Brussels, 10/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European association bringing together workers from the transport sectors (European Transport Workers' Federation, ETF) met the Commissioner for Transport, Jacques Barrot, on Monday (see EUROPE of 9 November, p.10). The ETF, led by its president Wilhelm Haberzettle and its Secretary General Doro Zinke, told the Commissioner of the organisation's concerns at the lack of social dimension in the European Commission's transport policy. “In general, it does not appear that all the consequences of certain liberalisation measures on employment have been taken into consideration, in qualitative and quantitative terms”, Ms Zinke told EUROPE. For this reason, the ETF is calling upon Mr Barrot for the Directorate General Energy and Transport of the Commission to “become more active” in this area. The impact of enlargement, especially in the fields of river navigation and the road sector, was also highlighted by the ETF. “In Germany, for example, there are almost no salaried workers left in river navigation because most have been replaced by workers from the new Member States”, who cost business less, said Ms Zinke. This is why the need to harmonise working conditions and qualifications in these sectors is so urgent. Overall, Commissioner Barrot was “very open” to the grievances of the association, she said, adding that the two parties had planned a further meeting for March, “possibly the 21st”.