Voorzitterschap EU zoekt consensus met Europees Parlement ten aanzien van Werktijden-richtlijn (en)

The Presidency is ready to negotiate actively with both the EP and the Member States. The 1st debate with Member States on the level of deputies/state secretaries will be held on 14 January at 18:00 in the Liechtenstein Palace, Prague.

The outcome of the vote of the European Parliament at the second reading of the revision of the Working Time Directive on 17 December 2008 fundamentally disrupted the strenuous compromise reached between the Member States in the Council. It is now up to the Czech Presidency to reach an agreement with the European Parliament during the conciliation procedure. At political level the directive will be discussed during the working lunch at the informal meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs on 23 January in Luhacovice. The Presidency is convinced that the revision of the directive will both lead to better protection of employees and higher legal certainty for the Member States. The Presidency believes that it will be possible to reach an agreement before the elections to the European Parliament in June.

Contact: Jana Ríhová, spokesperson for the Presidency, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic tel.: +420 221 922 249, GSM: +420 725 761 147; e-mail: jana.rihova@mpsv.cz