WRITTEN QUESTION No. 791/98 by André LAIGNEL to the Council. Applying the 35-hour-week initiative throughout the European Union
Date: 1998-03-16
Institutions: European Parliament, LAIGNEL
Subjects: approximation of laws, competitiveness, equal treatment, job access, labour market, organisation of work, quality of life, reduction of working time, social dialogue, social legislation

2. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 304/159

(98/C 304/242)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0791/98

by Andre· Laignel (PSE) to the Council

(16 March 1998)

Subject: Applying the 35-hour-week initiative throughout the European Union

Throughout the European Union, a reduction of the working week to 35 hours would clearly have a beneficial
effect on employment, the quality of life of European citizens and equality of access to employment.

To that end, a clear and spontaneous undertaking by the Commission is essential. In what form and on what time
scale  does  the  Commission  propose  to  act  to  harmonize  social  legislation  in  line  with  the  best  practice,
particularly by establishing a legal working week of 35 hours in all countries of the European Union?

Answer

(4 June 1998)

The Council would point out to the Honourable Member that the 1998 Employment Guidelines it adopted on 15
December 1997 (1) include among their objectives encouraging adaptability in businesses and their employees,
in  particular  by  modernizing  work  organization.  In  that  context  the  Council  invites  the  social  partners  to
negotiate, at the appropriate levels, agreements to help make undertakings productive and competitive so as to
achieve the required balance between flexibility and security. The Guidelines specify that: (cid:145)Such agreements
may, for example, cover the expression of working time as an annual figure, the reduction of working hours, the
reduction of overtime, the development of part-time, lifelong training and career breaks.(cid:146)

The Honourable Member will be aware that Article 118b of the Amsterdam Treaty, currently before Member
States for ratification, provides that (cid:145)should management and labour so desire, the dialogue between them at
Community level may lead to contractual relations, including agreements(cid:146) and that such agreements are to be
implemented at Community level at the joint request of the signatory parties by a Council decision on a proposal
from the Commission.

With respect to the issue to which the Honourable Member refers, concerning a reduction of the working week in
the  European  Union  to  35  hours,  the  Council  would  point  out  that  it  has  received  no  proposal  from  the
Commission on the matter.

(1)  OJ C 30, 28.1.1998, p. 1.

(98/C 304/243)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0843/98

by Jean-Antoine Giansily (UPE) to the Commission

(11 March 1998)

Subject: EU support for the holding of elections in Togo

In the context of the forthcoming presidential elections in Togo, a Commission mission has published a set of
official recommendations to ensure the complete transparency of the poll.

As  part  of  the  financial  aid  for  the  holding  of  these  elections,  it  appears  that  a  Commission  expert  is  to  be
instructed  to  assist  the  National  Electoral  Commission  set  up  by  a  law  of  9  September  1997,  all  of  whose
members › half of them from the presidential majority, half from the opposition › have already been sworn in
on their appointment.

1.

Has the Commission expert yet been appointed, and if not, when will this happen?

2. What will be his precise terms of reference?