AFP - The European Parliament rejected Wednesday plans by EU member states to allow employees to work more than 48 hours a week under certain conditions.

The decision means that the controversial working time measures, held up for around three years, will now have to be thrashed out in a potentially difficult conciliation procedure between the assembly and the 27 EU nations.

One of the most controversial parts of the plans, supported notably by Britain, was an "opt-out" procedure allowing the maximum working week to be increased to 60 or 65 hours if employees agree.

The parliament's employment committee suggested last month that the 48-hour limit, which Britain opposes, should be introduced and that all national exceptions should be ended "within three years".

The guiding opinion of the committee backed a position adopted by the whole parliament in 2005.

Under the EU's 1993 working times rules, Britain obtained an opt-out clause allowing it to ignore the 48-hour rule.

Many of the lawmakers, meeting in a plenary session in Strasbourg, northern France, were also cool on the idea of redefining on-call hours, for doctors and others, where they may be called on to work at any moment.

Two European court decisions stipulate that on-call hours must be calculated as work hours but most member states contravene these rules, notably for medical workers.

France, which holds the EU's rotating presidency until December 31, had warned that the plans were the best-possible compromise it was able to reach "given the balance of forces in Europe".

Thousands of trade union members protested against the plan in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

The EU's executive arm, the European Commission, said it had taken note of the vote, and would do its utmost to help the assembly and the EU member nations to reach an agreement.

"We fully respect the democratic process on this important issue," a spokeswoman said. "The next step is for the council (of EU nations) to decide whether or not it accepts the amendments by the European Parliament."