After the port operators’ protest which went on during the plenary meeting of the EU Parliament, Strasbourg is once again the scene of a union protest. Thousands of protesters are expected to arrive tomorrow from many EU countries, urged by the European Trade Unions’ Confederation (Ces in French, Etuc in English), to protest against the Service Directive (ex Bolkestein), which is due to be discussed and voted on by the assembly at this round. "Ces wants a stronger social Europe – explained the secretary general of the organisation, the British John Monks -, a more effective European social model and certainly it does not want this Directive". The protest will include a march through the streets of the city, some official speeches and a few music events. Late in the afternoon, Monks will meet the press at Parliament. The Directive, which has taken a very long time to be developed and which is waiting for the go-ahead from Parliament, aims at setting up a single market for the service industry, which makes up a substantial share of the EU economy. The trade unions fear "an excessive deregulation of the industry" and "the erosion of social rights and work". Ces challenges in particular the "principle of the country of origin" and asks that the labour law and all services of general interest be left out of the range of action of this legislation.
