Working time developments – 2011

In 2011, average collective agreed weekly working time in the European Union stood at 38.1 hours. The working week was on average 30 minutes shorter in the pre-2004 EU15 countries and over 1 hour and 30 minutes longer in the new Member States. Agreed normal annual working time averages nearly 1,720 hours in the European Union as a whole – 1,686 hours in the EU15 and over 1,830 hours in the new Member States. Of the three sectors examined, retail recorded the longest average agreed normal weekly working hours with 38.3 hours, followed by the chemicals sector with 37.9 hours and the civil service with 37.6 hours. The average collectively agreed paid annual leave entitlement stood at 25.3 days across the EU, being slightly higher in the EU15 countries (26.7 days) and considerably lower in the new Member States (20.8 days).