The European Working Time Directive

Working time can be considered as a crucial element in the field of working conditions for workers, in fact, it can produce consequences of competitiveness, it plays an important role in the trade off between working and private hours and it influences gender equality. The working time directive 2003/88 regulates different aspects of the working time management. Its main objective is the actual protection of health and safety of workers. In the first part of my research I took in analysis the directive's text, examinating which are the provisions that the directive introduces, limits and standards concerning weekly working time, paid annual leaves, daily and weekly rests. In the second part I took in consideration different problems that emerged after the creation of the directive, problems which have been raised both by european member states and by social partners. Finally, I studied the way the directive was implemented in three european member states, examinaiting their national legislations about working time.