Brussels, 06/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the extraordinary meeting of this Tuesday's Employment and Social Affairs Council, which will be given over solely to the revision of the directive on working time (see EUROPE 9299), France's Prime Minister has announced that the country cannot "accept as it stands" (our translation throughout) the proposed compromise put together by the Finnish Presidency. Dominique de Villepin is calling for the "creation of a timetable (...), which is both credible and strict for the phasing-out of the derogation" on the 48 hours a week, currently used by several Member States, including the United Kingdom. In the view of the French Prime Minister, who discussed the dossier with President Jacques Chirac on Sunday, the objective is clear: "to set a maximum working week, harmonised across Europe". "This is a (...) symbolic issue, emblematic of social Europe, and the French will judge us in the light of the commitments taken in this area", said Mr de Villepin. The French Minister Delegate for Employment, Gérard Larcher, stated that the Finnish proposal "aims to create a two-speed Europe", and indicated that along with Spain, Italy and Greece, France intended to table an amendment to "set a definite date, in writing, for the end of the derogation". Mr Larcher believes that 11 of the 25 Member States are in favour of getting rid of derogation, which constitutes a blocking minority at the Council. Catherine Colonna, Minister Delegate for European Affairs, believes that this situation will afford the countries making up the blocking minority "the opportunity to convince the Presidency not to put it to the vote and to call for improvements to this text". In any case, the countries which are supporters of social Europe will have the support of the European Parliament, which has been in favour of removing the derogation for three years, and that of the European Trade Unions Confederation, which on Monday expressed its "serious concern" about the Finnish proposed compromise on the "working time" directive. (ol)