Law developed and agreed by Member States in Brussels may be applicable to the Private Security Industry.
Short outlines of important pieces of European legislation currently in force or proposed are set out below. More information can be found in the links provided.
Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications
The European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007 came into force in the UK on 19 October 2007. This Regulation implements European Directive 2005/36/EC on Recognition of Professional Qualifications. The Security Industry Authority as a named competent authority is fully compliant with the requirements of the Directive.
For information on on how to register please call 020 7025 4100, quoting EU Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications. Alternatively, you can download the declaration form (and guidance on how to complete it) from this page.
Pease visit the UK National Contact Point for Professional qualifications (UKNCP) website for further information.
Working Time Directive
The Working Time Directive (93/104/EC) and parts of the Young Workers Directive (94/33/EC) are implemented in the UK through the Working Time Regulations 1998. The law applies to workers, giving basic rights including:
- An average of forty-eight hours a week
- An average of eight hours work for night workers
- A right to eleven hours rest period between each working day
- A right to a day off each week
- A right to a twenty minute rest break if working longer than six hours
- A right to four weeks paid leave per year
- A right for night workers to receive free health assessments
In the UK a worker can decide to 'opt out' of the regulation in the form of a written agreement to exclude the forty-eight hour entitlement. Further guidance on working time rights can be found on the BERR website.
Posting of Workers Directive
The Posting of Workers Directive (96/71/EC) broadly requires that where a Member State has certain minimum terms and conditions of employment, these must also apply to workers posted temporarily by their employer to work in that state. More information about this Directive is available from the Business Link website.
EU Services Directive
The EU Directive on Services in the internal market (2006/123/EC) aims to break down barriers to cross border trade in services between EU Member States, making it easier for service providers, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, to:
- set up business and offer services in other Member States; and
- provide services temporarily and/or at a distance in other Member States.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills is responsible for co-ordinating the implementation of the EU Services Directive. More information about the progress of the Directive can be found on the BIS website.
The private security industry is currently exempt from the EU Services Directive under Article 2(2)(K).