UK frets over working-time deal

The UK government has given a cautious welcome to a compromise text on working hours produced by the Finnish presidency of the EU.

Member states are currently studying the latest version of the working time directive produced by Finnish Labour Minister Tarja Filatov before a vote on 7 November.

The presidency has devised clauses allowing the UK to maintain its opt-out from the directive. But the important concession may be cancelled out by more stringent conditions elsewhere. An ambiguously worded clause on the phasing-out of the opt-out could be particularly problematic.

"We all want to see a solution to working time. The presidency’s text is a good place to start the negotiations," said a UK diplomat. "There are positive and negative aspects for everyone."

UK industry will be pushing hard for rejection of the new text. "It is essential to the UK economy that we retain the opt-out and the UK government must continue to hold steadfast in its negotiations," said John Cridland, deputy director-general of the Confederation of British Industry.

The UK government has given a cautious welcome to a compromise text on working hours produced by the Finnish presidency of the EU.