On Thursday morning, 21 March, the chairmen of the European Parliament’s political groups have, as expected (see EUROPE 12218/17), decided to vote on the social and market aspects of the first ‘mobility’ package (posting of drivers, driving time and rest periods, tachograph, cabotage and market access) during the Parliament’s plenary session, which will be held from 25 to 28 March.
It bears repeating. After long, difficult discussions, the MEPs meeting in plenary session will, in principle, have to once again reach a decision regarding the various texts pertaining to the social and market aspects of the first ‘mobility’ package. This would then be the third time that the plenary session would be dealing with these issues, following the rejection of the negotiating mandates for the first draft reports adopted in the Parliament’s ‘transport’ committee last June (see EUROPE 12041/9 and 12034/7) and the subsequent rejection of the texts the following month (see EUROPE 12055/2). The vote is scheduled for Wednesday, 27 March, after a debate that same day.
This time, the situation is somewhat different. The text is expected to be based on the draft report drawn up by Ismaïl Ertug (S&D, Germany) on cabotage, as adopted by the parliamentary committee last 10 January (see EUROPE 12169/5), and the European Commission’s original proposals on posting as well as driving time and rest periods. This is due to the fact that the latest draft reports on the subject written by Merja Kyllönen (GUE/NGL, Finland) and Wim van de Camp (EPP, Netherlands), respectively, were rejected that same day (10 January).
Many amendments are expected to be proposed.
Also, bear in mind that Mr Ertug, Mrs Kyllönen and Pavel Telička (ALDE, Czech Republic) put new draft compromises on the table last 28 February (see EUROPE 12204/5). There is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the outcome of these votes.
Nevertheless, a number of MEPs have submitted a request asking that the texts not be put to a vote. Parliamentarians are expected to vote on this matter on Monday, 25 March, at the commencement of the plenary session. If the request is accepted by a majority of MEPs, they will not vote on the texts on Wednesday.
As we wrote in our last issue, Violeta Bulc, the commissioner in charge of transport policy, still hopes that interinstitutional negotiations (‘trilogues’) will be launched and finalised before the end of the mandate if MEPs vote in favour of the draft compromises presented on 28 February. Several European sources have nevertheless expressed their scepticism due to the extremely short time frame that would be allotted to negotiators to do so.
Transport ministers defined their negotiation stance on these issues at a EU Council meeting in early December (see EUROPE 12152/10). (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)