BMJ  2005;330:1346 (11 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7504.1346-b

News

Support grows for retaining the opt-out to the 48 hour week

Rory Watson

Brussels

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Moves by the European Union to establish a clear legal definition for active and inactive on-call time for medical staff and other essential services, and to abolish the opt-out from the 48 hour maximum working week, have become entangled in the wider political debate on the future of the 25 member bloc's economic policy.

Social affairs and health ministers were unable to reach agreement on the latest proposed changes to the EU's working time directive last week. Some argued that its flexibility was essential for strengthening the union's economy and competitiveness. Others maintained that its existence opened the door to exploitation of employees.

Votes against the European constitution in France and the Netherlands (above) are affecting other European issues

Credit: JOHN MCHUGH/AFP/GETTY

The contrasting positions pit the defenders of Europe's social model, such as France, on one side against the more liberal reforms being championed by the United Kingdom. The . . . [Full text of this article]


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