Europejskie prawo pracy – planowane zmiany w zakresie czasu pracy
The European Labour Law – the planned changes to the working time regulations

Summary/Abstract: The regulations settling working time requirements were described for the first time in Directive 93/104 dated on 23 November, 1993. Ten years later, on 4 November, 2003, European Parliament and the European Union Council introduced the updated directive 2003/88/EC. The new directive unified the text of the first one, defining the regulations related to working time. However, it did not effect any significant changes in the scope of the currently existing legal norms. Twenty years afterwards, a debate started with reference to the necessity of verifying the regulations in force from the point of view of their further topicality. The new social reality, the progress in methods of conducting business activity – in connection with the changes going on in the world of economics and the way of work organization – provided a vital prerogative to start work on the new text of the directive. The broadly-spreading consensus related to the necessity of updating the directive indicated the need to start social consultations. This discussion exposed, however, significant discrepancies related to the directions of changes. Employers’ representatives have postulated higher working time flexibility, whereas workers’ unions have emphasized the need to strengthen employees’ protection. This paper describes the planned changes to be made to Directive 2003/88/CE. It presents proposals which were put forward by the European Union Commission and opinions of particular social groups.

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