The economic development in Asia has modified the physical points of reference in the transport sector in the EU (ports, intermodal ports, infrastructure), giving back a central role to the traffic in the Mediterranean area.

25 multinational companies have the control of 60% of the container-traffic in the World (188 on 316 millions of teus in 2003). Among them, the first 10 own more that 47% and the first 5 of them possess 37,5% of the total (analysis by the managing F.I.L.T. groups in Tuscany – 2005)

EU policy does not intend to let the regulation of this traffic in the hands of few enterprises. Trade unions and workers’ representatives in those companies should have more control on the market guided regulation.

FILT-CGIL Regionale Toscana and FILT-CGIL Provincia di Livorno are focused on the first five operators (Hutchinson & Port, Port of Singapore Authority, APMaersk, P&O Ports, and Eurogate-Eurokai Group) in Europe through activities, studies and international meetings, where should be built a new common European model of workers’ representation in terminalization companies connected to European ports.