Summary

Time spent by workers between a fixed point of departure and the exact location of their work site (natural areas), must be classified as ‘working time’.

Question

Must point 1 of Article 2 of Directive 2003/88/EC be interpreted as meaning that the time spent on outward and return journeys, which workers are required to take as a group at a time specified by their employer and in a vehicle belonging to that employer, in order to travel from a specific place, determined by that employer, to the place where the essential work under the contract of employment concluded between those workers and that employer is performed, must be regarded as ‘working time’ within the meaning of that provision?

Ruling

Point 1 of Article 2 of Directive 2003/88/EC must be interpreted as meaning that the time spent on outward and return journeys, which workers are required to take as a group at a time specified by their employer and in a vehicle belonging to that employer, in order to travel from a specific place, determined by that employer, to the place where the essential work under the contract of employment concluded between those workers and that employer is performed, must be regarded as ‘working time’ within the meaning of that provision.