The social and market aspects of the first mobility package, namely, the questions on postings for drivers, rest and driving time and cabotage are still creating major divisions at the European Parliament and approval of the negotiating mandates is the subject of intense discussions amongst the major political groups.
The vote on 4 June at the European Parliament's transport committee is also continuing to divide the political families (see EUROPE 12034). Several MEPs therefore expressed the wish to put the negotiating mandates to a vote during the plenary session in an effort to oppose them and reopen the texts pursuant to article 69 of the internal Parliament regulation as soon as the voting session has ended, which requires the signature of 76 MEPs. According to the information we have received these ceilings have largely been obtained, although the signatures must be collected by midnight (Tuesday night).
We are therefore moving towards a vote on these mandates by Thursday and voting discipline is very likely not to be respected in several of the political groups, with MEPs in western Europe and those in central, eastern and peripheral Europe having significantly different majority positions on these questions. The EPP and ALDE groups are very divided on the three texts and it would appear that the votes are also the subject of major differences of interpretation within the ECR. At the S&D, a significant number of MEPs is defending the negotiating mandate on cabotage but the votes on postings and rest and driving times are provoking heated debates.
The vote on Thursday is therefore too close to call and could be very close. If a majority of MEPs decided not to approve the negotiating mandates, the texts could again be amended during the July plenary session. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)