The British government stands accused of abusing the opt-out clause on the 48-hour working week.

The European Commission could force the UK to implement the policy in full, unless ministers make it easier for employees to set a limit on their working hours.

The EU commissioner responsible for employment policy, Anna Diamantopoulou, yesterday asserted that "the way employers have implemented the opt-out is a very abusive one".

But the CBI argued that the loss of the opt out "would seriously call into question the commission's commitment to EU competitiveness".