05/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - A new European directive strengthening the social protection of self-employed workers and their assisting spouses took effect on Wednesday 4 August. Member states have two years until 5 August 2012 in which to adopt texts allowing compliance with these new rules. Self-employed workers make up 16% of the active population of Europe, i.e. over 32 million people. Some 10% of these are assisted by their spouses or partners, who work on an informal basis. The new...