FRANCE:France's constitutional council approved the main elements of a law dismantling the 35-hour working week yesterday, but imposed amendments to rules on overtime.
Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand, one of the senior members of President Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right government, welcomed the decision, which he said would allow the law to come into force as expected from autumn this year.
Overturning the 35-hour working week, one of the landmark measures of the previous Socialist government, was one of Mr Sarkozy's main reform targets.
He has repeatedly criticised it as a hindrance to French economic competitiveness.
Under the law, passed by the French parliament last month, companies will be able to negotiate their own working hours arrangements with staff and unions, although 35 hours will remain the basic standard.
A group of opposition deputies and senators had appealed against the law to the constitutional council.
This is the body that rules on whether legislation is in accordance with the constitution.
The council rejected part of their challenge but ruled that elements in the law that would have overturned existing conventions on setting overtime agreements were unconstitutional.
Data from statistics office INSEE on Wednesday showed that French workers put in an average of 41 hours a week last year, underlining steady erosion of the 35-hour rules.
- (Reuters)