In its judgment given today, the Court first of all points out that the principle of non‑discrimination set out in the framework agreement provides that fixed-term workers must not be treated in a less favourable manner than comparable permanent workers solely because they work on a fixed-term basis, unless different treatment is justified on objective grounds.

Clause 1(b) of the Framework Agreement on fixed-term work, which is annexed to Council Directive 1999/70 concerning the framework agreement on fixed-term work concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP, is intended to establish a framework in order to prevent abuse arising from the use of successive fixed-term employment contracts or relationships and, from that aspect, it is aimed at circumscribing the successive use of fixed-term contracts of employment, which are regarded as a potential source of abuse to the disadvantage of workers, by laying down a number of minimum protective requirements intended to prevent employees from being placed in a ...[+++]n insecure position.

In addition, the duration of a contract, as is apparent from clause 3, paragraph 1, of the framework agreement annexed to Directive 1999/70 concerning the framework agreement on fixed-term work concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP, may be determined not only by reaching a specific date but also by completion of a specific task or the occurrence of a specific event, such as the establishment of a reserve list of a specific competition.

Council Directive 1999/70/EC of 28 June 1999 concerning the framework agreement on fixed-term work concluded by ETUC, UNICE and CEEP (OJ L 175, 10.7.1999, p. 43), which aims to prevent fixed-term employees from being treated less favourably than similar permanent employees, to prevent abuse arising from the use of successive fixed-term contracts, to improve access to training for fixed-term employees and to ensure that fixed-term employees are informed about available permanent jobs.

The agreement forbids employers to treat fixed-term workers in a less favourable manner than permanent workers solely because they have a fixed-term contract, unless the difference in treatment can be justified on objective grounds.

It may be governed by a contract of definite or indefinite duration; - temporary employment: may be defined in contrast to employment of indefinite duration and take the following forms : a) employment governed by a fixed-duration contract entered into directly by the employer and the employee, where the term of the contract is defined by objective conditions such as : reaching a specific date, the completion of a certain task, the occurrence of a specific event, the term of seasonal work (agriculture, tourism) which is characterized by the regular cycle of the seasons and repeated every year; fixed duration may also cover the period r ...[+++]equired to replace an employee who is absent in the short term.