At the opening of the plenary session on Monday 25 March, MEPs decided to confirm the vote initially scheduled for Wednesday 27 March on the social and market aspects of the first ‘mobility’ package (posting of drivers, driving time and rest periods, tachograph, cabotage and market access).
They are thus in line with the conclusions of the meeting of the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament's political groups on Thursday 21 March (see EUROPE 122219/11), in which they decided to vote on these very sensitive road transport issues on the agenda for 27 March.
A request was made at the end of last week by a number of MEPs not to vote on the texts (see EUROPE 12220/15) and was rejected by a narrow majority (154 votes in favour, 156 against, 14 abstentions).
More than 1,600 amendments were also tabled ahead of this Parliament plenary session, as stated by Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament. The outcome of the vote is extremely uncertain.
Although few observers today believe it will happen, Violeta Bulc, the Commissioner for Transport Policy, wants to start and conclude interinstitutional negotiations ('trilogues') if MEPs vote on this issue this week (see EUROPE 12218/17). The EU Council reached agreement on these issues last December (see EUROPE 12152/10).
It should be recalled that this is not the first time that MEPs in plenary session will vote on these social and market aspects of the first ‘mobility’ package. Last June, MEPs rejected the negotiating mandates for the first draft reports adopted in Parliament’s Transport Committee (see EUROPE 12041/9, 12034/7), then rejected the texts the following month (see EUROPE 12055/2). The next meeting is on Wednesday. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)