Organisation of working time to cover sectors and activities excluded from Directive 93/104/EC

The European Parliament approved its resolution concerning the Council's common position, drafted by Mrs. Miet SMET (EPP, B) on the Commission's proposal regarding the organisation of working time, subject to several amendments. The Parliament's main amendments were as follows: - the reintroduction of the 2-year transposition period, as proposed in its first reading; - the reintroduction of its first reading amendment on Sunday working; - not to accept inclusion of own-account transport operators in the definition of mobile workers; - not to accept the inclusion of sea-fishermen in this proposal but to introduce a maximum of a 48 hour working week over a reference period of 12 months; - a procedure which would enable there to be equal health and safety rotection for all workers concerned with urban passenger transport (whether by road or rail); - to reintroduce Parliament's first reading position on the transition period for doctors in training (4 years) with maximum weekly working hours (54 hours) over a 4 month reference period; - allow a derogation on the reference period for offshore workers but subject to consultation with and negotiation between the social partners and to review within 5 years.�