Why the EU Will Never Surpass the US

If the French spent as much energy working as they do at protesting, perhaps they would become a world leader economically:

The protests come as parliament debates a government plan to allow staff in the private sector to increase overtime and work up to 48 hours a week, the maximum allowed under EU law. But managers must first agree the changes with unions.
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin says rules must be relaxed to help cut stubbornly high unemployment, currently close to 10 percent, and make the world's fifth largest economy more competitive.
Four of France's five major unions called Saturday's protests against reforms they say would sound the death knell of the 35-hour week and result in longer hours without extra pay.

Longer hours without extra pay is called being paid salary in the US. I love the fact that the EU only allow 48 hours per week, I think a lot of American workers would be picketing if they were limited to 48 hours per week.