EU hours rules for drivers
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• European Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock says the 48-hour working time directive will be extended to include lorry drivers, despite recent reports to the contrary.
The former Labour leader denies backing down over plans to include transport workers in the directive. He admits there might be practical problems in extending it to the whole sector, but stresses that drivers will be included in the directive.
The European Commission is due to publish a White Paper in the spring on the extension of the 48-hour week to cover work
ers who are currently exempt. This follows a decision in November by the European Court of Justice to throw out the British Government's challenge to the directive.
A spokesman for Kinnock says: "In principle Kinnock wants the whole of the transport industry included, but particularly those workers whose jobs are sensitive in terms of safety, such as lorry drivers."
Kinnock was particularly influenced by the French lorry drivers' dispute and hopes the directive will help stamp out cowboy operators.