EU Parliament set to reject port liberalisation plans

Plans to liberalise Europe’s port services are likely to be rejected by the European Parliament in a vote today, after EU legislators called the proposals dangerous and unlikely to increase competition.

The draft bill, tabled by the EU’s executive Commission, proposes opening cargo handling to competition in ports where the loading and unloading is now run by monopoly handlers. The bill would also allow ship crews to handle cargo themselves on some EU routes.