EBU recently and after long negotiations achieved a sectoral agreement regarding the organisation of working time with its social partners from ETF and ESO. Within the framework of this agreement we also succeeded in formulating adequate provisions with regard to seasonal work in the passenger transport industry. The agreement is considered a major step forward, Mr. Dalaise as Board member emphasized in his speech during the signing ceremony.

With support from the European Commission EBU, ESO and ETF conducted negotiations to achieve a sectoral agreement on the organisation of working time. Social partners felt that the specific working- and living conditions in the inland navigation sector require a sectoral directive in this field.

The agreement covers both crew members and shipboard personnel. It lays down important minimum rules which apply to all such workers such as

• total working time in average may not exceed 48 hours per week; the average may be calculated within a reference period of 12 months,
• total night working time may not exceed 42 hours per week,
• a right to at least four weeks' paid annual leave, and to paid annual health checks.,
• a right to at least 10 hours' rest every day (at least six hours must be uninterrupted) and at least 84 hours' rest in total every week.

The agreement reflects the regular working schedules in inland waterway transport and specifies standards for consecutive working- and rest days. Where the normal working day is 8 hours, daily working time may be longer, and some weekly rest days may be temporarily postponed, provided that the minimum standards set out above are always respected.

The agreement is supposed to support the sector in finding and attracting qualified staff. Inland waterway transport offers huge possibilities and challenges and is a major partner in the entire logistic chain.

The social partners will now ask the Commission for their agreement to be made legally binding in the EU.