Shippers frustrated by poor debate in European Parliament
31 August 2005
The European Shippers’ Council is greatly frustrated by the lack of interest and apparent understanding of the issues being shown by many MEPs on the review of the liner shipping block exemption.
Members of the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee at its first meeting following the summer recess in Brussels yesterday, conducted a rushed debate on the draft report of the Greek Rapporteur Ms Kratza.
Nicolette van der Jagt, Secretary General of the ESC who witnessed the proceedings said: “European industry has been fighting for a review of this block exemption for more than 18 years; the lack of time given to MEPs to prepare for and engage in a debate on an issue which is of fundamental significance to EU industry and consumers is simply not good enough. We should expect a great deal more from MEPs who are meant to be representing the people and industry of the EU.”
“The debate was poor, and showed little objectivity, a lack of knowledge about the relationship between shipping lines and their customers and a flagrant disregard for the arguments raised by industry against the existing Block Exemption. The ESC has strong views about the content and one-sided arguments of the draft report, but how is a democracy to work properly if so little effort is made to ensure a proper and informed debate can take place among MEPs?”
“Of the few comments made by a mere handful of MEPs, quite a number seemed to be completely irrelevant to the issues being addressed by the review of liner shipping regulation 4056. Within days of seeing the draft report from Ms Kratza the ESC issued out to MEPs a document expressing the customers’ viewpoint. Members of the ESC also tried to get briefings to MEPs in time for the debate. But coming right at the end of the Summer recess there has clearly been little time for MEPs to assimilate these views or seemingly to understand their significance to the EU’s competitiveness in world markets.
The ESC will call on MEPs to give this dossier the proper consideration it deserves and not to confuse it with irrelevant issues such as shipbuilding, training of ship crews and passenger vessels. Under the Committee’s timetable there are only 15 days for MEPs to submit amendments to the draft position paper.
A copy of one of the briefing papers that the ESC has submitted to all members of the TRAN Committee is attached.
For further information contact: Nicolette van der Jagt, Secretary General of the ESC - Brussels 00 322 230 2113
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