It has been called a grave attack on family, social and associational life in Luxembourg: in a communiqué issued in Luxembourg in recent days the diocesan Council of Catholics has attacked the Sunday opening of shops made possible by a ministerial exemption dating to 14 September. The ministerial ruling annuls what is prescribed by the Labour Code of 2006 in which the character of Sunday as a day of rest is re-affirmed. “Opening shops on Sundays and on holidays – says the statement – means forcing thousands of workers to renounce privileged moments of their life, such as meeting together as a family or with friends, practising recreational activities or just resting. Sporting, cultural, political and religious activities would also be damaged”. In the light of all this, the Council re-affirms its opposition to the exemption “so as to give workers the chance to enjoy their day of rest”. It also “appeals to consumers to renounce shopping on Sundays, also as an act of solidarity with all employees in the commercial sector who are obliged to work” as a result of the new ruling.
