Kroes heeft kritiek op lange zomervakanties in veel EU-lidstaten (en)

Europe's traditional long summer holidays have been called into question by Neelie Kroes, the bloc's competition commissioner.

Speaking in a European Parliament committee hearing on Thursday (6 October), the Dutch official urged vacations to be spread out in order to boost the sluggish European economy.

"We can't permit in Europe a situation where for three months in the summertime we don't function because of the summer holidays," she said, according to British media reports.

"The serious economic situation in Europe really pushes us to do better," she said. "Everybody needs holidays, but we can spread it [out]."

EU leaders will meet later this month to discuss how to shape Europe's social systems for the future.