Brussels, 09/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 8 March the European Commission decided to withdraw its proposal to liberalise port services in the EU after the draft was thrown out during the first reading of the European Parliament at its January plenary in Strasbourg (EUROPE 9111 and 9112). In a press release the Commission explained that, “In earlier Council discussions several Member States had expressed their reluctance on certain provisions. An EU ports policy can therefore not be limited to the questions dealt with by the directive which was proposed in October 2004. The ambition of an EU ports policy should be to assist European ports to respond effectively to the increase in maritime traffic and the risk of saturation of port capacity”. Based on the strategic orientations planned for the end of April at the European transport policy White Paper mid-term review, the Commission will be launching a broad debate on the subject with the sector, Member States and European Parliament. In this context, the Commission believes that the European Seaports Organisation (ESPO) annual conference on 1-2 June in Stockholm, in which Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot will be participating, will be an “important contribution”.