A deal struck between EU member states permitting countries like Malta to opt out of stringent overtime rules is expected to be shot down by the European Parliament this week.

Any change in these rules will directly affect the number of extra hours Maltese employees may work in future.

Last June, EU member states agreed to keep using an 'opt-out' from the current working time rules so that employees can work longer than the maximum eight hours of overtime permitted per week.

Over the past four years, Malta has always argued in favour of an 'opt-out' as it maintained that its employment market necessitates a more flexible working attitude, particularly in the health, tourism and security sector.

The government's position is also supported by employers and trade unions, contrary to the situation in Europe where trade unions are against an opt-out in order to safeguard workers' health and safety.

Last month, the EP's Employment Committee rejected the deal struck by member states and called for a phasing-out of the national opt-outs from the 48-hour week and for all 'on-call' time to be counted as working time.

Sources close to the EP said yesterday that the position adopted by the Employment Committee is now expected to be endorsed by a majority of MEPs in this week's plenary session in Strasbourg - placing in jeopardy the compromise reached by member states after four years of discussion.

The sources said that the proposal to remove the opt-out possibility appears to be backed by the Socialists, the European United Left and the Greens. However, both the centre-right EPP and the Liberals groups are split on the issue and their members are expected to vote according to their country's position.

All five Maltese MEPs back the government's position to retain the opt-out and are expected to vote against the EP's position. However, this may not be enough to prevent a 393 MEP absolute majority.

"If the EP's position goes through it will be a big problem for Malta as it will mean that the current unlimited overtime culture will have to be cut short," EU sources told The Sunday Times.

EU ministers are expected to discuss the outcome of this crucial vote at once and will be convening in Brussels on the same day of the EP vote to decide on the way forward.

Malta is expected to be represented by Social Policy Minister John Dalli who together with the other member states in favour of retaining the overtime culture, including the UK, Bulgaria and Cyprus, will have a tough time to convince other member states that the EU Council should continue to move on the same course.

"A negative signal from the EP will mean that everything must go back to the drawing board," the sources said.

"It was already very difficult to come to this compromise and a 'no' vote from MEPs might mean that unlimited overtime is on the way out. Ministers will have to come up with some very clever suggestions."