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EC clashes over scope of WTD
19th February 2009, Page 7
19th February 2009
Page 7
Page 7, 19th February 2009
— EC clashes over scope of WTD
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MEPS ON THE European Parliament's Employment Committee are at loggerheads with the European Commission after the latter refused to bring self-employed drivers into scope of the Working Time Directive (WTD).
This will not directly affect UK owner-drivers, who are covered by the Road Transport Directive, but many MEPs have expressed safety concerns over allowing European owner-drivers to remain outside the scope of the WTD.
UK Labour MEP Stephen Hughes told the committee, "I dealt with this report in 2001-2. We thought about including the self-employed. At the time, the Commission agreed with us. It gave a number of reasons for including them, such as road safety and better working conditions."