EU settles on new work hours deal

By Michael Leidig

Working week raised to 64 hours.
Bartenstein sees ‘important signal for EU’s capacity to act’.

Vienna. European Union member states have agreed to raise the legal working week to 64 hours per week.

Until now, EU member states have been limited to a 48 hour work-week but labour ministers from the 27-member states reached an agreement in Luxem- bourg to raise the limit to 65 hours a week.

MEPs dissatisfaction

The agreement will treat temporary workers the same as full time employees after the European courts ruled that inactive prepara- tion time counts towards the total hours worked. The majority of EU countries have opposed this ruling, especially in the medical field.

The European Parlia- ment, made up of MEPs that represent the citizens of their region of Europe rather than member governments, has expres- sed its dissatisfaction with the plan and could cause problems for the proposal.

Spain, Belgium, Greece, Hungary and Cyprus have also criticized the plan and are hoping that the EU Parliament steps in to oppose it.

Austrian Economy and Labour Minister Martin Bartenstein praised the agreement.

He called it "a very important signal for Europe’s capacity to act, 48 hours before the Irish referendum and a step towards a social Europe, without hindering competi- tion.”

No changes for Austria

In Austria, the new rules will not cause any change except that work hours in hospitals will no longer violate EU law. The EU commission has threatened Austria with a treaty violation, but has not acted because of the uncertainty of the rules. Bartenstein has denied that the agreement has many exceptions for member states.

He said, "It doesn’t have holes like Swiss cheese, but rather offers up a great many opportunities to work with.”

Printausgabe vom 10.06.2008