Text tabled : A6-0375/2006

  Salvatore Tatarella (UEN), in writing. – (FR) I should like to begin by highlighting the effective work done by the rapporteur, Mrs Gebhardt, who has ensured that the adopted text is markedly better than Mr Bolkestein’s initial draft.

Nevertheless, even though her work was remarkable, I voted in favour of the amendment to reject this directive and of the amendments that I co-signed, together with those tabled by the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance and the Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, because the text at second reading does not go as far as the one at first reading.

Many grey areas remain in the text, and they would have needed to be clarified before we were able to accept such an important text as this, which involves the future of the people of Europe.

Furthermore, certain services, such as services of general interest, have not been removed from the framework of this directive, and this could lead to wayward paths being taken.

I feel that the Court of Justice and the Commission have been given too much influence over the control of the Member States and the interpretation of the directive. The legislator gives more than its due to the government of the courts.