L 367/86 Official Journal of the European Union 23.12.2014 DIRECTIVES COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2014/1 12/EU of 19 December 2014 implementing the European Agreement concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time in inland waterway transport, concluded by the European Barge Union (EBU), the European Skippers Organisation (ESO) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) (Text with EEA relevance) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 155(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Whereas: (1)  Management and labour, hereinafter referred to as ‘the social partners’, may, in accordance with Article 155(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), jointly request that agreements concluded by them at Union level in matters covered by Article 153 TFEU be implemented by a Council decision on a proposal from the Commission. (2) By letter of 10 December 2007, the European Barge Union (EBU), the European Skippers Organisation (ESO) and the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) informed the Commission of their desire to enter into negoti- ations in accordance with Article 155(1) TFEU with a view to concluding an agreement at Union level. (3)  On 15 February 2012, EBU, ESO and ETF concluded a European Agreement concerning certain aspects of the or- ganisation of working time in inland waterway transport (‘the Agreement). 4 The Agreement included a joint request that the Agreement be implemented by means of a Council decision on a g ) q g p y proposal from the Commission in accordance with Article 155(2) TFEU. (5)  The appropriate instrument for implementing the Agreement is a directive. (6)  The Commission has informed the European Parliament of its proposal. (7)  The Commission drafted its proposal for a Directive, in accordance with its Communication of 20 May 1998 on adapting and promoting the social dialogue at Community level, taking into account the representative status of the signatory parties and the legality of each paragraph of the Agreement. (8)  In order to contribute to a coherent legal framework with regard to the organisation of working time, the imple- mentation of this Directive should take into account existing Union legislation and, given the content of the Agreement, in particular Directive 2003/88/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (*). That Directive lays down minimum health and safety requirements for the organisation of working time, including that of workers in the inland waterway transport. 9) It should be possible for the Member States to entrust social partners, at their joint request, with the implementa- tion of this Directive, provided the Member States take all steps necessary to ensure that the objectives of this Dir- ective can be met. (") Directive 2003/88/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 concerning certain aspects of the organisa- tion of working time (OJ L 299, 18.11.2003, p. 9).