91998E3177

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3177/98

by Paul Rübig (PPE) to the Commission

(12 October 1998)

Subject: Apprentice bakers and night work

Bread production is a very dynamic sector. Customer demand means that bread and pastries must be available as early as 6 a.m. However, Directive 94/33 on the protection of young people at work prohibits young people from working nights between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m. This rule deprives apprentice bakers of an essential part of their training, i.e. the opportunity to learn how to make dough. This situation could be remedied simply by cutting down the night-working ban by one hour. This would put small bakeries, which have traditionally provided most training, in a stronger position to train new apprentices in the future.

The level of employment in Europe must be improved, and youth employment in particular. With this consideration in mind, can the Commission envisage reducing the ban on night work by one hour, at least for those sectors which are particularly affected?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(5 November 1998)

Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work(1) requires Member States to ensure that employers guarantee young people working conditions which suit their age.

As regards night work, Article 9 of the Directive contains a general ban on night work by children and adolescents. However, to take account of the specific nature of certain areas of activity, the Directive allows Member States to authorise, under certain conditions, night-time work by adolescents, although work between midnight and 4.00 is still prohibited in such cases.

The Commission feels that this provision allows Member States to find a balance between the vocational training requirements of adolescents in the bakery industry and the need to protect young people against work liable to be detrimental to their safety, health or physical development.

The legislation in force in the Member States would seem to confirm the soundness of this approach.

(1) OJ L 216, 22.6.1994.