Press Release: Transport: Commission refers Spain to Court over rules for the recruitment of port workers

The European Commission on 29 June 2013 decided to refer Spain to the EU Court of Justice over its rules on hiring port labour in several Spanish ports. Currently, cargo-handling companies in these ports are not allowed to resort to the market to employ their staff. On the contrary, the rules in place oblige cargo-handling companies to participate financially in the capital of private companies, which in turn provide them with the required workforce. It is only when the workforce proposed by these private companies is not suitable or not sufficient that cargo-handling companies may freely hire staff from the market. The Commission considers that cargo-handling providers from other Member States wishing to establish themselves in Spanish ports may be discouraged from doing so because of these restrictive labour practices.

ESO: Background Information: June infringements package: main decisions http://www.europeansources.info/record/memo-june-infringements-package-main-decisions/

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