Working time / interim: formal adoption of the common position
(B2) The Council of Ministers for European Affairs approved (in point A, without debate), its common position on the two directives "working time" and "temporary work", debated in Council of Labor and Social Affairs Ministers, June. This "formal" adoption was necessary after the political debate.
On working time, the directive passed "flush with the buttocks": 263 votes out of 345 (then the majority threshold is set at 255). Finally - unlike the Council public debates and what the French Minister of Labor said a few days ago - two States voted against (Spain and Greece); five abstained (Belgium, Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Portugal). All of these countries (except Malta) considered that the adopted text did not really respect workers' rights (for the explanation of vote, download here). Concretely, a vote "against" and a vote "abstention" are worth the same thing (because only the votes "for" are taken into account) but the symbolism is different. The other countries (in particular the United Kingdom and France) voted in favour.
- To download the compromise text - reasons, click on the right one!
On the temporary work (interim), the directive was passed more widely: 4 abstained (Belgium, Hungary, Malta, Portugal). Malta for a reason contrary to the other three.
- To download the compromise text - reasons
(NGV)
