with the previous proposal.
The aims of the proposal are vague and the dogmatic approach proves that the specific needs of the ports sector have not been examined nor were the stakeholders consulted.
While the proposal aims to balance competitiveness and quality of services in the EU Ports, the Commission fails to recognize that many European Ports are currently among the most efficient and cost effective in the world and that in many European Ports and between Regional Ports there is already fierce competition.
Furthermore, the liberalization of technical-nautical services of pilotage, by considering this as a commercial service, is contrary to the European Policy on maritime safety.
It is also the seafarers’ and dockers’ belief that work which has traditionally and historically been undertaken by dockers should continue to be performed by shore based, registered and well trained port workers. However, the proposal, in the context of Short Sea Shipping, would allow the crew to handle cargo.
The safety and well-being of seafarers has not been taken into consideration by the proposal. Seafarers in general, and in particular seafarers on vessels of a limited size, which have smaller than average crews, are subject to fatigue. This fatigue results from a growing number of tasks that the crew are required to perform, the rapid turnaround times and the fact that the vessels navigate in congested coastal waters. The number of watchkeeping officers who have fallen asleep during their navigational watch attests to there being a particularly severe fatigue problem on such vessels. It is grossly irresponsible, from a maritime safety perspective, to expect the seafarers on such vessels to also undertake the lashing of the cargoes. The extra work caused by the security duties required under the International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPS) has caused extra work for seafarers who are already overburdened and being required to work excessive hours. To add cargo handling and lashing and securing cargo is inhuman and will also jeopardize the safety of the ship and those who are sailing it.
We are also concerned that the resubmission of this proposal, which was rejected by the European Parliament less than a year ago, raises questions about the democratic deficit within the European Institutions.
The seafarers and dockers organized within the ITF and ETF will take all necessary legal measures to firmly oppose this maneuver and to ensure that this new text is not adopted by the European Parliament.
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