Article 2

Definitions For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions shall apply: 1. working time shall mean any period during which the worker is working, at the employer's disposal and carrying out his activity or duties, in accordance with national laws and/or practice; 2. rest period shall mean any period which is not working time; 3. night time shall mean any period of not less than seven hours, as defined by national law, and which must include in any case the period between midnight and 5 a. m.; 4. night worker shall mean: on the one hand, any worker, who, during night time, works at least three hours of his daily working time as a normal course; and on the other hand, any worker who is likely during night time to work a certain proportion of his annual working time, as defined at the choice of the Member State concerned: by national legislation, following consultation with the two sides of industry; or by collective agreements or agreements concluded between the two sides of industry at national or regional level; 5. shift work shall mean any method of organizing work in shifts whereby workers succeed each other at the same work stations according to a certain pattern, including a rotating pattern, and which may be continuous or discontinuous, entailing the need for workers to work at different times over a given period of days or weeks; 6. shift worker shall mean any worker whose work schedule is part of shift work. SECTION II MINIMUM REST PERIODS - OTHER ASPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF WORKING TIME

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-12 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.