Because of the present high demand and short supply of skilled labour, for instance for factory and service jobs, including hospital nurses and physicians, the annual average Working time have risen, especially compared with the Recession 1987-1993 .

Some Member States call on collective or workforce agreements to establish the average working time, whilst others resort to individual derogations which make it possible for workers in, for example, supervisory positions, not to be subjected to restrictions in working time.

When, therefore, the proposal concerning the opt-out – a rule, moreover, that is not applied in Sweden - was voted down and the proposal to calculate average working time over a period longer than four months was rejected, I thought it right to vote against the proposal as a whole.