runch time for 48 hours
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• by Karen Miles European Union plans to limit the working week of truck drivers to 48 hours will reach "make or break" point over the next 12 months as the proposals get their biggest-ever political push.
The EU's new Portuguese presidency has pledged to give a high priority to efforts to broker agreement between Europe's transport ministers. And the presidential switch to France in July will bring Europe's most fervent supporter of the drivers' 48-hour week to the centre of the political stage.
If these two enthusiasts fail to secure success then the initiative will be left dead in the water, say observers.
Portugal's socialist transport secretary Cuilhermino Rodrigues will lobby the governments of the UK, Spain and Italy in an effort to persuade at least one of them to support the majority EU view that owner-drivers should also be covered by the proposed Working Time Directive.
Those three countries. along with Greece and Finland. are acting as a blocking minority, sticking to their view that the self-employed should be exempt from the 48-hour working week rules.
The Portuguese have said the issue is a "top priority" that requires face-to-face meetings between itself and the governments of the blocking minority.
If no agreement on the selfemployed is reached by July, France will be expected to use all its political guile and muscle to achieve their Inclusion. It has already said that it will only move forward on plans to liberalise rail freight in Europe if it gets its way on truck drivers' working hours.
France's socialist government is under pressure from its militant truck drivers to cut their working hours.
French drivers are planning another day of action over working conditions in March. as are French workers generally, who this year will see their legal working week fall to 35 hours.
If the two EU presidencies get their way, the 48-hour week could be law within three years. If they fail, 48-hour driving limits for truck drivers under discussion by EU social affairs ministers will provide a more flexible safety net.