Euro Rules extended?

EC Plans to Extend Rules on Maximum Working Week

The proposals, published in a 20-page White Paper, could lead to European legislation next year to extend the Working Time Directive.

The Commission warns that failure to bring both sectors within the 48-hour rule already applied to many other workers will pose a threat to public safety. The new pressure for action could spell the end of the 80-hour week endured by many of the 270,000 junior hospital doctors in the EU.

The measures fulfil the promise of the nSocial Affairs Commissioner, Padraig Flynn, to give the directive more bite, by applying its provisions on minimum rest breaks, paid holidays, night work and the 48-hour maximum week, including overtime, to workers who will benefit most.

The proposals would affect an estimated 5.6 million workers throughout the EU, 3.5 million of them in the transport sector. The full provisions of the directive would apply to all "non-mobile workers", such as the 80% of air transport employees who are ground staff. They would be added to those already covered by the directive who are entitled to

• minimum daily rest periods of 11 consecutive hours
• a rest break where the working day is more than six hours
• a minimum one day a week rest period
• a maximum working week of 48 hours on average including overtime
• limits of eight hours in any 24 hours on night work.

The task of imposing fixed hours and standards in such sectors was considered too complicated, but Mr Flynn is now determined to include them all.

"It is very difficult to believe that firms who have to rely on employees working excessively long hours over long periods can be that competitive in the global economy," he said. "Minimum standards regarding the protection of health and safety of employees are a key element in the search for improved competitiveness. This is good for employment in the long term."