After the plenary session in Brussels (3-4 April 2019), Wim van de CAMP (EPP, NL) and Ismail ERTUG (S&D, DE) and Merja KYLLÖNEN (GUE/NGL, FI), made statements after the vote on Mobility Package I.

Brussels

statement

ERTUG, Ismail (S&D, DE)

KYLLÖNEN, Merja (GUE/NGL, FI)

van de CAMP, Wim (EPP, NL)

minimum rates of pay in the transport sector (T)

mobility package (T)

Vote on Mobility package: statements by the rapporteurs

SOUNDBITE (German), Ismail ERTUG (S&amp;D, DE), I must confess I am very satisfied with the overall result because that was exactly what we have been saying for weeks as a compromise. We have now set the same wage for equal work in the same place. For the drivers. This is a great success and we believe I have ensured that a level playing field will continue to be required in the future to properly pay the honest company that is giving their people proper terms and conditions. That they can exist in this sector also.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Wim van de CAMP (EPP, NL), -

SOUNDBITE (German), Ismail ERTUG (S&amp;D, DE), The problem was that: mainly northern and western European logisticians have expanded by setting up so-called letterbox companies in East and Southeast Europe. And  to then do business with the low standards of the local countries here in Western and Northern Europe. This is of course dishonest that is not alright. In the end, we also prevented that by setting clear criteria. If you want to start a business now, for example in a Southeastern European country, then you will be clearly asked where are your trucks, where are your parking lots and where is your financial resources. This we did not have until now. 

SOUNDBITE (German), Ismail ERTUG (S&amp;D, DE), (next steps)  Now it depends, now the first reading is successfully completed and finished and unfortunately, there is no time left now, as we have Brussels and Strasbourg next week and we have then five weeks of election campaign, as European elections are coming up. I would like now to legally clarify, if in June,at this period, if we could still use to accomplish the trilogy. If that is not possible then we will do it in the next legislative term.

Illustration shots of Ismail ERTUG (S&amp;D, DE), 3 shots

SOUNDBITE (English), Wim van de CAMP (EPP, NL), First of all I have to say I'm very grateful that we have a position of the European Parliament. We had negotiations for two years and to be honest the EU is quite divided on these items. We have to call countries with the quite social approach and we have the East and the peripheric countries, who see that their drivers are needed and they want a real classical open internal market, so this is quite a challenge for the trylogs.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wim van de CAMP (EPP, NL), We have now a timeline. And on the 1st of January 2024 the so-called smart tachograph, which is in fact digital meter, has to be implemented in every truck, so that we can see the working and the rest hours of the drivers during the week and hopefully not during the weekends.

SOUNDBITE (English), Wim van de CAMP (EPP, NL), At the end the EU always finds a solution even in difficult dossiers, but the general approach of the Council was also quite difficult because 10 of the countries in the Council voted against the general approach. So I think we need this autumn to bring together the position of the Parliament and the position of the Council

Introduction shot of Wim van de CAMP (EPP, NL) (1 shot), and introduction shot of Merja KYLL&Ouml;NEN (GUE/NGL, FI), talking to Wim van de CAMP (5 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Merja KYLL&#214;NEN (GUE/NGL, FI), Rapporteur, I'm of course happy that at least we got the final vote and have we have a parliament position. But of course a little bit sad because we were so divided. And that's that's not good case anyway. When I'm thinking the the compromise making and the political work.

SOUNDBITE (English), Merja KYLL&Ouml;NEN (GUE/NGL, FI), Rapporteur, The biggest thing is that are we going more to the social dimension and drivers will get better salaries because there's now for example the cabotage is posting from day one and we have had that discussion here around the Europe that if you come to the local markets from different country they can be a different salary to the driver. And now the thing, of course after trilogue the thing can be changed that driver can get the same salary where he is working. And of course that thing that we have such a flexibility inside the legislation, that the competition, the real fair competition doesn't fall down in the whole transport area, because it's also important that that we do not put too much burden for the companies.

SOUNDBITE (English), Merja KYLL&#214;NEN (GUE/NGL, FI), Rapporteur, Then we would continue the trilogues for the for the next parliament after election, but we'll see. We are very close to the Council side, Council decision. So we don't know. We'll see.