The revision of the working time directive

Abstract

EU Directive 93/104/EC aimed to ensure a better level of safety and health protection for workers, with the main provisions being:- 1. A minimum rest period of 11 consecutive hours for each 24-hour period (Article 3); 2. A rest break where the working day is longer than six hours (Article 4); 3. A minimum rest period of one day per week (Article 5); 4. Maximum weekly working hours of 48 hours on average, including overtime, over a reference period not exceeding four months (Article 6); 5. Four weeks of paid annual leave (Article 7); and 6. An average of no more then eight hours of work at night in any 24 hour period (Article 8). The Directive as amended by Directive 2000/34/EC was repealed and consolidated into Directive 2003/88 which entered into force on the 2nd August 2004.