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UPDATE: January 26: Port Strikes were avoided as the Parliament of the European Union (EU) voted to reject the proposed Port Package II. There had been a widespread industry opposition to the proposal. The European Commission, which supported Port Package II, may decide to rework it and resubmit it in the future. January 17: European dockworkers are protesting against the European Union's Port Package II program, which aims to end monopolies on cargo handling by terminal companies, and to permit shipping firms to appoint independent contractors to load and unload vessels.
Elsewhere in Europe, striking dockworkers effectively closed down the continent's largest ports, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Antwerp in Belgium and Le Havre in France. Greek, Danish, Swedish and Portuguese dockers also went on strike, while dockers in the United Kingdom, Italy and Poland continued operations but sent delegations to a rally in Strasbourg.
The European Union's Port Package II proposals will be debated in Strasbourg Tuesday, January 17th, with a vote expected Wednesday. Only vessels arriving or sailing as of January 16, 2006 will be affected.
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