Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-09-Speech-1-070"
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"en.20040209.5.1-070"2
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"Mr President, I have always considered this directive to be an infringement of workers' rights to work the hours they wish, believing that it is an inalienable right of the individual to chose one's own balance between work and leisure time.
The legislation was ill-conceived and did not take into consideration the difficulties experienced by small businessmen and by many professions. It is essential that the opt-out be retained, in particular for certain occupations. In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service could not run without the willingness of dedicated doctors and nursing staff to work long hours. In this regard it is imperative to remove the farcical rule that says that a doctor is working when he is asleep in bed purely because, technically, he is on call – but then, common sense is not a capability that this Parliament often utilises.
The current opt-out is open to all Member States. The fact that France, Germany and the Netherlands are now following the UK's example in deploying it in relation to the medical professions serves to demonstrate that the line the UK has always taken is the practical one.
With enlargement around the corner, some consideration must be given as to how this directive will affect the newcomers' individual labour markets. In my own experience when visiting Malta last year, the leading topic for all political parties was the Working Time Directive. The majority of people in Malta work in excess of 48 hours per week and need to do so for their own benefit and for the island's economy.
All Member States need the flexibility to organise their own working time. The EU should recognise this and return this responsibility to national governments."@en1
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