EU plans to restructure cargo handling and open up port services to competition were dealt a blow, today, as MEPs – concerned about safety standards and British dockworkers' jobs – voted to restrict the liberalisation process.

Speaking after the vote, Labour MEP Peter Skinner, Socialist Group Spokesman on Economic and Monetary Affairs in the European Parliament, said, "This is a substantial victory. Our concern is that these EU plans would undermine safety and put British dockworkers' jobs at risk."

"We are all for fair competition, but the EU should be trying to create a level playing field between major ports across the EU by stamping out unfair state aids rather than producing over prescriptive legislation and telling successful British ports how to organise their internal operations."

Skinner added, "This is about jobs and safety in major British ports from Liverpool to Dover, The Humber and Southampton."

"We fundamentally oppose the idea of underpaid and poorly trained ships' crews from developing countries loading and unloading cargo."

"We need skilled people working in our docks. With these EU plans, we could have poorly trained ships' crews loading and unloading vessels purely because it's cheaper for the ships' owners. This is of major concern to MEPs."

"We have tried to exclude cargo handling from the new rules, without success. Our battle now is to make sure that if a ship's crew loads and unloads the ship it must be done by qualified personnel."

On pilots, Skinner said, "For years, pilots with local knowledge have helped the captain to find his way in and out of ports. For safety reasons we cannot accept EU plans which would replace local pilots with specialist knowledge with anyone from outside the area."

"Mersey pilots who know the Liverpool port like the back of their hand should not be subject to the open competition process. We must not compromise safety standards for a cheaper deal."

Skinner added, "The European Commission is obsessed with liberalisation at any cost. All services in every port would have to be tendered out if the European Commission had its way."

"We have listened to the men and women working in major British ports like Liverpool, Southampton and Felixstowe who are worried about jobs, and we are saying to the European Commission that we will fight to give them a fair deal."

"We have come a long way from the original proposals by the European Commission, but there is still more work to be done to ensure that health and safety and jobs are not compromised."

"This process has still got a fair way to run and we will have to consider our position very carefully. If we can't get agreement with EU Ministers to take account of our concerns we may still have to consider total rejection at the final stage."

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