Table 1.
Drivers’ hours rules Regulation (EC) 561/2006 | Working time rules Directive 2002/15/EC |
---|---|
Driving
|
Working time (including driving) |
Breaks
|
Breaks
3
|
Rest
|
Rest
|
Normally calculated over a rolling 17‐week period, but can be extended to 26 weeks under a collective or workforce agreement.
Can be extended under a collective or workforce agreement.
EC Regulation 561/2006 is directly effective and takes precedence over EC Directive 2002/15 ‐ Article 2.4 Directive 2002/15. Therefore, EU drivers’ hours break requirements take precedence when driving.
After working for 6 h a mobile worker must take a break of at least 15 min. However, if working more than 6 and up to 9 h in a shift a mobile worker needs to take a break totalling at least 30 min ‐ this could be two breaks of 15 min. Where a shift will contain more than 9 h of working time, a total of 45 min of break is needed.
Alternatively, this regular daily rest period may be taken in two periods, the first of which must be an uninterrupted period of at least 3 h and the second an uninterrupted period of at least 9 h.