WRITTEN QUESTION E-0501/00 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Council. Council staff working hours.
Date: 2000-02-25
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Council of the European Union, European civil service, flexible working hours, working time

28.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374 E/91

(2000/C 374 E/105)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0501/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Council

(25 February 2000)

Subject: Council staff working hours

What are the expected working hours (cid:129) in total per week and in start and finish times each day (cid:129) of
members of the Council(cid:146)s staff? What arrangements are proposed to staff to cover flexitime?

Reply

(18 May 2000)

The Council would inform the Honourable Member that Council staff working hours are governed by Title
IV, Chapter I, Articles 55 to 56b of the Staff Regulations (cid:129) Regulations and Rules applicable to officials
and other servants of the European Communities. Under those Articles, the normal working week may not
exceed 42 hours in accordance with a general timetable laid down by the appointing authority. In the
Council General Secretariat that general timetable makes provision, for full-time work, for a minimum
including a lunch break
working week of 37,5 hours,
between 12.15 and 14.15 depending on arrival time, with the proviso that this must not prevent meetings
from continuing until 18.00.

from between 08.00 and 08.45 to 17.00,

The Council would also point out that the first paragraph of Article 55 of the Staff Regulations also
stipulates that officials in active employment shall at all times be at the disposal of their institution,
although the total overtime which an official may be asked to work is not to exceed 150 hours in any six
months (Article 56). It also seems necessary to make it clear that in the framework of the provisions
described above, the rhythm of work of staff of the Council General Secretariat is closely linked to and
itself, which means that the
dependent upon the volume and rhythm of the activity of the Council
statistics requested in the question should be regarded more as indicative than strictly mathematical. In
practice, therefore, most staff directly involved in the proceedings of the Council(cid:146)s subordinate bodies work
until at least 18.00. Lastly, as part of the continuing discussions on the working conditions of staff of the
General Secretariat, a draft reform of the timetable is being studied.

(2000/C 374 E/106)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0502/00

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(28 February 2000)

Subject: Commission staff working hours

What are the expected working hours (cid:129) in total per week and in start and finish times each day (cid:129) of
members of the Commission(cid:146)s staff? What arrangements are proposed to staff to cover flexitime?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(23 March 2000)

According to Article 55 of the Staff Regulations officials in active employment shall be at all times at the
disposal of their institution. Under established agreements, however the normal working week shall not
exceed 42 hours and no official may be asked to work overtime for more than 150 hours in any six
months. For Commission staff the Appointing Authority has determined, in accordance with the Staff
Regulations, that the weekly working time is 37 hours 30 minutes (valid since 1 October 1986).