MEPs to vote on controversial Services Directive

The European Parliament is due to vote this week on a controversial new law designed to introduce more competition in the EU services market.

Trade unions are vehemently opposed to the Services Directive, which they claim will exacerbate the erosion of employment standards throughout Europe.

However, the two main groupings in the European Parliament have agreed a large number of amendments that they insist will protect workers' rights.

The two groups have also agreed to scrap the controversial measure that would have allowed companies from one EU state to operate in another while only obeying the labour laws of its home country.