Strasbourg, 14/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - The vote at first reading of the Gebhardt report on the “services” directive was the result of a ”great effort on the part of the European Parliament” and, as president of the group, Hans-Gert Pöttering, EPP-ED Group president at the EP, told the press on Tuesday, that he himself has “never been as personally involved in any other project”. Given the resistance shown in recent days by several Member States to the subject of this compromise (EUROPE 9150), the CDU elected member sounded a note of warning, saying: if the Council destroys this compromise, it must be aware of the responsibility it is taking on - that of remaining in its current situation which is worse for the development of the European services market than the result of the Parliament's vote. This result is perhaps not perfect but it is a step in the right direction, Mr Pöttering said, recalling that the text adopted in plenary in February is backed by the EPP-ED, PES and also ALDE Groups.