PRESS RELEASE

by Kartika Liotard MEP GUE/NGL

European Parliament dismantles Services Directive

Brussels, 15/03/2005

The Parliamentary Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety voted on an opinion today which contained a multitude of proposals for changes to former Commissioner Bolkesteins European Directive on Services. When the MEP´s were finished, there was not much of the directive left. A majority of the committee supported the amendment which called for the complete removal of the so-called country of origin-principle, which is the core of the services directive. The proposal to completely exempt healthcare from the services directive was also supported by a majority. Kartika Liotard,- MEP GUE/NGL for the Dutch Socialistische Partij (SP)- and author of the opinion the services directive: "This is a great victory. I had high hopes from the beginning but this exceeds any expectations".

The entire Liotard opinion, which is very critical of the negative consequences of the services directive, was also adopted with a large majority (45 against 5). Liotard: "This will dismantle the directive so much that it would possibly be more sensible for Commissioner McCreevy to withdraw the entire proposal. If healthcare is completely exempted from the services directive and the country of origin-principle is completely rejected then there is really not much of the directive left.

Another amendment of Liotard which was adopted stated that the servcies directive is unacceptable without being preceded by a directive on public services. In such a directive the conditions for public services should be clearly defined, before the European Commission continues liberalising services. Such a directive has already been foreseen but the debate on it has been pushed to the background under the pressure of the services directive.

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety is the first of four Parliamentary committees which will express its opinion on the services directive. The Liotard opinion , including the adopted amendments, is now a formal advice to the European Parliament. The entire Parliament will vote on the services directive on June 8th.

Liotard:"We have won one major victory, but June 8th is still far off. What this does clearly show is that opposition to the directive can pay off and that it is therefore vital that as many people as possibly join the demonstration against the services directive on Saturday".

Unions and political movements are organising a great international protest against "Bolkestein" in Brussels on Saturday the 19th of March. Organisers are expecting at least fifty thousand Europeans from all member states to turn up. The SP is a founding member of the Dutch platform "stop the services directive" and actively involved in the mobilisation for the demonstration.

For more information:

Kartika Liotard MEP, 0031-651298808