Strasbourg, 06/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of the report by Stephen Hughes (PES, UK), the European Parliament approved the result of the conciliation procedure on the working time of hauliers, concluded with the Council last December (see EUROPE of 19 December). Adopted after over six years of discussions, the directive must be transposed into national law in 2005 and will apply to independent road transport operators from 2009. It fixes the working week at an average of 48 hours over a four-month reference period, with a maximum weekly period of 60 hours (compared to 78 at the present time). Night workers cannot work more than a 10 hour shift. Under pressure from Parliament, the directive specifies the definition of "self-employed haulier", the aim being to avoid the proliferation of false self-employment. It also fine-tunes the definition of the tasks included in the working hours of drivers: loading times, stand by, etc. The directive on drivers' working time will in principle be completed this year by a new regulation that this time lays out the rules for drivers' rest periods. Replacing the current Regulation 3820/85, the new text should in principle avoid multiplication of derogation and improve controls.