Last month the CBI and TUC came to a compromise over agency workers' rights, meaning those who have been employed by a firm for at least 12 weeks will have the same basic rights - including pay - as their permanent counterparts.
This week, as well as reaching agreement on the Working Time Directive - meaning UK workers can choose to work longer than 48 hours a week - the EU decided to uphold these recommendations on agency workers.
But recruitment agencies worry that employers will stop using temporary workers, or let them go after 12 weeks to avoid incurring extra costs.
"It's all very well for the CBI and TUC to form a deal on behalf of employers and workers but this directive will have the biggest impact on recruiters who will have to make it work for all in practice," says Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. "We will be working hard to ensure that when this directive is implemented, it does not have a negative impact on the provision of temporary workers."
But the Government stands by the EU's decision.
"The agreement will give a fair deal for agency workers while retaining important flexibility for businesses to hire staff for short-term seasonal contracts or key busy times," says business secretary John Hutton.
Recruiters unhappy with EU's agreement on agency workers
Recruitment agencies have criticised the EU Employment Council's decision to agree to a 12-week qualifying period for equal treatment of agency workers.
