Brussels, 28/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 27 September, the European Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Spain on the recruitment of port workers, and reasoned opinions to Belgium, Germany, Finland and Sweden, which have not committed on the path towards intelligent transport systems. If these countries do not make the necessary amendments within two months, they could be brought before the Court of Justice of the European Union by the European Commission.
Spain is in breach of the European treaty which lays down the freedom of establishment, and also over the activities of bodies tasked with recruiting port workers. The Commission takes the view that Spain is infringing this liberty by forcing goods handling companies to participate financially in the capital of private businesses managing teams of port workers, in ports of so-called “general interest”, in particular those of Barcelona, Algeciras, Valencia and Bilbao. Spain's own system may bring about disturbances for goods handling companies, or dissuade them from establishing themselves in Spanish ports of general interest.
As for Belgium, Germany, Finland and Sweden, they have still not transposed directive 2010/40/EU in to their national law. This directive provides for the deployment of intelligent transport systems (ITS), and should have been transposed by February of this year. The Commission is of the opinion that this harms the adoption of specifications to ensure the compatibility and use of the ITS. (MD/transl.fl)