European Working Time Directive (EWTD)

Working Time Directive: Towards a workable compromise? Views of the Royal College of Physicians

The European Working Time Directive (EWTD) has introduced a number of restrictions that have been criticised in the UK and in other European countries, especially regarding doctors. The European Commission is in the process of consulting amongst social partners - i.e. trade unions and employers - to gauge their acceptance of a revised Directive. As explained in previous EPHA articles, the Working Time Directive limits the number of hours that doctors are allowed to work over an average (...)

Ireland and Greece under EU fire for excessive working time for doctors

The European Commission has decided to launch an ’infringement procedure’ against Ireland and Greece for not complying with the EU rules limiting working time for doctors in health services. If both countries do not adapt their legislation, they will be brought up to the European Court of Justice. After having sent letters of formal notice, the European Commission has decided to take the matter further with a ’reasoned opinion’ for not complying with the (...)

Working Group on Health Professionals

Please find below the agenda and minutes of EPHA’s Working Group on Health Professionals, bringing together experts representing, amongst others, medical, pharmacy, nursing, and CAM associations, as well as various specialist functions operating within these sectors. The first Working Group took place on 24 May 2011. It served to discuss the EPHA position on the European Commission consultation on the Revision of the Professional Qualfications Directive (DIR 36) and to identify the (...)

2011 Commission Work Programme

The 2011 Commission Work Programme has been released. The annual work programme indicates what proposals the Commission will initiate in a year and explains how the Political Guidelines from the President of the EC will be implemented for that year. The Work Programme has been divided to meet the Europe 2020 objectives of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, with the addition of a Citizen`s programme. The 2011 Work Programme will focus on the economic crisis, specifically economic (...)

New Skills for New Jobs - ensuring the future workforce is a healthy one

The Commission released the flagship initiative ‘Agenda for New Skills for New Jobs.’ This strategy will outline how the Commission will work with Member States to meet the EU 2020 target of increasing the employment rate for women and men to 75 %. The ‘Agenda for New Skills and Jobs’ flagship initiative sets out 13 key actions with accompanying and preparatory measures. One of the accompanying measures is for the European Commission to work with Member States to (...)

EPHA briefing: "New Skills for New Jobs."

The Commission released the flagship initiative ‘Agenda for New Skills for New Jobs.’ This strategy will outline how the Commission will work with Member States to meet the EU 2020 target of increasing the employment rate for women and men to 75 %. The ‘Agenda for New Skills and Jobs’ flagship initiative sets out 13 key actions with accompanying and preparatory measures. One of the accompanying measures is for the European Commission to work with Member States to (...)

EP event on health workforce - Putting health professionals back on the EU agenda

EPHA co-organised an event in the European Parliament that highlighted the problems that the health workforce experiences when working in a different Member State, and that provided a forum to discuss the shortage of health professionals and potential impacts in the EU. Speakers and participants agreed that the event was timely and urged policy makers to take action. Oana Elena Antonescu MEP (Romania, EPP) explained the importance of the issue, as Romania exports thousands of health (...)

Revision of the European Working Time Directive

**Update Tuesday 28 April 2009** The European Working time Directive is thrown in the bin! For the first time since its inception, a conciliation committee [] has failed to reach an agreement. It emerged on 27 April 2009 that no compromise could be reached between the European Parliament and the European Council on three key points: the opt-out, on-call time and multiple contracts. The European Parliament delegation made the decision to end negotiations with fifteen votes in favour, five (...)

European Parliament changing its approach to health?

During the first week of March, Brussels was awash with rumours about a possible restructuring within the Parliament on health issues. Commentators were suggesting that health may be removed from its current home in the ’ENVI’ Committee (Environment, Health and Food Safety) to a new Health-only Committee under the 2009-2013 Parliament. EPHA was asked to comment on these rumoured changes (please click here for the full article in the Brussels press). If the rumours are correct (...)

Fears that reducing junior doctors working hours will compromise patient care

Continuity of care for patients, the quality of training for doctors and the efficiency of hospitals could be compromised when junior doctors hours have to be reduced further next year to meet the requirements of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), according to the Royal College of Physicians’s Lead on EWTD Professor Roy Pounder. From August 2009, implementation of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), will prevent junior doctors from working more that 48 hours per (...)