While Spanish workers work an average 38.2 hours a week, which is above both the average 36.5-hour week put in by workers in the 25 countries of the European Union and the 35.8-hour week worked in the euro zone only nine European countries are ahead of Spain with regard to long working hours: Latvia, which holds the record at 41.3 hours each week, the Czech Republic (41.1), Slovakia (40.2), Estonia and Hungary (39.8), Poland (39.7), Greece and Slovenia (39.4), and Lithuania (38.8).

At the other end of the scale are the Dutch, who have the shortest working week at 29.9 hours. Also a long way from Spain are the Danes, the Swedes, the Belgians, the Irish and British and the French, whose average working week is less than 35 hours. Closest to Spain are Portugal (38.1 hours), Malta (38) and Cyprus (37.7).

Spaniards are the Europeans who spend most time at work, a report published last week by the UGT, one of Spain’s biggest trade unions.

The report was based on data provided by Eurostat, the European statistical agency.