Date set for working time probe

EU Employment chief Anna Diamantopoulou will reveal the results of a probe into EU rules on working time in January, the European Commission said on Friday.

Brussels has been considering whether to revise the so-called "working time" directive that says employees cannot be forced to work more than an average of 48 hours a week.

Previously scheduled for the end of December, the commission will now announce the results of the investigation into the Working Time Directive rules on January 5.

There had been media speculation that Diamantopoulou might revise or even abolish the opt-out which is used extensively by British companies to make employees work longer hours.

A report commissioned by Brussels found that in the United Kingdom there was widespread abuse of the directive, and trade unions have called for it's abolition.

But according to EU insiders, the communication is not expected to recommend any alteration to the opt-out rules, but instead encourage individual countries - namely Britain - to address the concerns highlighted at a national level.

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