WRITTEN QUESTION P-1762/03 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Discrimination between workers loading and unloading goods in Greece.
Date: 2003-05-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, anti-discriminatory measure, equal treatment, recruitment, transport staff

6.2.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 33 E/167

(2004/C 33 E/165)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1762/03

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(21 May 2003)

Subject: Discrimination between workers loading and unloading goods in Greece

Having received a large number of complaints, I should like to draw the Commission’s attention to the fact
that in Greece the job of loading and unloading goods is still governed by a law dating back to 1949 (Law
No 1254) under which anyone wishing to engage in this occupation must first be entered in a register
kept, without any clear rules, by an association which, according to the complaints received, frequently
discriminates between applicants.

Does the Commission consider this situation to be in keeping with current common market rules?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 June 2003)

The Commission wishes to point out to the Honourable Member that as a general rule and according to
the jurisprudence a service provider has the right to employ personnel of his own choice.

The Commission, following informal contacts with the Greek authorities has been informed that the Law
1254/1949 does not in itself allow for the discriminations described in her written question.

However, the Commission invites the Honourable Member to submit to it any details, which may allow
the conclusion that discrimination and abuses stemming from the application of Law 1254/1949 are
occurring. In this case the Commission would be willing to investigate this matter in depth, in order to
assess what action should be taken.

In any case, the Commission wishes to remind to the Honourable Member of its proposal for a Directive
of the Parliament and of the Council on Market Access to Port Services, aiming at creating a level playing
field in this area and further ensuring the full respect of the rules of the Treaty, for all parties concerned,
workers, service providers and port users

(2004/C 33 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1765/03

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 May 2003)

Subject: Palco layoffs

The decision of the Schiesser-Palco company to close down its production plant in Greece on 30 May
2003 and transfer its manufacturing operations to Bulgaria will result in over 500 job losses among its
workers, the majority of them affecting women, who, having been employed by the company for decades,
will have difficulty in finding other jobs. Furthermore, despite its participation in various European Union-
funded programmes, the company in question has already dismissed 360 workers over the last three years.

In what type of subsidised programme did Schiesser-Palco participate and was this accompanied by

1.
stipulations requiring the company to keep on its workers?

2.
the
Given that Schiesser-Palco until recently had establishments in various Member States of
European Union, has the Commission set up a European works council for consultation of the workers
affected in accordance with Directive 94/45/EC (1)?

(1) OJ L 254, 30.9.1994, p. 64.