Brussels, 16/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 15 November, the European social partners informed the European Commission that they were to start negotiations in the framework of the consultation on the revision of the working time directive. The first meeting between the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the employer organisations (CEEP, BusinessEurope and UEAPME) will take place on 8 December of this year. The negotiations, which aim to arrive at “an agreement to be implemented by decision of the Council” to harmonise working time within the EU, should be concluded by September 2012. In the view of European Commissioner Laszlo Andor (employment, social affairs and inclusion), this is a “very strong vote of confidence in the potential and importance of European social dialogue”, even though he believes that “reviewing the working time rules will be complex”. This complexity has so far made it impossible to set binding rules in place, beyond a general framework laying down 48 hours as the maximum working time per week, although derogations are permitted. In view of this challenge, those behind the forthcoming negotiations remain cautious. ETUC predicts that the negotiations will “not be easy” due to the sensitive nature of the dossier on the part of “certain countries and organisations”. It does, however, believe that nine months of negotiation should bear fruit. (JK/transl.fl)