ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(73)1979
Vol.1973/0352

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES
COM(73)1979final
Brussels,26November1973
,PROPOSALFORA
Recommendation oftheCounciladdressedtotheMemberStatesregardingthe
•
applicationoftheprincipleofthe40hourweekand4weeks'annualpaidholidays
i
.....i
• y .. . . .
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommission)
COM(73)1979final

ProposalforaRacommendai;Aonof"thaCounciladdoreseeu
totheMemberStatesregardingtheapplicationofthe
principleofthe40-hourweekand4weeks'annualpaid
holidays
Explanatory Statement
Thelegalsituationregardingtheregulationofworkinghoursand
annualpaidholidaysintheCommunitypresentsavariedpicture,with
widedisparities betweenindividual MemberStates.Legalworkinghours
varybetween40and48hoursperweek,andannualpaidholidaysbetween
12and24workingdaysperyear.IncertainMemberStatesworkinghours
andannualpaidholidaysarenotgovernedbylegislationatall,butby
freelynegotiatedcollectiveagreements,andinthosecountrieswhere
legislationdoescoverthesesubjects,collectiveagreementsnormally
setoutmoregenerousterms.However,eventheworkinghoursregulated
bycollectiveagreementsvarybetween40and44>andannualpaidholidays
between12and24throughouttheenlargedCommunity.
TheCounciloftheEuropeanCommunitieshasbeenconsideringthisproblem
intheframeworkofArticle117oftheEECTreatyinwhichtheMember
Statesagreeupontheneedtopromoteimprovedworkingconditionsandan
improvedstandardoflivingforworkers,soastomakepossibletheir '
harmonisr.tion whiletheimprovementisbeingmaintained.Introducing
minimumstandardsthroughouttheCommunityforworkinghoursandannual
paidholidayswouldmarkanimportantstepalongtheroadtowardsan■
effeotiveimprovementofworkingconditionsandanimprovedstandardof
living.Muchprogresshasalreadybeenmadeinthisdirection,butin
viewofthedisparitieswhichstillprevailbetweensectorsandcountries,
theCouncilconsidersthatthetimeisnowrightforintroducingthe
principleofthe40hourweekand4weeks'annualholidaysinallsectors
andthroughouttheCommunity.

V/1285/73-E
TheCouncilhasthereforeincludedthisobjectiveintheCommunitySocial
ActionProgramme,inwhichArticleI5is'thedesignationasanimmediate
objectiveoftheoverallapplicationoftheprincipleofthe40hourweek
betweennowand1975,and.theprincipleof4weeks'annualpaidholidays
betweennowand:197.6'•
Theachievementofthisgoalwouldmakefordefiniteprogresstowardswhat
theHeadsofStateorGovernmentcalledanimprovementofthequalityof
life.'Itisintendedthatthisimprovement "shouldresultfromeconomic
expansion,thefirmaimofwhichshouldbetoenabledisparitiesinliving
conditionstobereduced.Applyingminimumstandardssuchasthe40-hour
weekand4weeks'annualpaid,holidayswpuldbeinstrumental inenabling
thesedisparitiestobereduced,therebyhelpingtoachievethebread
objectiveswhichtheMemberFtatessetthemselvesattheParisSummit
ConferenceofOctober1972.
Thepresentdisparitiesinworkinghoursandannualpaidholidaysalso
presentabarriertothefullcompletionofaCommunityemploymentmarket.
Ifeffectivemobilityofthelabourmarketistobebrought "aboutinorder
tomakethemostefficientuseSothehumanresourcesavailable,thenwork­
ersshouldbeentitledtoexpectminimumstandardsinworkinghoursand
holidayallowancesthroughouttheCommunity.Atthemomentthefactthat
differingstandardsexistinevitablyimpliesacertaindistortionofthe
employmentmarket,leadingtoanimbalanceintheconditionsofcompetition.
Thereforeinordertohelpovercomethepresentdistortedsituationonthe
labourmarket,andtheresultinginfluenceoncompetitionbetweenMember >
States,theprincipleofthe40hourweekand4weeks5annualpaidholidays
shouldbeintroducedwithaviewtoco-ordinating andharmonisingefforts
alreadymadeinthisfield.
■. /•• ,•
Inputtingforwardthisrecommendation theCouncilisparticularly aware..of
theresponsibilities incumbentupontheCommissionpursuanttoArticle118
oftheEECTreaty,inwhichitsdesignatedtaskisoneofpromotingclose ■
co-operation betweenMemberStates,particularlyinmattersrelatingto
employment,labourlawandworkingconditions.Butinviewoftheobser­
vationsalreadymaderegardingthelackoflegalcompetencesofcertain
MemberStatesinthisfield,actionmustalsobeprovidedforasregards
collectiveagreements.Consequently ,whilefullyrespectingtheautonomy
andindependence ofthetwosidesofindustry,theCouncilintendsto
pursueapolicyaimedatencouragingclosecollaboration betweenemployers

-3- v/1285/73-E
andworkersonthesequestions.Wheretheapplicationoftheprincipleof
the40hourweekand4weeks'annualpaidholidaydependspartlyorentirely
cnnegotiations andcollectiveagreementsbetweenlabourandmanagement,
theappropriateprovisionsmustbemadetoenablethenecessaryclose
collaboration totakeplace.
Furthermore,thegeneralapplicationoftheprincipleofthe40hourweek
and4weeks*annualholidayshasadirecteffectonthegeneraleconomic
policiesoftheMemberStates.TheCouncilwouldthereforeliketostress
theimportanceofthisrecommendation inthemovetowardsensuringthe
co-ordination ofthesegeneraleconomicpoliciespursuanttoArticle145
oftheEECTreaty.Anapproximation ofnationallegislativeprovisions
onthe40hourweekand\weeks'annualholidayswouldgoalongway
towardsensuringitsgeneralapplication throughouttheCommunity.The
Council,therefore,callsupontheMemberStatestotakestockofthe
presentsituationandadvancethelegitimaterightsofworkerswithinthe
Community,

V/1285/73E
n.B^^snftvfilon ofthe^cntnoii .addreBgo qto
theMember States regarding the application ofthe principle
ofthe40hour week and4weeks *annual paid holidays
THECOUNCIL OPTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic
Community ,andinparticular Article 145thereof ,
Having regard totheproposal from theCommission ,
Having regard totheOpinion oftheEuropean Parliament ,
Having regard tothe Opinion oftheEconomic and Social Committee .
HECQMMEHDS THE MEMBER STATES :
-totake theappropriate steps through national legislation and/or
where appropriate ,through close collaboration with theSocial
Partners leading tocollective agreements ,toensure that :
-theprinciple that the nQt&©iSl ,:.working week (ie
before overtime rates become applicable )should
notexceed 40hours isapplied inallsectors
andthroughout theCommunity by31December 1975
atthelatest ,
-working hours arespread inprinciple over five
working days ,allowance being made forsectors and
branches oftheeconomy where this proves
impracticable (forexample theretail trade ,
agriculture ,etc.),
-theapplication oftheprinciple ofthe40hour
week does notimply anyreduction intheearnings
received byanyworker intheCommunity ,

-2-
-4calendarweeksareintroducedasaminimumstandard
iorannualpaidholidays' -inall.sectorsandthroughout
theCommunity ,"by.31December1976atthelatest,
-anyprovisionsgoverningthequestionofholidaypay
areamended,ifnecessary,totakeaccountofthe
application oftheprincipleof4weeks'annualpaid
holidays,andthattheapplicationofthisprinciple
hasnodetrimentaleffectonworkersinrespectof
holidaypay,
-theprincipleofthe40hourweekand4weeks'annual
paidholidaysisappliedtoallpublicservice
employeeswithinthetimelimitsstatedabove,
-theCommissioniskeptinformedoftheapplication of
thetermsofthisrecommendation ,andtothiseffect
reportsaresubmittedtotheCommission onthe
measurestakentoimplementthetermsofthis
recommendation attheexpiryoftherespectivedead­
linesindicatedabove.
DoneatBrussels,
, FortheCouncil
ThePresident