WRITTEN QUESTION P-2108/03 by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Council. Temporary Agency Workers Directive.
Date: 2003-06-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, drafting of EU law, equal treatment, temporary employment, working conditions

C 51 E/200

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

26.2.2004

However, it continues to be reported that new rules on access to the EU’s western waters (in particular
those along the Portuguese coast) are being drawn up in blatant contradiction to Parliament’s vote.
Furthermore, the new rules would allow access in certain cases within the 12-mile limit and, in others,
within the 50-mile limit. This would jeopardise not only the conservation of valuable resources in those
waters but also the social and economic balances which have been preserved by means of the CFP and the
objectives thereof.

Does the Council not think that it should scrupulously respect the wishes expressed by the European
Parliament to the effect that the substance of the two above-mentioned regulations, the current status quo
and all the effects stemming therefrom (with particular reference to the EU’s western waters) should remain
unaltered for the next 10 years? If it does not think so, in what way and on what basis does it plan to
ignore them?

(1) OJ L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 71, 31.3.1995, p. 5.

Reply

(13 October 2003)

The Council would like to remind the Honourable Member of the European Parliament that it has always
scrupulously respected the decision-making rules of the Treaty, taking due account of the opinions of the
European Parliament.

Concerning the proposal for a Council Regulation on the management of the fishing effort relating to
certain Community fishing areas and resources and modifying Regulation (EEC) 2847/93, discussions are
still on-going within the Council. At its last meeting in June 2003, the Council instructed Coreper to
continue work on this file with a view to its adoption as soon as possible. Therefore, at this stage the
Council cannot pre-empt its final decision.

(2004/C 51 E/221)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2108/03

by Claude Moraes (PSE) to the Council

(18 June 2003)

Subject: Temporary Agency Workers Directive

Will the Council please give its view on the failure to reach agreement on the Temporary Agency Workers
Directive on 3 June?

Reply

(13 October 2003)

In response to the Honourable Parliamentarian the Council would like to underline that, on 3 June 2003,
substantial progress has already been made by the Council on this dossier on a common position with a
view to reaching political agreement as soon as possible.

identified the three key elements necessary for a balanced political
On 6 March 2003, the Council
compromise. The Greek Presidency consequently elaborated a compromise package comprising Article 1(3),
Article 4 and a new Article 11(3) containing a transitional period, along the lines proposed by the
European Parliament in its 1st reading, to replace the exemption in Article 5(4).

This compromise package was discussed in a public session at the Council on 3 June but, as the question
of the transitional arrangements concerning the exemption to the principle of equal treatment, still
continued to be unsolved, the Council concluded that political agreement was not achievable at this stage,
despite the willingness shown to make progress on this dossier. The Council has mandated Coreper to
pursue its work on this Directive.