Law change: Pump it up 7 days a week!

(ADW) Just before the parliamentary holidays, a reform regarding the opening times of petrol stations was passed through the house with a clear majority of 52 votes to 4. The reform scraps a 1974 law that forces petrol stations to close for at least 1 day a week.

What this effectively means is that petrol stations will be free to open for 7 days a week if they choose to do so, giving motorists the chance to fill up every day of the week and doing a spot of small shopping too. This change may even come into force by the end of the month.

Petrol stations open seven days a week will be a benefit to everyone won't it? No, says René Winkin, General Secretary of the "Groupement Luxembourgeois pétrolier". It is clear that not all petrol stations in Luxembourg are open every weekday, especially in the capital,where the number of stations has decreased. However, in the border areas stations could well benefit from the new law. Station owners would have to calculate for themselves whether it was profitable, states Winkin.

Increased competition and shorter waiting times

Paul Kaiser, founder of the company "Petro-Center", is of the opinion that probably all the outlets in the country will use their new found freedom. He expects a rise in customers. Unlike Winkin, Kaiser is convinced that the new law will not just be beneficial to petrol stations on the border. “If one station is open seven days a week, others will follow” said Kaiser, basing his statement on observations made in other countries.

“The new law will increase greater competition”, says Kaiser. “Competition will eventually revive the business. The stations will probably have to work harder so that their customers will remain loyal to them”.

Clients themselves can only benefit. It is still unclear though whether the new law will mean new jobs. The unions are skeptical. Hernani Gomes, secretary of the OGBL union doubts that the new law will create more jobs. Hernani is more of the opinion that this could lead to a reduction in quality of life of employees. Smaller stations, under competitive pressure could close if they are unable to afford the hiring of more staff, warned the union representative.

René Winkin on the other hand takes a different view. He thinks that the new law poses absolutely no threat to employees. Being open seven days a week will automatically lead to more employees being hired.

Officially, the unions have not yet commented on this new law. However it is likely that we won't have to wait long for their reactions.