Strasbourg, 11/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - Pressure was at a maximum the day before the vote on ground-handling services, with MEPs very divided and sceptical about this report - as on the whole of the airports package, which also includes proposals on the allocation of take-off and landing slots and on harmful noise. Indeed, on Wednesday 12 December, the European Parliament will adopt or reject this report and two others that make up the package to improve the capacity of airports over the next few decades. The European Council and the European Parliament have already greatly weakened the Commission's proposal, but the possibility of a rejection of the ground-handling services report could have rather a heavy consequence - the total withdrawal of the package by European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas.
The day before the vote, Kallas was careful to remind MEPs that he was not proposing a wild liberalisation of ground-handling services but the progression from two to three suppliers for a category of limited services. He reminded them that three service providers at least are already authorised in the majority of airports. The rapporteur, Artur Zasada (EPP, Poland) spoke for his part about a careful opening up of the markets, encouraging the MEPs to think about air passengers. However, during this debate the EPP and conservatives were still stating that they would reject the report on ground-handling services, but supported returning the report to the committee for deeper reflection on this subject. The S&D on the other hand said that it was going to reject the report, being completely ready to negotiate on the basis of its own requests for the improvement of quality and social rules. The Greens were advocating outright rejection, in the sense of the first negative committee vote by a tenuous majority. The day before the vote, the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) organised a demonstration in front of the European Parliament to push the MEPs to reject the report on ground-handling services, or at least to have it returned to the committee.
A rejection would be a shame for Kallas who could seriously plan on withdrawing the whole airports package, noting that his ambitions to increase the capacity of aiports could not be attained according to the direction that would then be given to the rest of the package by the European Parliament. (MD/transl.fl)