Procedure completed
Activites
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1996/10/28
Final act published in Official Journal
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1996/09/18
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
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T4-0462/1996
summary
The European Parliament adopted the report by Mr Michel ROCARD (PSE, F) on the reduction and organization of working time by 300 votes to 56 with 19 abstentions. In its resolution, the European Parliament considered that available work could be better distributed by: - reducing the working week; - increasing the number of part-time jobs with social protection; - gradually abolishing overtime; - introducing longer sabbaticals; - guaranteeing better performance by introducing short breaks during the day; - reorganizing working time. Reducing working times would allow the number of salaried employees to be maintained and new employees to be recruited. The European Parliament considered that Member States' expenditure could be reduced considerably because a reduction in working times would bring about a significant reduction in unemployment both as the result of direct recruitment and by avoiding redundancies. It therefore called on the Commission and the Member States to examine these potential savings in order to determine if they would benefit companies (savings could be used to compensate loss of salary either through direct subsidy or by reducing social security contributions for the first 32 hours' work (for example by 1 ecu per hour) and by increasing contributions on the hours worked thereafter (by 4 ecus per hour). At a general level, the European Parliament called on the Commission to publish within six months an analysis of the experiences in each Member State as the result of reducing working times. It hoped that the social partners would examine different working times and notify their opinions within the framework of their multiannual work programmes. It also hoped that, if the studies drafted by the Commission and the assessments carried out by the Member States (on reducing state expenditure) were conclusive, the partners would consult in order to finalize flexible agreements, especially in the sectors not currently covered by the "working time" directive. It also hoped that they would start negotiations on gradually replacing overtime payments with compensatory time off, thereby enabling several million jobs to be created. Given that these measures would result in a considerable increase in leisure time, the report suggests that the Member States and the Commission examine decentralized strategies for support for lifelong learning, sporting and cultural activities and community social work. Finally, it reiterated that all workers should be placed on an equal footing, irrespective of the working time arrangements which they chose.�
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T4-0462/1996
summary
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1996/09/17
Debate in Parliament
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Debate in Parliament
summary
The rapporteur, Mr Rocard (PSE, F), emphasised that the sole purpose of his report was to call on the Commission to examine a new taxation policy that would be more effective in combating the rise in unemployment levels. Accepting that the problem of mass unemployment would not be solved within the next few years and that the services sector was no longer capable of taking in workers from industry, the rapporteur called on policy makers to look at introducing reduced working times, which was a potential solution that had still not been considered. Ruling out any sudden or uniform imposition of such a process by legal means, Mr Rocard called on the public authorities to promote negotiations at company level. However, if the call for a reduction in working hours were to gain acceptance there would have to be some agreement on maintaining wage levels. This was why the rapporteur proposed using the only available reserve, namely 4.5% of GNP, which was intended as a means of support for the unemployed yet did not necessarily create one single job. The money saved could therefore be made available to companies as compensation for losses in salary. Mr Rocard also announced that he had changed the title of the text in question in order to take account of demands from the EPP and Liberal Groups; he also wanted to defuse any potential conflict situation by calling on the majority of Parliament to support him in his efforts, which were aimed at validating a concept and certainly not at introducing European legislation in this area. As far as the Council was concerned Mrs Fitzgerald thought that a reduction in working hours could improve the current situation by as much as 1%; while this was not insignificant, neither was it enough to solve the problem. She also referred to this issue by describing the situation as extremely complex. The problem of organising a division of working hours was part of a global debate that also involved the division of income. Inasmuch as the reduction in working hours was difficult to envisage without a loss in revenue, the consequences of such a scheme had to be taken into account. Allowance also had to be made for workers who, for want of a higher salary, wished to work additional hours. Finally, this issue had to be examined in a global context and efforts had to be made to promote a model that was more flexible and at the same time more competitive. Nevertheless, she welcomed the Rocard report, which had stimulated a great deal of reflection, as a valuable contribution to the unemployment problem, an issue to which the Irish Presidency had attached much importance. Commissioner Flynn also welcomed the work done by Mr Rocard, especially for his constructive approach based on cooperation and dialogue. For its part the Commission was engaged in preparing a Green Paper on the organisation of the labour market, including working hours, which had been drawn up as a response to an initiative from Parliament. The redistribution of working hours had to be introduced against a background of greater flexibility, including the use of additional training measures and the introduction of collective agreements. The Commissioner gave his assurance that every connection between reduced working hours, productivity and salary levels would be examined in detail in order to take account of the different aspects involved according to the sector of activity, the country and the social security system concerned. Mr Flynn also said that by following the initiative launched by the Commission the social partners had initiated a debate that was aimed at reaching a balanced agreement at European level on part-time work.
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Debate in Parliament
summary
- 1996/06/18 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
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1995/06/13
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
Documents
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A4-0207/1996
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0462/1996
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