The ETF is following very closely the ongoing trilogue negotiations on the port regulation, which are being carried out in the attempt to find a compromise between the Council’s and Parliament’s positions.
Speaking today at the yearly conference of ANGOPI (the Italian boatmen and moorers’ association) ETF Political Secretary for Dockers, Livia Spera, said: “We are now in a crucial phase of the trilogue negotiations. Indeed, our members are extremely worried about the proposals that are being made on some of the most important articles. We are not ready to support a text that would drive us back to the Commission’s original proposal on market access, social protection and attacks to the right to strike. We are pleased to hear today that in Italy there is a general agreement, from the sector and the institutions, on the role that this new text should play in enhancing the social performance of ports. In our view, there is no need for a regulation that does not contribute to protect European jobs and working conditions.”
Many of those speaking at the conference, which include MEPs, representatives of the Italian institutions and academics confirmed the crucial role of technical-nautical services for safety and security and emphasised the need for keeping social improvements in the text.