A recently published Eurofound report provides a general overview of the
current situation and developments regarding working time. The report shows,
that there are substantial differences in working time between the former EU15
Member States and the majority of the new EU Member States (NMS12), according
to a new report from Eurofound, Working time developments - 2008. Across the
EU, the longest working weeks are in Romania, the Czech Republic and Latvia.
The shortest are in France, Belgium and Ireland.

In 2008, average collectively agreed weekly working time in the European Union
stood at 38.6 hours; agreed normal annual working time averaged about 1,740
hours. Of the three economic sectors examined in this study, agreed weekly
working hours are highest in metalworking (38.7), followed by the banking and
local government sectors (both 38.3). Average collectively agreed paid annual
leave entitlement was 25.2 days across the EU in 2008, although the total
varied significantly between the 'old' and the new Member States. This report
also examines statutory working time and leave limits, and actual working hours.
This annual update looks at a number of aspects of the duration of working time
in the European Union and Norway in 2008, based on contributions from the
European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) national centres. The study
examines the following issues: average weekly working hours as set by
collective agreements - both at national level and for three specific economic
sectors; statutory limits on weekly and daily working time; average actual
weekly working hours; annual leave entitlement, as set by collective agreements
and law; and estimates of average collectively agreed annual working time.

More info

AplusA-online.de - Source: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions