Brussels, 03/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 7 July, the European Commission is expected to present a new draft directive on working time in the inland waterways sector. This is based on the agreement already concluded with the main European social partners concerned, in February 2012 (see EUROPE 10555).
This new directive thus complements the general directive on working time (2003/88/EC), which does not apply to workers in this sector, or to crewmembers and staff on board (cooks or musicians on passenger transport boats). The adjustments agreed by the social partners primarily seek to allow greater flexibility in the division of working time.
As in any other sector, the weeky working time applicable will be limited to 48 hours, but this average can be calculated over a 12-month period. This general framework will therefore help provide a certain room for manoeuvre in the allocation of working time. Night work, however, cannot exceed 42 hours per week and a daily period of rest of 10 hours should be respected, including six uninterrupted hours and 84 hours over the period of a week.
According to the Commission and social partners, these new rules should improve the working conditions of the 31,000 mobile workers and harmonise the conditions of competition among 9,645 companies active in the sector. This proposal will be sent to the Council of the EU and the European Parliament with a view to its adoption. These two institutions will not be able to amend the proposal because it involves implementation of a framework agreement with social partners. (JK)