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Freelancers urged to remain calm

08 November 2008

An organisation that represents freelance professionals and interim managers is urging its members not to panic over new European regulations.

According to the Professional Contractors Group (PCG), there are fears that the new Agency Workers Directive will include the UK's 1.4 million freelancers under the umbrella of agency workers.

As a result interims and freelancers would be included within scope of the measure, alongside temps and other agency workers.

The PCG says it is still working to ensure this doesn't happen, despite the fact that the European Parliament has passed the Directive without any amendments.

However, the exact scope of the directive will be decided by the UK Government.

A spokesman for the PCG explained that it will not be clear exactly what the Directive means for the UK's freelancers until it is implemented in the UK next year.

But the text of the Directive has been approved by both the Parliament and the Council, and should not now change

The spokesman went on to say the government can satisfy the terms of this Directive without including freelance workers and the PCG will be working with them to ensure the end result is workable.

The PCG will continue to discuss the issue with the Government and other key organisations in order to come to a satisfactory conclusion, he added.

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