Over the last few days an extended seamen's strike in Greece has caused major difficulties in terms of territorial economic and social cohesion (regarding the supply of food and fuels to island communities, the transport of invalids, etc.). While the right of workers to strike is indisputably established being codified in Article 28 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union Article 36 of the same Charter and Article II-96 of the European Constitution state that the European Union recognises and respects access to services of general economic interest as provided for in national laws and practices in order to promote the social and territorial cohesion of the Union and its competitivity.

Does the Council agree that massive strike action of this kind infringes the right of European citizens to access to basic services and undermines the proper function of internal market mechanisms? Does the Council have any comparative studies and information on responses to such situations in the various Member States? Does it agree that measures should be taken to ensure the compulsory provision of minimum services as is already the case in certain Member States?