Proposal for a Council Directive implementing the European Agreement concluded by the European Barge Union (EBU), the European Skippers Organisation (ESO) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time in inland waterway transport

At their own initiative the sectoral social partners in inland waterway transport at EU level (the European Barge Union, the European Skippers Organisation and the European Transport Workers’ Federation) negotiated an agreement on certain aspects of the organisation of working time in inland waterway transport (IWT) in accordance with Article 155(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). They took the view that Directive 2003/88/EC (the Working Time Directive) did not meet the sector’s needs.

Negotiations took place between January 2008 and November 2011. The European Agreement concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time in inland waterway transport (the Agreement) was concluded on 15 February 2012. The signatories presented the Agreement to the European Commission and asked for it to be implemented by a Council decision on a proposal from the Commission, in accordance with Article 155(2) TFEU.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Working time: Commission proposes rules for inland waterway workers based on a social partner agreement http://www.europeansources.info/record/working-time-commission-proposes-rules-for-inland-waterway-workers-based-on-a-social-partner-agreement/

EUR-Lex: COM(2014)452: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2014:452:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2014)226: Analytical document http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2014:226:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2014)227: Executive summary of the analytical document http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2014:227:FIN

---