Thanks to SMEPs like Spanish A. Cercas, Europeans do not work 65 hours

Working time: " We have averted serious damage to the social Europe."

Socialist MEPs have slated the failure of negotiations between the European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers on statutory working hours, but believe that no agreement was better than a bad one.

Socialists are demanding an end to the individual opt-outs from the statutory 48-hour working week that pose a danger to health and safety, make it difficult to reconcile family and working lives, and promote social dumping.

"The compromise proposed by the Europrean Commission would have made the current situation even worse," explained Alejandro Cercas – who took part in the negotiations with the Council in his role as European Parliament rapporteur – to the press on Tuesday.

"We would have lost hope along with our dignity if we had accepted such a compromise," added the Spanish MEP.

"In these times of economic and social crisis, it is vitally important to maintain workers’ trust in both Europe and the European Parliament," insisted Mr Cercas.