By Chris Jones - 31st October 2006
The Finnish EU presidency has confirmed that it will host a meeting of EU employment ministers next week in a bid to break the deadlock over working time rules.
Finland is the fifth successive EU country to try to resolve the issues delaying changes EU’s working time directive – notably the question of on-call time and Britain’s opt out.
Labour minister Tarja Filatov presented a new set of proposals at the informal summit of EU leaders in Lahti earlier this month.
They included allowing the UK to maintain its opt-out from the 48-hour working week, which London claims gives greater flexibility and productivity, but under much stricter conditions.
Current rules limit working time to 48 hours per week over a 12-month period, but the Finnish proposal would allow employees to work up to 60 hours a week but only over a three-month period.
The Finns have also picked up the British presidency proposal of phasing out the opt-out over time, but like London have not set a specific date, calling instead on member states to set their own timetables in conjunction with employers and trade unions.
The need for agreement on the dossier has become all the more urgent following a ruling by the European court of justice that time spent ‘on- call’ by doctors and other professionals should count towards the 48-hour limit.
With a large majority of EU countries currently excluding on-call time from the 48-hour limit, the ruling could have potential repercussions throughout the EU if ministers fail to reach agreement.
France, which has led the opposition to the UK’s opt out, is likely to be one of the hardest hit by the court’s decision, giving the Finns hope that everyone may be in more of a mood for compromise than they were the last time the dossier was discussed, under the Austrian presidency.
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